Update(2007.05.02):SOFTWARE: SuperCard V2.60 & Firmware V1.80(2007.06.01) for slot 2 cards

1. Added Real time cheat code system. (Hotkey: L+R+UP+START)
a. Exclusive EC, Dipstar and AR mixed code program tech. Support EC, Dipstar and AR cheat code at the same time.
b. Exclusive cheat code setting tech. can enter the setting menu at any time.
c. Exclusive cheat code running tech. All cheat code on will not slow down the game speed. Other flash card open all the cheat code will slow down game speed.
d. "SELECT" can on/off cheat code. ON:Green color, OFF:Red color.
2. Added Real time game guide. (Hotkey L+R+DOWN+START)
3. Player can press Hotkey to on/off the cheat code in the game. ON:L+R+LEFT+START, OFF:L+R+Right+START
4. Cheat Code Support slow motion function. (Should add *.scc + slowmotion.scc.)

Updates can be found here ...

via My Broadband

A recent advertisement depicting a seriously hurt man fighting over a Playstation 3 gaming console was deemed too violent for public consumption.

The Musica Playstation 3 advertisement depicts a man with a black eye, scratches, stitches and stab wounds. The words: “STOCKS ARE LIMITED. THINGS COULD GET UGLY” appear at the top of the advertisement.

Philippa Judith Maartens complained to the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA), saying that the advertisement is irresponsible and offensive as it encourages crime and violence.

New Clicks Holdings Limited, trading as Musica, said that they will not use this advertisement again in future.

This agreement was accepted by the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa, with the agreement that it is withdrawn with immediate effect. ...

Need for Speed Turns a Corner
EA announces Pro Street, the world's first street racing simulation. First media included.
by Jonathan Miller

May 31, 2007 - The new Need for Speed is here: Pro Street.

Don't get confused. This isn't like other EA Street titles with over-the-top arcade slam dunks and impossible maneuvers. This is Pro Street. In fact, EA did the exact opposite and created an entire new genre of racer: the street racing simulation. "The Fast and the Furious" meets Forza.

Well, don't tell that to producer Michael Mann. His team at EA Black Box, responsible for NFS: Most Wanted, wants to distance Pro Street as far away from "The Fast and the Furious" as possible. Pro Street isn't about a glowing, fluorescent purple underbelly to your car. Pro Street is 100 percent about performance and the culture of street racing.

And if you didn't know, street racing happens to be illegal. To accommodate, professional race tracks are opening their doors to street racers in unheard of numbers. Pro Street will feature real world locations like Sears Point Raceway (now Infineon Raceway) near Sonoma, Calif. While EA wouldn't go into detail on the other tracks, it did say that you can expect a number of "iconic locations" in Asia, Europe and the States.


What we didn't expect from EA was just how "real world" it was taking NFS. We watched a developer do a quick lap at Sears Point and this is unlike any NFS you've ever seen. It actually looks real. Sears Point was bordering on photorealism. More importantly, the sense of intense speed is gone -- this game plays more like Forza than previous NFS titles in which you dodged cops and knocked opponents off cliffs. We watched as he apexed turns and scratched our heads as he used these strange contraptions known as brakes.

The biggest question we had for EA was this: Why? Pro Street is a not really a sequel -- it's a distinct departure from the franchise's roots, a turn in a completely new direction. Quite simply, said EA, street racing fans have been demanding real-world believability. That all starts with the race weekend.

It's then that the street racing community gathers, car enthusiasts that like to build and show off their high-performance racers. They do that in a number of ways, and EA has included a few in several events that comprise the race weekend in Pro Street: Drag, Drift, Grip, Circuit and Speed Challenge. The career goal is focused around working your way up the ladder in each event and eventually becoming "king of the street."

Read. ...

EA has revealed that they intend on bringing forth a new game into this wonderful world, which is a new installment in their racing franchise Need for Speed (surprise!). Titled Need for Speed ProStreet, the game is going to focus mostly on street racing, but according to EA will feature more customization options for players. EA says we'll get our hands on the game come Fall 2007, but in the meantime we'll have to settle for the teaser trailer after the break.

Trailer.

Too bad these aren't Wii graphics . ...

via WebWire

2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTWO), announced today features for The BIGS on Nintendo’s Wii™. The BIGS, 2K Sports’ new Major League Baseball® title, brings authentic MLB® action to epic arcade proportions with larger-than-life ballparks, over-the-top action, and stunning special effects. The BIGS is the first 2K Sports title available on the Wii and takes full advantage of the Nunchuk™ and Wii Remote™, making it one of the most innovative titles on the Wii system to date.

"We are very excited to bring our first 2K Sports title to the Wii," said Greg Thomas, President of Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio. "With The BIGS we really focused on ways to maximize the Wii’s very unique controls by applying them to all the significant actions in baseball. We’re always looking to deliver unique gaming experiences and the fun gameplay of The BIGS on the Wii demonstrates our commitment to innovation in sports video games."

The BIGS will be the first licensed baseball sports title on the Wii to demonstrate every aspect of baseball through the revolutionary controls of the system. Players will experience instantaneous feedback with every motion on the Wii Remote whether they’re batting, pitching, fielding, or running the bases:

Batting - The Wii controls sense swinging angle, timing, and pre-swing motion, allowing gamers to aim their hits anywhere in the outfield, display their own unique pre-at-bat "waggles," and unleash power or contact swings, all based on the motion of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Pitching - With Wii pitching gamers can throw distinct types of pitches using a different motion. Pitch type and speed are determined by a combination of arm speed, wrist movement, and button selection.

Fielding - Both fielding and throwing are controlled through directional motions of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk which allow you to make spectacular plays on the field including jumping catches, wall climbs, and double plays.

Base Running - Sprint fast and slide into bases with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. A "drumming" motion with the controls allows you to control running speed while pointing the controls down allows you to hit the dirt and slide into base.

The BIGS will be available this summer for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and Nintendo’s Wii™. The BIGS is rated E for Everyone. ...

via Cubed3

Publisher Gamecock has revealed that it is working with developer Red Fly to bring Mushroom Men to both Nintendo's Wii and the DS in Autumn 2008. The 'backyard battlefield' action title promises to utilise all of the respective unique controls of both Nintendo systems, and both parties state that the game will feature "amazing gameplay that draws players into an incredibly lush and treacherous stylized world."

In the game you will be able to "jump into the fantastic microcosm that is the backyard battlefield," create weapons from day-to-day items and woth alongside sentient plants to use the Wii remote as a bazooka or the DS stylus as a rapier as they take down household pests, for example.

"From the minute we signed Mushroom Men, we've worked to bring it to the Wii and DS. Both platforms are going to give Mushroom Men a life of their own as Red Fly Studio is building unique stories specific to each system."
- Rick Stults, Gamecock console chief.

With the Red Fly Studio team being founded by a group of individuals with a wealth of experience, ranging from the likes of Star Wars Galaxies, BloodRayne, Nocturne, FIFA Football 2005, Anachronox, SSX3 and Deus Ex, this should definitely be on to watch. ...

via GameDAILY BIZ

Nintendo was so successful last year that each employee generated $2.5 million, more than double what Google's employees generated. And with the Wii off to a red hot start, Nintendo is set for another fantastic year. In fact, according to Fortune, the Wii has already "won." More within...

The latest issue of Fortune magazine has a well-written cover story on "How Wii Won," detailing some of the same "Blue Ocean" philosophy we've heard dozens of times at this point, but perhaps more interestingly detailing some of the financial aspects of what's contributed to Nintendo's success.

Judging by Nintendo's last fiscal year in which the company produced $8.26 billion in revenue, Fortune points out that each of Nintendo's 3,400 employees generates a staggering $2.5 million. How does that compare with other corporate juggernauts? Microsoft's employees generated $624,000 each last year, while Google's generated $994,000 each – still less than half of Nintendo's employees. On a profit scale, Nintendo's total income was almost $1.5 billion, or $442,000 per employee, last year, compared with Microsoft's $177,000 and Google's $288,000. It's astounding no matter how you look at it.

As opposed to Sony's game division, which has been languishing with a nearly $2 billion loss in the last fiscal year, and Microsoft's game division, which has yet to become profitable, Nintendo's Wii has turned a profit on every unit sold from day one. The console is far less powerful than either the Xbox 360 or PS3, and that's made it much easier for Nintendo to make money with the machine. In fact, the chip that makes the "magic" (i.e. motion sensing) happen (ADI's three-axis accelerometer) costs just $2.50.

The article is full of effusive praise from industry leaders as well. "We looked at the capabilities of the Wii early on and saw that it was solving the most important element in the game industry - accessibility," said Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. "Nintendo has been very open with us," he added. "They're willing to do things that are a bit crazy. They see what we want to do and help us to make it as good as possible."

"Nintendo is a pioneer," said John Schappert, COO of EA Studios. "They're zigging when others are zagging. It's another growth curve for the industry."

Even Microsoft Corporate VP Peter Moore couldn't help but praise the Wii. "Nintendo has created a unique and innovative experience," he said. "I love the experience, the price point, and Nintendo content." He was quick to add, however, that Microsoft "provides experiences that Nintendo cannot provide."

The only executive who truly questioned the Wii was Jack Tretton, the president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. "You have to give Nintendo credit for what they've accomplished," he admitted. "But if you look at the industry, any industry, it doesn't typically go backwards technologically. The controller is innovative, but the Wii is basically a repurposed GameCube. If you've built your console on an innovative controller, you have to ask yourself, Is that long term?"

Whether it's long term or not no one can really say, but it sure is paying off for Nintendo now. The company can't even keep up with demand. "We cannot simply make 1.5 times as much or two times as much," said Nintendo President Iwata. "When you're making one million a month already, getting to 1.5 million or two million is not very easy." ...

The Inquirer

You can't stop the resistance

THE MODDED XBOX 360 console got banned last time that Microsoft updated its console firmware.

As usually happens, this ban did not last for long as hacking groups found a way around this protection and with the latest iXtreme firmware, modded Xboxes are back on-line.

The latest firmware for TS-H943 DVD drive, the iXtreme firmware 1.0 promises to defeat all current and some future Xbox Live detection attempts, and will enable pirated software to be played on the console. The media type can only be Stealth Xtreme Xbox 360 backup or Stealth Xtreme Xbox backup. It, of course, boots all of the original software for both Xbox 360 and the first console.

Hitachi drives are not supported with this release, and there is no announcement about the timeframe when that drive will get patched. ...

Via Virgin.net

'Big Brain Academy' for Wii, the follow up to the Nintendo DS version, launches across Europe on July 20 as part of Nintendo's Touch! Generations range of games, designed for people of all ages, gender and gaming experience.

'Big Brain Academy' contains a selection of mini-games which are designed around the Wii Remote pointer. They are divided into five categories: Visualise, Memorise, Analyse, Compute and Identify, and contain a variety of activities. All of these allow you to push your brain by answering them as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining accuracy within three different difficulty settings.

In the single player Test mode, you play through all five categories after which your 'Big Brain Academy' brain weight is calculated based on your reaction speed and number of correct answers. In addition, you will be given a grade for your Student Record, where all game data is saved, and a spider graph is generated showing you your individual strengths and weaknesses within the game in these five areas.

'Big Brain Academy' will retail at the estimated price of £35. ...