LOS ANGELES – NARUTO™ and his friends are unstoppable in 2007 as TOMY Corporation and D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA) today announced the upcoming release of NARUTO: Path of the Ninja (working title) exclusively for the Nintendo DS™. Anticipated to ship in the Fall of 2007, NARUTO: Path of the Ninja will be the first Role-Playing Game (RPG) for NARUTO in North America and will offer original content and scenarios that have never been seen before! Based on episodes from VIZ Media’s hit anime series SHONEN JUMP™ NARUTO™ the new game will feature a unique time based combat system in which players must determine each characters strengths and use them accurately to help them defeat the enemy.
“The NARUTO RPG games have proven to be very popular in Japan,” said Mark Shinohara, executive vice president, TOMY Corporation. “The upcoming RPG title for North America will bring a completely new style of gameplay to NARUTO games, and the fans will love it!”
“We are really looking forward to bringing NARUTO: Path of the Ninja to North America,” said Careen Yapp, vice president of licensing and business development, D3PA. “Some of the best elements from all the Japanese NARUTO RPG releases will be utilized to create an exclusive and unique game that no one has ever seen!”
Choosing from six available characters, players will be able to explore the Village Hidden in the Leaves and the world of Naruto as you roam across forests, fields, rivers and mountains. Along the way players will encounter bosses and enemies that they must use their special techniques to defeat.
Santa Monica, CA – The call has come again! Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) is calling players back to the trenches with the release of new Call of Duty® 3 multiplayer maps, available only on Xbox 360™ and Xbox LIVE from Microsoft. The Bravo Map Pack features classic maps and new battlefields for players to test their skill. The five new maps are currently available for purchase (800 Microsoft Points) on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360 from Microsoft.
Veteran players will recognize two fan favorite maps from Call of Duty® and Call of Duty®: United Offensive™ in the Bravo Map Pack. Depot, from Call of Duty, combines a unique layout of warehouses, water towers and a train depot, has been updated for duty as Gare Centrale. While for vehicle combat, nothing comes close to one of United Offensive’s most popular maps, Kharkov, an area that blends tanks, jeeps and motorcycles within a vast open combat arena, now re-envisioned and set to deploy as Marseilles.
New recruits and veterans alike are thrust into the fight with three new maps that will challenge players of all skill levels. Whether it is the Axis-held hilltop fortress at Aller Haut, the quiet, moonlit village on the foggy Seine River or Rimling, a small picturesque town filled with canals, players will have to use their infantry skills to wrest control from the enemy.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that the blockbuster Need for Speed™ franchise is introducing a new version that drives the series in a new direction. Need for Speed™ ProStreet is a ground-breaking Need for Speed experience where you’re thrust to compete head to head against the best street racers in a multitude of racing showdowns. The game is being developed by EA Black Box in Vancouver, B.C., and is slated to ship this fall.
“Need for Speed ProStreet accelerates street racing culture by providing the ultimate stage for the pursuit of street racing supremacy,” said Executive Producer, Larry LaPierre. “This is a game about building the ultimate performance-tuned battle machine, taking it to multi-disciplinary showdowns all over the world and pitting your skills and reputation against the very best street racers.”
Need for Speed ProStreet boasts impeccable precision and impressively detailed photo-realistic graphics, effectively transporting you to the center of the action. It pushes the “Autosculpt™” technology to a new level, allowing you to directly impact your car’s performance for the first time as well as personalize its appearance. Need for Speed ProStreet is a true taste of raw adrenaline and racing with consequences. Every dent, every scratch and every crumpled body panel is a battle scar, proof of your commitment and competitive mettle. With an aggressive and skilled AI system, you become immersed in an unmatched believable race experience. Add in a revolutionary online mode that will redefine the meaning of competitive social play, and Need for Speed ProStreet is the ultimate formula for an emotionally charged street racing showdown.
Need for Speed ProStreet will be available for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Wii™ as well as the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) handheld entertainment system, PC and mobile.
NEW YORK - The World Series of Video Games, Presented by Intel, (WSVG), the world circuit of video game tournaments, today announced it has signed a broadcast deal with CBS Sports to air extensive coverage of its 2007 season, bringing professional video game competitions to major U.S. network television for the second year running. The deal brings exciting WSVG content into 111 million television homes in the United States alone, solidifying its position as the most widely distributed and accessible video game competition in America.
“We’re delighted to work with the World Series of Video Games to bring competitive video games to a wide audience as part of our award-winning sports coverage,” said Rob Correa, senior vice president of programming for CBS Sports. “With popular titles that broaden the appeal of competitive gaming, we think this will be the year that television broadcasting of video games really takes off.”
Following up on last year’s deal with CBS, the 2007 broadcast coverage of the WSVG will expand to four separate hour-long events timed after the three major U.S. events and the finals in Sweden. They will air as part of the CBS Sports Spectacular on Sunday, July 29; Sunday, August 19; Saturday, November 17; and Saturday, December 15. Each episode will include segments on the competitors, as well as extensive competition footage for the featured titles, which include “Blizzard Entertainment®’s “World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade®”, Activision’s “Guitar Hero IIT” and “EA SPORTST Fight Night Round 3.”
“The World Series of Video Games, Presented by Intel believes that the excitement of video game competition belongs on broadcast network television, accessible to all,” said Matthew Ringel, president and commissioner of the World Series of Video Games. “In CBS, we have the perfect partner- the undisputed leader in sports television, with unparalleled reach through its network and the CBS Interactive Audience Network online. We look forward to a great year together in advancing the potential for video game competition on television.”
The 2007 agreement with CBS was again packaged by Bob Horowitz and JUMA ENTERTAINMENT, the WSVG’s television consultant. With the CBS arrangement now in place, JUMA will continue to work with the WSVG on additional media opportunities to expand the WSVG brand through other distribution channels.
The series of programs will be produced and directed by Matthew Mills, of TV By Mills, who oversaw MTV Networks’ Gamer’s Week 2.0 in 2006. It will be hosted by sportscaster Greg Amsinger, who anchored the WSVG Finals, Presented by Intel on CBS’ College Sports Television earlier this year.
Schedule of Televised WSVG Events:
EVENT DATE VENUE AIRDATE
June 21 - 24 Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, July 29
July 5 - 8 Dallas, Texas Sunday, August 19
October 18-21 Los Angeles, California Saturday, November 17
Nov. 29 - Dec. 2 Jönköping, Sweden Saturday, December 15
Cockpit, Austin, Texas – Today Gamecock Media Group has announced the fanatical fungi war of Red Fly Studio’s Mushroom Men will take place on the Wii™ and Nintendo DS™. Mushroom Men utilizes all the unique control elements of both systems, allowing for amazing gameplay that draws players into an incredibly lush and treacherous stylized world.
“From the minute we signed Mushroom Men, we’ve worked to bring it to the Wii and DS,” said Rick Stults, Console Chief for Gamecock Media Group. “Both platforms are going to give Mushroom Men a life of their own as Red Fly Studio is building unique stories specific to each system.”
Mushroom Men gives players the opportunity to jump into the fantastic microcosm that is the backyard battlefield. Take control of the crusade, creating devastating weapons from everyday items and teaming up with other sentient plant forms that’ll leave the enemy sliced and diced. Let the stylus be your rapier and the Wii Remote™ your bazooka as you cut down the multitude of household pests that threaten our very existence!
This week we’re all getting a treat as three classics are released upon the unsuspecting gaming community. The games will be available at 9am PDT. Enjoy!
From Nintendo’s Press Release:
ActRaiser™ (SNES®, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): A masterpiece of game design originally released in the early days of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System®, ActRaiser’s enduring popularity stems from its revolutionary combination of action- and simulation-based game play. The user plays the role of the Master, a dethroned deity whose once-idyllic world has fallen under the control of the Evil One. Stripped of godly power, the Master must somehow put an end to the Evil One’s reign and rebuild his desolate realm. Game play alternates between two modes: Action and Simulation. In Action mode, the Master must battle against impossible odds to pacify six lands. Pacifying a land unlocks Simulation mode. In this mode, the Master must oversee the development and repopulation of the territory he has reclaimed. In doing so, he will gain followers who gradually restore his godly might, empowering him to take back the next land and, ultimately, defeat the Evil One.
Kid Chameleon™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): The local arcade is packed with kids, all lining up to play the latest, most realistic video game they’ve ever seen. It’s called Wild Side, and it uses holographic images to immerse the player in a strange world. But there’s a problem… Kids are literally getting sucked into the game, and now several of them are trapped. Throughout more than 100 levels, you’ll take on several different forms, such as a Berzerker, a Micromax, a Maniaxe or a Skycutter, which will make you much more powerful. It’s up to you, Kid Chameleon, the best gamer in town, to get yourself inside the game so that you can defeat the game’s boss and bring your friends back to reality.
J.J. & JEFF (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): This comical action game features two bungling detectives, J.J. and JEFF, as they travel through a total of six fields. One day, a request comes into their office to take a case that requires them to “rescue a wealthy man who’s been kidnapped.” Choose between the two characters and set off alone to outwit your partner and save the day. Each field is broken down into four areas, where enemies, as well as your partner, will try to keep you from your goal. There are many items throughout each area. Kick around in various locations to make them appear. Jump and spray-paint your way toward your goal. If you find a hidden room, you can regain health while being completely entertained by its short sketch and surreal allure.
READING, ENGLAND – Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, announced today that Geometry Wars™: Galaxies, a 2D arcade shooter game, will be coming to Nintendo exclusively on the Wii Console and Nintendo DS system. The Geometry Wars: Galaxies videogame is developed by Kuju Entertainment (Surrey) and is the follow-up to Bizarre Creations’ Xbox LIVE® Arcade sensation, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.
The Geometry Wars: Galaxies videogame delivers an all new mission-based campaign where players blast-off on action-paced quests across the galaxy, defending solar systems one by one, defeating waves of alien enemies on new and classic Battle Grids. The controls have been optimized for Nintendo systems, allowing gamers to use the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controller or DS touch screen to execute hotshot moves as never before.
For the first time ever, the Geometry Wars videogame will let players battle via hot seat, co-op, simultaneous and versus in multiplayer mode. Those that own both the Nintendo DS and Wii can link the game together using Wi-Fi to unlock bonus content. Elite players will be able to challenge the universe by posting high scores on the Wii’s online leader board.
The Geometry Wars: Galaxies videogame also includes the full version of Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, winner of IGN’s 2005 Best XBLA Title of The Year.
“The Geometry Wars: Galaxies videogame is an entertaining title blending old-school arcade fun with next-gen gameplay and action,” said Al Simone, SVP of Global Marketing for Sierra Entertainment. “We are excited to bring the Geometry Wars brand to the Nintendo platform as both the Wii and DS enable a fun and frenetic experience for gamers.”
We’ve been following this game intently for several months now and there hasn’t been much information until recently. Square Enix has been pretty tight-lipped, but today they finally released a quick 30 second video. Check it out. If we get a larger quality version, we’ll post it here. It’s looking good so far and if you’re an RPG fan, then it’s time to get excited!!
Pull on your team colours and prepare for kick-off, as your favourite Nintendo characters take to the pitch. With the rulebook well and truly torn up, Mario Strikers: Charged Football combines football, combat and Wi-Fi gaming to form the ultimate extreme sport. Mario Strikers Charged: Football kicks its way onto Wii across Europe this Friday, 25th May.
Precision passing, skilful saves and phenomenal goals are not all that make up the beautiful game as Mario Strikers: Charged Football adds that little bit extra to one of Europe’s favourite sports. All the rules are gone, as Nintendo introduces a whole new type of football to Wii, where fouled players get special treats with which to avenge themselves and devastating special moves replace set-plays as the ideal way to score!
Mario Strikers: Charged Football is the first Wii game in Europe to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service adding a whole new level of competition to the game as players can take on opponents from across Europe to find the champion of the pitch! Players can also compete in ranked tournaments, earning points for each win and the most spectacular goal scored.
With Mario Strikers: Charged Football players can choose whether they want an international match or home nations tournament! Players can select which friends they want to take on in Friendly Mode, by swapping Friend Codes and creating their own personal championship. What’s more, by using their Mii characters to save individual game profiles, multiple players can save their records and settings allowing the whole family to compete using just one Wii console.
Players can immerse themselves deep into the action with Mario Strikers: Charged Football as the Wii Remote and Nunchuk allow real movement to be translated into on-screen action. Basic movement and strikes are executed using the analogue stick and buttons on the Wii Remote, however when quick reactions are needed, players can just flick the Wii Remote which causes the character to check their opponent, hopefully stealing the ball in the process. Players can also use the Wii Remote to perform cat-like saves, defending their goal from Megastrikes by grabbing the ball out of the air.
So forget about fair play and shoot for glory as Mario Strikers: Charged Football launches across Europe on 25th May 2007, for the estimated retail price of around £30. Wii is available at the estimated retail price of around £179 and comes bundled with Wii Sports.
IRVINE, Calif. – K2 Network, Inc. (www.k2network.net), an online game publisher, announced today that a select group of media and gamers will be able to test out its epic MMORPG, Sword of the New World: Granado Espada, in an exclusive beta starting June 4 before the public (open) beta begins June 15.
From June 4 through June 14, 2007 all interested North American and European press, Fileplanet subscribers and consumers who have pre-ordered the game will have the opportunity to experience the stunning and uniquely crafted gameplay of Sword of the New World™ before anyone else. The private beta will be hosted at www.swordofthenewworld.com.
“We know that this game is highly anticipated and we are thrilled to finally allow some key gamers and press a chance to get their hands on the game,” said Grantley Day, Vice President of Development at K2 Network. “I believe that this is a game that sets itself apart from other MMORPG’s on the market and I am confident that once people get a taste of what Sword of the New World has to offer, they will be anxious to spread the word to everyone.”
Anyone interested in being part of the open beta which starts June 15 and continues through early July should visit www.swordofthenewworld.com/register-beta.php now to sign up.
[Note:]I may try this out myself. Don’t know if my computer will be able to handle it, though. If I get more information, I’ll let you guys know. ~Garv
