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As real-time strategy fans might know, StarCraft 2 was split into three campaigns. So how will Blizzard charge and generally handle these? As expansion packs apparently.

In a recent interview with StarCraft 2 producer Chris Sigaty, he clarifies that after the first release of “Terran: Wings of Liberty” as a full campaign, the two other packs “Zerg: Heart of the Swarm” and “Protoss: Legacy of the Void” will be handled as traditional Blizzard expansion packs with enhancements to the multiplayer game.

But what about the pricing? He says: “We effectively look at it internally as expansions. So we’ll see what that means for the price — we’re not just going to raise it and call it that for the purposes of that. We would need to offer the same content.” He likens the to-be-included content to “the Frozen Throne and the Frozen Throne 2, or Brood War and Brood War 2.”

For the record, past Blizzard expansions were priced at about $30.

Via Shacknews

Discover James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game and delve deeper into Pandora’s world with this first gameplay video exposing the epic war that tears the Navi’s and Humans apart. The game is scheduled for release in December 2009 for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and a portable version on DS.

Avatar is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people.

Avatar: The Game gameplay reveal trailer:

Anyone looking forward to the Avatar movie? It looks like a CGI spectacle:

PS: I keep saying “James Cameron’s Avatar” because otherwise people might be confused with another upcoming movie-based game with a similar name “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.

Wii Sports Resort is the sequel to the original Wii Sports, a game that was not only a launch title for the Wii system but also a pack-in game (this means that every Wii system sold comes with Wii Sports, therefore every Wii owner has the game).

This propelled the game into superstardom, as Wii Sports is the best-selling game of all time (selling 45.71 copies worldwide as of March 2009); Thanks to the insane sales of the Wii system itself and the game’s pack-in status (in all territories except Japan, where it’s a standalone product).

Not only did the original game serve to give new costumers something to play with from the get-go, it also served as the best tech demo of the Wii’s motion-sensing technology that is built into the Wii Remote and Nunchuck controllers. Something that in 2006 had never been seen before in a home console.

The game was a rather simple collection of five simulated sports, including: Tennis, Bowling, Golf, Baseball and Boxing. And in each game players would mimic the actual actions that you would use in real-life to perform the sport on-screen. Such as swinging the Wii Remote in Tennis, Golf and Baseball, making a “throwing” motion in Bowling and literally punching using both Wii Remote & Nunchuck controllers in Boxing.

Wii Sports became a worldwide phenomenon, and in a lot of ways has become a part of popular culture (making appearances in movies, TV shows, the news, talks shows, youtube videos, etc.). It was also highly praised by both critics and consumers alike.

With Wii Sports Resort, Nintendo aims to take that to the next level by packing in the Wii MotionPlus Accessory to make the Wii Remote simulate real 1:1 ratio motion and control (meaning the game literally moves as you do). Nintendo also adding all-new activities that would go beyond the sports seen in the original game.

Does Wii Sports Resort match what made the original so great? Or has the charm been lost in 2009?

System: Wii
Also Available On: None
Released: USA July 26, 2009 – EUR July 24, 2009 – AUS July 23, 2009 – JAP June 25, 2009
Players: 1-4
Genre: Sports, Simulation, Mini-Game Collection
Save: 4 Blocks. No save files. High Scores & Stamps saved according to the Mii you are playing with.
Online Support? No
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Country of Origin: Japan
Rating: E for Everyone because of “Cartoon Violence”.

Wii Sports Resort is a simple, casual collection of sports activities for players to take part in. And is every bit the sequel to the original game that you would expect. That’s not to say that it’s bad in anyway. It’s not, but it’s also . . . Wii Sports.

Since Wii Sports Resort is a pretty simple game, I’m going to keep this review pretty simple too. Direct to the point, just like the game.

In Wii Sports Resort, you can freely choose to play any of 12 activities. Each game varies from the last, and has it’s own controls and way of playing. At the end of each session your level will either increase, or decrease depending on whether you won the game or lost. As you play the game more and more you will increase in level (shown as a graph at the end of your session) and progress in the sport. Generally the sport will get harder and you also may unlock a few rewards along the way.

One of the coolest new features of Wii Sports Resort is a “Stamp” system. Stamps are achievements that you can earn. There are 5 Stamps for each sport, and you can view these before playing each game by pointing at the screen and clicking on the “Stamps” button. Stamps can be earned by fulfilling certain objectives for each sport.

Wii Sports Resort also marks the debut of “Wuhu Island”. Wuhu Island is the island resort in which the game takes place. In some ways this location acts like a character in itself. And Nintendo is planning to use Wuhu Island in future games.

Wii Sports Resort includes the following 12 games: Swordplay, Wakeboarding, Frisbee, Archery, Basketball, Table Tennis, Golf, Bowling, Power Cruising, Canoeing, Cycling, and Air Sports. The only sports carried over from the first game are: Golf and Bowling.

Here are details on each game followed by my own opinions on it:

SWORDPLAY

Swordplay includes three different variations of games that involve using swords. Like baseball before it, using the Wii Remote as a sword is one of the first things that came to mind when people saw the Wii Remote. Nintendo knew this and thus Swordplay is one of the first game-types from Wii Sports Resort that they shows way back when the game was announced. It also is one of the best games to show off the Wii MotionPlus accessory that is packed in with every copy of Wii Sports Resort, and allows you great accuracy and control over your sword than you could have without the accessory. The MotionPlus literally allows the sword to move as you do, and this feels pretty spot on when you are playing Swordplay.

-DUEL-
For: 1 or 2 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically to play. One Wii Remote is required for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

In Duel, players must attack their sword-wielding opponent with a sword of their own, with the goal being to knock your opponent of the platform with strikes of your sword. You move your sword up, down, left or right by moving the Wii Remote and grip the Remote with two hands, as if holding a sword. The sword will move as you move and point where you point. It will also swing wherever you swing. In order to be successful you must also learn how to block your opponents attacks by using the B Button to hold the sword up in a defensive posture. Just make sure your sword is pointing in a direction that will actually block their blow, otherwise you may get hit yourself. And with each hit you get knocked back and closer to falling in the drink.

My opinion: Swordplay is fun and requires technique to master, as the characters get tougher and tougher as you play the game. While it is easy to want to simply flail your arms or only half-way swing physically, the game will not allow you to do this after only playing for a short while. Eventually you will have to start timing your strikes, looking for openings and blocking their attacks. While this game seemed very repetitive to me, it also has a bit of depth to it.

-SPEED SLICE-
For: 1 or 2 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically to play. One Wii Remote is required for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing Duel Mode.

In Speed Slice, the player must compete to see who can slice the fastest. Cut the logs, diamonds, balls, pencils, fruit, sushi and other objects as they fall. When a said item falls, the direction you’ll have to swing to cut it will be indicated. If you don’t swing quick enough, your opponent will and they will take the point. Whoever successfully slices the items fastest wins. The controls are the same as in Duel Mode. The first to 10 Points takes the cake.

My Opinion: I LOVE Speed Slice! This is one of my favorite games and is the best way to use the sword in my opinion. It is fun to have to out-speed your opponent by thinking faster than they can. I do however wish that there was more variety in the items you cut. This game also gets vary difficult when it comes time to beat the Champion.

-SHOWDOWN-
For: 1
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically to play.
Available: Unlocked after playing Speed Slice Mode.

In Showdown, the player will fight a horde of enemy sword fighters that come at you in waves as you make your way on-rails through various courses (that you select). As you approach enemies you will have to fight them, similarly to Duel Mode, but quicker and foes can be dispatched in one or two shots or in groups if you manage to catch a group of them with one slice. The game will end if you get hit three times or you defeat all the enemies in the area. The controls are the same as in Duel Mode.

My Opinion: Showdown is a very cool mode and a very nice addition. Basically Horde Mode for Wii Sports Resort, you must take on waves of enemies. You can select the stage so you are given a variety of environments to “battle” in and the game gets harder and harder as you progress to the final stage. Overall, this mode is funner and more in-depth than Duel Mode. It’s basically Duel Mode . . . on crack.

WAKEBOARDING

For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote sideways and grip firmly with both hands. You can use one Wii Remote or a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Wakeboarding has three difficulty stages for you to play through. The sport has a person on a surfboard tied to the end of a speeding boat. The waves left behind from said boat are called “Wakes” and thus the name, Wakeboarding. You use the Wake waves launch yourself in the air and perform tricks. The tricks are done automatically but you must land them by making sure the Wii Remote is positioned correctly. You can also freely cruise to your hearts content in “Free Cruising” mode before the actual match starts.

Tilt the Wii Remote left and right to carve through the water. Then pull up when you go over the wake to get huge air. Pull of big tricks to earn points! Just make sure you land flat . . . as mentioned above.

My Opinion: Wakeboarding is my least favorite sport. Kind of like a super-dummed down Tony Hawk, the game has you quickly moving left and right to gain speed and then trying to land the tricks that your Mii performs. Which is easier said than done. You have a time limit and the goal is to score as high as you can within that time limit. There isn’t a whole lot to this game but it does get harder on the higher difficulties.

FRISBEE

Frisbee has you tossing the famous toy disc in two very different styles of game. Although this honestly seemed like the most boring Activity to me, I actually turned out to thoroughly enjoy it. And Nintendo made excellent use of the Frisbee in the second Mode.

-FRISBEE DOG-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote sideways. You can use one Wii Remote or a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Stamps
1. Good Dog – Throw the Frisbee right into the center of the target area to make the dog jump up and grab it out of the air. This is more of an accomplishment for the dog, really . . .
2. Balloon Animal – During practice, pop all 9 balloons in ten throws or less. After ten throws, any remaining balloons are replaced with nine new ones. You have to complete a match to get the Stamp.
3. A for Effort – Score 10 points with each of your 10 throws to get this Stamp. That means hitting the green 10-point zone every time. It’s at least as hard as aiming for the bulls-eye! You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
4. Perfect Target – Hit the center of the target area and score 100 points with all ten of your throws. Extra points scored by popping balloons don’t count. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
5. Golden Arm – Score 100 points with every throw and pop every balloon. That’ll get you an astonishing 1,500 points! You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.

In Frisbee Dog, players will throw their Frisbee at a target on the beach so that their faithful canine can run and catch it. To throw the Frisbee, players will need to keep the Wii Remote level and make a throwing motions as if you were tossing a real frisbee. Players grab the Frisbee from their dog’s mouth with the B Button, and release B as they make the motion to throw the disc. Automatic control is also available.

My Opinion: Frisbee Dog is one of those sports that they showed early on, and one in which I scoffed at and said to myself “That looks insanely stupid and boring.” I couldn’t have been more wrong! The 1:1 ability of the Wii MotionPlus really makes a huge difference here, as the Frisbee will go where you are pointing, this includes not only when you release the B Button as you make the motion with your arm, but also at what angle you have the Wii Remote pointed. And you can see on-screen how your Mii’s hand will change as you move and rotate your wrist. This makes the game not only extremely realistic, but also requiring skill. I also liked that the target is a very big area, meaning that you get more points if you hit the center. They also add balloons that you can pop for more points, and sometimes they will not be close to the target. So that you will have to learn how to make the Frisbee turn, hitting both the balloon and the target. Much to my surprise, I really liked Frisbee Dog.

-FRISBEE GOLF-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote sideways. You can use one Wii Remote or a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing Frisbee Dog

Stamps
1. Under Par – Finish any 3-, 9-, or 18-hole course under par. A score of 0 is par. A score of -1 or less is under par (meaning you made it to the goal in less throws than is typical for that course). You can’t earn this Stamp in a Team-Play Match.
2. Lucky Skip – Get this Stamp when a Frisbee bound for a water hazard skips across the surface of the water and lands safely on the other side!
3. On A Roll – To pull off a “roll-in”, throw your Frisbee from outside the Green, hit the ground, and roll it into the goal! It sounds tough, and it’s even tougher than you think!
4. Hole in One – Throw the Frisbee into the target area in just one throw! The target tower of light rather than a tiny hole, so it’s a lot easier to do this in Classic Golf . . . but still not easy!
5. Straight and Narrow – Play an 18-hole round of Frisbee Golf without throwing any discs out of bounds or into a Water Hazard. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play Mode.

Play Golf with a Frisbee! In Frisbee Golf, the object of the game is for players to make it through a Golf Course by throwing their Frisbee and make it all the way to the glowing pillar on the green. Just like in the real game of Golf, you want to make it there in as few throws as you can. Also like in the real thing, you can choose three different Frisbees that correspond with different types of “Clubs” in the real game of Golf. These discs are all thrown differently and correspond to a Golfer’s Driver, Mid-Range Club and Putter. Depending on how much distance you need to cover, you will want to select a different Frisbee. You’ll throw the Frisbee just like you do in Frisbee dog.

My Opinion: It’s freakin’ Golf with Frisbees! There was two particular moments in Wii Sports where I was really like “Wow”. This was one of them. I can’t believe they came up with such an ingenious idea. This game is LITERALLY Golf with Frisbees. Like the standalone Golf game in Wii Sports Resort, Frisbee Golf is a full-game of Links play. You can play with up to four players and choose from a Three Hole Game, Nine Hole Game, or the super long Eighteen Hole Game. You then can choose from three new courses and four classic ones. Since the game is a real game of Golf, you will need to choose your Frisbee wisely, and take into account wind and your terrain. You then fling your Frisbee towards the hole. Wherever it lands is where you’ll have to throw again. From there it’s just like Golf. Meaning that if you liked Wii Sports Golf in the first game, you’ll probably love this unique take on the sport!

ARCHERY

For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. Nunchuck required. You can share one set or use one for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing Frisbee Dog

Archery is the act of shooting a Bow and Arrow and hitting a Target. The Archery game is one of the most unique in Wii Sports, while also being one of the most realistic. There’s also lots of depth to be had in this fun darts-like game of arrow shooting.

Stamps
1. Bull Stampede – Hit the center of the target and get 10 points with all three arrows in one stage. This can be done in any difficulty level, but not in Team Play. The easiest way to pull this off is in Stage 1 of Beginner Level.
2. Sure Shot – Hit the target with all 3 arrows in each of the 4 stages. It’s possible to do this on any difficulty level to get this Stamp. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
3. Century Shot – Shoot 100 arrows into the target. It doesn’t matter what score you earn with each shot, as long as you hit the target.
4. A Secret to Everybody – There is a secret target in every stage of every difficulty level. Hit all the secret targets in every level to get this Stamp.
5. Sharpshooter – Score 10 points with every arrow in each of the 4 rounds. This can be done on any difficulty level but not in Team Play. Obviously, it’s easiest to do on Beginner difficulty.

There is only one type of Archery game to play, but you can select from three difficulty levels. The game gets harder on the higher difficulty settings. In each game you will shoot an arrow from a distance at a target. To do so you aim with the Wii Remote held vertically by pressing the A Button. You can draw the arrow back by holding Z to zoom in to your target (make a “bow and arrow” pulling back motion by pushing back or forward on the Nunchuck to make it zoom faster) and release Z to shoot the arrow. You must take into account not only the distance of the target (which gets further on the higher difficulties) but also Wind Resistance. You get three shots per stage and there are four stages per game. Depending on where your arrow hits the target, you’ll be awarded a certain amount of points. Obviously the middle, or Bulls-Eye, of the target is worth the most points, but it the hardest to hit. On the higher difficulty levels you’ll also have to content with objects blocking your path and moving targets! There are also hidden targets on each stage…

My Opinion: Archery is one of the funnest events in the game in my humble opinion. Everyone loves to play darts, and it’s one of those casual games that your hardcore gaming friends will even want to play. And it’s done really well in Wii Sports Resort, with realistic physics and a game that takes some getting used to as you learn how to hit closer and closer to the bulls-eye in each one of the stages and on higher difficulty levels. there isn’t a whole lot to Archery, but it’s one of the coolest games and most accessible.

BASKETBALL

Basketball is one of America’s favorite sports and thus it is not too surprising that Nintendo would include the sport in Wii Sports Resort. Although it is surprising that they included it over football, because you’d think American football would be the easier sport to translate. Nintendo however took the high road in my opinion by selecting to translate basketball into the Wii Remote. This is something that (to my knowledge) hasn’t been done before and it is a very interesting activity in Wii Sports Resort that uses the Wii MotionPlus and gesture controls in a unique way to simulate the act of shooting the ball into the hoop.

-3-POINT CONTEST-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. You can share one Wii Remote or use a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: From the get-go

Stamps
1. Hot Streak – Sink five consecutive shots in the basket. Get in a good rhythm with the first five balls, and anything’s possible . . .
2. Bonus Plumber – Drain all five bonus balls.
3. Quick Draw – Score 20 points or more with at least 10 seconds left on the clock. Don’t think — SHOOT!
4. Hot Hand – Sink all 25 balls in the basket. Just stay focused and get into the groove!
5. Pure Shot – Sink all 25 balls into the basket with at least 15 seconds left on the clock. It takes some serious skills!

In the 3-Point Contest, players compete against a time limit to see how many shoots they can sick before the buzzer goes off. All shots are from the 3-Point line. You move the Wii Remote into a level position and press the B Button to take a basketball. Then you return the Wii Remote to a vertical position and shoot the ball with a simiulated basketball shot motion. This is described in the game by “pretending like you are hitting a bell over your head). While all of the balls are worth 3-Points, the last ball is special and is worth more.

My Opinion: The 3-Point Contest is one of the most unique games in Wii Sports Resort. The gesture you have to do to actually shoot the ball, and do so successfully, takes a long time to master. This was one of the most troublesome games for me to get the hang of. As you have to literally making a quick upward motion with the Wii Remote or your Mii won’t jump. You can have to tilt your wrist as if shooting a real ball and finally, you need to release the B Button to let the ball go. This makes the 3-Point Contest one of the least casual-friendly games in my opinion. However once you make a shot, it’s easy to do so again and again as if you were playing a real game and were on a hot steak. And it’s oh-so-satisfying when those balls do go flying into the basket.

-PICKUP GAME-
For: 1 or 2 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. A Wii Remote is required for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing 3-Point Contest.

Pick-Up Game is literally a game of basketball . . . Wii Sports Resort-style! The game is a 3-on-3 game where you switch playing offense and defense. On offense, you can dribble by making dribbling motions with the Wii Remote, this is how you move past players and towards the basket. You then can shoot with the B Button (just as you shoot in 3-Point Contest). Just watch for your opponent who will jump in the air to try and block your shot. If you shoot while close to the basket you can even dunk it! Just make sure you “flick” the remote downwards to slam the ball home! On Defense you will try to swat the ball out of the offensive players hands by swiping in the direction of the ball with the Wii Remote. You can also jump by making an upwards motion with the Wii Remote to block their shot.

My Opinion: The Pick-Up game is one of the hardest and most cumbersome games in Wii Sports Resort and took a while for me to understand how it all works. Once you do though it can be pretty fun. But there isn’t a whole lot to it and it’s far from being a substitute for a real simulated b-ball game. But it’s a nice addition. Though one of my own personal least played.

TABLE TENNIS

Replacing the normal Tennis sport included in the original Wii Sports is “Table Tennis”, the popular indoor tablesport racquet game that most people simply call “Ping Pong” (where I’m from anyway). Table Tennis plays much as you’d expect it too, basically as a faster paced, more personal, more in-your-face version of tennis. This game is a natural evolution from Tennis because it allows for a new spin on a racquet sport while being different enough to feel like something new for those die-hard players of the original Wii Sports’ Tennis game.

-MATCH-
For: 1 or 2 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. One Wii Remote is required for each player.
Available: From the get-go

Stamps
1. In Your Face – For some reason, you get a Stamp for hitting your opponents face with the ball in single-player mode. Of course, you would never hit them in the face on purpose . . .
2. Back From the Brink – Successfully return a ball that hits the edge of the table and bounces at an unpredictable angle, making it harder to hit. You can only get this Stamp in Single-Player Mode.
3. Epic Rally – Keep up a rally (hitting the ball back and forth without stopping) for 30 hits or more in Single-Player Mode.
4. Perfectly Matched – Draw with your opponent in Single-Player Mode. According to the house rules, a match is declared a draw if neither player can get two points ahead and the score reaches 20-20.
5. Table Titan – Beat the Table Tennis Champion in a match. The current champion quickly surpassed her teacher and has since gone undefeated.

In Match, players serve by tossing the Ball with the A Button then swinging the Wii Remote to hit it and thus start the game. You can perform a backhand swing or a forehand swing depending on how you hold and swing the Wii Remote. You can also twist your wrist to put some spin on the ball, causing it to turn and cut unexpectedly.

My Opinion: Table Tennis is awesome! I love the Match play. The game plays exactly as you’d expect it too, as a faster-paced, close-quarter version of tennis. But the sounds, physics, and speed at which the game is played makes it super fun. Just like the real thing!

-RETURN CHALLENGE-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. You can share one Wii Remote or use a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing a Table Tennis Match.

Stamps
1. 50-Pointer – Get a score of 50 points or more. Once you can do this, you’re well on your way to mastering the art of returns.
2. 100-Pointer – Rack up a score of 100 Points or more. It takes a little effort to get this Stamp, so get in a good rhythm and think fast!
3. 200-Pointer – Rack up 200 Points or more. The mark of a true pro!
4. Recycler – Knock the can off the table with a ball 30 times in one game. You have to really focus!
5. Save Face – Get a score of 100 points or more without the ball ever hitting the server’s face, even if it just takes a bad bounce off of a can. Your opponent will appreciate the effort!

In Return Challenge Mode of Table Tennis, players will try to hit back as many balls tossed at them from their opponents as possible, without knocking the ball off the table or miss hitting it. You rack points for returning balls and can get extra points by knocking over cans placed on the table with your hits. The basic controls are the same as in the Match Mode.

My Opinion: Fun, fun, fun! Just as it sounds, Return Challenge mode is Table Tennis without all the rules! Just hit back as many balls as you can to see how high of a score you can get without a miss! This is a great game to play with friends, trying to one-up each other’s score.

GOLF

Golf is one of the few sports that were carried over from the original Wii Sports and makes an appearance as one of the activities in Wii Sports Resort. The game plays pretty much the same as it did in the original game and has everything you’d expect from a good Golf game. With the extra touch that the Wii MotionPlus adds, of course.

For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically pointing toward the floor with both hands, like a Golf Club. You can share one Wii Remote or use a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: From the get-go

Stamps
1. Under Par – Finish any course under par (in less than the set number of shots for the course). Zero is par, and a score of -1 or less is under par. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
2. Chip In – Get a “chip in” when a Chip Shot, a short shot used to get the ball onto the Green, falls or rolls straight into the Hole. Most Golfers claim they were aiming for the Hole all along . . .
3. King of Clubs – Finish a course at 9 under par, or 9 fewer shots than the preset number of shots for the course. On a Nine-Hole course, that means getting a Birdie on every Hole! You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
4. Ace of Clubs – Finish a course at 18 under par (in 18 fewer shots than the set number of shots for the course). In theory, it’s possible to do this even on a Nine-Hole course. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
5. Hole In One – Hit the ball and sink it into the cup in one amazing shot. In real golf, getting a Hole-in-One is extremely rare, even for seasoned pros.

Golf is a full-fledge Golf game just like in the original Wii Sports. You can play either a Three Hole, Nine Hole or Eighteen Hole game and can choose to play on 7 different courses. Like the real game of Golf, you will choose from different types of Clubs to try and knock the ball to the hole in the fewest number of hits, while taking into account wind resistance, the terrain, etc.

My Opinion: Golf is pretty much the same as in the original Wii Sports just with more options, better graphics, etc. Golf is fun if you like the game of Golf. Not much more to say on this front, but works just as good as it did before, if not better.

BOWLING

Bowling was one of the most popular sports in the original game, so they brought it back for Wii Sports Resort with some great new modes! In Bowling, you hold the Wii Remote vertically and pointed downward. You then press the B Button, make a bowling-ball throwing motion, and release B to let the ball fly down the lane! You can also choose an automatic style where you throw the ball with just the gesture, without having to press B. The rules of the game are exactly the same as the real sport and the physics are even better than before!

-STANDARD GAME-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. You can share one Wii Remote or use a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Stamps
1. Gobble Gobble – Bowl three strikes in a row to get a turkey. Apparently, the term comes from an old custom of giving a turkey to any player who could bowl three strikes in a row. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
2. Split Spare – Complete a Spare after getting a Split on your first throw. A Split is when you knock over the Headpin but leave other pins side by side or standing with an opening, or split, between them.
3. High Roller – Get a score of 200 points or more to receive this Stamp. That means, for example, getting all strikes and spares, with at least one double. Very little margin for error! You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
4. Pin Dropper – Score a Strike or a Spare on every frame (except the third throw of the 10th frame, which doesn’t count). You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
5. Perfect Game – Bowl 12 Strikes in a row! You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.

This is a standard, normal game of Bowling. The goal is to try and knock down as many pins as possible in the least number of throws. Knock them all down to get a Strike, the highest scoring shot. You throw the ball as indicated above, and can put some spin on it by turning your wrist. This will cause the ball to curve. Just make sure you actually keep the ball in the lane and don’t let it go into the gutters on either side, or you’ll miss hitting any pins!

My Opinion: Bowling is just as fun as it was in the original Wii Sports, maybe even more so because of the more accurate controls. The physics in this game are great and Bowliing is a sure-fire crowd pleasure that everyone from casual to hardcore will enjoy.

-100 PIN GAME-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. You can share one Wii Remote or use a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing a Standard Game.

Spares
1. Super Strike – Knock all 100 Pins down with one huge Strike. That domino effect is so satisfying to watch!
2. Split Spare – Complete a Spare after getting a Split on your first throw. A Split is when you knock over the Headpin but leave other pins side by side or standing with an opening, or Split, between them.
3. Off the Wall – Hit the gutter guard once and then get a Strike. Bring your skill . . . or luck!
4. Secret Strike – Word is, there’s a somewhat unusual way to get a Strike. They say it has something to do with the gutter guards . . .
5. Pin Dropper – Score a Strike or Spare on every frame (except the third throw of the 10th frame, which doesn’t count). You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.

100 Pin Game is an extreme variation on standard Bowling in which you try to knock down . . . you guessed it, ONE HUNDRED BOWLING PINS! Instead of a measly 10. The controls are the same as in the Standard Game.

My Opinion: This is the second Activity in Wii Sports Resort that made me go “Wow!”. 100 Pins! This is quite simply an absolutely awesome game and one of the funnest and most impressive to watch. The physics in this are amazing and it’s so awesome to see all those pins falling and the physics involved. It’s even more impressive when you roll a strike! This game is a ball to play with friends and is, in my humble opinion, one of the funnest activities in Wii Sports Resort.

-SPIN CONTROL-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. You can share one Wii Remote or use a Wii Remote for each player.
Available: Unlocked after playing the 100-Pin Game.

Stamp
1. One For All – Knock down at least one pin in every frame. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
2. Split Spare – Complete a Spare after getting a Split on your first throw. A Split is when you knock over the Headpin but leave other pins side by side or standing with an opening, or Split, between them.
3. Head First – Knock down the Headpin in every frame. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
4. English Major – Score 170 points or more without hitting a single barrier. You have to put English (Spin) on the ball to pull it off. You can’t get this Stamp in Team Play.
5. Pin Dropper – Score a Strike or a Spare on every frame

Spin Control is a unique variation on standard Bowling in which you must avoid barriers placed on the lane (some moving, some still) that will try and block your ball from hitting the pins. Controls are the same as in the Standard Game.

My Opinion: This is a totally natural evolution of Bowling into a game that is similar to the normal thing and yet has an interesting spin that both makes it more difficult and . . . more interesting. This mode is fun but it’s simply “more” for those who are into the normal Bowling mode, or for those who want an injection of something funner and more difficult into their normal game. Overall I’m really glad that Nintendo included this mode and it’s a welcome addition.

POWER CRUISING

Power Cruising allows players to ride along the water in a jet ski kind of like in Nintendo’s famous Waverace 64 game. This mode controls uniquely because it asks that you hold the Wii Remote horizontally along with a horizontally held Nunchuck (as if you were gripping handlebars). You then press the B Trigger on the Wii Remote to accelerate and twist either the Wii Remote or Nunchuck to get a speed boost. You can also press A to accelerate. To steer you move or lean the controllers to the left or right.

-SLALOM COURSE-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: Wii Remote and Nunchuck required. You can share or use a set for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Stamps
1. Ringmaster – Go through every single Bonus Ring on one course. It doesn’t matter which course you do it on.
2. 5,000 Pointer – Get a cumulative score of 5,000 points or more overall.
3. Power Cruiser – Score 170 points or more on all courses.
4. Power Jumper – Go through all the Bonus Rings in the final course.
5. Leisure Cruiser – Find all the Time Balloons in one run in Single-Player Free-Cruising Mode. You have to complete the Slalom Course afterwards to get the Stamp. Not available in Multiplayer Mode.

In Slalom’s Course, you can ride around a lake in Free Mode to practice, and then ride through a series of rings on a course in the actual race. Your goal is to make it through the rings with the best time. There are six courses for you to choose from.

My Opinion: Slalom Course is a fun mode and it’s enjoyable to try and make it through the rings, which is easier said than done. I liked this mode and think it’s a nice inclusion and kind of like a mini-Waverace 64.

-VS-
For: 2 Players
Hold: The Wii Remote & Nunchuck horizontally like handlebars. One set required for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Versus is simply the same as above but with you racing another player to see who can get to the goal the fastest.

My Opinion: Pretty much the same as above. Things are always funner with a friend though and this bare-bones racing mode is fun to play with a friend. But won’t keep you busy for too long after once you’ve tried each course. As there’s not much to it.

CANOEING

This unique Activity has players riding in a Canoe that they “paddle” by holding the Wii Remote vertically in an upright position, gripping with both hands and then thrusting it downward to your side as if you were pushing the paddle into the boat and using the water to push you forward. Just like you would in real life. To make the Canoe go in one direction you battle in the opposite. To push the boat forward you must paddle from one side to the other. The quicker you go and the more “clean” your gestures, the faster the boat will go.

-SPEED CHALLENGE-
For: 1 or 4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. One Wii Remote required for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Stamps
1. Beginner License – In Single-Player Mode, get to 200 yd. in the Beginner Level of the Speed Challenge.
2. Intermediate License – Paddle to 300 yd. in the Intermediate level of the Speed Challenge in Single-Player Mode.
3. Expert License – Get to 400 yd. in the Expert level of the Speed Challenge in Single-Player Mode.
4. Ducks in a Row – In Free Practice Mode, find all the stray ducklings on the lake and lead them back to their mother. You have to complete the Speed Challenge afterwards to get the Stamp.
5. Cut the Red Tape – Cut the red tape in all levels. Haven’t seen any red tape yet? Remember that even after getting your license for each difficulty level, you can still paddle farther.

In Speed Challenge, you must use the Wii Remote like a paddle to push your little boat through the lake and to the goal before time runs out. There are three difficulty levels and the course will get more difficult with tighter turns and more objects to avoid on the higher difficulty settings. You can also freely paddle around the Lake in Free Practice Mode before starting the Activity.

My Opinion: This is an interesting game, because you are required to make a gesture that you don’t normally use and the controls of the boat are also unique. This game takes a bit of getting used to but you will get the hang of it after a while. The problem is, there just isn’t a whole lot to this game, and once you’re used to paddling the boat, then there isn’t really much else too it.

-VS-
For: 2-4 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically. One Wii Remote is required for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

In Versus Mode, you want to try and make it past the checkpoints on the course before your opponent does. The first boat to cross five checkpoints first wins. Controls are the same as in Speed Challenge.

My Opinion: As fun as you’d expect it to be. But it doesn’t have much lasting value.

CYCLING

The art of riding a bicycle comes to Wii Sports Resort with Cycling. This sport has you paddling a bicycle by rapidly swinging the Wii Remote and Nunchuck up and down one after the other. However you need to keep an eye on your Mii’s Stamina, which is displayed as Hearts in the upper right hand corner. The faster you gesture, the quicker you will pedal. But be careful because you don’t want to run completely out of stamina. Thus it’s a balancing act. You can also press the B Button to hit the breaks and can recover more hearts by catching the wind coming off your opponents by getting just behind them.

-ROAD RACE-
For: 1 or 2 players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically along with a Nunchuck. Set required for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Stamps
1. Last Gasp – Finish a race when you’re out of breath. We’re not sure this really deserves much in the way of congratulations, but oh well . . .
2. First of Many – Finish a race in 1st place for the first time to get this Stamp. It doesn’t matter which race you do it on.
3. 1-Stage Master – Finish all 1-Stage races in first place.
4. 3-Stage Master – Finish both 3-Stage races in first place.
5. 6-Stage Master – Finish the 6-Stage race in first place. You only have to finish first in the last stage, so you can gradually work your way to the front of the pack.

In this mode, players will race literally all around Wuhu Island through six different paths in three different stages. Using the gesture above, you will pedal the bike as you race other players to the finish line. To turn, you tilt both controllers in the direction you want to go. Your Mii will start sweating if you peddle to hard or fast, and that means it’s time to stop peddling and simply coast. Rest or catch the wind of your opponents to get back your Stamina, represented as Hearts in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. You can also take a leisurely stroll around Wuhu Island without having to worry about opponents in the Free Practice Mode before the race.

My Opinion: I LOVE Cycling! This is one of my favorite activities in Wii Sports Resort. Although you gotta be careful, you’re arms will get tired pretty quickly! This mode has a lot of depth because it is a REAL race around an actual course . . . which allows you to see Wuhu Island up-close and personal in a variety of different ways or paths around the environment. This is one of the prettiest games graphically as well, and it’s fun racing against all 30 of your opponents! It’s challenging enough to pass your opponents and make it to the end while staying on course (and not falling off the ledge), much less actually making first place. This is one of the best games in Wii Sports Resort in my opinion.

-VS-
For: 2 Players
Hold: The Wii Remote vertically with a Nunchuck. Set required for both players.
Available: After playing Road Race Mode.

This game is exactly the same as Road Race, but instead of facing off against computer opponents, you are racing against a friend to see who can come in first the fastest.

My Opinion: There isn’t much to say here, except that things are always funner with a friend rather than against the CPU.

AIR SPORTS

Air Sports is a very interesting Activity in Wii Sports Resort and is the most diverse and different among them. The first is made up of Sky Diving, which is an activity that you partake in upon booting up Wii Sports Resort, except here it serves as an actual game instead of simply part of an intro. Then you have two games that have you flying a plane, and allowing you to see Wuhu Island from an entirely new perspective!

-SKYDIVING-
For: 1 Player
Hold: The Wii Remote horizontally, facing the screen, as if the Wii Remote was a toy plane and you were a kid controlling it.
Available: From the get-go.

Stamps
1. High Five – Catch and link up with 4 other Mii characters and make sure everyone’s face is visible when the camera snaps. Twist the Wii Remote around to get everyone to face the camera.
2. For the Birds – Take a photo with a bird in it. Hawks are often seen flying just above formation altitude. If you’re lucky, a hawk might fly by just as the camera snaps!
3. Friends in High Places – Catch at least 29 Mii characters during your dive, then join them for the final formation and have a picture taken. Even if you catch more than 29 Mii Characters, 30 people is the biggest formation you can get.
4. Camera Shy – Apparently, if you don’t manage to catch anybody on your dive, the photographer will come out from behind the camera for a special shot!
5. 200-Point Dive – Get a score of 200 Points or more! You’ll need to make sure everyone’s face is visible to get the most bonus points.

In Skydiving, players jump out of a plane and fly through the air, heading towards Wuhu Island. While in the air, you need to twist and rotate the Wii Remote to control your falling Mii. Other Mii characters will also be falling with you. Your goal is to link up with them, and then “pose” for the camera by moving the Wii Remote so that you and your new friends are facing forward when the flash goes off. At the end you are rated depending on how many people you linked up with and how many smiling faces are in the photos.

My Opinion: I’m glad that Nintendo decided to offer this as a full Activity instead of just an intro to the game. It’s unique and interesting, although it’s also pretty simple. The game is casual-friendly though and is fun. It’s a welcome addition.

-ISLAND FLYOVER-
For: 1 Player
Hold: The Wii Remote horizontally, facing the screen, as if the Wii Remote was a toy plane and you were a kid controlling it.
Available: From the get-go

Stamps
1. Island Hopper – Visit any Exclamation Point on Wedge Island. Wedge Island is the large island a little way away from the main island, where the Golf Courses are located.
2. Pop Frenzy – Pop 150 Balloons in the course of one flight. This includes Balloons on planes or vehicles and small balloons released from larger ones.
3. Follow That Plane – Follow Miguel’s guide plane around the island for at least three minutes. Watch the smoke trail left by Miguel’s plane. It changes color while you are following him. If you can’t find him, try firing a flare.
4. Wuhu Tour Guide – Collect all the Exclamation Points in the Daytime, Evening and Night. There are 80 locations, with new information for each time of day. That’s 240 Exclamation Points in total!
5. Balloonatic – Pop every White Balloon at all times of day. Once popped, White Balloons will be a different color the next time you play. Balloons on planes or vehicles and small Balloons released from larger ones don’t count for this Stamp.

In Island Flyover, players actually control a plane. You then take to the skies and get to fly over Wuhu Island at your leisure! The plane on-screen will follow the movements of the Wii Remote. You can thrust the Wii Remote forward to get a speed boost or pull back to break. You can also press the A Button to fire your Balloon Blaster and the B Button to cut the engine so that you free fall!. As you fly around the island you will see Exclamation Points which correspond to various Wuhu Island landmarks! Fly directly into one to save it to your records and eventually build up a profile of all the locations on Wuhu Island! There are a three times of day for you to fly in, 80 Exclamation Point Landmarks to find with new information for each of the three times of day, and 8 Awards for you to earn for finding all the Exclamation Points. Once you’re done flying you can see all the Landmarks you’ve found on the Results screen.

My Opinion: This game is awesome! I really like that they included it, it’s a very nice change of pace from the rest of the game and it really cements Wuhu Island as an active “character” in the game by allowing players to not only see the whole island from a whole new perspective (and literally crash into any part of it!) but also to learn about the various locations and “famous landmarks” that the island offers. It’s also fun to just go around and pop balloons!

-DOGFIGHT-
For: 2 Players
Hold: The Wii Remote horizontally from the bottom. A Wii Remote is required for each player.
Available: From the get-go.

Dogfight is a multiplayer version of the Island Flyover game in which you battle your opponent using your Balloon Popper guns to shoot the balloons on your opponents plane. Whoever pops the most balloons in the alloted time wins.

My Opinion: This game is fun but plays like Mario Kart multiplayer light. However it’s still a fine inclusion.

THE VERDICT

Wii Sports Resort is a game that I went into, not expecting to enjoy very much. I was not a big fan of the original and didn’t play that game very much. To Wii Sports was little more than a glorified mini-game collection. And I treated it as such. And while friends were into Wii Sports initially, it was quickly replaced with more substantial titles like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Guitar Hero or various Halo titles. The casuals interest in it only went so far, while the hardcore couldn’t get themselves beyond a point where they could see themselves WANTING to play a mini-game collection for too long.

And while Wii Sports Resort is still really a glorified mini-game collection, this game has much more legs than, more depth, and more variety than its predecessor. The Wii MotionPlus Accessory really makes a difference in having the games feel more “real” and giving you a greater feeling of control. I love a lot of the cool variations that they have on the normal games, like 100-Pin Bowling and Frisbee Golf, two games that really popped out at me as both original, imaginative, and highly creative. As are the Air Sports games. But beyond that though, Wii Sports is just flat-out fun.

There really is something here for everyone, even if you are playing the game without friends. And while the games get repetitive after a while, there is enough meat here to keep you interested. If you get bored, there are a plethora of other games to try. There’s also quite a bit of unlockables, and then you have the Stamp system. The Stamp system is really cool for those people who dig Wii Sports and it is a very welcome inclusion. However I am spoiled on the online-enabled Achievement/Trophy system of the PS3 and Xbox 360, so in some ways it is pointless to earn Stamps when no one else will see them (unless they are playing Wii Sports Resort along with you) and you can’t upload them to an online profile of any kind.

To that end, it bewilders me why Wii Sports Resort is not an online title. I don’t personally have many . . . heck, any friends that are fans of Wii or own the system, thus I am left hung out to try unless they come over and I can convince them to try it out (a rarity, they have other games to play on other systems). For a person like me, online play would’ve made a huge difference, allowing me to play these games with friends or others when they aren’t around. I also think that Nintendo should’ve had an online Leaderboard system where people could compare scores to that of their friends and the world. In this day and age, these seem like glaring omissions. Although sadly, they are par for the course for Nintendo, who is still somewhat reluctant to plunge full-bore into online support. A sad reality. As Wii Sports Resort would’ve been perfect for it. They could’ve even added Wii Speak voice support, which would’ve made the online play that much closer to feeling as if they were in the room with you.

Regardless of those complaints however, it is hard to find fault with Wii Sports Resort. There is a reason that the first game was so popular. Almost all of the games are very easy for casual gamers to get into, and they are even funner to play with friends, assuring that Wii Sports Resort will remain a great party game. There is also more here than initially meets-the-eye, and it will keep you occupied for some time if you intend to get as high as you can level-wise and unlock everything plus earn all the Stamps. That makes Wii Sports Resort a winner, coming from someone who has never been into Wii Sports. A ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.

FUN FACTOR: 9.0
Wii Sports Resort has something for everyone. There are tons of different games to play with some interesting variations on those games, with lots of unlockables and Stamps to earn. It will keep you busy for quite some time and friends will love it.

Graphics: 7.5
This game is hard to rate in the graphics category. This is no Super Mario Galaxy, and the game maintains the kind of minimalistic style of the original. However everything is colorful and some games do pack in some graphical punch, the Air Sports and Cycling games in particular. The physics are also really good, and really stand out in games like Bowling and Frisbee. However the graphical style is sure to turn some people off (hardcore gamers and “macho” guys, I’m looking at you) and the aliazing in this game (read: jagged lines) is horrendous. But that’s often been the case with these kinds of games, so it’s in-keeping with the original Wii Sports.

Music & Sound: 6.5
This game has music? Oh yeah it does. Honestly I hardly payed attention, it really takes a backseat and is more filler than anything. There’s also many mini-games which are music-less or close to it. Sound effects are good, what you’d expect anyway.

Ingenuity: 8.0
Wii Sports Resort is a mini-game collection, but what is included here is very good. I was often surprised at how well-thought some of the games are, and they really take great advantage of the Wii MotionPlus. Some games will have you playing in new ways, and controlling the plane in Air Sports is a hoot. You really do feel like a kid playing with a toy in some ways. Overall I came away a believer. When I went in a skeptic.

Replay Value: 9.0
There is a ton to see and do in Wii Sports Resort, with a lot to unlock and tons of Stamps to earn. Some of which are really difficult. Add multiplayer on top of it and you have quite the package. Online play though would’ve bumped this up to a 10.

NCsoft and ArenaNet recently premiered the first Guild Wars 2 teaser trailer at gamescom in Cologne, Germany. Show attendees were treated to a glimpse of what’s to come in the much anticipated sequel, set 250 years after the original Guild Wars. Thanks to the power of the internet and streaming video, you can enjoy it too!

The teaser trailer reveals some of the world-shaking events that set up the story of Guild Wars 2 and also showcases the game’s fantastic graphics and environments.

Guild Wars 2 is a visually stunning MMO that will offer players the epic grandeur of a massive role playing environment combined with the challenge of world-class player vs. player competition. Building on the success and lessons of Guild Wars, ArenaNet is creating an MMO that lets gamers play the way they want, while at the same time retaining the no-subscription-fee business model that has made the original Guild Wars so popular.

This stunning cinematic teases NCsoft’s MMORPG sequel Guild Wars 2.

I believe the already overly long name “Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized” for the third portable Call of Duty game for the Nintendo DS technically was “Call Of Duty 6: Modern Warfare 2: Mobilized Version”, but we’ll call it CoD: MWMDS for short-ish…

CoD: MWMDS gives you an arsenal of cutting-edge weaponry (none of that old World War II stuff), vehicles and tactics, arming you with precision controls for battle across the world’s most dangerous hotspots. You’ll fight on the ground in intense building-to-building tactical combat, hack into enemy computer terminals, take the controls of military vehicles like Battle Tanks and UAV spy drones, or man the guns of an AC-130 gunship. You can do this alone, in local multi-cartridge multiplayer or in online multiplayer.

See how it looks in the debut trailer for CoD: MWMDS:

From today, at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play WB Games’ Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2 on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2 will be available worldwide for 1200 Microsoft Points (that’s US$15 / €14.40 / £10.20 / CAN$18.60 / AU$19.80).

It’s June 1977, and any day now the passage of the Keene Act will outlaw all masked vigilantes not sanctioned by the government. Rorschach has uncovered a mysterious missing person’s case. Together with the help of Nite Owl, the pair has set out to find the young girl in Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 2. Their search takes them deep into the depraved, sleazy corners of the city, and eventually face-to-face with the mysterious Twilight Lady. The seedy underbelly of New York beckons … will you take the call?

Game features include:

Watch the Watchmen The End Is Nigh Part 2 trailer:

Also available today is 2K Sports’ NBA 2K10 Draft Combine on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360. NBA 2K10 Draft Combine will be available worldwide for 400 Microsoft Points (that’s US$5 / €4.80 / £3.40 / CAN$6.20 / AU$6.60).

Enhance your NBA 2K10 experience with NBA 2K10: Draft Combine, the exclusive game from 2K Sports that allows you to create your own custom NBA player and live the life of an NBA hopeful going through the real NBA Draft Combine in Chicago’s Attack Gym. Improve your game through drills and Draft Combine scrimmages to increase your NBA draft stock, then pick up a copy of NBA 2K10 to find your created player waiting for you in the all-new My Player mode to experience the NBA Draft and begin your path to NBA stardom.

Game features include:

The NBA 2K10 Draft Combine experience trailer:

Additionally, today sees the release of Castle Crashers’ Necromantic downloadable content (160 Points or $2)
Necromantic pack includes: “Two new Characters! — The Necromancer (who’s magic is pure awesome) and The Cult Minion
A new Animal Orb — Dragonhead will bring the heat!
Two new Weapons! — The NG Skull Mace and yes, …the damn Chainsaw.”

Yesterday saw the release of Mass Effect’s Pinnacle Station downloadable content (400 Points or $5)
Pinnacle Station description: “Test the limits of your combat prowess aboard a remote, top-secret Alliance space station. Do you have what it takes to hold the top spot amongst the best of the best? This module includes a new land-able space station, 13 exciting combat scenarios, and approximately 2-3 hours of game play. Required: you must achieve Spectre status before embarking on this mission.”

Deal of the Week is: Lost and Damned (1200 Points or $15)
“This week, Xbox LIVE Gold Members can now save 25% on the Lost and Damned game add-on for GTA IV. Normally 1600 points, Lost and Damned is the latest Deal of the Week at 1200 points.”

The new Xbox 360 Games on Demand are: Burnout Revenge, Need For Speed ProStreet and FIFA 09.

Content: Burnout Revenge
Availability: North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Asia
Description: (Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB) Download the manual for this game by locating the game on http://marketplace.xbox.com and selecting “See Game Manual”. The Burnout experience is all about high-speed, high-intensity aggressive racing action. Introducing Live Revenge, now you can track and taunt players you tussle with on Xbox Live 360. Exclusive to this showcase high-definition version is the ability to save out your wildest Burnout moments and share them online. Be sure to check out ten all new custom designed crash junctions built for your destructive pleasure. Start your engines.

Content: Need For Speed ProStreet
Availability: Not available in Japan
Description: (Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB) Download the manual for this game by locating the game on http://marketplace.xbox.com and selecting “See Game Manual”. Compete at the highest level of street racing with Need for Speed ProStreet. It’s no longer good enough to simply rule your local neighborhood; you need to dominate on a global stage. Build the ultimate battle machine, take it to multi-disciplinary showdowns and pit your skills and reputation against the world’s best street racers. Every dent, every scratch and every crumpled body panel is a battle scar, proof of your commitment and competitive mettle. This is your chance to prove that you have what it takes to be crowned the next Street King. Need for Speed ProStreet is the realization of the raw power, visceral aggression and intense rivalry that embodies street racing culture.

Content: FIFA 09
Availability: Not available in Australia, New Zealand, North America or the U.K.
Description: Download the manual for this game by locating the game on http://marketplace.xbox.com and selecting “See Game Manual”. Experience the revolution of football gaming. FIFA 09 brings you the most believable recreation of football yet seen for videogames blurring the boundaries between the virtual world and real life. Advanced physics and superlative visuals combine to realise the truest expression of the world’s greatest sport.

Last but not least, there are two new demos available: Section 8 Demo and WET Demo.

Funcom has revealed Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer, the first expansion pack for the critically acclaimed, best-selling new MMO of 2008 Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.

Inspired by the rich and colorful cultures of eastern Asia, Rise of the Godslayer will send players on a voyage through the Empire of Khitai where countless hours of more brutal, sexy and savage adventure awaits. Rise of the Godslayer not only introduces a whole new storyline and a vast new world to explore, it also adds new features such as faction gameplay and an alternate advancement system.

Rise of the Godslayer tells the story of an Empire slowly spiraling into chaos, as a consequence of the actions of a young Conan many years ago. After killing the Elephant God in the famous Robert E. Howard story “The Tower of the Elephant”, strange and horrible things have been happening to the Empire of Khitai. As a player you must explore the dark roads of the Empire and walk the path of the Godslayer as you unravel a mature and deep storyline full of brutal conflict and political intrigue.

Players will discover vast new locations in Rise of the Godslayer, such as the far-stretching Northern Grasslands, the deceptively serene Chosain Province and the magnificent Pillars of Heaven. Adventurers will find that the new regions are torn apart by conflict between its inhabitants, and you will be able to take part in these conflicts by joining up with many of the warring factions. Faction gameplay plays a large role in Rise of the Godslayer, presenting the player with choices that earn them both allies and enemies in Khitai. Through questing and adventure players can advance through faction ranks, rewarding them with incredible treasures such as epic new armor and weapons. Players can choose to continue their adventures with existing characters, acquiring new combat abilities and spells through a robust alternate advancement system, or start over again as a Khitan – an all-new culture. No matter what the choice may be, adventurers will find a wealth of new high-level content, but also low-level content in Khitai available immediately after leaving Tortage Island. The expansion also introduces new mounts such as the Tiger, and through adventure players will see them grow from a weak cub into a ferocious fighting companion.

Watch Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer’s debut trailer here.

Maxis, an Electronic Arts studio, announced that Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena will be released in North American on October 6th and internationally on October 9th, 2009.

Built from the ground up exclusively for the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms, Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena (respectively) introduce a new level of action-packed adventure and combat to the critically acclaimed Spore franchise. Available for $49.99 MSRP, Spore Hero is rated E10+ by the ESRB. Spore Hero Arena is available for $29.99 MSRP and is rated E by the ESRB.

Spore Hero delivers the unparalleled creative freedom of Spore in an action-adventure game created exclusively for the Wii. Set in a rich and vibrant 3D world, Spore Hero empowers the player to become the hero as they embark on an epic quest to save their creature’s home planet from destruction. Along this journey, players engage in fun battles, and solve puzzles to collect and unlock more than 250 new creature parts, all with unique abilities. These parts, which can be used to customize creatures in the revolutionary Spore Creature Creator, can change the way creatures will play and fight in the world. Players can also utilize their brawling skills in a dynamic multiplayer mode, where they battle their friends with their own customized creature to become the ‘baddest’ Spore hero around!

Spore Hero Arena catapults players into a galaxy filled with fun and intense arena-based combat. Featuring an all-new story set in the same universe as Spore Hero, Spore Hero Arena takes players on a quest to save planets in their galaxy from an evil force. Throughout the game, players create their own unique gladiator hero creature and guide it from planet to planet as they fight enemy creatures, collect new parts, gain upgrades and unlock special abilities that will benefit their hero. Developed with multiplayer capabilities in mind, Spore Hero Arena also allows players to battle with up to three friends locally or play with a friend over Wi-Fi, taking the Spore gameplay experience to an entirely new and interactive level.

“Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena give Spore and Nintendo fans a new, dynamic and engaging way to interact with their customized creature heroes,” said Lucy Bradshaw, VP and General Manager at Maxis. “Players’ heroes take center stage as both games, distinctly tailor-made for its Nintendo platform, infuse creativity, combat and adventure to create a unique gameplay experience on the Wii and Nintendo DS.”

SEGA Europe and SEGA of America announced Napoleon: Total War, the first in an all-new story driven branch of The Creative Assembly’s multi award winning Total War RTS franchise. Napoleon: Total War’s release date is set for February 2010.

Napoleon: Total War — the sequel to Empire: Total War and the sixth installment in the Total War series — will keep the franchise’s genre-leading 3D battles on land and sea. The turn-based campaign is split into three different story-driven campaigns, telling the story of the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte through his most famous battles.

In Napoleon: Total War, aspiring generals have the chance to play as the legendary French general Napoleon Bonaparte or as one of his opposing factions. Battling through his three biggest military campaigns, the game will take you through Italy and Egypt, narrating the early years of the fearsome commander, while the third campaign will tell the story of his fateful drive towards Moscow and, ultimately, his showdown with the Duke of Wellington at one of the most famous battles of all – The Battle of Waterloo.

Napoleon: Total War expands on the successful Total War series by taking all the features from previous games such as the full 3D land and naval battles, the detailed campaign map, and an in depth diplomacy system and taking them a step further.

Watch the Napoleon: Total War teaser.

“In Napoleon: Total War you get to actually be Napoleon – to face the problems he faced, to win the battles he won, and to build the Empire he built. Or better,” commented Mike Simpson, Creative Director at The Creative Assembly and father of the Total War franchise. “However, the game allows you to step in the shoes of his opposing generals as well, allowing the player to rewrite history as they see fit.”

Guitar Hero is offering Van Halen fans across the USA an unheard of limited time bonus offer for the Xbox 360, Wii, PS2 and PS3 music-rhythm game.

With every purchase of specially marked copies of Guitar Hero 5 during the month of September or by pre-ordering the game, living room legends will be able to rock out with an advance copy of the unreleased Guitar Hero: Van Halen (up to a $60 MSRP value), long before it takes the stage in stores on December 22, 2009.

Rock out to over 130 on-disc tracks in two games on September 1st (#5’s release date) by pre-ordering Guitar Hero 5 now at your local retailer or at Guitar Hero 5’s pre-order page and picking up your copy in September, or by buying specially marked copies of the game at any retailer anytime during the month of September, and take advantage of this limited time offer before October 1st has passed.

Naughty Dog’s community manager has stated that the company still wants to work on Jak and Daxters 7th adventure for the PS3 in the future, but that they are currently too busy finishing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for PS3.

The 6th game in the series, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier for PS2 and PSP, is wrapping up development at High Impact Games. It has a story that takes place between Jak 3 and Jak X.

To quote community manager Arne Meyer:

“We definitely hear a lot from our Jak fans and we’d love to be able to be working on a new Jak product at some point. That might be on the cards.”

When asked by Eurogamer if “product” meant a new PS3 game, he replied:

“We’d like to work on it. Right now, we’re really focused on working through this [the Uncharted] franchise.”

UK’s Ninja Theory, the developers of Sony’s Heavenly Sword, have announced their next original work will be published by Namco Bandai. No doubt an effort by the Japanese company to expand its Western-oriented development.

“With producers from our North American office working closely with such a strong European development studio, we will be able to create a blockbuster title with strong pan-Western sensibilities and appeal for a global gaming audience,” said Makoto Iwai, executive VP and COO of Namco Bandai Games America.

“This new project pushes our core strengths of rich story-telling, cutting-edge technology and exciting gameplay beyond anything we have created before,” added Nina Kristensen, Ninja Theory co-founder.

Unfortunately Namco Bandai refused to even give the brand new intellectual property a tentative name. The only thing that’s known about Ninja Theory’s next project is that it will be a multiplatform release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

At Blizzcon 2009, Blizzard announced the new StarCraft 2 voice cast.

The campaign storyline of StarCraft 2 takes place four years after StarCraft: Brood War, and features the return of a number of characters from the original series like: Zeratul, Arcturus Mengsk, Artanis, Sarah Kerrigan, and Jim Raynor. You’ll also get to revisit StarCraft worlds like: Char, Mar Sara, and Braxis, as well as new worlds like the jungle planet Bel’Shir. The Xel’Naga, the ancient space-faring race responsible for creating the Protoss and the Zerg, play a major role in the story. Maybe we’ll finally get to see and hear them?

StarCraft 2 Terrans: Wings of Liberty has several new and returning voice actors:

Good to see Robert Clotworthy’s character staying faithful with his original Jim Raynor voice. Although change doesn’t have to be a bad thing, with Glynnis Talken’s Sarah Kerrigan voice being replaced by Tricia Helfer, who has previously had videogame roles such as: Kilian Qatar in Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (2007), the voice of Felicia Hardy/Black Cat in Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (2008), and will also voice another upcoming game: Veronica AKA Dare in Halo 3: ODST. Although you most likely know her as Number Six from the Battlestar Galactica sci-fi TV series.

Talking about important voice actors. In this amazing CG trailer, Zeratul visits ancient ruins and finds some old history… So to speak.

Photo taken by Joystiq

Namco Bandai have announced an original adventure game titled Majin: the Fallen Realm for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The title is due for early 2010, most likely February 2010.

From Japanese developer Game Republic, this third-person action adventure follows a young thief and his giant pet rock monster, the titular Majin, on an epic fantasy journey. More specifically, both characters will have to work cooperatively with you controlling the thief and the Majin being AI-controlled. Similar to the cooperative gameplay in games like ICO and The Last Guardian, the art style looks similar to those games as well.

Majin: the Fallen Realm is described as featuring a “new fusion of stealth and action adventure,” with the agile-yet-weak main character and his slow-but-powerful monster sidekick forced to work together to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. Despite that the game promises “perfectly refined stress-free gameplay.”

Watch the announcement trailer for Majin: the Fallen Realm.

Kotaku reports that The game’s executive director, Yoshiki Okamoto, is best known for his work on Street Fighter II and Resident Evil for Capcom. Developer Game Republic we know from past games like Genji and Folklore and the also upcoming movie-based game Clash of the Titans.

Ratchet and Clank are coming back for their October 27th, 2009, release date and they are on a mission to save the future! Concluding the events that began in Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time will answer some of the franchise fans’ biggest questions.

After discovering that lovable robot Clank’s disappearance was engineered by Dr. Nefarious, the Wrench-swinging Ratchet races to save his best friend. Along the way, both will finally uncover the hidden truth behind their origins, and discover their ultimate destinies. As the duo come closer to reuniting, they’ll have to ask themselves the biggest question of all: Do Ratchet and Clank’s destinies lie with each other? Or is it finally time for the universe’s greatest duo to separate for good?

Can the galaxy’s greatest heroes reunite to help Ratchet find his long-lost friend, Clank? Only you can find out with this new chapter in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Watch the “Clank’s Destiny” trailer:

Bandai Namco at its the GamesCom 2009 press briefing announced a video game based on the upcoming Clash of the Titans movie remake. Clash of the Titans: The Video Game (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) release date will fall at the same time as the film, so March 26th, 2010 in most of the world.

The game’s in development at the Japanese company Game Republic (of Genji and Folklore fame). Clash of the Titans is an action-adventure game with hack-and-slash gameplay thrown in. The game will follow the story of the movie, while expanding the universe for play purposes.

According to IGN you can expect to see more than 100 creatures from classic Greek mythology in the game, anything from harpies, minotaurs, wraiths, ogres and dragons to cyclopses.

Sounds very God of War-ish. Considering how amazing the art direction in Folklore was, I think Game Republic can pull off a good movie-based game. At least as long as they can really expand that universe enough with their own imagination.

Ubisoft has announced the fifth iteration of their submarine simulation series with Silent Hunter 5. Developed by Ubisoft Romania, Silent Hunter 5 is the next installment of the best-selling submarine series of all-time and will be available for the PC in early 2010.

Silent Hunter 5 ventures into uncharted territory and takes players behind the periscope of a German U-boat to take on the Allied Forces in famous battles across the vast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. For the first time in the history of the series, players can live the life of a submarine captain from a first-person view and lead a crew in a critical campaign.

Silent Hunter 5’s key features:
• VIEW AS A CAPTAIN: Walk through highly detailed submarines in the new first-person view and access every part of your U-boat.
• BECOME A REAL LEADER: Interact with your crew, watch them perform their daily jobs and experience the tension and fear inside the U-boat through the new advanced order system.
• WAR STRATEGIES: Choose your own strategy and select your targets with a new objective-driven, dynamic campaign.
• ENEMY REACTIONS: Open new locations, upgrades and resupply possibilities, while the Allied ships adjust dynamically to your approach. Your actions will directly impact the evolution of the campaign.
• NEW USER INTERFACE: Prowl the waters with a brand-new user interface. Now, every beginner can successfully command a sub while remaining free of confusion. In expert mode, experienced players will be provided all the necessary information and controls to command the sub completely on their own.
• CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE: Experience the most realistic and immersive Silent Hunter ever created. Improved environment graphics create a powerful level of immersion as you operate authentic, highly detailed U-boats and fight against surface ships.

Watch the Silent Hunter 5 cinematic and in-game trailer:

Silent Hunter is the most award-winning submarine series of all time, with nearly 1.5 million copies sold worldwide. The previous release in the franchise, Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific, made a lasting solid impact on the franchise’s growing fan base after it was released to worldwide critical acclaim, including being named 2007’s “Simulation Game of the Year” by PC Gamer.

The producer on the adorable virtual pet in augmented reality game EyePet, Nicolas Doucet, has announced the release date in Europe is October 23rd, 2009. With a tentative late 2009 still set for America.

EyePet is being developed by Sony Computer Entertainment London Studio. The company announced the title will retail at €49.99 in a pack that includes the PlayStation Eye camera. The camera enables users to interact with a tiny simian friend using objects and friends in the real world. A new trailers (see below the interview) shows the EyePet will react to actions and sounds like hand claps, and interact with virtual objects created by the player. — The game will also be available separate for those who already have a PS Eye.

Five minute video interview with the EyePet producer:

Here’s the newest EyePet “Welcome a Little Magic” trailer:

If that doesn’t warm your heart I don’t know what will. Uber cuteness for the kids or those young at heart!

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