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[I've never heard of this TV show.]

501

TalkBack / ¡Mucha Lucha! Heads to GBA

« on: November 18, 2003, 04:01:38 PM »

I've never heard of this TV show.

Ubisoft Announces  "¡Mucha Lucha!(tm): Mascaritas of the Lost Code"  has shipped on the Game® Boy Advance

 

Get ready to enter the ring at the  Foremost World Renowned International School of Lucha

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 18, 2003 - "Honor, Family, Tradition...and Donuts!" Ubisoft announces that "¡Mucha Lucha!: Mascaritas of the Lost Code" has shipped on the Game® Boy Advance.  Based on the hugely popular Warner Bros. Animation series airing on Kids' WB!, "¡Mucha Lucha!: Mascaritas of the Lost Code" places gamers into the wild, colorful world of "¡Mucha Lucha!" and is set in The Foremost World-Renowned International School of Lucha.  

 

Players will wrestle their way through a wacky adventure infused with the creative art style and hilarious characters - including Rikochet, Buena Girl and The Flea - that live within the "¡Mucha Lucha!" world.  "¡Mucha Lucha!: Mascaritas of the Lost Code" for the Game Boy Advance showcases the three mascaritas  (little masked ones) in over-the-top action, episode-style level design, and awe-inspiring wrestling signature moves as they fight to win back the Code of Masked Wrestling!

 

Storyline
While in the care of Rikochet, Buena Girl and The Flea, the official "Code of Masked Wrestling" has been stolen from the main office of the School of Lucha.  The three mascaritas must find the book or be expelled! The quest to retrieve the book leads them to bizarre landscapes and to a final encounter with the dreaded El Dolor de Kurtz, the evil leader of room 207.

 

About the Game

Developed by Digital Eclipse Software, Inc., the game enables the player to play as all three of the mascaritas; Rikochet, Buena Girl and The Flea.  Each character has their own signature move, but the other amigos can really help in a challenge when the player tags them in.  Other game features include:

12 colorful and wacky levels including the School of Lucha, Backpack Valley, and Gerbil Jorge's Masked World of Lucha Fun and Wrestletainment.  

Four rivals from the show, including Potato Patata Jr., Cindy Slam, and El Dolor de Kurtz, to be brought down in the wrestling ring.  

Over 15 moves per character, such as Buena Girl's Buena Bulldozer of Truth, and an unlockable move.

 

"¡Mucha Lucha!: Mascaritas of the Lost Code" has an ESRB rating of "E" for Everyone and will have a suggested retail price of $29.99.

 

What is Lucha Libre?

First conceived in the 1930s, Lucha Libre, the theatrical style of Mexican pro masked wrestling, was the inspiration for the "¡Mucha Lucha!" animated series.  Very popular in Mexico and Latin America, Lucha Libre matches are enjoyed by entire families, and the appeal has since broadened into the United States.  

[Another great classic game collection, all on a shiny little disc.]

502

TalkBack / Midway Arcade Treasures Ships to Stores

« on: November 18, 2003, 03:54:15 PM »

Another great classic game collection, all on a shiny little disc.

MIDWAY BRINGS BACK THE OLD SCHOOL WITH MIDWAY(R) ARCADE TREASURES(TM)

  Midway Arcade Treasures Delivers More Than 20 Classic Arcade Games Including  All-Time Favorites Like Spy Hunter(R), Defender(R), Gauntlet(R) and Joust(R)

  CHICAGO -November 18, 2003 - Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading software industry publisher and developer, announced today that Midway Arcade Treasures, the first next-generation console offering of more than 20 classic arcade games, has today shipped for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system.  Midway Arcade Treasures is scheduled to ship on November 24, 2003 for the Xbox(R) video game system from Microsoft and on December 17, 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube(TM).  All three products will carry a suggested retail price of $19.95.

  Midway Arcade Treasures features hundreds of hours of classic gameplay action from all-time arcade favorites including the fast-paced action of SpyHunter, the multiplayer collaboration of Gauntlet, the space-age adventure of Defender and the dueling combat of Joust, just to name a few.

  "Midway Arcade Treasures gives gamers over 20 of the best-known arcade titles of all time, plus great behind-the-scenes material, all for a terrific price," said Mark Beaumont, senior vice president - entertainment, Midway.  "Anyone who ever played an arcade game will want this in their collection."

  With Midway Arcade Treasures, gamers will have the option of enjoying their favorite titles in either one-player or two-player game formats. The DVD content in the game features a history of many of the classic arcade hits and interviews with creators and developers of the games.

 

Midway Arcade Treasures Games Include: * Jam-Packed Entertainment - More Than 20 Great Arcade Games Including:
o SpyHunter
o DefenderII
o Gauntlet
o Joust
o Paperboy(R)
o Rampage(R)
o Marble Madness(R)
o Robotron: 2084(R)
o Smash TV(TM)
o Joust 2
o Rampart(R)
o Blaster(R)
o Sinistar(R)
o Super Sprint(TM)
o 720° (R)
o Toobin'(R)
o KLAX(R)
o SPLAT!(TM)
o Satan's Hollow(TM)
o Vindicators(TM)
o Bubbles(R)
o RoadBlasters(TM)

  * Nonstop Action - Hundreds of hours of classic gameplay action
* DVD Content - Creator and developer interviews and game histories
* Multiplayer Gameplay - One-player to four-player gameplay
* Xbox Live - Post high scores and see who is truly the best

Midway Games Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment software.  Midway videogames are available for play on all major videogame platforms including the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube(TM) and Game Boy(R) Advance.

  For more information about Midway Games visit www.midway.com.

[Atlus and Spumco (of Ren & Stimpy fame) bring a wacky new skateboarding game to GameCube.]

503

TalkBack / Go! Go! Hypergrind Now Available

« on: November 18, 2003, 03:48:28 PM »

Atlus and Spumco (of Ren & Stimpy fame) bring a wacky new skateboarding game to GameCube.

ATLUS U.S.A., INC. SHIPS GO! GO! HYPERGRIND TO RETAILERS NATIONWIDE

  THE CRAZIEST FUNKTASTIC SKATEBOARDING GAME EVER TO HIT THE NINTENDO GAMECUBE  

Irvine, CA, November 18, 2003 - Atlus U.S.A., Inc., a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, today announced that it has shipped Go! Go! Hypergrind to retailers nationwide. Go! Go! Hypergrind is being developed by the newly-formed Team Poponchi at Atlus Japan in conjunction with Spumco, the creators of The Ren & Stimpy Show and The Ripping Friends.  

 

SYNOPSIS

SPUMCO, the real world animation company responsible for the hit cartoon series, The Ren & Stimpy Show, is holding auditions for an upcoming action feature called "Hypergrind", in which the main character will be an animated skateboarder capable of performing crazy and humorous tricks.  As the character of your choice, you'll enroll in SPUMCO's newly founded stunt school, where you'll compete against other outrageous characters while pulling off insane fantasy tricks and performing extreme "Negative Reactions" on the game's 8 massive themed movie sets.

 

The one to graduate at the top of the class will earn the right to star in the upcoming show.  How well you perform during the audition process and in stunt school will determine how lucrative a contract you're offered.  May the best skater win!

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY FEATURES:

·          Skate as one of 11 crazy, cool competitors, designed by SPUMCO, the world-famous animation studio responsible for The Ren & Stimpy Show and The Ripping Friends!

 

·          Use the new "Negative Reaction" system to score insane points and begin your rise to stardom!  Chain multiple negative reactions together with normal tricks for insane combination points!

 

·          Powerful graphics engine allows for real-time character deformation. The wacky, cel-shaded skateboarders can be subjected to numerous humiliations, such as being set on fire, flattened and covered in paint!

 

·          Perform over 60 never-before-seen fantasy tricks as well as a host of real-world grinds, aerials manuals and lip moves!

 

·          Skate on 8 gigantic, deviously designed themed movie sets each with their own stage specific traps and negative reaction points!

 

·          Compete in a multitude of head-to-head multiplayer modes!

 

 

Go! Go! Hypergrind™ has a suggested retail price of US $49.99 and has been rated  "T" for Teen by the ESRB. For more information, visit the official Go! Go! Hypergrind Web site at www.atlus.com/gogo.  

[Kathy Griffin makes her selection. Check out the joke and her reasons inside.]

504

TalkBack / Mario & Luigi Knock Knock Contest Winner

« on: November 18, 2003, 03:36:37 PM »

Kathy Griffin makes her selection.  Check out the joke and her reasons inside.

NIN-TID-BIT

Comedian Kathy Griffin Announces Winning Knock-Knock Joke

Nov. 18, 2003, Mario and Luigi knocked, and the budding comedians of America answered. After sorting through more than 1,300 entries in their month-long knock-knock joke contest, Mario and Luigi have selected the funniest of the funny as finalists. The brothers chose to host a knock-knock contest, because of the hilarious back-and-forth comedy found in their new game, Mario & Luigi™: Superstar Saga, which launched on Nov. 17. Comedian Kathy Griffin (Mario and Luigi's celebrity judge), has chosen a grand prize winner, who will receive an amazing prize package - and that's no laughing matter!

Winning Knock-knock Joke:

Knock, Knock.
    Who's There?
    Pencil
    Pencil who?
    Your pencil fall down if you don't wear a belt.

"I feel inspired by this joke, not only to wear pants with an elastic waist, but to really listen to others about my personal style. Also, I like the notion that 'pencil' is a character in the joke, almost like a person with a funny name. When I think of naming my first child 'Pencil,' I'm laughing already. That's the idea … get it? Congratulations!"
-- Kathy Griffin

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is Rated E for Everyone, and is available for an MSRP of $34.99. All finalist were awarded a copy of the new game and Game Boy® Advance SP.

[Nintendo's numbers continue to rise, and they've issued a release looking at the phenomenon from nearly every angle.]

505

TalkBack / Nintendo Sales Figures for October

« on: November 18, 2003, 03:30:05 PM »

Nintendo's numbers continue to rise, and they've issued a release looking at the phenomenon from nearly every angle.

DID YOU KNOW?

Nintendo GameCube Sales Update

The official numbers are in, and they confirm that Nintendo GameCube™ is upending the console video game market. The Sept. 25 price drop of Nintendo GameCube to an MSRP of $99.99 continues to have a massive ripple effect throughout the video game industry, according to October's Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service (TRSTS):

    * The final October hardware market share among consoles was 35 percent for Nintendo GameCube. It grabbed 10 market share points in October, including nine from PlayStation 2 and one from Xbox.

    * Nintendo sold more than a quarter of a million Nintendo GameCube systems in October, 50 percent higher than any other month in 2003, including September. This one-month number also is considerably more than any month of Microsoft Xbox sales so far this year.

    * The projected units sold for October are 300,000 for PlayStation 2, 254,000 for Nintendo GameCube and 176,000 for Microsoft Xbox. And momentum is growing: Reports from Nintendo's largest retail clients show that unit sales are actually up so far in November.

    * When coupled with sales of the Game Boy® Advance line, Nintendo was responsible for more than half of all hardware system sales (51 percent) in the month of October.

    * Nintendo GameCube software sales are also soaring – games sold were up 62 percent in October from the previous month…and so far in 2003, are exactly double what they were at the same point in 2002.

Nothing compares with the Game Boy Advance.

    * In October, Nintendo sold more than 400,000 Game Boy Advance systems – more than 100,000 more units than any of the consoles. Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance are the only two systems to show unit sales growth so far in 2003.

[See them online before they hit airwaves next week.]

506

TalkBack / True Crime Commercials Online

« on: October 31, 2003, 03:42:29 PM »

See them online before they hit airwaves next week.

Promotion of True Crime: Steets of LA is gearing up for next week's release.  Before airing the commercials though, Activision has released them online through IFILM.  The two trailers, titled Slug and It's Worse, are both 30 seconds long, featuring the same gameplay footage and different humorous openings.  True Crime: Streets of LA hits GameCube and other consoles next Tuesday.

[Nintendo of Europe continues the Double Dash excitement with a driver line-up. I wouldn't be surprised if they're holding some back though.]

507

TalkBack / Meet the Mario Kart Contestants

« on: October 29, 2003, 03:24:10 PM »

Nintendo of Europe continues the Double Dash excitement with a driver line-up.  I wouldn't be surprised if they're holding some back though.

START YOUR ENGINES!!

Meet the stars of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Place your bets please for the Mushroom Kingdom's premier racing event! Tune up the engines and get your red shells ready, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is coming to Europe on 14th November 2003 for NINTENDO GAMECUBE. This time, the rules of the road have changed - there are now TWO riders per kart!

Let's take a closer look at the competitors and check out their forms!

Mario & Luigi
Everyone's favourite plumbers are back and ready for some serious racing action. This time they're literally playing with fire. Mario and Luigi's weapons of choice are red and green fireballs.

Diddy Kong & Donkey Kong
Straight from the jungle with attitude to match! Using their simian strengths to beat the opposition. Fruit is their weapon of choice, so watch out for those huge bananas!

Daisy & Peach
Princess Peach is a veteran of the tracks, but new to kart racing is Princess Daisy. Flying hearts surround the royal ladies' karts and any item that hits them becomes theirs to use!

Paratroopa & Koopa
Armoured and aggravated, the loyal foot soldiers of Bowser are out for themselves this time round. Throwing triple red and green shells from their kart, these two are best avoided!

Baby Mario & Baby Luigi
They may be the two youngest competitors, but don't underestimate their desire to win! Watch out for Chain Chomp, their fiercesome and hungry accomplice who pulls them along at breakneck speeds!

Yoshi & Birdo
No ones riding them this time, they've got their own kart and they mean business. Their rolling eggs home in on opponents, and crack to reveal three more items!

Bowser Jr. & Bowser
Mario's arch-nemesis and his unruly son are spiny shelled and aching to cause trouble on the tracks. An awe-inspiring giant shell is their special item, creating a path of destruction when thrown!

Waluigi & Wario
Ever fond of sneaky and underhanded tactics, it's best to keep your eyes on these two! Armed with exploding bombs that catapult their opponents aside these two are possibly the most determined duo of all the racers!

All your favourite Nintendo characters and more are back for some serious karting action. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi are all present and correct for this latest racing outing for NINTENDO GAMECUBE. Riders from throughout the land have come together to test their driving skills. Which pair will prove the fastest?

Find out on November 14th, when Mario Kart: Double Dash!! launches across Europe for around 60 Euros.

Click onto www.nintendo-europe.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.

508

General Chat / Japanese DVDs

« on: October 21, 2003, 07:01:27 AM »

Ok, Nausicaa is coming out in Japan on DVD, and I need some advice on how I can get a solution to play Japanese DVDs.  Does anyone know where I can get a good multi-regional player?  Would it be possible for me to buy another DVD drive for my computer and set it to Japanese encoding, while the original stays on US?   Can anyone help me out here?

509

General Chat / iTunes

« on: October 18, 2003, 12:10:53 AM »

Anyone else here check out the Windows version of iTunes?  Penny Arcade mentioned it this morning, and I downloaded it and am darned impressed.  It imported the songs from the My Music folder as soon as I started up, it gets my local radio station clearer than my stereo, I can preview songs and purchase them for a measly buck (add up a 9 - 10 song album and that easily beats an $18 CD), and it has some of the nicest visualizations I've seen on a player.  Except for a few specific uses hear and there, this is going to pretty much replace WinAmp for me.

[Nintendo is holding a knock-knock joke contest, leading up to the release of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.]

510

TalkBack / Mario, Luigi, and Kathy Griffin Want Your Jokes

« on: October 16, 2003, 06:39:22 AM »

Nintendo is holding a knock-knock joke contest, leading up to the release of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

MARIO AND LUIGI HIRE COMEDIAN KATHY GRIFFIN TO HELP FIND THE FUNNIEST JOKE

Nintendo Prizes Await the Winner of the Best Knock-Knock Joke Contest

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 16, 2003 – Having rescued the princess for years and mastered his plumbing skills in the Mushroom Kingdom, longtime hero and defender Mario™ announces his latest quest: a search for the funniest knock-knock joke. Mario and his comical brother, Luigi, who co-stars in the new game Mario & Luigi™: Superstar Saga for the Game Boy® Advance, have hired comedienne Kathy Griffin to help them in this mission.

"Everything that Luigi does makes me laugh; I'm surprised we ever complete a level," says Mario. "With Kathy Griffin as our judge, we'll depend on her to keep us in line while she determines a winner."

The contest runs now through Nov. 16; contestants can submit jokes online at www.gameboy.com/marioandluigi. Each week, a finalist will be chosen from the week's entries. On Nov. 17, Griffin will select a grand prize winner from among those finalists.

"I know Nintendo will receive thousands of entries, so I hope Mario and Luigi will help me sort through these," Griffin said. "I'll be a tough knock-knock judge so make entries original, because I won't hesitate to throw those who write bad jokes into knock-knock jail."

Mario chose a knock-knock joke contest because the brothers' back-and-forth patter reflects the kind of slapstick humor that gamers will find in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. For the first time, players control both Mario and Luigi simultaneously in this hilarious, action-filled role-playing game.

"An evil witch steals Princess Peach's voice and replaces it with explosives, of all things," says Mario. "Luigi and I work together to recover her stolen voice. Even bad-boy Bowser helps us – probably so he can kidnap her later."

Players can control Mario and Luigi separately or team them up for superhero-style combination moves. The involved storyline, puzzle-solving challenges and points system common to classic role-playing games combine with the jumping challenges and action battles of more traditional Mario games. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is Rated E for Everyone, and will be released Nov. 17 at an MSRP of $34.99.

The grand prize winner of the knock-knock joke contest will receive a Game Boy® Advance SP, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga game, Nintendo GameCube™ system and more. For official rules and prizes, go to www.gameboy.com/marioandluigi.

[Finally, word of the official new price in Japan.]

511

TalkBack / Japanese Price Drop Announced

« on: October 05, 2003, 11:36:00 PM »

Finally, word of the official new price in Japan.

According to Nintendo's Japanese site, the GameCube will be dropping in price there soon as well.  

On October 17, the GameCube will be selling for 14,000 Yen (about $120 US).  The Enjoyment Plus Pack which includes a Game Boy Player and Memory Card 251 will be reduced a little sooner on October 10th for a price of 19,800 Yen (about $170 US).

Now Japanese gamers and importers looking for fancy colors can save a little dough with the rest of us.

[Japan always gets the tasty goodies.]

512

TalkBack / Bandai Shows off Special GC and GBA

« on: September 25, 2003, 09:28:03 PM »

Japan always gets the tasty goodies.

At TGS, Bandai is showing off special "Char" editions of the GameCube and GBA SP. "Char" refers to Char Aznable (aka "The Red Comet"), a character from the Gundam universe's Duchy of Zeon.  Like most of these special editions, these red beauties probably won't make it out of Japan, but at least you can take a nice long look at them here thanks to GAME Watch.

 

[It looks like Sony's snatched this one up for Europe, but PGC gets the full story on the US release.]

513

TalkBack / I-Ninja PS2 Exclusive?

« on: September 25, 2003, 06:06:19 PM »

It looks like Sony's snatched this one up for Europe, but PGC gets the full story on the US release.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) recently announced I-Ninja as a PS2 exclusive, releasing Q1 2004.  We were surprised by the news, as Namco had already begun advertising the title for other platforms, and it seemed a bit late in the development cycle for such a deal.

We checked with our sources at Namco, and they have assured PGC that the game will still be released for GameCube in North America this fall.  The recent announcement only applies to the European release of I-Ninja, which SCEE is publishing instead of Namco.  Tough news for our readers in Europe, but at least they can still import the title from other regions.

[The official announcement in black and white... or since this is Nintendo, should we say onyx and pearl?]

514

TalkBack / GameCube now $99

« on: September 24, 2003, 06:39:44 AM »

The official announcement in black and white... or since this is Nintendo, should we say onyx and pearl?

NINTENDO GAMECUBE PRICE DROPS TO $99!

New Hardware Price Spearheads Aggressive Holiday Campaign

 REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 24, 2003 – Just in time for the biggest video game thrills of the fall, Nintendo of America Inc. today announced a new MSRP of $99.99 for its Nintendo GameCube™ home game console, effective tomorrow, Sept. 25.  This great new price opens an $80 price advantage over its two console competitors.

While the price of Nintendo GameCube hardware is falling, the variety and affordability of great software is soaring.  Coupled with expansion of the Nintendo GameCube library to more than 320 games by the end of the year, the new MSRP of $99.99 and added exclusive offers will further boost momentum for the console throughout the holidays.  

Mario Kart®: Double Dash!!™, available Nov. 17 exclusively for Nintendo GameCube, is the most-anticipated game of the season.  Nintendo has announced that customers who reserve a copy of the game in advance will receive a free bonus disc, loaded with game footage and gameplay previews for a wide array of upcoming hits.  

In addition, Nintendo recently expanded the Player's Choice library offering discounted prices for a half dozen award winning games including Super Mario Sunshine™, Animal Crossing™ and Metroid® Prime.

"So far in 2003, Nintendo GameCube is the only home console showing an increase in unit sales compared to 2002," says George Harrison, senior vice president, marketing and corporate communications, Nintendo of America.  "Every time a generation of technology has moved into the true mass market, Nintendo has prospered.  This incredible new price and our great software offers are designed to accelerate that trend like never before."

"This is not only good for Nintendo, but great for consumers," says Lucky Evani, Toys 'R Us representative.  "For $99, you can now buy video game technology that you couldn’t have purchased for $99,000 just a few years ago."

The hot holiday titles from Nintendo will include Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Nov. 17), Kirby™ Air Ride (Oct. 13), Mario Party® 5 (Nov. 11), 1080º™ Avalanche (Dec. 1), and Pokémon Channel™ (Dec.1), as well as the highly anticipated Final Fantasy®: Crystal Chronicles™ and Pokémon Colosseum™ in the first quarter of 2004.  In addition, the Nintendo GameCube fall lineup is replete with top quality interactive thrills provided by independent publishers that appeal to every game taste, ranging from sports to action to role-playing titles.

515

Nintendo Gaming / Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

« on: September 18, 2003, 09:47:17 PM »

I'm hoping someone else is playing this game, but I've got a question to start us off.

There are a couple of items (types of items really) that I have no idea what to do with.  There are these bags of things.  Different bags, but one is like copper shards or something.  Then there are these acorn looking things that seem to be even less useful.  I can't use them, so do I just sell them or what?  If anyone knows, please reply.  

[EA, Midway, Ubi Soft and others are bringing games to a college near you!]

516

TalkBack / Game Live Tour Kicks Off at US Colleges

« on: September 12, 2003, 05:49:54 PM »

EA, Midway, Ubi Soft and others are bringing games to a college near you!

Enough Studying!

THE GAME LIVE VIDEOGAME TOUR GOES BACK TO COLLEGE

“2003 Fall College Tour” Debuts Hot Unreleased Titles from Electronic Arts, Ubi Soft, Midway, Eidos, and the U.S. Army

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – September 12, 2003 - Game Live Events, the leader in live Video Game and PC touring events, today announced their “2003 Fall College Tour.” Building on the overwhelming success of their 13-campus Spring Tour, attended by over 20,000 college gamers, the 17-stop Fall College tour begins on Friday, September 12th in New York, NY at Cornell University and runs through Monday, October 20th at the University of Southern California.  

Players will sample for the first time the fall’s most anticipated video games, and preview many unreleased demos of this year’s hottest new titles. New titles on display include major releases from EA SPORTS™ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004, EA SPORTS BIG™ NFL Street and EA GAMES™ Need for Speed Underground. UbiSoft’s entire new Tom Clancy line of games including Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm, Ghost Recon: Island Thunder and Rainbow Six 3 will be exclusively featured on tour. Midway will be previewing the highly anticipated SpyHunter 2.  Also, Eidos’ breakout titles Legacy of Kain and Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home will be on the Tour.  

More than 20 titles will be featured on a state-of-the-art, 50-screen Game Live interactive ‘GamePort’ system from publishing partners Electronic Arts™, Midway®, Eidos, Ubi Soft Entertainment™, Mythic Entertainment™, and the US Army.  PC partners include ATI Radeon 9800, RIO MP3 and Alienware. The NYKO Air Flo EX is the Official Controller Partner of the Tour.  G4®, the cable TV network dedicated to video games, has signed on again as the Official Broadcast Media Partner, and Game Informer Magazine re-signed as the tour’s Official Game Magazine Partner.  RIO, the country’s top selling MP3 player, is the Official MP3 Partner of the Tour.

Admission is free and game play is unlimited.  For complete details of the tour, including tour locations, event times, and the latest list of games included on the tour, visit www.gameliveevents.com.

Game Live 2003 Fall College Schedule

Friday, September 12th   Cornell University
Saturday, September 13th    Penn State
Monday, September 15th    Temple University
Tuesday, September 16th    University of Delaware
Thursday, September 18th   University of Maryland
Saturday, September 20th    University of Virginia
Tuesday, September 23rd    Eastern Carolina University
Wednesday, September 24th    Georgia State
Thursday, September 25th    University of Memphis 
Tuesday, September 30th    Louisiana State University
Monday, October 6th    University of Kentucky 
Tuesday, October 7th    Ohio State University
Wednesday, October 8th    Marshall University (West Virginia)
Friday, October 10th    Central Michigan University
Saturday, October 11th    Illinois State
Tuesday, October 14th    University of Kansas  
Monday, October 20th    USC

Show Times Start at 11:00 AM – Schedule subject to change

Game Titles on Tour

EA SPORTS™
NBA Live 2004
Rugby 2004
NHL 2004
Madden NFL 2004
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004
NASCAR Thunder 2004
NCAA Football 2004
FIFA Soccer 2004    EA SPORTS BIG™ 
SSX 3
NFL Street
NBA Street Vol. 2

EA GAMES™ 
Need for Speed Underground
Freedom Fighters
The Sims

UBI SOFT ENTERTAINMENT™ 
Prince of Persia 
Batman 
XIII 
Beyond Good & Evil 
Rainbow Six 3 
Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm
Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

MIDWAY®
RoadKill
NFL Blitz Pro
NHL Hitz Pro
SpyHunter 2

MIDWAY SPORTS™
NFL Blitz Pro
NHL Hitz Pro

EIDOS 
Backyard Wrestling: Don’t Try This at Home
Legacy of Kain: Defiance

THE U.S. ARMY
America's Army   ADDITIONAL PARTNERS INCLUDE 

ATI RADEON 9800 - Official Graphics Card
NYKO AIR FLO EX - Official Controller
GameInformer - Media Partner
G4 - Media Partner
Alienware - Official PC Partner
RIO - Official MP3 Partner

About Game Live Events
Game Live Events, based in Sausalito, Calif., is a premier producer of computer and video game tour events.  Game Live Events state-of-the-art Gameport Touring Systems features 50-screen PC or video game capability that enables consumers to preview top-rated PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube ™ and PC game titles.

[Ty's having another birthday, and he has DSL too so watch out punks.]

517

TalkBack / Happy Birthday S-U-P-E-R T-Y

« on: August 14, 2003, 11:42:01 PM »

Ty's having another birthday, and he has DSL too so watch out punks.

Perhaps our most in-shape staff member *cough*DDR*cough* Ty Shughart has now become 22, which is the same backwards as forwards.  It's hard to say whether the Internet has greatly influenced his speech or whether it's his presence that's corrupted the rest of us. @_@

Anyways Ty, we've harped on trivia and DDR skills every year, but just know you're a cool d00d to have on staff.  I'm dedicating this weekend's F-Zero hair rock to you!

[We’ve grabbed 37 tracks from F-Zero GX for your listening pleasure. Connection details inside.]

518

TalkBack / F-Zero Radio Weekend

« on: August 14, 2003, 10:28:12 PM »

We’ve grabbed 37 tracks from F-Zero GX for your listening pleasure.  Connection details inside.

F-Zero has always had great soundtracks, mixing fast techno beats with ripping electric guitars. F-Zero GX has continued the tradition, and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring the sounds to you as we gear up for the US launch.  

To connect:

1. Make sure you have a Live365 account.  If you do not have a Live365  account you must create a new Live365  account.  Don't worry--it's free!
2. Login to your Live365 account and visit  http://www.live365.com/stations/jonnyboy117  between now and 11:59 PM  CST on Sunday, August 17th 2003.
3. Click the Play button.
4. Live365 may scan your computer for compatible MP3 players and ask for your preferred player. Live365's player or Winamp are recommended.  (Make Winamp the  default MP3 player and choose "MP3 Player" to use Winamp.)
5. Crank up the speakers and enjoy!

Be on the lookout for some of my favorite tracks like Red Canyon, Dr. Stewart, and Black Shadow. Since this is a home-grown soundtrack, there are still various things we weren’t able to record and songs we haven’t unlocked yet.  However, if you like what you hear, jump in to Talkback and let us know.  We may do an encore after we clear out more of the game.

The broadcast will run through the entire weekend, but once Monday hits, the fun’s over.  “Play it Loud!” while you have the chance.

[Evanescence and a slew of GC and GBA games are coming to a cities across the US.]

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TalkBack / Nintendo Kicks Off the Fusion Tour!

« on: August 05, 2003, 09:45:12 PM »

Evanescence and a slew of GC and GBA games are coming to a cities across the US.

Nintendo Fusion Tour Presenting Evanescence Kicks-Off in Los Angeles

On Monday, Aug. 4, the Nintendo Fusion Tour Presents Evanescence brought Los Angeles to life at a star-studded VIP pre-party and sold-out concert at the Universal Amphitheater. Wilmer Valderrama of "That '70s Show," Hal Sparks of "Queer as Folk," Golden Brooks of "Girlfriends," David Gallagher of "7th Heaven," Henry Simmons of "NYPD Blue" and Rosa Blasi of "Strong Medicine," along with a sold out crowd of concertgoers came out to listen to a hard-hitting set by Evanescence as well to be among the first to get some hands on video game play. More than a concert, the Nintendo Fusion Tour combines music and video games in an engaging lifestyle experience.  

Before entering to see the performances by alternative rock bands Cauterize, Revis, Cold and headliners Evanescence, guests sampled Nintendo's hottest new video games, including F-Zero® GX, 1080°™: Avalanche, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg™, Soul Caliber®II, Star Wars Rogue Squadron®III: Rebel Strike™, Wallace and Gromit™ in Project Zoo, Viewtiful Joe™, Crash Bandicoot® 2: N-Tranced, Donkey Kong Country™, James Bond 007™: NightFire, Mario Kart Super Circuit, Sonic Advance 2™, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater™ 4, and WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$.  

The Nintendo Fusion Tour will continue throughout the United States with stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and more.

For photos and more about the Nintendo Fusion Tour, check out our event profile.  

[F-Zero GX was released in Japan today, and to celebrate we have six shots of the Japanese packaging!]

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TalkBack / F-Zero GX Launches in Japan

« on: July 25, 2003, 04:32:17 PM »

F-Zero GX was released in Japan today, and to celebrate we have six shots of the Japanese packaging!

The long-awaited F-Zero GX saw its official release in Japan today, although there are some reports of people receiving early copies.  The partnership between Nintendo and Sega has combined the unmatched speed of the F-Zero series with outstanding graphics and a full story mode.  

Before getting his game on, Japanese correspondent, Bakudan Yoshinoya, snapped off a few shots of the packaging for the rest of us to drool over.  We'll have impressions and reviews of the game up soon, but for now, enjoy the lovely shots below.

Japan, the land without shrink wrap or blister packs.

 

From the back  

 

Compatible with the Logitech Speed Force and F-Zero AX!  

 

The back of the instruction booklet.  

 

You shouldn't drive without a license.

 

Time to take her for a spin.  

[Stuff announces their new publication geared towards the mass-market gamer. Hardcore gamers, prepare to be insulted.]

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TalkBack / Stuff Magazine Announces Stuff Gamer

« on: July 17, 2003, 04:20:46 PM »

Stuff announces their new publication geared towards the mass-market gamer.  Hardcore gamers, prepare to be insulted.

STUFF MAGAZINE ENTERS THE GAMING ARENA WITH STUFF GAMER

 Stuff's Video Game Writer Simon Munk Named Publication's Editor-in-Chief

 NEW YORK, NY (July 17, 2003) - Stuff, known for beautiful cover girls and cool, authoritative product reviews, is announcing a special video gaming issue called Stuff Gamer. The new publication from Dennis Publishing will put Stuff's trademark attitude and product expertise into a video game magazine. The Nokia N-Gage mobile game deck will be the exclusive sponsor of this separate video gaming magazine, hitting newsstands this October.

 Stuff Gamer is aimed at the millions of guys out there who play games but don't want to wade through pages of technical jargon, cheat codes and overly-detailed articles just to find out what's hot in gaming. The magazine will cut straight to the point-giving hardcore gamers the depth of information they need, with hard-hitting news and a massive, authoritative reviews section, while recreational gamers will get hooked in by the action-packed features and visually appealing, user-friendly design throughout.

 Stuff has tapped Simon Munk to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the new publication. Munk was on the original launch team for Maxim in the UK in 1995. "The huge video game industry has outgrown the basement and mall arcades," commented Munk. "And it has outgrown the spotty-nerd profile of existing video game magazines. It's high time for a magazine that doesn't just appeal to the hardcore, but to the vast majority of regular guys who're recreational gamers too."

 Munk has been Stuff Magazine's video games writer since 2000 and has worked closely with Stuff's in-house team to develop their video game content. He is also a freelance video game journalist for international media including The Times, England, The Evening Standard, and is a correspondent for the international broadcast TV show Gamer TV. Munk first played video games in the 70s, in the bustling arcades of London's West End and has been an avid gamer ever since.

 Stuff is the nation's # 2 men's lifestyle magazine behind Maxim. It is published 12 times per year by Dennis Publishing. Editor-In-Chief: Mike Hammer. General Manager: Mark MacDonald. Stuff's guaranteed rate base for 2003 is 1.2 million. Stuff is nationally distributed by The Curtis Circulation Company. Maxim, Stuff, Blender and The Week are registered trademarks of Felix Dennis.

[It's the same device announced in Europe last week, now with information on the US release.]

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TalkBack / Datel announces AMP for GBA

« on: July 08, 2003, 07:23:40 PM »

It's the same device announced in Europe last week, now with information on the US release.

DATEL ANNOUNCES ADVANCED MUSIC PLAYER FOR THE GBA/SP  

Clearwater, FL  - July 8, 2003  - Datel Electronics, the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of video game enhancement products, has announced the release of the Advanced Music Player for Game Boy Advance.

 

The Advanced Music Player is a cartridge that plugs directly into the Game Boy Advance/SP to turn any GBA/SP into a portable Digital Music Player.  With the included USB Cable and PC software, new music tracks can be downloaded from a PC in seconds making it easy to update and change the AMP’s play list in no time.  The Advanced Music Player comes with a set of headphones but the music can also be played directly through the GBA/SP’s speakers. Headphone adapters are included, allowing GBA SP owners to use their AMP with no additional purchases.

 

“The GBA Advanced Music Player is perfect for gamers on the move.  By switching a single cartridge, GBA/SP owners can go from playing a game to listening to music and back again within seconds.” says Doug Parsons, Managing Editor of Datel Design & Development, Inc.        

 

An intuitive on screen menu allows gamers to control their AMP much like they would any portable music device. With advanced features such as a graphical equalizer and downloadable skins, gamers can customize their AMP to suit their unique musical and graphical style. Gamers can use songs from their own personal library stored on any home PC.  The Advanced Music Player will hold approximately 30 minutes of music and can be updated or changed at any time.  

 

Datel Electronics also manufactures the Action Replay for Game Boy Advance/SP.  The Action Replay is a game enhancement device that features over 3,000 codes for over 130 games and is currently available for $19.99.

 

The GBA Advanced Music Player will be available in July and will retail for $39.99.

 

Visit www.codejunkies.com to learn more about Advanced Music Player, and other exciting products from Datel.

[Wario is making his GameCube debut next week. Are you ready for the king of greed?]

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TalkBack / Wario Gets Ready to Start Smackin' People

« on: June 17, 2003, 06:11:24 PM »

Wario is making his GameCube debut next week.  Are you ready for the king of greed?

NINTENDO'S WARIO GETS GREEDY IN 3D

Nintendo's Bad Boy of Video Games Embarks on a Quest to Save His Wealth in Wario World for Nintendo GameCube

 REDMOND, Wash., June 17, 2003 – Wario™ is bringing his need for greed to Nintendo GameCube™ in Wario World™, launching June 23.  Starring in his first 3D adventure, Nintendo's most mischievous troublemaker brawls his way through a host of monsters to recover his beloved treasure trove.  

As the game begins, Wario's treasures make him so happy he can't stop smiling! After finally completing construction of his castle, he wallows in a stockpile of gold and jewels hidden deep within his fortress.  Unbeknownst to Wario, hidden among the treasure is a strange black jewel that turns his gems into monsters, leaving him to battle and brawl with a multitude of strange creatures to regain his riches.

"As Nintendo's bad boy, Wario provides an opportunity for players to explore their greedy side," said Peter MacDougall, executive vice president, sales and marketing, Nintendo of America Inc.  "Wario World will appeal to players of all ages as they get their hands dirty pummeling bizarre monsters and snatching up gold!"    

Wario must learn moves such as the "Piledriver" and the "Wild Swing-Ding" to help him fight an endless tide of weird and wild enemies.  His arsenal of new moves includes picking up and swinging defeated foes to thrash hoards of oncoming monsters.  This fast-paced game will have players chuckling at the comical injuries Wario sustains and laughing even harder at the damage he doles out to his foes!  

Wario World allows players to download samples of WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ onto the Game Boy® Advance via the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable.  This bonus provides a taste of the more than 200 lightning-fast microgames found in the Game Boy Advance title.

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Nintendo Gaming / CIMA: The Enemy

« on: May 26, 2003, 09:46:26 AM »

I always have to pimp my favorite games after an event.

I can't believe you RPG players aren't talking about CIMA: The Enemy yet.  It's a fresh play style for an RPG and it's being done by the Lufia creators.  Natsume's releasing it in the US first, so don't let this game pass you by.  

[We get a look at Capcom's "Pre-Viewtiful Joe" with this wacky and wonderful side-scrolling fighter.]

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TalkBack / Viewtiful Joe in Action

« on: May 12, 2003, 10:49:20 PM »

We get a look at Capcom's "Pre-Viewtiful Joe" with this wacky and wonderful side-scrolling fighter.

We attended Capcom's Producer Day Monday morning and got the full low-down on Viewtiful Joe.  We also were treated to a substantial demonstration of the gameplay which we're sharing a bit of with you here today.  The visual style of this game simply does not come across well in still screens; seeing the game in action is a must.  

Click the links below to go to our Media Downloader and grab the file! These are MPEGs so most media programs should play them fine.

Viewtiful Trailer(19MB MPEG)

Producer Demonstration Part 1(4MB MPEG)

Producer Demonstration Part 2(5MB MPEG)