“There were so many fun and exciting midway games that did not make it into the original Carnival Games, that the time was right to completely upgrade the experience to New Carnival Games,” said Steve Lux, vice president of business development for 2K Play. “With family night growing in importance around the country, we also expanded New Carnival Games’ multiplayer feature so that up to four players can compete in each of the games.”
New Carnival Games for Wii features over 30 all-new games and attractions, including Pitch-A-Plate, Bottle Stand-Up, Fish Bowl Bounce, Gold Rush Alley Ball and the always frightful Haunted House. In addition, skilled gamers will earn tickets that can be redeemed for over 300 colorful in-game prizes, such as Moon Rocks, Eye-Bots, Decoder Rings and Wacky Wearables™ ranging from a Walrus Mask to Dragonfly Wings.
In a franchise first, New Carnival Games is Wii MotionPlus compatible, so players will be tossing coins, bouncing balls, shooting targets and bumping cars with increased accuracy and more precision than ever before. The new multiplayer feature allows for cooperative play and head-to-head competition in every game - enabling kids, parents and grandparents to all play together in games like Lucky Toss, Gone Fishin’ and Speed Bingo.
“The Wii MotionPlus technology results in the striking improvement of New Carnival Games,” added Patrick Wilkinson and Harley Howe, studio co-heads for Cat Daddy Games. “Accurate aiming and throwing make the games more true to the actual carnival experience.”
As families get ready for holiday travel, New Carnival Games is ready to go along for the ride. According to the Bureau of Transportation, the average Thanksgiving long-distance trip is 214 miles, and 275 miles over Christmas/New Year’s. With these holidays just around the corner, New Carnival Games for DS provides an entertaining diversion during travel with new games and special Nintendo DSi™ features, including the House of Mirrors and Photo Op, which snaps your picture with the built in camera the moment you win a game for surprising and hilarious reaction shots.
The launch of New Carnival Games is supported by a national “That’s Where the Fun Is!” marketing campaign, including a TV commercial - starring The Barker - with four unique endings. Viewers can vote for their favorite ending on the New Carnival Games’ Facebook page. In addition, The Barker is featured in a NYC-based Twitter Hunt with prize giveaways and surprises.
New Carnival Games, rated E for Everyone, has a suggested retail price of $49.99 for the limited edition Wii MotionPlus bundle (while quantities last), $39.99 for Wii and $29.99 for DS.
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter (XBLA)
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter continues the glorious high-definition chaos with a slick new graphic presentation, extreme multiplayer action, and an onslaught of all-new levels, enemies and bosses. Expertly re-vamped, the new and improved game cranks the Serious Engine 3 to deliver the trademark over-the-top-action that is synonymous with the golden age of first-person shooters.
Traveling through the crumbling Mayan ruins of South America, towering ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia and the savage realm of medieval Europe, Second Encounter players will explore ancient worlds while fending off never-ending waves of Mental's army. These warriors include old familiar friends like the Beheaded Kamikaze, Syrian Werebull and Kleer Skeleton, along with five new types of baddies and three new bosses for Sam to "play with." Luckily, our hero has a HUGE arsenal of 14 'bring-the-pain' weapons at his disposal, including four new toys: the Sniper Rifle, Flamethrower, Chainsaw and the legendary Serious Bomb.
For fans looking for serious multiplayer action, the game's co-op mode lets up to four players ratchet up the mayhem across 12 maps that include a brand spanking new Deathmatch mode along with Co-op, Capture the Flag and Survival. Exploding with hard-core weapons, treacherous enemies, loads of achievements and more than 100 delightful secrets to uncover, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter will remind players why they got into gaming in the first place: to have fun while blowing stuff up.
Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter, rated M for Mature, is now available for download from Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 for 1200 Microsoft Points.
Alien Breed 2: Assault (X360/PC)
Alien Breed 2: Assault expands on the territory covered by Impact/Evolution and adds several new elements to the mix. With a brand new “Survivor” mode for one or two players, new weapons, a currency-based weapons and items upgrade system, choreographed set pieces and heart-stopping boss battles, this game is highly entertaining; a more expansive and exploration based addition to the series. The haunting and atmospheric soundtrack, combined with stunning visuals (using Unreal® Engine 3) round off a must-have title for any shooter fan’s collection. A demo is to be available on both platforms from launch; a purpose-designed, action-packed free trial called “The Prologue”, which also features a time-limited “Survivor” mode map.