Rare says "Gamers shouldn't judge Banjo-Kazooie based on SS"

George Kelion has said that these screenshots only show how pretty the game is, and that gamers shouldn't judge it based on them alone. “You can’t tell altogether that much from the screenshots other than the fact that it’s pretty,” Kelion said.

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Race Driver - GRID playable demo now available

PC gamers can get off the grid and race the world right now as Codemasters announces that the Race Driver - GRID playable demo for Games For Windows is now available to download from http://community.racedrivergrid.com/.

Delivering intense competition right from the off, the demo enables players to compete in single-player GRID World events and 12-player online races.

In the single-player GRID World showdowns, take to the wheel of a Ford Mustang GT-R on the streets of San Francisco in the eBay Motors Muscle Cup; in Japan, compete in a Nissan S15 Silvia in the Advan Drift Trophy at Yokohama Docks, while the sweeping curves and hairpins of the Jarama circuit in Spain plays host to the Euro Touring Cars championship featuring BMW 320si touring cars.

For players who want to compete online, the demo delivers 12-player online competitions at the European and U.S. locations.

Race Driver: GRID is coming May 30th (Europe/PAL) for Games For Windows, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. A Nintendo DS edition will follow.

The Race Driver: GRID playable demo is also available for the Xbox 360 from Xbox LIVE Marketplace and for the PLAYSTATION 3 system from the PLAYSTATION Network. For all driver briefings and the latest videos, be sure to visit www.racedrivergrid.com

New screenshots from Sudden Strike 3 Arms for Victory addon

Leading video game developer and publisher, Fireglow Games, today announces a new batch screenshots from Sudden Strike 3 Arms for Victory addon.

In order to make battles more realistic and to improve the gameplay, we have decided to add a new feature for armor units to transport infantry.

About Sudden Strike 3 - Arms for Victory:



Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory is the latest instalment in the award-winning, critically acclaimed and hugely popular Sudden Strike series. It features historically authentic models built to scale, fully interactive giant maps and full 3-D state-of-the-art graphics in the popular Sudden Strike style. Only Sudden Strike plays like the 'real thing'. WW2 gaming at its best: on land, at sea and in the air!

Features:

• Fully interactive landscape (all objects can be destroyed, all buildings and pillboxes can be used as shelter)
• Massive operations on big maps, strategic scale of the maps (front line can be a few kilometres long)
• Thousands of units fighting in real time
• More than 300 tanks, ships, soldiers, guns and planes with original weapons built to scale
• Great sounds, 5.1 supported, nations speak native languages
• New feature - advanced Micro AI-behaviour allows your troops to act exactly as you plan
• Joint naval and ground operations, air raids, artillery strikes etc.
• State-of-the-art technology to render 3D landscape, realistic lines of sight and fire
• Spectacular visual & lighting effects
• Multiplayer mode: up to 8 players, GameSpy supported
• Five campaigns playable for American, British, German, Japanese and Soviet sides

Cake Mania - In The Mix! for Nintendo Wii

Popular Online PC Franchise From Sandlot Games Coming To Nintendo Wii

Baking bedlam goes motion-based as Majesco Entertainment, an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, and Sandlot Games, a leading developer and publisher of casual and family-friendly games, today announced Cake Mania - In The Mix! for Nintendo Wii.

Following the hectic, time-management style gameplay of the original Cake Mania, and the branching storyline of Cake Mania 2, Cake Mania: In The Mix! introduces all-new characters, motion-based mini-games and a unique co-op mode where cake baking heroine Jill Evans receives some much needed assistance. Based on Sandlot Games’ award-winning PC franchise that has been downloaded more than 80 million times worldwide and sold 315,000 units on Nintendo DS™, Cake Mania: In The Mix! is expected to release in Europe and PAL territories in early 2009.

“Joining Cake Mania’s trademark resource management play with the Wii’s motion-based control is a natural extension of an incredibly successful brand on PC and DS,” said Gui Karyo, Executive Vice President of Operations, Majesco. “The Wii version’s expanded feature set, ranging from catering integration to cake design mini-games, enables fans of the series to experience the franchise in an entirely new way.”

“We are thrilled to combine Majesco’s expertise on the Wii platform with the massive fan base and addictive gameplay of Cake Mania,” said Daniel Bernstein, founder and CEO, Sandlot Games. “The combination of a great story, memorable characters and the Wii platform will deliver something that Cake Mania fans have never seen before.”

In Cake Mania: In The Mix! players use the Wii Remote to lead Jill through nine new bakeries filled with baking and frosting mania. Aspiring bakers control every aspect of the business, from serving cakes and advertising in the Dessert Daily newspaper, to running a catering business by phone.

By unlocking bonus levels, players can expand the bakery to exotic locales on the moon, under the sea and in the rainforest, among others. In addition, the all-new Shop Rating feature lets players earn extra cash, promote catering services and unlock special kitchen upgrades and new cake designing mini-games where they can use the Wii Remote as a cake decorating tool.

Additional new game features include:

• 10 customer friendly bakery add-ons: fish tank, bench, table, table game, promotional decorations and more!
• Phone system allows players to accept catering orders and increase their business exponentially.
• Demanding customers ranging from ninjas to pregnant moms to leprechauns.

Frontier's LostWinds launches with WiiWare in the Americas

As of 5 a.m. PST today, millions of families in the Americas now have LostWinds available in their living rooms - an enchanting adventure bursting with new gameplay ideas that embrace the innovative controller of the Wii.

www.frontier.co.uk/games/lostwinds

That's when Nintendo of America launched WiiWare, a brand new way of delivering games over the Internet straight to your Wii console, with LostWinds as a launch title.

LostWinds puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze – as you wield your Wii Remote to guide and protect Toku, a young boy who is the only one who can help you in your quest to release a curse placed on the stunningly presented, magical land of Mistralis. You'll power Toku's jumps and glides through different regions, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles to progress through the game's environments, which have been designed to encourage and reward exploration using LostWinds' novel, intuitive and playful control system.

"LostWinds has a great new control mechanic that makes the game feel really fresh – I think the quality of the game and the fact it's a WiiWare launch title are things we can be really proud of "

said David Braben, Frontier's Chairman and founder.

LostWinds can be downloaded for 1000 Wii Points, is rated E for Everyone [mild fantasy violence] by the ESRB, and has been created especially for Wii by Frontier, who are the developers behind RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, which was a USA No1 game and is part of the second biggest selling PC game franchise of all time, and Thrillville, which was the USA's No1 original kids game in 2006.

Nintendo launches WiiWare - an open playground for creativity

Downloadable Game Service Delivers Developers' New Ideas Directly to Consumers

Nintendo's Wii console has already changed the way people play games. Now its new WiiWare service decisively tears down limitations for how developers create games - and the way people receive them.

Starting today, Wii owners with an Internet connection can download new, creative games from a wide range of developers, from large publishers to indie shops. By reducing the barriers that make console game development prohibitively expensive, WiiWare showcases original ideas in the most democratic environment in industry history, connecting the people who make games more directly with the people who play them.

WiiWare frees developers from the traditional constraints of video game development. WiiWare lets developers experiment with big ideas and small budgets to the benefit of players everywhere. Newer, smaller teams now have an outlet for their creative ideas. The constantly growing WiiWare library will have a regular flow of unique video gaming experiences consumers might not otherwise have access to.

"WiiWare is to the video game industry what independent films are to Hollywood," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "WiiWare lets developers experiment with new ideas and experiences. Combined with our collection of classic Virtual Console games, Wii provides one-stop shopping for the greatest games of the past - and the future."

WiiWare games are easy to download. Just go to the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel, find the game you want, redeem Wii Points and start the download. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. New games, at various Wii Point values, will be added to WiiWare on Mondays. The newly launched Nintendo Channel on Wii will let people view videos of and read information about WiiWare games and other Nintendo products. Users also can see player opinions to help them decide what to play next.

Today, the inaugural lineup of WiiWare games is just a taste of things to come:

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES - My Life as a King (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue.

LostWinds (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points) - A fresh, enchanting platform adventure that puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand - from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze. You'll wield your Wii Remote controller to power Toku's jumps and glides, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles using LostWinds' novel, intuitive and playful control system.

Defend your Castle (XGen Studios, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone - Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Defend your Castle takes place on a grassy plain surrounded by invaders. You are the commander of your castle, and it is your duty to fling the invading enemies sky-high, watching them plummet to their demise. As you progress, add powerful spells and upgrades to your arsenal for repelling the attacks. How long can you hold them off?

Pop (Nnooo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Pop bubbles to score points and stop the timer from running out. Pop can be enjoyed by anyone - casual gamers can simply play to pop bubbles and keep the game moving, whereas advanced players will need to pick their shots rapidly and accurately and generate combos to maximize their score.

V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack (High Voltage Software®, Inc., 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen - Simulated Gambling, 700 Wii Points): V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack re-creates the casino experience, with fully animated players and a realistic Las Vegas dealer. Single players can increase their bankrolls, while multiple players can engage in a head-to-head mini-blackjack tournament.

TV Show King (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): TV Show King transforms your living room into a real TV quiz show studio where you'll face the challenge of answering more than 3,000 questions across six different categories. Compete against family and friends and use your Wii Remote controller in original ways to make it to the finals to see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel.

For more information about WiiWare, visit WiiWare.com. Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

Hammer Creative Takes Home - Best Video Game Trailer - Award

Hammer Creative has been honored with the award for the year’s “Best Video Game Trailer” at the 9th Annual Golden Trailer Awards for their THE SIMPSONS GAME - MEDAL OF HOMER (Electronic Arts) trailer.

This win marks the third year in a row that Hammer Creative has garnered this prestigious recognition, and is preceded by Best Video Game Trailer awards for THE GODFATHER - THE GAME (2006) and TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL - DOUBLE AGENT (2007).

"It's a real tribute to our video game team, led by Scott Hayman and Jim Botko, that we have had such consistent, long term creative success in the video game arena,”

commented Hammer Creative founder Mark Pierce.

“EA has been a terrific partner and we look forward to our continued relationship with them.”

Tamagotchi Connexion - Corner Shop 3 for Nintendo DS

Tamagotchi Town Opens for Business in October 2008 with All New Features and Lots More Fun

Atari today announced the forthcoming launch of NAMCO BANDAI Games’ Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 for the Nintendo DS. Available in Europe from October 2008, Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 will feature the most well-stocked store lineup to date, with 13 brand new shops to run and expand, a park to design and visit, and the ability to trade journals with your friends via Wi-Fi.

Business in Tamagotchi Town is booming, and over a dozen new shops have moved in. Help manage these brand new shops and keep customers coming back for more. When the work day is done, relax in your very own park that you've created. You can write in your journal to record the day’s events, and share items and journals with your friends over Wi-Fi.

Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 introduces players to the responsibilities of running a successful businesses in a fun and creative way. Key game features include:

• All New Stores: Find over a dozen brand new stores to run! Bake fresh bread at the Bakery, plan a party at the Event Coordinator shop, or scoop ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor. Combine and upgrade stores to keep happy customers coming back for more.

• Create Your Own Park: Create a relaxing and fun park to hang out with friends and chat with other Tamagotchis. Decorate your park with fountains, gardens and other items to be discovered. Come back often to see how your park has changed.

• More Characters: The popular Violetchi joins in on the fun with Mametchi, Kuchipatchi and Memetchi to team up with players and help them run the best business they can.

• Connect With Friends: Share items and swap journals with friends via a wireless connection.

Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 3 is scheduled for European launch in October 2008.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Limited Edition and Pre-Order

Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2 leading a Pre-Sales initiative

Konami Digital Entertainment has announced two innovative initiatives for the forthcoming launch of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for PLAYSTATION 3 on June 12th.

In advance of the game’s release, Konami has unveiled a pre-order campaign, which will be allied with key retail partners throughout Europe. Consumers who pre-order a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4 can receive an exclusive DVD entitled Metal Gear Saga Vol. 2. This seven-part documentary details the origins of previous Metal Gear games and the evolution of Hideo Kojima’s epic series. This gripping documentary offers a valuable insight into the series and the history of Metal Gear’s iconic hero, Snake.

Scheduled for release on June 12, Konami will also produce a Limited Edition collector’s package. Destined to be a highly sought-after compilation, the package includes a soundtrack CD, a 6” Old Snake action figurine, and an exclusive ‘Making Of’ Blu-ray disc. The Blu-ray disc contains two high-definition documentaries which offer a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the development of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, with interviews with series creator Hideo Kojima and key Kojima Productions personnel. The Limited Edition will carry a £79.99 RRP.

“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is rightly seen as the stand-out title for 2008, and we were determined to come up with something special for its launch,” commented Martin Schneider, European Marketing Director for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “With interest so high, it is only right that we reward fans of the series for pre-ordering the game, and the Metal Gear Saga DVD is a stunning look at how the series has evolved into the phenomenon it has become. Likewise, the Limited Edition is a celebration of all things Metal Gear, and will be prized by those who buy it.”

GRAN TURISMO SERIES SHIPMENT EXCEEDS 50 MILLION

Remarkable Sales Achieved In Only 10 Years And 4 MonthsSince The Original Gran Turismo Launched In 1997

Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that the cumulative worldwide shipment of the Gran Turismo™ franchise, a genre-defining racing and car-life simulator available on PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) computer entertainment systems, has exceeded 50 million units as of April 30, 2008. This remarkable sales figure was achieved in just 10 years and 4 months since the launch of the first title in the franchise - Gran Turismo, in December 1997.

The Gran Turismo franchise, from the original Gran Turismo to the latest Gran Turismo™ 5 Prologue, has continued to evolve alongside the PlayStation platforms. With its outstanding game play, beautiful graphics and the true to life driving feel, the franchise is recognized as the world’s number one automotive game title on the PlayStation format, receiving high regard not just from game fans, but also from professional racing drivers and people in the automobile industry.

The seventh installment of the world’s best-selling racing franchise, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue introduces entirely new entertainment modes by taking advantage of the broadband network, such as online head-to head racing for up to 16 players, “GRAN TURISMO-TV”; a new in-game online channel that delivers automotive video contents from around the globe, and downloadable additional contents including new cars and courses, only possible on PS3. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has recorded strong sales since the first launch in Japan in December, 2007, followed by North America and Europe in Spring of 2008, with more than 2 million units of cumulative shipment worldwide and contributing to the further expansion of the PS3 platform.

For all Gran Turismo fans around the world, SCEI and the developer of the Gran Turismo series - Polyphony Digital Inc., will continue hereon to vigorously promote development of the Gran Turismo series, which can be expected to evolve even further through the PS3 platform and broadband network environment.

“Initially, “Gran Turismo” was an “alternative” racing game, kind of an outsider in the genre.” said Kazunori Yamauchi, Producer of Gran Turismo. “And we made it thinking that it would be okay as long as it reached out to “the select few who would agree with us”. So this figure, 50 million units - is simply astounding. If you go to a game store and look for a particular package, and pay for it at the cash register, though the time may be very brief, it still takes at least 3 minutes or so. It’s simply mind boggling and hard to believe that this has been repeated 50 million times all around the world in the last 10 years. I would really like to thank all the fans who have supported the Gran Turismo series over the years, for all their passion and love of the game. We’d like to continue making every effort to create cutting edge, high quality games, so that we don’t disappoint anyone’s expectations.

Title Release Dates in Japan

Gran Turismo December 23, 1997

Gran Turismo 2 December 11, 1999

Gran Turismo 3 A-spec April 28, 2001

Gran Turismo Concept 2001 TOKYO January 1, 2002

Gran Turismo 4 Prologue December 4, 2003

Gran Turismo 4 December 28, 2004

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue December 13, 2007