KillerWolverine's News Blog

WIth PAX kicking off tomorrow, Pandemic released some new hi-resolution screens for the Saboteur.

They kick off their presence at PAX with 4 playable stations within the EA booth & will be handing out some sweet limited Saboteur Swag during the show. If you’re attending the show make sure to stop by the booth to get your swag items & your hands on demo. If you are not attending PAX this year watch the official Twitter Feed & Facebook feed for a chance to win some swag from the show.

Site: http://www.thesaboteurgame.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thesaboteur

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pandemicstudios

PAX will give consumers their first-ever chance to play upcoming Wii and DS games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story.

The recently launched Metroid Prime: Trilogy, Wii Sports Resort and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box will also be on hand at the Nintendo booth (#352).

Additionally, Nintendo will debut a new WiiWare game at the booth: Pokémon Rumble. Pokémon Rumble lets you battle with Pokémon like never before. Up to four players at once can team up and unleash powerful attacks as enemies surround them in this action-packed game.

In addition to the playable games at the booth, Nintendo has invited artists to create one-of-a-kind animations using the Flipnote Studio application for the Nintendo DSi system. Throughout the Sept. 4-6 show, a professional artist will be on hand nearly every hour at a special area in the South Lobby (#S-3) to showcase the many ways that people can use Flipnote Studio to create original works of art.

Some of the artists scheduled to be on hand include creative talents from the world of comic books and video games like Scott Kurtz (PvP), Eric Jones (DC Comics: Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade), Christina Strain (Marvel Comics: Runaways), Mike Choi (Marvel: X-Force), Edison Yan (5th Cell: Scribblenauts) and Ryan Jones (Telltale Games: Tales of Monkey Island).

Flipnote Studio is a Nintendo DSiWare application that is available for download at no cost. Nintendo DSi owners can download Flipnote Studio and draw a series of images that, when animated, resemble looking at pictures drawn on a notepad. Users can share their Flipnotes with others using the Nintendo DSi local wireless feature or through a broadband Internet connection. Flipnote Studio makes it easy for anyone to jump in and create animations, regardless of their artistic abilities.

For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.Nintendo.com

Heads will roll when THQ, Darksiders and War ride into the Penny Arcade Expo.  Carrying the Horseman of the Apocalypse will be War’s mysterious phantom steed, Ruin.

Bursting from the earth in a cloud of smoke and fire, Ruin is a loyal, yet mighty beast capable of assisting War in his quest to restore the balance between Heaven and Hell.

At PAX both fans and press can experience Ruin’s fury and might as THQ presents Ruin, the Darksiders Mechanical Horse!  Designed and built by Evan Brainard, founder of Windmere Design and a veteran of Stan Winston’s Studio (creators of the T-Rex in Jurassic Park and the Terminator in Terminator 2), Ruin the Mechanical Horse will simulate the experience of being a  Horseman of the Apocalypse.  PAX attendees are invited to ride the fully-functional mechanical horse at THQ’s booth (#1042) and receive photos of their experience at the official Darksiders Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Darksiders).

For more information on Darksiders, visit the official web site at www.darksidersvideogame.com.

Tozai Games announced today that it will feature playable game kiosks for Lode Runner and R-Type Dimensions for Xbox Live Arcade at this year’s PAX 2009, beginning September 4th in Seattle, Washington.

Additionally, PAX attendees will be able to view a trailer of Spelunker for PSN, which is coming to North America and Europe soon.

“PAX is such a great opportunity to reach out and meet the fans that we had to be a part of it,” said Sheila Boughten, President of Tozai Games. “We’ll have playable games, retro-themed Lode Runner t-shirts to hand out and even free game codes! It’s going to be a huge party.”

The Tozai Games booth (#3002) will be located near the North Lobby of the Washington State Convention Center, just off the open vestibule near the official PAX booth.

R-Type Dimensions was released in February of this year and received praise from the gaming media, including IGN naming it to the Top 10 list of Xbox Live Arcade games from the past 12 months. Released in April, Lode Runner has also won over the reviewers, including TeamXbox awarding it an Editor’s Choice badge. Together, the games have established Tozai Games’ reputation as a publisher dedicated to reimagining beloved classic titles, so it will come as no surprise that Spelunker for PSN is on its way from Irem and Tozai Games.

Irem and Tozai Games’ Spelunker for PSN, already released in Japan, features a fresh take on the side-scrolling graphics of Tim Martin’s classic, and with multiplayer support for up to six players on PSN, the new Spelunker is destined to be an online favorite.

“Of course, what sets Spelunker apart from practically every other platformer is how weak the character is,” said Tozai Games’ co-founder, Scott Tsumura. “Almost anything that happens in the game can spell the end for the Spelunker, which is what makes the game so challenging.” Scott added that Spelunker continues to be one of the most beloved video game characters for Japanese gamers.

Further information about Tozai Games current and future products can be found online athttp://www.tozaigames.com/.

You can keep up-to-date on all Tozai Games announcements by following them on Twitter @TozaiGames.

To kick off the grand opening of Donate Games’ online store, founder Jim Carol and a team of volunteers from the charity will be at the PAX gaming festival to accept your used games in person.

Visit one of three select drop-off spots at the event:

• 6th Floor East Lobby
• 4th Floor Queue Room
• 3rd Floor Handheld Lounge

Staff will be manning these locations and available to accept your used games, issue tax-deductible receipts and to answer your questions Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Carol will also appear on the PAX panel entitled “How Gamers Give: Improving the World Through Games” 4:30-5:30pm Friday. He will be joined by representatives from other non-profits in the games industry, including representatives from Child’s Play, GameSchool, Couchange and The MacArthur Foundation to discuss charitable giving through games, the challenges of running gaming-related charities and the future of gamer philanthropy.

“We’re thrilled to be on site and seeing the faces of the amazing folks who contribute games,” said Carol. “It means so much to us to have that personal connection and to be able to offer gamers a chance to see us in turn. When you hand off a game to a real person and know that it’s going to do good for someone else, it makes all the difference in the world.”

For more information about Donate Games, volunteer opportunities or to donate used games online, visit www.DonateGames.org.

About Donate Games:

Founded in February 2009, Donate Games is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to easing the pain of those suffering from orphan diseases through the donation and resale of used games. The organization accepts new and used video and computer games, gaming consoles and gaming peripherals for resale through its online store at www.donategames.com. Saving lives one game at a time.

Playlogic announced today it will be giving consumers and members of the press hands-on demonstrations of Fairytale Fights at PAX in Seattle, Washington (Playlogic will be located at PAX Booth #28).

In addition, attendees of the show can visit the Playlogic booth to enter daily for a chance to win a $100 gift card to a variety of gaming retailers.  The drawing will take place at the Playlogic booth everyday of the show at 2:00pm.  Three gift cards worth $100 each will be given away on a daily basis.

Fairytale Fights is a truly twisted hack n’ slash platform adventure where players assume the role of a much-loved fairytale character whose glory days have long since passed.   Using the Unreal Engine 3 like never before, Fairytale Fights takes popular characters and tales from the pantheon of well known fairytales and turns them on their heads as players must fight their way through hordes of bloodthirsty enemies on a quest to restore their own personal honor and re-establish peace in the land of fairytales.

Inspired by twisted cartoons like Happy Tree Friends and Itchy and Scratchy, and featuring a wildly colorful and distinct art style, players can cooperatively complete quests in the single-player storyline or compete in chaotic multiplayer battles with up to 4 players.

Key Features include:

• Volumetric Liquid System – Developed by Playlogic Game Factory, the Volumetric Liquid System allows multiple liquids to blend together.  Deep Red Blood will drench the lush surroundings (and the players!), as you slice up the enemies not once, not twice, but multiple times in a frenzied attack! Slide through the pools of blood, creating a blood stained platform in seconds (hell you can even write your name!)
• Real-Time Dynamic Slicing Technology (codenamed Salami Violence) – For the first time ever assume full control over how and when to slice and dice your enemies in real time as your drench the lush surrounding in a sea of limbs and blood!
• Based on the Unreal Engine 3 – Fairytale Fights is based on the Unreal Engine 3, utilising the engine like never before!
• Multiplayer Mayhem! – Fight with friends and foes both on and offline with drop in drop out gameplay.  Fight your friends and family for the best weapons and collectables in story mode, or play till the death in one of our many PVP battle grounds
• Depth of Gameplay – Fairytale Fights isn’t just a hack and slash platform adventure.  Featuring a wealth of content spread across more than 20 spectacular playable areas built from the remains books and fairytale memorabilia.
• Huge Arsenal of Weapons! – Featuring over 140 weapons, (each with multiple uses), eliminate foes in multiple ways from slicing and dicing, to freezing, or fire! Burn skin from their bones with Acid Attacks or shove them into oncoming trains!
• Multiple Difficulties – Fairytale Fights features 3 difficulty levels, with multiple enemies.  Increase the enemy count to increase the gore factor!
• Accessibility – Fairytale Fights is one of the most accessible Platform Adventure games ever offering a mix of visceral bloody violence & adventure with fantastic platforming elements for the more discerning gamer!

Fairytale Fights will launch in North America on October 27, 2009 for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. Fairytale Fights will be available for PC in 2010.

Fairytale Fights is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB.

For more information about Playlogic and to sign up to get all the latest breaking news regarding Fairytale Fights please visit www.fairytalefights.com.

The organizers of the sixth annual PAX gaming festival today announced key details of the upcoming show to be held Sept. 4-6 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

This year’s exhibition hall will offer PAX attendees hands-on time with highly anticipated games and products from nearly 100 exhibitors, including top publishers Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, Blizzard and Wizards of the Coast (see below for a complete exhibitor list).

In addition to seeing an enormous number of pre-release games on the show floor, attendees can expect a slew of panels, the Omegathon gaming competition, tournaments and more. First details of PAX 2009 programming include:

• The first live US demonstration of LucasArts’ Star Wars: The Old Republic and a sponsored cantina where LucasArts community members attending PAX can mingle with staff and developers
• Demonstrations of Ubisoft’s hottest titles, including Assassin’s Creed II and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction
• The PAX 10 independent games showcase
• Sponsored parties throughout Seattle’s downtown core
• Two nights of beguiling concerts featuring the best artists in nerdcore

“PAX is so great,” said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade. “So great.”

Complete List of PAX 2009 Exhibitors:

• 1up
• 2K Games
• Aeria Games & Entertainment
• Alienware
• Alteil
• Ankama Games
• Antec
• Astro Gaming
• Atari, Inc.
• Bethesda Softworks LLC
• Big Fish Games
• Bioware
• Black Sheep Studios
• Blizzard Entertainment
• Capcom Entertainment, Inc.
• CCP Games
• CDV Software Entertainment USA
• Chessex
• Disney Interactive Studios
• Dolby Laboratories
• ECA
• Electronic Arts
• Eminence Group Pty. Ltd.
• Fallen Earth LLC
• Flying Frog Productions
• Flying Lab Software
• Frogster America
• Funcom
• Garage Games
• Geek Chic HQ
• Gunnar Optiks
• Harmonix Music
• Hi-Rez Studios
• Hothead Games
• Hudson Entertainment
• iGlove Inc.
• Ignition Entertainment
• ITT Technical Institute
• Jones Soda Co.
• Klei Entertainment
• Mana Energy Potions
• Mega64
• Microsoft
• Microsoft-XNA
• Mythic Entertainment
• Namco Bandai Games America inc
• Namco Networks America Inc.
• NCsoft
• Nexon
• Nintendo of America Inc
• NVIDIA
• Omni Consumer Products (Tru Blood)
• Oni Press
• Patriot Memory
• Phantom EFX, Inc.
• Pink Gorilla LLC
• Playlogic Entertainment Inc.
• Privateer Press
• Riot Games
• Rockstar Games
• Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC
• Runic Games
• SEGA
• Sony Computer Entertainment America
• Stardock Entertainment
• SteelSeries
• Sweet Kitty
• Swell Games / Simon Fraser University
• Telltale Games
• The Behemoth
• The Dreaming Comics and Games
• The Guildhall at SMU
• THQ
• TN Games
• Tozai, Inc.
• Tritton Technologies
• True Games Interactive
• Turbine
• Turtle Beach
• Twisted Pixel Games, LLC
• Ubisoft Entertainment
• Unknown Worlds Entertainment, Inc.
• Upper Deck Entertainment
• Valve Software
• Vancouver Film School
• Wacom Technology
• Warner Bros. Games
• Wizards Of The Coast
• Y-Bot Classic Video Games
• Zalman USA Inc.

About PAX:

PAX is a three-day celebration of games and gamer culture. The festival includes an exhibition floor filled with playable builds of upcoming tabletop, console, and computer games; a conference program of game industry speakers; music concerts; freeplay areas; industry parties; game tournaments and more. Since its inception in 2004 the show has doubled in size year-over-year, growing from 4,500 attendees to 58,500 in 2008, making it the largest gaming festival in North America. For more information, visit www.paxsite.com.