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Tuesday June 27, 2006 Shipping Announcements

by Rainier on June 27, 2006 @ 11:40 a.m. PDT

Another day, another batch of games shipped to stores. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are announcements for:

Titan Quest (PC)

"As huge fans of the action RPG genre, there was no question as to what Iron Lore's first project as a team would be," said Brian Sullivan, lead designer and president, Iron Lore Entertainment. "We are thrilled that after four years in development, our vision of the ultimate RPG experience is now releasing worldwide."

"Our goal with all new properties is to innovate and raise the bar for the hardcore gamer and the team at Iron Lore has really delivered with Titan Quest," said Steve Dauterman, senior vice president, product development, THQ. "Gamers looking for fast action, hack and slash, addictive gameplay can find it here in the most graphically impressive game in the genre."

In Titan Quest, players will save humanity from terrifying monsters, mythical beasts and the mighty Titans who have escaped their eternal prisons. This transcontinental journey will take gamers through the treacherous and exotic lands of Greece, Egypt and Asia, questing in fabled locations such as the Parthenon, the Great Pyramids and the Great Wall of China. With 28 unique class combinations, randomized monsters and loot, and three difficulty levels (normal, legendary and epic), players can look forward to hours and hours of innovative and engaging gameplay. Co-operative multiplayer is available for up to six players on a LAN or through the Internet.

Titan Quest is also shipping with a powerful world and quest editor that Iron Lore team members used to create the actual game. This will allow gamers to build large worlds that they can share online to play with the rest of the Titan Quest community.

Titan Quest is available exclusively for Windows PC at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Micro Machines (PSP/PS2/PC)

The ultimate pick-up-and-play racing game Micro Machines v4 brings its own brand of hilarious multiplayer madness to the most fiendish race tracks – right under your nose! On PS2 , PC and the PSP with a Nintendo DS version to follow, Micro Machines v4 is the fastest, most fun mini racer with hundreds of cars to collect, loads of levels to race and tons of people to play. The property is under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. and is developed by Supersonic Software, creators of some of the most acclaimed Micro Machines games and more recently Mashed and Mashed: Fully Loaded.

Mixing miniature mayhem with maximum multiplayer racing, the Micro Machines v4 game arrives packed with knockabout, breakneck racing in the fastest scale miniatures, complete with explosive weapon power-ups. Letting players loose with hundreds of vehicles, each with distinctive performance abilities, gamers will be racing their inch-long miniature motors on the wildest tracks where everyday household objects appear immense in size and can become lethal hazards.

Sport cars, street racers, stock cars, 4x4s, beach buggies, lowriders and muscle cars are just some of the Micro Machines models gamers will be taking out on the improvised tracks around the Micro Machines house, garden and – for the first time – beyond!

Fans of classic Micro Machines games will rejoice in the return of some of the series’ most popular racing arenas. Spin out around the breakfast table littered with cereal spills, tear through the kitchen, turbo boost around the pool table (while avoiding the treacherous pockets), or hit the gas during the drive around the rim of the bath, carefully negotiating the ferocious waters pouring over the edge of the bath.

As well as the familiar feel-good environments, Micro Machines v4 game sees the racing world expand further than any previous Micro Machines game. Go beyond the house and garden tracks and discover what it’s like to race across house roofs, in the sewers, through supermarkets, museums and even down to the farm, with its danger-packed chicken coop!

Of course, it wouldn’t be Micro Machines without an arsenal of power-ups and weapons to collect and use on the opponents while racing. The Micro Machines v4 game brings all the favorites back, including – such as missiles and bombs – and provides new ones to attack with, including flamethrowers, heat-seeking missiles, plasma guns and, of course, the car-mounted giant hammer!

Crusty Demons (Xbox)

Ahhh, don’t you just love the smell of moto-cross exhaust in the morning? Roll out of bed, slide into your slippers and grab a cup of coffee because it’s going to be a beautiful morning…on second thought, to hell with that!

Instead, throw your helmet on because it’s about to get messy as Crusty Demons, exclusively for the Xbox, hits store shelves next Tuesday, June 27th. With 5 nations at your disposal and more than 35 different vehicles, ranging from dirt bikes, to ATVs, to ice cream trucks, wreaking havoc and shredding the gnar has never sounded so good! In Crusty Demons, it isn’t about finishing first or last, it’s about the biggest and most wicked crash! Combine different tricks and then literally bail off of your bike (or out of your ice cream truck) to experience bone shattering action as you control the camera, the speed and even the trajectory of your helpless unsuspecting rider. Are you drooling at the thought of playing Crusty Demons yet, or is your jaw just hanging on a broken hinge?

World Tour Soccer '06 (PSP)

Redesigned specifically for the on-the-go gaming capabilities of the PSP system, World Tour Soccer '06 takes soccer fans in a new direction by providing unique, bite-sized gaming sessions in two new arcade-style modes of play, Medal Mode and World Tour Mode. Within those modes, World Tour Soccer '06 features 10 all-new point-based challenges that emphasize the fundamentals of the game such as passing, ball control, possession, and style of play, while also allowing users to advance and unlock the next challenge in a ladder type system.

Hardcore soccer fans seeking a traditional soccer simulation style of gameplay can jump into Exhibition Mode, which features 69 national teams, eight stadiums, and more than 1,650 world renowned players from around the globe. For quick wireless matches, up to four players are supported in Ad Hoc mode. Additionally, a unique game sharing function allows players to share a demo version of the game wirelessly with other PSP systems with only one copy of the game.

"World Tour Soccer '06 is ideal for gamers to pick up and play with its quick-paced, action packed challenges," said Sharon Shapiro, senior director, promotions and sports product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "With the PSP's mobile and wireless capabilities, combined with the multitude of new modes and different style of gameplay, World Tour Soccer '06 is sure to appeal to a wide range of players, from hard core soccer fans to gaming enthusiasts."

World Tour Soccer '06 for the PSP system welcomes the talent and brilliant soccer play of Pavel Pardo as its cover athlete and spokesman for the franchise. Pardo's determined defensive abilities and pinpoint shooting accuracy have made him someone to watch on the world's stage. Currently representing Mexico in the 2006 World Cup, Pardo's free-kick to teammate Omar led to Mexico's first goal, reinforcing Pardo's status as one of the team's premier playmakers and solidifying an opening round win against Iraq.

Pavel Pardo's career began in 1993 and has since racked up 115 CAPS with his country, including his participation in the Olympic Football Tournament in Atlanta in 1996, only three short years after his debut. Pardo played in the 1998 World Cup, as well as the 1997, 1999 and 2004 Copa Americas, an annual tournament held in Peru. Upon culmination of the games in Germany this July, Pardo will return to his starring role on Mexico's first division team and one of their most successful clubs, Club America.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates World Tour Soccer '06 "E" for "Everyone".

Crazy Frog Racer (PC)

The high-speed, high-octane Crazy Frog Racer game is licensed from Mercury Games Ltd. It is based on the phenomenal success of the animated cell phone ring-tone frog-like character "The Annoying Thing" that is aggravating his way into mainstream popularity -- starting with 12 million ring-tone downloads worldwide. The Crazy Frog Axel F single tune has reached number one in over 20 countries. Its album received 2.5 million pre-orders in the United Kingdom alone.

According to Mercury games, the licensor, as part of its North American debut, the Cartoon Network is running the Crazy Frog music video that features the Axel F Tune. It has already been the most requested song on Disney Radio for several weeks. Over 60 merchandise items that range from MP3 players, radios, and plush toys have been introduced to US retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target. Jamster, where the phenomena started, provides content for the US market.

"Our ability to acquire publishing rights from superior developers, especially those with a franchise character as well known and popular as Crazy Frog, clearly demonstrates how rapidly we have made the transition from developing games for some of the best known publishers, to becoming an integrated developer and publisher of world-class interactive entertainment games for the most popular platforms," says Ken Hurley, CEO of both Signature Devices and Graffiti Entertainment." We are extremely pleased that Mercury Games selected us to publish its Crazy Frog Racer game throughout North America. We are delighted to work with them to build the Crazy Frog brand franchise by successfully marketing the Crazy Frog Racer game here."

The Crazy Frog Racer game features the wild amphibian and his friends in a madcap ride through cities and underground chaos, blasting opponents while grabbing zany power ups, and super boosts. Its special features include:

  • Over 8 playable characters, including the one and only Crazy frog and unlock many more!
  • Twelve twisting tracks and 3 arenas including the environment from the Axel F Crazy Frog video.
  • Six different modes of play, including: Championship, Single Race, Pursuit Mode, Time Trial, Battle Mode and Target Mode.
  • An abundance of bonders and power ups, including bear traps, spring fist, crazy rocket, mace chain, and brick wall!
  • Low age rating -- suitable for all audiences.

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