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Bethesda picks up Wii racer from Archer Maclean's studio
Bethesda Softworks has announced that it will publish a new Wii racing game from Archer Maclean's Awesome Play studio in Europe. Wheelspin, planned for release this fall, is a futuristic racing game with single-console multiplayer for up to eight; a feat accomplished by the simultaneous support of various combinations of Wiimotes, Classic Cons, Nunchuks, GameCube controllers and even GameCube steering wheels.If Wheelspin sounds familiar to you, it's because it bears a striking resemblance to Speed Zone, a futuristic Wii racing game developed by ... Archer Maclean's Awesome Play and still listed for release this month by publisher Detn8 Games. In fact, judging from screenshots (see above), the two games are one and the same. Bethesda, it seems, has simply sped off with the European publishing rights.
Archer Maclean's new Wii racer is crazy for controllers
Awesome Play, the new studio from classic game icon and Mercury creator Archer Maclean, has just announced its first project: a futuristic Wii racing game called Speed Zone, scheduled for a "late May" release in North America.The boost-heavy racing game features solo tracks, multi-car races, and a battle mode in which "players can fry opponents with a lighting gun or shatter them with an overactive chain-gun complete with flying shells – not to mention a plethora of other weapons, including rockets, missiles, lasers, and mines." The really interesting thing about Speed Zone, however, is that Awesome Play has used the Wii's control options to work a little magic. Not only can the game support the Wiimote, Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and GameCube controller, it allows use of up to four of Logitech's Speed Force Wireless Wheels. And through the use of four Wiimotes and any four other connected controllers, it is possible for eight players to play simultaneously. In split-screen.The only clue to Speed Zone's appearance is a Flash banner at the top of Awesome Play's site, of which we've taken a screenshot.
Mercury games Wii-bound
An updated release list from Ignition Entertainment has yielded a surprising result: the heretofore Sony-exclusive puzzle series, Mercury, will be gracing Wii consoles with not one but two games come this Turkey Day. Mercury Meltdown and Mercury Type R are currently slated along with the previously announced Metal Slug Anthology to be released this November for the Wii. Mercury has received some critical acclaim for its inventive puzzle design and play mechanics, so with any luck, the Wii will have two excellent puzzle games before long. (Author's note: actual Mercury is a deadly, poisonous liquid metal that should not be handled under any circumstances without proper supervision and care. Then again, if you're dumb enough to kill yourself with a silver blob, consider yourself eligible for a Darwin Award.)
