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Pokemon Global Link accompanying Black and White versions this Spring

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Score one for region-free gaming, and cloud computing while we’re at it. Some time after Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version release in North America on March 6, 2011 for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo will launch their Pokemon Global Link website. This service allows players to sync their game progress to their Pokemon Trainer Club accounts and access web-only content and communication. Users can communicate with other trainers, meet new Pokemon, and climb the Worldwide Battle Ratings. Included from the start is Pokemon Dream World, where after you tuck your Pokemon into bed by syncing to the service, you can actually enter your pocket monster’s dream, customizing their home and befriending other Pokemon in minigames. Items and Pokemon you find in the dream world can then be transferred back into your game. The Global Battle Union will also be available, allowing players to see how they compare against trainers from around the world, as well as receive invitations to live tournaments as part of the Pokemon Video Game Championship series, even making their way to Pokemon World Championship in San Diego, California this August. A Pokemon Global Trading Station will also come to the service later this year.

While the DS hardware itself is for the most part region-free, not all games from different regions can communicate with each other. This provides a great solution to internationalize the latest entry in the series and bring players from all over the world together. With all of those features, the Global Link seems like a nice set of tools to strengthen the community in a way it previously couldn’t be.

Posted in DS, News | Tagged ,

Conduit 2 delayed, multiplayer modes detailed

Posted on January 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

High Voltage Software’s Conduit 2 has been hit with another delay, pushing the Wii title’s release to April 19. This is Conduit 2’s third delay as it was originally slated for a Fall 2010 release before being pushed back to February 15th and then March 22nd.

The team at High Voltage has pinned this latest delay on the development issues as they want to “continue to balance and enhance the game’s multiplayer,” which they call one of the game’s key features.

To make up for this sad news, the team has released some new details on all 14 multiplayer gametypes:

  • Deathmatch: First player to the kill limit in the time allowed wins!
  • Team Deathmatch: First team to the kill limit in the time allowed wins!
  • Capture the Flag (CTF): Each team tries to capture the ASE (flag) of the other. First team to the capture limit in the time allowed wins!
  • Single Flag CTF: Teams fight over a single centrally-located ASE (flag). First team to the capture limit wins!
  • Free for All CTF: Get to the flag and then carry it back to a random goal location. First to the scoring limit wins!
  • ASE Ball: Longest time holding the ASE wins!
  • Bounty Hunter: Kill your assigned target for points or kill those hunting you for fun. But beware; killing someone who doesn’t fill those roles will cost you points!
  • Shared Stock: Teammates share a pool of lives while trying to get the highest kill count possible.
  • Killing Override: First team to the kill or capture limit wins!
  • VIP: Fight to kill the randomly selected VIP on the opposing team. First team to the point limit wins!
  • ASE Basketball: Each team tries to capture a centrally-located ASE and then carry it into the enemy base. Toss or carry the ASE through the goal to score. First team to the point limit wins!
  • Balloon Battle: Lose balloons with every death. Gain balloons with kills. With no balloon, become a mini bomb! Last player alive wins!
  • Annexation: Teams fight for control over capture points. These totems award points over time. First team to the point limit wins!
  • Power Surge: Teams must defend their own generator while destroying the enemy’s when its shield is down. First team to destroy the generator or the team with the more intact generator wins!
Posted in News | Tagged

Kirby returns to the Wii, DS in 2011

Posted on January 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

Kirby’s Epic Yarn was one of 2010’s biggest surprises. Gamers everywhere loved the patchwork look of the game which had many of them in stitches (pun intended!).

But after a Nitendo investor’s briefing, it appears the company is wasting no time bringing the little puffball back. HAL Laboratory is developing a currently untitled Kirby Adventure game for the Wii that gives Kirby a variety of different hats. A trailer showcasing the side-scrolling gameplay is available at Nintendo Japan’s website, but it’s also available in a larger format on YouTube, which you can watch right here:

As you can see from the trailer, each of the hats gives Kirby a new power including Link’s Cap (which allows Kirby to swing a sword), a flame cap (that calls a dragon) and a cowboy hat (that gives him a lasso).

The trailer is very similar to one that Nintendo released years ago for an untitled Kirby title for the GameCube. Perhaps this game is that game reincarnated?

And on a final Kirby-related note, Nintendo included a new Kirby game for the DS in their quarterly list of upcoming titles, but no other details were revealed.

Posted in News | Tagged , ,

SO ready for SOCOM 4; release date announced

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Ryan Littlefield

The good folks at Zipper Interactive have finally come clean in announcing SOCOM 4‘s release date, after a long wait following the third game (but with the Zipper-less SOCOM: Confrontation and MAG in between). Really? It was released way back in the PS2 days? Well, now the wait is over. SOCOM 4 will be available in the US on April 19th.

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve personally played SOCOM, and I’m unexpectedly excited to get back in on the action. Hopefully everyone else will remember the SOCOM series for the awesomeness that it was, especially after seeing this multiplayer footage:

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged

Daily Scoop: January 28, 2011 – TGIF edition

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Nicole Kline

I don’t think I’ve ever been so grateful to see a Friday. This weather is really dragging me down – not to mention the fact that it takes easily twice as long to get anywhere or do anything once you leave the house. But the good news is, Global Game Jam begins tonight! Woo!

Today’s Amazon Deal of the Day in video games is the PS3 Move Battle Rifle by Icon. While I don’t really understand plastic add-ons for motion controllers, this has to be on someone’s wish list. Get it today for just $20.99 down from $29.99, and help satiate that special someone’s desire to squelch their imagination as much as possible.

On an excellent note, today’s Tee Fury t-shirt is affectionately entitled “Gotta Trap ‘Em All” and is a delightful mash-up of Ghostbusters and Pokemon.

When you’re serious about catching them all, you have to come prepared for anything!

Posted in Daily Scoop |

Sony Computer Entertainment introduces ‘PlayStation Suite’ on Android

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Last night was a pretty insane time for gaming as Sony unveiled the next-generation successor to the PSP, codenamed NGP. But before Kaz Hirai got into details of their powerful new handheld, PlayStation Suite for Android smartphones and tablets was announced. This is a content delivery service in which devices running Android 2.3 or higher will be able to experience “PlayStation quality” titles. To maintain the good will of the brand, the “PlayStation Certified” program will provide development support and licensing. The service is set to launch within the calendar year, and although no formal lineup has been announced, PlayStation oldies like Cool Boarders 2 and Medieval were spotted at the conference last night. It looks like PlayStation-style buttons appear on the touch screen and players control the games that way.

Despite the ever-increasing relevance of Apple and its iOS in the gaming industry, many have complained about the lack of depth thus far seen on smartphones. Hopefully this service will bring more substance to the market. In addition, SCE’s own touch device, the NGP, will also support PlayStation Suite titles. So you can have PlayStation Suite on your PlayStation… sweet!

Posted in News | Tagged

Heavy Rain movie announced

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

David Milch, creator and producer of shows like “NYPD Blue” and “Deadwood”, has signed on to adapt Heavy Rain into a film. Bob Shay and Michael Lynne, who purchased the film rights last May, are set to produce under their Unique Features company, through a deal with Warner Bros. Shay commented “David Milch’s incredible ability to transform intense and complex storylines into gripping, popular drama makes him the perfect partner for us to have on Heavy Rain.” Milch will begin writing the script soon after his team finishes up working on the first season of “Luck,” a new HBO series.

Heavy Rain was notable last year for telling a more mature story than most games are used to, without relying on gratuitous elements like killing 1,000 henchmen over the course of ten hours. From the beginning, creator David Cage stated his aim was to make the rest of the entertainment world take games more seriously. Having big names on the project for the film version, you could argue Cage did just that. Unfortunately, Prince of Persia also had great talent attached to it and was still poorly received. Heavy Rain was one of the most experimental big-budget games over the last few years, so let’s hope this one doesn’t get messed up.

Posted in Etcetera, News, PS3 | Tagged

Anarchy Reigns on North America this Fall

Posted on January 27, 2011 by John Scalzo

One day after its Famitsu premiere, Sega has revealed that Platinum Games’ Max Anarchy will be coming to America as Anarchy Reigns. The PS3 and Xbox 360 brawler is scheduled for a Fall 2011 release.

Platinum Games has promised to turn the beat ’em up on its head with Anarchy Reigns. The game will be built around multiplayer with a boatload of different modes including Tag Team battles and Battle Royal. After looking at the game’s first screenshots (which are available after the break), it would be easy to assume that Anarchy Reigns is a colorized version of the developer’s MadWorld. And seeing as how both games star Jack, a chainsaw-wielding beast of a man, that’s an obvious leap to take. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged