January 10th, 2008 – Oxygen Games is pleased to confirm in-store dates for PDC World Championship Darts 2008 on PlayStation®2 and PC. Shipping now, both the PS2 and PC will be hitting shelves on 25th Jan. The Wii™ version follows closely behind, having gone gold and set to hit shelves in mid Feb 2008.PDC Darts 2008, available on PlayStation®2, PC and for the first time ever on Wii™, challenges players to go head-to-head with the greatest PDC Champions and be part of the year’s most fierce console Championship. For a pre-release chance to take part, download the PC Demo, starring PDC Champions Phil Taylor and Raymond Van Barneveld, from : HERE

About PDC World Championship Darts 2008
Starring even more PDC Champions, a full line up of electrifying tournaments, exceptional graphic enhancements, even more play modes and now on the Wii - PDC World Championship Darts is back for 2008. Calling on darts, sports and Nintendo Wii fans PDC World Championship Darts 2008 is bringing the spectacle and excitement of the nation’s best loved sport to your home.

PDC World Championship Darts 2008 - Pure excitement, Pure pressure, Pure Darts - Game On!

You can now test your Chess skills against the Wii, with the latest Touch Generations title from Wii. Wii chess is considered one of the most powerful chess computers. Wii chess uses loop express, a conversion of the loop chess engine which ranked 3rd in the 2007 World computer chess championship in Amsterdam.

To improve your Chess skills Wii chess allows you record, review and replay previous games. So you can hone your chess skills, ready to battle any opponent.

Wii chess comes with 10 difficulty levels from beginner to expert, and when you have finished going up against the Wii you can challenge players across Europe online, using the Nintendo WiFi connections from the comfort of your own home.

TOMY And D3Publisher Of America Bring Intense 3D Ninja Combat To Nintendo DS^TM In NARUTO^TM: Ninja Destiny

Chakra-filled Battles Explode onto Two Screens with Innovative New Gameplay

LOS ANGELES – January 10th, 2008 – TOMY Corporation and D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA), publishers of interactive entertainment software, today announced the upcoming release of NARUTO^TM: Ninja Destiny, the first-ever head-to-head 3D NARUTO fighting game for the Nintendo DS^TM handheld system. Based on VIZ Media’s hit animated TV series NARUTO, NARUTO: Ninja Destiny will pit characters from the hit NARUTO series against each other in high-energy combat. Players will use both screens for innovative, unique gameplay featuring trademark ninja moves and the cinematic special techniques of the NARUTO world. NARUTO: Ninja Destiny is scheduled to ship in February 2008.

“We’ve listened to the fans and made a slew of improvements to the Japanese original, including a much faster frame rate, additional characters, and never-before-seen content,” said Laura Yoshioka, director, consumer software of TOMY Corporation. “Through the innovative use of the dual displays and touch screens, NARUTO: Ninja Destiny will bring the series’ iconic battles to players in a way that is only possible on the DS.”

Players will soon be able to take their ninja battles on the road with NARUTO: Ninja Destiny, the first 3D head-to-head NARUTO fighter for the Nintendo DS. Any aspiring ninja can unleash powerful jutsu and take advantage of items to brawl his way to victory against 16 different characters. Dual-screen combat will allow fierce battles to unfold on the top screen while power ups can be strategically unleashed on the touch screen for fast, frenetic action. Core fighting game fans and casual gamers alike will find plenty to enjoy, thanks to a combo move system that is both intuitive to pick-up and challenging to master. Featuring scenes, characters, and storylines from up to the 140th episode of the hit animated television series currently airing on Cartoon Network, NARUTO: Ninja Destiny offers an intense single-player story and versus mode, along with wireless multiplayer combat.

For more information on NARUTO please visit www.naruto.com. For more information on NARUTO: Ninja Destiny, please visit www.NarutoNintendoGames.com.

Thursday 10th January/…The UK interactive entertainment software market hit a new all time high in 2007, according to ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) as it reveals annual performance figures today, courtesy of Chart-Track.

2007 was an unprecedented year for the industry with a staggering growth in sales, the industry saw a 16% increase on units sold from the previous year taking the total to a whopping 75.9 million units sold. These record sales of interactive entertainment software across all formats totalled £1.72 billion, an increase of over 26% per cent over 2006’s record figures.

Paul Jackson, Director General of ELSPA, said: ” We are thrilled to see the industry growing and software sales continuing to rise. This is a real testament to the industry, the creativity and the talent we have in the UK. There is, however, a chance to forget many of the problems the UK development sector faces with the pressure from the threat of international competition. We need to ensure that the UK creativity is able to continue to flourish and feed this demand, these figures should act as a reminder to us of the scale of our amazing industry and how we need to continue to work towards a healthier situation for one of the UK most lucrative creative industries.”

2007 was the biggest year ever for handheld systems with the Nintendo DS software actually ranked at No1 in terms of units sold and Sony’s PSP ranked at No5 in units and No6 by value. The entire console hand-held sector broke previous records and claimed nearly a third of the entire software units market, up 45% and just over one-quarter of the entire software market by value, up by 28%.

The biggest static console format in terms of value generation was Microsoft’s Xbox 360, followed by Sony’s PS2 (down from top spot in 2006), followed by Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PS3. However, in terms of units sold the order changes to PS2 (but No2 overall behind DS, the first time it has not been the biggest format since 2003), followed by Xbox 360, Wii and PS3.

The top ten games for 2007:

1 FIFA 08                                                             EA Sport
2 Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training                         Nintendo
3 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare                        Activision
4 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008                                Konami
5 More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima           Nintendo
6 Halo 3                                                               Mircosoft
7 The Simpsons Game                                         EA Games
8 Wii Play                                                            Nintendo
9 Assassin’s Creed                                              Ubisoft
10 WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008                     THQ

London (10th January 2008) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces that DRAGON QUEST® MONSTERS: Joker will be available across all PAL territories from 14th March 2008 exclusively on the Nintendo DS™ system.

Have you got what it takes to fight your way to the top with a team of the meanest monsters? DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker provides the ultimate monster-hunting challenge with over 200 marauding monsters to collect and battle. Train your team to be the best by mastering countless spells and abilities, and crush all who stand in your way. You can also synthesise amazing new monsters that can develop rare new abilities.

DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker is not just about battling though. There’s a colourful 3D world full of treasures and surprises to explore. On your travels you’ll meet a cast of quirky characters that can help you make it to the top. There’s fun to be had in multiplayer and online use too. Challenge your friends and their monster teams with DS Wireless Communication, or compete against players from North America and PAL territories in the Wildcard World Cup, via the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “After the great success of DRAGON QUEST since we introduced the series to Europe, I am extremely happy that we are now giving fans the opportunity to enjoy DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker on the Nintendo DS. This is another stylish entry in the DRAGON QUEST series that will bring enjoyment to anybody that plays it.”

About DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: Joker

Story

Welcome to Green Bays, a cluster of mysterious islands that sparkle like jewels in the shimmering ocean! But travellers beware!

The islands are not as peaceful as they seem, for they teem with a multitude of monsters both great and small. Green Bays is also home to the famous Monster Scout Challenge. This renowned contest, held once every few years, determines who will be crowned the world’s greatest scout. The challenge is organised by the Monster Scout Organisation, whose headquarters are located on Domus Isle, which lies at the centre of the archipelago.

Now a new challenge is about to begin, and the crème de la crème of the scouting world are converging on the islands…
It is time for you to begin your quest to become the greatest monster scout in Green Bays, and in history!

Features

• Collect over 200 monsters to create the ultimate team
• Train your monster squad to be the strongest by mastering countless spells, abilities, and more. The combinations are almost endless
• Synthesise amazing new species of monsters that inherit the best abilities of their parents and perhaps some rare new skills too
• Battle other teams of monsters to see who is the best
• Explore a stunning 3D world filled with monsters, treasures and surprises. Graphics use the same techniques as seen in DRAGON QUEST: The Journey of the Cursed King®
• Challenge friends and their monster teams via DS Wireless Communication
• Compare your team and compete against players from North America and PAL territories in the Wildcard World Cup, available via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
• The DRAGON QUEST “big three” – comprising series creator Yuji Horii, legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama, and renowned composer Koichi Sugiyama – come together once again to create an unforgettable gaming experience

Your country is being invaded by a massive army. This army doesn’t care how many casualties it takes, because for every soldier that falls, five more take its place. You fight well, but even your own countrymen are turning against you, and defecting to the enemy. You are forced back to the city-states - immense fortresses that are immediately besieged by the enemy. Each rush must be repelled, each rush more violent and dangerous than the next. There is only one ending to this battle: you cannot survive, but you can force the enemy to commit an atrocity. An atrocity so total that they will lose all support, an atrocity so total that all your countrymen will be outraged and rise up, an atrocity so total that even the enemy soldiers will hate themselves as they move through the rubble that was your last stand.

This is the setting of Iron Grip: Warlord, the first commercial game from Isotx. You play as one of the savagely independent Atelia warriors of Warlord Sahrab’s army. Atelia has been invaded by the Confederation, a vast and ruthless army that has prepared the way for its invasion by sending in missionaries to convert the Atelians to the Fahrong cause. Atelia is rich in resources, and both the Confederation - led by the powerful Fahrong nation - and the Rahmos Protectorate know that Atelia would be a key conquest in their power struggles. Atelia itself is a fractured, anarchic country, with divided loyalties. It was Warlord Sahrab who realized that this large scale invasion cannot be resisted until the whole of Atelia unites, and so he engages in this deadly guerrilla warfare, designed to provoke the Confederation into bombarding entire cities.

As a Warlord, you must use all of your skill to defend the city against the Confederate attacks. In an innovative blend of RTS and FPS gameplay, you will employ urban guerrilla tactics to fight off the hordes. You must protect your city at all costs, by building defense structures, setting traps, and taking the enemy on yourself.

Based on the Quake 3 engine, this project is the latest offering in the Iron Grip Universe. Team Lead and Designer Vincent van Geel states that:

“This game is all about casual fun: low system requirements, small filesize, and cool gameplay. We’ve taken the popular “Art of Defense” genre, and put a whole new spin on it.”

The game itself will be available to purchase from the Warlord’s website , and through CrosuS. It will be released early February. Meanwhile you can see concept artwork, background stories, download wallpaper and explore the Universe at http://www.igwarlord.com.

SouthPeak Games today announced Dream Pinball 3D is coming to PC, Wii™ and the Nintendo DS™ in Spring 2008. Developed by veteran studio Topware, this superb pinball simulator creates an authentic pinball experience with refined controls that capitalize on the unique qualities each platform.

“Everyone loves pinball. It is an unusual kind of entertainment in that it bridges hardcore and casual gamers, while translating very well to videogames,” said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. “We are going to give the medium the respect it deserves.”

Dream Pinball 3D boasts six table themes, several different ball options, multi-ball power-ups and the most intense visuals and ball physics a pinball game has ever seen. The Wii™ version utilizes the Wii Remote™ and motion sensor capability to enhance gameplay. The Nintendo DS™ version includes intuitive touch screen control options and clear 3D graphics. The PC version offers pristine visuals and precise flipper controls with the mouse. With this many options to choose from, Dream Pinball 3D will bring out the pinball wizard in everyone!

We recently became aware that some consumers have not been able to enjoy the full audio output in the Wii version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. We are currently working with Nintendo and are planning to issue an improved audio experience in future versions of the game. We expect to have re-mastered discs available by early 2008 and we will be offering consumers replacement discs at no cost once they become available. Should you have any further inquiries, please contact Activision customer support at http://www.activision.com/support. Customers based in North America wanting to pre-register for a free replacement disc can call (866) 780-8286 from 8:00am-8:00pm EST, Monday-Friday, or fill out the form on the following website http://www.activisiongameexchange.com/ and we will notify you once the replacement discs are available. We thank all of our customers for their support and patience.

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Nintendo announced today that it has shipped one million units of Wii Fit to the Japane seWii market. The landmark came on the 6th, making it a bit over one month after the game’s December 1 release.

A few casual surveys of retailers around Tokyo has convinced us that the fitness title and its included Balance Board peripheral have been pretty much sold out since Christmas. It seems that whatever product Nintendo manages to get onto retail shelves, consumers snap up immediately.

Platinum status for a Wii game is nothing new, as Wii Sports has already topped the two million mark in Japan. With Wii Fit, however, Nintendo has managed to sell a million units of a product that retails for 8,800 yen, or 3,000 yen more than most Wii games.

We will bring you more as it comes in!

Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, and Sandlot Games, a leading developer and publisher of casual and family-friendly games, today announced Cake Mania® 2 for the Nintendo DS™. Developed by Digital Embryo, Cake Mania 2 is the follow-up to the award-winning Cake Mania game that originally debuted on PC and has achieved more than 50 million downloads worldwide and sold over 280,000 units worldwide on the DS.

“Cake Mania’s fast-paced, addictive gameplay has created a tremendous following of franchise fans,” said John Merchant, Marketing Manager, Majesco Europe. “With a wide range of feature enhancements, Cake Mania 2 for the DS offers tremendous depth while retaining the same core gameplay mechanic that made the original a handheld success.”

“We are continually inspired by the legions of fans of Cake Mania that simply can’t get enough of Jill Evans and her baking adventures,” said Daniel Bernstein, founder and CEO, Sandlot Games. “We’re pleased to once again partner with Majesco Entertainment and Digital Embryo to provide the fans of Cake Mania 2 another way to flex their flour power on the Nintendo DS.”

In Cake Mania 2, players use the stylus to lead Jill through more than 200 different levels of baking and frosting madness that include 50 unique kitchen upgrades players can buy with cumulative bakery earnings. Cake-bakers must work quickly and accurately to please an all-new demanding customer base that includes aliens, federal agents, rock stars and grannies. Plus, Jill’s new non-linear baking experience with multiple endings will take her to exotic locations like an underwater theme park and outer space. Throw in new features, cake shapes, decorations and frosting flavors and players will have their stylus busy at all times throughout the main game and in the new Endless Baking mode.

Majesco will also be revealing details of Cake Mania for the Wii™ home video game system soon.