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Henry Hatsworth devs crafting Monster Tale on DS
Dreamrift, the new studio formed by Henry Hatsworth designer Peter Ong and programmer Ryan Pijai, is working on a new DS game that, once again, involves two distinct genres of running simultaneously across both screens. Instead of Hatsworth's weird mashup of platformer and falling-block puzzle, however, the new Monster Tale combines platforming and ... a pet simulation. The result is something reminiscent of A Boy and his Blob. In Monster Tale, Ellie fights her way through the Monster World in order to free its denizens from the control of the "Kid Kings." Acquired items can be sent to the bottom screen, home of a monster named Chomp. The items Chomp eats or plays with in the bottom screen boost his abilities, or even transform him into one of around 30 forms when summoned to the top screen to protect Ellie. Will a cup of tea transform him into a dashing British adventurer? Probably not! Majesco plans to release Monster Tale this December. %Gallery-92883%
'Swords' is a Wii game about swords
click to see the sabery screensIf using the Wii Remote and MotionPlus to control a sword sounds like the sword of thing you'd be into, you should consider Majesco's new game Swords -- because that's basically the whole game. Swords, developed by Panic Button, is a time-traveling arena combat game in which you fight sword practitioners from different cultures and time periods, including a Viking and Sir Lancelot. Then, having sufficiently disrupted the timeline, you take a new sword from your defeated opponent Mega Man-style, using its new abilities against your next historical adversary. When not hacking away at people, you can train with your sensei or perform drills -- like fighting zombies. If the idea of a MotionPlus-based lightsaber dueling game excites you, this seems like a pretty close substitute. Plus, it's got the most hilariously straightforward title in recent memory. Swords will be thrust into stores this September. %Gallery-92041%
Majesco says Martha Stewart games will bring 'sensibility' to the market
Nasdaq delisting candidate Majesco is betting on games based on domestically-faux corporate goddess Martha Stewart to up its cash flow. The agreement between the publisher and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia will see the creation of "interactive electronic games" based on Stewart's vast empire of lifestyle products. "Women are increasingly engaged in social gaming," Stewart said in the announcement. "We feel confident that this new offering will delight loyal customers who are active in the space while introducing a new generation to the brand." And then it hit us: Martha Stewart + Farmville = ROFLCOPTERS of $.
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter confirmed for XBLA, up for pre-order on Steam
While the title has been on the radar since November, Majesco has now confirmed that Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter is headed to Xbox Live Arcade in addition to the PC. Previously relegated to the more nebulous "home console," the HD remake is officially coming to XBLA with some new features in toe. There is no release date mentioned, though the Steam version is currently listed for April 28. The game includes a new deathmatch mode along with co-op, capture the flag and survival modes. It also includes lots and lots of enemies. For those interested in the PC version, Steam is currently offering pre-purchases on the game for $17.99, two bucks off the normal $19.99 price. Pre-orders will also get an extra multiplayer and co-op character: Ugh-zan, the boss of The First Encounter. Check out a new trailer after the break. [Via Big Download]
Majesco reports drop in Q1 profits
This week, Majesco reported its earnings for its fiscal first quarter (which ended January 31). As you may have surmised from the recent news of its potential Nasdaq delisting, things aren't precisely where Majesco would want them to be, financially. Its net profit for the quarter was $3.8 million, showing a year-over-year decline compared to Q1 2009's $4.2 million profit. However, the slightly smaller Q1 still seems big enough to make Majesco happy. "Majesco had a very solid first quarter driven by strong holiday sales of our Cooking Mama franchise," CEO Jesse Sutton said, "which once again delivered impressive results, and Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel." Yes, that's right, some of you bought something with the word "Squeakquel" on it. "Our results were in-line with our internal expectations and we remain on track to deliver improved profitability for 2010," he added. "We have made significant progress in fine tuning our strategy to meet the challenges of the current operating environment." The latest announcement from Majesco, of course, is another extension of the Cooking Mama franchise, Crafting Mama.
Developer Tom Soderlund explains the frights of Ghostwire
Bumps in the night. Unexplained sounds. A chill up your spine. Extreme terror. These things aren't associated with the Nintendo DSi, unless you unexpectedly leave yours behind in a taxi. But A Different Game CEO Tom Soderlund wants to bring all of that augmented paranormal activity to your DSi with Ghostwire and turn you into a ghostbuster (minus the proton packs). Now you're armed with a stylus and the power of Nintendo. Originally conceived four years ago for Symbian-powered smartphones, the idea is to turn your handheld into a tool for communicating with the paranormal world. The built-in camera, sound meters, light meters are all a part of the experience, providing a combination of real-world and computer-generated data. Soderlund's team built an adventure game around it -- you talk to ghosts, find out what's troubling them, and either capture them or attempt to ease their pain.
Attack of the Movies 3D also attacking Xbox 360
This May, Wii owners won't be alone in shooting their way through scenes reminiscent of classic action movies in glorious, anaglyph 3D. Majesco has announced that it will release Attack of the Movies 3D on Xbox 360 as well. Attack of the Movies sends groups of up to four players (wearing up to four pairs of goofy 3D glasses) through movie-themed worlds, rich with hostile sea creatures, aliens, and robots. Don't have your own glasses? No worries -- the game comes with four sets. Not only will you get to shoot stuff with your friends, you'll all get to look like that one guy from Back to the Future when you do! %Gallery-88234% %Gallery-88241%
Impressions: Pirates Plund-Arrr
Pirates Plund-Arrr is best summed up as Castle Crashers, but with pirates. On the Wii. For $30. Unfortunately for Majesco and developer Boomzap, PSN and XBLA have spoiled us with a number of high-quality downloadable beat 'em ups for under $20. By skipping WiiWare and releasing as a retail game, Pirates Plund-Arrr seems a bit too pricey for its genre. Still, if you've been hankering for a four player co-op brawler on the Wii, Pirates Plund-Arrr delivers the action and humor we've come to expect from the genre. The title alone is representative of the spirit of the game. Boomzap has taken every opportunity to inject pirate lingo and iconography into a colorful, well-animated world. %Gallery-87930%
Majesco cooks up Crafting Mama for DS
Almost a year ago, a trademark for "Crafting Mama" was spotted. It's now being put to use, as Majesco has announced, well, Crafting Mama for DS. In her latest endeavor, Mama will occupy her seemingly endless time with a new task: arts & crafts. In a series of 40 projects, players will create things like birdhouses, quilts, kaleidoscopes and adorable new aprons for Mama to wear, as well as Mama dolls. Of course, these creations will all be realized through the familiar touch-based minigames, played alone and in multiplayer, which so many of us have grown to love in the utterly populous Cooking Mama game franchise. It's kind of crazy that a company can announce a game about making quilts and birdhouses, and we can already pretty much imagine how to play it! Majesco plans a fall 2010 release for Crafting Mama, but we suspect the publisher is at least considering bumping that up a bit.
Flip's Twisted World team spins a dev diary
Flip's Twisted World is a rare third party game that sets to do something original for the Wii. Yet strangely, it's gone almost completely unnoticed. While platformers are a dime a dozen, Flip's gravity-twisting gameplay offers a unique spin (get it?) that deserves a look. The "gimmick" at the heart of Flip's Twisted World is the player's ability to "flip" the world at whim, turning floors into walls, ceilings into floors, and more. Majesco has released a dev diary for Flip's Twisted World that better explains its gameplay. It's easy to make comparisons to Super Mario Galaxy, but that's not really a bad thing, is it? Flip's Twisted World comes out on Wii this April. %Gallery-87810%
Majesco threatened with Nasdaq delisting, again
Majesco, publisher of Cooking Mama and ... other stuff, has received a delisting notice from the Nasdaq stock market. The company now has 180 calendar days to bring its stock above $1 per share, the minimum required to remain on the exchange. The trick, though, is it can't just pop its fiscally hurting head above a buck for a day and everything will go back to being right with the world again. The company needs to hold the price for "a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days prior to August 30, 2010." This is not the first time Majesco was threatened with being kicked from the exchange. The company came back from the brink of that potential delisting disaster early last year. If you're curious to see what happens after a company is delisted, here are two case studies: Midway and Atari.
Tetris Party Deluxe coming to Wii and DS this June
Tetris Party is coming out again, this time in the more expensive "on disc" format. Originally a WiiWare release, Majesco and Tetris Online, Inc. are teaming up to release Tetris Party Deluxe for both Wii and DS this June. The retail release has a few enhancements over the WiiWare original, such as three new modes: Sprint, Master, and Bombliss. Unfortunately, none of these three modes are as inventive as the modes introduced in the original WiiWare game, like Field Climber, Stage Racer and Shadow. A price has yet to be set on Tetris Party Deluxe, but it'll be difficult to justify much more than the $12 asking price the downloadable version currently sports. A retail release on the DS is a bit more palpable, promising all the content found in the Wii version while offering a key feature DSiWare cannot capitalize on: the ability to play on every DS system out there. To see all the differences between the three versions of Tetris Party, check out a publisher-provided chart after the break.%Gallery-86546%
'Let's Draw,' says Majesco to Nintendo DS owners
Majesco's Let's Draw is ridiculously cute. Chances are it won't be as cute in untrained hands, but that's no reason not to try! Let's Draw combines minigames with Drawn to Life–style customization -- it's part drawing book, part game -- and adorability varies (based on the player's skill). Kids (and yes, this is for kids) draw and color images as prompted by the game, which are then animated in minigames like Whack-a-Mole and Air Hockey. Let's Draw also includes simple drawing lessons, based on a Japanese drawing book series. Drawn to Life was a big success for THQ -- we'll see how this younger take on the idea works out for a somewhat bruised and beaten Majesco when the game releases this March for $19.99. %Gallery-83630%
Cooking Mama taking on two more side jobs this year
In its latest financial results release, Majesco reported satisfying sales for its Cooking Mama franchise. It didn't provide specifics, but CEO Jesse Sutton said that Cooking Mama 3 "performed well," Gardening Mama was "very successful" and Cooking Mama in general was "the most successful third party franchise on the DS" and "an evergreen brand." So, naturally, Majesco is going to retire the series on a high note. Oh, did we say "retire the series on a high note?" We meant "release two more games this year." Sutton said that following the success of the gardening-based spinoff, Majesco is working on two "additional extensions for 2010," as well as looking to "new media channels" for further extensions of the brand.
Majesco reports $6.6 million loss for 2009
Majesco has just released the financial data for its fiscal 2009, which ended October 31, 2009. The company posted revenues of $23.9 million in the three months ending October 31, 2009, a significant increase over the $18 million in revenue during the same period in 2008. Still, Majesco didn't manage to post actual profits, instead posting a loss of $5.5 million in the fourth quarter, compared to a $0.4 million income during the same period in 2008. Looking Majesco's entire fiscal 2009, the company reported revenues of $94.5 million, which it claims is a 47.8 percent increase over 2008. Again, though, Majesco reports an overall operating loss for the year, amounting to $6.6 million. This is compared to an operating income of $2.8 million in 2008. The publisher cites "the Cooking Mama franchise, Jillian Michaels' titles and strong distribution revenue" for pushing its "top line," but blames a retail market "especially hard on non-branded and new IP titles" for its losses. Majesco's major goal for 2010 is profitability, which the company will pursue by cutting costs, releasing "fewer, but stronger titles" and, of course, "leveraging" the Cooking Mama franchise.
Pirates Plundarrr sailing Wii-ward this April
click to plund-arrr the gall-arrr-yMajesco followed up its announcement of Attack of the Movies 3D with another multiplayer Wii experience, this time with a much sillier title: Pirates Plund-arrr. Three r's. If it were two r's, it would be the planet that the Thundercats' enemies come from. Obviously. The Wii game, developed by casual game creator Boomzap Entertainment, is a 2D side-scrolling brawler, with (obviously) a pirate theme. You and up to three friends beat up a bunch of pirates and ghosts (and pirate ghosts, presumably) in a quest to find Captain Rudebelly and retrieve the Scepter of Power. To help them along, players will be able to ride warthogs and ... "trigger meat meteor showers raining down from above." The combination of four-player fighting, Flash-like 2D graphics, and character leveling makes this sound somewhat like a take on the Castle Crashers style, which sounds good to us. Majesco plans to release Plund-Arrr in April. %Gallery-82012%
No Wii is safe from 'Attack of the Movies 3D'
Avatar may be the big buzz in 3D flicks these days, but for many, the technology is always going to be associated with monster movies and those red-and-blue anaglyph lenses. For those of us hopelessly infatuated with those ridiculous-looking lenses and cheesy movies, Majesco is publishing Attack of the Movies 3D for Wii. The on-rails shooter features set pieces heavily inspired by movies, for up to four players to blast point-and-click their way through. With your friends, you'll "battle large alien space cruisers, shoot underwater monsters, join the resistance against the machines and more" against enemies "culled from the annals of film history." And you'll get to do it in glorious red and blue -- the game includes four sets of 3D glasses! Attack of the Movies 3D is expected for release this spring.
Data East Arcade Classics drops in Feb. 2010 for $20, new trailer
Majesco has released the first trailer for its upcoming Data East Arcade Classics collection. You might not remember the names of all the games in the video, but children of the 80s are likely to recognize at least a handful of them. One or two of them might even prompt shouts of "Hey! I remember ... that game! With the guys, and the explosions." The good news is you won't have to wait too long to figure it out, as Majesco has announced that Data East Arcade Classics will release in February 2010. Even better news, it will only cost twenty bucks. Yeah, $20 for Bad Dudes, Burger Time and Magical Drop III. As if that weren't enough, the game also ties your high scores to your Mii and features unlockable bonus material. The best news of all, the pizza joint down the street isn't getting any more of our hard-earned quarters ever again.
Uwe Boll is adapting everyone's favorite video game, Bloodrayne 3
At the risk of being repeatedly pawnched, we think we can accurately describe all of Uwe Boll's video game-based films as "wretched." However, we've got a theory for why that is -- his attempt to adhere to the plot of these games limited his otherwise limitless directing potential. Fortunately, that won't be a problem on his next film project: Bloodrayne 3: Warhammer, a film based on a video game which does not exist. We'll contact Majesco to find out if this means another Bloodrayne title is secretly in the works -- but let's be honest, now. This sounds a lot like some good ol' fashioned Bollnanigans. Bollshines. Bollduggery. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Hands-on: Dawn of Heroes (DS)
You might expect Dawn of Heroes, a tactical, turn-based RPG from Wicked Studios and Majesco, to be super serious. It seems games in this genre seldom stray into the territory of slapstick and humorous banter, but here's Dawn of Heroes, doing just that -- and doing it well! %Gallery-77827%
