SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that it will publish "Puyo Pop Fever" in North America. Developed by SEGA's Sonic Team studio, the latest version of SEGA's addictive puzzle franchise offers an enhanced two-player experience that includes an an ultra-intense Fever mode and boosted combo effects. A new story mode, revamped graphics, and new puzzle pieces make this game as irresistible as it is addictive. "Puyo Pop Fever" is scheduled to be released on Xbox and GameCube in June '04.

Midway Games Inc. announced today that The Suffering, the first game of its kind to probe into the very unsettling and seedy underbelly of a maximum-security penitentiary haunted by horrific and grotesque apparitions, has gone gold and will to ship to stores on March 8, 2004 for the PlayStation2 and the Xbox.

Gamers will control Catwoman as they play the movie, utilizing her unique catlike skills, senses and cunning to defeat her enemies. Boasting incredible acrobatic skills, Catwoman can leap across roofs, run up walls, pounce on prey, utilize inimitable "cat senses," and avoid enemy bullets with feline grace. In addition, she can use her whip to swing through the air, and utilize the fully interactive enviroments to trap or knock her foes unconcious. The game will take players through numerous levels set in seven different locations from the movie.

Using the latest Unreal Technology from Epic Games, developer Zombie Games is creating an ultra-realistic game world spanning Middle Eastern cities and towns to the secret military bases in the frozen backcountry of Russia to other global hotspots in the Philippines, Bosnia and Western Europe. Check the new screens ...

ike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett of the Tactical Narcotics Team are back and oh so bad in the officially licensed game of the action-packed Simpson-Bruckheimer blockbuster Bad Boys II featuring superstars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Playing as Mike or Marcus in 1st or 3rd person viewpoints as they mix it with the bad guys, Bad Boys II takes you through 15 stages of fast paced, all-action gameplay featuring multiple mission objectives. Grab an arsenal of weapons from pistols, shotguns, sub-machine guns, assault rifles and sniper rifles and smash Miami's Underworld, clearing the streets of wrong doers.

Take an adventure as Pitfall Harry, the daring, risk-taking explorer who laughs in the face of danger. Featuring over 50 levels of fast-paced action and puzzle solving adventures, the game challenges players to swing, fight, climb and crawl through eight types of treacherous South American environments including lush jungles, dark tombs, ancient Aztec ruins and glacial mountains. Read more for the full review ...

SEGA’s legendary mascot Sonic The Hedgehog makes his historic multi-platform debut and embarks on his biggest adventure ever, with his trademark blazing speed and a new gameplay twist in “Sonic Heroes.” Sonic and his friends have evolved, adopting a configuration feature that lets gamers control three playable characters simultaneously, using Sonic’s speed, Knuckles’ power, and Tails’ ability to fly, to conquer massive worlds. Our resident Sonic fanatic got his hands on all versions and compared them to eachother, read more to read the full review ...

Ninja Gaiden is on the cutting-edge of action as the player takes on the role of powerful ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who seeks revenge after his clan is massacred by the Vigor Empire. Taking full advantage of three-dimensional space, you follow the story with only your wits, your ninja skills, and your deadly sword, cutting down opponents in the Vigor Empire as you attempt to beat the Holy Emperor and reclaim the magic sword "Ryuken". Realistic battle actions and acrobatic ninja actions add another dimension to the game, restoring Ninja Gaiden to its rightful place in the gaming pantheon.

No discriminating special forces operative wants to be caught in the heat of battle with just one set of fatigues. Xbox gamers no longer need worry about this messy predicament as Gathering announces the first Xbox Live downloadable content for its hit title Conflict: Desert Storm II - Back to Baghdad. Four new alternate uniform patterns for special forces operatives Bradely, Foley, Conners and Jones are now available for download to Xbox users who own a copy of Conflict: Desert Storm II - Back to Baghdad and have active Xbox Live accounts.

Bethesda sent out notice to announce the launch of the official Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth web site. The new site includes info on gameplay and story in Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, as well as new screenshots, renders, and wallpapers. Learn about the player character, Jack Walters, the creepy town of Innsmouth, and find out more about HP Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos he created. In addition, Bethesda Softworks producer Dennis Cheng's team diary provides an update on the game. Read more for some new screens ...

Hitman: Contracts delivers more action-packed and suspenseful missions, with a greater variety of ways to make the perfect hit and an increased arsenal of firearms and close-combat weapons. A new graphics engine showcases Hitman's 'work' in brutal detail and brings new locations to life. An improved control system and more gradual learning curve will ensure that the game is accessible to all aspiring hitmen. Hitman: Contracts is being developed by Io Interactive and will be available for PS2, Xbox, and PC in spring 2004.

Microsoft Game Studios announced today that the Plantation Course at Kapalua is now available to Xbox Live subscribers worldwide for $4.99. The arrival of the new downloadable content bolsters an already feature packed experience for the popular Xbox golf series, “Links 2004.”

The second rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club. However, gamers will surely be talking, as Vivendi Universal Games yesterday announced the development of Fight Club for the PS2 and the Xbox. Due out in late 2004, Fight Club, developed by Genuine Games, is set to deliver an intense experience that will combine the characters, settings, artistic style, and story elements from the movie with a realistic fighting system that will appeal to both hardcore and casual gamers. Read more for some new screens ...

'Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow' will bring back more of the single-player intrigue that made the original game a bestseller. With exciting new action scenes and a strong cinematic feel, the player will experience new and even more realistic surroundings. Building on Ubi Soft's strong commitment to online gaming, Pandora Tomorrow will the be the first stealth game ever to feature multiplayer online missions allowing several players to simultaneously share Sam Fisher's shadowy world of espionage. Read more for some new screens...

Take-Two Interactive Software’s Global Star publishing division is set to release Carve, an exciting new watercraft racing game for the Xbox. Featuring thrilling, water-based racing action, the title will include Xbox Live compatibility, allowing up to eight players to battle it out across the waves online, as well as up to four-player split-screen action. Carve, developed by Argonaut Games, will be available in January at an attractive retail price of $19.99. Read more for some details and screens ...

Wrestling fans who have waited patiently for their hero to emerge from the shadows and return to the ring will once again feel the power of the “Stinger Splash,” as Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. today announced that it has exclusively signed Sting to appear in Showdown: Legends of Wrestling. 'Showdown: Legends of Wrestling' features more than 70 wrestlers, brand new “Ready To Brawl” controls, an enhanced engine and all-new licensed venues including Madison Square Garden and the Toronto SkyDome. Read more for details & screens ...

Activision, Inc. has signed a deal with Roadrunner Records' multi-platinum-selling artist, Slipknot, for the MTX: Mototrax videogame, which will be available in retail stores nationwide on March 3, 2004. The band will unveil their brand new track, "Don't Get Close" from their forthcoming album due out in May 2004, in the game. Read more for full track listing (including Metallica, Faith No More etc.)

Codemasters and MTV: Music Television announced today the development of MTV Music Generator 3, the latest generation in the popular music creation and remixing game series. Giving console owners the chance to make the music track of their dreams with ease, the title is scheduled for release in June 2004 on the PS2 and for the first time ever the Xbox. Read more for details & screens ...

Eidos announces ShellShock: Nam '67. ShellShock: Nam '67 depicts the true horrors of the Vietnam War for the first time in a video game. ShellShock: Nam '67 focuses on one man's experience of the most controversial war of modern times. You take on the role of a rookie soldier on his first tour of duty as he experiences the fear, chaos and atrocities of the Vietnam War. From the napalm bombardments of civilian villages and the gruesome VC (Viet Cong) boobytraps, to the permanent threat of invisible foes and deadly ambushes, Shellshock: Nam '67 dares to go where no other war game has gone. The game is being developed by Guerrilla and will be available for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC in June 2004. Read more for details, screens & the first trailer...

It's time to swing into action as legendary explorer Pitfall Harry in Activision, Inc.'s Pitfall: The Lost Expedition, the latest installment in the company's flagship Pitfall franchise. Gamers will use Harry's wit, athleticism and a knapsack of adventure gear to conquer evil foes in more than 50 obstacle-filled levels set in the lush jungles, dark caverns, and ancient Incan ruins of the South American jungle. Pitfall: The Lost Expedition has been rated "E" (Everyone) by the ESRB and is available in North American retail stores for the PlayStation2, Xbox, and GameCube for a suggested retail price of $39.99 and on the Game Boy Advance for $29.99.

BBC Multimedia, BBC Worldwide's software publishing business, is set to take the BAFTA-award winning drama Spooks to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC. It's the first time a BBC drama has been developed into a computer game. The multi-format title, developed by BBC Multimedia's in-house studio, Gamezlab, will be launched in Autumn 2004, and feature all the main characters from the TV series.

Set in the late 1570's, one year after the original Tenchu, Tenchu: Return from Darkness allows players to assume the role of the ninjas Rikimaru, Ayame or the mysterious Tesshu as they battle the evil Tenrai and his six lords of darkness. As silent assassins, players must use cunning, strategy, deadly stealth and an arsenal of weapons to overcome dangerous missions and defend the Japanese countryside from Tenrai's armies.

The game that introduced stealth gameplay is back. Ion Storm has implemented a new 3rd person cinematic action view as well as the classic 1st person perspective from the previous Thief chapters. Breaking and entering, stealing, sabotage, combat, assassination, and setting up ambushes - tasks master thief Garrett is well equipped to perform. Players will enter into Garret's dark world of thievery on both Xbox and PC this Spring 2004 in "Thief: Deadly Shadows". Read more to check out some new screens ...

Step up to the plate and master the true art of hitting with MVP Baseball 2004. An all-new hitting model allows for complete user control over all swing types as well as signature cuts from the game's best sluggers. Featuring rich new presentation, realistic player models, enhanced animations, and an immersive audio experience, MVP Baseball 2004 takes you out to the ballgame like never before. Check out 26 new screens and some trailers...

What does the future of gaming look like? What are your hopes, dreams and fears? Do you wish you could influence game developers’ decisions, but feel powerless to do so? Microsoft’s “If You Ruled the Gaming World” contest gives you the power to change gaming forever. Tell us what games would be like if you ruled the world and be heard by the biggest developers and publishers in the business. Read more for details ...