The action of Marvel's latest feature film superhero will soon be available in an action game for Nintendo Game Boy Advance. DAREDEVIL BATTLES THE KINGPIN will be released by Encore Games in conjunction with the February 2003 premiere of the New Regency/20th Century Fox/Marvel Studios film DAREDEVIL, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. The game incorporates many elements of the feature film, including its characters, costumes and Hell's Kitchen setting.

Sweden-based McMullin Animated Productions has launched its official Website, which details the range of services the company offers as well as information about the founders and samples of their work. After working on animated feature films and television series for companies including Hahn Film AG and Fred Wolf Films, Conor and Stina McMullin launched their own company in August 2001. McMullin specializes in timing direction for animated productions.

Playboy Enterprises, Inc. has teamed with game developer ARUSH Entertainment and game publisher Groove Games to create, market and distribute a set of interactive simulation video games. The first Playboy-branded game, which will be playable on multiple platforms including PC, Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox consoles, is based on the world-builder simulation genre of video games, and will allow players to "walk" in the slippers of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, establishing and building the Playboy empire and living the ultimate playboy lifestyle.

Continuing its expansion into the European market, Isreal-based media company Pyramedia has sold its Media Interactive Technology (MIT) system to Swiss broadcaster Star TV. This is another big sale for Pyramedia, which recently sold its MIT software to Nickelodeon U.K. In addition to the MIT system, Star TV acquired Pyramedia's animated interactive game show ELY AND LILLY, which is scheduled to broadcast in German beginning December 21, 2002 on Star TV's weekend kids' line-up.

Internet network Terra Lycos announced that for a second year in a row, anime hit DRAGONBALL Z was the number one most search for term in the year 2002. The Lycos 50 is a weekly list of the most popular people, places and things users are searching for online. "Although it dropped off in popularity compared to last year, DRAGONBALL continues to generate tremendous search activity on the Internet with teens and college-age Japanese animation buffs," said Aaron Schatz, writer of The Lycos 50.

Black Label Games, a studio of Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games), has entered into a production agreement with Liquid Entertainment to develop THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE RING, a real-time strategy game for the PC platform. The game will be developed through VU Games' long-term agreement with Tolkien Enterprises to create interactive entertainment based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic novel THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Expanding on the world of Middle-earth and its inhabitants as introduced by J.R.R.

Prepare for an extra dose of chaos in theaters this holiday season as a trailer for the newly released video game WARCRAFT III: REIGN OF CHAOS is now playing along with the feature film DIE ANOTHER DAY. The new trailer will also appear on more than 20,000 screens across the U.S. this December before such movies as LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS, STAR TREK: NEMESIS and SOLARIS.

Animation Collective will collaborate with Mirage and 4Kids Entertainment to create the online programming component to the new TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES television series. Although the exact plans for the site are a closely guarded secret, Animation C ollective promises a site that will allow visitors to experience the Turtle's subterranean lair, learn more about the characters and check out sneak previews.

The National Film Board of Canada is now making it easier for U.S. residents to purchase its acclaimed videos and DVDs with the launch of its new online store. Among its nearly 6,000 titles are compilations of Oscar-winning and nominated animated films and best-selling videos like LEONARD MALTIN'S ANIMATION FAVORITES FROM THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA. The NFB also offers documentaries, dramas, educational and kids' titles in its online store. As a special introductory offer, for a limited time the NFB is giving away STRANGE INVADERS mousepads free to all new users who register.

New Line Cinema has forged a two-year alliance with Verizon Wireless to create a broad range of promotions tied to the remaining two films in THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy that will cross broadcast, print, radio, online and in-store support as well as exclusive wireless content for Verizon Wireless customers. The partnership has already begun in anticipation of the December 2002 theatrical release of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS.

TDK Mediactive, Inc. has shipped THE LAND BEFORE TIME: BIG WATER ADVENTURE for the PlayStation game console. Based on the upcoming December 10, 2002 home video release, THE LAND BEFORE TIME: JOURNEY TO BIG WATER, the new game introduces Mo the Ophtalmosaurus, a completely new character in THE LAND BEFORE TIME series. The action-adventure game will be available at major retail outlets throughout North America and carries a suggested retail price of US$9.99.

Computer gaming fans can expect to see one of the most realistic games to date when Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) releases THE GETAWAY on December 6, 2002. The long-awaited Playstation 2 game has been in the works for over three years, and promises realistic high-speed chases, explosions and gun battles similar to an action film. In the game, the player is a retired bank robber that must return to his life of crime in an effort to save his son from an evil mob boss. The setting is a 30-mile section of London and the game features more than 100 life-like characters.

AOL is promoting its new chat-enhanced toys, which work in tandem with AOL Instant Messenger (AOL IM) to "speak" messages out loud as they're sent from someone else's computer. The toys, which are called Instant Messaging Buddies, also move animatronically in real-time when activated. The first buddies to be introduced are the Looney Tunes' characters Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Using technology developed by United Internet Technologies (UIT), each IM Buddy has over 150 pre-recorded phrases and speaks in their actual character voices.

Calgary, Alberta-based creative agency Idea Machine has collaborated with the Science Alberta Foundation to launch www.wonderville.ca, an interactive Internet destination designed to teach kids about science. The creative team at Idea Machine, led by animator Brent Lowrie (art and animation) and designer Darren Pearce (interface design and programming), created the concept of a 3D world where an animated cast of characters would lead the audience through a series of science-based activities.

Both Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. and Disney Interactive have released titles centered on Disney's new feature film based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Treasure Island," titled Disney's TREASURE PLANET, which opens in theaters nationwide on November 27. Disney's TREASURE PLANET for PlayStation and PS One game consoles, builds upon the story in the movie, where Jim Hawkins leaves home in search of treasure. Gamers will discover new characters, environments and gameplay elements while viewing cut-scenes that tie in with the feature film narrative.

Game publisher THQ Inc. has released two video games based on DreamWorks' animated feature SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON to coincide with the DVD release of the film, which is scheduled for November 19, 2002. "The movie SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON lends itself to tremendous crossover appeal with our Game Boy Advance and PC audience," stated Germaine Gioia, vice president, licensing, THQ.

Macromedia has announced that Sony's new CLIE NX-series handheld devices are the first to feature Macromedia Flash Player support on Palm OS. The CLIE PEG-NX70V and PEG-NX60 models are the latest Sony Entertainment handhelds powered by a 200MHz ARM-compliant processor and enhanced by the new Palm OS 5 operating system. These new devices enable users to take photos and record video clips, record voice memos and wirelessly browse the Internet on a Wi-Fi (802.11b) network with an optional Sony wireless LAN card, in addition to playing MP3 audio files and video games.

LEGO Interactive and Electronic Arts announced the North American release of two adventure titles based on two successful LEGO product lines. BIONICLE: MATORAN ADVENTURES and GALIDOR: DEFENDERS OF THE OUTER DIMENSION are now available for the Game Boy Advance. Drawing from the ABC Family TV series, GALIDOR: DEFENDERS OF THE OUTER DIMENSION players take on the role of hero Nick Bluetooth who finds himself in an Outer Dimension on a quest to free friends who have fallen into the clutches of the evil tyrant Gorm.

Just in time for Halloween, TDK Mediactive, Inc. has shipped CASPER SPIRIT DIMENSIONS for the Nintendo GameCube. Gamers will spiral into phantom dimensions to battle for the fate of the spirit world in this new game, where portals transport gamers into mysterious realms that are populated by ghosts of the past, present and future, all possessed by the evil Kibosh. Sixteen levels and four distinct worlds can be fully explored through 360-degree full flight movement in a quest to become the quickest, smartest and most powerful ghost in the Spirit Dimension.

Now you can experience some of the world's greatest roller coasters without ever leaving your home. Global Star Software, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive will soon be releasing a new roller coaster simulator for the PC platform, WORLD'S GREATEST COASTERS. This exciting new 3D simulation will feature five of the greatest roller coasters on the planet, as well as a virtual coaster workshop in which players can build and experience their very own thrill rides and challenge themselves in the scenario-based game mode.