posted 1 Sep 2009 06:26 by Knuckles Sonic8
So far, Sumo Digital has revealed 12 characters that have been confirmed to be in the game. - Sonic
- Tails
- Amy
- Knuckles
- Shadow
- Big
- Dr. Eggman
- Billy Hatcher
- AiAi
- Beat
- Alex Kidd
- Amigo
Sumo Digital did mention not too long ago that the game will feature more than 15 different characters. But now, that number has changed. New details were relayed during the latest showing of the game from the representatives themselves. Someone in attendance that day from TSS (The Sonic Stadium) reports the following: - "I said it’d be a cool idea to include Xbox Avatars and Nintendo Mii’s in their respected versions and he nodded saying ‘Yes, that would be awesome’ with a look on his face as if to say they’ve already considered it. He did the same when I mentioned adding Axel from Crazy Taxi in it, though I know he couldn’t tell me even if they had already done that. He said half the characters have been announced so far and there’s four out of the twelve still to be revealed that’ll really excite SEGA fans apparently. Wonder who they can be!
This is great! There are still a lot of characters left that have yet to be confirmed for this upcoming project and they're promising that at least four will "really excite SEGA fans". Looking forward to seeing who these turn out to be! Also, Mii incorporation would be a good idea and I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard given SEGA's recent collaboration with Nintendo in MSWG.
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posted 31 Aug 2009 11:21 by Knuckles Sonic8
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updated 31 Aug 2009 11:41
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This just in: Gaijin Games' tweeter for the Bit.Trip series has just tweeted the following: - "http://explorethevoid.com... it's.... changing!"
In addition, the site now has a new teaser image for you to enjoy.
Still no word on what exactly this teaser site is hinting at but we can be sure that this is the next entry in the Bit.Trip series. Any guesses as to what it could be about?
I'm guessing something along the lines of a space station, or a rocket. Perhaps defending the space station from destructive, incoming beats? |
posted 30 Aug 2009 12:33 by Knuckles Sonic8
 After being asked about some of the processes involved in determining a roster for their upcoming game, Sumo Digital has come up with a list of things that they personally need to consider as they go through with development. They had this to say: - Legal issues. With a game like this, the developer has to get the permission of the owner to be able to use their character. (The owner isn't neccessarily Sega, oddly) One particuar character (I won't say exactly which one) is missing from the roster simply because the owner is difficult to determine (I gather)
- Technical difficulty. If an engine is built to handle skeletal animation based on a humanoid form, it is very costly in terms of manpower to handle cases which break this and write specific code to handle, for example, muti-limbed characters. All games benefit from sharing common assets, as other aspects get more attention. HOWEVER, don't read too much into this, because, if a thing's worth giving time to, it *will* go in the game. (Also think of scale problems, One character might be 15 times the size of another, and is therefore just not going to fit easily into a racing game, and is obviously unsuitale for inclusion.)
- Marketing and demographics. Sega, like all pubishers have to make profits. That's what secures the future production of the next games. The research of the target market (both hardcore fans *and* the majority [casual] buyers) will play a part in the characters in the game. The characters most likely to sell the product will feature heavily in the roster. Not always popular with hardcore, but a healthier view would be to say a healthy company is infinitely more likely to make a game that they will love (eventually) than one that went under.
- The preference of the designer (and maybe a few other interested parties). ...After all the legal issues, and ownership issues, and technical issues, and marketing issues, the pool of remaining characters will be further whittled down by the likes and dislikes of the lead designer. It is after all, his baby.
- Fan service. This is part of the point above, really. The wishes of fans on this, and other sites is MOST DEFINITELY listened to. With enough people saying the same thing, fan service is an important part of what characters will appear in a roster. The opinion of fans will colour the opinion of the designer. (of course it won't change those which are ruled out for some of the other reasons above).
The representative's final words are particularly encouraging for those that are wondering if they'll actually listen to the concerns of fans. Here's what they said: - "It's worth voicing your preferences of character line-up, because if you don't, we simply won't know... and after all, we're here to please you guys. But also, be aware that in so many ways, our hands are tied. It would just be my one hope that everyone enjoys the game, for all the stuff we did get in there, and forgive us for the stuff we couldn't/didn't."
If you have any suggestions for Sumo Digital to implement in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, be sure to express your thoughts because just like with SEGA Superstars Tennis, they will listen.
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posted 29 Aug 2009 18:07 by Knuckles Sonic8
Mouse House has appeared on the iPhone in the past but it looks like this touch-screen game will be heading to the WiiWare service, as confirmed by the ESRB. Although Plaid House is the team that developed the game, Big John Games will be publishing. Given the other DSiWare title that they're bringing to the service soon, it's highly likely that this is, indeed, a WiiWare project. The ESRB rated the game E for "Comic Mischief", with this additional descriptor: - "This is a puzzle game in which players guide a mouse around obstacles to obtain cheese wedges and find open doors. Players sometimes shoot tiny fireballs at other rats, bees, and squid-like creatures that disappear in a flash of smoke when hit."
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posted 28 Aug 2009 21:34 by Knuckles Sonic8
Telltale has just confirmed for us that Nintendo has finalized the date for the release of the 2nd Episode in the new Tales of Monkey Island series. The game will be hitting North America on August 31st (this coming Monday) which is a given, really, considering they're going for a monthly schedule and this is, after all, the last Monday in the month. This epic saga continues with "The Siege of Spinner Cay" and will be hitting Europe rather quickly after it releases here in North America. What surprises are in store for us? Has Telltale nailed down addressing some of the technical flaws of the first? Will the game surpass the first episode in sales? Time will tell soon enough! Ultimately, this next episode is a lot to look forward to.
Full press release
Get ready Wii owners, because Telltale is super-excited to announce that "The Siege of Spinner Cay", the second chapter in the Tales of Monkey Island saga, now has a WiiWare release date. The new chapter will make its console debut in North America this coming Monday, the 31st of August! And while we haven't 100% confirmed the date for Europe yet, all signs are pointing to its imminent release there as well. So rest assured that as soon as we get the official word, we'll be sure to let you know. Are you as excited as we are!? Why not share the good news? |
posted 27 Aug 2009 20:10 by Knuckles Sonic8
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updated 27 Aug 2009 20:19
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Looks like we just got a confirmation of the first WiiWare game that will be heading our way on September 7th. It's very interesting that Nintendo has the queue lined up that far ahead, isn't it? It'll be interesting to hear if other WiiWare developers get word of their titles appearing on the 7th as well in the next little while. See below for the official press release issued out from the developers themselves.
Full press release
Wanna play a true gamers videogame on Wii? Here is ColorZ the 7th of September on WiiWare in North America and it’s only 700 Wii points. With ColorZ, set forth in your spaceships on a mission to clean up virus-infested planets. Immerse yourself in a new gameplay experience to meet new challenge. Control one to three ships at the same time in your missions. Absorb viruses of your own color, but steer clear of the others. If you need to, you can cleverly merge your ships together to create new colors. “Scratch” on your enemies to keep your combo and clock up a new high-score record.
Inspired among others by Shoot’em up, ColorZ will delight all gamers eager for strong feelings on Wii. It’s a true challenge proposed to the solo player. Psychedelic graphics reflect the tortuous path on which ColorZ leads you to reach your goal with a fulfillment feeling. Moreover ColorZ has just been nominated for the “best game on home console” category in the biggest French event: “Festival du Jeu Vidéo”. Enjoy ColorZ outstanding and ingenious level design! Check out our website www.colorz-thegame.com for more info, screens, video, etc. |
posted 27 Aug 2009 06:06 by Knuckles Sonic8
The ESRB website has provided a rating summary for a mysterious game being produced by Gevo Entertainment entitled "Little Tournament Over Yonder". The gameplay sounds like it could very well be a WiiWare title but then again, so did Cook Wars by Ubisoft and that turned out to be a Wii game so I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. The gameplay does remind me of a game I used to love playing and if done right, I think this could work well! The game's been rated E for "Mild Cartoon Violence". Here's the summary. - This is a strategy game in which players move medieval characters around a chess board-like grid. If two opposing characters are moved to the same space on the board, a short battle sequence begins. Players can use swords, arrows, magic potions, and energy bolts to drain opponents' life meters. Characters shake their heads side-to-side and bow down when they are defeated.
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posted 24 Aug 2009 05:48 by Knuckles Sonic8
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updated 20 Jul 2010 20:19
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DRiiFT Mania has been rated by the ESRB as of yesterday. It lead me to beleive that it was coming the following day in the update but alas, that's not th case. Either way, it's likely we'll get it next week now that it's been officially rated by the ESRB and so it can now get localized. - "This is an arcade-style racing game in which players drive tiny vehicles along obstacle-ridden racetracks. Viewed from an overhead perspective, players can race on twisting tracks that contain several obstacles (e.g., oil spills, construction cones, and stacks of tires). In one mode of play, players must avoid falling meteors that can cause the vehicles to char and flip over."
Next up we have Cybernoid - the latest game for the Commodore 64 rated by the ESRB. It's great to hear that this game is on its way but it begs the question, how come we still haven't seen any appearance of Impossible Mission as of yet? Cybernoid has been rated Everyone for "Mild Fantasy Violence." It's summary reads as follows: - "This is an arcade-style shooter game in which players guide a small spacecraft through side-scrolling space environments. Players shoot missiles and spiked balls at various enemy targets (e.g., ships, gun turrets, and geometric-shaped creatures), resulting in a small fiery burst."
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posted 21 Aug 2009 21:46 by Knuckles Sonic8
"Professor Layton and the Flute of Malevolent Destiny" is the name of the 3rd title in the Professor Layton series that will be hitting North America next year (hopefully!). The game will be making an appearance next month at the Tokyo Game Show. Level-5 also seems to have something up their sleeve that they plan to reveal at the show, if information is correct. |
posted 21 Aug 2009 21:36 by Knuckles Sonic8
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updated 20 Jul 2010 20:25
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What'd I tell ya? Just like I said we would, today we got the ESRB Rating for DanceDanceRevolution Hottest Party 3. DDRHP2 didn't get a full summary so I thought it would be interesting to see how they evaluate the E10+ rating. The summary makes mention of some of the suggestive themes found within the game thanks to the in-game dancers and the music videos, in addition to the game's song lyrics, making mention of an excerpt from When I Grow Up. Details below: - This is a dancing simulation game in which players perform dance steps and hand shaking in-time with arrow indicators that scroll from the bottom of the screen to the top. Player score points by hitting the corresponding panel/arrow on the dancepad to the beat of the music. Some music videos depict women wearing short-shorts, thigh-high stockings and garter belts, and tops that expose some cleavage; dancers occasionally make exaggerated hip movements or provocative poses. Some song lyrics contain suggestive material (e.g.,"Getting girls is how I live" and "Boys call you sexy") and the expletive "damn."
TV Show King 2 has also popped up, to coincide with its upcoming release this September. The game has been rated E10+ and the main reason for that is indicated by the additional descriptor for "Drug Reference". Although the summary makes mention of violent acts, there's no "Violent References" descriptor, nor is there a "Mild Suggestive Themes" descriptor to describe the oh-so-lovely Vanna White imposter. Interesting. - "This is a trivia game in which players compete to answer questions on a variety of topics, including sports, television, movies, music, etc. Among the thousands of trivia questions and answers, a handful of selections reference violent acts (e.g., "Who has Lincoln Burrows been convicted of murdering in Prison Break?"). There is also an incorrect answer choice that lists "pot" as a special ingredient for a fictional beverage."
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