Relax, Play and improve your mind with Challenge Me - Brain Puzzles on Nintendo DS

Oxygen Games introduces the first in a new range of games designed to relax and stimulate your mind; Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles!

Relax, Play and improve your mind. Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles, with its extended gameplay and variety of features, gives you the chance to test yourself while having fun. Guaranteed to stimulate and surprise with hours of gameplay to keep you entertained, Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles is a relaxing and entertaining way to keep your mind challenged and stimulated.

Incorporating two number based games, Sudoku & Picture Logic, Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles will not only bring you hours of fun and relaxation, they may also improve your mental skills.

Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles Sudoku is a challenging and entertaining version of the well loved Sudoku game. 500 different Sudoku challenges are available, providing hours of fun and lots of opportunities to exercise your mind. Anyone used to paper based versions of Sudoku will have no problem picking up the rules as they are identical in the game. The Nintendo DS controls are easy & intuitive to use, allowing new users of the Nintendo DS to quickly feel at home. For newcomers to Sudoku, Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles offers many features which will help beginners to get started and quickly master these challenging and fun puzzles.

The rules of Sudoku are simple, to succeed you must place the numbers 1-9 in a 9x9 grid, with each number only appearing once in each row, column & each 3x3 mini grid. Start at a stroll on the easy setting before aiming for Olympic gold on the hard setting! Sudoku will keep you entertained whether it’s for just 5 minutes on the bus or 5 hours relaxing at home.

In the ‘Challenge Me!’ mode you can test yourself on 30 puzzles against the clock. When you have finished a report will let you know whether all that mind exercising is making you smarter!

Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles – Relax, Play and Improve Your Mind!

Hi to all the staff at Flash-Fire, especially CC, have fun and I'll try and get the email address fixed

Harvest Moon - Frantic Farming on Nintendo DS this May

Natsume announce that it will be publishing Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming for the Nintendo DS this spring.

The company also released the first screenshots and gameplay details. The game is scheduled to hit retail this May.

Something strange is happening on Sunny Island! Crops are popping up everywhere and growing out of control!

If something isn't done soon, the once-tranquil island will be buried in an avalanche of vegetables! It's up to the players to solve the mystery of this produce predicament as they try to tame the crops and gather as many vegetables as they can!

"Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming is an all-new action-puzzle game set in the world of Harvest Moon," said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO at Natsume. "With exciting gameplay modes, unlockable music and art, and a deep story mode with multiple selectable characters, it's no puzzle why we think it will be a big hit with Harvest Moon and puzzle game fans alike!"

Set in the world of the recent DS hit Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming continues the tale of the island and its residents. Players can choose from 12 playable characters, each with their own unique story! See how the mystery unfolds from each character's perspective, and who they meet along the way!

The game features a variety of modes including Story Mode, the brain-teasing Mission Mode, and the action-puzzle excitement of Score Attack and Free Play Modes. Players can test their farming skills against their friends and family in multiplayer. Players can also unlock character art, music, and some special surprises in their Collection Room.

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming will ship to retail this May.

Street Fighter and Resident Evil Visa Creditcards with rewards - now available

Capcom Presents the Game Industry's First Branded Visa Card With Trendsetting "Experiential" Rewards Program

Capcom announce a game industry trendsetting program to allow Capcom community members to show their fan spirit with a unique Capcom Unity Visa prepaid card. Capcom is the first video game company in North America to offer a co-branded Visa rewards card program specifically designed for gamers. The Capcom Unity Visa card program is now available for immediate online enrollment at http://www.capcom-unity-card.com.

This is not a credit card, but an innovative user-funded prepaid card that works anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, earning a precedent-setting series of cash back, points on Capcom’s community website Capcom-Unity.com, accelerated rewards from select retail and merchandise partners, discounts and exclusive access. Most importantly, Capcom’s enthusiastic fan base will be able to pay for dinner, get money from an ATM or buy games with a Visa card featuring some of the most recognizable video game characters on the planet, from games such as Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil 5.

“The Capcom Unity Visa is a truly unique program, a first in the video game industry” said Mark Beaumont, chief operating officer and head of Capcom consumer software publishing in the Americas and Europe. “Not only are we connecting our consumers with their favorite brands in an innovative way, but we’re also giving them an expansive rewards program that will let them participate in the Capcom community at a greater level.”

The Capcom Unity Visa prepaid card represents a true fiscal alternative for Capcom fans, allowing them to pick from several Capcom-themed prepaid card designs – including initial designs featuring art and images from Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV and Bionic Commando, with more designs to be offered regularly in the future – and control how much money is available on their prepaid card through easy and efficient online account access. Since this is not a credit card, almost everyone in North America over the age of 13 can qualify, with absolutely no impact to their credit history. Purchases are protected by Visa’s Zero Liability Policy , and funds deposited on the card are fully FDIC-insured.

The card is issued by Prepaid Solutions USA, a service of West Suburban Bank in the western suburbs of Chicago. “Working together, Capcom and West Suburban Bank have been able to create a truly innovative loyalty program that combines cash back and online rewards with experiential rewards that go far beyond the norm”, said Daniel P. Grotto, President of Prepaid Solutions USA at West Suburban Bank. “We very are excited to be a part of the launch of the Capcom Unity Visa card program. It will provide a safe and easy way for cardholders to pay for purchases wherever Visa is accepted. "

Unity members can go to any of thousands of Visa ReadyLink locations, transfer money online from their bank accounts directly to their Capcom Unity Visa card, set up regular transfers from their accounts or even establish direct deposit from their employers. The Capcom Unity Visa card can be used to pay bills electronically, as well as instantly pay other Capcom Unity Visa card holders. The Capcom Unity Visa card allows Capcom fans the freedom to access their cash where and when they need it, protecting themselves from bank overdraft fees while allowing them to pay with the card anywhere that Visa is accepted There are no paper statements generated or checks to be printed or paper check registers; users can choose to receive updates and alerts via email or text messages and all transactions are digitally recorded for the cardholder automatically, and can be viewed online.

The Capcom Unity Visa card will reward cardholders in three different ways: earning points on Capcom-Unity.com, earning cash back from online or signature-based purchases and earning accelerated rewards through the online “Capcom rewards mall.” For every dollar cardholders deposit on the Capcom Unity Visa card they will earn 5 Capcom Unity points which can be used in a number of different ways on the community website, including the new Auctions and Raffle features. Capcom Unity Visa cardholders will also earn one-half percent of cash back from all signature purchases – the cardholder then has the option to either redeposit the cash onto the card for additional use or purchase discounted gift cards from retail partners at the online rewards mall. Those same purchases will also qualify for accelerated rewards ranging from 0.5% to 20% from over 750 retailers, including iTunes, BestBuy.com, Target.com and many more.

Capcom is developing a larger suite of rewards for Capcom Unity card holders above and beyond the standard incentives. Not only will Unity members be earning points on Capcom Unity with every purchase, but Unity card holders will find a new level of access to all things Capcom opening to them. Unity card holders may be able to “jump the line” at Capcom events or gatherings, gain access to Beta tests for new Capcom or other “experiential” rewards that extend beyond the online space, such as being written into a Capcom game or comic book or possibly even being an extra in a Capcom movie. Using the Capcom Unity Visa at Capcom’s own e-store will also save players 15% on their purchase, which means real savings on the games they were planning on buying.

For more information about the Capcom Unity Visa prepaid card program, visit http://www.capcom-unity-card.com

Ceville - Profile of a Tyrant! PC video game

Kalypso Media today release the profile of the diminutive but evil tyrant Ceville, the star of Kalypso Media’s upcoming point & click adventure Ceville.

Name: Ceville
Age: 48
Profession: Professional Tyrant
Hobbies: Torture, abusing the peasants.

Ceville enjoyed a carefree youth as the son of the renown tyrant Ceville Senior. Nothing gave young Ceville more pleasure than spending his days building torture chambers with his wooden blocks and throwing his dolls into prison. Whenever these pursuits began to pall he amused himself by maltreating the staff with his little pranks, much to his father's delight. A chip off the old block…

Precocious, little Ceville was soon attending seminars such as "Tyranny The Fun And Easy Way" and "A True Reign Of Evil In Just 24 Hours" in preparation for his future career as dictator. It was at this point that he conceived his theory of "Ceville Justice", also known as the Ceville Decision. In this form of justice both sides of a disagreement are punished equally. Twice as much fun for Ceville!

One fine day, as young Ceville was in the process of locking the cat Kitty into the cellar for a few days of punishment, news reached him of his father's totally unexplained disappearance. Since that fateful day Ceville has ruled Faeryanis with an iron fist, where he delights in thinking up new ways of abusing his innocent subjects.

Soon the dynamic young dictator was overworked cooking up evil plans and was forced to hire a helper, Basilius. Soon Basilius was seldom far from Ceville's side, providing him with tips in his role as the wise advisor. As is the usual lot with tyrant’s assistants everywhere, he too was treated poorly.

However, one fine day, as Ceville sat high upon his throne and exercised his widely feared Ceville Justice as he had done so many times before ...

Ceville will be published in the UK by Kalypso Media on the 27th of February at a retail price of £29.99.

Virtual Frontiers - Daniel Boone and the Hunters of Kentucky demo download now

Demo of First Person Historic Adventure Now Available on HuntersofKentucky.com

HunersofKentucky.com has today released the first official demo for their upcoming first person adventure Virtual Frontiers: Daniel Boone and the Hunters of Kentucky. The demo, which is freely available from the game’s website, encompasses the first few levels of the forthcoming adventure and introduces players to the fascinating world of the early American frontier. From hunting to surviving in the wilderness, Virtual Frontiers aims to bring the early West to life for players all across the world.

Combining traditional 3D gaming with education and historical awareness, Virtual Frontiers offers players a unique way to learn about the men and women who helped to settle the early American frontier and the Native American tribes who fought to defend their homelands. Just as “The Oregon Trail” taught a broad audience about emigration to the far west, Virtual Frontiers looks to illustrate the settling of the trans-Appalachian west by combining history and 3D gaming. Virtual Frontiers: Daniel Boone and the Hunters of Kentucky is aimed at those aged 15 and over and will be released as a free download (through huntersofkentucky.com) in March 2009.

To celebrate the release of the demo version of the game, an official development blog has also launched with plans for a forum to be launched in the coming weeks ahead of the full game’s release date. For more information on the game, including versions suitable for magazine cover discs please visit the official website. The demo version of Virtual Frontiers is online now and can be downloaded from the game’s official website at HuntersofKentucky.com

Drakensang - The River Of Time Prequel to award-winning RPG The Dark Eye: Drakensang

Radon Labs is working on a prequel to the award winning title: The Dark Eye: Drakensang, which has won the “best German RPG 2008” award at the German Developer Awards. Drakensang: The River Of Time is going to tell a new story within the Drakensang universe. The prequel is scheduled to be released on the PC early 2010.

“Fans of Drakensang and RPGs get exactly what they want: A new story in the embosomed Drakensang universe, bringing as much innovations as tried and true game elements”, describes Bernd Beyreuther, Creative Director at Radon Labs, Drakensang: The River Of Time.

“We continue the success story of Drakensang. The Dark Eye players can look forward to another precise realization of their favorite RPG system. Those players who will experience The Dark Eye for the first time won’t miss a thing and can just start right into the fascinating medieval RPG fantasy scenario of Drakensang: The River Of Time”, Markus Windelen, COO of publisher dtp entertainment, adds.

dtp entertainment will soon be releasing more information on Drakensang: The River Of Time.

Valkyrie Profile - Covenant of the Plume out in Europe in April

Square Enix announces that VALKYRIE PROFILE - Covenant of the Plume will be released in Europe and across PAL territories on 3rd April 2009, exclusively on the Nintendo DS handheld system.

VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume is the next installment in this unique series of titles created by leading RPG developer tri-Ace. For the first time on the Nintendo DS, VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume, follows the story of the young soldier Wylfred, who seeks revenge against the valkyries since Lenneth took his father’s life. Now he waits for an opportunity to strike back just as the future of Midgard is about to be decided in battle once again.

VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume pushes the limits of the Nintendo DS to its limits in terms of production and game-play whilst delivering an amazing strategic RPG gaming experience. With an innovative tactical battle system, multiple game chapters and game endings, the future of Wylfred and Midgard is truly in the hands of the player.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “We are very pleased to bringing VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume to Europe. This new installment of the critically acclaimed VALKYRIE PROFILE series is perfectly suitable for portable gaming and we hope fans will enjoy its tactical gameplay and another engaging story.”

For more information about VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume, please visit the official website at www.valkyrieprofilegame.com

About VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume

Story

The protagonist is a young soldier, Wylfred, who harbours a hatred for the Valkyries, especially Lenneth Valkyrie, who used his father as an Einherjar when he was ten years old. To seek revenge against the gods, he accepted power from Hel, the Queen of Niflheim, in the form of a black magic feather. In Midgard, however, the two princes of the Kingdom of Artolia are enthralled in a battle for succession to the throne, with neighbouring nations Villnore and Crell Monferaigne monitoring the situation, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Features

• The Feather of Goddess – This is a vital key to how the story progresses and immensely powerful in battle situations. A hugely powerful artifact that causes mass effects to not only battles but the story line also.
• Multi-story system – An in-depth multi-story system in defining chapters. The outcome and direction of the story can change dramatically by your individual actions and choices in gunplay and in battle!
• Battle system – Further evolution of the battle system in the VP series!
The battle system is now seen via the quarter view, allowing more in-depth attacks and combos combined with dynamic finishing moves and dazzling spells!
• Mutual Assistance system – This system allows allied characters to spontaneously join the battle, enabling you to surround your enemies and attack with maximum effect!
• Active Formation – Upon entering battle the “Active Formation” is formed allowing valuable bonuses for executed set-up formations.
• Audio / Visual experience – Breath taking graphics and effects that push the technical limits of the Nintendo DS.
• Epic cinematic cut scenes and events that create and set the scene and direction of the gameplay and story line

Circulate challenging puzzle video game for iPhone and iPod Touch

Based on the original best seller Circulate Mobile, lemonQUEST has made a new version has been specially adapted for Apple´s cutting edge technology. The iPhone/ iPod Touch.

Flip, turn and twist yourself out of gravity defying challenges, this isn´t your average ‘collect and pop the dots’ game.

Circulate for iPhone / iPod Touch is a challenging new puzzle game that will have you defying gravity to collect and eliminate the different spheres and will have you doing everything except turn yourself upside down to succeed!
This new topsy turvy puzzle game will have you addicted in no time: over 100 levels in puzzle mode, 10 different sphere types, intense and colorful graphics, there’s just so much to do!

Circulate for iPhone/ iPod Touch is the most innovative game created to date in its genre.

Enjoy this exciting and easy to play game that will offer players hours of entertainment.

• Great graphics and visual effects
• Intuitive and simple controls and numerous levels with various difficulty options
• A game for users of all ages and abilities
• A fascinating and addictive game

Check it out on:

Available as of today, Circulate can be purchased here...

Invincible Tiger - The Legend of Han Tao kung-fu fighting downloadable brought to you by Blitz Arcade

Leading developer Blitz Arcade announced its collaboration with NAMCO BANDAI Games on Invincible Tiger - The Legend of Han Tao for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

An original concept by Blitz Arcade Animator Ollie Clarke, Invincible Tiger -: The Legend of Han Tao follows the eponymous hero as he fights to reclaim the Star of Destiny from the Evil Overlord. Along the way he battles the Overlord’s evil throngs, which include standard grunts and the added dimension of the undead.

Luckily, Han Tao has the moves to combat his enemies. Using intense combos, well-timed blocks and a lot of skill, players can unlock the potential of his power and decimate the evil ones.

Ollie Clarke – also Project Manager for Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao – said: “I wanted to make a game that played like the martial arts games and movies I loved when I was growing up, and that's something we stuck to from creation through to development. It’s a fluid fighting game, easy to play but difficult to master! Games should be fun, so we've thrown in loads of tongue-in-cheek humour for fans of the genre. Hopefully gamers will have as much fun playing Invincible Tiger as we had making it!”

Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao features a number of different modes for single and multiplayer action.

• Team up with a partner and take on the Evil Overlord’s diabolical army through Story Mode Co-op.
• Battle through each level, dealing with increasing difficulty and a shared Zen-meter.
• Learn ace combat techniques in the single player game and use them beat your enemies into the dust.
• Experience Endurance Mode where you’ll face an endless stream of enemies under a time limit.
• Post your scores online for bragging rights.

Legendary Cars Arrive in Paradise City on Thursday

Tired of driving around Burnount Paradise City in the cars and bikes? You need only to wait another two days to get some additional choices - Criterion will be releasing the Burnout Paradise Legendary Cars Download Content this Thursday on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. PC owners unfortunately don't get in on the action just yet - they'll have to wait until March.

The four cars come at a price, however - $2 (160 points) each, with the exception of the Jansen 88 Special the DeLorean above costs $4. You can buy them all in a bundle and you'll save yourself a few bucks with the discounted price tag of $8.

People will be sure to complain about the pricing, but keep in mind just how much Criterion has given away for free since the game was released last January.