World of Zoo - Animal Creator Video Game Demo download

THQ announce the launch of its World of Zoo video game Web site, www.worldofzoo.com, which includes a trial application of the company’s state-of-the-art downloadable Animal Creator tool that will allow players to create and design their very own World of Zoo animals. The Animal Creator program is a new and unique feature available only in World of Zoo, which is scheduled to be released to all major retail outlets for Nintendo Wii home video game system, Nintendo DS, and Windows PC in November 2009.

Using the Animal Creator program, players will be able to create their favorite zoo animals, save them on their hard drive, and share them with their families and friends via e-mail and other social networking or photo sharing sites. Players can also upload their customized animals into the full retail version of the Windows PC game once it is available, place the animals in their exhibits, and interact and play with them. World of Zoo has more than 90 pre-loaded animals in the game, and with the Animal Creator, players can create an endless number of animal species with different names, colors, traits, and personalities.

Playrix Brings Fishdom Video Game to Nintendo DS

Playrix Entertainment, a top-tier developer of such worldwide popular titles as Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey, Call of Atlantis, 4 Elements, Fishdom, etc., launched the adaptation of its highly-acclaimed franchise Fishdom on the Nintendo DS via its publisher partner Joindots. The game is to initially hit retail outlets in Germany with worldwide distribution and localizations in the pipeline.

The original version of Fishdom was released in June 2008 and immediately received spectacular user ratings and favorable reviews. The game with conversion rates reaching 14% proved to be #1 hit and one of the best-selling match-3 titles across major casual games portals.
“We are very excited to bring Fishdom to the DS. Judging by the unprecedented success of both online and boxed versions of the game, we hope that the adaptation will appeal to the DS audience as well,” said Igor Bukhman, Playrix’s President, Products. “Besides we are gearing up towards the release of Around the World in 80 Days for the DS later this month scaling up our efforts to bring our games to the widest array of gaming platforms.”

“We are very happy to announce the first Playrix title on the Nintendo DS,” said Thorsten Vogt, Joindots’s CEO. “Fishdom has the typical high quality of a game from Playrix and features very cute characters, that is why it should be a perfect fit with the DS audience. So we are full of confidence and expect a great launch of Fishdom on the DS.”

Earlier this year Playrix has adopted a multi-platform strategy announcing plans to expand its titles onto the iPhone/mobile, Mac, Nintendo Wii/DS and other consoles/handhelds while exploring new opportunities. This initiative has been one of the company’s priorities since then and it is actively working in this direction.

Beatle track list on Rock Band video game Game out now!

The list comes from this month’s Game Informer magazine.

Please Please Me (1963)
I Saw Her Standing There
Boys
Do You Want To Know A Secret
Twist And Shout

With the Beatles (1963)
I Wanna Be Your Man

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
A Hard Day’s Night
Can’t Buy Me Love

Beatles For Sale (1964)
Eight Days A Week

Help! (1965)
Ticket To Ride

Rubber Soul (1965)
Drive My Car
I’m Looking Through You
If I Needed Someone

Revolver (1966)
Taxman
Yellow Submarine
And Your Bird Can Sing

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/With A Little Help From My Friends
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Getting Better
Good Morning Good Morning

Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
I Am The Walrus
Hello Goodbye

The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
Dear Prudence
Back In the U.S.S.R.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Birthday
Helter Skelter

Yellow Submarine (1969)
Hey Bulldog

Abbey Road (1969)
Come Together
Something
Octopus’s Garden
I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
Here Comes The Sun

Let It Be (1970)
Dig A Pony
I Me Mine
I Got A Feeling
Get Back

Love (2006)
Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows

Singles
I Want To Hold Your Hand
I Feel Fine
Day Tripper
Paperback Writer
Revolution
Don’t Let Me Down

A decent list, and one sure to be topped up by future DLC. Which is also sure to cause more umms and ahhs as to whether people actually like DLC or not.

PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 concepts revealed

Over at core 77 they have published some Tai Chiem console concepts for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720...

Take a look here...

133 Easter Eggs listed for Burnout Paradise - Big Surf Island

Here's the full list of Easter Eggs to be found on Big Surf Island! lease note that these are solely the place names and hidden graffiti text!

There are one or two unrelated Easter Eggs to be found but I'll leave it to you l33t players to figure those out!

Places

1. Inspiral Car Park
2. The Loop
3. Holness Hotel
4. Noel's
5. Paradise University
6. Blackburn Hotel
7. Magpie
8. Divine's Hotel
9. Monkhouse Royal
10. Tucker Towers
11. Zammo Mansions
12. Stilgoe's Mall
13. Philbin Apartments
14. Saville Tech
15. The J. Craven
16. The Hairy Cornflake
17. Chegwin Hotel
18. Crackerjack House
19. Krankee's Chilli
20. Our Tune Hotel
21. Deckard Sushi
22. Shep's Surf Shop
23. Belly Busters
24. A Local Mini Mart / For Local People
25. Itchy Starfish Club
26. Brucie's Used Autos / The Price is Right
27. No. 73
28. Noakes Plaza
29. Byker Grove
30. Cap'n Jaspers Big Surf Restaurant
31. Els Bels Resort
32. Happy Sundaes
33. Sgt. Sullivans Stunt Shack
34. Grange Hill

Hidden Text
35. Just say no!
36. Say what you see!
37. Blobby Blobby Blobby
38. You just can't beat a bit of bully
39. John Kettley...weatherman?
40. Our survey says...
41. Supermatch game
42. And away you go!
43. All done in the best possible taste!

Have fun finding them all!

Battle your way to victory at International Fighting Games Tournament 'Super VS Battle' next weekend!

With the release of Street Fighter IV, King of Fighters XII, BlazBlue, and the upcoming release of Tekken 6, the fighting game scene worldwide has been rapidly expanding, resulting in more interest in tournaments and casual sessions. As such, the folks over at Neo Empire have decided to make Super VS Battle 2009 an international event, in search of the world's best fighting game players.

The 3-day long tournament will contain a main roster of 10 games, along with even more side-tournaments to compete in, and casual play for those hoping to level their game up. The 10 main games at Super VS Battle 2009 are:

• Street Fighter IV
• Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
• Street Fighter Alpha 3
• Capcom vs. SNK 2
• Guilty Gear XX Accent Core
• BlazBlue
• King of Fighters XII
• Soul Calibur IV
• Tekken 6

Not only will Tekken 6 be free to play for anyone who has paid venue entry, but it will be the PS3 version - which isn't released until October! Free Tekken 6 posters will be distributed to those playing the game.

Also at the event will be the director of Arc System Works; the development team behind Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, among other titles, for a possible Q&A session on the Saturday. Merchandise will also be available for those partaking in the event!

Super VS Battle 2009 will be taking place from the 11th-13th September, 2009. Make sure you don't miss this opportunity to become recognised in the scene, and make new friends/rivals. As anyone who's been to a tournament of the sort will know, there's sure to be a lot of hype, drama, and intense matches!

NeoGames and Gaming Media Group create a Scratchcard Heaven

NeoGames have announced that they have supplied their white label services to Gaming Media Group to create a new scratch card brand, called ‘ScratchcardHeaven’ that compliments the company’s existing gaming brands.

Gaming Media Group, are a leading European gaming operation company who manage one of Europe’s largest online poker rooms called Pokerheaven.com and in addition operate Europe’s biggest TV gaming network, ‘The Poker Channel’ as one of their subsidiary businesses.

Among its popular brands are also BingoJoy and CasinoJoy. With NeoGames’ white label services, Gaming Media Group have added a fourth, independent games brand.

Scratchcard Heaven will be fully operated by NeoGames who have created and localized a new and separate homepage with their extensive portfolio of over 40 interactive scratch card games. As part of the service, a new VIP club has been custom built and rebranded for Scratchcard Heaven members called Heaven’s Stars.

Michael Labrecque, CFO of NeoGames, states:

“We are honoured and thrilled to be working with Gaming Media Group and are proud to have created Scratchcard Heaven. This is NeoGames’ 5th partner, with whom we foresee enjoying a successful and profitable long term working relationship with.”

Crispin Nieboer, CEO of Gaming Media Group also stated:

“We see the addition of ScratchcardHeaven.com as widening the appeal of our brand portfolio, responding to a growing demand for fun and easy to play games. We are pleased to partner with NeoGames to promote ScratchcardHeaven.com to our key European markets where we are already seeing some strong interest.”

New Global Agenda video game maps debut at PAX '09

The Penny Arcade Expo show floor is featuring the action MMO Global Agenda and introducing three newly polished maps and game-styles:

- Ice-Flow is an Escort map set outside a Siberian facility with the lights of the Aurora Borealis visible against the evening sky

- Seaside is a 3-point Ticket map set upon a massive drilling platform suspended above a storming Northern Atlantic ocean

- Climate Control is an Attack/Defend map set within the mountains of East Asia and populated with trees that sway in the blowing wind.

These maps have emerged recently from Global Agenda's Closed Beta Test 1 (CBT1) and have been warmly received by the PAX crowd according to Executive Producer Todd Harris. "First-time players are hopping on a station, playing team-based missions, and then returning with additional friends to play more", says Todd. "Our Dev Team here at PAX is thrilled to see players enjoying MMO game-play for its own sake rather than simply to level-up a character. Our booth is a grind-free zone".

Later this year, developer Hi-Rez Studios plans to introduce Campaign functionality which will initiate a massive persistent conflict between player created Agency groups for limited territory, technology, and resources in the world of Global Agenda. Players interested in joining this pending Closed Beta Test 2 (CBT2) phase of Global Agenda can apply at www.globalagendagame.com

Uncharted unplayable after PlayStation 3 Firmware 3.0 update

Sony are looking into the issue...

“Rest assured that we are looking into the matter and will provide an update here as soon as possible,” Sony’s Patrick Seybold wrote. “We apologize for any inconvenience, as it’s our mission to deliver the best consumer experience on all PlayStation platforms.”

New Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 update fix multiplayer and cheaters fixed!

Grand Theft Auto IV has passed Microsoft certification and is available now. Get ready for the update screen for the next time you boot up the title.

A simple patch that addresses two key issues present in the title’s multiplayer component: invisible characters and holes cheaters. Apparently, there was some sort of bug that allowed people to become Kevin Bacon during matches. The cheat code thing, we weren’t even aware of.

Rockstar doesn’t elaborate on its official blog, but it's stated that somehow, people managed to use a cheat code exploit in the component.

If those two things got you down, it’s time to pick up that chin and head back in. "The Ballad of Gay Tony" is hitting quite soon, so sharpen those skills.