LucasArts Announces Lucidity™ release Oct. 7th for Xbox 360

Addictive Puzzle Platform Game Coming to Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC on
October 7

LucasArts today announced Lucidity, a new game under development from the LucasArts team that re-imagined The Secret of Monkey Island®. Set for release on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC via digital download on October 7, Lucidity is an addictive puzzle platformer set in the surreal dreamscapes of a little girl named Sofi.

In Lucidity, players take a trip into the imagination of Sofi, a young girl who is filled with a persistent desire to explore new worlds and overcome all obstacles in her way. In this challenging puzzle platform game, players are tasked with keeping Sofi safe as she drifts deeper into the strange new world of her dreams. Through quick reaction and placement of randomly generated puzzle pieces, players must create a path through beautifully detailed dreamscapes to keep Sofi in perpetual motion and deliver her to safety.

"Lucidity comes from our effort at LucasArts to form several small internal development teams and give them the creative freedom to make games that surprise, amaze and inspire," said LucasArts President Darrell Rodriguez. "The re-imagining of The Secret of Monkey Island and the development of the all-new Lucidity are just the beginning of this effort."

More information about Lucidity can be found at LucasArts' newly launched blog, The Workshop, at http://www.LucasArtsWorkshop.com/. The Workshop at LucasArts has been created to share the latest news about the company's digital distribution initiatives.

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LucasArts Announces Star Wars®: The Force Unleashed™ II

The Star Wars® Saga continues in 2010 with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, a sequel to the blockbuster videogame developed by LucasArts.

Released in 2008, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed remains the fastest-selling Star Wars game ever, with sales of nearly seven million units worldwide. The action game garnered numerous accolades including the WGA Award for outstanding achievement in writing for videogames.

With Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the epic story continues as players once again assume the role of the devastatingly powerful Starkiller - Darth Vader's secret apprentice set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

"Executive Producer Haden Blackman and his team have been able to build on the core foundation of the award-winning original and create a powerful combination of engrossing story-telling and intense action. The Force Unleashed II gives fans an opportunity to wreak havoc on an even greater scale in the Star Wars universe," said LucasArts' President Darrell Rodriguez.

More information about the game can be found at the official website, www.unleashed2010.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year. LucasArts and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2009 Lucasfilm.

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Video: Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

See video below:

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Top iPhone games of 2009

Levi Buchanan of IGN.com just released a list of the top iPhone games of 2009.  Zen Bound tops his list:

"The iPhone is at its best when hosting a game that you absolutely would not find anywhere else – a game like Zen Bound. This experimental puzzle game is a total chill experience. You have a length of string to wrap around ornate wooden figurines. As you wrap it, the string releases paint. You must cover as much of the ornament as possible with the least amount of string, but unlike most puzzlers, there is no pressure here. Take your time. Try different wraps. Check out the figurine. Enjoy the music (which is awesome). Even nearly a year after its release, Secret Exit's puzzler still one of the best iPhone games yet."

See the full list of the top iPhone games of 2009 by clicking here.

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24kt Gold Sony PS3 - a measly $5K

Computer Choppers just unveiled a 24kt Gold Playstation 3 Slim. Pricing starts at $4,999 USD. All new consoles come with two matching controllers, your choice of a plated or anodized PS3 logo, and a one year full coverage warranty

A jeweled limited edition model with a lifetime warranty will be availaible in the coming weeks. Build time for a custom plated console is only 10-12 days. If you're looking for a unique gift for the holidays, this is it.  Uh, sure - I'll take two please.

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WSJ: Secrets of the Making of a New Super Mario Bros. Wii

In an interview, Bill Trinen, a senior manager of product marketing at Nintendo of America, spoke to The Wall Street Journal about the latest game

The Wall Street Journal: What did Nintendo want to accomplish with “New Super Mario Bros. Wii”

Mr. Trinen: Anytime a new Mario game comes out, it really can’t be a rehash of what it’s done before. It has to bring something new to the table. The original Super Mario game on the Nintendo Entertainment System, for example, introduced side-scrolling screens that connected together. Before that, games were mostly single-screen and didn’t pan or move at all. In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario went into space and introduced the idea of running around on spherical worlds and playing with gravity.

This time around, the developers wanted to make a Mario game that was welcoming to everyone in the house and everyone who is interacting with the console. In most households, the Wii is connected to the living room, rather than a television in someone’s bedroom. They thought it was particularly important to realize a multiplayer experience. They have wanted to make a simultaneous multiplayer Super Mario Bros game from the beginning (previous Mario console games were two-player, in which players took turns and competed to finish the game first).

Click here to read the rest of the interview at the Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog.

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Videogame Sales Off Again Last Month

From the Wall Street Journal 'Digits' blog:

"Monthly sales for the industry have been down since March, except for a slight uptick in September. Results would have been even weaker in November were it not for Activision Blizzard Inc.’s “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” shooter game, which had the best first-month sales ever, selling more than all of the other games in NPD’s top ten list combined."

Read the full article HERE

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