New Games on WII Shop Channel

May 5, 2008

Which is more important: brains or brawn? Before you answer, check out this week’s awesome additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel, which give you ample opportunity to flex both. One game features frantic puzzle action with a Pokémon® twist, while the other invites players to brawl and battle in the name of justice. If you’re anxious to test your mental mettle or your action-adventure muscle, these classic titles are just the ticket.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Pokémon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Get ready for a new kind of Pokémon battle where the power and speed of your brain are just as important as the strength of your Pokémon. Join Ash, Brock, Misty and many more characters from the Pokémon animated series as they gather in Puzzle Village to compete for the title of Pokémon Puzzle Master. Just match three or more blocks of the same color in any direction. Sounds simple, right? But the actual game play is surprisingly addictive and deep (chains and combos anyone?), especially when you’re facing off against a human opponent. Choose from six different modes offering a wide range of action, from story or puzzle modes to continuous play or timed play. If that’s not enough, take on the challenge in 3-D and get ready for more blocks than ever before. Featuring animated cut scenes combined with bright, fun graphics, there’s enough to satisfy any fan of Pokémon or puzzle games.

Renegade™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Renegade follows the story of a vigilante who fights his way through countless gangs in order to bring peace back to his city. Battle your way through subways, parks, alleyways and parking lots. For added fun, there’s a wild motorcycle ride to challenge you. Use your arsenal of kicks, punches (including the infamous sit-on punch) and jump kicks, as well as a variety of throws to knock your opponents into submission. Along the way, pick up items like a hamburger that restores your life, a heart that increases your lives by one, a power-up to increase your attack strength, and a speed item that gives you a speed burst while on your motorcycle. You’ll need all the help you can get to take out your aggression on street punks, thugs, outlaw bikers, killer kung-fu females and an array of bosses standing in your way. Take the law into your own hands to defeat countless scumbags and take your city back like the renegade you are.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

Tecmo Bowl Returns on the DS!

The Legend Returns With TECMO BOWL®: KICKOFF For the Nintendo DSTM

TORRANCE, Calif. May 1, 2008 — Leading video game developer and publisher Tecmo® today announced TECMO BOWL®: KICKOFF, exclusively for the Nintendo DS™. Based on the most popular Tecmo Super Bowl™, KICKOFF will deliver to long time fans and newcomers easy to employ controls, fun, huge plays and exciting cut-scenes. The classic, over-the-top, all-American football game enables players of all levels to engage in a fun filled, fast paced, arcade style of football.

“We are extremely excited to bring back everyone’s favorite football game to the Nintendo DS,” said Ryan Gilbo, executive producer, Tecmo, Inc. “KICKOFF is packed with everything that fans wanted to see in this revival. No other football game will ever compare to TECMO BOWL as this is the game that started it all.”

TECMO BOWL: KICKOFF brings a host of new features that will further enhance the gameplay experience, including:

• Customizable Teams: Choose team colors, emblems, player names, team cities and abilities.
• Super Abilities: Tactically use over-the-top plays to take over a game.
• Wi-Fi and Wireless Multiplayer: Play against friends across the country or across the room.
• Stylus Control: Feel the action by using the stylus to control your player.
• Variety of Teams: Choose from 32 different teams.
• Cut-Scenes: All-new cut-scenes showing off the dramatic presentation of various plays.
• Customizable Playbook: Prepare for gridiron greatness by customizing your playbook.
• Music and Sound Effects: Turn up the heat on your opponent as you play the game to rock ‘n’ roll remixes of the most memorable tunes in football gaming history!

TECMO BOWL: KICKOFF is scheduled to launch Fall 2008. The game has not yet been rated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

Supernova: Galactic Wars is now half-price in anticipation of sequel

Waiting for the sequel: Supernova Galactic Wars price cut

May 4, 2008 – Winter Wolves Games (www.winterwolves.com) has announced a permanent price reduction of his space shooter game called Supernova: Galactic Wars. The game, previously sold at $19.95, is now available for both Mac and Pc at half-price to promote the upcoming release of the sequel Supernova 2: Spacewar.

Supernova: Galactic Wars is a mix between and arcade shoot’em up and a chess game. Move your ships on the map and when the fight start use your arcade skills to defeat the opponent. The game has 3 different playing mode: Quickbattle, Story Mode and Survival.

The sequel will feature empire macromanagement including: resource management, technology research, fleet building and a turn-based wargame part. More info coming soon in the official Supernova 2 release, scheduled for mid-May 2008.

Official webpage:
http://www.winterwolves.com/supernova.htm

Amazing Brain Train announced for PC, Mac, Linux

At last! A high quality brain-training game for the PC: Grubby Games is pleased to announce The Amazing Brain Train!
Fueled by your mental energy, Professor Fizzwizzle’s Brain Train will take you on a brain-boosting adventure with 15 innovative mini-games in 3 addictive play modes. But this is no ordinary brain game; The Amazing Brain Train contains features never before seen in the genre! Say goodbye to the minimalist brain game graphics of yesteryear, as engaging full-color, animated graphics usher in a new era in brain game visuals. And forget about goal-less gameplay: The Amazing Brain Train is packed with quests, trophies, and even a global on-line high score system, so the fun will never stop!

Put your mighty mind to the test and see how far you can go! A free demo of The Amazing Brain Train is now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux at www.grubbygames.com

Droid Assault released for PC, Mac

Killer Droids on the Loose

May 2nd, 2008 – Droid Assault is the latest and greatest in a series of modern-retro arcade shooter games by Puppygames (www.puppygames.net). The game captures the raw feel of 8-bit games such as Paradroid and Quazatron, with a slick shiny sheen of modern graphics and sound. It’s available to download now for Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

Droid Assault harkens back to 1985 for its gameplay and style, with Puppygames’ signature stylised retro graphics and superbly atmospheric sound effects. Players control a droid infiltrating the Omni-Corp warehouses, in which all of the battle droids have accidentally been switched on and are running amok. Destroying droids earns transfer points, which in turn enables the player to capture more droids using a transfer beam, or capture fixed gun turrets and turn them to his or her own advantage.

Eventually the player builds up a small army to assist in clearing out the factory warehouses. The droids you capture run off and start destroying enemies for you! Along the way, droids can be modified with a whole plethora of upgrades and powerups.

Droid Assault features:

• 50 different levels to blast through
• 48 unique enemy robots to capture or destroy
• 20 different weapons including disruptors, laser beams, rockets and flamethrowers
• 17 powerups to augment and enhance your captured squad
• 4 giant boss robots
• Online hiscores table

Age of Conan – Hyborian Adventure on PC Magazine

PC Gamer US Readers Get Exclusive Editorial Content, Unique In-Game Item, and A Chance to Win a Conan Gaming Machine

Durham, USA – May 1, 2008 – Hitting newsstands shortly, the latest issue of PC Gamer brings online gamers the ultimate look at 2008’s most-anticipated MMO, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. Shipping to subscribers early next month, the July issue of PC Gamer US puts Age of Conan squarely on the cover of the world’s best-selling magazine for PC gamers.

In addition to new details on King Conan, end-game content, and the level 1-20 experience, readers will receive an exclusive in-game item and the chance to win a deluxe Age of Conan gaming machine from nVidia and Coolermaster!

“It’s a great honor to receive the cover on the world’s most prestigious PC magazine,” said Gaute Godager, Game Director on Age of Conan. “We have enjoyed reading PC Gamer for years, and we really wanted to make sure they got the best of what we have. I sincerely hope the PC Gamer readers will appreciate both the exclusive virtual item and the long feature. I really can’t wait to read it myself!”

The issue will feature:

• Details on the Level 1-20 Experience – Details, maps and key quests will give players the inside edge on the pirate island of Tortage
• Totem of Origins Virtual Item – This unique item allows players to be magically transported back to their starting city once every 24 hours. Exclusive to PC Gamer readers!
• Age of Conan Gaming Machine – One lucky reader can win state of the art gaming rig from nVidia and Coolermaster, with an Age of Conan case mod
• Information on the End Game Content – Bosses and dungeons from the level 80 experience will be revealed for the first time
• King Conan’s Role – Conan’s role will finally be revealed, and PC Gamer readers will be the first to gaze upon his mighty palace

Age of Conan is consistently mentioned as one of the most anticipated PC games in development. At launch the game will have received more than thirty covers on high-profile gaming magazines across the globe and more than fifteen major awards, including numerous “Best MMO of E3″ awards and the official “Best Online Game” award at the Games Convention 2007. Age of Conan is a key title in Microsoft’s Games for Windows line-up, and a showcase title for nVidia. Age of Conan launches 20th of May in North America / Oceania and 23rd of May in Europe.

Final Fantasy XI News

FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition Released In May

Includes Wings of the Goddess expansion

London (1st May 2008 ) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces the forthcoming release of FINAL FANTASY® XI 2008 Edition, available from 23rd May.

FINAL FANTASY XI takes you into the world of Vana’diel® during the aftermath of a great war, as you answer a desperate call to defend your people. In this first ever cross-platform massively multiplayer online game, you’ll unite with other warriors as they save their world from utter destruction.

The brand-new 2008 Edition available for both Windows® and Xbox 360™ contains all four expansion packs, Rise of the Zilart™, Chains of Promathia™, Treasures of Aht Urghan™ and the latest expansion pack Wings of the Goddess™.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “The world of FINAL FANTASY XI continues to grow with both new content and new players. FINAL FANTASY XI 2008 Edition allows interested players to join the adventure with the bonus of all the expansion pack content. I hope many more players enjoy and experience the exciting world of Vana’diel and all that FINAL FANTASY XI has to offer.”

About WINGS OF THE GODDESS

New Combat Features:
An all-new “Allied Campaign” system will allow players to take part in large-scale battles and explore new special dungeons
New Areas:
New settings further expand the vast world of Vana’diel
Mog House Guests:
Players will be able to invite their friends to their Mog Houses, showing their personalised furniture and special items. It is a new way to talk about past adventures and future plans in an entirely customised setting.
New Jobs: Dancer and Scholar
New Monsters

About FINAL FANTASY XI

FINAL FANTASY XI was originally released on May 2002. In October 2003 the title was released in North America and the European release followed in September 2004.

FINAL FANTASY XI is the first MMORPG capable of simultaneous multiplayer action across three different platforms, allowing players worldwide to combine forces on Windows, PlayStation®2 (North America and Japan only) and Xbox 360.

FINAL FANTASY XI players from all over the world can unite in one gaming universe in a community of more than 500,000 players, and 1.7 million characters.

March 2007 saw the introduction of the French and German language versions of FINAL FANTASY XI creating an influx of new players. Those already playing will tell you this has added to a vibrant multi-cultural online community.

FINAL FANTASY XI is the first ever MMORPG for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.