Wednesday, January 10, 2007
MS PAC-MAN Gets her Turn on Xbox Live Arcade
The amazing munching yellow ball returns in this week’s Arcade Wednesday release – this time she’s sporting a big red bow on top. The classic retro coin-op from Namco Bandai Games, Ms. Pac-Man, will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 beginning Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 9 a.m. GMT (1 a.m. PST).
The Frenzy is Back
Catch our hands-on impressions and details on Hudson's Fuzion Frenzy 2, sequel to the original Xbox launch title.
This Week in Xbox: Jan. 10-17, 2007
Games Editor Denny Atkin brings you all the latest in what's going on this week on Xbox.com.
New Mobile Funfairgames.net website
We have now added a mobile version of our website designed to work with smartphones and P.D.A devices
Wateraid Charity Event
Funfairgames.net are providing a funfair in support of an event to raise money for the wateraid charity. The charity exists to help provide a source of clean sanitized water in developing countries. Further details of the charity can be obtained from www.wateraid.org.uk The event is taking place on November 3rd at Leigh cricket club in Leigh Lancashire.
Landmark For Fairground Heritage Trust
Saturday September 24th saw a landmark in the annals of the Fairground Heritage Trust. The first turf of the site for the new Fairground Museum was cut before invited guests and visitors. Numerous fairground exhibits have formed part of the Dingles Steam Museums displays for a number of years, now hopefully they can be housed in their own purpose built building to ensure their long term survival as a part of our heritage and history.
Hellgate multiplayer to be subscription-based
Online component bears similarities to MMOGs, says Flagship big cheese Bill Roper.
Gamers anticipating Flagship Studios' FPS-RPG Hellgate: London should be prepared to pay to play the game online.
Click here to read the full article
Burnout Dominator cruising in new screens, footage
Burning up rural and urban Japan on the PSP widescreen. New PS2 shots too - and gameplay movie.
Here are four brand-spanking-new screens of EA's high-octane racer running pretty nicely on the PSP, complete with shiny cars, a mix of urban and rural racing and (gasp) lens flair!
Click here to read the full article
Games headed for Zune
Microsoft to join the battle for handheld dominance by 2008, reports claim.
Microsoft will bring videogame content to its upcoming Zune media player by 2008, a Bloomberg.com report claims.
Click here to read the full article
Vid-game review: `Metal Gear' overhaul (AP)
AP - With a few exceptions, Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable hasn't had many good games since it was released a few years ago.
Video games: DVR on Xbox, more broadband (AP)
Vista launches rocket prize
VANISHING Point, a Microsoft online puzzle game launched this week is promising to send the winner on a rocket ride into orbit around the Earth.
What's this? More Crysis screens? Oh yes
A couple of real corkers here, as EA delivers three more from the jaw-dropping FPS.
It's been a good week for Crysis fans. New gameplay footage earlier this week, new screenshots yesterday and today another three new images have been deployed. Now, Mr EA, you really, really ARE spoiling us!
Click here to read the full article
Relentless Unveils Educational Buzz!
Representatives from Relentless Software and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have announced a new addition to its BAFTA-award winning Buzz! series specifically for schools, called Buzz!: The Schools Quiz.
C&C 3 gets in your face on 360 with Vision camera
See your opponents beautiful - or ugly - mug during Xbox Live showdowns.
It's been revealed that the Xbox 360 version of forthcoming RTS Command & conquer 3: Tiberium Wars supports the console's Xbox Live Vision camera in online multiplayer.
Click here to read the full article
Nintendo boosts profit forecast (AP)
AP - Japan's Nintendo Co. raised its group profit outlook by 20 percent Wednesday for this fiscal year because of upbeat sales worldwide of its portable game player Nintendo DS.
Nintendo Co. raises profit forecast (AP)
AP - Japan's Nintendo Co. on Wednesday raised its fiscal year group net profit outlook by 20 billion yen, or $167 million, owing to upbeat sales worldwide of its portable game player Nintendo DS.
SIGGRAPH Sandbox Symposium Calls for Papers
The second annual ACM SIGGRAPH Sandbox Symposium on videogames, co-located with SIGGRAPH 07 from August 4-5, 2007 in San Diego, California, calls for papers, hot games, and panel proposals.
Gates labels Nintendo the "toughest competition"
Microsoft boss recognises Nintendo's success.
Internet reports have picked up on an interview broadcasted on Japanese television station, TV Tokyo, in which Bill Gates cites Nintendo as the biggest competitor in the latest console war.
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Controversy surrounds SIXAXIS Emmy Award
Sony's 'SIXAXIS wins Emmy' mix-up put right by NATAS.
Since Sony reported on Monday that the PS3's SIXAXIS controller had won a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award, the Emmy governing body, NATAS, has issued a statement to confirm that this claim is inaccurate, and the award was in fact given to the Dual Shock controller.
Click here to read the full article
360 dashboard update detailed
Performance and stability issues addressed in latest Xbox 360 update.
A new dashboard update has rippled through the great Xbox Live pond, though don't get too excited - it's only a small fish.
Click here to read the full article
Report: Mario is biggest videogame franchise ever
Nearly 200 million sales throughout the globe for the moustache-sporting plumber.
A report on the 20 top-selling videogame franchises of all time has pinned Nintendo's Mario at the number one spot, with a total of 193 million sales worldwide.
Click here to read the full article
Brace yourself: New Bioshock screens
Is that a Tommy gun we spy? And some crazy surgeon bloke wielding piping. Excellent!.
Two new screenshots have emerged from the wonderfully weird underwater world of Bioshock, and you can view them right here on this very page.
Click here to read the full article
Buzz goes to school
School edition to feature over 5,000 Key Stage 2 Curriculum questions and "teacher features".
Sony and Relentless Software have revealed the next instalment in the popular Buzz series - The School Quiz, which is (surprise, surprise) geared specifically towards the school market.
Click here to read the full article
Xbox 360 version II is just "experimentation", says MS
HDMI-enabled hardware is "not really a product that we're thinking about announcing," says Microsoft's Chris Satchell.
Microsoft game developer group boss Chris Satchell has addressed recent rumours of revised HDMI-enabled Xbox 360 hardware, saying that the remixed console is simply an "experimentation".
Click here to read the full article
Blizzard attending Burning Crusade UK launch event
HMV, Oxford Street, London, to play host to nerd-fest.
In order to celebrate the release of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade HMV Oxford Street will be holding a launch even on the eve of the expansion's release, January 16.
Click here to read the full article
Gears of War New DL Content and Contest Info
Emergence Day has come and gone. Over two million gamers have already bought Gears of War, taking up the cause against the vicious Locust Horde. Some lived, Some suffered. It's time for a little good news.
Let There be Rock Guitar Hero II Details Announced
The rock gods have spoken, and are pleased to announce further details on Activision's Guitar Hero II on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, which will feature a variety of new exclusive downloadable content through Xbox Live Marketplace, along with over 70 finger-melting tracks. The franchise that has rocked the video game industry is set to go on another highly-anticipated world tour this spring, and fans will now enjoy sharply remodeled HD visuals for the next-gen platform, and be able to shred their new Gibson-shaped X-Plorer axes to impressively pulsating audio sweetness on the Xbox 360.
Wave of New Products and Services at CES
At the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, Bill Gates and Robbie Bach explained how Microsoft is delivering a new generation of connected experiences.
Hollywood finds a crowd at Xbox's Marketplace (Reuters)
Reuters - While Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3 are in short supply at retail, Microsoft's next-generation Xbox 360 console is readily available and approaching sales of 11 million. Hollywood has helped fuel the momentum, furnishing content for the Xbox Live Marketplace.
Download Two Free Gears of War Maps
Beginning January 10, you'll have two new multiplayer maps for Gears of War available for download free from Xbox Live Marketplace. These exclusive Gears of War levels are made possible by the Discovery Channel's "Future Weapons."
PlayStation 3 likely missed sales target (AP)
AP - Sony's long-awaited PlayStation 3 may have missed its global shipment target and been beaten in its home market by rival Nintendo's surprise hit Wii video game system, new figures show.
