Coming: Attack of the Movies 3D

Majesco Entertainment Company, which provides video games for the mass market, has announced Attack of the Movies 3D. Claimed to be the first-ever 3D shooter designed exclusively for Wii, the game transports players to six fantastic movie-themed worlds.

Players will battle large alien space cruisers, shoot underwater monsters, join the resistance against the machines and more. 

Packaged with four pairs of 3D glasses to support four-player multiplayer action, and featuring classic enemies culled from the annals of film history, this inspired 3D shooter jumps right out of your television and into your living room, explains the company.

“We all dream about being the hero in our favorite action movies,” said Gui Karyo, executive VP of Operations for Majesco. “Attack of the Movies 3D lets you live that experience out with a realism and dimensionality previously only found in movie theaters.”

In Attack of the Movies 3D, players become an integral part of movie scenes they can typically only watch.

Each scene features genre-based ultimate weapons to engage enemies, including zombie-slaying shotguns, automatic laser cannons, and more. 

In addition, branching paths, changing enemy attack patterns, unique areas and environmental challenges ensure that players never experience the same fight twice.

Developed by Panic Button Games, Attack of the Movies 3D is expected to release Spring 2010, according to the company.

Read Full Post »

Sony Brings Gaming To Digital Cinema Theaters

Sony is joining forces with movie theaters to create a series of multi-player gaming events. The idea is to highlight the potential of “alternative content” as an additional revenue source for exhibitors during non-peak times.

To support the release of the PlayStation3 title UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves, Sony Computer Entertainment of America and Sony Digital Cinema Solutions and Services are producing four exclusive “sneak peek” events.

Attendees will have the chance to play UNCHARTED 2 on the big screen, powered by Sony Electronics 4K digital cinema technology, which provides image resolution four times greater than high-definition consumer televisions, the company claims.

The “sneak peek” events will take place on October 5 and 6, 6-11 p.m., at the following theaters:

• Landmark Embarcadero, San Francisco, Calif.
• Muvico Theaters, Rosemont, Ill.
• Muvico Theaters, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
• Lincoln Square Cinemas, Bellevue, Wash. 

“Sony 4K digital cinema technology delivers an enhanced viewing experience unlike anything seen in theaters before,” said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services Group. 

“But it also offers exhibitors additional programming options from alternative content such as gaming events, simulcasts, pre-recorded concerts, and sporting events, to maximize a movie theater’s profitability and fill auditoriums during non-peak times.”

As the move to digital cinema continues, Sony says exhibitors across the United States are increasing their menu of services and amenities to elevate the theater-going experience, turning theaters into “digital entertainment destinations.”

Read Full Post »

Avatar on Your Mobile Screen

Gameloft, a leading publisher and developer of downloadable video games, has announced a licensing agreement with Fox Mobile Entertainment to develop, publish, and distribute the mobile game based on the upcoming movie Avatar. Directed by Academy Award-winner James Cameron, it’s an epic action adventure film.

With Avatar, the director of “Titanic,” offers to take you to a new world. The film delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience, where technology invented to make it, disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story, claims Gameloft.

Today, leading movie makers are trying to leverage mobile technologies to promote their films. So trailers, promos, games, etc. are increasingly being offered to mobile users. (Read: Hello! Movie Here…I Love You, Mobile)

“With a riveting storyline and compelling characterization, Avatar: the Mobile Game will raise the bar for the mobile game user experience,” said Gonzague de Vallois, senior vice-president, Gameloft.

Through Gameloft’s collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox, Avatar: the Mobile Game will launch at the end of 2009. It will be available on all mobile platforms worldwide, says Gameloft.

Read Full Post »

Dance Fabulous Blends Music and Gaming

Dance Fabulous, published by Nokia, has been released today (June 11) on N-Gage. It’s stated to be the first cross-services game by Nokia that incorporates both a music and gaming experience and offers players a new way to enjoy and listen to music.

Through a collaboration between Nokia, Interscope Records, and music legend Dave Stewart, Dance Fabulous introduces a pioneering artist, Cindy Gomez, including a dancing Gomez avatar and her brand new songs. 

Players of Dance Fabulous perform their own choreography and collect points by creating cool moves and dancing to the music. In addition to customizing their own avatars, players can mix and match between a variety of dance styles and dance sets and share their moves with friends and other players via the N-Gage Arena. N-Gage is a connected mobile games service by Nokia.

“Dance Fabulous is a music game where players can use any music they have stored on their mobile device and download more of their favorite songs from the Nokia Music Store,” said Mark Ollila, director of X-Media Solutions, Media & Games, Nokia.

The Canadian Cindy Gomez is said to be the first artist to make her debut in a mobile game. Dance Fabulous features five of her songs, including the debut single “Again & Again”. And it’s not just Cindy’s voice you hear echoing through the title – as well as recording unique songs for Dance Fabulous, Cindy’s motion-capture studio involvement brings her own dance moves to the game in appearance of her own Dance Fabulous avatar.

Cindy Gomez’s debut single “Again & Again” has been released in Nokia Music Store and has already made its way into the charts. Her debut album coming later this year will also be available for download in Nokia Music Store. 

Dance Fabulous is now available at http://www.n-gage.com

Photo courtesy: Nokia

Read Full Post »

Steven Spielberg Introduces “Project Natal”

Compatible with any Xbox 360 system, the “Project Natal” sensor is said to be the world’s first to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone, and custom processor running proprietary software all in one device. Ace filmmaker Steven Spielberg introduced it for controller-free gaming.

Unveiled for the first time to the public was “Project Natal,” pronounced “nuh-tall” and a code name for a new way to play, no controller required.

Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, “Project Natal” tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions, and even a shift of emotion in your voice.

Microsoft says the “Project Natal” sensor is not light-dependent. It can recognize you just by looking at your face, and it doesn’t just react to key words but understands what you’re saying.

“The next step in interactive entertainment is to make the controller disappear,” said Steven Spielberg, a leading film director and producer. “With ‘Project Natal,’ we’ll see games that bring everyone together through technology that actually recognizes us.”

Also, Xbox LIVE has announced that Facebook and Last.fm would be tailor-made for your TV, on Xbox 360. Using Facebook Connect, you can share your experience in gaming by posting updates and screenshots from supported games directly to Facebook.

Last.fm, part of the CBS Interactive Music Group, will give Xbox LIVE subscribers access to songs streaming through Xbox 360. Xbox LIVE subscribers will be able to create their own free, personalized radio stations, says Microsoft.

A few days ago, Microsoft had announced that sales of Xbox 360 consoles have passed the 30 million mark globally, with its Xbox LIVE community swelling to more than 20 million active members. (Read: Xbox 360 Console Sales Hit 30 Million)

Click here for video.

Read Full Post »

She’s 13, Can Still Spell Laodicean

Meet Kavya Shivashankar, a 13-year-old speller from Olathe, Kan., who won the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night. 

Kavya was named the national champion in the Championship Round after correctly spelling the word “Laodicean” which is defined as “lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics.” 

An eighth grader at California Trail Junior High School in Olathe, Kavya represented The Olathe News in this year’s competition. This was the fourth Scripps National Spelling Bee in which she competed. 

The spelling competition began Tuesday with 293 competitors who qualified to compete in the Bee by winning locally sponsored bees in their home communities. 

The ABC Television Network broadcast the final rounds live, with replays tentatively scheduled to be aired on May 30 at 3 pm (ESPN2), June 2 at 11:30 pm (ESPNU), June 3 at 8:30 pm (ESPNU), and June 13 at 4 pm (ESPNU). 

Finishing second in this year’s competition was Tim Ruiter, a 12-year-old seventh grader representing Times Community Newspapers of Reston, Va. 

Finishing third was Aishwarya Pastapur, a 13-year-old eighth grader representing the State Journal-Register of Springfield, Ill. 

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an educational program, administered on a not-for-profit basis by The E.W. Scripps Company and 287 local spelling bee sponsors in the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe; also, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, New Zealand, and South Korea. 

The purpose of the Scripps National Spelling Bee is to help students improve spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage. 

Photo courtesy: Scripps National Spelling Bee

Read Full Post »

Up is Up for Sale

Games developer THQ says the Up video game, based on the Disney-Pixar film, has shipped to retail outlets throughout North America for Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP (PlayStation Portable), and Games for Windows and Mac. The film is releasing May 29. 

The Up video game takes players on an exotic adventure with Carl Fredricksen and his young sidekick, Wilderness Explorer Russell, as they set off on a wild journey through the undiscovered jungles of South America.

Players will be able to experience all four main characters from the movie — Carl, Russell, Dug the lovable dog or Kevin the prehistoric bird — while playing as a single-player or with a friend cooperatively throughout the entire game.

Aided by Russell’s wilderness knowledge, the four characters must work together to navigate treacherous jungle terrain, combat exotic animals and avoid being captured by a villain and his loyal army of talking dogs. Players will also encounter collection adventures to earn merit badges for Russell that will unlock bonus content.

The Up video game is selling at retail prices of $39.99 (Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3), $29.99 (PSP and DS) and $19.99 (PlayStation 2 system and Games for Windows and Mac). 

The game is rated E for Everyone (PlayStation 2 system, PSP system, DS, Games for Windows and Mac) and E10+ for everyone 10 and older (Wii, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360).

“Up” is a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. 

But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. From the Academy Award-nominated director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.), Disney-Pixar’s “Up” will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D in select theatres.

Earlier, Aflac insurance company had teamed up with Disney-Pixar to produce a television commercial utilizing their unique brand of animation. The ad featured movie characters from “Up,” Disney-Pixar’s first ever 3-D film, and the Aflac Duck demonstrating how Aflac policies help protect you when injury or illness threatens to derail your dreams, said Aflac.

The film is due for release on May 29, 2009.

Read Full Post »

Sports TV on Your Mobile

FLO TV, which provides live mobile TV service and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm, and NBC Universal have announced the schedule for live mobile TV broadcasts of NBC Sports’ coverage. 

The coverage will be for Preakness Stakes, the French Open, the Stanley Cup Final, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon – all part of NBC Sports Championship Season on NBC2GO. 

NBC Sports Championship Season ties together seven championships broadcast by NBC Sports over a 65-day period between May 2 and July 5. Beginning with the Kentucky Derby, FLO TV’s coverage of the NBC Sports Championship Season features these events:

• The Kentucky Derby – May 2
• The Preakness – May 16
• The French Open – May 30-31 & June 6-7
• The Stanley Cup Playoffs – Starting June 6
• The U.S. Open – June 18-21
• Wimbledon – June 27-July 5

FLO TV is available to AT&T subscribers as AT&T Mobile TV and to Verizon Wireless customers as V CAST Mobile TV in 68 U.S. markets.

Read Full Post »

Your Living Room Stage Set by Loot

“Loot” is new group of developers introduced by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The group will create branded interactive entertainment products for PlayStation Home, a 3D social gaming community built for PlayStation 3 (PS3) users to meet, chat, share, and launch into games together via PlayStation Network.

PlayStation Network is a free to access network service for PS3 computer entertainment system and PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system. Directly accessible from PS3, PSP, or PC, users are able to get online content and services. They include online gaming, video chat and text messaging with other PS3 users online, as well as games and video content downloadable from PlayStation Store. 

Sony said that the cumulative number of registered accounts on PlayStation Network worldwide had exceeded 20 million as of Feb. 20. It was launched in Nov. 2006.
.
Now, Loot has unveiled its “Living Room Stage Set,” for PlayStation Home in North America. Living Room Stage Set – the first of many new Loot offerings to come – is an interactive personal space that users can purchase through the PlayStation Home Mall.

It features a movie soundstage and a full range of movie production props and equipment such as interactive cameras, lights, backdrops, and basic furniture items that users can operate within Home – acting as director, actor, or cinematographer on their own virtual production.

Living Room Stage Set can be purchased in the “Estates” store, located at the PlayStation Home Mall, where other Loot offerings are available. Loot’s Living Room Stage Set is available for $4.99 and comes loaded with a selection of props, which the player can use to decorate their set or use in any other owned PlayStation Home personal space.

Read Full Post »

The Singing Game – Disney Sing It: Pop Hits

Disney Interactive Studios today (May 7) announced that Disney Sing It: Pop Hits, the third game in the video-based karaoke video game franchise, will be released this fall. It features 30 master recordings and music videos from fan favorites, including Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Demi Lovato, Hannah Montana, Jesse McCartney, Coldplay and One Republic.

“Great music, chart-topping artists and immersive gameplay are the key components in making this franchise popular with tweens and families around the world,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “In addition to an exciting new collection of songs, the fun factor has been raised with new multiplayer elements that will bring hours of enjoyment to music fans of all ages.”

In Disney Sing It: Pop Hits, fans will enjoy familiar single and multiplayer game modes such as singing solo, duet and head-to-head. Players will learn how to sing from a professional in the newly expanded “Sing It Pro” mode.

Led by Disney Channel star Tiffany Thornton from “Sonny With A Chance,” this series of voice exercises runs through the basics of pitch and breathing, all the way up to harmonizing in a duet and riffing, says Disney. These exercises are designed to teach players how to sing so they can unlock special rewards based on vocal improvements as they play.

Slated for a fall release, Disney Sing It: Pop Hits follows last year’s release of Disney Sing It and this spring’s Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year. These titles provide an interactive social experience for fans, where they can team up or compete in lively performance battles with friends, says Disney.

Developed by Zoë Mode, the game will be available for Wii and PlayStation3. It will be sold as a standalone or bundled with one Logitech microphone for all systems.

Read Full Post »