Legacy Interactive announced today the launch of their first game on Nintendo DS, Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals, a breakthrough title for animal lovers and aspiring vets that will provide both children and adults with compelling educational experiences that emphasize learning through activity. In this new simulation game set in an urban zoo, players will quickly find out that being a zoo vet is an adventurous and exciting job as they do things like watch a baby flamingo take her first steps, amputate an orangutan?s finger and they even get to stick their heads in a hippo?s mouth! A portion of the game's proceeds will be donated to the African Wildlife Foundation that provided fascinating conservation information used in the game.
In the game players assume the role of a newly employed veterinarian caring for a diverse group of animals, like gorillas, elephants, penguins, polar bears, komodo dragons and more. They will get to move around the zoo performing check-ups to treat the animals--some require treatment in their habitats, while others are transferred to the animal hospital for further care.
The game includes 30 newly written medical cases contributed by veterinarians practicing throughout the world, with two levels of difficulty. As players succeed in caring for the animals, the cases become increasingly difficult and they unlock more of the sophisticated medical tools players? need to progress through the levels to achieve the highest vet ranking. The game takes full advantage of the Nintendo DS capabilities allowing players to make precise incisions with the stylus during critical surgeries and also taking advantage of the dual screen capabilities, which allow users to see animal stats while they continue with their procedures.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Inside Luminous Art, The Official Luminous Arc 2 Pre-Order Bonus Art Book
Fans who pre-order the upcoming strategy RPG Luminous Arc 2 for Nintendo DS™ can pick up Luminous Art, the official Luminous Arc 2 art book, upon the game’s release on November 18 (at select retailers, while supplies last).
Luminous Art is a 7" by 10", 60-page, full color art book featuring designs and illustrations from both Luminous Arc games. Fan favorites Lucia, Vanessa, and others from the original Luminous Arc are featured alongside the new cast from Luminous Arc 2, including Roland, Fatima, and Josie. Detailed character profiles filled to the brim with finished drawings, early sketches, and concept art compliment the compositions and ensemble paintings that round out the substantial content.
Famed character designer Kaito Shibano offers thoughts and comments regarding his inspiration for many of his designs, often lending behind the scenes insight into the creation of many of the games’ more popular characters. Presented on premium quality matte paper, the various illustrations and designed included in Luminous Art are the perfect extra for fans of the series and can make a great gift for fans of beautiful anime-style art.
Luminous Art is only available as a pre-order bonus and only at participating retailers. Luminous Arc 2 is one of three titles featured in the "Atlus Spoils" promotion, along with Eternal Poison and Persona 4 for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Each game includes a soundtrack CD free-with-purchase, and each game offers a deluxe full-color art book exclusively with pre-orders. Guarantee yourself a copy of this exclusive bonus item and pre-order today!
Luminous Art is a 7" by 10", 60-page, full color art book featuring designs and illustrations from both Luminous Arc games. Fan favorites Lucia, Vanessa, and others from the original Luminous Arc are featured alongside the new cast from Luminous Arc 2, including Roland, Fatima, and Josie. Detailed character profiles filled to the brim with finished drawings, early sketches, and concept art compliment the compositions and ensemble paintings that round out the substantial content.
Famed character designer Kaito Shibano offers thoughts and comments regarding his inspiration for many of his designs, often lending behind the scenes insight into the creation of many of the games’ more popular characters. Presented on premium quality matte paper, the various illustrations and designed included in Luminous Art are the perfect extra for fans of the series and can make a great gift for fans of beautiful anime-style art.
Luminous Art is only available as a pre-order bonus and only at participating retailers. Luminous Arc 2 is one of three titles featured in the "Atlus Spoils" promotion, along with Eternal Poison and Persona 4 for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Each game includes a soundtrack CD free-with-purchase, and each game offers a deluxe full-color art book exclusively with pre-orders. Guarantee yourself a copy of this exclusive bonus item and pre-order today!
Aspyr Media Ships New SAT Prep Video Game, futureU for Nintendo DS
Aspyr Media, in collaboration with Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, announced today that futureU, a first-of-its-kind SAT prep video game, has shipped to retail stores nationwide for Nintendo DS. Following on the heels of the PC/Mac version of the same name, futureU represents a new medium for supplemental SAT prep by adapting test preparation material into a collection of fun interactive games.
Utilizing the touch screen capabilities of DS, futureU offers a complete interactive experience unlike any standard test taking method to date. Designed for studying at home or on the go, the game consists of six distinctive mini-games that are divided into three main categories - Math, Reading and Writing. Developed as a complement to traditional SAT study methods, the game is grounded in Kaplan curriculum and features hundreds of questions and track-able player progress.
futureU incorporates a wealth of in-game content that challenges and sharpens skills including:
Reading: Focuses on refining players' reading skills, vocabulary, main idea identification, themes and arguments, technique, and recognizing word meanings based on context.
Writing: Concentrates on improving players' writing skills by covering topics such as passive voice, run-on sentences, misplaced modifiers, parallelism, conjunctions, fragments, coordination and subordination, pronouns, subject-verb agreement, tenses, adverbs and adjectives, gerunds, idioms, wrong words, and double negatives.
Math: Enable players to practice critical math areas such as algebra, geometry, data, statistics, probability, polynomials, and sequences.
Utilizing the touch screen capabilities of DS, futureU offers a complete interactive experience unlike any standard test taking method to date. Designed for studying at home or on the go, the game consists of six distinctive mini-games that are divided into three main categories - Math, Reading and Writing. Developed as a complement to traditional SAT study methods, the game is grounded in Kaplan curriculum and features hundreds of questions and track-able player progress.
futureU incorporates a wealth of in-game content that challenges and sharpens skills including:
Reading: Focuses on refining players' reading skills, vocabulary, main idea identification, themes and arguments, technique, and recognizing word meanings based on context.
Writing: Concentrates on improving players' writing skills by covering topics such as passive voice, run-on sentences, misplaced modifiers, parallelism, conjunctions, fragments, coordination and subordination, pronouns, subject-verb agreement, tenses, adverbs and adjectives, gerunds, idioms, wrong words, and double negatives.
Math: Enable players to practice critical math areas such as algebra, geometry, data, statistics, probability, polynomials, and sequences.
3D TRACK EDITOR ENSURES ENDLESS GAMEPLAY AND EXTREME RACING FOR YOU AND YOUR friends
TrackMania DS is an insane arcade style racer that dares players to create their own adrenaline rush as they craft customised tracks for out-of-this-world racing. Corners, loops, speed boosts and skate park inspired design blocks are all available for custom track designing – then blast through it in awesome speed machines. Ascaron and 93 Games will release TrackMania DS on 21st November 2008 for everyone’s ‘inner adrenaline junkie’.
The TrackMania track editor has become infamous in the world of arcade racing and is now finally available on Nintendo DS, providing infinite fun and constantly renewed gameplay. Players are given over 300 construction blocks to work with as they decide if a speed boost propels the car onto a jump, through a ‘loop de loop’ or into a chicane. Up to four players can race on custom tracks using just one game cartridge via the local WiFi connection of the Nintendo DS. Tracks saved to the cartridge can also be freely exchanged with rival racers with an astoundingly fast data transfer function.
“Creating tracks is something TrackMania is famous for worldwide. We carefully ported this unique game feature to the DS, ensuring the experience was faithfully reproduced for handheld gamers. The result is a world class racing game where gameplay is only confined by imagination”, states Alan Wild, International Product Manager at Ascaron Entertainment. “In a sense, the gamer becomes the developer; they create the rush, excitement and extremity of the game for themselves and their mates.”
The TrackMania track editor has become infamous in the world of arcade racing and is now finally available on Nintendo DS, providing infinite fun and constantly renewed gameplay. Players are given over 300 construction blocks to work with as they decide if a speed boost propels the car onto a jump, through a ‘loop de loop’ or into a chicane. Up to four players can race on custom tracks using just one game cartridge via the local WiFi connection of the Nintendo DS. Tracks saved to the cartridge can also be freely exchanged with rival racers with an astoundingly fast data transfer function.
“Creating tracks is something TrackMania is famous for worldwide. We carefully ported this unique game feature to the DS, ensuring the experience was faithfully reproduced for handheld gamers. The result is a world class racing game where gameplay is only confined by imagination”, states Alan Wild, International Product Manager at Ascaron Entertainment. “In a sense, the gamer becomes the developer; they create the rush, excitement and extremity of the game for themselves and their mates.”
Games Emphasize Wildlife Conservation with Exciting Adventures
Today Ubisoft announced that the Petz Rescue video games for Wii(TM) home video game system from Nintendo and the Nintendo DS(TM) system are now available in stores. Fulfilling every child's dream of protecting the planet and preserving diverse animal life, the first games in the Petz Rescue series allow young players to save, nurture and heal endangered animals.
In Petz Rescue Wildlife Vet, available for Nintendo DS and Wii, players live an amazing adventure as a young vet who cares for domestic and exotic animals and investigates the cause behind the local animals' illnesses.
Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise for Nintendo DS allows players to become members of an environmental rescue team whose mission is to save the wildlife on a beautiful island that has been threatened by pollution.
Petz Rescue Ocean Patrol for Nintendo DS puts players in the role of Greg or Mila, who must help their uncle save endangered marine life on a secluded island.
Rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, Petz Rescue Wildlife Vet for Wii (MSRP for Wii $39.99) and Petz Rescue Ocean Patrol (MSRP for Nintendo DS $29.99) can be purchased anywhere video games are sold. Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise for Nintendo DS will be available on November 18.
In Petz Rescue Wildlife Vet, available for Nintendo DS and Wii, players live an amazing adventure as a young vet who cares for domestic and exotic animals and investigates the cause behind the local animals' illnesses.
Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise for Nintendo DS allows players to become members of an environmental rescue team whose mission is to save the wildlife on a beautiful island that has been threatened by pollution.
Petz Rescue Ocean Patrol for Nintendo DS puts players in the role of Greg or Mila, who must help their uncle save endangered marine life on a secluded island.
Rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, Petz Rescue Wildlife Vet for Wii (MSRP for Wii $39.99) and Petz Rescue Ocean Patrol (MSRP for Nintendo DS $29.99) can be purchased anywhere video games are sold. Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise for Nintendo DS will be available on November 18.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Play the game easily
Combat also feels like a process, as you’ll go through the same few motions – attack, cast magic, use an item or try to run – in every battle. The turn-based setup and brief battle animations are well produced. There is nothing overly impressive to look at, but that’s typically the case for the best role-playing games. However, the battle’s pace is a tad sluggish; if your attack or item strikes three enemies simultaneously, the game takes forever to shift from each monster to the next. Once it shifts, the animation is quick. But the whole process is slow and will annoy most players – even those who love these kinds of games.
All of this is done to unlock the next level in the dungeon, followed by a repeat of the entire process. Incredibly, this is actually engaging. This game is far from spectacular. You might even grumble while playing it. But if you like the Harvest Moons of the world, games that demand your constant attention and are unexplainably rewarding for it, there is something special about Master of the Monster Lair.
All of this is done to unlock the next level in the dungeon, followed by a repeat of the entire process. Incredibly, this is actually engaging. This game is far from spectacular. You might even grumble while playing it. But if you like the Harvest Moons of the world, games that demand your constant attention and are unexplainably rewarding for it, there is something special about Master of the Monster Lair.
Owen the Builder
The third process has you planting dozens of buildings (square areas that are the same size as each piece of the dungeon) to attract specific kinds of monsters to each level of the dungeon. The overall goal is to attract enough monsters to unlock the boss – a meaty, beastly creature that will likely overpower characters that haven’t been eating their spinach (which increases HP). Thus, it’s back to eating and sleeping until you can defeat the monster.
Buildings should be planted in a way that fosters the kinds of battles you wish to encounter. In my preview of the game, I reported that you needed to align three buildings in order to battle three monsters together. That’s true, but that report came at the advice of the talking shovel early on in the game and isn’t quite that simple. When a building is approached, its keeper (the monster) will run out to escape or attack. Most buildings have one entry/exit point, so they’re always going to come out of the same place every time, and they always run straight forward.
Thus, if you place three buildings in a row with each door facing in the same direction, you’ll end up fighting the monsters one-by-one. There’s no way to approach the monsters to make them all come out at once. But if you leave a space in between two buildings and angle both doors toward your character, the monsters will come out at the same time. To get a third monster to enter the fray, place the third building in between the first two and one row back, with the door pointed toward the opening. That way you still have the empty space to enter and can score a full-size battle. The reason being, of course, to gain items (three-monster battles drop items every time; one- or two-monster battles may not).
Buildings should be planted in a way that fosters the kinds of battles you wish to encounter. In my preview of the game, I reported that you needed to align three buildings in order to battle three monsters together. That’s true, but that report came at the advice of the talking shovel early on in the game and isn’t quite that simple. When a building is approached, its keeper (the monster) will run out to escape or attack. Most buildings have one entry/exit point, so they’re always going to come out of the same place every time, and they always run straight forward.
Thus, if you place three buildings in a row with each door facing in the same direction, you’ll end up fighting the monsters one-by-one. There’s no way to approach the monsters to make them all come out at once. But if you leave a space in between two buildings and angle both doors toward your character, the monsters will come out at the same time. To get a third monster to enter the fray, place the third building in between the first two and one row back, with the door pointed toward the opening. That way you still have the empty space to enter and can score a full-size battle. The reason being, of course, to gain items (three-monster battles drop items every time; one- or two-monster battles may not).
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