[MANGA] HK Artist Wins 1st Manga Noble Prize Award

Mainichi Shimbun reports that an artist from Hong Kong has won the first Manga Noble Prize Award.

According to the article, “Sun Zi’s Tactics” by Lee Chi Ching, 43, beat out 145 other entries from 26 countries and regions around the world, the ministry said in a statement.”

“Lee’s historically themed adventure series ran from 1995-2006 in Chinese, and has been translated into numerous other languages, it said.”

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[VIDEO GAMES] ONLINE GAMING STORMS ONTO WII WITH POKÉMON BATTLE REVOLUTION

Epic Franchise Reaches Several Firsts

REDMOND, Wash., June 25, 2007 – Today’s launch of Pokémon® Battle Revolution heralds a number of firsts for Nintendo’s hot-selling Wii™ video game system. Pokémon Battle Revolution is:

• The first online Wii game in the Americas.
• The first Pokémon game for Wii.
• The first Wii game to wirelessly link to Nintendo DS™.
• The first Wii game that lets players use their Nintendo DS as a controller.

Pokémon Battle Revolution is set to become a groundbreaking smash hit this summer.

In battles using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, Nintendo’s wireless gaming service, players can use their Wii Remote™ to compete with friends after exchanging friend codes, or against players of comparable skill. The game automatically searches for other players who are online. The sights and sounds of the game bring the action to life as well: The beautiful graphics show each move in full detail, while the action is narrated by the same announcer from the Pokémon TV show.

The game contains a number of battle modes for different kinds of play. In Colosseum Battle Mode, players have 10 different Colosseums in which to stage their epic challenges. In Nintendo DS Battle Mode, players battle Pokémon that they have raised in their Nintendo DS Pokémon® Diamond and Pokémon® Pearl games. Up to four players can use their Nintendo DS systems as a wireless controller, which uses the same battle interface found in the DS games.

“Already more than 2 million copies of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl have sold in the United States alone,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “The arrival of Pokémon Battle Revolution brings those players a whole new set of challenges and, for the first time on Wii, online battles.”

Online setup is extremely easy, even for novices. With a few clicks, players are instantly connected, whether they’re using a Wii Remote or a Nintendo DS as a controller.

Trainers are fully customizable. Players can select one of three female or three male Trainers and outfit them with clothing, hats and glasses after earning points during competition. Players can even create personalized in-game text for their Trainers to use when they win or lose a battle.

Pokémon Battle Revolution, rated E for Everyone, launches June 25. For more information about the game, visit www.pokemon-games.com. The Official Nintendo Pokémon Battle Revolution Player’s Guide is now available at retail.

 

[VIDEO GAMES] WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

June 25, 2007Forget the lemonade and long naps. If it’s summer action you’re after, head straight to the Wii Shop Channel for a thrill-packed selection of fast-driving, high-flying, hard-hitting games. This week’s new additions include futuristic racers and fierce fighters guaranteed to liven up your lazy summer.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

F-Zero® X (Nintendo® 64, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Choose from 30 different hover-car racers, including updated versions of the Blue Falcon and other vehicles from the original F-Zero, and get ready to play one of the fastest racers ever. You’ll speed to the finish line on tracks that twist and turn through the air, doing your best to avoid the other 29 cars on the track. If you’re in a competitive mood, try to win a Grand Prix Cup, get the fastest lap time in a Time Trial or destroy the competition in a Death Race. You can also challenge three friends in the Versus mode. With five separate play modes, hidden vehicles and courses, and an excellent soundtrack, F-Zero X still represents one of the best racing titles to date.

Street Fighter® II’ Turbo: Hyper Fighting (Super NES®, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen –Violence, 800 Wii Points): Street Fighter II defined gaming in the 1990s by revolutionizing the fighting-game genre. Regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, Street Fighter II’ Turbo: Hyper Fighting was the third and final release in the original series. Featuring the eight original World Warriors (including Ryu, Chun Li and Guile) along with playable boss characters (Balrog, Sagat and M. Bison), this classic title offered enhanced playing speed and improved character balancing.

China Warrior (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older –Violence, 600 Wii Points): China Warrior is a side-scrolling action game that was released around the same time as the TurboGrafx16 in Japan. It’s up to the kung fu master Wang to defeat the Dark Emperor, who stands atop the kung fu world in China. Punch, kick and jump-kick enemies along the path that lies between you and the three bosses of each stage. Skillfully fight your way through all four stages, and be sure not to miss recovery items while dodging enemy attacks. China Warrior boasts character size and detail that rivaled all other games at the time of its release. Exciting one-on-one fights against the game’s realistic bosses will make you feel like you’re in the middle of a kung fu movie.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

 

[VIDEO GAMES] WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

June 18, 2007Father’s Day is over, but the Wii Shop Channel has plenty of competitive games to keep pop hopping. Whether dad’s a golf fan, an overall sports enthusiast or just a guy who likes to rescue prisoners with his special forces buddies, this is the week for him.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

NES Open Tournament Golf™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): We all knew that Mario™ was a top-notch plumber, but did you know that he could also be a world-class golfer? You can challenge another player in Stroke, Match and Tournament modes. Play on three fantasy courses in the USA, the UK and Japan and try to win a million dollars. Make sure you keep an eye on the wind and distance to the hole before selecting your club, or else you’ll be racking up some high scores – which is exactly what you don’t want to do in this game. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced golfer, NES Open Tournament Golf is perfect for those days when you just can’t get to the local golf course.

World Sports Competition (TurboGrafx-16, 1-5 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Play through a total of 18 Olympic events in this action/sports title. Players compete in six categories of events that include shooting, archery, rowing, swimming and track and field. The game features Olympics mode, where you play all the events over the course of a few days, and Training mode, where you can choose individual events to play. After practicing in Training mode, go for the gold in Olympics mode and break world records. Depending on your play time and ability, you can enjoy the game a number of different ways. Gather friends and play in competitions with up to five players to get even more out of this great game.

Bloody Wolf (TurboGrafx-16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Animated Blood, Violence, 600 Wii Points): Enter alone, deep into enemy territory to rescue the kidnapped President in this overhead-view action shooter. Take on the role of a commando in a Special Forces team and face your enemies with an onslaught of weapons, including machine guns and grenades. Earn valuable information, weapons and items by rescuing POWs. Fight your way to the end of each stage and defeat the boss by effectively using your weapons and equipment. This port of the insanely popular arcade game features refined graphics, story and cut-scenes, making this action game a must-have. This new and enhanced version includes the never-been-told second half of the story that was left out of the arcade version.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

 

[JAPAN] Leah Dizon promotes “Ninja Gaiden Sigma”

 

Popular import model from America Leah Dizon who has received success as a model and J-Pop singer in Japan is the covergirl for Tecmo’s upcoming “Ninja Gaiden Sigma” for the PlayStation 3.  The game is set for release on June 14th.

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Photo courtesy of Famitsu

 

[VIDEO GAMES] Square Enix’s Wada preferring handhelds for now

In an article on FT.com by Sanchana Mariko, Sanchana writes about how Square Enix chief executive Wada Yoichi feels that handhelds are currently driving the videogame market.

According to the article, ”

“There is a new breed of gamers in the market – we have to make games for all kinds of people,” said Mr Wada, in an interview with the FT. “In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or the GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely.”

“In an abrupt turnround for the company, Square Enix announced this year that Dragon Quest IX, the latest instalment in its successful franchise, would only be produced for Nintendo’s handheld DS machine. The move was groundbreaking, as previous Dragon Quest instalments were made primarily for the PlayStation and PS2.”

“We chose the Nintendo DS because the widest array of people use it, including people who previously did not play games before,” said Mr Wada.

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[VIDEO GAMES] WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

June 11, 2007Seems like these days everybody’s just running around, grabbing whatever they can for themselves. Some are after gold nuggets, some want rings and some are trying to recover a stolen axe. Doesn’t anybody talk anymore? Why don’t you grab a few warm cookies, pour yourself a glass of cold milk and fire up the Wii™? We’ll play games and tell stories from simpler times.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Lode Runner® (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): This landmark action-puzzle game has been a worldwide fixture in video games from the moment of its inception until today, producing many sequels and related products along the way. The player controls the hero, or “Runner,” who collects gold nuggets located around every stage, all the while avoiding capture by enemy robots. The action itself is simple, but the stages are designed as increasingly challenging puzzles, and none of the 50 stages is as easy as it seems. The Runner avoids enemies by digging holes in the floor to the right and left of his position—by doing this, he can clear a path to places that, at first glance, seem unreachable. Players must use their brains to collect all the gold nuggets in every puzzling stage if they want to escape to the next. In addition to normal play, this version of the game features an Edit Mode that allows players to design their own stages, adding a new level of enjoyment to the game.

Sonic the Hedgehog™ 2 (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik) is back to continue his zealous search for the Chaos Emeralds needed to fuel his new Death Egg contraption. The evil doctor secretly follows Sonic to his vacation spot, Westside Island, and launches a full-scale attack, imprisoning all the helpless animals of the island and turning them into mindless worker drones. Now Sonic must thwart the doctor’s plans at all costs. This time he isn’t alone, as a peculiar two-tailed fox named Miles Prower (aka Tails) decides to aid him in the battle. Together they must locate the Chaos Emeralds before Dr. Eggman does, and put an end to his diabolical scheme.

Golden Axe™ II (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Not long after the devastating reign of the wicked Death Adder, another evil arose. Dark Guld and his minions invaded and took hold of the prized Golden Axe with plans to destroy it. Once again, as a fierce barbarian named Ax-Battler, a fearless female Amazon known as Tyris-Flare or a ferocious dwarf named Gilius Thunderhead, you will wield steely swords and powerful magic in an all-out war to recover the sword. Once you slash your way through the six side-scrolling levels, you’ll get the chance to defeat Dark Guld once and for all.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

 

[VIDEO GAMES] WII-KLY UPDATE: FOUR NEW CLASSIC GAMES MARK WII SHOP CHANNEL MILESTONE

June 4, 2007For six months, classic games have flowed at a steady rate into the gaming reservoir that is the Wii Shop Channel. And this week Wii™ fans will see that pool of games hit a new high-water mark, as Nintendo adds a wave of new entries: Nos. 97, 98, 99 and 100. Why not dive in and see what treasures you find?

The four new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Milon’s Secret Castle® (NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): It is a world where music is the language of the people. An evil warlord from the north arrives and captures the castle. The princess is imprisoned deep within the castle, and the world’s musical instruments are taken and hidden away. Our hero, Milon, takes it upon himself to fight the warlord, rescue the princess and recover the people’s musical instruments. He has only his wits and the magical Bubble to aid him on his quest. Help Milon along the way by looking for hidden doors, finding secret items and defeating fierce enemies. Make sure to look for the shops inside the castle, where you can buy hints and valuable items. Whenever Milon finds a Music Box, he will be transported to a bonus stage. Each instrument you find will add a layer to the background music. Try to grab all seven instruments to create a performance worthy of a music-themed game.

ToeJam & Earl™ in Panic on Funkotron (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): During ToeJam and Earl’s trip back home, a number of Earthlings hitchhiked on their spaceship and are now infesting planet Funkotron. ToeJam and Earl must track down the Earthlings in order to capture them in large jars and ship them back to Earth in spaceships. It is also their funky mission to find 10 beloved objects belonging to Lamont the “Funkapotamus,” the source of all funk in the universe, so they can persuade him to return to his favorite funk-filled planet. ToeJam and Earl must use their “funk powers,” such as Funk Move and Funk Scan, to assist in evading and capturing the Earthlings.

Dead Moon (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 600 Wii Points): This side-scrolling shooter includes a total of six scenes spanning areas from Earth to the moon. The story begins with a comet discovered in the vicinity of Pluto that is headed on a sudden collision course with Earth. Mankind narrowly succeeds in diverting the comet’s course, and it crashes into the moon. However, investigations into the damage uncover that what hit the moon was not a comet, but a gigantic mother ship. Power up your ship, destroy enemies and fight your way through the bosses in an attempt to reach the moon’s core and protect Earth from alien invasion. Enjoy the unique world of Dead Moon, including various stages with beautiful backgrounds, a power-up system that increases your attack as well as your defense and bosses that have you altering your ship’s direction to fight them.

… and the 100th game in the Wii Shop Channel:

Zelda II™ – The Adventure of Link® (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): Link returns to Hyrule to search for the Triforce and to awaken Zelda from an endless sleep. Embark on a quest to find the Triforce of Courage and save Hyrule from ruin. Learn magic spells, talk to people in towns to get clues, collect items to increase your power and explore six palaces where the underlings of the evil Ganon await you. This sequel to the Adventure classic uses a side-scrolling visual engine unique to the series for more technical combat, and features more in-depth world roaming as Link encounters townsfolk while on his quest.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

 

[VIDEO GAMES] Be a beta tester for Manga Fighter [ends on June 4th]

GamesCampus.com is known for bringing the popular Korean PC games such as the popular MMO Golf game “Shot Online” and immensely popular Korean racing game “Kart Rider” to English speaking audiences.

Currently, their game “Manga Fighter” is in beta development and if you want to test out the game, you have until June 4th to do it.

From the website:

Manga Fighter Closed Beta Testing starts today from 03:00 PM ~ 07:00 PM (The closed beta test will be available from 05.29.2007 ~ 06.04.2007 PST).

In order to participate in the Closed Beta Testing, you need to follow the steps below.

1. Create a GamesCampus account.
2. Take the Survey
3. Download the Game Client
4. Install the Client and Update

For more information, please visit http://mangafighter.gamescampus.com