VideoGameNews

February 13, 2009--SEGA Corporation and Nintendo Co., Ltd today announced that two of the biggest video game heroes, Mario and Sonic, will be coming together again, this time taking their rivalry to the snow and ice in another officially licensed Olympic-themed smash hit Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. Heading to stores late in 2009 on the Wii home video game system and Nintendo DS, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will take players to Vancouver, Canada, host city of the official 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This gaming experience invites players of all ages and skill sets to face-off in some of the most intense winter competitions available for the Nintendo platforms.

Developed by SEGA of Japan, under the guidance of Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will take players to lifelike Olympic venues where they can choose from a legendary cast of playable characters, including new faces to the series to be revealed later this year. Following the phenomenal worldwide popularity of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, this fresh gaming experience will feature completely new Olympic Winter Games events from the official competition schedule including Alpine Skiing and Speed Skating with more events announced throughout the year. Read more

February 12, 2009 – Guitar Hero gamers looking to upgrade to the best Guitar Hero guitar controllers yet or expand their band to include the drum kit controller need not wait much longer, as Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today individual guitar controllers and drum kit controllers will be available on North American store shelves beginning February 15th.

Playable now with Guitar Hero World Tour, and later this spring in Guitar Hero Metallica, the wireless drum kit controller features three drum pads, two raised cymbal pads and a bass kick pedal, and velocity-sensitive drum heads with soft rubber construction to deliver that certain bounce when struck with a drum stick that drummers are used to and is easy to set up, move, break down and store. The drum kit controller can be expanded with a second bass kick pedal allowing expert gamers to rock to double bass pedal charts in Guitar Hero Metallica. The Guitar Hero World Tour guitar controller, which features a touch-sensitive slide on the neck, is compatible with all previous versions of Guitar Hero and will be compatible with Guitar Hero Metallica. Read more

February 11, 2009 -- Pokémon games have always required players to have a sense of timing and good strategy. So here’s one move that’s sure to produce awesome results. Beginning Feb. 15, Pokémon fans who reserve a copy of the upcoming Pokémon Platinum Version game for the Nintendo DS system will receive a Giratina Origin Forme figure, while supplies last.

The Giratina Origin Forme has never been seen before and appears for the first time in the Pokémon Platinum Version video game, which launches in the United States on March 22. The figure will be available nationwide through participating retailers, which might require a deposit to reserve the game. Most retailers will provide the figure when a reservation is made, though consumers are advised to check with their preferred retailer for details.

Pokémon Platinum Version is the latest epic Pokémon adventure. With new features, Pokémon formes and online options, it expands on the best elements from previous Pokémon titles to reach new levels of fun and adventure. Pokémon Platinum Version follows on the heels of the very popular Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version, which launched in the United States in April 2007. According to independent data from the NPD Group, more than 5.3 million copies of those two games have been sold in the United States alone. Read more

February 11, 2009 – SEGA and Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox L&M) today reveals exciting new details of their increasing portfolio of upcoming games based on Twentieth Century Fox’s Aliens universe.

SEGA will publish an all-new Aliens vs. Predator (working title) game in early 2010. The game is currently in development with independent developer Rebellion, creators of the original 1999 Aliens versus Predator; a legendary title that went on to define an entire generation of multiplayer gaming.

With the opportunity to publish what promises to be a landmark game, SEGA has strategically updated the release of the other upcoming Aliens titles currently in development within its portfolio. Read more

February 6, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The fate of the earth and the survival of the human race hang in the balance in the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game from Activision Publishing, Inc.. Based on Hasbro's legendary TRANSFORMERS property and the most anticipated blockbuster film of 2009 from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures in association with Hasbro, the game propels players straight into an adrenaline-pumping battle for supremacy across the globe where every second and every choice makes the difference between mankind's salvation and annihilation.

"The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game will give fans the chance to experience their favorite AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS in an all-new, movie inspired adventure packed with the thrilling and explosive action that only the TRANSFORMERS universe can deliver," said Rob Kostich, vice president of global brand management, Activision, Inc. "We are thrilled to announce that after experiencing the rush of commanding colossal robots on their own, players can challenge their friends for the first time ever in full-featured, blistering multiplayer action as their favorite characters." Read more

January 29, 2009 -- Get ready for the ultimate blox-busting action as Electronic Arts Inc. today announced BOOM BLOX Bash Party for Wii, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed BOOM BLOX game for Wii. EA’s collaboration with director and producer Steven Spielberg continues with BOOM BLOX Bash Party, and the destructive fun reaches new heights with richer multiplayer action and more than 400 new levels that will have players of all ages gaming together and solving action-packed puzzles under water, in zero gravity, and beyond!

“BOOM BLOX Bash Party is a wild social gaming experience,” said Steven Spielberg. “We know families and friends really enjoyed playing the original BOOM BLOX together, so we designed more explosive multiplayer experiences with BOOM BLOX Bash Party.”

BOOM BLOX Bash Party is even more fun to play with friends and family, featuring twice as many multiplayer challenges as the original, and now offers team-based challenges! Players can play with or against friends, solo or in teams, knocking down blocks, destroying towers, slinging and launching blocks and characters, for tons of high-energy, family-friendly fun! Read more

January 29, 2009 – Metallica’s influential music takes center stage this spring when Activision Publishing Inc.’s Guitar Hero Metallica takes music fans through the band’s fabled library of songs, plus the music and musicians who influence them. When the house lights go down this spring, virtual rock stars across the globe will shred, drum and wail to an explosive set list featuring over 45 tracks from Metallica’s illustrious career and a wide variety of other legendary artists personally selected by the band, such as Queen, Foo Fighters, Bob Seger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Slayer and Judas Priest. Featuring tracks from every Metallica studio album, the complete Guitar Hero Metallica on-disc set list will include their following hits: Read more

January 27, 2009 – Having already delivered fans over 70 rockin’ downloadable tracks for Activision Publishing, Inc.’s Guitar Hero World Tour since the game’s October 2008 launch, three new Track Packs spanning a variety of musical genres and multiple artists will be available throughout February 2009 to Guitar Hero fans across the globe.

On February 12th, rockers Incubus, The Shins and Ryan Adams turn off the amps and electric guitars in the Acoustic Track Pack. Coming to Guitar Hero World Tour are Incubus’ “Drive,” The Shins’ “New Slang” and Ryan Adams’ GRAMMY Award nominated version of “Wonderwall.”

Following their debut appearance on disc in Guitar Hero World Tour with “Band on the Run,” Paul McCartney’s Wings return to the Guitar Hero stage with the Wings Track Pack. “Junior’s Farm,” “Hi Hi Hi” and “Jet,” three top-ten hits from the band’s diverse catalog of music, will be available for download on February 19th. Read more

January 26, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time will be released simultaneously for both Wii and Nintendo DS on March 24, 2009.

An innovative new concept in multiplayer gaming, FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time will enable Wii and DS users to play side by side for the first time. This breakthrough in gaming connectivity allows players on both Nintendo platforms to journey together in the fantastical world of the beloved FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES series. FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time offers a gameplay system that allows for a seamless, hassle-free in-game switch from single to multiplayer mode. Play anytime, anywhere, with anyone and experience a new level of connectivity with this latest adventure in the FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES series. Read more

January 21, 2009 - Harmonix and MTV Games just announced the addition of six new tracks to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content for Wii home videogame console from Nintendo. The line up includes “March of the Pigs” and “The Collector” from industrial rockers Nine Inch Nails, “I Fought the Law” from English punk rock band the Clash and “Rockaway Beach” from the infamous punk rock band Ramones. The offering also features two exclusive 2008 Rock Band re-recordings of “Margaritaville” and “Volcano” from singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

All six tracks are part of the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content already released to owners of Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. Wii fans can expect a rollout of the previously released downloadable content every week until the entire back catalogue of more than 500 songs is available. In addition, the regularly scheduled future DLC releases for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system will also be available for Rock Band 2 Wii owners starting in February. Read more