via Computer and Video Games


A behind the scenes video of Fight Night Round 4 has seemingly turned up on You Tube, giving series fans their first look at EA's Mike Tyson.

You can watch it over there, and see EA Chicago's wonderfully Essex artist show off her work on the Tyson model, which erm, looks just like Tyson. Yeah.

Fight Night Round 4 will be the first time that Tyson has appeared in a game since 2002's abysmally-reviewed Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing for PS2.

EA says this version of Fight Night will be the most realistic yet, thanks in part to a new physics-based animation system that "allows for missed punches, glancing punches, knockout blows and for the first time ever, rough and tumble inside fighting". No word on any of the other stuff Tyson's now known for though.

It's out in 2009 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Data Design Interactive, the company behind Wii games Ninjabread Man and Billy the Wizard, had added Kidz Sports to its budget level Popcorn Arcade range and has released six screenshots to celebrate.

Somewhat surprisingly, the screenshots are actually pretty good. The environments are crisp and the backdrops look a lot better than a lot of titles we've seen on Wii.

In fact, the only fault we can find is with the cheesy grin-wearing avatar in one of the night shots. We'd like to punch him in the face.

Data Design Interactive promise 74 holes over four courses in which you can use the Wii Remote just like a real putter.

The game will also include a new 'NuYu' character editor, which allows players to create Kidz Sports versions of them who can be controlled in the game. We don't understand why they didn't implement Mii's though...


Screenshots ...

via Eurogamer


Fire Emblem DS will be the first instalment in the long-running series to boast online battles.

The exciting prospect spilled from the pages of Famitsu (translated by IGN), and will apparently be available in Japan as early as this August.

Subtitled New Dark Dragon and the Sword of Light, the game will be a remake of the original Fire Emblem that appeared on NES in 1990, but only in Japan.

Original developer Intelligent Systems will be bringing the adventure up to date by adding stylus battle-map controls and stretching the action out across both screens.

The biggest invention is the ability to cobble together a group of five fighters from your single-player game and take them online to fight against your friends.

On top of this, artwork will be re-done, there should be some fresh faces to meet, and apparently Weapon Ranks have replaced Weapon Skill, for those who worry about things like that.

The story tells of prince Marth who is on a quest to rescue his sister and win back his kingdom. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Forza Motorsport 3 could include over 400 cars and 100 tracks, brand new race modes and take up so much space it requires two DVDs.

That's according to information leaked as part of the gigantic Intellisponse breach this weekend, rounded up by X3F. Intellisponse is a market research firm, and it looks like naughtier sections of the Internet have been rifling through its bins.

Forza 3, which Microsoft has not officially announced, is detailed in a slideshow that also mentions extensive plans for downloadable content and a VIP service for letting people subscribe to access everything for a one-off fee. Presumably the idea was to get a section of the public's feedback on specific pricing scenarios. Well, that's certainly going to happen now.

Those new race modes we mentioned include "drag, drift, oval, point to point racing, etc", and there's talk of "near limitless customisation options for car tuning and custom artwork" and a "powerful assist system" to help idiots learn to drive. Forza 2 had those things, obviously, so we'll assume they are now bigger and better, if not more badass.

"Assume that new cars and tracks would be released on Xbox Live shortly after the launch of Forza 3 and continuing on each month," the slides continue, preparing to test the group's reactions. "For example, every month you might see a new pack of 10 cars for [GBP 3.40 / USD 4.99 - there are US and UK slides] and every three months, a real-world race track for [GBP 3.40 / USD 4.99]." There could also be larger expansions - perhaps 30 cars and a new track for GBP 13.60 / USD 19.99 - a few months after release.

More interesting is talk of a VIP membership option for GBP 13.60 / USD 19.99, which would sign you up to download everything that's released for the game on Xbox Live, entrance into exclusive online events, and other perks like "VIP status on Forza Auction House and Community boards, extra server space for photos and videos, and a free month of Live".

There could also be a Collector's Edition of the game featuring unique content. "This could be anything from authentic racing gear (gloves, helmets, etc) to specially created automobile manufacture gear (branded jackets, etc) to VIP motorsport event tickets"

Finally, there's talk of a special 2010 edition of Forza Motorsport 3 to launch a year after release rounding up all the previous 12 months' DLC and adding 30 new cars, a new real-world racing track and 2010 liveries for each existing vehicle, along with the top 20 user-generated car skins and tuning set-ups. This would then slot in at a mid-range price.

At this point, Microsoft has yet to officially comment on anything Forza 3-related. It's also worth reiterating that the information smuggled out of Intellisponse is not secret squirrel blueprints for Forza 3, but rather possible scenarios to test responses.

Speaking of which, it will be interesting to see how those involved in this impressive Internet meltdown go about cleaning it up. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Dan Kaufman, the lead game designer of Wii first-person shooter The Conduit, has said that he hopes to include voice chat in multiplayer.

"We are exploring the possibility for voice chat," Kaufman said in a QA posted on the game's official website. "It is too early to make any promises along these lines, but we agree it could make the game even better!"

To state the obvious, the main problem with voice chat on the Wii is there isn't a microphone to chat into. We'd assume then that The Conduit would have to ship with a microphone peripheral to do it. And you'd have to somehow get that past Nintendo.

Kaufman also said the game will include three competitive multiplayer online modes, a single-player experience that would cater to several types of first person shooter players, and would only include one "mini-game."

Sounds promising. ...

via Computer and Video Games


If you like your horrors dark and very gory, Siren looks like it'll be the game for you.

While Resident Evil 5 has action-orientated scenes of Chris Redfield exploding buses and spraying machine gun fire into swarms of zombie-beasts (or whatever they are), Siren looks like it simply wants to mess with your head.

"The horror-survival title is set in the Japanese village of Hanuda, where a TV crew from America arrive to research the legend of the Vanished Village where human sacrifice is said to have taken place thirty years ago," explains the official blurb.

Sony is to release parts of the game episodically via PSN, and we've been looking forward to it ever since Sony released this trailer.

It's due out some time this summer.


Screenshots ...

via Computer and Video Games


At a "strategy level" Microsoft wants to be first to the market again with its next-generation Xbox, Entertainment & Device Devision boss Robbie Bach has said.

Speaking during an interview with Venture Beat, Bach said that if you asked him whether being first to market with Xbox 360 was the right decision, he'd say "definitely yes," and the platform holder has a desire to do it again with the next console.

"The last cycle for the original Xbox was a little shorter than typical (at four years). We started way late," he said. "If you take the question of whether it was the right thing to try to be first [with Xbox 360], the answer to that is definitely yes. It has given us a leg up in a number of places that are super important.

"It has given us a leg up with game developers. It has given us a leg up from an economics perspective. It helped us expand Xbox Live quickly. At a strategy level, if you asked if we wanted to be first again, I would say yes."

But the E&DD boss said it was "too early to tell" when quizzed on his expectation for the next console's release plans. "Our view is we will be selling Xbox 360 for a long time," he said.

"People ask me how many people I have working on the next generation. On the one hand, it's everybody. On the other, it's nobody. People are continuously working on new technology.

"We start thinking about the next generation before we shipped the Xbox 360," Bach continued. "It doesn't start with a date. It starts way upstream with silicon development.

"From that comes a series of data points. You start making early technology choices. It's an evolving thing. Stuff doesn't become concrete until you get inside a window of when you have to ship, more than 18 months or so out."

If we see anything before 2010, we'll be very surprised. ...

via Eurogamer


MTV has lined-up "Doolittle" by The Pixies as the third downloadable album for Rock Band.

It'll be out next Tuesday on Xbox Live Marketplace, and a couple of days later on the PlayStation Store - in the US, where the game is actually out on PS3.

Grab it for Xbox 360 and it'll cost 1520 Microsoft Points (GBP 13 / EUR 18). The PS3 version should be a similar price.

Also worth noting that "Wave of Mutilation" is missing from the album as it already appears in Rock Band.

The 14-song (master-recorded) album is as follows:

"Crackity Jones"
"Dead"
"Debaser"
"Gouge Away"
"Here Comes Your Man"
"Hey"
"I Bleed"
"La la Love You"
"Monkey Gone To Heaven"
"Mr Grieves"
"No 13 Baby"
"Silver"
"Tame"
"There Goes My Gun" ...

via Eurogamer


The next instalment in the Guitar Hero series will work with a controller that lets you peform more impressive solos.

That's according to leaks from documents by market research Intellisponse that are flying around the Internet.

Apparently the Guitar Hero World Tour controller will feature a "new touch-sensitive guitar Neck Slide" which "opens up the entire guitar neck for unbound solos", so you can "shred how you want".

As previously announced the game will ship with a microphone and wireless drum kit, complete with cymbals and soft pads for quieter play. The whole shebang will cost USD 179.99, according to Intellisponse. Historical evidence suggests it'll be more expensive in Europe, but perhaps lessons will be learned from the Rock Band row and the mark-up won't be too high.

The tracklist is said to include songs from Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, Muse and "dozens more".

Guitar Hero World Tour has already been confirmed for launch on PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii later this year. For more official details, check out our previous coverage. ...