Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars Director’s cut coming next year

Ubisoft signs deal to publish the Director’s Cut of Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars

Genre-defining Adventure Game that Introduced Gamers to the Mysteries of the Knights Templars Makes its Debut on Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM) Systems with a Special Edition

 Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced a publishing agreement to release the special edition of Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars on Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM) systems.

“Ubisoft works with the very best development talent in the world,” said Alain Corre, Ubisoft EMEA Executive Director. “We jumped at the opportunity to work with Charles Cecil and Revolution to publish a game of the highest pedigree so perfectly suited for the Nintendo audience.”

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director’s Cut builds on the original, boasting a new and explosive narrative interwoven with the first story. New puzzles have been added for Nintendo DS and Wii that specifically utilize Nintendo’s unique control methods. The game also features stunning animated facial expressions drawn by Dave Gibbons, the artistic genius behind the comic book and upcoming movie, Watchmen.

“These new platforms and their innovative controls enabled us to translate and enrich the point-and-click gaming experience in a way that no other console allowed before,” said Charles Cecil, founder of Revolution Software and designer of the Broken Sword series. “Through Dave’s animated faces, the game’s characters are portrayed as empathetic and emotional – driving the narrative in a way that has never been done before in an adventure game. The Director’s Cut has allowed me to deliver my true vision for the series.”

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director’s Cut starts with the player in control of charming Parisian photo-journalist Nicole Collard, who witnesses the brutal and horrifying murder of one of Paris’s richest and most influential statesmen. During her investigations, which feature exclusive new locations, Nico meets amiable American George Stobbart, who has been unwittingly caught up in the sinister and bloody theft of an ancient manuscript. Together, they are drawn into a terrifying conspiracy rooted in a long-forgotten medieval legend.

Expanding on the original classic storyline, The Director’s Cut features tight scripting and an intense atmosphere from the explosive opening sequence to the gripping finale, where the full threat of the conspiracy is revealed.

Adds Charles Cecil, “The Director’s Cut features elements that enhance the original puzzles and storyline, which helps explain what happened prior to the start of the original game, and how it ties to later games in the series.”

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director’s Cut is scheduled for release on Wii and Nintendo DS in March 2009.

Atlus Announces The Dark Spire for Nintendo DS

Atlus U.S.A., Inc. today summons all fans of classic, western-style first-person role playing games to experience The Dark Spire for Nintendo DS, an RPG of exploration and character development in the purest sense. Parties will be assembled, stats will be rolled, items, weapons and armor shall be equipped, and monsters will be slain. Some adventurers will choose to play using the “modern” interface, its bold, stylized textures and palettes delivering a fresh, up-to-date adventure. Others may opt for the “classic” mode, guaranteed to evoke overwhelming sensations of nostalgia as it perfectly recreates the style and simplicity of the fathers of the genre. Two different presentation modes, two different ways to experience The Dark Spire!

The powerful Archmage Tyrhung resides in a tower of mist and shadow. He holds in his possession a jewel of great worth and power. A group of adventurers assemble. Will they be able to conquer Tyrhung and his nefarious tower? The party sets out, its fate yet to be determined… 

The Dark Spire is scheduled for release on March 10, 2009 with an MSRP of $29.99, it is written.

For more information about The Dark Spire, visit the official website.

Club Nintendo offers special membership for fans

Dec. 16, 2008

Starting today, Nintendo welcomes its North American fans to Club Nintendo™, a special club that rewards members for registering Nintendo products and completing surveys. Nintendo fans can sign up by visiting Club.Nintendo.com. After joining, fans can register select Nintendo hardware and Nintendo-published games in exchange for Nintendo Coins, which can then be redeemed for limited-edition Nintendo rewards available only to Club Nintendo members.
 
“Club Nintendo gives fans what they want – access to exclusive rewards for their loyalty to our brand and our products,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America Inc.’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “We’re offering some unique items as a way to say thanks for their support of Nintendo.”

Once they become Club Nintendo members, Nintendo fans and former My Nintendo members can create a profile and register select Nintendo products on the site by inputting a product serial ID (a list of compatible products is posted on the site). The user is then asked to complete a survey about the product. Coins are awarded once surveys are complete. That’s when the fun begins. Some of the exclusive rewards include the Game & Watch™ Collection for the Nintendo DS™ and a set of traditional Hanafuda cards printed with Nintendo characters.

Customers who purchase a new Wii™ or Nintendo DS™ system can register the product with Club Nintendo and complete a survey to extend the product warranty. Club Nintendo members can reach Gold and Platinum status by collecting a certain amount of Coins each year. Gold and Platinum members will be eligible to receive exclusive rewards. As members, fans can also sign up for personalized newsletters to learn about upcoming products that best match their interests.

For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.Nintendo.com.

Nintendo announces early 2009 games

New Releases Include Pokemon Platinum, New Play Control,  Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis for Wii, Fire Emblem for Nintendo DS

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 17, 2008 – Continuing its commitment to create fun and engaging experiences for everyone, Nintendo of America Inc. today unleashes a broad list of exciting new games for the first quarter of 2009. Topping the list is Pokémon™ Platinum version for Nintendo DS™, a remarkable new entry in the beloved Pokémon series, slated for a March 22 launch across North America. Nintendo’s roster of more than 100 new games includes an impressive array of challenges and experiences for new players and loyalists, as well as everyone in between. Notable titles include the enhanced New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis™ and New Play Control! Pikmin™ for Wii™, and Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon, Personal Trainer™: Mathand Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS.

“Our fans expect a diverse selection of entertainment options, and we’re eager to deliver exactly that,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “We’re building on the momentum of a strong holiday season by offering new and experienced players an even greater library of game titles in 2009.”

Pokémon fans in particular will have plenty to cheer about as Pokémon Platinum is readied for its U.S. debut. Following the vast popularity ofPokémon® Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, Pokémon Platinum is the newest in the core series of Pokémon games. Pokémon Platinumfeatures a new story full of adventure, never-before-seen forms of powerful Pokémon – including the legendary Giratina’s Origin Forme – and the Distortion World, a mysterious new world that suddenly appears in the Sinnoh region. In addition, with Pokémon Platinum up to 20 players can interact with other Pokémon fans from around the world in the new Wi-Fi Plaza, featuring mini-games and activities. Players can also enjoy the new features in the Global Terminal, such as posting battle videos using the new “Vs. Recorder.”  In addition,Pokémon Platinum features a new Battle Frontier, where the toughest Trainers can test their skills in new ways. Pokémon Platinum already has broken previous Nintendo DS sales records in Japan, selling more than 1 million copies in its first two days of release.

For the portable Nintendo DS, Personal Trainer: Math builds on the new Personal Trainer™ series, which launched with Personal Trainer™: Cooking, now extends its reach beyond the stomach to the brain.Personal Trainer: Math introduces 40 fast-paced exercises to give players a fun way to improve their arithmetic skills. The Personal Trainer series is designed to help users enrich their lives and learn new skills in fun and interesting ways. Also for Nintendo DS, fans of the Fire Emblem franchise will enjoy the arrival of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, a revamped and re-imagined version of the NES™ classic, featuring touch-screen controls. Players with a broadband Internet connection can enjoy worldwide battles over Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, Nintendo’s online gaming service.

Meanwhile, for the Wii console, Nintendo is offering up two classic Nintendo GameCube™ games: New Play Control! Mario Power Tennisand New Play Control! Pikmin enhanced for play using the Wii Remote™ controller. The enhanced New Play Control! Pikmin game lets players point the Wii Remote controller at the screen and use it as a cursor, making it easy to select either a single Pikmin or an entire army. When a player tosses Pikmin, they fly wherever the cursor is pointing. New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis lets players enjoy an afternoon on the court as their favorite characters from the Mushroom Kingdom, complete with motion-controlled serves and swings. With Wii controls, players can swing the Wii Remote controller to hit forehands and backhands and to apply spin. Experienced gamers can also attach a Nunchuk™ controller for additional precision. Both games are scheduled to launch next March.

Third-party publishers continue to bring diverse, creative games likeFINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time™ from Square-Enix for Wii and Nintendo DS. These games offer unique features that allow users to play multiplayer across Nintendo platforms.MADWORLD™ from Sega will be available exclusively for Wii, and the highly acclaimed franchise Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars from Rockstar Games will be available for Nintendo DS.

Below is a partial list of upcoming games for Wii and Nintendo DS. Note that game titles and launch dates are subject to change.

Wii

Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24

Crave Entertainment 
Monster Pals™ - March
Solitaire & Mahjong - February
Puzzle Challenges and More! - February
Crayola Colorful World - March

D3Publisher 
Onechanbara™ Bikini Zombie Slayers™ - February
Coraline - January

Destineer
WordJong Party - January
Battle Rage - February
Cradle of Rome - February
Cate West: The Vanishing Files - March
Burger Island - March

Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year - Winter

DreamCatcher
Play the World - March

Electronic Arts
NASCAR® Kart Racing - Feb. 10
SimAnimals™ - Jan. 27
TRIVIAL PURSUIT - Early spring

Hudson Entertainment
FISHING MASTER WORLD TOUR - Jan. 6
Marble Saga Kororinpa™ - Spring

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. 
DanceDanceRevolution® Disney Grooves - March

Majesco Entertainment
Escape the Museum - January
Major Minor’s Majestic March - March

Marvelous Entertainment USA
Little King’s Story - Feb. 17
Rune Factory: Frontier - March

Mastiff 
Deer Drive™ - Jan. 20

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. 
We Ski™ and Snowboard - March

Nintendo
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis™ - March
New Play Control! Pikmin™ - March

Sega 
The House of The Dead: Overkill™ - February
SONIC™ and the Black Knight - March
MADWORLD™ - March

Southpeak Interactive
Roogoo Twisted Towers™ - Feb. 17
Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball™ - March 17
Brave: A Warrior’s Tale™ - Feb. 17

THQ
Paws & Claws Pet Resort - Jan. 5
Neighborhood Games - Jan. 5

Ubisoft
Tenchu™: Shadow Assassins - February
Broken Sword™: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut) - March

XS Games
Super PickUps™ - Q1

Nintendo DS

Activision
Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24
Pimp My Ride 2™ - March 24
Animal Planet™ - March 10

Atlus U.S.A., Inc. 
My World, My Way™ - Feb. 3
Legacy of Ys™: Books I & II - Feb. 10
Trackmania™ DS - March 17

Crave Entertainment 
Monster Pals ™ - March

D3Publisher of America
Puzzle Quest™: Galactrix™ - Q1
Coraline - January

Destineer 
USA TODAY Puzzle Craze - January
DinoPets - March

Disney Interactive Studios
Phineas and Ferb - Winter

DreamCatcher
Inkheart - January
Learn Math - January
Drivers’ Ed Portable - January
Monster Band - January
Zoo Quest - February
My Personal Diary - February
Music Star: Pop Star - February
Paint by DS - March
Matchstick - March
Dreamer: Top Model - March
Sarah – Keeper of the Unicorn - March
Learn Chess - March
Dragon Master - April

Electronic Arts
Zubo™ - March
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure™ - Q1
SimAnimals™ - Jan. 27

Empire Interactive 
Jagged Alliance - Feb. 17

Gameloft
American Popstar – Road to Celebrity - March 9

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero™ - Q1
Suikoden Tierkreis - Q1
Little Magician’s Magic Adventure™ - Q1

Majesco Entertainment 
WonderWorld Amusement Park™ - January
Powerbike - January
Our House™ - Q1
Hot ‘n’ Cold - March

Marvelous Entertainment USA
Avalon Code - February
Flower, Sun, and Rain - March

Mastiff
Moon™ - Jan. 13

MumboJumbo
Chicken Hunter Star Karts - March 10

Nintendo
Personal Trainer™: Math - Jan. 12
Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon - Feb. 16
Pokémon™ Platinum version – March 22

ROCKSTAR GAMES 
Grand Theft Auto™: Chinatown Wars - Winter

Southpeak Interactive 
Big Bang Mini® - Jan. 6
Roogoo Attack™ - Feb. 17
Brave: Shaman’s Challenge™ - Feb. 17

Square Enix, Inc. 
FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: Echoes of Time™ - Spring

THE GAME FACTORY
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES™ - Jan. 19

THQ
Paws & Claws Pampered Pets - Jan. 5

TOMY Corporation
My DoItAll™ - February

Ubisoft
Jake Power Fireman - January
Jake Power Policeman - January
Imagine™ Cheerleader - February
JoJo’s Fashion Show - February
Petz® Horseshoe Ranch - February
Imagine™ Family Doctor - February
Imagine™ Ice Champions - March
Jake Power Handyman - March
My Fashion Studio Paris Collection - Feb. 17
American Popstar – Road to Celebrity - March 24
Broken Sword™: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut) - March

XSEED Games
Retro Game Challenge - Jan. 6

Monster Jam: Urban Assault National Tournament to Pit the Best Gamers Against One Another for the Second Annual National Championship

SANTA MONICA, CA – DECEMBER 16, 2008 – Monster Jam® is proud to announce that fans will once again be able to “game their way to Vegas” in the Monster Jam: Urban Assault National Tournament, the video game equivalent of the Monster Jam World Finals. The contestants will challenge each other in a series of regional qualifiers using the Monster Jam: Urban Assault game on Wii^TM for a chance to compete in Las Vegas on March 28, 2009. The contest is open to everyone ages 13 and up. To enter and for more details, please visit www.MonsterJamOnline.com/nationaltournament.

The 16 regional qualifying rounds will begin at Houston’s Reliant Stadium on January 3rd and will be followed by 15 more qualifying rounds at the top Monster Jam stadiums across the country. Each of the 16 national qualifiers will host Monster Jam: Urban Assault competitions where four contestants, picked at random from online entrants, will compete against each other on Wii^TM gaming platforms in front of the packed stadiums. The eight fastest winners, out of all 16 winners, will then be flown to the Monster Jam World Finals at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium, where they will compete against each other for the national championship.

Fans not picked to compete in the regional qualifiers also have a chance to compete. One lucky individual will be chosen at random as the wildcard entrant and will also win a trip to Las Vegas to challenge the eight regional winners in the tournament finals. To have a chance to be selected the random wildcard entrant, sign up at www.MonsterJamOnline.com/nationaltournament.

This past March, 14 year-old Jordan Rager of Loganville, GA, won the first ever Monster Jam Video Game National Tournament in Las Vegas by first qualifying at the Atlanta Georgia Dome regional qualifier. He was then awarded an expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas to compete against the other regional qualifiers at the Monster Jam World Finals. At the Las Vegas Monster Jam Finals, Jordan bested all finalists to become the inaugural Monster Jam Video Game National Champion.

The Monster Jam: Urban Assault 2009 National Tournament regional qualifier locations and dates:

January 3 – Houston, Texas – Reliant Stadium
January 10 – Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia Dome
January 10 – Anaheim, California – Angel Stadium
January 10 – San Antonio, Texas – Alamodome
January 17 – Detroit, Michigan – Ford Field
January 17 – Minneapolis, Minnesota – Metrodome
January 17 – San Diego, California – Qualcomm Stadium
January 24 – Indianapolis, Indiana – RCA Dome
January 24 – Orlando, Florida – Citrus Bowl
January 24 – Phoenix, Arizona – Chase Field
January 31 – Miami, Florida – Dolphin Stadium
January 31 – New Orleans, Louisiana – Superdome
February 21 – St. Louis, Missouri – Edward Jones Dome
February 21 – Tampa, Florida – Raymond James Stadium
February 28 – Jacksonville, Florida – Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
February 28 – Oakland, California – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
**March 28 – Las Vegas, NV, Monster Jam World Finals – Sam Boyd Stadium
**The Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas, NV will host the Monster Jam: Urban Assault National Championship.

In Monster Jam: Urban Assault, all-out destruction is taken to a whole new level by busting the traditional Monster Jam action out of the stadiums and onto city streets across the globe. Players can choose from over 27 different monster trucks, including classic Monster Jam icons like Grave Digger®, Maximum Destruction®, Monster Mutt®, El Toro Loco®, Blue Thunder® and Captain’s Curse®, as well as newer stars such as Stone Crusher^TM and Backwards Bob^TM. The game focuses on crushing everything in your path while doing insane tricks in never before seen urban environments. Monster Jam: Urban Assault features 26 new urban tracks, 12 authentic Monster Jam stadiums, seven different game modes and 12 skill competitions, and players can challenge up to four of their friends via split-screen multiplayer.

Monster Jam: Urban Assault is available now for Wii^TM, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Nintendo DS^TM.

Anyone interested in competing in the Monster Jam Urban Assault National Tournament should visit www.MonsterJamOnline.com/nationaltournament to sign up for a chance to be randomly selected to compete at a regional stadium qualifier. Official entry rules and more tournament details can also be found at the site.

GTA: Chinatown Wars announced for 2009

Rockstar Games is proud to announce the release date for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the latest entry into the genre-defining Grand Theft Auto series. Developed by Rockstar Leeds, in conjunction with series creators Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will be available for the Nintendo DS™ on March 17 and 20, 2009 in North America and Europe, respectively.

“Rockstar Leeds have once again created a game that far exceeds our standard for deep and innovative entertainment,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “We are incredibly excited to share this enormous and uncompromising Grand Theft Auto experience with DS fans.”

Edge Magazine commented, “How does Rockstar follow Grand Theft Auto IV? By rebuilding Liberty City from the ground up on DS – and not compromising its vision one iota.”

Nintendo Power added, “…it’s undeniable that Chinatown Wars is doing something no other DS game has come close to: creating that living, breathing world the Grand Theft Auto games are known for.

Two Southpeak updates

Things on Wheels (XBLA):

Things on Wheels is all about what you choose to remotely drive. Vintage cars have exceptional handling, making them the easiest cars to learn to drive. However, their low speeds and power make it near impossible to catch up to other racers if they are driving faster cars. Envy is slow but its power and moderately high handling can give it the upper hand when driven by a skilled racer. Its ability to turn sharply will give Envy an edge over most other fast cars as they tend to make wider turns. Glammy’s moderately low speed is only made worse by its very low power. However, this vintage has high handling which can help it close large distance gaps between competitors during turns.

 

Big Bang Mini (DS):
Luxor

A pixilated version of pyramids and palm trees creates the theme for the Luxor World. Draw a horizontal line on the touch screen to create the world’s new ability, the Mirror Shield. Along with the Homing Missiles, this temporary upgrade will not only protect you, but send the enemies’ fire right back at them. When you reach the Egyptian Pharaoh boss level, complete him and make him vulnerable by bumping his separate pieces with your ship. Sometimes enemy fire will be so intense you must use your shield to survive, and in turn, defeat the enemy quickly with their own fire. Remember that your shield does not last forever so keep an eye on it. When it starts blinking, be prepared to get your ship to somewhere safe. When fighting the boss, bump your ship upwards into his headpieces as they come onto the screen. Fire rapidly before he moves off screen or you’ll have to repeat the process.

World Upgrade: Mirror Shield: The Mirror Shield will deflect and reflect enemy fire. Activate it by swiftly drawing a straight line horizontally across the screen. Remember, like the Vortex, the Mirror Shield needs time to recharge

Brave and Adventurous Mouse Despereaux Embarks on Videogame Quest

-Atari ships The Tale of Despereaux: The Game, featuring the voice of Emma Watson and other cast members, to retailers to tie in with big screen release from Universal Pictures -

NEW YORK, NY – December 11, 2008 –Atari, Inc. announced today the release of The Tale of Despereaux: The Game, adapted from the beloved Newbery Medal-winning novel by Kate DiCamillo and the Universal Pictures animated adventure, which debuts in theaters December 19.  Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Tony Hale and other voice talent from the film reprise their roles for this engaging adventure game.  The game will be available on PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™, and PC, with an originally designed game also available for Nintendo DS™.

The Tale of Despereaux: The Game lets children of all ages play as the world’s most courageous mouse as he sets out on his heroic quest to save Princess Pea and the kingdom of Dor.  Following the storyline from the film and introducing new adventures, the game allows kids to interact with a cast of familiar characters on their way to a magical world filled with exciting battles, fun-filled adventures, and unique puzzles.  The console game features fifteen unique levels, upgradeable skills and tools, as well as multiple difficulty settings, so children of all ages and abilities can have a rewarding experience.  The Nintendo DS™ game features action-packed grappling, swinging, and scurrying, as well as clever puzzles and whimsical unlockable costumes.

The Tale of Despereaux: The Game for the Console and PC is rated E10.  The Nintendo DS version is rated E for Everyone.  All platforms are available in retailers across North America for Wii™ ($39.99), Nintendo DS™ ($29.99), PlayStation®2 system ($29.99), and PC ($19.99).  

Connie Talbot: Over the Rainbow (DS)

Connie Talbot

No.1 Hot Single in the American Billboard Charts…..

Nintendo Wii video game to follow this success…..

December 2008, Stourbridge, England. Data Design Interactive – developers of the video game “Connie Talbot: Over the Rainbow” would like to congratulate Connie in breaking that most incredible barrier for British artists – the American Billboard charts – with her single ‘Three Little Birds’. It charted at No1, knocking Coldplay off the top spot.

The international stage now beckons for this young starlet who has had an astronomic rise to fame since featuring on the ITV “Britain’s Got Talent” TV show. She has already appeared on major US TV shows such as Oprah Winfrey and Ellen, touching the hearts of all that hear her sing.

This awareness in Connie has prompted an unprecedented demand for information about the soon to be released video game “Connie Talbot: Over the Rainbow” available on Nintendo Wii. The video game features 15 tracks, including stunning renditions of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, “Any Dream Will Do”, “What a Wonderful World” and Bob Marley’s reggae classic “Three Little Birds”. Players will be able to sing along with Connie in the fantastic karaoke mode, or with other friends or family members in multiplayer fun.

The public first met Connie in 2007 when she came 2nd in the Britains got talent show. Since then, Connie’s popularity has grown – after success in the UK of her debut album ‘Over The Rainbow’, she stormed Asia going gold in four countries and Platinum in S Korea. European tours are underway, and a US deal is already under her belt – Connie is taking the world by storm! Connie takes everything in her stride. She has already claimed 2 World records (according to the Guinness Book of Records) for the youngest artist ever in the charts, and the youngest artist ever to receive a Gold disc.

Penguin 24X DS game pouch for Nintendo DS available in expanded color palette

New Colors for Popular DS Game Pouches make Perfect Stocking Stuffers

Fremont, Calif., (December, 2008) – Continuing its efforts to provide high quality gaming peripherals to cost-conscious gamers, Penguin United has expanded its line of 24X DS Game Pouches to include four new color schemes: Red/Back; Light Blue; Pink; and Dark Blue. Now DS fans can carry and display up to 24 Nintendo DS game cartridges anywhere they go in a greater array of colors and styles.

Developed exclusively for Nintendo DS game cards, Penguin’s 24X DS Game Pouch contains 4 transparent inner sleeves, each of which holds up to 6 games. The transparent inner sleeve design allows gamers to display their game titles in the same way that they might travel with and display a collection of baseball cards or comics cards. Likewise, it is built with a sturdy zippered seal for added security and is available in multiple colors. The 24X DS Game Pouch is ideal for gamers on the move, protecting DS games from dirt, grime and various forms of impact.

“The original DS Game Pouch is an extremely popular item,” states Richard Huang, Penguin’s President. “We wanted to offer consumers a greater array of rich colors to choose from to better fit each gamers taste and personality.”

Product Highlights:
· SRP $14.99
· Available in 4 new colors (Red/Black, Light Blue, Pink, Dark Blue)
· Contains 4 transparent inner sleeves
· Holds up to 24 DS Cartridges
· Highly durable design

M&Ms Adventure is released into the US market

Chicago, USA, December 10th, 2008

Nikitova Games is happy to inform you that M&Ms Adventure game, on Nintendo Wii and DS formats, was released into the US market by Zoo Digital on 3rd December 2008. It is the third game to be released in the last 12 months by Nikitova team that is based in Kiev, Ukraine.

M&Ms Adventure has a story based around the popular M&Ms Candy characters that feature prominently in M&Ms commercials the world over. The game is set on Christmas Eve in the M&Ms factory where the factory managers Red, Yellow and Ms Green, three of the well known M&Ms characters, are just about to go home for their Xmas holidays when disaster strikes. Due to a faulty new alarm system installed by Red (the security manager) the Candy Collection machine has gone AWOL and as a result of this a whole load of candies have been scattered to all four corners of the factory. It is the players job to help Red, Yellow and Ms Green to work together as a team and battle with the factory guardians such as Cupid, Uncle Sam and the Easter Bunny in an effort to collect up all the Candies before Santa comes to town.

This classic 3D action adventure platform game features 6 huge, entertaining and colourful levels depicting the various themes of special seasonal M&Ms packets including Valentines Day, Easter, 4th July, Halloween and Christmas that are used to decorate the factory. Gameplay is simple and intuitive and based around exploring, running, jumping and collecting, with loads of in game pickups and features like exploding boxes, floating rafts and 11 different kinds of enemy robots guarding the factory. Each of the characters has a special ability, Red can fly, Ms Green is a tennis ace and Yellow can jump extra high and all of these abilities are needed in order to collect up all of the missing candies and win the game. M&Ms Adventure also features a number of cut scenes which tell the story, many upbeat, original tunes and specially recorded speech from the original M&Ms Cast.

M&Ms Adventure is aimed specifically at the under 15’s market and will be a good Christmas present for the kids.

We would also like to inform you that PS2 version of the game will be out in early 2009.

ClockStone Software develops Vampires Dawn for Nintendo DS

Independent developer ClockStone Software is working on a DS version of the successful RPG series.

Innsbruck, December 10, 2008. Wicked black humor, a dark and sinister setting, an elaborate magic and fight system – these are just some of the elements that make the RPG series Vampires Dawn such a hit. Now, the Austrian development studio ClockStone – best known for their action-RPG Avencast – is planning a Nintendo DS version of the award-winning series. For this project, they will be working with Vampires Dawn creator Dawnatic and the Munich-based production company remote control productions.

Game designer Tri Do Dinh is crazy about Vampires Dawn: “It’s incredibly fun to play a villainous vampire who strikes fear into the heart of the villagers in a humorous and very entertaining way. The character controls and the mechanics of the puzzles will transfer easily to DS.” CEO Michael Schiestl adds: “Our team learned a lot about the RPG genre when we were working on Avencast. We’re highly motivated to continue our work in this area and to increase our involvement in the handheld sector.”

Retro fun from the 80’s: The Great Giana Sisters return – Jump’n'Run debut on Nintendo DSTM

Hamburg, December 09th, 2008 – It was a little bit more than 20 years ago when a game was born that still is a synonym for a whole gaming genre: The Great Giana Sisters made Jump’n’Run gaming available for home computer users all over the world. In 2009, the blondes finally return – and with that, they make it all the way to Nintendo DS for the first time.

Back in the late 1980’s, there was literally no chance to play Jump’n’Run games on home computers like Commodore 64, Amiga or Atari ST. Until 1987, when a small German development team released The Great Giana Sisters.

Their father, Armin Gessert, let them become stars of the genre over night. The Great Giana Sisters was a Jump’n’Run that had everything home computer gamers back then only could experience on video game consoles: A fantastic game world on many different levels, that challenged the players’ hand eye coordination skills to their maximum to jump over deep canyons, collect bonuses and succeed when fighting enemies just by jumping on their back.

Now, The Great Giana Sisters are finally back! Publisher dtp entertainment and developer Spellbound Entertainment in co-operation with Bitfield are going to release their new adventure on Nintendo DS in June 2009.

In more than 80 levels, players experience all the great features of the original home computer version, as well as new features, that are kept exclusive for Nintendo DS. Players will have the Nintendo DS microphone as well as the touchpad, for instance.

The Great Giana Sisters’ graphics on Nintendo DS both is a redesign as well as reminiscent of the classic game.

The music score of the game is a remix by Fabian del Priore of the original soundtrack, written by famous computer game composer Chris Hülsbeck.

dtp entertainment is going to release The Great Giana Sisters DS for Nintendo DS in June 2009.

Activision Unleashes New Details on X-Men Origins: Wolverine

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec 09, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ –
Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) has released new details on X-Men Origins: Wolverine, whose titular hero is one of the most popular Marvel characters of all time. The video game, scheduled for release in May 2009, coincides with the global debut of Twentieth Century Fox’s release of its feature film, X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, which is also based on the famous Marvel character.

From the award-winning studio Raven Software, the video game enlists players to experience the tormented origins of Wolverine, from his escape of the Weapon X facility to the jungles of Africa and beyond. The game is currently in development for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, Windows(R) PC, Wii(TM) home video game system, Nintendo DS(TM), PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system, and is not yet rated by the ESRB.

“We have an amazing team with Raven Studios at the helm, creating what will undoubtedly be the quintessential, true-to-character Wolverine video game experience that fans have been craving,” said Rob Kostich, vice president, global brand management, Activision Publishing, Inc. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine amps up the action by bringing to life Wolverine’s wholly unique skills such as his brute strength, regenerative mutant abilities, and indestructible adamantium claws and skeleton in an immersive experience that is fitting to one of the most enduring and popular characters of all time.”

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an epic action-adventure featuring a true-to-character Wolverine gameplay experience that takes gamers through and beyond the movie’s storyline. Set in a variety of vivid real-world locales, the title challenges players to hone their animal instinct as they uncover hidden dangers, hunt and destroy enemies, and take on seemingly insurmountable situations while discovering the truth about Wolverine’s tragic past. With razor-sharp adamantium claws unsheathed, the future X-Man enacts lightning-quick combat, evasive maneuvers, in-depth combo attacks, and an array of brutal finishing moves. Wolverine doesn’t just deliver massive damage, either — he also takes it, thanks to his mutant regenerative power that heals him in real time right before the player’s eyes.

The title is in development by Raven Studios and Amaze Entertainment.

Majesco Entertainment ships ‘Left Brain Rigth Brain 2′ for the DS

Sequel Features Improved Graphics and All New Games to
Help Players Develop Ambidexterity

EDISON, N.J., December 9, 2008 – Exercising the hands and mind has never been more fun or rewarding! Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today announced that Left Brain Right Brain 2 for Nintendo DS™ has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Using the same DS rotation mechanic as the original hit, the sequel introduces all-new challenges to train both hemispheres of the brain and help players become truly ambidextrous.

Left Brain Right Brain 2 includes an updated graphic presentation and 20 new mini-games based on speed, accuracy, association, recognition, memory and strategy. Each game strengthens the left and right hemispheres of the brain by requiring players to switch hands between games as they rotate the DS in book style play. Afterwards, players can monitor personal progress and assess improvement by reviewing development percentages for each hand. Gamers can also tailor their favorite mental-training routine in the new Exercises mode, while testing ‘good’ and ‘weak’ hands via three random games in Ambidexterity Check.  Finally, players can compete with a friend in both single and multi-card multiplayer mode to prove who has the mental skills to be truly ambidextrous.

Developed by Kokolo Corporation, Left Brain Right Brain 2 is rated E for Everyone and is now available on Nintendo DS™ at $19.99 SRP. For additional information about Majesco’s exciting line of products, please visit www.majescoentertainment.com.