Via CB games

The original Forza Motorsport created a shockwave in the simulation community by giving gamers customizable vehicles, simulated damage effects, online play and ranked racing that hadn’t been done before on a console. Forza 2 is now looking to enhance on the first game’s legacy and it won’t be long before everyone can get their hands on it.

Due out on store shelves on May 29th for the suggested retail price of $59.99, Forza Motorsport 2 was made from the ground-up for use with Microsoft’s own 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, which has conveniently dropped to the “low” price of $129.99. In conjunction with the release of Forza 2, M$ In addition to the release of the new title, “gamers in the U.S. will be able to participate in the Forza Motorsport 2 Race Weekend, running June 1 through June 3. Gamers will be able to participate in a Play and Win, Livery contests, gameplay sessions with developers, and a leaderboard tournament. Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheels and other prizes will be awarded to winners.”

Below is the fact sheet for Forza 2, or you can visit the Official Forza Motorsport 2 for more details regarding the game and the June competition.

Forza Motorsport 2 Facts:

• Collect, upgrade and tune hundreds of cars. From sport compacts to purpose-built race cars, Forza Motorsport 2? offers more than 300 cars from over 50 of the world?s leading manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Nissan, Volkswagen, General Motors and Lamborghini. Players can take their car to the garage and install alternative engines, suspension kits, bolt-on superchargers, brakes, rims and racing slicks. Players can also dial in advanced suspension settings, tire pressure and gear ratios.

• Experience an uncompromising physics simulation. Top automotive engineers, professional race car drivers and experienced programmers teamed up to create a complete racing simulator experience. Cars incur dramatic damage and wear, which affects vehicle performance. Advanced tire and suspension models that respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load are just a few examples of how the gamer plays both crew chief and driver.

• Master real-world tracks from around the world. From the famously challenging N’rburgring Nordschleife to the green hills of Tuscany, gamers can race on meticulously designed tracks with an incredible sense of speed and realism. Forza Motorsport 2 features 47 ribbons across 12 environments, including real-world licensed circuits such as Mugello, Suzuka and Sebring International Raceway.

• Create and share a masterpiece with the world. Players can express their inner artist in the paint and upgrade shops with nearly endless personalization options. They can customize the shape of their car by combining different licensed rims, performance parts and aftermarket body kits and create a unique paint scheme using millions of paint and decal options. Then racers can hit the track and take in-game pictures of their creation in the Forza Motorsport 2 Photo Mode, or sell their work of art to an eager community for in-game credits over Xbox LIVE using the Forza Motorsport 2 Auction House.

• Literally feel the road, just like a professional driver. Through the rumble functionality in the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, players will feel uncompromising responsiveness to every acceleration, downshift and turn, making the racing experience as true to life as possible. With the latest improvements to rumble, force feedback and wireless technologies, form and function are placed into high-speed gaming motion, letting racers feel every bump around the turns at famous tracks such as Sebring as well as the differences in handling and stability in each car they drive.

• Compete in a vibrant online community. Gamers can take their personalized car onto Xbox LIVE for some intense online wheel-to-wheel racing. They have the option to compete in private online sessions with friends or in large public tournaments on Xbox LIVE in the seamlessly integrated Forza Motorsport 2 Career Mode.* They can earn in-game credits and even complete single-player career objectives while racing over Xbox LIVE. Or they can sit back and watch the best racers from around the world compete on Forza Motorsport 2 TV. ...

Via Game Guru

Yesterday we had promised that we would upload a trailer of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Here it is! The video basically shows a little bit of gameplay and the action that gamers can expect from the game. Check it out:


Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune plot details:

A 400-year-old clue in the coffin of Sir Francis Drake sets a contemporary fortune hunter on an exploration for the fabled treasure of El Dorado, leading to the discovery of a forgotten island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The search turns fatal when Nathan Drake becomes stranded on the island and hunted by mercenaries. Outnumbered and outgunned, Drake and his companions must struggle to survive as they begin to unravel the terrible secrets hidden on the Island.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune will release exclusively for the PS3. The game is being developed by Naughty Dog.

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Video and screenshot can be found at This link ...

Victims of separate home fires are suing Microsoft and Sony in Illinois and New York, saying unsafe Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 sparked blazes.

Via Gamespot


A pair of lawsuits in Illinois and New York are seeking monetary damages from Microsoft and Sony, respectively, for the loss of life and property caused by a pair of fires allegedly sparked by game consoles.

A 2004 fire in Warsaw, Illinois, took the life of an infant, and his surviving relatives are suing Wal-Mart, Microsoft, and a power supply company for unspecified damages in excess of $50,000, according to an Information Week report. The suit was originally filed last December in Hancock County Circuit Court, but this week Wal-Mart filed to have the case moved to a district court.

The suit specifies an Xbox 360 as the source of the blaze, but given that the system didn't launch until November of 2005, it could be mistaking an original Xbox for its successor. In February of 2005, Microsoft recalled Xbox power cords, saying that a rare (1 in 10,000) component failure could cause a fire hazard. At the time, the company said it had dealt with 30 such instances, with seven resulting in minor burns to users' hands and the other 23 causing minor property damage.

"Microsoft recently learned about this tragic incident that occurred in December 2004," a spokesperson with the company said. "Our sympathy is with the family. However, we are not aware of any evidence that an Xbox caused the fire. Also, the complaint specifically states that an Xbox 360 was involved, but this version of the console was unavailable for purchase at that time."

The suit against Sony was brought by Allstate after the insurance company paid out $90,313 to a pair of policy holders for property damage and other expenses arising from an August 2005 fire. The suit claims the fire started as the result of a PlayStation 2 malfunction and alleges that Sony was negligent in designing, building, and testing the unit to ensure it was safe for its intended use.

Originally filed last month in New York's Supreme Court of Jefferson County, the suit was moved to New York District Court last week. Allstate is seeking a reimbursement of the payout plus the policyholders' deductible, with interest and legal fees.

Like Microsoft, Sony has also had power-supply problems with its console. Sony has recalled AC adaptors sold with certain models of its redesigned slim line of PlayStation 2 systems. The adaptors are prone to overheating and could become a fire hazard or cause electrical shocks. Sony representatives had not returned requests for comment as of press time, though it is typically the company's policy not to comment on pending litigation. ...

Via Tech Digest

Today's a momentous day for owners of Nintendo's Wii console – it's finally getting its first online game. Mario Strikers Charged Football is the game, and as you'd guess, it mixes traditional footy with all manner of Mario Kart-esque power-ups.

Players can go online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service and battle it out head-to-head, earning points to send them soaring up (or plummeting down) the online rankings system. I've spent the morning testing it out for WiiWii, and here's the Day One verdict: it's genius. Read on to find out why.

First off, the game. It's not exactly a serious soccer simulation in the Pro Evolution Soccer or FIFA mould, but even po-faced fans of those games should quickly lose their reservations and fall in love with Mario's loony take on the beautiful game.

It uses the Wii's Wiimote and nunchuk controllers to play, and despite fears that the result would be confusing compared to playing footy games using traditional joypads, Mario Strikers Charged Football pulls it off.

Strategy consists of basically passing the ball as fast as you can before you get flattened by a sliding tackle or giant mushroom, while Nintendo's stable of Mario Kart characters are all present, with their own stats and special moves.

Most fun are the megashots, triggered by holding down the shoot button with your captain in the opponent's half – the result is a barrage of balls exploding towards your opponent's goal, with you scoring once for each that goes in. If only Peter Crouch could do this sort of thing.

Anyway, it's great fun played alone, but the Wi-Fi Connection multiplayer mode is a triumph. You can play friendly matches against your registered friends, or Ranked matches to score points in the online rankings. In the latter's case, you'll be automatically matched up with an opponent – and judging by this morning's play, it takes less than 10 seconds to do it. Marvellous.

In-game, there is no noticeable lag, so it feels just like playing the solo mode. Well, apart from the tactics, as they seem noticeably different – less time to trigger megashots for example, and opponents who ping the ball around the pitch at speed much faster than the computer-controlled opponents in the solo mode.

The greatest praise for Mario Strikers Charged Football online? It just works, beautifully and simply. And while I could quibble about missing features – no option to strap on a headset and shout at opponents for example – as a first showing of what the Wii is capable of over the network, it's superb. Assuming you own a Wii and don't despise football, this is an essential purchase. See you online. ...

Via M&C Gaming

This week sees NES classic Super Mario Bros. 2 hop onto the Virtual Console. In this 1989 classic, Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad go for a picnic which doesn’t quite go to plan when they end up in the mysterious land of Subcon. Obliged to save it from the curse of filthy frog tyrant, Wart, players must use each of the four main characters and their own special ability to battle through seven worlds and free the land from Wart’s evil grasp! Super Mario Bros. 2 is available to download now for just 500 Wii Points!

If you feel like something a little more turbo-charged this week then get ready for Mach Rider. Set in 2112, Earth has been invaded by evil quad bikers who are bent on destroying everything. Players must assume the role of Mach Rider, the world’s last hope, and travel from area to area destroying any quad bikers they encounter. Mach Rider, which was originally released on the NES in 1987, also features a level design mode enabling players to create their own courses. Unique to the Virtual Console version, players can save these creations to enjoy over and over again. Mach Rider is available now for 500 Wii Points.

Finally this week is Blazing Lazers, originally released in 1989 for the Turbografx. This vertical scrolling shoot ‘em up achieved critical acclaim when it was first released. Now it’s available on Virtual Console featuring nine levels of non-stop shooting action in the darkest depths of space. Players can choose from four weapon types including bullets, waves and rings, each of which can be upgraded making them even more deadly. Blazing Lazers blasts its way onto the Virtual Console for 600 Wii Points. ...

Via All Headline News

Irvine, CA (AHN) - Target Technology has filed a lawsuit against Sony, alleging the entertainment company's Blu-ray disc format infringed a patent lowering the cost of optical discs. The lawsuit, filed in Southern Indiana U.S. District Court, requests a permanent injunction and damages.

Blu-ray discs are used by Sony's PS3 and high-definition DVDs. The Target patent enables the reflective layer of optical discs to use silver-based alloys rather than more expensive gold. The silver-based material is also more corrosive-resistant, according to Cnet's GameSpot.

The lawsuit doesn't say whether all or just some Blu-ray discs infringed the patent. Target was granted the patent in March 2006 after it was filed in 2004.

Sony declined comment, Cnet reported Friday. ...

But, if you're in the market for Microsoft's console, this one's a no-brainer

Via MSNBC


Microsoft's latest gaming console offering is a study in the adage that beauty is only skin deep.

The Xbox 360 Elite ($479.99) is essentially an Xbox 360 painted black with chromed-out accents, a larger hard drive and a high-definition HDMI out port.

The console's larger hard drive is a nice addition to Microsoft's console. The drive, a whopping 120 gigabytes bigger than the previous Xbox 360 and twice the size of the drive inside the PlayStation 3, is quickly becoming a requirement for anyone who makes use of the Xbox 360's video download service.

But Microsoft has already launched a replacement drive for those who wanted to level up their storage capacity — it hit stores at the same time as the Elite 360, and cost $179.99. So if all you're after is more storage, it makes much more sense to just upgrade the drive — not the whole system.

That leaves the HDMI-out option — and the PS3-like exterior — as the only reasons to buy the Elite. HDMI is a video output that gives you a crisper high-definition image quality through a single cable that you plug into most modern televisions. What’s puzzling about this feature is that Microsoft spent the better part of last year reassuring Xbox 360 owners that they didn’t necessarily need HDMI out to fully appreciate high-definition video. What gives?

The graphics of Xbox 360 games do seem slightly — ever so slightly — better when viewed through an HDMI cable, but the changes aren’t noticeable unless you really look closely.

There's also the added benefit of only needing to use one cable when connecting your console. In general, that HDMI-out lets you use the console's high-def output with more modern televisions than the less-supported VGA cables the standard Xbox 360 comes with. Unfortunately, Microsoft opted not to use the latest version of HDMI, which means that if you opt to buy the add-on HD-DVD drive for the console (at $199) you won't be able to watch those movies in many of the best audio formats, such as DTS-HD or Dolby True HD.

Besides the new port, the guts of the Elite remain unchanged, which means you still get access to the console's robust line-up of excellent video games, the ability to rent movies, purchase arcade games and television shows online and everything else that makes the Xbox 360 one of the best consoles on the market.

The bad news? All of the problems that have plagued the Xbox 360 since its first iteration are still an issue with the Elite. The console still has the occasional overheating incident – and the noisy fan that attempts to cool things off. And the Elite version of the Xbox 360 still has that godawful, mammoth power supply that's more than a third the size of the console itself.

While most of the issues the Elite suffers center around Microsoft's decision to not fix problems that cropped up in their last version, the Elite does bring one fairly unique issue to the table, though it is more annoying than crippling. If you already own an Xbox 360 and elect to buy this second version, you're going to have some trouble transferring the content you purchased via Xbox Live to the Elite's larger hard drive.

Microsoft decided to hamstring any video game or video you purchased on their Xbox Live Arcade service by forcing you to sign onto your account to access them. In other words, after transferring the games and television shows you purchased from your old hard drive to your new one, you will no longer be able to play or watch them without first connecting to the Internet and logging into your account.

This has nothing to do with technology – Microsoft made this decision as an attempt to limit piracy. And Microsoft does not allow you to transfer any of the movies you may have rented through their Live service to a new hard drive — you have to watch them on your old hard drive first.

Microsoft does make a free "migration kit" available to previous Xbox 360 owners who buy an Elite. The cable includes instructions for the fairly simple process of moving your data from your old console's drive to your new one. The process takes less than 30 minutes and leaves the old drive wiped clean. But it’s an extra step that adds to the “con” list when considering the Elite. ...

Via Nintendo evolution


Wii is going to beat the competition because powerful chips and graphics have yet to motivate PS3 and Xbox 360 sales, according to Nintendo Of America's George Harrison. Fun trumps all.

"We’re starting to see in the performance of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 that that’s not necessarily motivating the market the way it used to," he explained in an interview with Bloomberg. "So we’re going to start work on future technology only when we believe it’s necessary."

Harrison went on to say that Nintendo will reach its goal of selling 35 million Wii units by 2011 or 2012. The company is boosting production in China in order to keep up with the overwhelming demand for the next-gen console.

"Demand is much greater than we anticipated," he said. "A year ago no one thought we would be in this position."

Is there anything more inspiring than a comeback story? ...

Via PSPextreme

If you live in Japan and you're a GTA fan, you're frequently frustrated. Why? Because for whatever reason, it takes a while for certain installments to get over there, and the PSP hit, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is no exception. The game is finally set for release on July 26 in Japan...and no, we're not talking about the sequel.

This is two years late; GTA: LCS released in the U.S. way back in 2005, but we suppose late is better than never. Capcom is always the publisher for the GTA titles over in Japan, and they apparently don't have the games high on their priority list. That's very weird, though, considering the Grand Theft Auto series is plenty popular over there. Let's hope Japanese gamers will be getting Grand Theft Auto IV a little sooner; waiting until 2009 would be downright unacceptable. ...