Melee combat in Mushroom Men is the bread and butter of the combat system. The most basic form of melee combat is the three-hit-combo. Players who connect with all three hits of their combos will deal more and more damage to the enemy. Each hit of the combo becomes more powerful than the one before (50%, 75%, 100%). After the three hits of the combo are over, the player has a chance to do something different, like jump-attacks, blocks, rolls or spore powers. This mix of vastly different physical combat actions allows players to use their own unique styles throughout the game and be strategic in how they go about it.

In Mushroom Men, you can also turn any enemy attack into a roll to help prevent injury (similar to the way a game like Soul Calibur allows you to perform “ukemi” by landing on your feet after being knocked down if you press block at the right moment). A lot of work went into the timing aspects of the animations as mapped to user input. If players attack during an attack animation before the next combo is possible, it will buffer that input and remember that the player intended to chain the attack. If they delay their attack input until after the previous attack is over, then there is a window of opportunity upon which their attack input results in an instant transition to the next attack animation. This ability to delay attack chains allows players to control the rhythm of the combo however they please.

The core aim of the combat system is to avoid making players feel like they are fighting the controller. After all is said and done, Mushroom Men is in no way intended to be a hardcore fighting game; it simply incorporates some elements of fighting games in order to lend freedom to the player in plausible situations.

The biohazard threat has not ended: Just when it seemed that the menace of Resident Evil had been destroyed, along comes a new terror to send shivers down player’s spines. Chris Redfield, returning Resident Evil hero, has followed the path of the evil literally around the globe. After joining a new organization, Chris heads to Africa where the latest bioterrorism threat is literally transforming the people and animals of the city into mindless, maddened creatures. He is joined by a new partner, Sheva Alomar, who lends her strength, intelligence and sharp-shooting skills to the mission. In order to survive, Chris and Sheva must work together to take on the challenges of discovering the truth behind this evil plot. Utilizing a revolutionary new co-op mode of gameplay, players will be able to assume control of either Chris or Sheva and experience Resident Evil in new ways. In Resident Evil 5, Capcom will have players fearing the daylight as much as they have feared shadow in previous games.

Co-producer and series veterans Jun Takeuchi (Lost Planet) and Masachicka Kawata (Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles) unleashes an unprecedented level of fear for the next generation in Resident Evil 5, the sequel to one of the highest-rated videogames in history, according to Metacritic.com and Gamerankings.com. Promising to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism and control, Resident Evil 5 is certain to bring new fans to the series. New technology developed specifically for the game, as well as incredible changes to both the gameplay and world of Resident Evil will make this a must-have game for gamers across the globe.

The latest in the Resident Evil series, which has sold over 34 million units since the original game was released in 1996, as well as spawned a multi-million dollar trilogy of films from Sony Pictures. Resident Evil 5 will revolutionize the Resident Evil series, just as Resident Evil 4 did.

• Chris Redfield, protagonist of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Code Veronica, returns
• Chris is joined by new character Sheva Alomar, an African special agent tasked with investigating the epidemic
• 2 player co-op online gameplay means that players are not alone in their fight against the horror lurking around every corner
• Simultaneous global release date for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 13, 2009
• New enemies bring new challenges: speed and intelligence make adversaries as dangerous singly as they are in groups.
• An arsenal of weapons at the player’s command to keep the evil at bay, including knives, pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles and more.
• Lighting effects provide a new level of suspense in both harsh light and deepest shadow

Creative forces behind the highest rated strategy game* of all time reveal new private funding investment

VANCOUVER, CA (October 2nd, 2008) – Smoking Gun Interactive Inc. an independent premier video game studio announced today that it has recently finalized a multi-year, multi-million dollar financing agreement with private investors to expand the studio and the development of an as-of-yet undisclosed new property.

“This injection of private capital allows us to continue to control our own destiny, and deliver on our vision of taking interactive entertainment in new directions, and redefining what tomorrow’s games can be”, said John Johnson CEO and Creative Director of Smoking Gun Interactive, “We’ve expanded our core team with some exceptional talent, and with this financial expansion we’re now looking forward to welcoming new faces to our team and new partners to our business, as we become a leading force in independent games development”.

“Our plans for Smoking Gun have always been ambitious, so it’s tremendously exciting for us to get this vote of confidence from the investment community”, said Steven Lee, CFO of Smoking Gun Interactive, “This shows the kind of excitement and confidence in Smoking Gun that investors have about our plans for the studio and our products”.

Smoking Gun Interactive was formed in 2007 by former developers from Relic Entertainment. Led by CEO and Creative Director John Johnson, the management and executive team at Smoking Gun have developed multiple platinum titles with over half a billion dollars in revenue, including the critically acclaimed and award-winning RTS Company of Heroes™, that garnered over 45 industry awards and is the highest rated strategy game of all time*. Collectively, the team has over 30 years of experience and has worked on best-selling franchises including Impossible Creatures™, Homeworld™, Need for Speed™, NHL™, NBA Live™ and FIFA Soccer™.
Smoking Gun’s mission is to deliver triple A cross platform titles that push the art of gaming into new territories. The management’s collective experience in leading passionate teams and creating award winning products will position the studio into becoming a leading next-generation developer

Stourbridge, England, 25^th September 2008. The United States have won The Ryder Cup for the first time since 1999, ending a run of three successive victories for Europe, after an epic encounter at Valhalla Golf Club. The European team was odds on favourite to win for a fourth time but, sadly, European Captain Nick Faldo couldn’t pull it out of the bag - so now we are going to have to suffer two years of American smugness until we can challenge for the prestige cup again……. On a lighter note, however, Data Design Interactive - a successful video games publisher and games developer, are pleased to announce that their Nintendo Wii game entitled ‘Kidz Sports - Crazy Mini Golf’ to be released on their Popcorn Arcade, label has Gone Gold. So, instead of sulking about the Ryder Cup defeat, grab your putter, choose your character and aim for the entrance to the windmill…..!

Kidz Sports - Crazy Mini Golf’ offers players 72 crazy holes set over 4 wacky courses; DDI are also introducing the all new ‘NuYu’ character editor. Have fun and a lot of laughs creating customised Kidz Sports versions of you and your friends to play in game. In multiplayer modes your opponents will also appear in game and can cheer or taunt your play on the green.

The game has the most accurate golf swing of any Wii title, where the smallest and the most accurate of movements are perfectly simulated. This is a real challenge for a skilled player or a serious golfer. We also recognise that mini golfing is fun and in case your non- golfing auntie also wants to play, we also have a simpler arcade fast play mode. Play 9 or 18 holes, multiplayer with friends, or solo and try to beat your best, or the worlds best scores for each hole.  Lots of challenges and lots of fun, once mastered, you will feel like a putting green King…

Take your putting to the next level with Kidz Sports: Crazy Mini Golf.

Wii Sports™ introduced new players to the world of video games. Wii Fit™ got even more people interested in fun and fitness.

Now Wii Music™ builds on that inclusive legacy by letting people turn their living rooms into fun concert halls. It brings the experience of performing music to people who think learning an instrument is too difficult. Wii Music launches exclusively for the Wii™ console on Oct. 20 and aims to bring a deeper love and appreciation of music to everyone.

Players can improvise jams on the fly with more than 60 instruments. You will find rock favorites like the electric guitar; orchestra standards like trumpet, saxophone and clarinet; and even international instruments like steel drums, marimba and sitar. Players simply select their instruments, and then move their Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers as though they were playing the real thing. Wii Music turns players’ movements into great music, even if you’ve never picked up an instrument before.

Budding musicians can play along to the beat of a diverse array of more than 50 songs from a variety of genres including popular, licensed, classical and Nintendo songs. Or players can improvise by adding new beats or creative twists to the songs. The combinations are endless, and it’s all for the joy of creating fun new tunes.

Once players have their song the way they like it, they can forward it to friends who are also playing Wii Music via the Wii Message Board. Those friends can then put their own spin on the tune and send it back – or pass it along to their friends.

For more information about Wii Music, please visit www.WiiMusic.com.

Learn more about random events and occurrences in the upcoming party RPG!

September 18, 2008 - In Dokapon Kingdom, the upcoming party RPG for Wii™ and PlayStation®2, players will find a bevy of unanticipated twists on their way to raking in the most gold, capturing the most towns, saving the kingdom, and winning the hand of the princess in holy matrimony. Below is a description of some of those sudden and at times undesirable events, along with some accompanying visuals, just to really hammer it home:

Like many traditional board games, players in Dokapon Kingdom take turns with a spinner to determine how many spaces they will be able to move. There are a wide variety of different spaces to land on, such as item/spell roulette wheels, bank spaces that allow for investment and tax collection from possessed towns, weapon/item/magic shops, and in addition to a large list of other spaces, there also happen to be the plain, bland yellow spaces.

In most games, these empty spaces are merely filler for the experience. In Dokapon Kingdom, very often they are the heart of the matter. Yellow spaces are where most player-versus-player engagements will occur, and the areas in which players will be doing work to strengthen and improve their characters. They’re also the only spaces in the entire grand world of Dokapon where random events can occur.

There are far too many different types to describe, but needless to say these events can often bring fortune for the player or just as easily bring disaster:

• Weber the Trickster likes to mess with contestants, usually tricks he finds fun but you likely won’t.
•Risque the Bandit offers players a chance to steal something from an opponent, but very often his fingers are not quite fast enough to get the job done (although he’ll have a firm grip on your payment).
• Robo-agent will offer players with the chance to “take out” one of their foes (and we’re not talking about eating out). Upon payment, he’ll transform into Robo-Sassin, and from that point it will be nail-biting suspense for your enemy as they hope to avoid encountering the obscenely overpowered automaton. Of course, very often Robo-Sassin is willing to consider taking double his original payment from his intended target, which will turn him back on his original client…
• The Beggar will ask you for money, simple as that. Pay him or don’t, there may be consequences either way…
• Kira the Merchant offers exceptional wares at hard to beat prices, but very often players will encounter her with empty pockets, which can only frustrate as she takes her rare wares elsewhere.

At the start of each week (and weeks are comprised of 7 rounds, in which each player has to have one turn), there is the possibility of random global events, which vary in scope and often can completely change the focus of the game:

• The Coliseum, for example, may pull all players to its great arena for a little bit of player-versus-player action, all for the enjoyment of its rather hedonistic owner.
• A “Wabbit Explosion” indicates to all contestants that there will be an inordinate number of Wabbits on the loose, something to consider when landing on an empty yellow space…
• The “Hairstyle contest” allows players who’ve taken the time to collect and use rare or fancy hairstyles to put their glam to the test. Who will be voted the fairest of all?
• The “Epidemic” will hit you where it hurts the most: your wallet! Your citizens are ill and need your help… Expect to pay a sizeable amount in aid based on the number and size of the towns you own.
• The “Abnormous Disaster” can really set folks back, knocking all of the towns on a single, random continent down a level and robbing them of all of their currently accumulated taxes. All those investments you poured lovingly into your little hamlets? Oh my, misplaced, so sorry!

These are really just a taste of the types of completely unforeseeable bonuses, disasters, and curious events that can spice up a game of Dokapon Kingdom. Be sure to check out the screens below to see some of what’s been described above! Dokapon Kingdom is scheduled for release on October 14!

For more information on Dokapon Kingdom, please visit the official website.

Licensed Partners Instrumental to the Authentic Rock Experience

New York, NY – September 18, 2008 – Harmonix and MTV Games announced today a new lineup of musical instrument manufacturers whose premier products will be appearing in Rock Band 2. Joining the list of amazing in-game instruments from the original Rock Band, will be real world microphones, new guitars and an array of industry leading drumsets from some of the music industry’s most prolific manufacturers.

“We believe that working closely with our musical instrument partners is crucial to our mission to deliver the most authentic music experience possible,” stated Greg LoPiccolo, Vice President of Product Development, Harmonix Music Systems. “Whether it’s picking out your P Bass™, finding the right finish & hardware for your drums, or choosing the best microphone for your singer’s style, having real world instruments included within the world of Rock Band 2 is essential.”

The full list of musical instrument partners included is as follows:

Guitars, Basses and Amplifiers:

• Fender™ (Including Charvel™, Gretsch™, Jackson™, Squier™, SWR™)

Drums:

• DW
• Gretsch Drums™
• Ludwig/Conn-Selmer
• Pearl
• SJC Custom Drum
• Zildjian Cymbals

Microphones:

• Selnnheiser
• Shure

Accessories / Additional Instruments:

• Ernie Ball
• Electro-Harmonix
• EMG Pickups
• Fender™
• Ludwig Drumsticks
• Pro-Mark
• Roland/BOSS
• Vater Drumsticks
• Vic Firth
• ZVEX

Rock Band 2 features the largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame to date including over 100 songs on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack with an unrivaled blend of classic and new artists including AC/DC, Guns ‘N Roses, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Motorhead and more! With the addition of complete and immediate backwards compatibility for songs purchased from Rock Band’s ever-expanding online music store and the ability to export most songs from the original Rock Band disc, the Rock Band music library will feature more than 500 songs by year’s end.

The Rock Band online music store recently surpassed 21 million paid downloads since the game’s launch in late November 2007. With more than 300 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/dlc), the massive Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks, packs and albums from the vast selection of offerings available as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

Rock Band 2 is rated “T” for Teen with descriptors of lyrics and suggestive themes by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.