- Partnership with World-Renowned Fantasy Videogame Includes Visibility Throughout the Game and at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas –

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2010 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Square Enix Inc. (Square Enix) today announced a promotional partnership that will make FINAL FANTASY® XIII – the latest in the world-renowned action-packed role-playing videogame series that has shipped more than 92 million units – the presenting partner of the 2010 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

As the presenting partner of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, FINAL FANTASY XIII will have prominent exposure throughout Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas, where the game will be played. The role-playing videogame, which features futuristic characters and gameplay, will receive significant presence during the broadcast on ESPN, which will televise the NBA All-Star event for the sixth consecutive year. There will also be a dedicated FINAL FANTASY XIII area at NBA All-Star Jam Session where fans will be able to preview the videogame, which will be available for both PlayStation®3 and the Xbox 360® on March 9, 2010.

“FINAL FANTASY XIII ,the next evolution in videogame entertainment, will appeal to first time players and series fans alike,” said John Yamamoto, President and CEO of Square Enix, Inc., “We are delighted to be the presenting partner at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and give fans a chance to experience the most highly anticipated game of the year before it launches on March 9.”

“FINAL FANTASY is a storied brand in the videogame category and this partnership will bring an exciting new element to this year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game,” said Mark Tatum, NBA Executive Vice President of Marketing Partnerships. “A good portion of our fanbase overlaps with the young, videogame-playing audience, so it is a natural fit for us to partner with a leading franchise like FINAL FANTASY around one of our marquee All-Star events.”

The 2010 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by FINAL FANTASY XIII will tip off on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:00 p.m. EST/ 6:00 p.m. CST from NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas inside the Dallas Convention Center. This year’s celebrity participants will include a cast of players from film, TV, and music who will be outfitted in retro 1986 NBA All-Star uniforms paying tribute to NBA All-Star 1986 in Dallas. The game will also feature former NBA players and current WNBA players.

FINAL FANTASY XIII marks the dawning of a new era for the celebrated franchise, bringing the series to multiple high-definition consoles simultaneously for the first time in its history. The series is defined by a constant evolution, offering nothing less than the finest creative vision, graphical quality and gameplay system of its generation with every installment, and FINAL FANTASY XIII will be no exception to its legacy.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America, and Europe. Square Enix® brings two of Japan’s best-selling franchises — FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 92 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 53 million units worldwide — under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

About NBA All-Star 2010
NBA All-Star 2010 in Dallas will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game. Among the many events that will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages are the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by FINAL FANTASY® XIII, and NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas. American Airlines Center will host All-Star Saturday Night, featuring the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Haier Shooting Stars, and Sprite Slam Dunk. The 59th NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before an expected crowd of more than 80,000 – the largest group ever to witness a live basketball game. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for an eighth consecutive year, marking Turner Sports’ 25th season of All-Star coverage. This will be the second NBA All-Star in Dallas. The city also hosted the event in 1986.

Technorati Tags: Square Enix, Final Fantasy XIII, Video Games, Gamers, NBA, NBA Celebrity Game, Basketball

San Francisco – January 29, 2010 - Today Ubisoft announced Dawn of Discovery: Venice, the add-on for the PC version of Dawn of Discovery, the acclaimed real-time strategy and simulation game released earlier this year. Dawn of Discovery: Venice will combine the signature gameplay mechanics of the series and the richness of the Venetian culture with an all-new online multiplayer mode. In addition, Ubisoft announced Dawn of Discovery: Gold Edition, which will include the original Dawn of Discovery and the Dawn of Discovery: Venice add-on. Both the add-on and Gold Edition are due to release February 25, 2010 in North America via download only.

“With Dawn of Discovery: Venice, we are proud to bring a whole new dimension to gamers by letting them experience new multiplayer challenges online with their friends” said Adam Novickas, director of marketing for Ubisoft. “We are confident that this add-on will please long-time fans of the series as well as newcomers to the franchise.”

For more information, please visit http://dawnofdiscoverygame.com.

Key Features of Dawn of Discovery: Venice:
New Venetian setting:
The rich Dawn of Discovery environment is complemented with a new Venetian setting offering new possibilities of interaction:

Build two new Venetian ship types: the small and big tradesman cog
•
Develop secret cabinets, infiltrate your enemies and sabotage their expansion

Multiplayer:
Play Dawn of Discovery online in multiplayer mode:
Choose to play versus or co-op to defeat the AI by combining your techniques

Up to 8 players

New Challenges and Quests:
•Up to 60 new items and 300 new quests with two new types: trading race and ship boarding
•
Discover and exploit a new type of island, the Volcano island
•
New scenarios to face new challenges with new achievements, medals and crests

About Dawn of Discovery:
Experience the award-winning combination of city building, commerce, discovery, diplomacy and combat. Create your own nation with a unique blend of simulation and real-time strategy. Journey across the globe to explore, trade and learn technologies to expand your empire and to make your own history. With its extensive and immersive campaign, Dawn of Discovery guarantees never-ending gaming fun for novices and experts alike.

For more information about Ubisoft please visit www.ubi.com.

About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft is present in 28 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2008–09 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of 1.058 billion euros.

© 2009 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Dawn of Discovery, Sunflowers and Sunflowers logo are trademarks of Sunflowers GmbH in the U.S. and/or other countries. Sunflowers GmbH is a Ubisoft Entertainment company.

Technorati Tags: Ubisoft, Dawn of Discovery, Venice, PC Game, Gaming, Computer, New Levels, Press Release

SAN FRANCISCO – September 24, 2009 -– Today Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery(TM) for the Nintendo DSi(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM) systems will launch on November 17 for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29.99. The game is rated “T for Teen” by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery takes players through an untold chapter from the Assassin’s Creed® II console storyline utilizing the unique strengths of the Nintendo DS platform. In this new adventure, Ezio travels to Spain to rescue fellow assassins being held under the guise of the Inquisition, only to uncover a Templar plot to sail west and discover the New World.

The game takes platforming into the next generation with an emphasis on exhilarating speed and breathtaking acrobatics. The in-game animations provide players with a true visceral experience and the intuitive controls enable players to easily execute assassinations and nimbly navigate obstacles reaching daredevil speeds. Nintendo DSi owners will be able to take pictures of themselves and put them directly into the game as “WANTED!” posters.

“Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery is a great way for fans to experience a new chapter of the Assassin’s Creed II storyline,” shared Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “We think Nintendo fans will be impressed with all the unique features in the game designed specifically for Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS.”

Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery is being developed by Griptonite Games.

More details on Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery can be found at www.assassinscreed.com.

Technorati Tags: Nintendo DS, Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery, Ubisoft, Release, November, Video Games, Press Release

Time-traveling first-person shooter takes players on a wild ride through history

Cedar Falls, Iowa – September 8, 2009 – It’s here! Phantom EFX, the world’s leading developer and publisher of PC-based casual game titles, and independent game development studio 8monkey Labs announced today that their highly anticipated historically-based first person shooter, Darkest of Days, launches today for both Windows-based PC and the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Beginning today, Darkest of Days is available for purchase for $49.99 on the Xbox 360 and $39.99 on PC at most major retailers, including Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Gamestop. Darkest of Days will also be available for purchase online from www.phantomefx.com as well as larger online retailers such as Amazon.com. Digitally distributed copies will be available as well from Steam, Direct2Drive, Digital River and other outlets.

“For me and everyone else here at Phantom EFX and 8monkey Labs that have been working on Darkest of Days for the past three years, it’s almost hard to believe that launch day is already upon us,” said Aaron Schurman, CEO of Phantom EFX and lead writer for Darkest of Days. “We’ve put our blood, sweat and tears into this game, and we’re extremely proud of what we have accomplished. We feel that Darkest of Days is not only a fantastic game on its own merits, but that it will serve as a breath of fresh air into the somewhat crowded FPS genre and give players across the world a truly memorable, exciting gaming experience.”

Have you ever wondered what could happen if time travel was a reality? Have you ever thought about the possibility of going back in time to rewrite history for the better? That possibility is a reality in Darkest of Days, where players will travel back and forth through the annals of time to relive some of mankind’s most dire hours. By fighting through terrible events such as The Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest conflict of the Civil War, and both World War I and II, the player will attempt to save certain key individuals who were never meant to become involved in these truly monstrous events and save history from those who would attempt to change it.

Key features of Darkest of Days include:

· Wreak Havoc with Future Weapons in Antiquity: Something nearly every gamer that’s ever played a shooter based in the past has always wanted is the ability to bring a futuristic weapon back through history and kick some major butt. How differently would Custer’s last stand have turned out if the General was equipped with an M-16 assault rifle? You’ll be able to answer questions like this in Darkest of Days. While not every battle and situation will allow you to wield weapons from the future, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to unleash futuristic fury on your unsuspecting foes.

· Brand New Engine: The dedicated team at 8monkey Labs has created an all-new, groundbreaking game engine known as Marmoset. The Marmoset Engine not only breaks from the all-too present Unreal engine FPS clones flooding the market, but also allows for some amazing graphical capabilities. You’ll fight through epic battles filled with literally hundreds of NPCs on the screen at the same time, all with an advanced AI and all without a hint of graphical slowdown and all set against wide-open environments that are lushly detailed and dynamically lighted.

· Compelling Storyline: Darkest of Days is a compelling, action-packed first-person shooter to be sure, but it’s not just mindless run-and-gun, blow ‘em up gameplay. You’ll have to not only think about how to approach certain key battles and situations, but you’ll also have to take care when fighting – certain key people that were never meant to die will be marked with a special blue aura. If you kill them, you’ll face dire consequences…

Darkest of Days is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) for blood, strong language and violence. For more information about Darkest of Days, please visit www.darkestofdays.com.

Technorati Tags: Darkest of Days, Phantom EFX, 8monkey Labs, Xbox 360, PC, Video Game, Release, Time Travel, Future

I purchased my Nintendo DSi just in time to redeem my points. If you have a DSi or if you are planning to get one, you need to get it hooked up in the next month in order to redeem Nintendo DSi points.

Here is the press release I received from Nintendo on this:

Time is running out to get free downloadable games and applications for your Nintendo DSi™ system. Anyone who buys a Nintendo DSi system and connects it to the Nintendo DSi Shop by 12 p.m. Pacific time on Oct. 5, 2009, will automatically receive 1,000 Nintendo DSi Points™, which can be redeemed for a variety of games and applications.

Users can purchase additional Nintendo DSi Points in the Nintendo DSi Shop in increments of 1,000 for $10 or via a Nintendo Points Card™ sold at retail locations in increments of 2,000 at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Nintendo DSi Points do not expire. Nintendo DSi owners who have already received their 1,000 points can hold onto them for as long as they wish. Software in the Nintendo DSi Shop is available at four price points: free, 200 points, 500 points and 800+ points.

The Nintendo DSi Shop is already home to a mix of fun and entertaining downloadable software. In all, more than 35 games and applications are now available. These include:

* Paper Airplane Chase™ (200 Nintendo DSi Points)
* Art Style™: PiCTOBiTS™ (500 Nintendo DSi Points)
* Dr. Mario™ Express (500 Nintendo DSi Points)
* Guitar Rock Tour® (500 Nintendo DSi Points)
* Mario vs. Donkey Kong™: Minis March Again! (800 Nintendo DSi Points)

Additionally, Nintendo DSi owners can download free applications like the Nintendo DSi Browser, which lets users surf the Internet (with wireless broadband access) or Flipnote Studio™, which allows people to create animations using images they draw by hand or import as photos from the Nintendo DSi camera album. With a system update, Nintendo DSi owners can also share photos taken on the Nintendo DSi cameras with friends on Facebook.

Technorati Tags: Nintendo DSi, Video Game, Nintendo Points, Free Games, Download, Gaming, Press Release, Nintendo

Details for the Three Downloadable Albums Coming to “The Beatles™: Rock Band™” Music Store Revealed

“All You Need Is Love” Available on 9/9/09 for $1.99

Tracks from Queen, Nirvana, Tom Petty, Elton John, Iggy Pop, The White Stripes, Pantera and More Coming Soon to the “Rock Band™” Platform

Rock Band Catalog Surpasses 800 Songs Available to Date Scheduled to Hit 1000 Songs by Holiday 2009

Cologne, Germany – August 19, 2009 – Speaking at Gamescom 2009, Alex Rigopulos, CEO and cofounder of Harmonix, the world’s leading developer of music-based games and a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today confirmed release details for the three Beatles albums that will be available for purchase as downloadable content in The Beatles™: Rock Band™ Music Store by the end of this year. Abbey Road will be released on October 20, 2009, followed by the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in November and Rubber Soul in December.

Additionally, Rigopulos revealed that tracks from Queen, Nirvana, Tom Petty, Elton John, Iggy Pop, The White Stripes, Pantera, Talking Heads, Korn, The Raconteurs and more will be among the artists coming to the various offerings across the Rock Band™ platform. With over 800 songs available to date via the Rock Band catalog and 1000 by end of 2009, the billion dollar selling and genre-defining Rock Band franchise continues to be the gold standard in music video games by completely dominating its closest competition with its massive music library, weekly downloadable content and artist offerings, innovation, and superior gameplay (Rock Band 2 average metacritic score: 92). With its leadership stance on music game peripheral compatibility, disc and DLC export, the recently announced Rock Band Network and the upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band, music fans will need to look no further than the Rock Band platform to satisfy all their music video game appetites.

Details for downloadable albums coming to The Beatles: Rock Band Music Store are as follows:

Abbey Road (1969)
Release Date: October 20, 2009

Pricing: $16.98 (or 1360 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for album
$1.99 (or 160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for individual tracks

· “Come Together”
· “Something”
· “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”

· “Oh! Darling”

· “Octopus’s Garden”

· “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”

· “Here Comes The Sun”

· “Because”

· “You Never Give Me Your Money”

· “Sun King”

· “Mean Mr. Mustard”

· “Polythene Pam”

· “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”

· “Golden Slumbers”

· “Carry That Weight”

· “The End”
· “Her Majesty”

In addition, purchasers of the full album download of Abbey Road will have the option to play the famous 16-minute B-side medley as a single continuous track. The medley includes “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “Sun King,” “Mean Mr. Mustard,” “Polythene Pam,” “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window,” “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight” and “The End.”
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Release Date: November 2009

· “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

· “With A Little Help From My Friends”

· “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”

· “Getting Better”

· “Fixing A Hole”

· “She’s Leaving Home”

· “Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite”

· “Within You Without You

· “When I’m Sixty Four”

· “Lovely Rita”

· “Good Morning Good Morning”

· “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)”
· “A Day In The Life”

Rubber Soul (1965)
Release Date: December 2009

· “Drive My Car”

· “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)”

· “You Won’t See Me”

· “Nowhere Man”

· “Think For Yourself”

· “The Word”

· “Michelle”

· “What Goes On”

· “Girl”

· “I’m Looking Through You”

· “In My Life”

· “Wait”

· “If I Needed Someone”
· “Run For Your Life”

As previously announced, “All You Need Is Love” will be released Sept.9, 2009 for the standard Rock Band DLC pricing of $1.99 (or 160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360), exclusively through Xbox LIVE for a limited time as a downloadable song for The Beatles: Rock Band, with Apple Corps Ltd, MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft proceeds benefitting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

The Beatles: Rock Band downloadable content will be available for purchase on the Xbox®LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360, PlayStation®Network and via the in-game The Beatles: Rock Band Music Store for Wii™ using Wii points purchased through the Wii Shop Channel.

In conjunction with the release of the entire, original, digitally re-mastered Beatles CD catalogue, The Beatles: Rock Band will be available Sept. 9, 2009, simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Xbox®360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), and the Wii™ home videogame console from Nintendo. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and microphones.

The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Harrisongs Ltd, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, has agreed to present The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band will be published by MTV Games and was developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) will serve as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles innovative LOVE album project, is providing his expertise and serving as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

For more information on Rock Band™2 and the Rock Band Music Store www.rockband2.com and www.rockband.com/music. For more information on Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.harmonixmusic.com.

Technorati Tags: The Beatles, Harmonix, MTV, Video Games, Downloadable Content, Songs, Music, Albums

The day is finally upon us. ALL but the final track for The Beatles: Rock Band has been revealed. I received the following press release in my email today:

19 More of the 45 On-Disc Tracks Announced Including “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Helter Skelter,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Ticket to Ride” and More

New York, NY – August 18, 2009 – MTV Games and Harmonix, the world’s leading developer of music-based games and a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today revealed 19 more of the 45 on-disc tracks that will be featured in The Beatles™: Rock Band™ – leaving all, but one song a mystery. A gameplay trailer featuring ten of the 19 newly announced songs can be viewed by visiting www.thebeatlesrockband.com.

The newly announced 19 songs represent a cross-section of hits and favorites that span The Beatles’ storied career from “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” to “Ticket to Ride” and “Something,” bringing the total number of announced songs to 44.

The Beatles: Rock Band 19 New Songs Revealed With Featured Venues:

* “Boys” / Cavern Club
* “A Hard Day’s Night” / Ed Sullivan Theater
* “I’m Looking Through You” / Shea Stadium
* “If I Needed Someone” / Shea Stadium
* “Ticket to Ride” / Shea Stadium
* “Drive My Car” / Budokan
* “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Getting Better” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Good Morning” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Hello, Goodbye” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Hey Bulldog” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Dear Prudence” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Helter Skelter” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Something” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Come Together” / Abbey Road Dreamscape
* “Don’t Let Me Down” / Rooftop Concert
* “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” / Rooftop Concert
* “I Me Mine” / Rooftop Concert

The Beatles: Rock Band allows fans to pick up the guitar, bass, mic or drums to experience The Beatles’ extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career. From the early touring days in 1963 Liverpool to the immortal, final performance on the Apple Corps rooftop, fans can follow in The Fab Four’s footsteps as they traverse the globe during the height of Beatlemania.

For the first time in a music videogame, The Beatles: Rock Band introduces three-part vocal harmonies to gameplay, allowing players to revel in the unparalleled vocal stylings of The Beatles.

As previously announced, the entire Abbey Road album will be available for future download purchase. In addition, “All You Need Is Love” will be released Sept.9, 2009, exclusively through Xbox LIVE for a limited time as a downloadable song for The Beatles: Rock Band, with all Apple Corps Ltd, MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft proceeds benefitting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

In conjunction with the release of the entire, original, digitally re-mastered Beatles CD catalogue, The Beatles: Rock Band will be available Sept. 9, 2009, simultaneously worldwide in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other territories for the Xbox®360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), and the Wii™ system from Nintendo. The game will be compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and microphones.

Technorati Tags: The Beatles: Rock Band, Video Game, Music, Song, The Beatles, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Rock Band, MTV

Nintendo has been trying to keep up with the competition and this month, they are doing it by releasing some all new games for both the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii. Here is the press release I received on all the cool new offerings available as Nintendo downloadable video games.

The onset of August means summer is winding down, but the downloadable action at the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop™ just keeps on heating up. Two new WiiWare™ offerings deliver futuristic robot foes and sultry poker opponents, respectively. On the Virtual Console™, there’s great news for football fans as the arcade classic TECMO BOWL™ makes its way to the Wii system. And on Nintendo DSiWare™, you’ll find a fresh addition to the eye-pleasing, mind-bending Art Style™ game series.

WiiWare

OVERTURN
Publisher: Studio Zan Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: OVERTURN is a futuristic robot-versus-robot fighting game. Choose from eight different robots to pilot and master, using various close-range and long-range weapons to blast away enemies in six single-player tournaments. Unlock secret modes and up to 12 new weapons. Customize your robot’s color and weapons to prepare for your next battle. Then take the action online to play in a two-player Versus battle or a four-player Battle Royale match. Search the world for Friends or other players who are online and ready for battle. Players with the optional Wii Balance Board™ can use it to control their robots by shifting their weight.

Sexy Poker™
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: M (Mature) – Simulated Gambling, Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Get your pulse racing with a game of strip poker against a selection of six lovely manga-style women who may wind up in nothing but swimsuits or underwear when the final hand is dealt. Choose the classic Texas Hold’em Poker to be thrilled as the bets increase, or try the Black Jack game for a mix of chance and strategy. Discover the girls’ personalities: they’ll bluff you! Enter the photo gallery to see the pictures you’ve unlocked by playing and winning. If you’re good enough, Emi, Sakura and their seductive girlfriends will bet their clothes to stay in the game.

Virtual Console

TECMO BOWL
Publisher: Tecmo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: Released in 1987, the football game that took America by storm is back. This arcade version required a custom-made dual-screen cabinet and was popular for its large characters and intense graphics. The game is filled with great action as players take control of receivers and running backs, quickly moving the controller to break a tackle. Play alone or with up to four players in a two-on-two match. Experience the best moments of both competitive and cooperative play, finding holes in your opponent’s defense, then savor the thrill of receiving a pass thrown by your teammate. In addition, game options such as play time, team division and difficulty level can be adjusted.

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style: precipice™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: The sky is falling in the form of cubes in the action-oriented Art Style: precipice. Watch for the telltale shadow to avoid seeing your character get crushed by a falling cube while climbing the stacked cubes to ascend to the floors above. Push, pull or shove cubes to make your climb easier. Try to gain extra points by stepping on five cubes in a row on the same floor. In addition, you’ll encounter special cubes that can either be helpful or harmful to your effort. Choose from either TEN FLOORS mode, which challenges you to reach the tenth floor while scoring as many points as possible, or TOWER mode, which gives you the chance to climb as high as you can. Do you have what it takes to make it to the top, or will you be crushed?

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Technorati Tags: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Video Games, Download, Press Release, Gaming, WiiWare, Sexy Poker, Overturn, Tecmo

ACTIVISION ENLISTS GAMERS TO JOIN THE MARVEL: ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 2 VIP COMMUNITY

GameStop Pre-Order Program Launches with Exclusive Character Offer

Santa Monica, CA – July 2, 2009 – Activision, Inc. is calling on gamers to join the VIP community for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the #1 best-selling Super-Hero action-RPG. Starting today, players can log on to www.MarvelUltimateAlliance.com and become VIP members earning exclusive and early access to insider content such as classified game information and character reveals, Ask-a-Developer sessions, VIP-only screenshots and videos, and community prizes.

Also just launched on www.MarvelUltimateAlliance.com is a casual online web game that puts players in the heart of the Marvel Civil War. Fans get to choose their side among Pro-Registration and Anti-Registration forces and face off in real-time battles to help their side emerge victorious. Fans can join the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Civil War online game and be eligible for weekly giveaways and prizes, including Xbox 360 Elite consoles, signed memorabilia from Stan Lee, a grand prize of a 42” 1080p flat screen TV and more.

The company also announced in conjunction with GameStop, gamers that pre-order a copy of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 for the PS3 or Xbox 360 from a GameStop store or online at www.GameStop.com will receive an exclusive playable character – Juggernaut.

Incorporating elements of the acclaimed Marvel Civil War storyline, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 allows players to choose their side and team up revered heroes and villains from the largest army of Super Heroes ever, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Deadpool, Venom, Green Goblin and Captain America. Players can combine characters’ powers and unleash astonishing new fusion attacks.

The game is being developed by Vicarious Visions for the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 system, Wii, PlayStation 2 system, PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system and Nintendo DS™ and is not yet rated by the ESRB.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Technorati Tags: Marvel, Ultimate Alliance 2, Activision, Games, Xbox 360, PS3, Gamer, VIP Community, Press Release

Grandmaster Flash, the first DJ to make the turntable an instrument, is coming to DJ Hero, joining the epic list of DJs who will appear as in-game characters and who have created mixes exclusively for the award-winning game.

DJ Hero with utilize music from such artists as Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Justice, Marvin Gaye, Beastie Boys, N.E.R.D, and Eminem, plus many others.

Along with contributing two never-before-released mixes, Grandmaster Flash lends his unique, recognizable voice and DJ know-how to the game’s tutorial level, schooling players on the game mechanics and the turntable controller.

To top it off, FreeStyle Games created an exclusive mix using two of Grandmaster Flash’s original creations – “Boom” and “Tap.”

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