Today's Special Archives: April 2006

News Archives Index Koei Announces E3 2006 Lineup [ Koei ] Koei has officially announced it's lineup for E3 2006, and, like in previous years, Nintendo fans don't have much to look forward to. Most of the games shown will be on either the PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, PC, and PSP, but there is one sole Nintendo title in the lineup: Dynasty Warriors DS, for the Nintendo DS. We'll be sure to have the first look at the game when it is shown off at the event. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 28 2006 21:49 PM [Top] Even More on Sadness, Including First Image [ Nibris ] While going through Nibris' official site, I noticed that they had some info on the storyline and what to expect for Sadness, which hadn't been there the last time I looked the other day. Here's what they say: "...In my head there is a voice, different from the others. Whenever it answers it overwhelms the remaining voices, it mixes up thoughts and destroys peace. It tells me that I'm only mixed up in a thought which yearns to prove its own existence. The voice which whispers that I'm not really who I am and the preceived reality is only an abstraction created by my own mind. It is the original voice, which wants to free itself from my head, to free itself from the logic and reason it is being stifled by. The voice of animal endurance at all costs, which forces onto unimaginable things. It is the voice of chaos which is now screaming frightfully in my head for me to take an axe resting against the wall and cut off my father's head." Maria Lengyel The study of fear and the borders of human imagination... A trip to the darkest corners of consciousness, in all of us... A trip to the hell of the subconscious and not necessarily to return... This gothic horror (atmosphere) is not the game of the action. If you're counting on shooting, litres of blood and piles of dead bodis then unfortunately you won't find it here. We are preparing for a mood which will not leave you till the very end of the game. An irregular scenario decides on such issues as schizophrenia or narcolepsy. Apart from an extremely complex and rich-in-the-shocking-factor scenario, the power of our production is innovative use of the Wii controller. Imagine driving away rats with a torch, throwing a rope (as a lasso) when you want to climb over the wall, or slitting the throat of a persecutor with a piece of glass...All of this with the help of the Wii controller. And this is only the beginning... We'll take you on a journey to chich no on has taken you before. The only question is are you ready to experience it? Attention! Game only for adult players with strong nerves. This game is sounding better all the time. Images: Sadness Artwork Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, April 28 2006 15:54 PM [Top] New Info on Sadness [ Nibris ] A couple weeks ago I brought you guys the news that Nibris would be bringing a black-and-white game called Sadness to the Revolution/Wii. Now we have a statement from Nibris with some new info on what exactly we can expect from this intriguing sounding game, as well as clarification of a few rumors: * Sadness is not a working title of our game, it is the final title * The story takes place before World War I that is before 1914 and not as many claim in the thirties of XX century * The style of the game does not correspond to Sin City movie; it will also not have the style of a comic. It is rather a tribute to pre-World War I cinema and it will have similar atmosphere * The plot will take place in one of the Slavic countries; we will tell you which one soon * RotR (Raid over the River for Wii) is not being developed right now. Our priority on the Wii console is Sadness, and only after it is finished RotR will be developed. RotR DS is being refined by a separate team within Nibris * Concerning the rumours about the possibility to choose the colour version of the game – the making of the concept in the greyscale is completely different. The choice of colour is not because of marketing reasons but the element of making the atmosphere of the game * Concerning the rumours about a Hollywood film studio offering us a large sum of money for filming rights – the truth is that we were contacted but there have been no agreements. We cannot disclose the topic of our talks however. Still we can assure players that Sadness will not be filmed earlier than 2 years after it is introduced to the market (if it will be filmed) * We will provide further information about Sadness soon (E3?) So, a few clarifications, and finally an official confirmation that Raid over the River is in fact being planned for Wii, even if it's not officially in development yet. Sadness is certainly sounding very interesting, and we'll be sure to keep you guys appraised of any more details we get. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, April 28 2006 11:15 AM [Top] New Over the Hedge Media [ Activision ] Based on the highly-anticipated feature film from DreamWorks Animation, Over the Hedge is a wildly adventurous game that takes players on an interactive adventure beyond the story seen in the film. Assuming the roles of RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle, Hammy the squirrel and Stella the skunk, players turn a suburban neighborhood loaded with dangerous obstacles and traps into their own personal playground. Numerous puzzles and mini-games keep fans busy as they switch between two of the four main characters or engage in two player co-op with friends. Activision has revealed screenshots of the handheld versions of the game, each built from the ground up on the GBA and DS. There's also a new trailer for the game below. Over the Hedge will be released for the GameCube, GBA, and DS on May 9th. Images: Over the Hedge (GBA) Screenshot 1 Over the Hedge (GBA) Screenshot 2 Over the Hedge (GBA) Screenshot 3 Over the Hedge (GBA) Screenshot 4 Over the Hedge (GBA) Screenshot 5 Over The Hedge (DS) Screenshot 1 Over The Hedge (DS) Screenshot 2 Over The Hedge (DS) Screenshot 3 Over The Hedge (DS) Screenshot 4 Video: Over the Hedge Trailer (16.3 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 27 2006 23:06 PM [Top] Activision Announces Marvel: Ultimate Alliance [ Activison ] Over 140 Marvel characters come together in Activision's Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, an all-new action/RPG that features the largest roster of comic book characters ever seen in a video game. Players assume the roles of more than 20 Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Captain America, and through their actions determine the fate of both planet Earth and the Marvel universe – revealed in one of multiple epilogues. “Marvel: Ultimate Alliance delivers a new twist on action/RPGs where players’ actions and choices ultimately determine what happens to the Marvel universe,” states Will Kassoy, Vice President of Global Brand Management for Activision. “This coupled with the game’s enormous character roster will deliver an action-packed experience that comic book fans have been waiting for.” Marvel: Ultimate Alliance features a deep, rich gameplay experience by offering total team customization, where players create their own team name, icon and vehicle, as well as establish their team reputation as they play throughout the story. Gamers also have the option to level up each character individually to their liking, or all team members at the same time to keep their heroes balanced. With the game’s new combat system, players battle against the world’s most notorious Marvel Super Villains in the air, underwater, and on the ground, using grappling, blocking and dodging moves, by charging up their Super Hero powers before unleashing them, and using environmental objects as one and two-handed weapons. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance features a unique storyline where the missions players accept, the objectives they complete, and their interactions with other characters throughout the game directly impact how the story plays out. The game also features a robust multiplayer component where fans can band together with friends as their favorite Marvel Super Heroes, and fight evil in both on and offline cooperative story modes. There’s also a Competitive Mode where the game tracks various in-game stats so players can see how well they stack up against one another – affecting the amount of experience points earned and how equipment is distributed. Created by Raven Software and C.B. Cebulski, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance will be the first Super Hero game out for all next-gen gaming systems, and will also be available on current-gen, handheld and PC platforms. The game is currently rated RP (Rating Pending) by the ESRB and is planned to ship this fall. Expect full coverage of both this game and all of Activision's showing at E3 2006. For now, check out the first screens of the game below. Images: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Screenshot 1 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Screenshot 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 27 2006 18:57 PM [Top] CDV Announces Panzer Tactics for DS [ CDV Software Entertainment ] CDV's first handheld title, Panzer Tactics DS, will also be the first World War II turn-based strategy title developed for the Nintendo DS handheld system. Combining intuitive gaming with historically-inspired battles, would-be commanders will lead their forces to victory or defeat in three exciting single-player campaigns, or compete in multiplayer games via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or wireless multiplayer. Multiplayer games will also offer a competitive ladder system to rank the best online commanders. Panzer Tactics is set to be on the show floor at E3, so we'll be sure to check it out for you guys. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, April 27 2006 18:39 PM [Top] Madden Official for Revolution...Erm, Wii [ Gamasutra ] Sorry, I'm still getting used to typing that. In an interview with Gamasutra, Electronic Arts Senior Vice President John Schappert revealed that the company is currently in the works with a version of their most popular franchise, Madden NFL Football, exclusively for the Nintendo Revolution, or, at least, that's what it's called in the interview. Wii all know what it is now...sorry. Schappert revealed that the Wii build (God, it's weird to say that) of Madden will be built from the ground up, making full use of the system's capabilities and the unique controller. For example, the gameplay mechanics will be built around actual football actions using the controller: gamers will use gestures made with the controller to snap and hike the ball, hand off or pass to receivers, and juke or stiff-arm defenders. The game's engine will be built from the ground-up on Wii as well, so gamers can expect the game to not be a simple current-gen port. EA will be showing off Madden NFL '07 for the Wii at E3 in two weeks, so you can expect wii'll (stop it, Jones) provide full hands-on impressions and videos of the game at the event. For now, you can check out the full interview by clicking the above source link. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 27 2006 17:28 PM [Top] Nintendo Officially Renames Revolution [ Nintendo ] The Nintendo Revolution has a new name. And it's weird. Nintendo today announced that the Revolution's official name has now become...get this: Nintendo Wii. Here's their official statement. As in "we." While the code-name "Revolution" expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer. Wii will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody else. Wii will put people more in touch with their games ... and each other. But you're probably asking: What does the name mean? Wii sounds like "we," which emphasizes this console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii. Wii has a distinctive "ii" spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play. And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video games that sets it apart from the crowd. So that's Wii. But now Nintendo needs you. Because, it's really not about you or me. It's about Wii. And together, Wii will change everything. Hit the source link to check out an awesome animation!! Images: Nintendo Wii Logo Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, April 27 2006 12:21 PM [Top] New Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screens and Info [ Bethsada Softworks ] Star Trek: Tactical Assault is a real-time spaceship combat game for 1 or 2 players, featuring a wide array of authentic Star Trek races, ships, and weaponry from the universe of the original Star Trek series. Players take command of powerful Federation and Klingon warships and must outthink and out duel their opponents in order to succeed. Play through either the Federation or Klingon campaigns in single-player mode or go head-to-head against a friend in wireless multiplayer action. Space is the final frontier, Kirk is in command, and the Klingons are the bad guys. Play through the era that started it all with this classic Star Trek game. The true test of a Captain is his ability to act under fire. Every second counts as you attempt to out-maneuver enemy warships and expose their weaknesses while protecting your own. Become a hero of the Federation or a champion of the Klingon Empire in two full-length, independent campaigns. You are in command. As the Captain, it is up to you to make the best decisions for your crew. With a multitude of paths to choose from, you will decide the direction and ultimate outcome of your campaign. Test your skills and tactics against the most challenging opponents you’ll find...your friends. In Skirmish and Multiplayer modes, command ships from the Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Gorn, and Orion fleets. Each fleet has its own combat philosophy, strengths, and weaknesses. Tactics that lead to victory for one race will result in disaster for another. Star Trek: Tactical Assault will hit stores for the Nintendo DS later this year. We'll provide a full hands-on of the game as well as exclusive videos at E3 2006. For now, check out the first screens of the game below. Images: Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screenshot 1 Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screenshot 2 Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screenshot 3 Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screenshot 4 Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screenshot 5 Star Trek: Tactical Assault Screenshot 6 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 26 2006 23:48 PM [Top] X-Men: The Official Game Handheld Screens [ Activision ] Co-written by Zak Penn, the co-screenwriter of the movie X-Men: The Last Stand, and legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont, X-Men: The Official Game immerses players in an original storyline that provides the back-story for the upcoming X-Men: The Last Stand feature film. For the first time, the game enables players to truly command the powers of popular characters from the X-Men movie universe by allowing players to assume the roles of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they wield and upgrade their signature powers and maneuver through unique environments designed to showcase their superhero abilities. Assisted by other X-Men characters, players will use an advanced control scheme to master and control the characters as they unleash Wolverine’s combat rage, experience Nightcrawler’s acrobatics and teleportation powers, and glide through the air on Iceman’s ice slide. The Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS versions also offer exclusive X-Men characters to play (namely, Colossus for the GBA version), and for the first time, players can use the Nintendo DS touch screen to control the X-Men. Check out the first screens of the GBA and DS versions of the game below. X-Men: The Official Game will be released for the GameCube, GBA, and DS on May 16th. Images: X-Men: The Official Game (GBA) Screenshot 1 X-Men: The Official Game (GBA) Screenshot 2 X-Men: The Official Game (GBA) Screenshot 3 X-Men: The Official Game (GBA) Screenshot 4 X-Men: The Official Game (DS) Screenshot 1 X-Men: The Official Game (DS) Screenshot 2 X-Men: The Official Game (DS) Screenshot 3 X-Men: The Official Game (DS) Screenshot 4 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 26 2006 22:14 PM [Top] No Online for Pangya [ Famitsu ] In the latest Famitsu, Pangya Golf producer Keisuke Kikuchi talks about his Revolution launch title. He mentions that the game is not a PC port, but rather an original game that truly uses the Revolution controller. However, while Pangya golf will have downloadable content, there will not be an online competition mode. No reason was given for this, but it is very likely that they can't put it in and get it out in time for launch. Look for more information and screenshots at E3. Joe McCollum -- Posted on Wednesday, April 26 2006 12:09 PM [Top] Konami Brings Elebits to Revoluion [ Famitsu ] The latest issue of Famitsu magazine reveals exactly what was promised last week: a new game for the Nintendo Revolution. It's the first game from Konami, entitled Elebits, which will be produced by the man behind Guitar Freaks and Drum Mania, Shingo Mukaitouge. The game will be in the vein of Pikmin, where players must control small creatures called Elebits to accomplish tasks. The catch is that Elebits are also the power source for the planet, and as they are captured the game world will evolve. Konami will be showing off the game at E3 2006, so you can expect we'll provide hands-on impressions and exclusive videos of the game then. It's not to far away now, folks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 26 2006 11:41 AM [Top] Mickey Mouse and Meteos [ Buena Vista Games ] Buena Vista Games, the game publishing arm of Disney, announced today that they will be adapting Nintendo's popular DS puzzle game Meteos into Meteos: Disney Edition. While no further information was given about the game, one can assume the friendly aliens from the first game will be replaced with Mickey Mouse heads and other assorted Disney paraphernalia. Expect more info about the game at E3. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 26 2006 11:25 AM [Top] Sega Announces Super Monkey Ball For Revolution [ Sega ] Sega today announced Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz developed by SEGA Studios for the Nintendo Revolution system. AiAi and all his friends have rolled their way onto Nintendo's new console with new mind-blowing puzzle levels and a wealth of new and exciting Party Games specifically designed to fully exploit the innovative Nintendo Revolution controller. Other titles will have a difficult time matching the multitude of possible variations in game control as presented in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz. "The Nintendo Revolution presents a totally unique avenue for our developers to explore the art of game design," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz will present a mind-boggling array of gameplay innovations that will excite and challenge gamers while pushing the boundaries of imagination forward." The single-player puzzle levels in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz have been innovatively designed to challenge gamers' skills like never before. For the first time in the Super Monkey Ball franchise, AiAi and his friends will have the ability to jump when players flick the Nintendo Revolution controller in an upward motion. The ability to jump has given game designers another dimension in which to expand the Super Monkey Ball gameplay experience and allows gamers a whole new way to interact with the franchise; this time in true three-dimensional fashion. The Party Games, for which the Super Monkey Ball franchise is famous, return with more variety than ever. An abundance of new Party Games have been creatively designed to take advantage of the Revolution controller in a multitude of ways. Gamers will find themselves competing in a traditional game of ring toss, or even smacking pesky moles in a game of "Whack-a-Mole." Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz's large library of Party Games is sure to inspire friendly competition anytime. We'll be sure to offer full hands-on impressions and exclusive videos of this game at E3 2006. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 26 2006 3:04 AM [Top] Black DS Lite Revealed [ Famitsu ] A new Famitsu scan reveals something we've all been waiting for: A nice black DS Lite to compliment the white version. Take a gander at the scan and bathe in its glory. Now let's hope black is a color that launches here in America. Look for a release date to be revealed this E3. Images: Black DS Lite Revealed Joe McCollum -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 23:11 PM [Top] New Super Mario Bros. Website Opens With New Trailer [ Nintendo ] Twenty years after Nintendo's biggest franchise was born, the Mario Bros. return in a dazzling, all-new platformer sure to set players' fingers twitching. Fans from Mario's classic days will see their dreams answered in this return to the Mushroom Kingdom, while a new generation of Mario players will learn what true platforming greatness means. Jump, bounce and power-up through visually stunning side-scrolling worlds filled with Mushroom Kingdom madness. Mushrooms make Mario ultra-tiny or ultra-huge, and new items like the Blue Shell (which transforms Mario into a spinning shell that wipes out enemies) will keep players on their toes. The worlds are swarming with classic enemies like Goombas and Koopas, but watch out for new foes, big bosses and unbelievable challenges. As Mario and Luigi, two players can battle for stars on specially designed levels over local wireless. The game won't end until one bro. reigns supreme. Nintendo has revealed a new website for the game, which you can reach by clicking the source link. Each week, they will reveal a new gameplay trailer featuring a different aspect of the game. This week, some of the new powerups Mario will use in the game are featured. New Super Mario Bros. will be released for the Nintendo DS on May 15th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 22:57 PM [Top] THQ Announces 2 Revolution Games [ THQ ] THQ has revealed its lineup of titles surrounding their partnership with popular kids TV network Nickelodeon, and included on the list is two games for the Nintendo Revolution. The first is Spongebob Squarepants: Creature From The Krusty Krab, which will see Spongebob and friends battling their way through Bikini Bottom. The second is Avatar: The Last Airbender, based on the new Nickelodeon action TV show. The full list of games is below. Barnyard (PS2, GC, GBA, and PC) SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab (PS2, GC, Revolution, GBA, DS, and PC) Avatar: The Last Airbender (PS2, GC, Xbox, Revolution, PSP, GBA, DS, and PC) Nicktoons (working title) (PS2, GC, GBA, and DS) Unfabulous (GBA) Danny Phantom: Urban Jungle (DS and GBA) All of these games will be shown off at E3 2006, where you can expect GameCube Café will provide full hands-on impressions and exclusive videos. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 21:58 PM [Top] Atari Announces DBZ For Revolution [ Atari ] Atari today announced that Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is in development for Nintendo Revolution. Combining action, fighting and light role-playing game elements, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 will send players into a rich story mode that spans the entire Dragon Ball, DBZ, and Dragon Ball GT series. Developed by NAMCO BANDAI and Spike, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is slated to release during the 2006 holiday season. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 takes the series' popular acrobatic and intense 3D flying and fighting dynamic and takes it to a whole new level with over 100 playable characters, 15 vast and vibrant 3D destructible environments, and nine different game modes, including single and multiplayer battles. Matt Collins, Director of Marketing, Atari, Inc., said, "The innovative controller featured with Nintendo Revolution is perfectly suited for Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, which engages players with fast-paced fighting moves. Gamers will be able to play in a very physical way, mimicking several of the show's most popular character moves and pull off awesome combos and attacks." In addition to the unprecedented number of characters, wide selection of massive 3D destructible environments and abundance of game modes, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 will feature in-game transformations, which players will be able to trigger in real-time, making battles even more dramatic and exciting than ever before. Using the Nintendo Revolution controller, players will be able to mimic signature moves as they are performed in the Dragon Ball Z animated series, such as Goku's Kamehameha, moving both hands to execute this devastating energy attack. We'll have full hands-on impressions and exclusive videos of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 for the Revolution at E3 2006. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 21:50 PM [Top] Square-Enix Reveals E3 Lineup [ Square-Enix ] Square-Enix has revealed their official lineup of games for E3 2006 in Los Angeles. While last year's lineup did not feature a single game for any Nintendo console, this year has many of them in spades for both the DS and Game Boy Advance. Check the entire release list below, with the titles for Nintendo consoles in bold. Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2) Final Fantasy XII (PS2) Final Fantasy III (DS) Final Fantasy V Advance(GBA) Final Fantasy VI Advance(GBA) Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (DS) Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (PSP) Children of Mana (DS) Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2) Dawn of Mana (PS2) This list confirms official releases for the handheld remakes of Final Fantasy III, V, and VI (although there really wasn't any doubt they would hit the US), as well as a surprising US release of Dragon Quest Heroes. Rumors are also rampant that Square-Enix will show off Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the Revolution at the show, a game confirmed at last year's E3. We'll have a full rundown of the entire showing of the king of RPGs at E3 2006, now just 2 weeks away. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 21:47 PM [Top] New X-Men: The Official Game Media [ Activision ] Co-written by Zak Penn, the co-screenwriter of the movie X-Men: The Last Stand, and legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont, X-Men: The Official Game immerses players in an original storyline that provides the back-story for the upcoming X-Men: The Last Stand feature film. For the first time, the game enables players to truly command the powers of popular characters from the X-Men movie universe by allowing players to assume the roles of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they wield and upgrade their signature powers and maneuver through unique environments designed to showcase their superhero abilities. Assisted by other X-Men characters, players will use an advanced control scheme to master and control the characters as they unleash Wolverine’s combat rage, experience Nightcrawler’s acrobatics and teleportation powers, and glide through the air on Iceman’s ice slide. Today, Activision has revealed another powerful enemy players will go up against in the game: another of Wolverine's arch rivals, the Silver Samurai. You can check out some screenshots and a brand new trailer of him in action below, as well as a new trailer starring another of the playable characters in the game, Iceman. X-Men: The Official Game will launch for the GameCube, Nintendo DS, and Game Boy Advance on May 16th. Images: X-Men: The Official Game Screenshot 1 X-Men: The Official Game Screenshot 2 X-Men: The Official Game Screenshot 3 X-Men: The Official Game Concept Art Video: X-Men: The Official Game "Iceman" Trailer (11.9 MB) X-Men: The Official Game "Silver Samurai" Trailer (14.2 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 15:48 PM [Top] King of Fighters Comes to DS [ IGN DS ] This weekend, at the MMBB Online Game Festa in Tokyo, King of Fighters series creator Falcoon was interviewed about the future of the King of Fighters series. He responded that the franchise will be making its way to the Nintendo DS in the near future, with no further clarification given. So now we know the series is coming to the DS - but in what way? E3 should shed some light on this. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 14:57 PM [Top] Square-Enix Joins Forces With Pokémon [ Nintendo of Japan ] Some interesting news out of Nintendo, as they have announced a deal to allow Square-Enix, perhaps Japan's biggest, most prolific developer, to work with one of their most popular IPs, Pokémon. Now, don't get your hopes up: we won't be seeing Cloud team up with Pikachu on the Revolution anytime soon. What we will be seeing, for now, is a new Pokémon media tool called the "Pokémate", which will add Pokémon themes to chat and mail devices on Japanese cellphones, with a monthly fee of 200 yen. No word on if the application will be hitting US stores at this time. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 14:19 PM [Top] Turn Your DS into a Portable Media Device [ Datel ] MAX Media Player turns your Nintendo DS into a powerful home entertainment device, with movie playback, music on the move and a convenient picture viewer. At the heart of MAX Media Player for DS is Datel’s exclusive MAX Media Player. Just insert the cartridge into your DS’s game slot and boot up our fully-featured browser. From here, you can play your MP3 audio tracks, watch videos and view your JPEGs on your DS’s screen. You can even use the browser to activate executable programs! But where do you store all this media? Simple. MAX Media Player for DS comes supplied with a 4GB hard drive unit, which you plug into your DS’s GBA cartridge slot. It draws its power directly from the DS – no additional batteries are needed. And 4GB is a lot of storage space. Enough, in fact, for up to ten full-length movies. Or over a thousand music tracks. Or thousands of digital pictures. Or numerous other file types, such as data programs and executables… MAX Media Player for DS is easy to use. Just connect your HDD unit to your PC with the USB cable (supplied). Open the Media Manager PC application (also supplied), and use it to transfer your media to the 4GB hard drive. It’s easy – the PC application even converts movies to a format your MAX Media Player can understand, and resizes your digital images so they fit perfectly on the DS screen. Now you can kill time on that long journey by watching movies on the move, or listening to your favourite sounds. You can take your digital holiday snaps round your granny’s or down the pub without printing them out too! MAX Media Player uses the USB 2.0 protocol, so it offers great transfer speeds. It’s out in late April for a mere £129/$189.99. Bargain! Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, April 24 2006 11:11 AM [Top] New Super Mario Bros. [ Previews ] Next month, Nintendo will make history by releasing the first original side-scroller starring Mario in nearly 15 years. Eric previews the game, and sees how it will stack up to Mario's other legendary entries. You can also expect a hands-on preview of the game at E3 2006. Eric Jones -- Posted on Sunday, April 23 2006 16:34 PM [Top] X-Men Gets Xtra Special Voice Acting [ Activision ] Movie-based video game tie-ins are among the biggest games on the market, especially now that the designers are going out of their way to make the games feel like the film. Activision's upcoming X-Men: The Official Game, based on the film X3: The Last Stand, will be no different, with 3 of the series' stars set to reprise their roles in the game. Hugh Jackman will play Wolverine, Shawn Ashmore takes on the role of Iceman, and interestingly enough, Alan Cumming, will be playing the role of Nightcrawler, a role he is not reprising in X3. X-Men: The Official Game is set to hit stores for the GameCube, GBA, and Nintendo DS on May 16th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 21 2006 23:26 PM [Top] Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Official for Revolution [ Nintendo Power ] Earlier this year, Activision confirmed the newest version of their long-running Tony Hawk series of titles would be called Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam. In the latest issue of Nintendo Power, it is confirmed that the game is indeed coming to the Revolution, and will be shown off for the first time at E3. One can only wonder what the game will feature - spinning the Revmote in your hand to pull off tricks? We'll be sure to take a full look at the game, as well as everything Activision plans to show off, at E3 2006. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 21 2006 23:13 PM [Top] Vivendi Reveals E3 Lineup [ Vivendi ] If you haven't heard, Vivendi Universal has officially changed their name: they're simply "Vivendi" now. They've also revealed their E3 lineup, which confirms a US release for Crash Bandicoot Festival (under the new name of Crash Boom Bang!), as well as a previously unannounced Spyro game. Chck out the list below, with the Nintendo titles in bold. Scarface (Xbox, PC, Xbox 360, PS2) TimeShift (Xbox 360, PC) Caesar IV (PC) 50 Cent: Bulletproof (PSP) Eragon (DS, PSP, GBA, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360) Joint Task Force (PC) World in Conflict (PC) Miami Vice (PSP) Freestyle Street Basketball (PC) The Legend of Spyro (GBA, PS2, DS, GC, Xbox) Crash Boom Bang! (DS) We'll have full coverage of Vivendi's E3 showing when the event rolls around in a little more than 2 weeks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 21 2006 23:02 PM [Top] Konami Announces New Castlevania for DS [ Konami ] Konami's ever-popular Castlevania series returns to Nintendo DS in November, with the release of Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin for the handheld. Created by Koji Igarashi, who devised the long-running series, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin gives the player control of two different characters. The pair – vampire hunter Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Orlean, a young girl with magical abilities – must work to thwart a plan to resurrect Dracula's Castle and unleash a reign of evil upon the unsuspecting world, all within a new World War II setting. The new setting captures the chaos and suffering the era, with thousands of lost souls wandering the world in search of salvation. Desperate to escape the limbo within their exist, the misguided spirits seek to rebuild Dracula's Castle from its ruins, and are lead by a pair of evil Vampire sisters out to resurrect their master's home for their own nefarious plans. Thrown together, Jonathan and Charlotte must combine their unusual skill sets to defeat the plans and restore harmony. Retaining the same 2D platform realms for which the series is famed, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin uses a side-on view to oversee the scrolling stages. Players can switch freely between Jonathan and Charlotte as they progress through the levels, using their skills when appropriate. In addition to Jonathan's weapon expertise and Charlotte's spell-casting, both characters can utilise all-new 'Summon' attacks to raise demons to assist them against the Vampire sisters' army. Similarly, more conventional weapons can also be found on route, and saved for use against the hardier monsters that await in the shadows. Featuring all-new locations and a cast of over 100 different adversaries, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin marks a welcome return to the DS for the series. Igarashi's Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow has already enjoyed massive success for the format, and his new epic is certain to wow Nintendo users when it is released later in the year. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 21 2006 12:30 PM [Top] NiGHTs to Revolution? [ Famitsu ] Famitsu's rumor mill seems to be spinning again, and this time it may have come up with perhaps the biggest Revolution game to date. In the latest issue, the magazine states that the Revolution will be getting a game where a magician flies through the sky, made by a developer that recently went independent. For those that remember the old Sega Saturn, one of it's most beloved games was NiGHTs Into Dreams, a game where you flew a clown-like magician in the sky. It's no secret that the Revolution controller would be perfect for a game of this type, and with Sega fans clamoring for the return of NiGHTs for years, that day may come very very soon. In fact, it may come as early as next week. Famitsu is promoting an pre-E3 exposé for next week's issue, including the revealing of some Revolution titles. We'll be here next week for a full report on whatever Famitsu shows off. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 21 2006 11:22 AM [Top] Dragon Ball Z Hits the Revolution [ Shonen Jump ] A pair of scans from the latest issue of Shonen Jump magazine reveal a major development from Japanese developer Spike - the latest game for the Nintendo Revolution has been revealed. The game is certainly a surprise: the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai series has, for the most part, been exclusive to the PS2. The newest game in the series, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2, will be hitting the Revolution as well. The game promises to feature 100 different fighters, a new transformation system, and, of course, Revolution-exclusive control features. Check out the scans showing off the game below (don't freak out, the screens are from the PS2 version of the game), and we'll check out the game when it's shown off at E3. Images: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Scan 1 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Scan 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 20 2006 20:26 PM [Top] Be First to Play Revolution [ Nintendo and AOL ] Nintendo and AOL.com are in hot pursuit to pick one lucky video game fan to fly to Los Angeles to be the first in the world to play Nintendo's next home console, code-named Revolution. After signing up here, three finalists for Nintendo's First-to-Play Sweepstakes will attend Nintendo's international media briefing on May 9 prior to the start of the Electronics Entertainment Expo, the most important video game industry event of the year. The winner will appear on stage to experience the new console in front of thousands of top industry insiders and reporters. "No consumer has ever played this new Nintendo system before," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "But more importantly, no one has ever interacted with video games in this way before. Our next home console will revolutionize how people play and experience video games." "As one of the leading game destinations on the Web, we are thrilled to partner with Nintendo to give our AOL Games community the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the very first person to play the highly anticipated Revolution console," said Ralph Rivera, Vice President & General Manager, AOL Games. People can enter the sweepstakes between April 21 and April 28 by registering at the above link. Entrants do not need to be members of AOL. Three finalists chosen at random will fly with one guest each for a two-night stay in Los Angeles. The three finalists will enjoy VIP seating at Nintendo's media briefing in Hollywood at the Kodak Theatre, home to the Oscars. One of the finalists will be selected at random to step onto the stage and usher in the new era of video games. Entrants must be 18 or older. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, April 20 2006 20:04 PM [Top] 2007 Madden Coverboy Revealed [ Electronic Arts ] Electronic Arts announced today that NFL MVP and NFC Champion running back Shaun Alexander will appear on the cover of Madden NFL 07, the newest iteration of the EA SPORTS best-selling football franchise with the official videogame license of the NFL and its players. With this year’s focus on the running game, Alexander is the perfect representative for the cover of the most popular football videogame franchise. Last year Madden NFL 06 sold more than six million copies. “To be on the cover of Madden NFL 07 is a big milestone in my career since I have always been a huge fan of this franchise,” said Alexander. “EA SPORTS is focusing on the running game in this year’s version, so I was honored when I was chosen to be on the cover to represent the improved running game.” Alexander, who was named the NFL MVP and selected for his third consecutive Pro Bowl this past season, is the hottest running back in the NFL. He has rushed for over 1,150 yards in each of the last five seasons. As the most valuable player in the NFL he rushed for a league-high 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns on 370 carries. He also caught 15 passes for 78 yards and one touchdown, scoring an NFL-record 28 touchdowns, setting a new single-season rushing touchdown record. In addition, he extended his NFL-record number of seasons with at least 15 touchdowns to five. During the season Alexander became the Seahawks career leader in rushing yards (7,817) attempts (1,717) and 100-yard games (33). Coming into its 17th year and with more than 51 million copies sold, Madden NFL Football continues to stand out as the most popular football videogame franchise of all time with a combination of innovative new features and the most authentic football gameplay. Developed in Orlando, FL by EA Tiburon Madden NFL 07 will be available in August on Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, PC, PSP handheld entertainment system and Game Boy Advance. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 20 2006 18:05 PM [Top] Capcom Reveals E3 2006 Lineup [ Capcom ] Capcom has officially revealed their list of playable titles for E3 2006, a bit more than 2 weeks away. Check it out below, with the Nintendo titles in bold. Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar (GBA) Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Gregar (GBA) Mega Man ZX (Nintendo DS) God Hand (PS2) Okami (PS2) Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2) Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP) Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins (PSP) Dead Rising (Xbox 360) Lost Planet (Xbox 360) We'll have full coverage of Capcom's E3 showing, including any surprises, this coming May. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 20 2006 16:29 PM [Top] New Over the Hedge Trailer [ GameCube Café ] Based on the highly-anticipated feature film from DreamWorks Animation, Over the Hedge is a wildly adventurous game that takes players on an interactive adventure beyond the story seen in the film. Assuming the roles of RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle, Hammy the squirrel and Stella the skunk, players turn a suburban neighborhood loaded with dangerous obstacles and traps into their own personal playground. Numerous puzzles and mini-games keep fans busy as they switch between two of the four main characters or engage in two player co-op with friends. Over the Hedge will hit stores for the GameCube, GBA, and Nintendo DS on May 9th. Check out a new gameplay trailer of the title below. Edit: Another new trailer for the game has surfaced. Check it out below. Video: Over the Hedge Trailer 1 (13.8 MB) Over the Hedge Trailer 2 (10.6 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 19 2006 21:45 PM [Top] Super Monkey Ball Adventure Boxart [ Sega ] Sega has revealed the boxart for Super Monkey Ball Adventure, one of the last major games for the GameCube. The game, also for PS2 and PSP, will ship in this July. Look for more coverage of the game at E3 2006. Images: Super Monkey Ball Adventure Boxart Joe McCollum -- Posted on Wednesday, April 19 2006 21:00 PM [Top] SNK Announces Metal Slug: Super Vehicle [ E3 Expo ] In the very same email that revealed that a new flight game from Hudson Soft was on the way for the Revolution, there's another tidbit of info, from SNK Playmore's camp. It turns out that the popular 2D shooter series Metal Slug will make a return to the Game Boy Advance this fall. While previous Metal Slug games on the GBA were remakes of earlier games, it looks like the latest will be completely original. Here's the excerpt from the email: METAL SLUG - SNK PLAYMORE (Game Boy Advance): Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the METAL SLUG franchise comes the original first version entitled "Super Vehicle" to the Game Boy Advance. Commanding the METAL SLUG super vehicle allows you to gain tactical advantage in non-stop action packed 2D missions. Battle classic over-the-top boss characters with a huge array of weapons in order to challenge your skill. We'll have a look at this title come E3 time, so stay tuned. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 19 2006 12:39 PM [Top] Revolution Flight Game from Hudson [ E3 Expo ] In an email sent out from the people over E3, they include a list of some of the games that will be at the show. One notable mention from Hudson follows: "Flight Game" - Nintendo Revolution - Take to the skies in a way never before experienced on any home console. Using the Revolution's "Gesture System" built into their innovative controller, Hudson's new "Flight Game" allows total plane control as players pilot their planes through various acrobatic flight maneuvers ranging from sky artistry to bomb drops. Although not a sequel to Pilot Wings, this should nonetheless be getting Ninty fans even more excited as games slowly begin to be announced. Lots to look forward to this May, stay tuned. Joe McCollum -- Posted on Wednesday, April 19 2006 0:07 AM [Top] Eragon Flies to GBA and DS [ Vivendi Universal ] Vivendi Universal Games announced today they are bringing the fantasy-adventure Eragon to the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS in November 2006. "Christopher Paolini's amazing fantasy worlds, characters and adventures portrayed in Eragon offer fans of the genre an opportunity to step into Eragon's world and live out the dragon rider legacy," said Bruce Hack, CEO of VU Games. "Eragon is sure to be one of the most anticipated movies of 2006 and we are excited to bring this rich story to gamers worldwide." Offering a completely different gaming experience on all major handheld platforms, Eragon will offer Nintendo DS gamers an action-filled combat-RPG with touch screen spell casting and unique dual screen attack mode. Gamers can also sharpen their magic and dragon riding skills in unlockable mini-games. Delving further into the rich story of the Eragon universe, Eragon for the GameBoy Advance is a deep, story-driven turn-based RPG with nine playable characters and fully customizable character skills, along with weapon forging and potion crafting. The game is also set to hit stores for the PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, and PSP. While a GameCube version was announced in a previous issue of Game Informer (which we reported on), it looks like that version has been cancelled. No Revolution version was announced either. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 18 2006 22:51 PM [Top] Superman Gets Super Voice Cast [ Electronic Arts ] Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today they have secured an all-star cast for the voices in Superman Returns: The Videogame. The game will feature the voice and likeness of Brandon Routh (Superman/Clark Kent) as well as the voices of Kevin Spacey (Lex Luthor), Kate Bosworth (Lois Lane), Parker Posey (Kitty Kowalski) and Sam Huntington (Jimmy Olsen), all reprising their roles from the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures film directed by Bryan Singer. Launching with the film this summer on June 28, Superman Returns: The Videogame allows players to experience a real sense of flying, and master Superman's unrivaled powers in order to save Metropolis. Based on the classic DC Comics books as well as the upcoming motion picture, Superman Returns: The Videogame draws from more than 60 years of comic lore to create the ultimate open-world super hero experience. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 18 2006 15:30 PM [Top] New Red Steel Screenshots [ GameFront ] German game site GameFront has revealed 3 new screens of one of the most-anticpated games of E3, Ubisoft's Revolution shooter, Red Steel. The shots shows some more details of the game, like being able to use a knife, as well as some new areas. Red Steel will be a launch title for the Nintendo Revolution, and we'll be there at E3 to give full coverage to one of the Revolution's biggest games. For now, check out the new screens below. Images: Red Steel Screenshots Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 17 2006 16:06 PM [Top] New X-Men: The Official Game Trailer [ GameCube Café ] Co-written by Zak Penn, the co-screenwriter of the movie X-Men: The Last Stand, and legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont, X-Men: The Official Game immerses players in an original storyline that provides the back-story for the upcoming X-Men: The Last Stand feature film. For the first time, the game enables players to truly command the powers of popular characters from the X-Men movie universe by allowing players to assume the roles of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they wield and upgrade their signature powers and maneuver through unique environments designed to showcase their superhero abilities. Assisted by other X-Men characters, players will use an advanced control scheme to master and control the characters as they unleash Wolverine’s combat rage, experience Nightcrawler’s acrobatics and teleportation powers, and glide through the air on Iceman’s ice slide. Check out a new trailer for the game below featuring everyone's favorite surly Canadian, Wolverine. X-Men: The Official Game hits stores for the GameCube, DS, and GBA on May 16th. Video: X-Men: The Official Game "Wolverine" Trailer (11.4 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 17 2006 15:24 PM [Top] New Nintendo Game Lets Players Exercise Their Brains [ Nintendo ] Nintendo's ability to appeal to younger generations with innovative, imaginative and inspired video games takes a mature twist today, as the company launches its creative vision for consumers of all ages. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day for Nintendo DS is designed to keep people's minds active with fun mental workouts that incorporate the user-friendly voice-command and touch-screen capabilities of Nintendo DS. Brain Age also includes more than 100 sudoku puzzles. "Adults with little or no video gaming experience don't have to worry about complicated button mashing," says Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing, whose Brain Age is 30. "Brain Age is just the latest example of Nintendo's commitment to creating software for a broad range of consumers with varying levels of experience." Brain Age is the U.S. version of the popular brain-training software in Japan that already has sold more than 2 million units. The title provides an entertaining and engaging way for Nintendo to reach out to a broad audience, including seniors and baby boomers (who began turning 60 in January). Brain Age can be a part of an overall regimen for keeping the brain active, says Dr. Elizabeth Zelinski, dean and executive director of Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. "Nintendo's Brain Age should be just one element of an active lifestyle that includes mental stimulation, exercise and a good diet," Zelinski says. "Brain Age is a great way for people to keep challenging themselves." Brain Age challenges cognitive abilities with exercises like memorizing words, counting and tracking people as they enter and exit a house, and drawing lines to connect letters and numbers in alphabetical and numeric order. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 17 2006 14:57 PM [Top] New Brain Age TV Spot [ Nintendo ] Give your gray matter the workout that it needs to stay sharp, focused and young. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day is inspired by a book that was written by Professor Ryuta Kawashima, a prominent Japanese neurologist. His theories revolve around keeping brains young by performing mental activities quickly. Nintendo seems to be pushing this title heavily towards non-gamers, as they are showing advertisements for the game in very non-Nintendo related TV markets. One of those is the Discovery Channel, and you can check out a TV spot for the game starring Discoveries This Week host John Dorman by clicking to view in your browser or right-clicking to save to your hard drive. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day is Rated E for Everyone and will ship to stores on April 17th. Video: Brain Age TV Spot (6.4 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, April 15 2006 12:05 PM [Top] Crash Parties on DS [ Famitsu ] The Crash Bandicoot series has long been a staple of the Playstation brand, but in recent years it has moved over to all consoles as well. Now, the franchise is making a move to the Nintendo DS with Crash Bandicoot Festival, as revealed in this month's issue of Famitsu magazine. The game is a collection of minigames, similar to Mario Party, where gamers take on the role of some of the franchise's most beloved characters, such as Crash, Dr. Cortex, Tiny, and others in 4-player fun fests. The game is being developed by DIMPS, the developer behind Dragon Ball Z: Budokai and Sonic Rush. The game is set for release in Japan later this year. No word yet if Vivendi Universal, the company with the rights to the Crash franchise in the US, will be bringing the game stateside, but E3 will probably shed more light on the subject. For now, check out the scans straight from Famitsu below. Images: Crash Bandicoot Festival Scan 1 Crash Bandicoot Festival Scan 2 Crash Bandicoot Festival Scan 3 Crash Bandicoot Festival Scan 4 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 14 2006 15:53 PM [Top] Ubisoft CEO Calls Revolution "Magical" [ Gamasutra ] Ubisoft Montreal's new CEO, Yannis Mallat, has already been behind some of the biggest games of the current-generation, such as the beloved Prince of Persia franchise. Today, he sat down with gaming site Gamasutra to discuss Ubisoft in the next generation, including the plans for the Nintendo Revolution. Says Mallat: "I can say definitely, as any other developer, we are looking at this magical platform, and we want to be part of the adventure. You know already that Red Steel is made public in Game Informer. That's an exclusive Ubisoft title, made in Ubisoft Paris. And I'm pretty sure we'll see other Revolution games from Ubisoft. And some of them, I'm sure, will be made from Montreal." He also says that Ubisoft's booth at E3 will be "phenominal" featuring a lot of new IPs and games from existing brands. You better believe that GameCube Café will provide full coverage of Ubisoft's entire showing at E3, especially whatever is shown for the Revolution. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 20:05 PM [Top] Ubisoft Declares Open Season [ Ubisoft ] Today Ubisoft announced that the Open Season video game, based on Sony Pictures Animation's first feature-length CG animated film, will be shipping mid- September 2006 on all available video game platforms, two weeks prior to the movie's September 29 release. Developed by Ubisoft's award-winning Montreal studio, Open Season will allow gamers to relive the humor and adventure of the movie by creating a fun and immersive interactive world that conveys the same comedic storyline, zany characters and artistic images projected in the animated film. "We have been working hand-in-hand with Ubisoft's team to create a game that captures all the fun of Open Season,"� said Mark Caplan, executive director, interactive at Sony Pictures Consumer Products. "Sony Pictures' leadership in digital entertainment coupled with Ubisoft's award-winning development team is a great partnership that brings innovation to both the film and video game businesses."� "Ubisoft is thrilled to be collaborating with the movie production team of Open Season to bring the humorous adventures of Boog and Elliot to the interactive world,"� said Tony Key, vice president of marketing at Ubisoft. "Ubisoft is committed to making the best movie-based video games in the industry. We do this by partnering closely with our licensing partners and movie makers to create an experience that remains true to the spirit of the film but expands it far beyond the theater." Open Season is a riotous romp in the great outdoors, where the rowdy brood of forest animals turns the tables on a bunch of unsuspecting hunters. When a domesticated grizzly named Boog gets lured into leaving the creature comforts of home by a fast-talking mule deer named Elliot, he finds himself lost in the woods just three days before hunting season. Forced to "rough it"� in the great outdoors, Boog goes native, rallying all the forest animals to take back their home and send the hunters packing. The Open Season video game will allow player to relive the movie experience by playing as Boog and Elliot. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 19:49 PM [Top] Man Sentenced to 14 Years After GTA-Related Car Chase [ Capital News 9 ] A man has been sentenced to 14 years in Prison for second-degree assault and first-degree attempted assault, as well as attempting to escape the police due to being influenced by Grand Theft Auto. The Albany, NY man, Tyrone McMillan, was involved in a car chase which went on for 55 minutes, and ended with him slamming his SUV into two police cars. His 11-year old daughter and her 10-year old cousin were also in the vehicle, but they were able to escape before the crash. This news is notable to us because a majority of GameCube Café's staff are actually located in the Albany, NY area, so the video game violence issue is hitting close to home, so to speak. Fortunately, Jack Thompson has yet to be seen. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 19:41 PM [Top] Metroid Prime Hunters [ Reviews ] It seems like forever since the First Hunt demo was released...not Duke Nukem Forever, but pretty close. Well, finally Nintendo has released Metroid Prime Hunters for all DS owners to enjoy. Does it make the Metroid grade? Eric finds out. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 17:18 PM [Top] New Final Fantasy III Scan [ Shonen Jump ] A new scan has been revealed from the latest issue of Shonen Jump magazine revealing some more screens of one of the most anticipated games for the Nintendo DS, the long-awaited remake of the only Final Fantasy game to never come to the United States, the original Final Fantasy III. Along with some new views of the game, the article reveals that the title will in fact support Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, but in what way is unknown. The magazine also reveals the game is scheduled for release in Japan this summer. Expect Final Fantasy III to be one of Nintendo's high-profile titles shown for the Nintendo DS at E3 2006, and we'll provide a full hands-on and exclusive videos of the game below. For now, check out the scan below. Images: Final Fantasy III Scan Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 17:10 PM [Top] New Magnetica Screens, Boxart, and Logo [ Nintendo ] In Magnetica, marbles roll down a twisted path toward the goal and it’s up to players to stop them by launching new marbles into the oncoming ones. The marbles will disappear if players match three or more in this massive marble elimination. All actions are controlled with the stylus in this title that satisfies even the strongest puzzle addiction. Magnetica is rated E for Everyone and it is set to hit stores for the Nintendo DS on June 5th. Check out the first screens from the game, as well as the game's official logo and boxart, below. Images: Magnetica Screenshot 1 Magnetica Screenshot 2 Magnetica Screenshot 3 Magnetica Logo Magnetica Boxart Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 8:18 AM [Top] New Dino Master Trailer [ GameCube Café ] Majesco has officially announced it will be working in conjunction with Taito to publish Dino Master, set to hit stores for the Nintendo DS later this year. Dino Master drops you into the role of Dave the Digger on his hunt for the biggest and best dinosaur fossils around the globe. Capturing these fossils won’t be easy as you move quickly to surround your dig site while trying to avoid giant insects and other nasties. Once you’ve excavated your finds, bring them back to the Laboratory to rebuild them and then pit dino against dino in Battle Mode. Dino Master is rated E for Everyone. Check out the first trailer for the game below by clicking to view in your browser or right-clicking to save to your hard drive. Video: Dino Master Trailer (6.7 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 13 2006 3:10 AM [Top] New Over the Hedge Trailer [ GameCube Café ] Based on the highly-anticipated feature film from DreamWorks Animation, Over the Hedge is a wildly adventurous game that takes players on an interactive adventure beyond the story seen in the film. Assuming the roles of RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle, Hammy the squirrel and Stella the skunk, players turn a suburban neighborhood loaded with dangerous obstacles and traps into their own personal playground. Numerous puzzles and mini-games keep fans busy as they switch between two of the four main characters or engage in two player co-op with friends. Over the Hedge will be released for the GameCube, GBA, and Nintendo DS on May 9th. Check out a new trailer featuring the game's villains below. Video: Over the Hedge "Villains" Trailer (14.1 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 12 2006 23:46 PM [Top] Official Red Steel Website Opens [ Ubisoft ] Ubisoft has opened the official website for what has become perhaps the most-anticipated launch title for the Nintendo Revolution, Red Steel. There isn't much there at the moment, minus a cool flash animation where you can choose a sword or gun (similar to the actual game) and blast or slice away. You can expect Ubisoft will reveal more about the game when E3 2006 rolls around, perhaps showing off more of the site. For now, check out what there is of the site by clicking the source link. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 12 2006 22:18 PM [Top] New Big Brain Academy Info and Screenshots [ Nintendo ] How much does your brain weigh? Find out with Big Brain Academy, the DS title that makes mental exercise incredibly fun. Big Brain Academy is a series of minigames (called Activities) that are designed to exercise the brain. Players can “weigh” their brain in Test mode, earn medals for individual activities in Practice mode or play against friends and family in Versus mode. Big Brain Academy's Test mode will quiz players in five areas: thinking, memorization, computation, analysis and identification. After taking the test, players will be told the “weight” of their brain and areas of strength or weakness – and it will identify a brain type that is similar to their own. Once they have a score, they can keep playing the game to exercise the brain in areas where it needs improvement based on their performance in the Test mode. This title features a riotous multiplayer mode in which up to eight people can play with a single game card. Players will compete in Activities to see who has the “biggest” brain, and the results will be displayed for all to see. A demo test can also be sent to another DS. When starting a new game, players will enter Test mode and take a five-part quiz that shows their brain “weight,” a letter grade and a profession or famous historical individual that may have a similar brain. Results are based on how many correct answers players get in a set period of time – and the goal is to gradually increase the “weight” of their brain. Players also can play all of the Activities in Practice mode. If they do well in Practice, they’ll earn bronze, silver, gold and platinum medals. The 15 Activities are minigames that test logic, memory and – all of them involve the touch screen in some way. The tactile nature of the Activities makes them very fun to play, while the quick play time (all take less than one minute) gives them a compelling feel. Sample Activities: Think: Heavyweight – Choose which object weighs more – it's not so easy with three different scales. Pathfinder – Look at the creature on the top screen and draw a line that will lead him to his friend. Memorize: Sound Bites – Carefully listen to people and animals as they make noise, then try to touch them in the correct order. Memo-Random – Examine the panels on the top row, then touch the correct one when the panel is replaced by a question mark. Analyze: Missing Link – Look at the red line in the picture on the top screen and draw it into the picture on the touch screen. Watch out! Some pictures will be inverted. CubeGame – Count the blocks, being careful not to forget the ones hiding at the bottom of the stack. Compute: Coin-parison – Choose the panel with the greater amount of money. Written Math – Read the problems in word form, then solve them by tapping the number pad on the Touch Screen. Identify: Shadow Shift – Tap the images on the Touch Screen that match the spinning shadows on the top screen. Matchmaker – Look through a number of colorful panels to find the matching pair. Check out some new screenshots from the latest Brain Training game below. Big Brain Academy is rated E for Everyone and will be released for the Nintendo DS on May 29th, 2006. Images: Big Brain Academy Screenshot 1 Big Brain Academy Screenshot 2 Big Brain Academy Screenshot 3 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 12 2006 12:11 PM [Top] Nintendo Renames Digitylish Series [ Nintendo of Japan ] We haven't heard too much about Nintendo's Digitylish series, a series of GBA titles making use of unique graphic art, since last year's E3. Now, Nintendo has finally revealed some new info about the seris, and the first is that it has been remnamed, to the new Bit Generations series. The series is made up of seven games: Dotsteam, Boundish, Dialhex, Coloris, Digidrive, Orbital, and Soundvoyager, with the first games in the series hitting stores in Japan at the end of the year. No word yet on if the games will be shown off at E3 2006, but that certainly sounds like a good possibility. Expect Nintendo to give more information on the series then. Images: Nintendo Bit Generations Logo Nintendo Bit Generations Game Logos Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 12 2006 12:01 PM [Top] Second Revolution Game Announced - Sadness [ Nibris ] Polish game development company Nibris, who previously announced plans for a game called Raid Over the River for DS (with a Revolution version rumored) has announced the production of "Sadness" - a fully black and white adventure for the Nintendo Revolution. "Nibris decided to follow Nintendo's path, which definately fights the stagnation which has occured in video games, and creates new trends - With this move, we want to create a unique environment, which is only available in Sadness" Says Łukasz "CassSept" Oskard, a Nibris employee. But Nibris are not following the trend created though Sin City, but rather a game which is set pre-World War. More information on Sadness will be available soon. Sadness is expected to debut at E3 next month. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 12 2006 10:57 AM [Top] Tantalus Interactive Brings Top Gear to DS [ Tantalus Interactive ] Tantalus Interactive is happy to announce its partnership with Japanese publisher Kemco to develop an innovative new racing title for the DS platform. This extension of the relationship will see the creation of an original racing title for the DS, leveraging Kemco’s popular Top Gear brand. The new game, Top Gear: Downforce, will ship late in 2006 and will be the second DS release for Tantalus, following on from the hugely popular SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Avenger. Tantalus CEO Tom Crago said the company was happy to have the opportunity to develop another title in the Top Gear franchise. “We loved the original Top Gear on N64, and of course our rally title on GBA was a big success. This time around we’re attempting something completely different. We want to create a racing game that feels perfectly at home on the DS platform, something built from the ground up to exploit the cool features of the hardware.” Kemco President Masakatsu Hirose shared Crago’s enthusiasm. “Top Gear Rally on GBA rates among Kemco’s most successful releases. Many people enjoyed this title, and we know that with Tantalus we can create a new game within the franchise that will be just as popular.” Top Gear: Downforce will be a ‘top-down’ style racer, boasting 3D models, robust vehicle physics, and the ability to place hazards on the track surface using the touch screen of the DS. The game will also allow for wireless multiplayer races and data sharing between players. More details about Top Gear: Downforce will be available at E3 in May. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 11 2006 22:48 PM [Top] Ubisoft Officially Announces Red Steel [ Ubisoft ] Today Ubisoft announced the development of Red Steel, an exclusive first-person action title for the Nintendo Revolution (working name of the new Nintendo platform). Red Steel is set in modern-day Japan. Players will master both the ancient art of the katana and the sophisticated technology of modern firearms taking advantage of the emotion and immersive gameplay possible only with the Revolution's remarkable controller. "We're honored to announce this exciting new franchise and we're confident that Red Steel will be the must-have title for the Revolution when it launches." said Serge Hascoet, chief creative officer at Ubisoft. "We have been working closely with Nintendo to take full advantage of the innovative controller to create a thrilling experience that can only exist on the Revolution." Red Steel will make its worldwide debut in May 2006 at E3 in Los Angeles. With the style and flair of a contemporary action movie, Red Steel will appeal to gamers who thirst for a new video game experience, as well as those who may have not previously considered picking up a controller. "Nintendo is excited to have Ubisoft bring Red Steel to the Revolution launch lineup" said Reggie Fils-Aime, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Nintendo of America. "Ubisoft makes some of the most innovative and critically acclaimed games in the industry and from what we have seen from Red Steel it is going to be a standout exclusive title on the Revolution. The Red Steel brand will reflect this expertise and build upon Ubisoft's past to invigorate the future experience allowed within the Revolution platform." Ubisoft will disclose more specific information on Red Steel in the coming months and Nintendo will reveal more information about the Revolution and its unique controller at E3. GameCube Café will be there with full coverage of the game, with hands-on impressions and exclusive videos. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 11 2006 15:08 PM [Top] Death Jr. Hits the DS [ Gamestop ] Last year, Konami's Death Jr. made his debut on the PSP. Now, it looks like the son of the Grim Reaper will be jumping handhelds as he makes the big move over to the Nintendo DS with Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom. Gamestop's website has revealed a page on the game, and states the game will release on October 2nd, 2006. Chances are good that Konami will show off the game at E3 2006, so be sure to check out our coverage of it then. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 11 2006 15:02 PM [Top] New X-Men: The Official Game Media [ Activision ] Co-written by Zak Penn, the co-screenwriter of the movie X-Men: The Last Stand, and legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont, X-Men: The Official Game immerses players in an original storyline that provides the back-story for the upcoming X-Men: The Last Stand feature film. For the first time, the game enables players to truly command the powers of popular characters from the X-Men movie universe by allowing players to assume the roles of Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Iceman as they wield and upgrade their signature powers and maneuver through unique environments designed to showcase their superhero abilities. Assisted by other X-Men characters, players will use an advanced control scheme to master and control the characters as they unleash Wolverine’s combat rage, experience Nightcrawler’s acrobatics and teleportation powers, and glide through the air on Iceman’s ice slide. Check out two new screenshots of the GameCube version, the official boxarts of the GBA, DS, and GameCube versions, and a brand-new trailer starring the debut of one of the X-Men's greatest foes, the Sentinels, below. X-Men: The Official Game will be released on May 16th. Images: X-Men: The Official Game Screenshot 1 X-Men: The Official Game Screenshot 2 X-Men: The Official Game GCN Boxart X-Men: The Official Game GBA Boxart X-Men: The Official Game DS Boxart Video: X-Men: The Official Game "Sentinels" Trailer (13.2 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 10 2006 16:10 PM [Top] Nintendo Readies Big Brain Academy and Sudoku Gridmaster [ Nintendo ] Two new titles for Nintendo DS will extend Nintendo's mental mastery and guarantee Nintendo DS owners will have plenty of ways to keep their brains busy this summer. Big Brain Academy is the second game in the record-breaking brain-training series taking Japan by storm. In Big Brain Academy, players perform a series of fun and mentally stimulating mini-games. The game then assigns them a letter grade and cites a famous person or profession with a similar set of skills. This graphically appealing title measures skills like thinking, memorization, analysis, identification and computation. Big Brain Academy, Rated E for Everyone, launches May 29. A month later, sudoku fans will find themselves in number-crunching heaven as Sudoku Gridmaster makes its way to Nintendo DS on June 26. The system's touch screen makes choosing or writing numbers easy. Players will find more than 400 puzzles, all of which were selected by the original creators of sudoku. Sudoku is the most popular puzzle game in the world right now, and Sudoku Gridmaster puts hundreds of puzzles in portable form, just in time for the summer travel season. To satisfy novices and sudoku experts alike, the puzzles come in four difficulty settings: practice, easy, normal and hard. Sudoku Gridmaster is Rated E for Everyone. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 10 2006 15:58 PM [Top] Odama Sets New Standard for Military Pinball Games [ Nintendo ] Nintendo's Odama is the finest microphone-controlled Japanese feudal warrior pinball game you'll ever play. [Unlike all of the feudal warrior pinball games without a mic.] The one-of-a-kind game, which launches today exclusively for Nintendo GameCube, represents just one more way that Nintendo is pushing the boundaries of what constitutes a video game. Odama lets users command an army of soldiers who are subject to the sometimes devastating power of the Odama, a massive pinball controlled by giant flippers. The Odama rolls over enemy troops and eliminates obstacles, though it also can crush a player's own soldiers if not aimed properly. (FYI, this part rocks. The little soldier guys scream when the ball rolls over them. They're all like "It ... hurts ... the horror!") Players can issue a variety of commands to soldiers on the battlefield simply by speaking into the included Nintendo GameCube Microphone. For instance, saying "press forward!" will cause your soldiers on the screen to make an aggressive push into enemy territory, while saying "rally!" will send a team of soldiers to gather in a certain location. The longer players play, the more voice commands they learn. (Now if only it had commands for "bring me a pizza" and "do my laundry.") Odama appeals to a wide variety of gaming fans, from pinball enthusiasts to military gamers and strategy fans. (Not to mention cubicle dwellers who dream of one day mastering the ancient, sacred art of multitasking.) Odama, available now, is Rated E10 for Everyone 10 and Older. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, April 10 2006 11:26 AM [Top] Harrison Discusses Revolution Launch [ Game Informer ] The latest issue of Game Informer magazine doesn't only feature a major bombshell in the revealing of Red Steel, the first official Revolution game, as George Harrison, Senior Vice President of marketing at Nintendo discusses the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Revolution in detail. Harrison reveals that the system may have as many as 20 launch titles, with about a 3rd of them (that's 6 or 7) coming from Nintendo itself, making this the largest console launch in Nintendo history. He also reiterated that the system will release in 2006 and will be cheaper than the Xbox 360, not to mention that titles for the system will be inexpensive, ranging from $50, with a $60 price point reserved for some games. All great information here, and good to see the console will likely have a very sizable lineup at launch. Hopefully E3 will bring about tons more info. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 10 2006 1:19 AM [Top] Casino Royale Game Cancelled? [ CommanderBond.net ] James Bond fansite CommanderBond.net is reporting that the Casino Royale videogame from EA has been cancelled. It is not clear whether EA will release another James Bond-themed videogame in its place. Apparently, at least part of the reason for the cancellation was that EA was unable to meet the tight deadline for a November release while still being able to match the game action to the film. The game had been set for release on all current-generation consoles. Casino Royale is the 21st James Bond film produced by franchise holders Eon Productions. The MGM/Columbia Pictures production began shooting in January and is due for release worldwide on 17 November 2006. Starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, it is currently being filmed in the Czech Republic, the Bahamas, Italy and the UK. We'll keep you up to date as word on the cancellation becomes official, or not. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Saturday, April 8 2006 12:39 PM [Top] First Revolution Game Revealed - Ubisoft's Red Steel [ Game Informer ] It's been a long time coming, but here it is, the first screenshots for a game for Nintendo's Revolution console. The game is an original First-Person Shooter from Ubisoft called Red Steel, which looks to be in an urban setting, where players will battle against various armed criminals. The Revolution controller appears to be used as, obviously, your own gun - which you can aim and even tilt from side to side using motions on the controller. The controller can even be used as a sword, which can be picked up at some points. Also, we finally get a look at the Revolution's graphical capability, and if these scans are any indication, the Revolution's going to do just fine when it comes to power. Expect Ubisoft to have Red Steel playable at E3 2006, and we'll have hands-on impressions and exclusive video direct from the show floor when that runs around. For now, check out the scans below. Images: Red Steel Game Informer Scan 1 Red Steel Game Informer Scan 2 Red Steel Game Informer Scan 3 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 7 2006 19:15 PM [Top] A Radical Revolution [ Radical Entertainment ] Radical Entertainment developed some consistently great games for the Nintendo GameCube, including The Simpsons: Hit and Run, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, and Crash Tag Team Racing. Now the Vivendi Universal-owned developer has posted a job listing on it's official site, which you can reach by clicking the source link, looking for a programmer specifically for the Nintendo Revolution. Among the things desired for the position is the ability to "design, maintain and implement Revolution specific features". Good news, because it means that Radical, like a lot of developers, are looking to make exclusive Revolution software rather than simple ports of existing games. Hope we'll see some games from them soon. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 7 2006 14:12 PM [Top] Tales of the Tempest TV Spot [ GameCube Café ] Tales of the Tempest is the first truly epic RPG for the Nintendo DS. Combining beautiful 3D graphics, an expansive storyline, and a real-time battle system. Tales of the Tempest promises to continue the long-standing tradition of one of the best series in all of RPGs. Tales of the Tempest will be released in Japan later this year, and you can expect Namco will announce a US release soon, perhaps at E3. For now, check out a TV spot for the game from Japan below. Video: Tales of the Tempest TV Spot (5.4 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, April 7 2006 14:05 PM [Top] New Over the Hedge Trailer [ GameCube Café ] Based on the highly-anticipated feature film from DreamWorks Animation, Over the Hedge is a wildly adventurous game that takes players on an interactive adventure beyond the story seen in the film. Assuming the roles of RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle, Hammy the squirrel and Stella the skunk, players turn a suburban neighborhood loaded with dangerous obstacles and traps into their own personal playground. Numerous puzzles and mini-games keep fans busy as they switch between two of the four main characters or engage in two player co-op with friends. Gamers can unlock fast-paced mini-games like “Golf Cart Derby,” “RC (radio-controlled) Car Racing” and “Suburban Mini Golf” as players take on side challenges to win energy-filled snacks or powered-up weapons and items. Check out a new trailer for the game below showing off some of some of the mini-games. Over the Hedge will hit stores for the GameCube, GBA and Nintendo DS on May 9th. Video: Over the Hedge "Mini-Games" Trailer (16.9 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, April 6 2006 2:07 AM [Top] New Super Mario Bros. Back to May 15th [ Nintendo ] Okay, this is getting ridiculous. First, the hotly-anticipated New Super Mario Bros. was scheduled to hit stores on May 7th. Then, Nintendo delayed the game a week, to May 15th. Then, just two days ago, the game's official site revealed the release date has been moved back ANOTHER week, to May 21st. Now, the official site (which you can reach by clicking the source link) has updated, and the date has been moved AGAIN - this time back a week to May 15th. Confused yet? One has to wonder the reason for the quick date change. Miscommunication between Nintendo's webmasters? Or is Nintendo still working out the kinks on a launch date for the DS Lite, rumored to be releasing day and date with New SMB? Only time will tell. Hopefully E3 will shed some light on this. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 5 2006 22:04 PM [Top] Ubisoft Announces Rayman 4 [ Ubisoft ] Today Ubisoft announced that it is developing the fourth instalment of the Rayman franchise. Ubisoft's iconic brand has entertained generations of gamers for 10 years and to date has sold more than 16 million units worldwide. The new Rayman video game is being developed by Ubisoft's Montpellier studio, lead by Michel Ancel, creator of the original Rayman game, the critically-acclaimed Beyond Good & Evil and Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie. The new Rayman video game will launch during Holiday 2006 on current and next-generation consoles. "Rayman is one of the brands that encapsulate Ubisoft's ability to create characters and universes that appeal to all kinds of players,"� said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. "We are expecting this new Rayman video game to sweep players off their feet." Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, April 5 2006 21:48 PM [Top] Updated European Release List [ Nintendo of Europe ] Nintendo of Europe has updated its Spring 2006 1st Party software line-up for Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. Nintendo DS owners are spoilt for choice with the selection of games to choose from, including the eagerly anticipated Metroid Prime Hunters which is Wi-Fi enabled and allows players to utilise unique Voice Over IP functions. The product that is currently taking Japan by storm, which helps give your brain a great mental workout, is making its way to Europe and onto the Nintendo DS. Nintendo’s Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? which has already sold over 2 million copies and which still holds the top spot in the software charts in Japan will launch in Europe this June. If that just isn’t enough excitement for you, Mario and his band of merry friends will be back again in all New SUPER MARIO BROS. Nintendo DS Megaman Battle Network 5 Double Team DS (Capcom/Nintendo) - 14 April Tetris DS (Nintendo) - 21 April Trauma Centre: Under the Knife (Atlus/Nintendo) - 28 April Pokémon Link! (Nintendo) - 5 May Metroid Prime Hunters (Nintendo) - 5 May Super Princess Peach (Nintendo) - 26 May Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo) - 9 June New SUPER MARIO BROS. (Nintendo) - 30 June Nintendo GameCube Chibi-Robo! (Nintendo) - 26 May Game Boy Advance Polarium Advance (Nintendo) - 14 April Final Fantasy IV (Nintendo) - 2 June Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 5 2006 11:23 AM [Top] Dead and Furious Announced for DS [ Virgin PLAY ] Spanish publishing company Virgin PLAY has announced today an agreement with French studio Dream On, to publish the game Dead and Furious worldwide for the Nintendo DS, launching next November. Benjamin Yoris, CEO from Dream On Studios, says, "We are very excited to work with Virgin Play on such a fun and action-packed game. With your stylus or your finger, you will recreate all the sensations of an arcade gun-shooter: different weapons, zombies, a mysterious story ... All the ingredients for a great gaming moment, including touch screen gameplay and 2 players cooperative game mode, will be in your hands!" Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 5 2006 11:21 AM [Top] Marc Ecko Gets Up on Revolution [ GameDaily ] Looks like yet another well-known designer has thrown their hat in to support Nintendo's Revolution console, but this time, it isn't a game developer. Famed clothing designer Marc Ecko, who also worked on his own game, Marc Ecko's Getting Up, has shown interested in developing a game, perhaps a version of Getting Up, exclusively for the Revolution. In an interview with GameDaily, Ecko stated "We're all over it. We are doing our due diligence now. I mean, the mechanic is great, but it almost sets ourselves up for needing a separate SKU. We've gotta do some tests... obviously the Revolution is very, very exciting. When we think about it, we get all geeked out." Once again, exciting news, when you consider that Getting Up wasn't even considered for GameCube. It remains to be seen if Atari, the game's publisher, will bring the title over, but we'll see if anything comes up at E3. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 4 2006 23:18 PM [Top] Nintendo Reaches Biggest Profit Since 2001 [ Reuters ] Nintendo has stated that it has likely beat its annual profit prediction for the 2005/2006 fiscal year, thanks to strong sales and a weak yen. The company announced that Nintendo's profit prediction has jumped a whopping 27 percent from original forecast of a profit of 75 billion yen, but it now estimates that it has achieved a net profit of 95 billion yen ($806.9 million). The reasons for the huge profit increase are due to the incredibly strong sales of the Nintendo DS, as well as favorable exchange rates. It's also worth noting that this would be the largest profit Nintendo has ever accumulated in a single fiscal year since the 2001/2002 fiscal year, which saw the release of the Game Boy Advance and the GameCube. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, April 4 2006 13:43 PM [Top] Revolution Still Holds Some Surprises [ MTV News ] In an interview with MTV News, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata reconfirmed that we have yet to see all that there is to see from the Revolution, and that new surprises are still in hand for E3. "Our primary focus with the Nintendo Revolution has been to create a system that can do things that the other systems can't, that has functionality that the other systems don't have," says Iwata. "And speaking to that, there are some other unique features of the Nintendo Revolution hardware that we haven't discussed yet that we will be announcing at E3." "We're going to continue to serve, of course, the people who are looking for those classic Zelda experiences and those classic Mario experiences," he said. "At the same time, we're going to offer these new experiences to people who haven't played games before. And these may be people who only play for very short periods of time in a day. ... People can expect to see both the classic style of game that we've done in the past and these entirely new different styles of game play." While not surprising that we haven't seen all of Revolution's surprises, it's still nice to hear Iwata confirm it. As always, we'll have some awesome coverage of E3 this year, now less than a month and a half away. Stick around for more exciting developments as they come. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, April 4 2006 13:02 PM [Top] Another Delay for New Super Mario Bros. [ Nintendo ] Here we go again. According to the game's official site (which you can reach by clicking the link above), Nintendo has once again delayed the highly-anticipated New Super Mario Bros. Fortunately, the delay, once again, is only a small one, as the game only has been delayed another week to May 21st. Conventional wisdom would state that this delay is because of the impending release of the DS Lite, which is rumored to be hitting stores in May as well. Let's hope this is the only reason, as Nintendo is notorious for constantly delaying games - I'm looking at you, Twilight Princess. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, April 3 2006 14:54 PM [Top] Bob Ross Comes to Revolution [ AGFRAG ] Believe me when I say this, this may very well be some of the weirdest news we've ever had to report. AGFRAG Entertainment, a small PC development studio, has announced a game they are working on for both Nintendo's Revolution console, as well as the Nintendo DS. The game, if you can even call it that, is a painting game featuring the likeness and endorsement of Bob Ross and his company, Bob Ross Inc. Bob Ross, for those who don't know, was a popular painter who hosted a PBS television program, "The Joy of Painting" for over 25 years before his death in 1995. With his soothing voice and trademark afro, he taught the world how to paint. Now, he'll apparently do it again on the DS and Revolution. According to other sources, it's looking like this news is legit, and not a mere April Fool's joke. Still, take it for what it's worth. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, April 1 2006 3:13 AM [Top]