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New Backbreaker trailer promises 'next-level' football
We haven't heard much about Backbreaker in a good year and a half, but the Euphoria Engine-powered football title (thinkThe Force Unleashed, with all of those Stormtroopers flying around) is still hitting first downs. It's now set for a release in spring of 2010 (ah, spring, when everyone's mind turns to football -- oh wait), and 505 Games has screenshots and a brand new trailer to share. The game will boast both online and split-screen multiplayer, Arcade and Pro modes (the tougher one will have AI and visual assists switched off) and full team customization options, including a full logo editor. But of course the real star quarterback here is the physics engine -- while the video hints at some great dynamic tackling and movement, we'll have to wait and see if the gameplay provides some real innovation in the football genre. %Gallery-82057%
505 Games unleashing a Naughty Bear on PS3 and Xbox 360
click for bear-size505 Games just announced a new game from Wet developer Artificial Mind and Movement -- and the protagonist is, well, artificial. Naughty Bear is pretty much exactly what we expected when we saw the trademark filed by A2M: a violent action game starring an animated, stuffed bear. Specifically, a stuffed bear who swears revenge on other jerk bears for failing to invite him to a party. The goal in Naughty Bear is to scare, irritate, and, of course, hurt the other bears, racking up "Naughty Points" as you do and using weapons strewn about the game's 30 stages. The game will dole out more Naughty Points in response to more "deviant and maniacal" tactics. From the description, it sounds like Manhunt with teddy bears. It's going to be a polyester stuffing-bath. %Gallery-79926%
Zorro returns on DS: 'Z' drawing minigame a lock
It looks like Zorro, that totally modern and vital character who is absolutely still relevant in 2009, will be appearing in a new DS game published by 505 Games. Zorro: Quest for Justice, released in Europe this September, was just rated by the ESRB for release in North America. This follows the May release of Destiny of Zorro on Wii -- a game first announced in early 2007, and delayed about two years. According to the content description, "Players can roam across rooftops, use a whip to swing across open gaps, and engage in sword combat with the henchmen of Luis Ramon." The rooftop business sounds Assassin's Creed-esque, possibly the same kind of 2.5D used for the DS games. In case you were wondering what the enemies in this game sound like when they die, the ESRB addressed your concerns: "their cries of pain during battle represent the most pertinent content (e.g., 'Ahhhh!' and 'Uggggh!').
Go Grease Lightning (to the Wii and DS)
Listen up, musical theater majors! Your time of reckoning approaches. Sure, your friends can easily best you at Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4 -- but in a short while, a title which will finally allow you to invoke your unique skill set will hit store shelves. We speak, of course, of Grease. The movie. The video game. For Wii and DS.505 Games recently picked up the rights to adapt the musical film in conjunction with Paramount Digital Entertainment. The game will put players in the gaudy, unfortunate shoes of one of Sandy or Danny's cronies, forcing them to sing and dance using motion controls, microphones or the DS touch screen. Further gameplay details or a release date for Grease are currently unknown. C'mon, 505! Tell us more! Tell us more!
Hands-on: Cooking Mama 3 (DS)
When we arrived at Majesco's booth, it was little surprise that the rep wanted to show us Cooking Mamm 3 first. It's a franchise that literally saved Majesco from bankruptcy, and it's no wonder why the company is so proud of it. So, with one new recipe to try, we dove right in.
Wonderful! 505 Games announces Cooking Mama 3 for DS
We may have known it was coming, but now we have a nice, official press release announcing Cooking Mama 3 for DS. 505 Games said that it will release the latest in Cooking Mama Ltd.'s surprisingly popular culinary minigame series "in time for Christmas." The new game will feature "over 80 recipes, 200 mini-games, four player multiplayer," and "two totally new game modes." "What Dish Can You Make" mode lets you and Mama create a new recipe from two recipes you choose. "Let's Go Shopping" gives you a shopping list to buy, with confusing signs and irritating store employees trying to hinder you! Majesco hasn't officially announced a US release date for Cooking Mama 3, but we expect a fall or holiday release here as well. It's basically Majesco's biggest title of the year!
Rolling stones and cymbals: 505 Games announces Rolling Stone: Drum King
Well, it's been quite some time since we last touched on 505 Games' We Rock: Drum King. The game seems to have spent a majority of its time in the shadows working toward a deal with Rolling Stone magazine, as the music mag and 505 Games just dropped press releases into our inbox introducing Rolling Stone: Drum King. Looks like somebody's been staying awake in their Synergy 101 class!The game is planned for a spring release, and still tasks players with keeping smooth timing by mimicking drumming through use of the Wiimote and Nunchuk. It will also feature local multiplayer support for you and a friend, and has over 30 "top quality cover tracks" inspired by real bands. Head past the break for the full list and a trailer snagged from the Amazon product page for the game.%Gallery-39772%
Finally, Wii and DS get self-improvement games
505 Games has just unveiled the latest example in a disturbing new trend: Games that are designed to be good for you. Say "hello" to their new "Mind, Body and Soul" line, with titles like Nutrition Matters on the Wii and DS, which lets you ... oh God, just piece it together. Also headed to market on the DS: Mind Storm 2, which is Brain Age. You can begin rifling past Mind Storm 2 as you look for the games you actually want to purchase in April, while Nutrition Matters will follow in mid-May.
Get your Ravi on with We Rock: Drum King
If there's one thing we learned from Nintendo's presentation at E3 earlier this year, it's that snowboarding injuries are often hilarious playing imaginary drums is like, the coolest-looking action that anyone could ever hope to perform. 505 Games, whose publishing repertoire includes PAL versions of Cooking Mama and Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, will attempt to capture said lightning in a bottle with their upcoming Wii rhythm game We Rock: Drum King. We think we know who's winning the coveted "Best Video Game Title of 2009" award. The title, which is being developed by ARC System Works (the minds behind WiiWare "games" Family Glide Hockey and Family Table Tennis), is currently slated for a Europe-only release of April 2009. Based on a brief explanation provided in a press release, gameplay sounds like it will be reminiscent of Guitar Hero, with players using two Wiimotes to "air drum" along with a song, as designated by multicolored bars moving along a track. We will be heartbroken if this one doesn't make it across the Atlantic.
505 Games reveals We Rock: Drum King
505 Games is looking to capture the attention of all the drummers out there with We Rock: Drum King. The title, which you can imagine, is a rhythm-based game focused on ... yeah, you get it. It's about drumming. Unlike other rhythm-based games on the market, this title will only require the use of two Wiimotes.Of course, it wouldn't be a modern music game if it didn't have some recognizable tracks. So far, we've got Bloc Party's "Banquet" and Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" confirmed, with a total of 30 tracks to make their way into the final game. It's currently scheduled for release in North America and Europe during April of next year.%Gallery-39772%
Phelps, 505 Games announce partnership, first game in 2010
In a heroic feat of strength, swimmer Michael Phelps has managed to hoist the hojillion Olympic medals off his neck and dive into the world of video games. It's true! Developer and publisher 505 Games announced that it has inked a partnership with Phelps, who first revealed his plans to swim in digital waters earlier this month.According to 505, it plans to bring Phelps to next generation consoles (a term we grow to despise more each day) and the iPhone. But don't be expecting to see Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" on the cover of any game soon, as the first title from this pairing isn't expected to reach the other side of the retail pool until spring 2010. Of course, by then most of us will have forgotten all about Phelps' drenched mug and will instead be preparing ourselves for the year we make contact.
Gardening Mama says put it in the ground
Mama's so talented. No more is she limited to the kitchen, sweetly suggesting you chop vegetables before she tans that behind. Now she's free to rove in the gardens as well, pointing at the shrubbery and essaying commands. Of course, after this screenshot, we fully expect an English-Teaching Mama in the future. The sky's the limit, Mama! So long as you stick to traditionally feminine roles, anyway.505 Games just announced that they'll have the latest in Mama's franchise on shelves in Europe in the spring, to coincide with the release of that region's Cooking Mama 2: World Kitchen for the Wii. Since World Kitchen is slated for November in the U.S., and no similar announcement has yet been made for Gardening Mama here, it doesn't look like we'll see the same dual release.%Gallery-35422%
Whip up a batch of Cooking Mama: World Kitchen screens
Well, we heard the news not too long ago. Cooking Mama: World Kitchen is getting down to serious business, with updated 3D graphics and sophisticated moton controls. Hooray, huzzah -- too often have we wished the Wiimote to be a spatula for flipping burgers. Why enjoy the sight, smell and taste of cooking real burgers when you can do it without all those sensory annoyances?Yes, it's always fun to laugh at "life" simulation games (even if this life is a cartoon featuring big-head Mamas and cooking scores). The real truth, though, is that Cooking Mama games are usually pretty fun, and the fresh new gallery shows a pretty decent look at the upcoming Wii installment. Bon appetit!%Gallery-28210%[Via press release]
Sacrifice a little time for new Buffy screens
By the time we actually get to E3, is anything going to be left? So much has been announced and revealed so far that we can't imagine what might remain for the actual show. In the middle of all the sensible, timely games, there's Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice, and now, screens for the newly-announced game. Oh, don't mistake the tone; we're pleased as punch that there's going to be a Buffy game, and we've got high hopes. We're just a bit flabbergasted at the timing. Just as we are with the timing of all the media and announcements that've surfaced lately. These last few weeks have felt a little bizarre. We might as well throw a new Buffy game into the mix at this point. Really, why not?%Gallery-27523%
Buffy rises from the dead (again)
With the excellent season eight comics in full swing, it's not like Buffy the Vampire Slayer has disappeared off the face of the earth or anything (it's hard to lose track of one of the best shows of all time, after all), but the last thing we expected to hear about this week was a new game. That's exactly what we're getting, however. The title, from developer Beast, was written by Rob Des Hotel, who worked on several early episodes of the show, including "Killed by Death" and "The Puppet Show."Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice is set late in the heroine's storyline, however. The game takes place after season seven, but we assume before the comics -- if it even sticks to established canon, that is -- because the game follows Buffy in an attempt to re-seal the Sunnydale Hellmouth. We can only guess that means a lot of debris and rubble, considering the state the California town was in when last we saw it. The game is apparently set for a release this fall, and we hope to see a lot more of it before then.
505 Games sinks its teeth into new DS Buffy game
Like a vampire that refuses to stay dusted, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise continues to chug on after the TV show's 2003 cancellation. New comics, toys and even a magazine have kept the cult favorite series alive long than the First Evil. The undead march continues with 505 Games' announcement today of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice for the DS.The "action-packed 3D survival horror game," as the press release describe it, will follow everyone's favorite slayer and the usual gang as they try to re-close the re-opened Hellmouth sometime after the events of the seventh season. Development will be handled by Romanian developer Beast and the story will be penned by Buffy TV scribe Rob Deshotel.Sacrifice doesn't have much of a gaming pedigree to live up to -- the two THQ-published Game Boy Advance Buffy games scored 39% and 50%, respectively, in the GameRankings averages. With review scores like that, maybe this is a gaming franchise that should learn when to stay dead.%Gallery-27375%
Princess on American Ice
Aksys Games announced today that they will release a localized version of the 505 Games/ Arc System Works-developed Princess on Ice in North America. This is the one ASW game whose U.S. release by Aksys we didn't predict.The rhythm-based ice skating game features multiple playable characters, all with their own storylines. We assume the storylines are slightly more indepth than "And then she entered another ice skating competition." Winning competitions will unlock items, moves, and clothes, which can be used to customize each character.In the press release, Aksys's Frank deWindt II exhorted gamers to "Experience the excitement of ice skating in the palm of your hand." That sounds unbelievably painful. Those skates are really sharp.%Gallery-17562%[Via press release]
505 Games flicking Subbuteo our way
Any football soccer-loving Brit of a certain age will fondly recall Subbuteo, and it's presumably those consumers that 505 Games is targeting with a new DS version of the game. For the uninitiated, a quick history lesson: Subbuteo was a miniature soccer board game, played by taking turns to flick small figures on hemispherical bases at an oversized ball, the aim being to get the ball in your opponent's net. Games usually lasted until your dog chewed the little men, or until Dad came in drunk again and stepped on them.Anyway, it reached the height of its popularity in the '70s and '80s, before decent soccer videogames (hi, Sensible Soccer) showed up and caught the chil'n's attention. The original Subbuteo is still played today (there's even an annual world championship), but is far less well-known, which is probably why 505 Games is making a DS game about it. It's out this September (though probably only in Europe), and will feature fully customizable tournaments, traditional leagues, and even a full online multiplayer. Wooo!%Gallery-26300%[Via press release]
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey coming to 360
Simulation games of any type don't exactly have a large or successful history in the world of the console gamer. But since RTS's have been taking steps into the console world, sims should as well. Given that most sims are slow and a bit, well ... boring, it's good to see that not only is IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey the type of game that doesn't look very boring, but also that it has a name that doesn't suggest it's genre (we're looking at you MS Flight Sim!). While it's unknown whether the Birds of Prey version that will hit the 360 will include any new content, the game is already known as the one of the best WWII flight sims around and new content might not really be absolutely necessary to bring people in.
Boxart Battle: Super Mario Galaxy vs. Pop!
Balloon Pop!'s U.S. boxart was never the most eye-catching piece of work, a mistake that 505 Games was determined not to repeat when it launched the game in Europe last week. In place of Balloon Pop!'s forgettable NTSC art, the PAL edition features a shot of the game's hero hurtling through space beneath brightly colored letters, passing a lush planetoid covered in greenery on his way.And if that all sounds extremely familiar, that's because it totally is, as one NeoGAFfer recently noticed. Whether intentionally or not, Balloon Pop! -- or just Pop! as it is known in Europe -- sports boxart that is eerily similar to that of this other game called Super Mario Galaxy. There's even a damn mushroom!Suffice to say, Nintendo's crack legal team have been contacted. In an office located somewhere beneath Redmond, Washington, they wait. Suits pressed. Teeth bared. Preparing to feed.%Gallery-4735%%Gallery-15750%
