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Adventure Island, Donkey Kong Jr. Math march on to US VC 2007-09-04 03:00:00 This week sees Nintendo of America adding no less than four new classic games to the Wii Shop Channel.
This weeks new games are (as per Nintendos description):
AdventureIsland
(NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points): A mysterious tropical paradise known as Adventure Island is the setting for this side-scrolling action game. The evil Witch Doctor has kidnapped Tina, the true love of Master Higgins. To save her, you must safely guide Master Higgins through eight perilous stages - including dense forests and creepy caves - while defeating all of the enemies in your path. Each area is made up of four rounds filled with enemies determined to stop you in your tracks. In addition, as time passes, Master Higgins's vitality is automatically drained. To keep going, he must eat constantly by grabbing fruit, milk and whatever other goodies he can as he races toward his goal. Sometimes eggs containing miraculous items like axes to throw at enemies or honey that grants temporary invincibility will a Read more:Donkey
, Donkey Kong
Bioshock hangs on to top spot in UK Chart 2007-09-04 02:36:00 Bioshock from Take 2/2K Games has retained the number 1 spot in the All Formats Chart
in the UK. It does so despite experiencing a 39% sales drop and EAs Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 debuting hot on its heels at number 2.
EAs multi-format golf game lands solidly in number 2 on the Xbox 360 chart, scoring 42% of sales while it settles at number 3 on the Wii chart with 32% of sales. Thanks to renewed stock Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree moves up from number 23 to number 6 while Ubisofts Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 also climbs up from number 10 to number 7.
THQs Stuntman: Ignition arrives at number 9 with Segas PC expansion packs (Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms) and NCSoft (Guild Wars: Eye of the North) debuting at numbers 16 and 18 respectively. Sadly Wii Play falls from number 5 to number 26 due to a lack of stock.
EAs Boogie dances in at number 28 on the All Formats Chart and number 5 on the Wii Chart. EAs Madden NFL 08, boosted by the release of the Xbox 360 and W Read more:Bioshock
Gears of War Hidden Fronts Map Pack available for free on XBLM today 2007-09-03 07:00:00 The popular Gears
of War Hidden
Fronts Map Pack is available
for free on Xbox Live Marketplace from today.
The Hidden Fronts Map Pack enables players to try and control four areas: Bullet Marsh, Garden, Process and Subway.
Bullet Marsh is a Kryll-infested swamp lit by an old generator which can be shut down plunging the surrounding areas into darkness. The Garden is an overgrown and crumbling conservatory with a fertilization and pesticide system which can prove hazardous should you not vent the air before entering into the greenhouse. Process is an active subterranean Imulsion processing plant while Subway, although once a busy hub for commuters, is now infested with Locust.
Gears of War fans can also download the Annex gametype and Multiplayer Map Pack 1 for free from Xbox Live Marketplace.
Contributor: Lisa
Xbox 360 Messenger Kit and Halo 3 controllers dated 2007-09-03 06:00:00 Microsoft has announced that its Xbox
360 Messenger
Kit, Halo 3 inspired Wireless Controllers and Halo 3 Wireless Headset will be available from the 4th of September in North America. Europe will have to wait a short while longer for Microsofts latest goodies with the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit launching on the 7th of September and the Halo 3 controllers and headset launching on the 26th of September.
Earlier in the year Microsoft took the wraps off its Xbox 360 Messenger Kit, a QWERTY-style keypad that plugs directly into the Xbox 360 controller, that comes with a chatpad and a headset. In anticipation of the launch of Halo 3 on the 25th of September in the US (26th of September in Europe), Microsoft had also unveiled limited edition Halo 3 wireless controllers featuring Spawn creator Todd McFarlanes artwork as well as a Spartan green and gold Xbox 360 Wireless Headset.
Halo fans will have to choose between the two different themes featured on the controllers, either Covenant Bru Read more:dated
August sees Nintendo Wii outselling PS3 3 to 1 in Japan 2007-09-03 01:00:00 The latest figures from Enterbrain have revealed that the NintendoWii
outsold Sonys PS3 by three to one in Japan
during August
.
According to Bloomberg, there were 245 653 Wii units sold in the four weeks ending on the 26th of August. Sony sold just 81 541 PS3s while Microsofts Xbox 360 trailed at 11 288. However, Sony is closing the gap as demonstrated by last months sales when the Nintendo Wii
dominated them four to one and June six to one.
To date the total number of units sold in Japan are as follows: Wii 3.4 million; PS3 1.1 million; Xbox 360 442 290.
Contributor: Lisa
Microsoft halves cost of 4 XBLA classics for Labor Day 2007-08-31 07:00:00 Get ready for Cyberball 2072 and Fatal Fury Special, headed to Xbox Live Arcade on the 5th of September. To celebrate US Labour Day this weekend Microsoft
has also slashed the prices of four XBLA favourites for this weekend only 360 gamers can download Small Arms, Zuma Deluxe, Gauntlet and Dig Dug for half their regular price.
Midways Cyberball 2072 sees players controlling a robotic team as they achieve touchdowns. Fatal Fury is a fighting game by SNK Playmore. Set in a fictional American city called Southtown, this game sees players competing against Wolfgang Krauzer, the ruler of the underworld. Both games will cost 400 Microsoft Points.
Gamers can download the four titles for half the price for the 48 hour period beginning at midnight (GMT) on Sunday the 2nd of September until 11:59 p.m. (GMT) on Monday the 3rd of September.
Small Arms (400 Microsoft Points) is a multiplayer action shooter while Zuma Deluxe (400 Microsoft Points) is a fast-paced puzzler featuring 20 realms
Vegas Stakes, Bonks Big Adventure on Euro VC today 2007-08-31 01:00:00 Nintendo of Europe today added two new classic games to the Wii Shop Channel.
First up is the Super Nintendo casino simulation VegasStakes
. Players can look forward to playing popular games including Blackjack, Seven Card Stud and Roulette either solo up with up to three friends. It will set you back 800 Wii Points.
Bonk 3: Bonks Big Adventure
is the second title to be released on the Virtual Console this week. This is Bonks third and final Turbografx installment and sees players navigating seven rounds in their bid to defeat King Drool.
Discover new power-ups including candies that change Bonk from microscopic to a fire-breathing giant. Complete with giant bosses, new bonus stages as well as a two player mode, Bonk 3 is bound to be the adventure of a lifetime. It will cost you 600 Wii Points.
Contributor: Lisa
THQ unearths Worms: A Space Oddity for Wii 2007-08-30 08:00:00 THQ today announced that its popular turn-based strategy game would be worming its way onto the Wii
in Spring 2008. Titled Worms
: A Space
Oddity, Worms debuts on the Wii with new environmental settings, intuitive controls, more customization options and a fresh visual style.
Combining traditional with new
Players can expect classic Worms game modes as well as new single player missions and multiplayer modes featuring new party games and customization options. Players will be able to launch attacks by using gesture-based maneuvers with the Wii Remote. Also included are on-screen hints and a redesigned interface with an in-game help system. Worms fans will also notice that the traditional drawn approach has been abandoned and replaced with a style inspired by classic Sci-Fi.
Players will jump into battles across six planets, each featuring unique environments and global events. Players can also blast off against up to four friends from around the world in Worms online multiplayer.
SCEA announces new SingStar PS2 pack 2007-08-30 06:00:00 SCEA has taken the covers off a new limited edition SingStar PS2 pack. The pack will include an exclusive ceramic white PS2, SingStar Pop as well as two microphones. The saucy new bundle will be available in North America in November and will retail for $149.99.
Fun for everyone
SingStar fans can look forward to belting out popular tracks including Alicia Keys, U2, Rihanna and Ashlee Simpson in the second release in this franchise. It looks like Sony are still trying to get more kicks out of their popular console which continues to be popular among gamers. Having sold over 117 million units worldwide to date, it looks like it is not destined to be put out to pasture just yet. Guiter Hero Encore: Rock the 80s, Madden HFL 08, NBA 08 and Buzz are among the 160 new games heading to the PS2 before March next year.
With our expansive library of titles for PlayStation, led by social gaming experiences such as SingStar, and Buzz!, we have an incredible offering for first-time gaming fam
EA Playground for Wii and DS dated for US, Europe 2007-08-29 14:44:00 EA Playground will be hitting North American shelves on the 23rd of October and Europe
on the 2nd of November. In development at EA Canada, EA Playground will be released for the Nintendo DS and Wii
at a suggested retail price of $39.99. As the title suggests, the game features various playground classics including Dodgeball and Tetherball as well as numerous fantasy games such as Kicks and Dart Shootout.
Accessible and fun
EA Playground has been designed to be accessible and fun, making it the perfect game to enjoy by yourself or with your friends and family, said Executive Producer, David McCarthy. Young, old, male or female, this is a game that expands the appeal of videogames to a market of non-traditional gamers. For kids its about indulging in the energy and magic of the playground; for parents or even grandparents, its about re-experiencing childhood thrills.
Promising fun for all ages, EA Playground features multiplayer party fun as well as a single player cam Read more:dated
EAs Need for Speed ProStreet racing into US stores in October, November for Europe 2007-08-29 14:18:00 EA today announced that Need for Speed
ProStreet will be available in North America on the 31st of October
and across Europe
on the 1st of November
.
Street racing culture comes alive
Need for Speed ProStreet for the first time challenges gamers to design and build a racer capable of taking down opponents in online races. You will recognize racing locations from around the world as you battle in four racing styles: grip, drag, drift and the new speed challenge. Expect lively crowds, photo-realistic vehicles and even smoke to bring the intensity of the Show Down challenge to your living room.
Intensity and aggression
The Need for Speed franchise has always been on the cutting edge of car culture, said Executive Producer, Larry LaPierre. Street racing is getting more organized and Need for Speed ProStreet is our interpretation of where we anticipate the culture to be in three to five years. Were delivering on the ultimate proving ground, bringing you out of your neighborhoo Read more:stores
Halo 3 goes gold 2007-08-29 13:00:00 Microsoft today announced that the highly anticipated Halo 3 has been released to manufacturing. The final chapter in the Halo trilogy, Halo 3 is an Xbox 360 exclusive that has been three years in the making by Bungie Studios.
Set to be released worldwide beginning the 25th of September, Halo 3 is expected to break day one entertainment sales records. It already holds the title of the fastest preordered game in history, exceeding one million presales in North America alone.
This is a huge milestone for us and a big cause for celebration at Bungie and Microsoft Game Studios, said Harold Ryan, Studio Head at Bungie Studios. This is the game weve always wanted to make and certainly the best game our studio has developed. We cant wait for gamers to get their hands on it on Sept. 25.
Halo 2 generated a record $125 million in sales within the first 24 hours when it went on sale in November 2004. It is still the most played game on Xbox Live, with gamers having logged almost 1
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue burning rubber on PS3s at end of year 2007-08-29 03:00:00 SCEE and Polyphony Digital have announced that a prequel title set to showcase the anticipated Turismo
.htm">Gran Turismo
5 will be revving PS3 owners engines at the end of the year. Titled Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
, gamers will be able to pick it up on Blu-ray disc or download it from the PlayStation Network.
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue features more than 40 cars including Lotus, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Ferrari as well as real tracks such as Eiger Nordwand, London City Track and Suzuka which can also be raced in reverse and with alternative routes. Complete with HD graphics and improved opponent AI, the game also boasts a new physics engine to create a more lifelike driving experience. Also try out the Quick Tune which allows gamers to adjust power, tyres, suspension and more.
Gamers will also be able to race online for the first time in Gran Turismo history. Up to 16 players will be able to race head-to-head on the PlayStation Network, access Global Online Rankings and the My Garage features. The
Bioshock scores top spot in UK charts 2007-08-29 01:00:00 Takes Two popular Bioshock
has (unsurprisingly) taken the number 1 spot in this weeks UK All Formats chart, becoming the second fastest selling Xbox 360 game after Gears of War. Although Bioshock was released on both the 360 and the PC, the former accounts for 88% of sales with the PC trailing at 12%. Take Two also scores
as Bioshock accounts for 58% of all Xbox 360 full price unit sales this week.
Activisions Transformers: The Game moves down one place to number 2 while Nintendos Brain Training titles for the DS continue to dominate. The original stays at number 3 while the sequel moves up one place and settles at number 4. Nintendos Wii Play drops from number 2 to number 5 while Pokémon Diamond moves down from number 4 to 6. Not to worry, Nintendo still manage to feature no less than four games in the top six this week.
EAs film tie-in Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix moves down one place and ends up at number 7 while Ubisofts Surfs Up hangs on to the number
Bomberman Live Bomb-Up Pack exploding on XBLA this Wednesday 2007-08-28 03:20:00 Hudson has announced that the first add-on pack for Bomberman
Live will arrive on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday
. Titled Bomb-Up Pack 1, the new add-on pack will feature new content including ten new characters, two additional levels, two new leaderboards as well as a new game mode. It will set you back 250 Microsoft Points.
High Stakes and Zeppelin
Prepare for more explosive fun in new areas such as Las Vegas-style casino level High Stakes that allows players to set gimmicks and on board a zeppelin featuring tornado environmental hazards titled Zeppelin. The add-on features ten new characters including a bunny called Little Bomby Foo Foo and a boxer known as Rocky Bomboa. Creative players can once again customize their in-game Bomberman.
New to the game is Frag mode which allows players to pre-set the number of enemies they need to bomb to win. The add-on also includes two new leaderboards which allow players to track performance on a weekly and all-time basis for the new
Super Puzzle Fighter II on XBLA this Wednesday 2007-08-28 03:00:00 The popular puzzler, SuperPuzzle
Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, will be available on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday
. Featuring HD graphics, elemental effects, hidden characters as well as a new rebalanced X game mode, Super Puzzle Fighter II combines classic arcade play with Capcoms popular fighting characters to deliver nothing less than addictive puzzle fun.
Developed by Backbone Entertainment, Super Puzzle Fighter II will cost you 800 Microsoft Points. The game features single player, local and online versus play as well as spectator modes. Players can compete over Xbox Live in Ranked and Player matches. The game features leaderboards and players can earn up to twelve achievements.
Rebalanced with adjusted drop patterns and damage, the new X mode is fairer to players. The game also features Y and Z modes, the former challenging players to connect three or more gems horizontally, vertically and diagonally while the latter sees players grouping four adjacent gems before rotati
Super C, Breath of Fire II and Ghoulsn Ghosts heat up US VC 2007-08-28 02:00:00 Nintendo of America added three new classic games to the Wii Shop Channel this week.
This weeks new games are (descriptions as per Nintendo):
Super
C (NES, 1 - 2 players, 500 Wii Points)
In this action-packed sequel to the popular Contra, players have little time to think. Experience run-and-gun game play at its best as you take control of Mad Dog or Scorpion and once again battle the forces of Red Falcon. Stages feature a combination of perspectives (side scrolling, top down, etc.) and intense battles against huge bosses. Use a variety of powerful weapons and tap into your killer instinct to survive the deadly waves of enemies. And if you're scared, recruit a friend to help you. Because if your trigger finger lacks stamina, then Earth will lack a future!
BREATH OF FIRE II (Super NES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
Featuring a wide range of characters and personalities and a vast, endless world to explore, Breath
of Fire II is the sequel to the original smash-hit role-playing gam
Penny Arcade Adventures coming to XBLA 2007-08-28 01:00:00 Hothead Games has announced that its anticipated episodic game series, Penny
Arcade Adventures
: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, will debut on Xbox Live Arcade in early 2008. Episodes are set to be released every couple of months.
On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode one will be the first title in the downloadable series for the Xbox 360. The game is also set to appear on Windows, Mac and Linux.
It is an adventure come RPG that is based on the work of Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. Ron Gilbet (of Monkey Island fame) is also contributing to the project. The entire Penny Arcade
Adventure series will be available to download from Xbox Live Arcade as episodes are released.
Were very excited to be bringing our game series to Xbox LIVE Arcade, said Vlad Ceraldi, Hotheads President. We love Xbox LIVE Arcades ability to deliver great content directly to gamers. Digital distribution lets indie game developers innovate and experiment with new gameplay con
Xbox Live 'up and running' again 2007-09-26 08:28:00 After many gamers experiencing issues with Xbox
Live, Major Nelson has advised that gamers should "keep an eye on the Xbox Live
Service Status section of the support page." This is the orange box positioned at the top of the right column, pictured below.According to Major Nelson, "The operations center will be updating that throughout the evening until the issues of subsided." Presumably these problems can be attributed to the launch of Halo 3 which no doubt led to Halo fans jumping in, perhaps a few too many for Microsoft's liking.Halo 3 was launched in the US yesterday and goes on sale in the UK and across Europe today.
Read more:running
TimeSplitters 4 headed to Wii? 2007-09-25 20:23:00 Free Radical creative director David Doak has admitted that he would like to see TimeSplitters 4 on the Wii
.In an interview with Game Informer when asked whether he was thinking about putting TimeSplitters on the Wii as an FPS as well, Doak commented "I think it's a good thing to do and I think we want to put it on the Wii."Looking after the family jewelDokes went on to confirm that TimeSplitters 4 is in development but not at a stage that would look like development to others. The features have yet to be decided but the concept art is quite developed. A publisher has yet to be chosen but according to Dokes, "it's undecided at the moment. But it's our family jewel, so we're going to be careful with it." He also confirmed that he was keen to feature game parodies in the latest installment of this successful franchise. Although Doaks believes that the TimeSplitters game play can be adapted to the motion controls made possible by the Wii Remote, he warns against what he calls "the ove
Halo 3 Limited Edition disc scratching reports 2007-09-25 13:42:00 The final fight might just be delayed after reports of scratching to Halo 3 Limited Edition
discs have emerged. Both the Bungie forums and NeoGAF are blazing with the reports of disappointed fans who discovered their pre-ordered copies of the limited edition version of Halo 3 to be scratched due to a badly designed nub in the tin casing.An angry Halo fan has complained that three copies of Halo 3 Limited Edition all had loose discs inside the packaging and as a result were all scratched. In his opinion the plastic nub and foam pad disc holding design is to blame, being a major flaw because the disc pops off easily. His claims were supported by pictures of the scratched discs.Many other gamers are complaining of similar problems, even GameSpot's Limited Edition copy of the game has arrived complete with a "loose and slightly scuffed game disc in the package." It appears that the plastic nub in the special tin case designed to hold the discs in place is not big enough to hold them in pl
Master Chief doing it on Discovery Channel 2007-09-25 12:51:00 Discovery Channel
is showing a Halo exclusive video as a tie-in with a TV series titled 'Last One Standing' which is set to premiere on the 4th of October.Basically Neill Blomkamp was hired by Microsoft to do a Halo film, but these plans were put on the back-burner, resulting in these live action film shorts. Pretty grisly stuff I am sure you will agree - so most video game fans should love it! Maybe they should cast Chuck Norris as MasterChief
.Check out the Halo video here.
Read more:Discovery
, Discovery Channel
, doing
, Master Chief
Halo 3 launch madness 2007-09-25 09:49:00 When the clock struck 12 last night, gamers across the States eagerly snatched up copies of Halo 3. I wonder how many of them played hooky today and if it is possible for one video game to cause the American economy to take a dive due to absenteeism. Tonight will see many Master Chief fans across Europe and in the UK also lining up to finish the fight. Check out this Halo 3 advert covering the Imax in London.
Sims meets Survivor 2007-09-25 05:58:00 It looks like yet another Sims is headed our way, this time Survivor style. The Sims 2 Castaway sees players helping their Sims to build a life after washing ashore on a deserted tropical island. Sounds vaguely familiar doesn't it?Players are challenged to become the 'ultimate survivors,' learning to live on the island by building shelters, crafting items, finding food and discovering treasures while they seek clues that will lead them back to civilization. I wonder if Jeff Probst will make an appearance. The Sims 2 Castaway is headed to the Nintendo DS, Wii and PS2.
What we learn from Game Rankings 2007-09-24 20:15:00 I'm starting to wonder how much the general groupthink of the games industry affects review scores. As much as you might hate or love Game Rankings
, it, like Meta Critic (or Rotten Tomatoes in the movie sector) serves as a pretty good barometer of what the press thought of a title.To spare you the pain of doing it yourself, I've spent the last hour watching Firefox trying to squeeze information out of Game Rankings. In its platform rankings we find little nuggets like:Uno on the Xbox 360, with a score of 81.9% is better than all but 5 games on the Wii and all but 10 games on the PS3. Really? Uno? The most luck-based game that ever existed - that Uno?The best platform exclusive game on the PS3 is Resistance: Fall of Man with 87.4%. This would place it at position 14 on the 360 chart, below Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.For games that are on the Xbox 360 and the PS3, the Xbox 360 version scores 3% more on average. There is not one cross platform game that scores higher on the PS3, a Read more:learn
Now shipping: US Edition (23rd to 29th Sep) 2007-09-23 21:32:00 Awards for the weekThe winners of the week are:Most awesome game name: Ninjabread ManMost idiot game name: World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets Shovelware of the week: Bratz: The MoviePublisher of the week: Microsoft Game Studios (Halo 3)Platform of the week: Xbox 360 (Halo 3)As the internets say, anything launching this week is being "sent to die," since Halo 3 is launching on the 25th of September.The full release list:PS3Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights (THQ)skate (EA Games)Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII (Ubisoft)Stranglehold (Midway)World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets (Activision)NBA 08 (Sony Computer Entertainment of America)Xbox 360World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets (Activision)Halo 3 (Microsoft Game Studios)CSI: Hard Evidence (Ubisoft)WiiBratz: The Movie (THQ)Dewy's Adventure (Konami)Dave Mirra BMX Challenge (Crave)Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire (D3)Balls of Fury (DSI Games)Ninjabread Man (Conspiracy Entertainment)PS2Jackas Read more:Edition
Viva Piñata Party Animals and PES 2008 demos now on XBLM 2007-09-23 21:18:00 The demos of Viva Piñata PartyAnimals
and PES 2008 were added to Xbox Live Marketplace this past week. Although the original Viva Piñata is a game which seems to have been misunderstood, there are still some people out there who are bound to be excited about the next party game offering from Rare Studios. You and up to three of your friends can look forward to joining Fergy Fudgehog, Paulie Pretztail, Franklin Fizzlybear, and Hudson Horstachio as you sample the mini-games and races that this demo has to offer. The full game will feature over 40 mini-games and numerous foot races when it is released this Christmas. The demo weighs in at 971.17 MB. I really digged this trailer for Viva Piñata Party Animals.If sports are more your forte, look out for the PES 2008 demo. The demo is 1.18GB and promises to give fans a taste of "the greatest football game of all time." Well, according to Konami anyway. PES 2008 is due to be released in quarter 4 for the Xbox 360, PS3,
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