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Train2Game News Indie MEGABOOTH at EGX

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EGX, the UK’s biggest games event, and Indie MEGABOOTH, the showcase for independent game developers are today thrilled to announce the 29 playable games that are coming to this month’s EGX as part of the Indie MEGABOOTH.
 
Starting in 2011 as a way to introduce indie games to both conference goers and the gaming community as a whole, the Indie MEGABOOTH found enormous success through a mixture of highly original and engaging games content, delighting North American fans along the way. Through a special partnership with EGX the Indie MEGABOOTH is making the transatlantic voyage for the first time, bringing unique and wonderful games to impress visitors. As the Indie MEGABOOTH puts it, “there’s no way you will leave without finding your new favourite game”.
 
Games selected for the EGX Indie MEGABOOTH include ‘first-person exploration game’ Pollen, ‘isometric action RPG’ Eitr and Move or Die, the 4 player game in which stopping means your character explodes. The full list is as follows:
 
AEROBAT, BOID, Cerulean Moon, Dropsy, Eitr, Enter the Gungeon, Four Sided Fantasy, Future Unfolding, Gunsport, Herald, Induction, Just Shapes & Beats, Kingdom, Knee Deep, Mayan Death Robots, MindFork, Monsters & Monocles, Move or Die, Pollen, Redshift Blueshift, Sea of Solitude, Star Command Galaxies, Galactic Hero Agency, Stikbold!, The Flock, The Masterplan, The Red Solstice, Twin Souls: The Path of Shadows and VIDEOBALL.
 
“This has been a really big year for us and we’re really excited to cap 2015 with our first-ever showcase in the UK”, said Kelly Wallick, founder of Indie MEGABOOTH. “The UK is already a great hub for indie development and this is an amazing opportunity to bring together talented devs to showcase their games as well as extend our support of the indie dev community to the UK”.
 
“Having been recognised as a bastion of quality by our American cousins for several years, we’re immensely proud to welcome the Indie MEGABOOTH to UK shores for the first time”, said David Lilley, Managing Director of Gamer Events. “Indie gaming is a core part of the EGX experience, and with the support of Indie MEGABOOTH visitors to EGX will be treated to the largest collection of indie games anywhere in the country”.
 
In addition to the Indie MEGABOOTH, this year’s EGX also features the Rezzed Zone and Leftfield Collection, showcasing over 300 screens of fantastic indie games. Whether a hardcore indie gamer or new to the scene, the indie presence at EGX will deliver countless fantastic gaming experiences.

EGX runs at the NEC, Birmingham, from 24th to 27th September. For all the information about the event, including the playable games and features announced so far, plus to buy a ticket to this year’s show, please visit www.egx.net/egx.

Train2Game News Pokémon GO

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The Pokémon Company, Niantic, Inc., and Nintendo Co., Ltd. today announced their collaboration on a new project for mobile devices called Pokémon GO.

This ground breaking mobile game will encourage fans to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon. Pokémon GO will be available for download at no charge on the App Store and Google Play in 2016.

In the past, the Pokémon video game series has used real world locations like the Hokkaido and Kanto regions of Japan, as well as New York and Paris, as inspiration for its fantasy settings. In Pokémon GO, players will be able to catch, trade, and battle in the real world by utilizing location information.

Pokémon GO’s gameplay experience goes beyond what appears on screen as players explore their neighborhoods, communities and the world they live in to discover Pokémon alongside friends and other players. Junichi Masuda, game director of the Pokémon video game series at GAME FREAK inc. will be contributing to the project. His involvement will ensure that the fun of Pokémon makes its way into Pokémon GO, while developing new types of gameplay and thinking of ways to connect this project with the main series of Pokémon video games. In-app purchases will be available in Pokémon GO.

Here’s a link to the announcement video: http://youtu.be/2sj2iQyBTQs

Watch the press conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUlX77BKLyY

“Our challenge was to develop a great game for smart phone devices that expressed the core values of Pokémon,” said Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company. “Pokémon GO is the answer to that challenge.”

“Pokémon GO is a wonderful combination of Niantic’s real world gaming platform and one of the most beloved franchises in popular culture,” said John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic, Inc. “Our partnership with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo is an exciting step forward in real-world gaming and using technology to help players discover the world and people around them.”

Players will be able to enhance their Pokémon GO experience even when they are looking away from their smartphones by using a unique device called Pokémon GO Plus.  By pressing a button on Pokémon GO Plus, simple in-game actions like catching a Pokémon can be performed. Developed and manufactured by Nintendo Co., Ltd., Pokémon GO Plus will connect to smartphones via Bluetooth and by flashing and vibrating, will notify players about events like the appearance of a Pokémon nearby.

Pokémon GO is being developed by Niantic, Inc. Originally founded by Google Earth co-creator John Hanke as a start-up within Google, Niantic is known for creating Ingress, the augmented reality mobile game which utilizes GPS technology to fuel a sci-fi story encompassing the entire world. Ingress currently has 12 million downloads worldwide.

Train2Game News Game Art book

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Video games capture the imagination like no other art form, but when the game ends, what’s the best way to keep those experiences alive? Just open a stunning art book.

In Game Art ($39.95, 272 pp., September 2015), the latest art book from No Starch Press, readers can relive their favorite adventures and discover new ones through breathtaking art from 40 video games by indie and blockbuster studios. With every turn of the page, readers will find themselves immersed in scenes like:

·         A brave little girl’s journey through frigid Alaskan icescapes in Never Alone
·         An epic battle against a monstrous dragon in Dragon Age: Inquisition
·         A noir-inspired universe where characters literally become shadows in Contrast
·         Chocobos galloping through majestic valleys in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Author Matt Sainsbury traveled the globe to snag exclusive interviews with the creators of these games. Matt says, “We’re living in a true Golden Age of video games at the moment—there’s never been more experimentation and beauty in games than there is today. My goal with Game Art was to showcase these incredible works of art and what inspires developers to create these masterpieces.”

“Game Art is sure to live on coffee tables of video game lovers for years to come,” says No Starch Press founder Bill Pollock. “You have to check this out. Anyone who reads this book won’t be asking, ‘Are video games art?’ It’s obvious.”

Game Art will be available in bookstores everywhere this September.

Train2Game News Castle Crashers Remastered

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Independent game developer and publisher The Behemoth is excited to announce Castle Crashers®  Remastered for Xbox One will release on September 9, 2015.

Castle Crashers Remastered will release in North America on launch day with other countries to follow as ratings are approved.

Hack, slash, and smash your way to victory in this Remastered edition of the popular 2D arcade adventure known as Castle Crashers! At 60 frames per second, Castle Crashers Remastered delivers hi-res visuals with updated textures 5x the size of the original. Up to four friends can play locally or online to save your princess, defend your kingdom, and crash some castles!

Featuring:

*A brand new mini-game Back Off Barbarian. Jump and hop across the level to avoid the enemies!
*Larger textures and twice the framerate of the original Castle Crashers for Xbox 360
*Unlock more than 25 characters and over 40 weapons!
*Intuitive combo and magic system: Unlock an arsenal of new attacks as your character progresses through the game.
*Level up your character and adjust Strength, Magic, Defense, and Agility.
*Adorable animal orbs are your companions. Each adds different abilities to aid you on your journey.
*Arena mode: Battle other players in free-for-all or team matches!
•Insane Mode: Test your skills in the ultimate campaign challenge

Dan Paladin, co-founder & art director of The Behemoth, explains: “Over a year ago we started thinking about the future. Castle Crashers would disappear along with lots of other games once the ‘Last Gen’ would wave goodbye. Millions of people have enjoyed the game and written to us with such amazing experiences, it seemed like it’d be a loss to just let it vanish for any new or returning console players.”

Castle Crashers Remastered will be available for $14.99. Xbox One owners who previously purchased Castle Crashers on Xbox 360 will get the game for free through September 20, 2015 with an active Xbox Live Gold membership. Starting September 21, 2015, Xbox Live Gold members who are previous owners of Castle Crashers on Xbox 360 will receive Castle Crashers Remastered for Xbox One for only $5.00!

In addition to Castle Crashers Remastered, the original XBLA version of Castle Crashers will be playable with Xbox One Backwards Compatibility but there is no release date yet.

Train2Game News Gameloft Advertising Solutions

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Gameloft Advertising Solutions presents its new, innovative advertising formats: Minigame, FORM, SITE, as well as a new geolocation feature that matches advertising campaigns with users according to their location.

Armed with perfect knowledge of its consumers and its expertise in mobile platforms, Gameloft is proud to announce the launch of the following rich media mobile ad formats:

    Minigame: A fun and innovative format customized to offer a total immersion in the universe of the brand.

    FORM: An interstitial survey that allows clients to run customer recruitment campaigns and enhances their audience insights.

    SITE: A unique showcase highlighting a product/brand in a manner adapted to the mobile environment, with all of the features a website can offer: 360° product view, photo galleries, customization options, contact form, etc.

In addition to these new formats, Gameloft Advertising Solutions builds upon its targeting options that are already available (age, gender, mobile device and in-game surveys) with new features :

   – Geolocation which enables the delivery of ad contents tailored to a user’s physical location.

    -Leveraging mobile usage data to define specific consumer profiles (travelers, online shoppers, movie buffs, etc.).

In this manner, advertising campaigns delivered by Gameloft Advertising Solutions are even more adapted to consumers while ensuring advertisers an exceptional 100% visibility rate.

Owner of its inventory, Gameloft offers a brand safety environment, allowing advertisers to benefit from a perfectly controlled display context. Transparency being at the heart of advertiser relations, Gameloft Advertising Solutions is able to integrate independent tracking (Sizmek, PointRoll, DoubleClick, etc.) and visibility measurement (MOAT, Integral Ad Science) into formats that comply with IAB standards (MRAID 2.0/VAST 2.0).

With a monthly audience of over 172 million active players and an inventory of 9 billion mobile impressions, Gameloft Advertising Solutions offers a unique level of visibility and involvement to advertisers. To date, Gameloft Advertising Solutions has delivered over 300 campaigns for prestigious brands such as FOX, Samsung, McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Kellogg’s, Unilever, Netflix, Ford and Air France, in over 33 countries around the world (North America, Latin America, United Arab Emirates, Europe, Asia, etc.).

As part of its development, Gameloft Advertising Solutions will be further enriching its offer with the release of additional innovative ad formats over the coming months.

For more information about Gameloft Advertising Solutions, please visit the website: http://www.gameloft.com/advertising-solutions/

Train2Game News Meet Mario in London

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To commemorate the landmark anniversary of Nintendo’s best loved game Mario Bros, GAME will be hosting Charles Martinet, the iconic voice of Mario, at GAME Hamleys on Thursday 10th September.

Charles Martinet has voiced Mario since 1995, and also provided the voice for Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth, Baby Mario and Baby Luigi among other legendary Nintendo characters.

GAME customers are in for a real treat as Mr Martinet will only be available at GAME to sign special anniversary edition Mario Bros posters and sleeves for fans at the following times:

    11:00 – 13:00
    14:00 – 16:00

Staff will also be plumbing away on the day taking photographs of fans meeting their Nintendo hero in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

GAME Hamleys is located in the basement of the Hamleys store on Regent Street, London. Gamers are encouraged to get there early to get involved.

For more information visit: www.game.co.uk or follow @GAMEHamleys1

Train2Game News Metal Hammer Roadkill

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Metal Hammer, the popular music magazine, has teamed up with TeamRock to create a music adventure mobile game.

Created by Metal Hammer and TeamRock, with music from Nuclear Blast, Metal Hammer: Roadkill is the action game metalheads around the world have always wanted.

Your task is to slay the beasts with your mighty hammer along to the rhythm of some of the biggest heavy metal bands on Earth including Sabaton, Immortal, Suicide Silence, Exodus and Epica!

There are thirteen bands in total to bludgeon your enemies to, so you better start exercising those thumbs!

Metal Hammer: Roadkill hits the Apple App Store on 15th October with an Android version to follow shortly.

Train2Game News Recreated ZX Spectrum launched

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The Recreated ZX Spectrum, the only authorised full-size recreation of the 5-million selling 1980s personal computer, launches today.

Built to the same dimensions and featuring the same 40 rubber keys, the recreated device mimics the look and feel of the original Sinclair ZX Spectrum to an uncanny degree and allows for the first time ever Spectrum games to be played authentically on any screen – tablet, phone or computer.

50 classic Speccy games, including Manic Miner, Jet Set Willy and Chuckie Egg, are bundled with the device at launch, with hundreds more available to download by the end of the year. For those who fancy writing their own games, Spectrum Basic is included too.

But the retro device isn’t just the perfect way to enjoy classics from a golden age in computer and video game history, it can also be used as a standard keyboard either wired or Bluetooth, allowing you to write emails or type documents quickly on your phone, tablet or computer with added retro chic.

It’s also the only keyboard that allows modern fast-twitch action games to played on iOS devices. Even Apple’s own keyboard can’t do this.

All the games and Spectrum Basic are included in an app that runs on your phone, tablet or computer. The app will be continually updated with new games and features, which means that the device is continually evolving.

Powered for hours by just two AA batteries, and featuring totally wireless connectivity, the retro device is truly portable allowing you to play wherever, whenever and on whatever screen you want.

Described by some as the “perfect Christmas present for dad this year”, the Recreated ZX Spectrum is the brainchild of one of the original pioneers of 8-bit gaming, Elite Systems, responsible for bringing arcade classics such as Commando, Paperboy and Bomb Jack to the original ZX Spectrum back in the 80s.

If you want to see it in action an entertaining 4-minute video introducing the device has been released today too.

And for those who want even more info, an 18-minute operating guide video intended to show new owners clearly and simply how to get the most from their new recreated device is available too.

The Recreated ZX Spectrum is available directly from Elite’s website www.recreatedzxspectrum.com or from its network of resellers. It has a recommended retail price of £99.

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 07.09.15

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Metal gear solid phantom painKonami have taken the number one spot in the charts this week with Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the long awaited sequel to the hit series. Second place sees another new game in the charts with the movie tie in, Mad Max.

All formats
Week ending 5 September 2015

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN KONAMI –
2 MAD MAX WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE –
3 GEARS OF WAR: ULTIMATE EDITION MICROSOFT 1
4 UNTIL DAWN SONY COMPUTER ENT. 2
5 DISNEY INFINITY 3.0 DISNEY INFINITY 3
6 – GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 6
7 LEGO JURASSIC WORLD WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 5
8 – MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 8
9 MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 10
10 BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 9
11 MADDEN NFL 16 EA SPORTS 4
12 BATTLEFIELD HARDLINE EA GAMES 11
13 – DYING LIGHT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 13
14 PROJECT CARS BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT –
15 FIFA 15 EA SPORTS 12
16 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE ACTIVISION 14
17 DISHONORED: DEFINITIVE EDITION BETHESDA SOFTWORKS 7
18 THE LAST OF US: REMASTERED SONY COMPUTER ENT. 17
19 LITTLEBIGPLANET 3 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 16
20 DESTINY ACTIVISION 15
< previous week
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2015 UKIE Ltd

These charts cannot be reproduced either in print or online without obtaining permission from Ukie. If you wish to reproduce the charts in print or online, please contact david.smith@ukie.org.uk for the appropriate license.

 

Train2Game News New Nintendo 3DS

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Nintendo Announces Two New Nintendo 3DS Systems Coming this Fall.

At the GameStop Managers Conference in Las Vegas, Nintendo announced that the New Nintendo 3DS system will launch in the U.S. as part of a special bundle on Sept. 25. The bundle includes the new hand-held system, the upcoming Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer game, two cover plates and one amiibo card at a suggested retail price of $219.99. The more compact New Nintendo 3DS system joins New Nintendo 3DS XL, which has been available since Feb. 13.

In addition, a Hyrule Edition New Nintendo 3DS XL system will launch exclusively in GameStop stores on Oct. 30 at a suggested retail price of $199.99, just in time for the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (sold separately) on Oct. 23. The system is gold-colored and features an intricate Hylian Crest on the front.

Other news revealed at the GameStop Conference included the debut of three new Wii Remote Plus controllers inspired by classic Mushroom Kingdom characters Bowser, Toad and Yoshi.

“More than 15 million systems in the Nintendo 3DS family have been sold in the U.S. alone,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “These new models offer additional fun ways to experience some of the great upcoming Nintendo 3DS games launching in the next few months.”

New Nintendo 3DS incorporates all the same enhanced features as the New Nintendo 3DS XL system, including a wider range of controls, face-tracking 3D and built-in NFC functionality that allows for communication with amiibo figures. The compact system also features interchangeable cover plates that can be easily swapped out to change the look of the device. Two cover plates inspired by Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer are included in the bundle.

Various amiibo cards launch with the Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer game on Sept. 25. Tapping compatible amiibo cards while playing Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer is a way to meet favorite Animal Crossing characters with their separate personalities and design requests in the game. People who own the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL or Nintendo 2DS systems can still use the cards to enjoy Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer by purchasing the Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader/Writer accessory at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The wireless accessory also launches on Sept. 25 and allows players to enjoy amiibo figures and cards on all other systems in the Nintendo 3DS family.

Joining previously released Wii Remote Plus controllers themed after Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, three new controllers inspired by Bowser, Toad and Yoshi will launch exclusively at GameStop at a suggested retail price of $39.99 each. The Bowser and Toad controllers will launch alongside the Super Mario Maker game for the Wii U console on the 11th of September, while the Yoshi version will hop on the back of the Yoshi’s Woolly World launch on Oct. 16. Wii Remote Plus includes Wii MotionPlus technology, and works with all Wii and Wii U games that are compatible with Wii Remote controllers.

Bowser, the newest member of the Photos with Mario series of Nintendo eShop Cards, is coming this fall – exclusively at GameStop. Customers can add $10 to their Nintendo eShop accounts and get the new Bowser AR card at no additional cost. With the Bowser AR card, players can use their Nintendo 3DS systems to play and pose with Bowser and other Mushroom Kingdom characters in the free Photos with Mario app.

For more information about New Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/new-nintendo-3ds/.