Gaming – Page 8 – ÜberSciFiGeek

Nintendo Adds Even More Value with Additional “Nintendo Selects” Games

Consumers and their families soon will be able to experience even more must-play games for the Wii system at an excellent value. Nintendo has announced the addition of four games to the Nintendo Selects collection, a hot-selling series of fun, family-friendly Wii games offered at a suggested retail price of $19.99 each. Starting August 28, the Nintendo Selects lineup grows to include Super Paper Mario, Mario Strikers Charged, Punch-Out!! and Super Mario Galaxy, which is recognized as one of the most acclaimed Wii games of all time.

Already enjoyed by millions of players around the globe, games in the Nintendo Selects collection offer boundless fun at an enticing price for Wii users of any experience level, whether they want to expand their own game libraries or find affordable, fun-packed gifts for loved ones. The Wii console, which comes bundled with the Mario Kart Wii game and the Wii Wheel accessory, delivers extraordinary entertainment value for families and is available for a suggested retail price of $149.99.

Three of the four new additions to the Nintendo Selects collection invite players to interact with Nintendo’s iconic Mario character in imaginative and entertaining ways: Super Mario Galaxy is an out-of-this-world adventure in which Mario must travel through outer space to rescue Princess Peach from the devious Bowser; Super Paper Mario offers classic Mario RPG action that can be switched from flat 2D worlds to a full open-world perspective; and Mario Strikers Charged finds the Mushroom Kingdom crew storming the soccer field for fast-paced athletic kicks. Also, the fan-favorite Punch-Out!! game delivers motion-controlled boxing thrills with a host of memorable characters. All four games feature multiplayer modes that let friends and family members have fun together.

Previously announced games in the Nintendo Selects collection include The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Mario Super Sluggers and Wii Sports.

For more information about the Nintendo Selects game collection, visit nintendo.com/wii/console/nintendoselects.

J!NX: Free Shipping for Orders $45+

from J!NX:

Minecraft and Team Mojang are still going. Minecon was recently announced, and 10’s of thousands continue to jump on the Minecraft bandwagon daily. We at JINX want to continue doing our part to support the indie gaming phenomenon, and are pleased to bring you our third wave of the collection. This time around, we’re bringing you a whole slew (yes, a slew!) of goodies in addition to some cool new tees. We’ve got 6 stickers and the ever-coveted cardboard Steve Head. We also have a poster adapted from the infamous mural at Mojang HQ. And by overwhelmingly popular demand, we’ve released our Creeper Inside design on a sleek pullover hoodie. Oh, wait, is that a glow-in-the-dark Creeper on that Run Away shirt? Why, yes it is!

Free Shipping on orders $45+
Use Promotion Code: LIGHTSOUT
This offer expires Monday, August 22, 2011 at 11:59PM PDT, so don’t wait!
*can’t be combined with any other offers, sale prices, or discounts

J!NX: Diggin’ Some Minecraft

from J!NX:

Minecraft Retro Creeper Premium Tee
Minecraft Retro Creeper Women’s Tee

Minecraft Run Away! Premium Tee
Minecraft Run Away! Women’s Tee

I Brake For Porkchop Sticker
Creeper Face Sticker
Creeper Inside Sticker
Creeper SSSsss Sticker
Dirt Block Sticker
Minecraft Logo Sticker

Creeper Inside Hoodie

Steve Head
Minecraft Poster

High Fantasy and True Love Come to Life in “Ico: Castle in the Mist”, New from VIZ Media’s Haikasoru Imprint

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, will publish author Miyuki Miyabe’s imaginative fantasy novel Ico: Castle in the Mist, on August 16th. The new book will be published by the company’s Haikasoru imprint and will carry an MSRP of $15.99 U.S. / $18.99 CAN.

A boy with horns, marked for death; A girl who sleeps in a cage of iron.

The Castle of the Mist calls for its sacrifice: a horned child, born once a generation. When, on a single night in his thirteenth year, Ico’s horns grow long and curved, he knows his time has come. But why does the Castle of the Mist demand this offering, and can the castle keep Ico’s destiny from intertwining with that of the girl imprisoned within its walls?

“Ico: Castle in the Mist first appeared as a popular videogame for the PlayStation 2 and will soon to be re-mastered in high-definition for the PlayStation 3,” says Nick Mamatas, Haikasoru’s Editor. “Award winning author Miyuki Miyabe was inspired by the game’s atmosphere and expands the story in her novel, creating a whole world for readers to explore. Delve into the mysteries of this talented author’s grand achievement of imagination in this new release from Haikasoru!”

Author Miyuki Miyabe’s first novel was published in 1987, and since then she has become one of Japan’s most popular and best-selling authors. Miyabe’s novel, Brave Story (also published in North America in 2007 by VIZ Media and Haikasoru), won The Batchelder Award for Best Children’s Book in Translation from the American Library Association. Ico: Castle in the Mist is her seventh novel to be translated into English.

For more information on Ico: Castle in the Mist and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit haikasoru.com.

J!NX: Day[9] Collection

from J!NX:

Sean “Day[9]” Plott has become renowned throughout the gaming world for his gaming prowess, particulary in the realm of a certain space-based RTS. His genius lies not just with the most brilliant of strategies for the game, but also in an uncanny ability to shoutcast matches like no other. Plus, once you get to know the guy, he’s pretty damn funny, and you can’t hate on a funny dude. Our oft-times inappropriate admiration for the gentleman inspired us to bring forth the official Day[9] collection, with the blessing of Mr. Plott himself.

DAY[9] Logo Premium Tee
DAY[9] Grunge Premium Tee
DAY[9] Logo LIMITED EDITION T-Shirt

10% off all products
Use Promotion Code: NINEDAYS
This offer expires Monday, August 08, 2011 at 11:59PM PDT, so don’t wait!
*can’t be combined with any other offers, sale prices, or discounts

The Guild Season 5, Episode 1: “Road Trip”

from The Guild:

Season 5 is here! Episode 1, “Road Trip!” is now available on the web via MSN and Bing. For Xbox and Zune users, you can get the episode here, and there’s a handy video to help you find it on your Xbox Live dashboard (in the US). The Guildies head to the gaming convention but find the road a bit… bumpy.

With locations in four cities, 75 speaking roles and 263 extras, season 5 is the most ambitious season yet. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment here, or connecting with us via Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+. Yes, that’s a stack of Munchkin games you see Zaboo with. We recently announced that a Guild booster pack will be coming from Steve Jackson Games — w00t!

NOTE: This year, episodes will release to Xbox Live on Tuesdays and to the web via MSN on Thursdays.

Nintendo 3DS Price Drops to $169.99 for Great Value with New 3D Games

from Nintendo of Canada:

Nintendo of America today announced plans to drop the suggested retail price of its portable Nintendo 3DS system to $169.99 in North America, as new games based on some of the world’s most beloved video game franchises head to the system. The new price, down from the suggested launch price of $249.99 and effective August 12, makes an outstanding value even better and sets up a strong holiday season for the system.

“For anyone who was on the fence about buying a Nintendo 3DS, this is a huge motivation to buy now,” said Nintendo of America President, Reggie Fils-Aime. “We are giving shoppers every incentive to pick up a Nintendo 3DS, from an amazing new price to a rapid-fire succession of great games.”

Nintendo 3DS has the strongest software lineup of any video game system this holiday season and the new price now opens up the glasses-free 3D experience to many more consumers. Building on the popularity of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, which launched June 19, the upcoming game calendar is a Who’s Who of iconic video game franchises. Star Fox 64 3D arrives on September 9, followed by Super Mario 3D Land in November, Mario Kart 7 in December and Kid Icarus: Uprising during the holiday season.

In addition to great games, Nintendo 3DS has a host of attractive features* that make it the must-have video game system this season:

* The new Nintendo Video service automatically delivers short 3D videos from the worlds of music, comedy, animation and Hollywood.
* A free application allows Netflix members with unlimited streaming plans to instantly watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix.
* The Nintendo eShop is a digital store for Nintendo 3DS owners that provides access to a wide variety of downloadable content, such as original 3D software, classic games that have been re-mastered in 3D called 3D Classics, Game Boy and Game Boy Color “Virtual Console” games in their original 2D glory, and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare games. Visitors can also view video game trailers, screen shots and product information for games, including those available at retail locations.

Since Nintendo 3DS launched in North America on March 27, nearly 900,000 people in North America have purchased one to enjoy 3D visuals without the need for special glasses. These Nintendo 3DS owners represent some of Nintendo’s most loyal customers, and Nintendo is rewarding them for getting in on the action early with 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop.

These free games are available to anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS system and uses a wireless broadband Internet signal to connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on August 11. These users will automatically be registered in the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program. The program contains two elements:

1. Starting September 1, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES Virtual Console games at no charge and before they are available in the Nintendo eShop to the general public. These games, including Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong Jr., Balloon Fight, Ice Climber and The Legend of Zelda, are slated to become paid downloadable games, but Ambassadors get them early for free. Once the paid versions of the games are posted to the Nintendo eShop later in the year, the updated versions will be available to Ambassadors for download at no cost.
2. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Metroid Fusion, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.

More details about this program will be announced in the future.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit nintendo.com/3ds.

*Some features require a broadband Internet connection.

J!NX: Raiding Beverage of Choice

from J!NX:

It’s 9pm. You just wiped for the 17th time on Marl’brolo the Defibrillator because the wizards forgot to spellshield the raid healers — again. There are three hours left in the raid, the main tank just ninja-logged because his prepaid card expired, and his backup is wearing DPS gear. Time to reach for a lukewarm Dungeon Ale: because at this point, you just want the hurting to stop.

Raider’s Dungeon Ale Premium Tee
Raider’s Dungeon Ale T-Shirt

Save 10% when you spend $40+

Use Promotion Code: RAIDERS
This offer expires Monday, August 01, 2011 at 11:59PM PDT, so don’t wait!
*can’t be combined with any other offers, sale prices, or discounts

UBISOFT ® Acquires OWLIENT and HOWRSE Brand, Strengthening its Free-to-Play Expertise and Portfolio

From Ubisoft:

Today, Ubisoft announced the acquisition of free-to-play game developer Owlient. The team at Owlient has extensive expertise in the management of online game-playing communities, and their Howrse brand has almost two million monthly active users.

Founded in Paris in 2005, Owlient and their 40 team members is a forerunner in creating free to-play games. The company set itself apart for its ability to develop the expertise and technology necessary to manage and entertain an online game community.

“We are thrilled to welcome the talented team at Owlient to Ubisoft. Over the last five years they have developed an architecture dedicated to delivering and monetizing games as a service, as well as the skills of attracting and retaining online communities,” said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “This acquisition is the next step in the acceleration of Ubisoft’s free-to-play strategy following last year’s launch of Settlers Online, CSI Crime City and Heroes Kingdoms, as well as the recent beta launch of our ambitious title Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online.”

“Joining the Ubisoft team will allow us to accelerate our international business and to expand our expertise and our games to new platforms. It also lets us integrate our proven online services architecture with Ubisoft’s so that we can help grow their brands online,” affirmed Olivier Issaly, chief executive officer of Owlient. “We are proud of what our team has accomplished and confident that joining Ubisoft will allow us to continue that success. We’d also like to thank our shareholder Innovacom, who has accompanied the Owlient team over the years as we developed.”

Following acquisitions of Massive Entertainment, Nadeo and Quazal, Owlient represents the continuation of Ubisoft’s focus on expanding its online expertise and infrastructure in order to expand its portfolio using new online business models. The recent launch of AAA project Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online in closed beta, the enthusiasm of the TrackMania community, the success of The Settlers Online in Germany and the Uplay online services platform are the most recent realizations of this strategy.

Previous Ubisoft acquisitions in the online segment:

November 2008: acquisition of Massive Entertainment, renowned for their specialty in creating multiplayer games. Massive is collaborating on or responsible for the development of several ambitious unannounced projects.
October 2009: acquisition of Nadeo, creator of cult hit multiplayer driving game, TrackMania. TrackMania 2 Canyon and ManiaPlanet will be launched in 2011.
November 2010: acquisition of Quazal, a leader in the creation of online technical solutions. Assassin’s Creed implements Quazal technology for its multiplayer mode, which received the Game Critics Award for “Best Online Game” at E3 2010.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close inUbisoft’s second quarter of fiscal 2012.

The Guild at Comic-Con 2011

from The Guild:

We’re pleased to announce our schedule for 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, which will include a panel on Saturday and signings every day at our booth, #4201. The entire cast will be in attendance and all of the schedule signings will include them. In addition, we’ve listed the times for the Dragon Age: Redemption and Eureka panels, both of which feature Felicia Day.

Bookmark this page, we’ll update it with other Guild-related events if they are added, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for late-breaking updates.

Wednesday, July 20
6 – 8 pm: Signing at booth #4201

Thursday, July 21
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm: PANEL, The Evolution of Web Series: The Guild to Dragon Age. Room 7AB

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Signing at booth #4201

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Signing at booth #4201

Friday, July 22
11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Signing at booth #4201

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: PANEL, Eureka. Ballroom 20

4:30 pm – 6:30 pm: Signing at booth #4201

Saturday, July 23
10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Signing at booth #4201

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Signing at booth #4201

4:00 – 5:00 pm: PANEL, The Guild. Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront

Sunday, July 24
11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Signing at booth #4201

photo by The One True b!X

Dragon Age: Redemption Web Series Panel Featuring Felicia Day at Comic Con

from The Guild:

We’re pleased to announce a Comic-Con panel for the upcoming Dragon Age: Redemption web series on Thursday, July 21 from 11am – 12 noon in Room 7AB.

The Evolution of Web Series: The Guild to Dragon Age— Writer/actor Felicia Day (The Guild), actor Doug Jones (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth), Dragon Age: Redemption director Peter Winther (Leverage), and Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah discuss the secrets to The Guild‘s success and what happens when you take that winning formula to the dark fantasy video game universe, Dragon Age, for the upcoming web series Redemption. Room 7AB

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D” Brings a New Dimension to a Timeless Classic on Nintendo 3DS

from Nintendo of Canada:

The 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda video game series goes into high gear with the June 19 launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D game. Available exclusively for the portable Nintendo 3DS system, the new game introduces a fully re-mastered version of one of the most acclaimed installments in Nintendo’s fan-favorite The Legend of Zelda game series. Combining adventurous game play and classic story elements with enhanced graphics and previously unavailable challenges, this new edition also highlights the deep, engaging experiences made possible by Nintendo 3DS with intuitive hand-held motion controls and the ability to play in 3D without the need for special glasses.

Experienced fans and newcomers alike will have plenty to discover in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D as they guide the heroic Link on an adventure through Hyrule, where they will encounter vividly enhanced characters and environments. The new touch-screen interface makes it simple to navigate menus and switch between items, while new motion controls allow players to swiftly and accurately aim their weapons when targeting in first-person view. After completing the main game, players will also have access to the additional Master Quest that provides even more challenges with redesigned dungeons, more challenging enemies and environments that are experienced in reverse.

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is the definitive version of a game that is an indelible part of entertainment history,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “This is a game for every fan of the series, from those who grew up on Link’s adventures to the new generation of players who are just starting to create their own magical memories in the mythical land of Hyrule.”

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D introduces new content that is exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS version of the game. After players have defeated a boss, they can replay the battle again in Boss Challenge mode and try to improve their completion time. When they have defeated all eight of the game’s bosses, they can face them all in succession under an action-packed timed run. At select access points in the game, players can also watch special hint movies that provide clues to help solve tricky puzzles and defeat challenging enemies.

The original The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launched for the Nintendo 64 system in 1998. Earning widespread praise from fans and critics alike, it currently holds a Metacritic.com score of 99. Since 1986, The Legend of Zelda game series has sold more than 62 million units worldwide.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit nintendo.com/3ds.

For more information about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, visit zelda.com/ocarina3d.