– Called Pop+ Solo
– Has modes from WiiWare/iPhone versions
– Has new elements including Adventure mode (with boss fights)
– Badges are in the game
– Fan-inspired Bonus Round games, “Chill” mode returns, customizable mode tools
– Will cost 500 points
– Training Mode has been revamped
– Adventure mode has flow-fluctuating water jets, sea-mines
– Will encounter boss fights after going through several waves
– Bosses include a squid and a starfish
– Five game variations planned for Bonus Rounds
– Solo has lots of options
– Can create own custom game types in Challenges mode
– Launching April 5
Reserve before March 17th and receive three free monthsof access to TrackMania United Forever for PC
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12, 2009 – Atlus U.S.A., Inc. and Focus Home Interactive today unveiled a special, limited pre-order bonus for TrackMania DS, available exclusively at Amazon.com. Fans who choose to reserve their copy prior to the game’s March 17th release will be provided with a free 3-month trial for TrackMania United Forever, the fully-loaded PC version of the long-running racing series. Join over three million users worldwide in the most exciting and creative PC online racing community.
“One of the most critically-acclaimed racing series in the world, TrackMania has consistently delivered an exhilarating racing experience,” said Tim Pivnicny, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Atlus. “Regardless of whether it’s on the PC or Nintendo DS, the name of the game is high-flying stunts, fast-paced racing action, and the unique ability to create, share, and race on custom race tracks. We’re happy to be able to spread the appeal and awareness of this franchise by offering customers who pre-order a copy of TrackMania DS at Amazon.com the ability to play the worldwide hit TrackMania United Forever free for three months.”
Feisty Tennis Champion Makes Videogame Debut
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – March 12, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that tennis legend John McEnroe will headline a roster of some of the sport’s all-time greats to be featured in EA SPORTS™ Grand Slam® Tennis. An enigmatic personality both on and off the court, McEnroe will make his videogame debut in EA’s new tennis franchise. The game is being developed under the EA SPORTS brand by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. It will be available first for the Wii™ and ships to North American retailers on June 16th, 2009.“It’s great that EA SPORTS has embraced tennis into its family of games. I think it’s a solid sign the sport is thriving and I hope it will continue to generate more interest and excitement in tennis,” said McEnroe. “Having Wimbledon exclusive to this game is huge because Wimbledon is such a special tournament, for the entire sport of tennis and for me personally.”
Believe it or not, there are some schools in Japan that actually require their students to own a Nintendo DS. It is being reported that the school board in Osaka will be start distributing systems to ten or so elementary schools in January. Plans are in motion to use the DS as a learning tool.
When you think about it, the DS has a wide variety of software to help people learn. There are plenty of titles that will help you to learn languages, read books, and brush up on academics. While it does seem odd that students will be required to have DSs, this does give a pretty good idea of just how much Nintendo’s impact has spread outside of traditional gaming.
Thanks to Jake for the news tip.
Though president of digital media for Lionsgate Curt Marvis does not have much evidence to back up his claims, he believes that the Wii movie streaming service will “be a big marketplace for digital distribution.”
Marvis is also predicting that streaming movies on Wii will be on the way this year.
“The thing that is clearly a force in digital are the game devices. I think when we see the Wii come into the market with the ability to stream movies, which I think is maybe going to happen as soon as this year, I think that’s going to be a big marketplace for digital distribution.”
– 1 button to break
– 2 for gas
– Hold down control pad for continuous boost
– Pressing control pad too long can cause bot to overheat and slowdown
– Tilt Wiimote in quick seesaw motions to make bot go faster when it’s running on two legs
– Can play with the Wii Wheel
– There is a difference in how the bots handle compared to the trucks from Excite Truck
“We wanted to find a way for a wider audience to enjoy mind-boggling action without having to worry about the difficulty of controlling the bots. When we worked on Excite Truck, we thought that steering the trucks was very easy and that everyone would be able eto play the game with ease. But some of our fans thought that it was difficult to control the trucks, or that it took some time to get used to. Based on this feedback, we were able to create something that allowed everyone to experience ths ame thrill but with even greater control. Overall, controlling the vehicle is much more intuitive and easier to handle, and the tilting and steering of the Wii Remote translates seamlessly to the movements of the vehicle. We also think that the Turbo is more straightforward than in Excite Truck. When we go back and play Excite Truck these days, we are surprised with how challenging it is.” – Hiro Yamada, Supervisor at Nintendo and Richard Garcia, Team Lead and President of Monster Games
