Top Spin Tennis for The Wii From 2K Sports

2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive, announced today it will be releasing Top Spin Tennis for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo. As part of 2K’s critically acclaimed Top Spin franchise, Top Spin Tennis features fun, flawless tennis action and the most real life tennis experience to date for the Wii. Developed by 2K’s Paris studio PAM Development in conjunction with 2K Shanghai, Top Spin Tennis will be available exclusively on the Wii in spring 2008. The intuitive pick-up-and-play action in Top Spin Tennis allows gamers to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers in a way that matches the movements players would make on a real court. The Nunchuk controls the player and aim, while the vibration-enabled Wii Remote hits the ball like a tennis racquet and determines the style of shot ranging from a top spin move to a slice. The Wii Remote also allows players to control the power and the quality of the shot and to serve in many different ways.

The gameplay in Top Spin Tennis will feature an array of modes including singles, doubles, mixed and non-mixed matches, exhibition, tournament and more, with four levels of difficulty and ten international venues. It will also feature more than a dozen licensed tennis stars as well as ten original characters. Up to four players can play Top Spin Tennis using as many as four sets of controllers. To add to the group fun, there are a collection of party games included.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Debuts On Wii In The UK

The final installment to the stellar Metroid Prime series is close on the horizon! Step into the shoes of the legendary bounty hunter, Samus Aran, this time with the most tactile and innovative controls the series has seen to date. Join the battle as Samus’ final epic adventure. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption hits shelves across Europe on 26th October 2007.

Never before has a Metroid game allowed you to feel more in the heat of the action! When players take control of Samus in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, they will experience a whole new style of gameplay through the Wii’s unique controls. Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk attachment, players are able to intuitively aim their weapon by pointing the Wii Remote at the screen, whilst moving Samus around her various destinations with the analogue stick on the Nunchuk.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will not disappoint as it launches only on Wii for an estimated retail price of approximately £35.

Bret Michaels To Appear In Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock

Activision, Inc. today announced that legendary Poison front man and “Rock of Love” star Bret Michaels will appear as a lead vocalist character in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, providing Guitar Heroes the chance to shred with the music icon.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will feature the song “Talk Dirty to Me,” as made famous by Poison, as well as a master track from the Bret Michaels Band, “Go That Far.”

When players shred to either track, an animated replica of Bret Michaels appears as the lead vocalist. Bret Michaels participated in a motion capture session to record his signature moves for the game. With full body, facial and clothing scans, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock developer Neversoft was able to create an authentic in-game character.

“When Activision asked me to do this, I was honored…are you kidding me? This game totally rocks!” said Michaels, star of VH1’s top rated show, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. “I gave them my signature moves, basically did my thing and they captured it. It was really cool.”

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, published by RedOctane and developed by Neversoft, is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and will be available this October.

What System Would You Buy?

Speed Racer As a Movie and Wii Game?!?!

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will launch the Speed Racer videogame based on the upcoming film written and directed by the Wachowski brothers. The game will be available in 2008 on the Wii and Nintendo DS systems along with the Playstation 2 system.

In the Wii and PlayStation 2 system games, players will be able to take on the role of the characters from the film, getting behind the wheels of each character’s signature vehicles to experience firsthand the film’s high-adrenaline, combative racing style. The car-fu style of action within the game will closely represent the action style being designed by the Wachowski brothers for the film itself as they lend direction and assets to the development team directly from their Berlin set. John Gaeta, a long-time Wachowski collaborator and Co-VFX Supervisor on the Speed Racer film, is working with Sidhe and WBIE to assist in maintaining a close film-to-game aesthetic connection.

“Speed Racer is an exceptionally creative property and teamed with the Wachowski brothers’ vision it makes for action-packed racing gameplay,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The game will capture the intensity of the racing in the film to give gamers and movie fans a chance to take the wheel after they experience the film.”

“We are very excited about this natural extension from the Speed Racer film to the videogame. Larry and Andy are videogame fans themselves, so they believe that an interactive game is a key component to the entire Speed Racer experience,” said film producer Joel Silver.

The game’s development for the Wii and PlayStation 2 system platforms is led by the New Zealand-based Sidhe, a game development studio recognized for producing high-quality entertainment titles with world-class creative and software development skills. Developing across console, handheld, and PC, Sidhe has created a range of innovative products including a variety of racing titles.

Written and directed by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta) and produced by Joel Silver, Speed Racer is based on the classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida. A live-action family adventure, Speed Racer follows the young race car driver Speed in his quest for glory on and off the track in his thundering Mach 5. The film will feature other characters that fans of the show will remember, including Speed’s family and his mysterious arch-rival, Racer X. The new high-octane actioner will combine the kind of revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowski brothers’ films, bringing Speed Racer into the 21st century. The film stars Emile Hirsch (”Alpha Dog”) as Speed, Christina Ricci (”Black Snake Moan”) as Trixie and Matthew Fox (TV’s “Lost”) as Racer X as well as Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (”Dead Man Walking”) and John Goodman (”Evan Almighty”) as Mom and Pops Racer.

Wii Virtual Console releases for August 6, 2007

Time for another update of the weekly retro releases on Nintendo’s Wii Virtual Console. Available today from the Wii Shop, an N64 water racer, the quirky Lolo out to save Lala and a retro Galaga remake.

Wave Race 64 (Nintendo® 64, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Take to the waves on your own personal watercraft and experience some of the best water effects in video game history. Choose one of four characters, each with his/her own unique abilities and style, and master the game’s excellent controls. Make your way through nine courses, each with its own challenges. If the ramps, mines and hairpin turns aren’t enough, you’ll also have to deal with varying weather conditions that can make the water choppy or cover the course with fog. And if you ever feel like taking a break from racing, then try out Stunt Mode to polish your skills by pulling off handstands, rolls and more. Get good enough and you might even be able to ride a dolphin-just don’t get seasick.

ADVENTURES OF LOLO (NES, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): This was the first game in the Eggerland puzzle series to be released in North America. After the love of his life, Lala, is kidnapped by the Great Devil and taken to a haunted castle, our hero Lolo sets out to rescue her. The journey is perilous because the Great Devil’s fortress is guarded by a massive army. But Lolo has a few tricks up his sleeve, including a Magic Shot that turns enemies into eggs and an Emerald Framer that shields him from attacks. Combining clever environmental puzzles with tricky enemies and an engaging style, ADVENTURES OF LOLO is a true classic.

GALAGA ‘90 (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): This is an updated version of the classic arcade shooter Galaga. Set in the vast reaches of space, you will fight your way through all 29 rounds to reach the enemies’ stronghold on Planet Galaga. Game levels consist of a few rounds with changing enemies and backgrounds. To top it off, the nostalgic “Galactic Dancing” lives on to mark the end of each level. With the new addition of dimensions, you can choose your attack route. Collect capsules and open dimension warps at branch sections to take on even tougher enemies. GALAGA ’90’s inclusion of the triple fighter, scrolling backgrounds, boss Galaga and even new system effects make it nothing less than a masterpiece.

STAR TREK: Conquest for Holiday 2007 On The Wii

Bethesda Softworks, a ZeniMax Media company, today announced its great looking next STAR TREK videogame, STAR TREK: Conquest, a blend of strategy and intense action set in “The Next Generation” era. Conquest will be available for the Wii from Nintendo.

Players take control of Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Dominion, and Breen forces and lead them in a campaign to control the Galaxy, one planet at a time. Build and manage your growing empire in turn-based strategy, fully utilizing the Wii Remote as you select and maneuver your starships throughout the large, galactic map.

Strategically, you must effectively manage limited resources to expand your empire. You decide how to best achieve objectives by managing your fleets and admirals, building support structures, researching technology, and engaging your enemies in combat. Once battle is initiated, Conquest switches to a ship level tactical view allowing direct command of your ships as you engage in real-time combat. While maneuvering your starship with the Nunchuk, take direct aim and fire away with the Wii Remote.

Conquest has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Scheduled for a simultaneous release this Holiday at an estimated MSRP of $29.99 on the Wii.

U.S. Executed 32 Federal Search Warrants Looking For Wii Mod Chippers

Today U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents executed 32 federal search warrants in 16 states as part of an investigation into the alleged sale and distribution of illegal modification chips for various video game consoles, including Nintendo’s Wiiâ„¢ home video game system. The mod chips designed for the Wii console circumvent the security embedded in the hardware and allow users to play counterfeit Wii software.

This Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigation represents the largest national enforcement action of its kind targeting video game piracy. Nintendo has worked closely with this branch of the Department of Homeland Security, and fully supports its actions and other investigations currently underway.

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe PreView Screenshots

Publisher: Activision, Inc.
Developer: Next Level Games (Xbox 360, Wii, PS2) Artificial Mind & Movement (NDS, PSP) Beenox (PC)
Release Date: Fall 2007
SRP: TBD (Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, NDS, PC)
ESRB Rating: “E10+” (Everyone 10 and older – Cartoon Violence) – Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, NDS, PC
“RP” (Rating Pending) – PSP

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Inspired by the Spider-Man film trilogy and the classic Spider-Man comics, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe challenges players to defeat and then join forces with notorious movie nemeses including Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Venom and Sandman, and embark on an epic quest to overcome a worldwide evil threat. Throughout the game’s original story and thrilling battles, fans control Spider-Man and one of numerous Super Hero or Super Villain sidekicks and master unique fighting moves and styles while switching between characters to execute team combos and defeat foes. For the first time ever in a Spider-Man game, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe features a unique co-op mode in which a friend can join the game at any time and take control of Spider-Man’s sidekick as they battle through the game side-by-side and replay favorite levels.

KEY FEATURES:

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe allows players to choose a sidekick from Spider-Man’s allies – Pick from a long list of Spider-Man’s powerful allies, like Blade and Iron Fist, and swap between the web-slinger and the chosen sidekicks at any time during gameplay. Each sidekick, good or evil, features their own unique attributes and powers that will assist Spider-Man throughout the game’s challenges.

Fight against movie Super Villains and then alongside them in Spider-Man: Friend or Foe – Using an innovative combat system, face off against and defeat some of the Spider-Man movies’ most notorious Super Villains such as Doc Ock, Sandman and Green Goblin, and then convert them to join Spidey’s list of potential sidekicks.

In Spider-Man: Friend or Foe, gamers team up in two-player co-op – A unique co-op mode lets friends join the game at any time and take control of Spider-Man’s sidekick. Playing in two-player co-op mode allows gamers to discover new ways to overcome obstacles and enemies. As players progress through the game, battle arenas are unlocked where raw one-on-one brawling with any Super Hero or Villain can take place at any time.

Come back for more, again and again, with Spider-Man: Friend or Foe – Replay the game or experience Versus mode with a different sidekick and eventually play as Black-Suited Spider-Man (Spidey’s darker, more aggressive persona) featuring unique powers and abilities. Throughout the different worlds, a host of secret areas containing special tokens can be discovered in the first play through, which players can go back and explore at any time. Gamers can also uncover a variety of hidden items scattered throughout the game which unlock collectables, powers and mini-games.

Wii Shop Channel Gets Three New Classic Games 07/23

• Shining Force (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): As soon as we put this post up, the comments will fill with people sharing their love for this tactical RPG, so there’s really no need for us to say that Shining Force is totally awesome. That being said, it’s totally awesome.

• Kirby’s Dream Course (Super NES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): Here’s a note for all you budding psych majors. If your patient’s dream consists of being in some nightmarish form of golf where all the holes are monsters and they’re the ball, they have serious problems.

• Devil’s Crush (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points): Statistically speaking though, the patient dreaming of being a golf ball is probably better off than the one who thinks that he’s forced to play a pinball game that’s controlled by Satan.