Top Japanese games designers make rare European appearance

Four esteemed video game designers from Japan will make a rare appearance in Europe this summer when they take to the podium at Develop, Europe’s leading conference for the game development community.

Atsushi Ii (Ejun), director, Pyramid Inc. and Junichi Yoshizawa, associate producer, SCE WWS JAPAN Studio will present a fascinating insight into the development of Patapon, widely regarded as not only the best rhythm game ever released but also one of the best PSP(PlayStationPortable) titles ever created. Patapon was developed by Pyramid and produced by SCE JAPAN Studio.

Jun Fujiki, concept, JSPS/Kyushu University and Tatsuya Suzuki, director, SCE WWS JAPAN Studio will also present at Develop, addressing delegates on the uniquely captivating Echochrome video game that launched on PSP and PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) to critical acclaim earlier this year. A fellow at Kyushu University Faculty of Design, Jun Fujiki is the creator of the Object Locative Environment (OLE) coordinate system, which provided the special engine behind Echochrome.

The Develop Conference and Expo takes place from 29-31 July in Brighton and securing such high-profile Japanese speakers is a major coup for organiser Tandem Events: “We are privileged to welcome Ii-san, Yoshizawa-san, Fujiki-san and Suzuki-san to the Develop Conference and are thrilled that we can offer our delegates the opportunity to be inspired by what can only be described as some of the most creative video games designers on the planet,” said managing director Andy Lane.

The third annual Develop Conference will host more than 90 speakers and 60 sessions moulded around tracks that are key to the world of games development: Audio, Art & Animation, Business, Coding, Game Design, Production and World View.

A full list of confirmed sessions can be found online at www.develop-conference.com. Registration is now open and delegates can apply for Super, Standard, Mobile, Audio and Expo passes for the Develop Conference and Expo online at www.develop-conference.com. Discounts are available on all passes purchased before 1 July 2008.

The expo pass is free of charge – please register online.

How Guitar Hero Works on the DS [Video]

A look at how Guitar Hero works on DS.

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Enemy territory - Quake Wars on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

The alien invasion has begun with Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars published by Activision for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system has shipped to retail stores nationwide. Set in the year 2065, Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars pits the armies of Earth’s Global Defense Force (GDF) against the invading alien menace, the Strogg, in an all-out struggle for the fate of the planet. Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is slated to arrive on European store shelves on May 30, 2008, Australian store shelves on June 4 2008.

"Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars raises the bar for next-gen console games with its variety and intense combat," said Kevin Cloud, Executive Producer, id Software. “Whether you’re playing online with fifteen friends, or playing a single-player campaign against amazing AI, Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars delivers a new level of team play and combat strategy to the PS3 and 360.”

Set within the expansive QUAKE universe in the year 2065, Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is the ultimate team and mission-based multiplayer warfare game offering console gamers distinct classes, vehicles and weapons to choose from, giving players countless ways to join the battle. Players work as a team to defeat the enemy and achieve objectives either online against other players or battle offline with surprisingly lifelike AI. Across multi-mission campaigns, players earn experience and promotions while stats are recorded globally for players to track their rank and prestige in the community at www.enemyterritory.com.

Based on the critically-acclaimed game from id Software and Splash Damage for Windows PC that has received over eighty awards and nominations, Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars was developed for the Xbox 360 by Nerve Software.

Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars has been rated “15” by the BBFC.

Simcity creator from the sims label for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

Create, Enjoy, Destroy Amazing Cities On The Wii; Develop Your City From Ancient Times To The Modern Day On The Nintendo DS

First details for SimCity Creator, exclusively for the Wii and Nintendo DS. SimCity Creator is an open-ended, highly creative game with a sense of humor that allows players to utilize the distinctive gameplay aspects of the Wii and Nintendo DS to create, enjoy and destroy epic cities. The most accessible and light-hearted game from the SimCity franchise, SimCity Creator will ship on September 22, 2008 in North America and on September 19, 2008 in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. SimCity Creator is designed to be a city-game experience for families and players of all ages!

SimCity Creator for the Wii
Be a powerful mayor - create, enjoy and destroy your ultimate city. Start by zoning your city, constructing homes, businesses, factories, skyscrapers, freeways, railroads, and much more. SimCity Creator is a visually exciting experience with a completely new user interface, designed specifically for the Wii and the Wii remote. You’ll discover many ways to customize your city, including 13 city styles to explore, such as American, European and Asian themes. More city styles will be revealed, so stay tuned for more information!

You can also place a selection of more than 30 “Hero” buildings into your city to make it distinctive and momentous. Some of these iconic buildings are based on the current day, some on history and some on fantasy. The more city styles you explore, the more Hero building options you have.


For the first time, take the liberty to build transportation systems with free placement of rounded and curved roads and rail lines, taking your city to new creative and curvy heights. And get a new perspective on your cityscape from a helicopter, a jet or a propeller plane which you can use to fly over your creation. Check out what you’ve built in your aircraft of choice!

Disasters that players of SimCity always love remain an important and entertaining element in SimCity Creator. Using the Wii remote you can create earthquakes, tornados, call in destructive robots and monsters, create fires and discover many more ways to cause havoc. You created it, and now you can destroy it. With hours of fun and replayability, the fate of your city and its citizens are in your hands!

SimCity Creator for Nintendo DS
Guide your city from ancient times into the future with SimCity Creator for Nintendo DS. Evolve your city through time, starting with ancient times, the middle ages, modern times, present day and the future. Four play modes are available, Challenge, Free Play, Chance Encounter and Gallery, giving options to make the game as challenging or as creative as you want. Earn epic landmarks along the way to enhance your city and mark your progress into the next era. Choose your path through history and make a city for the ages.

“SimCity Creator for the Wii and Nintendo DS brings two separate, delightful new ways to create, enjoy and destroy your own cities,” said Rod Humble, Head of Studio for The Sims Label. “On the Wii, for the first time in the SimCity franchise, you will have the ability to build curved roads and differently shaped zones allowing you to make more authentic places all utilizing the motions of the Wii remote. Employing the new city advisor system, you will be able to make the game as complex or simple as you want. On Nintendo DS, we will give you the ability to make a city develop through time and to overcome the different challenges each era of urban development presents. I know both long-time and new SimCity players will enjoy these innovative experiences in SimCity Creator starting this September!”

SimCity Creator will be available on the Wii and Nintendo DS on September 22, 2008 in North America and on September 19, 2008 in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.


Product Specifications
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: Wii/Nintendo DS
Ship Dates: September 22, 2008 in North America; September 19, 2008 in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions
Category: Simulation/Strategy
ESRB Rating: This game has not been rated
PEGI Rating: This game has not been rated

Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking with your Nintendo DS

Ubisoft said today it will develop a video game based on the successful Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking method. Designed for Nintendo DS, Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking is scheduled for release in November 2008.

Published in 50 countries, Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking book is an international best seller, and Allen Carr’s Easyway network of clinics spans the globe. Over 10 million smokers worldwide have already turned to Allen Carr’s Easyway books, clinics or DVD in order to stop smoking. The method removes the smoker’s belief that smoking provides them with any genuine pleasure or crutch, takes away the feeling of deprivation and therefore rids the smoker of the fear of stopping. The clinics offer a full money-back guarantee based on which the success rate after 3 months is over 90% and independent scientific studies confirm a success rate of over 50% after 12 months.

Brought to an exciting interactive platform, Nintendo DS, Allen Carr’s Easyway method will take on a whole new dimension. Players will be actively participating in the game’s content as they input the details of their smoking habits and even select their own Allen Carr’s Easyway coach to take them through the process of quitting.

Developed in conjunction with Allen Carr’s top experts, the game echoes the philosophy of Allen Carr’s Easyway method, enabling players to be entertained, challenged and to stop smoking at the same time.

“Ubisoft’s creative team has worked hard to deliver a game that successfully communicates Allen Carr’s Easyway method via play,” said Christian Salomon, vice president of worldwide licensing at Ubisoft. “The player experiences a truly interactive engagement with the game through which he or she learns that it can actually be enjoyable to quit smoking.”

Robin Hayley, managing director of Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking, concurs. “There was an amazing synergy between Allen Carr’s Easyway team and Ubisoft as we worked on this project,” he said. “Our experts worked hand in hand with the Ubisoft team to create an entertaining and illuminating game that delivers Allen Carr’s Easyway method in a new, dynamic and highly effective way.”

Play Battlefield Bad Company Before Everyone Else!

In a week, EA will be launching the Battlefield Bad Company demo over Xbox Live and PlayStation Network across the globe. Until then, a lucky few can get in on the action before anyone else. Game Freaks 365 is teaming up with Electronic Arts to disburse free codes to the Battlefield Bad Company demo one week before its launch.

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Shaun White Snowboarding on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

Shaun White Snowboarding, a title destined to break all former action sports video game notions and redefine the action sports genre. The game will appear on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Windows-based PC, and the Wii home video game system from Nintendo, and is scheduled for release in Holiday 2008.

Powered by the award-winning Assassin's Creed engine for Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 system, Shaun White Snowboarding truly captures the action sports lifestyle. Shaun White Snowboarding is being developed from the ground up for the Wii system, taking full advantage of the Wii Balance Board accessory and featuring its own unique storyline and adventure with Shaun White.

“Shaun White Snowboarding will turn all of the traditional ideas and experiences of past action sports titles upside down,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “The combination of Ubisoft’s innovation approach and the influence of Shaun’s lifestyle and perspective make this gaming experience like no other.”

Developed in close collaboration with Shaun White, Olympic Gold Medalist and eight-time X Games Gold Medalist, Shaun White Snowboarding allows players to enter a world of total freedom, where they can create their own experience and choose how, where, and with whom they want to ride.

Key Features of Shaun White Snowboarding for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system, and Windows-based PC:

• Open World Mountains Choose how you ride in open-world mountains across the world. Conquer extreme peak conditions, create your own paths in the back country, or compete with fellow riders in the terrain parks.
• Your Friends Are Always Around Play in a world where your friends are always around. Do your own runs on mountains populated by real gamers, or join your friends for a quick session from any mountain.
• More than Just Snowboarding Have fun with your friends on and off the board! Throw snowballs, hike to access secret spots, film your friends doing ripping tricks. You can also upload your videos online to share with the world.
• Ride Your Way Express yourself through tricks, riding styles, and highly customizable avatars – both in single-player and in the online world. Use the intuitive dual analogue control to pull off a huge variety of tricks that express your style.
• Next-Gen Technology Built on the Assassin's Creed engine, this game creates a massive world with gorgeous visuals and realistic NPC interactions. This is also the first time a snowboarding game is completely driven by physics instead of animation.

Authentic Snowboarding Ubisoft has worked closely with Shaun White to infuse the gaming experience with authenticity, personality and humor. Shaun is a friend and mentor in the game, and will help you with your skills. And, if you are deemed worthy, you may even be able to play as Shaun in the game …

Key features of Shaun White Snowboarding for the Wii system:

• Exclusive storyline Everybody loves a road trip! You and your crew travel the world to participate in a variety of the largest and craziest events to become a world-renowned athlete. Life on the road to success wouldn’t be the same without the support of your friends, who will always be there to help you out and keep your head on your shoulders. Stand together with your friends - both in the game and in the living room - and you will be able to conquer the madness that fame brings.
• Go on a globetrotting adventure with Shaun White as your partner – Ubisoft worked in close contact with Shaun White in order to infuse the experience with the most authentic elements of his riding style, personality and sense of humor. Shaun will act as a good-natured friend and mentor to the player, hooking him up with the right friends to conquer challenges together, introduce him to new locales, or simply be around to share in a laugh.
• Wii Balance Board Integration – Get yourself into the game like never before by using the Wii Board to control your rider. Control your carves, jumps and grinds with the intuitiveness and fun of having a snowboard in your own living room.
• Everyone plays, no one waits – Engage in a seamlessly integrated multiplayer experience for two to four players, where every player is active in the game at all times.
• Get together your crew – In the world of snowboarding, it pays to have friends on your side. Your crew of friends will always be there to help you by offering you unique abilities to improve both your riding and keeping you grounded with friendly pranks; filming all the antics along the way.
• Fame and Respect - Getting your name out there by doing well as a pro snowboarder is bound to get you some recognition. As your fame grows, so too does your ability to take on bigger and bigger challenges, from new mountains to more prestigious events and competitions. Fame, however, isn’t everything. You’ll need to gain your friends’ respect by riding with style in order to gain their support; they will help you find hidden areas, share their favorite music tracks and keep you laughing.

Family Ski on Nintendo Wii - Fact sheet

Family Ski

Supports Wii Board

Family Ski
Category Sport
Players 1-4 Players (1-12 players online)
Release Date 13 June 2008

Hit the slopes with your friends in Family Ski …

Welcome to the Happy Ski Resort, where fresh powder, groomed runs, multiple trails, and state of the art facilities await! Family Ski takes you down the slopes in the most exciting skiing game to hit the Wii! Grab your Wii Remote and Nunchuk or step onto your Wii Board to execute perfect wedge stops, shred the slaloms, and negotiate moguls with ease. With an in-depth Ski School and over a dozen lengthy runs packed with jumps, races, and more, you and your friends won’t want to leave the slopes again!

Family Ski is the latest release from Nintendo that makes full use of the Wii Board peripheral. Take the nunchuck and remote in your hands and step on the Wii Board to really take advantage.

Family Ski is a relaxed winter sports game and uses the motion controllers to let players Ski. The Wii remote and Nunchuck simulate the Ski Poles, used to accelerate and move off from a stationary point and turn in a specific direction. When these are used in collaboration with the Wii Fit peripheral, the Wii board, players can be further immersed into a unique experience of skiing. The Wii Board takes over to allow the player to turn whilst skiing by measuring the swaying and leaning of the body.

Official Copy:

• You and up to four others can whistle your way down the slopes using the motionsensing controls and pressure-sensitive pad.


• We Ski lets you whisk up a character from scratch and customise with lots of purchasable equipment, or you can import your Mii for realism.


• You can ski in a fantasy ski resort inhabited by a community of NPC, and have the chance to participate in events or just relax.


• You can also take photographs on the slopes with up to 4 other skiers and share their skiing experience with others using Wii message board & Wii connect24.

Cooking Guide on Nintendo Wii - Fact Sheet

Cooking Guide

Can't decide what to eat?

Players 1 Player
Release Date 20th June 2008

Can’t decide what to eat? Cooking Guide will help you choose, prepare and cook international dishes

Want to make yourself a quick dinner after a long day at work? Want to plan a week of meals for your family? Or do you want to make a Sunday roast for 10? Cooking Guide can help you solve all these and many other meal dilemmas.

Choose from 250 recipes from all over the world. Cooking Guide takes you through every step from compiling a shopping list, preparation of ingredients and utensils through to a step-by-step guide of how to make your chosen meal.

With varying difficulties of recipes Cooking Guide is suitable for all. The voice recognition software makes it simple to go through each stage of the recipe.

Key Features

• Interactive cooking aid that takes you through over 250 recipes from scratch.
• Game is designed to take the user through every stage of cooking.
• The recipes are enhanced with many demonstrational videos which go beyond the capabilities of printed cook books.
• Additional functionalities are included to facilitate the cooking and preparation process.

First Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Commercial

Oh, the memories...Back when a million points really meant something.

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