Village Gamer

To celebrate the long weekend, XMG Studios wants to give mobile gamers a reason to pick up some new titles. Two of the studio’s releases are available in the iTunes store for the sale price of 99 cents.

Drag Racer: Pro Tuner, a reinvention of the classic flash game Drag Racer, this game will appeal to those of you who enjoy burning up the race track and saving $2.00 at the same time. Drag Racer: Pro Tuner offers new features, more customization and new racing modes, as well as the ability to share your car designs with your friends on social media.

Each car can have its own unique look, with custom paint jobs and over 70 decals to choose from. If you want even more customization, you can create your own decals from photos or images on your device for a truly one of a kind car.

Once you’ve created your dream car it’s time to race. Drag Racer: Pro Tuner lets you race head to head in more than 20 challenges, including a new Street Race mode which puts you bumper to bumper with some of the toughest drag racers on the street. Fans of Drag Racer: Online will be happy to hear that Nitrous Oxide, gear tuning, and other performance options have been included in Drag Racer: Pro Tuner as well as the ability to race against your friends over BlueTooth or Wi-Fi.

If designing the next greatest fashion look is more your thing, Style Studio is also on sale for $2.00 off the regular price. Style Studio: Fashion Designer allows users to create a full line of men’s and women’s clothing from dresses to tops, outerwear, pants and skirts.

The easy-to-use interface is simple enough for the younger user, but provides options to keep even the most experienced designer entertained. Users can choose one of the basic product designs, and alter it to fit their style. Then they can choose from thousands of materials, prints, belts, buttons, zippers, bows, pockets and accessories to further customize their design. Clothing can be tried out on any of the models included within the application, or designers can upload a photo of themselves or friends to try on the new fashions.

Once clothes have been designed, they can be showcased on fashion magazine mockups or turned into an entire fashion show. Designs can be shared with friends through Facebook, Twitter and Email integration into the app. Additional styles, materials and accessories can be purchased through the in-app store with more content being added all the time.

Style Studio: Fashion Designer has the most extensive customization engine for clothing design ever seen on the iPhone. It takes XMG’s powerhouse customization engine and applies it to the world of fashion, making this App for more compelling then the many dress-up-doll types of applications found in the App Store.

Style Studio: Fashion Designer is available for the iPhone and iPod Touch in both a free version and the full version, as well as for the iPad. Style Studio has been featured by Apple in their Fashion Week roundups and in the App Store’s “What’s Hot” sections.

EA has revealed an iconic lineup of international stars that will help launch EA Sports™ FIFA Soccer 12, winner of 20 “Best Sports Game of E3” awards, including the prestigious E3 Game Critics award.* Headlining the group of players is Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Real Madrid’s Kaká, who will be joined by stars Philippe Mexès in France, Gerard Piqué in Spain, Giampaolo Pazzini in Italy, Mats Hummels in Germany, Jack Wilshere in United Kingdom and many others all over the world to launch FIFA Soccer 12 on September 27 in North America and September 30 worldwide. The international stars will grace the cover of FIFA Soccer 12 packaging, be integrated into marketing and advertising campaigns, and utilized in social media activities around the world.

“This is an iconic group of players who all passionately play our game, and we are excited to have them speak to fans around the world about their own personal experiences playing the best sports game on the planet,” said Matt Bilbey, Vice President and GM of Soccer, EA Sports. “With all the accolades FIFA Soccer 12 has received so far we are confident we have the most authentic and highest quality game we have ever created, and these superstars will play an integral role in sharing their excitement for its highly anticipated launch.”

For the first time ever, Rooney will appear on the cover of FIFA Soccer 12 in North America. Rooney has won the England Player of the Year award twice, in 2008 and 2009, and played for the England national team in the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup. Today is the first of a series of announcements as the complete FIFA Soccer 12 player lineup is unveiled leading to the game’s launch. Rooney will be joined on the cover of FIFA Soccer 12 in North America by two additional players, and other stars will be revealed in other countries around the world.

FIFA Soccer 12 brings to the pitch the game-changing new Player Impact Engine, a physics engine built to deliver real-world physicality in every interaction on the pitch. Revolutionary gameplay innovations inspired by the real-world game make FIFA Soccer 12 deeper and more engaging. All-new Precision Dribbling creates a higher fidelity of touch on the ball for better control in tight spaces, more time to make decisions on attack, and more control over the pace of the game.

Innovations in attack are balanced by a re-designed defending mechanism called Tactical Defending, which fundamentally changes the approach to defending by placing equal importance on positioning, intercepting passes and tackling. Plus, players have been infused with Pro Player Intelligence, the next generation of player intelligence and performance.

FIFA Soccer 12 also introduces EA Sports Football Club—the heartbeat of FIFA Soccer 12. This live service is available at no additional cost and connects players to the real-world game with fresh, new content all the time, enabling them to support their favorite club and connect and compete with their friends, and millions of players around the world.

Not yet rated, FIFA Soccer 12 will be localized into 18 languages and available in 51 countries. It will be available for PlayStation®2 and PlayStation®3, PSP®, Xbox 360®, PC, Wii™, , Nintendo 3DS™, iPhone®, iPad™, and iPod® touch. The game will also be available for digital download on PC at Origin.

Rock Hippo Productions Ltd. has officially partnered with Valve’s Steam platform to distribute its two popular free-to-play games, MicroVolts and the upcoming Brawl Busters.  Both action-packed games will soon be available to Steam users and will offer all of the exciting benefits of Steam’s strong community features to a vast worldwide audience. Steam just began hosting free-to-play games this summer, and players can look forward to adding two more high-quality titles to their library.

“The online gameplay of MicroVolts and Brawl Busters make them a perfect fit for Steam, and we are thrilled to be among the first free-to-play games to launch on the platform,” said Howard He, President and CEO of Rock Hippo Productions. “We look forward to introducing both games to the millions of Steam users so they can experience all of the fun, excitement and non-stop action our games offer with all the ease of use that Steam provides.”

MicroVolts features fast paced, third person shooter action and pits players against each other in a secret battle that has been waged and going unnoticed right in our own backyard for years.  No one knows for sure when or where the first toy declared war but rumor has it that the uprising began with four original limited edition figures, code named MicroVolts. Battle lines were drawn when Naomi, Knox, Pandora, and C.H.I.P.-the prototypes -were soon joined by an endless number of modified versions. Now, toy figures around the world are engaged in an all-out war for valuable battery resources and supremacy of the Micro World.  All we can do now is stay out of their way and wait for a champion to be declared!  Featuring a ton of weapons, fresh character designs, and a huge list of customization features,

Game modes include Free for All, Team Deathmatch, Item Match, Capture the Battery, Zombie Mode and many more featuring various maps designed by toy concept. Players can also check out the recently released Summer Recharge patch that includes a brand new map, Magic Paper Land, new weapons and hot summer items such as a Pink Polka Dot Bikini that is sure to heat up the battlefield.

Brawl Busters is an upcoming action brawler that features competitive and co-operative battle modes all in a unique third person view. With its simple and intuitive controls, this easy to pick up and play game makes team strategy a must as player’s battle against each other or team up against computer controlled enemies.

Players will find five unique character classes including the Slugger, the Firefighter, the Rocker, the Boxer and finally, the Blitzer. With its signature funky visual style, the game will offer tons of exciting maps and will also feature a huge variety of customization options including body type, gender, weapons, costumes and accessories along with the ability to upgrade weapons and costumes with new abilities. Brawl Busters will feature an intense training mode, challenge missions, leaderboards and persistent stat tracking.

From the incredibly warped minds at Hothead Games comes Kickin Momma, a hilarious new game coming to iPhone ($1.99) and iPad ($3.99) this August 4th. In this latest title, players control Momma as she aims and drop-kicks her babies into a shiny field of jewels and gems. Once launched into the air, Momma’s helpful children will hit, bounce and ping off pegs like pinballs.

You may well ask why do these youngsters put up with this, and where are Child Protective Services? Well, in the classic cliche of overbearing mothers, Kickin Momma’s children will do anything to make her happy, including being kicked into fire, ice and explosive pegs and being booted around 36 fun-filled levels to find all the gems in the game’s 3 dynamic worlds, all because Momma wants a shiny new necklace.

Players can also earn Bronze, Silver, or Gold medals upon completion of each level, as well as unlock fashionable accessory items to dress up Momma. Momma can be pimped out with costume items such as kicking boots, a mustache, a crown, and even a monocle while questing for Momma’s most-wanted prize piece: a gem-encrusted necklace.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPVXBjF_a3A]

Game Center encourages masterful Mommas to compete with their friends for achievements or bragging rights to the highest place on the leader board. Prepare to kick the kids, collect the shiny gems and wear the necklace as everyone’s favourite Kickin Momma.

Manitoba’s Small Fun Games has released Hammer Penguins, a new Windows tile-matching game for children and adults. Similar to the Mahjonng Solitaire genre of computer games, Hammer Penguins lets you help two penguins save their animal friends who have been trapped in the ice.

At the easiest levels, children of all ages will be able to pair matching tiles and release the trapped cows, puppies, and dozens of other animals from the ice. Parents can use the middle levels to play Hammer Penguins with their children, and teach them the principles of logic, strategy, and planning ahead. And a game at the high difficulty level will provide ten or twenty minutes of fun for even the most savvy gamer.

Each game board is a randomly shuffled set of 140 animal tiles that you need to match, two by two, until the entire board is cleared. The theory that determines the matching rules is simple and intuitive. But the game can be extremely challenging and complex. Hammer Penguins’ infinite variety of game boards keeps you looking forward to the next game.

Players can enjoy a relaxed, untimed game or the more difficult set of Challenge Games. The Hint button will reveal one move that is available immediately, even though it might not be the best strategic move to help you clear the entire board. You can even toggle the sound off if you prefer to play a quiet game.

Whether you’re a home computer user who wants to spend hours of relaxing fun playing a thoughtful, non-violent game, a businessperson who needs a way to take a challenging work break to relax and unwind, or a parent who wants to teach your kids to think logically and plan ahead, Hammer Penguins can provide years of entertainment.

Hammer Penguins runs under Windows 7/Vista/XP, costs $14.95(US), and may be purchased securely online. Hammer Penguins comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. One dollar of every sale is donated to the Winnipeg Humane Society.

Hothead Games is pleased to introduce Bob from Marketing, DeathSpank’s new co-op character in the upcoming action RPG, The Baconing, and I’ve come all the way from Spanktopia to impart a marketing message or two about my good friend’s almighty armaments – The Weapons of Justice.

Of course, these are no ordinary weapons – they are fueled by justice itself! When DeathSpank fills his Justice Meter, the weapons are capable of unleashing destruction like none the world has ever seen. You will not be disappointed as the game’s battle component improvements and all the expected USPs will deliver the added value as per the creator’s blue-sky vision!

The latest and greatest is the Drill of Justice, the ultimate in drilling technology. With a five-speed all metal transmission generating over 10,000 rpm, this baby is guaranteed to screw your enemies full of justice and major injury.

For long-range killing nothing can beat the Mobile Nuker, weapon of the future. Besides being able to bash evil in its smirking evil face, the Mobile Nuker has the ability to call in air support, raining destruction down upon DeathSpank’s enemies.

To keep you all on the hook, I also have some other armor images and Hero poses just to whet your media appetite! Exciting, extravagant, fierce, and full of synergy, DeathSpank will be ready for evil as he struts his stuff in confidence.

The Technocrat Armor is a high-tech armor set for your high-tech life. This is one of DeathSpank’s twenty armor sets, but remains of my favorites. Inspired from robotic policemen and 1950s cars, the Technocrat Armor set is truly remarkable at protecting your valued inside from the harsh outside.

The Pinstripe Platemail Armor outfits a protected hero in the latest gangster fashion. This set is complete with a fully functional felt fedora and fool’s gold coated in real gold and then another layer of fool’s gold. His accessories are the Perfectly Legal Bat and the Lucky Crossbow, which can shoot seven rapid-fire shots when fully charged.

With these trusty Weapons of Justice (and five spectacular others) plus an extensive wardrobe of armor, you can help DeathSpank and I vanquish the evil AntiSpank, and bring harmony back to Spanktopia!

The Baconing will be released on PC, Mac, and other platforms this summer.

Square Enix® interactive entertainment products and Eidos-Montreal are proud to announce that Deus Ex®: Human Revolution™ has “gone gold” and will be available in North American retail stores on August 23, 2011 (according to GameStop Canada). Deus Ex®: Human Revolution is the exciting debut title release for Eidos-Montreal. The game will be available for the PlayStation®3, the Xbox 360®  and Windows® PC, Steam® and OnLive®.

“We couldn’t be more excited that Deus Ex: Human Revolution has gone gold and will soon be in the hands of expectant gamers,” said Stephane D’Astous, general manager of Eidos-Montreal. “As the first release for Eidos-Montreal, it’s impossible to express how extremely proud we are of the final product and all of the hard work that went into its creation.”

The return to one of the most critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is an action RPG that offers open-ended, hybrid gameplay.

Telling the story of Adam Jensen, a man cybernetically augmented against his choice who finds himself in the middle of a global conspiracy to which he holds the key, Deus Ex®: Human Revolution is set in a near-future world where humanity is at a turning point.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIqhx9B8HYA]

By offering players the chance to play the game in multiple and vastly different ways, Deus Ex: Human Revolution challenges the foundations of gaming and provides an immersive experience where every choice has a lasting consequence.

Big Blue Bubble Inc. has announced that Burn the Rope will be setting Nintendo’s WiiWare service ablaze this month. Players can not only enjoy burning rope on their mobile devices, now they can do it from the comfort of their living room. Just sit back on the couch and play Burn the Rope on the big screen with high resolution graphics, unique motion controls, and all the fiery fun of the original game.

For the uninitiated, Burn the Rope is a challenging game where you try to burn as much rope as you can in each level. However, as always, there is a catch to solving these puzzles. The fire only burns upwards, leaving you to rotate the level to keep your flame alive – or at least try to. As you progress through the levels, you’ll encounter different bugs crawling along the rope, each with their own unique reactions to the flame. For example, the ant changes the color of the flame so you can burn the corresponding colored ropes, and the spider shoots out a web bridge so you can access parts of the level that you could not before. Burn the Rope is incredibly fun – and highly addictive – for players of any age.

Features:

• Over 100 different levels
• Incredibly fun and addictive
• Beautiful high resolution graphics and fire effects
• Easy to learn, hard to master
• Fun for the whole family

Burn The Rope will be available for 1000 Wii Points in the North American store on July 28^th and the European release will follow shortly after. Burn the Rope is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, with Mild Cartoon Violence.

EA Sports has released a first look video for the upcoming NBA Jam On Fire Edition, currently in development at EA Canada. NBA JAM: On Fire Edition will change the way players play this iconic franchise. All your favorite moves, spins and dunks are still available but now the game includes a host of gameplay improvements.

NBA JAM: On Fire Edition brings you even more to this basketball arcade classic.  Enhanced gameplay, ground breaking artificial intelligence and exciting online features continue to bring countless hours of enjoyment to this over-the-top experience.  The game will be available via digital download from Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network this October.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTwJ6mb3_Sk]

• Enhanced Gameplay — In addition to vast improvements to the core experience and more variety across the board, NBA JAM: On Fire Edition will include a Tag Mode where gamers can swamp players on the fly, Team Fire – the ability to ignite your entire team and Razzle Dazzle – special style moves that allow players to creatively express themselves in the midst of gameplay.
• Using the groundbreaking AI system from the Fight Night series, NBA JAM: On Fire Edition will feature more organic play giving gamers a less robotic and more real gameplay experience.  AI behavior will be based on Archetypes – Big Man, Forward, All-Rounder, Shooting Guard and Point Guard.  In addition, at any given time gamers have the option of playing against their own AI for the ultimate challenge.
• He’s Back!  – Boomshakalaka!  Legendary Tim Kitzrow is back and bringing more unforgettable calls for NBA JAM: On Fire Edition!

Ubisoft® has introduced Assassin’s Creed Embers, a new computer-generated animated short movie that will ship when Assassin’s Creed® Revelations hits store shelves on November 15th. Assassin’s Creed Embers expands on the final chapter of the life of master assassin Ezio Auditore and a journey that has spanned more than four decades.

The animated short, developed by UbiWorkshop, will be available with the Assassin’s Creed Revelations Signature Edition at GameStop for pre-order, and for download on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and on PlayStation®Network.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRaI7ros2nI]