Game Freaks 365 Blog

Codemasters today announced the launch of the GRID playable demo, featuring the eBay Motors Challenge. The GRID playable demo is a US-exclusive fastest lap competition in which the ultimate winner will drive away with a brand new, customized, eBay Motors branded Ford Mustang GT-R. Based on one of the coolest concept cars ever introduced to the market, the eBay Motors Ford Mustang GT-R has been built and modified to feature a complete custom body kit including a supercharged engine with 445HP, a race inspired side ported exhaust system, 20″ GTR concept wheels, and a six stage custom pearl paint job, complete with eBay Motors’ graphics.

The GRID playable demo is now available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 and from the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3. For the game that’s all about the race, the GRID playable demo delivers intense competition right from the start as players compete in single-player GRID World events, 12-player online races, and then prove their worth in the white-knuckle Time Trial competition, which is home to the eBay Motors Challenge.

Speed Racer: The Videogame, published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, hits stores across North America today on Wii and Nintendo DS. Based on the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures film directed by the Wachowski brothers, Speed Racer: The Videogame features the voices of Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer, Matthew Fox as Racer X and Christina Ricci as Trixie, who reprise their film roles as playable characters. Speed Racer: The Videogame is a fast-paced, action racer for kids of all ages. Speed Racer: The Videogame is rated “E” for Everyone and is available on Wii at the suggested retail price of $49.99 and Nintendo DS for $29.99.

In Speed Racer: The Videogame, developed by Sidhe Interactive for the Wii and Virtuos for the Nintendo DS, players will race at amazing speeds to engage in “Car-Fu” battles to outmaneuver opponents as they jump, flip, smash and spin competing cars off the track. Select from 19 different drivers and their extreme cars as players take to the track in an effort to win the illustrious World Racing League cup. One of the first games compatible with the Wii Wheel, Speed Racer: The Videogame allows players to experience all the twists and turns of the film’s racing sequences first hand as they jump behind the wheel of Speed’s T180 race car the Mach 6, or the specially designed T180 race cars of more than 15 other characters, including Racer X, Trixie and other film favorites.

SouthPeak Games today announced that Dream Pinball 3D has shipped for the PC, Wii and Nintendo DS. The pinball simulator combines striking 3D graphics, realistic physics and a refined control scheme tailored to the unique features of each platform.
“We have experience with classic bar room games and they have proven extremely popular titles with gamers,” said Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. “Dream Pinball delivers a dose of nostalgia along with a great price point that makes it a must-buy for any fan of the genre.” Dream Pinball 3D merges stunning visuals with flawless gameplay. The game features realistic ball physics and motion blur effects as well as multiple dynamic and fixed camera positions. The title also features six pinball machines, each with its own theme, sound effects and music.

KOEI today announced that Fatal Inertia EX will be available at the end of May 2008 exclusively on PlayStation Network, and only for PlayStation 3. “We’re really excited about what we’ve accomplished with Fatal Inertia EX,” said Mike Bond, lead game designer for Fatal Inertia EX. “Gamers will be amazed by all of the improvements we’ve made. Fatal Inertia EX is a faster, more visually-captivating experience packed with new content not found in the original.”

Fatal Inertia EX features a never-before-seen environment exclusive to the PlayStation 3. Situated amidst scorching desert dunes, the Fatal Inertia Proving Grounds is a mecca for aspiring flight jocks driven to prepare themselves for the mental and physical punishment of low-altitude combat maneuvering. Along with offering a restructured training curriculum, the Proving Grounds are also home to the game’s eight new tracks.

A re-tuned flight model improves handling and achieves higher speeds than previously seen. Flight controls take advantage of the DualShock 3 wireless controller and give the optional use of SIXAXIS motion sensing technology. The game’s newly-added “Master” level Quick Races will push the fastest men and women to their limit.

Fatal Inertia EX delivers heightened visuals which include new weather effects, significant scenery enhancements, and an overhauled garage for racecraft customization. Spread across 59 courses in seven exotic high-definition environments including lush rainforests, massive glacier fields, and canyons of razor-sharp rock, the beauty of Fatal Inertia EX could easily mask the harrowing thrills in this high-speed contest of champions.

Today it was announced that Codemasters has come to an agreement with Sega that will help Codemasters expand its studio breadth. With immediate effect, Codemasters is to take over the Sega Racing Studio, based in Solihull, central England. The development studio was responsible for last fall’s Sega Rally Revo, which received an 8.1 out of 10 from Game Freaks 365, despite lackluster sales.

“In seizing this opportunity, we have created additional resources to escalate our plans in the racing segment,” said Rod Cousens, chief executive, Codemasters. “We hope to welcome more than 40 people to the company and we have enjoyed the full co-operation of our friends at Sega in making this happen. It is good business for Codemasters, an exciting prospect and there will be more to come as we are not content to stand still.”

Konami Digital Entertainment today announced Target: Terror has shipped to retail stores across North America. Developed for the Wii, Target: Terror brings to North America the classic arcade shooter with features including unlockable mini games and the new “Justice Mode,” allowing a single player to use two weapons. Fans can experience this classic one-of-a-kind game with updated controls for the first time in their own living room.

“Konami is excited to bring Target: Terror to the Wii,” said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “Fans of the original arcade classic can experience this thrilling light-gun shooter on a next-generation console while maximizing the gameplay experience with the Wii Remote.”

Target: Terror puts players in the place of an elite counter-terrorist agent who is charged with protecting the U.S. from all terrorist activities. With a full-scale assault spanning the entire U.S., players are given the chance to show terrorists who’s in charge by eliminating the seemingly endless waves of enemies with an assortment of high-tech weapons in their arsenal.

Utilizing the motion sensing controls of the Wii Remote, fans can experience a seamless transition of the arcade’s light gun to the Wii. The arcade experience is enhanced when used with the Wii Zapper peripheral to provide total immersion in the game by replicating both the arcade light-gun as well as the elite, tactical weapons used by counter-terrorist agents.

Directly from the fine folks at Activision:

We wanted to let you know that the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Variety Map Pack for PS3 will be available on the PlayStation Network on Thursday April, 24 for both North America and Europe! Additionally, there will be a PS3 Variety Map Pack Double XP Weekend Extravaganza! Enjoy Double XP all weekend for both continents from 12:01 AM GMT on Friday, April 25 to 11:59 PM PDT on Sunday, April 27. We are also making Friday, April 25th a “Play with the Devs” day. The Infinity Ward team will be playing online on Friday, April 25 from 11AM to 2PM PDT and from 5 PM to 8 PM PDT.

Midway Games and world renowned developer Epic Games, today announced that the first-person shooter Unreal Tournament 3 is scheduled to ship for the Xbox 360 this summer. Utilizing Epic’s world class Unreal Engine 3, Unreal Tournament 3 will feature two new characters, five new expansive maps and split screen capability, all exclusive to Xbox 360. Unreal Tournament 3 has already shipped more than one million units worldwide for the PlayStation 3 and Windows PC.

“We’re very excited to be bringing Unreal Tournament 3 to Xbox 360,” said Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games. “Whether playing against our fantastic AI ‘bots’ or playing online with friends over Xbox LIVE, UT3 is a great fast-paced game with spectacular environments, weaponry and vehicles. Its comprehensive multiplayer offerings are truly going to shine on Xbox LIVE.”

Rock heavyweights Def Leppard have partnered with Activision’s Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on an epic three-song track pack that will give fans an exclusive opportunity to sample the band’s #1 new radio single, “Nine Lives,” five days before their upcoming studio album Songs from the Sparkle Lounge releases on April, 29, 2008. The single is the result of Def Leppard’s groundbreaking collaboration with country music legend Tim McGraw, and will be featured on their highly anticipated upcoming record Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, the band’s first new studio release since 2006’s YEAH , which begins yet another remarkable new chapter in the band’s 30-year recording career.

The track pack also features live versions of “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages,” two of Def Leppard’s most beloved chart-toppers from their multi-platinum Pyromania album. The track pack will be available for Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and in the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system on April 24, 2008.

“Being involved with Guitar Hero is very exciting for us and adds a whole new layer of appreciation,” says Joe Elliott, lead singer, Def Leppard. “I know from personal experience how much more you get into the music by playing the game - which is why we were keen to explore this opportunity. Guitar Hero is extremely popular with all kinds of music heads, which includes a lot of our fans- and we think releasing ‘Nine Lives’ this way first is just fantastic!

April 19, 2003: three young kids got together and realized the culmination of their goals to start a video game site, the very one through which you are reading this blog entry.  At least I think it was three.  I wasn’t around at the very beginning to know.  Indeed, it took a couple months before one of these three “discovered” me and led me to the site to become a staff member.  But that is all history, and I will leave the full dialogues about history to Kyle.

You might ask what led me to take a staff position at a site like Game Freaks 365 when I was initially offered it.  The site wasn’t big and prestigious by any means, and to many, it still isn’t.  There were no perks, no pay, just a lot of hard work trying to build something with meaning.  So what led me to join this site?  I saw a charismatic leader, young and with a few kinks to be worked out, but capable of achieving what he set out to achieve.  I saw a site that, although small, showed a lot of potential and had one thing I found it difficult to believe that the bigger sites had: the potential for pure objectivity.  I saw a group of people that, although they had their disagreements, had mutual respect for each other and a desire to work together for the common goal which they all had.  That is why I joined them, and it is a decision I have never regretted.

I have been on this staff for well over four and a half years.  I have written reviews of a lot of games, many of which I had no desire to touch again after I was through them.  And yet, the memories and the people I have met, have made everything I have sacrificed to be here worth it.  I know I tend to be a bit behind the scenes anymore, to not be very vocal in the forum or anything like that, and, as a result, a lot of you probably don’t know me that well.  But I assure you that I have in my mind the same goal that exists in the mind of every member of this staff: to make Game Freaks 365 the best game review and discussion site that it can possibly be.

So now we’ve reached our five-year anniversary.  For five years we have supplied objective and professional content.  We have gained respect with other game sites, with game companies, and with gamers themselves.  But I think we as a staff know that our job is not done, that complacency isn’t an option, and I for one intend to keep working just as hard as I have these past few years to make sure that Game Freaks 365 continues to be just as great of a site as it has always been.  Here’s to another five years and beyond.