The 12 Sacred Albums of Funk have been stolen and it's up to gamers playing as ToeJam, Big Earl and their new gal-pal Latisha, to journey to Earth and return the vanished vinyls to Lamont the Funkopotamous, source of all Funk in the known universe. Scattered throughout more than 30 massive, randomly generated levels, the 12 Sacred Albums of Funk will ultimately give players the power to square off against the dreaded Anti-Funk and save the universe.

As gamers explore Earth they will battle hordes of decidedly un-funky Earthlings -- from insane drill-wielding dentists and perky cheerleaders to medusa babies in walkers. Players must master the ways of Funk-Fu and make use of scores of gift-wrapped power-ups, ranging from Icarus Wings to the Funkmobile, to convert the clueless Earthlings to the ways of Funk.

"SEGA has a history of both making and breaking the rules of video game design, and 'ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth' is a perfect example of the innovative, genre-bending approach to game design that has made SEGA a leader in the industry," said Mike Fischer, vice president, entertainment marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "A daring blend of action, adventure, music and humor, 'ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth' is the triumphant return of two of the most memorable video game characters of the 16-bit era."

Gamers can choose to play as ToeJam, Earl or Latisha, with each character bringing their own strengths, weaknesses and trademark personality into the mix. Additional playable characters will be available via download on Xbox Live. The game also features dozens of mini-games, rhythm matching challenges and sub-quests, keeping gameplay fresh. An innovative cooperative two-player mode lets players double team the Earthlings in style via a dynamically splitting screen.

With the game's 30-plus levels generated randomly, "ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth" offers nearly endless replayability. Every time a player starts a new game, the geography of levels will be different, enemies will be in different locations, and items will be hidden in new places. A series of five hub levels, one for each environment, remain the same every time, acting as a "home base" for gamers on their quest to retrieve the 12 Sacred Albums of Funk.

The game features five gorgeously rendered environments: snow, desert, country, urban and water. New environments will be made available via download on Xbox Live. The levels are filled with jaw-dropping special effects only possible on Xbox, including detailed reflections and real-time shadow effects, which show shadows moving across the entire environment as the sun moves through the sky -- even across the characters' bodies.

"'Toe Jam and Earl III: Mission to Earth' once again proves how SEGA is making the Xbox shine," said Ed Fries, vice president, Xbox Game Content. "With awesome game play, funky music, killer graphics and a defining sense of humor, the newest installment of this hilarious fan favorite series will make even the most cynical gamer laugh out loud."

The third game in the series, "ToeJam & Earl" and "ToeJam & Earl II: Panic on Funkatron" appeared on the SEGA Genesis(TM) video game console.

"ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth" is rated "T" for Teen and is available at retailers nationwide for an MSRP of $49.95.