Konami Digital Ent. Inc. has shipped DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: DISNEY MIX to retail stores throughout North America. DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: DISNEY MIX combines the dance gameplay of DDR with classic Disney songs and characters. As a Plug'N'Play videogame, DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: DISNEY MIX connects directly to television sets, delivering an intuitive experience full of competition and choreography with a custom Disney dance pad. Players can dance with Disney characters including Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck to remixed versions of classic songs such as "It's a Small World," "Mickey Mouse March," and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" across a number of game modes. Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix features adjustable difficulty levels.
Developed by Majesco Ent., a leader in Plug'N'Play products, DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: DISNEY MIX sells for $29.99.
As for more DDR titles, Konami released earlier in the season DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION ULTRAMIX 4 (DDR ULTRAMIX4) for the Xbox. With 70+ hit songs and dance remixes, along with 85 downloadable songs via Xbox Live, DDR ULTRAMIX4 offers players the largest library of songs of any DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION title to date. DDR ULTRAMIX4 is also one of the most accessible DDR games, with new tutorials and super-easy levels.
Seasoned DDR players can use full Xbox Live functionality, where they can take part in online competitions, download songs and dance steps, upload content, compete head-to-head and view Internet rankings. Also new are enhancements to existing modes, including Quest Mode, Party Mode and Jukebox Mode, along with a new Edit Mode that lets skilled players edit the background videos and the dance steps to any song in the game.
DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION ULTRAMIX4 for the Xbox is rated "E10+" by the ESRB and sells for $29.99 for the standalone videogame and $54.99 for the videogame and dance mat bundle.
For those lucky enough to get their hands on Nintendo's Wii, Konami has released the Wii exclusive, ELEBIT. Konami's first game for Wii, ELEBITS takes advantage of the unique Wii hardware.
The only source of the energy for more than 10,000 years in a world without electricity, gasoline or nuclear power, Elebits are mischievous and mysterious creatures that have been essential to the growth of mankind. While humans and Elebits have always lived in harmony, a recent lightning storm has caused them to act strangely, abandoning their duties and hiding throughout the world. Players take on the role of a young boy named Kai as he searches to find out what happened to the Elebits and restore them to their original state as friendly partners of humanity.
Using the unique Wii Remote, the player's movements match that on the screen, which includes rotating, throwing, pushing and pulling objects. Through the more than 25 stages in ELEBITS' single player story mode, gamers will encounter more than 15 different types of Elebits, each with their own unique personalities that will require a different strategy to successfully capture. Elebits also features an in-depth Edit Mode that lets players create their own stages by selecting the exact placement of every item and Elebit in the area. These levels can then be traded in-game with other players using Nintendo's WiiConnect24 service.
ELEBITS is rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB and sells for $49.99.
For PSP fans, Konami has released METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS. An all-new installment in Hideo Kojima's legendary METAL GEAR SOLID series, PORTABLE OPS features a full stealth-action single player story mode as well as new wireless features that let players recruit and play as a unique squadron of battle-hardened mercenaries.
Set in 1970, METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS follows the events of METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER and lets players take on the role of the infamous "Big Boss" as he establishes the elite FOXHOUND unit and attempts to topple a bloody revolt instigated by the treacherous FOX unit. Featuring the return of many notable characters in the Metal Gear saga, the game completes a major portion of the ongoing Metal Gear timeline, as players participate in the events that directly lead into later games in the series, including Big Boss' greatest tragedy.
Players can now capture and recruit characters that they encounter in any of the game's levels and assign them to different units that will perform different functions, such as healing teammates, gathering intelligence and creating new items. Players can also recruit rare and unique characters with special abilities throughout the game. Each character is rated on a series of more than ten attributes, giving players incredible variety in building the ideal squad and creating different teams that are best suited to different types of combat situations. METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS features fully-voiced cut scenes with original artwork by acclaimed visualist Ashley Wood. The voice cast features veterans from previous METAL GEAR SOLID titles, including David Hayter, James Mathis and Jim Piddock.
Taking advantage of the wireless functionality of the PSP system, METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS lets players scan their immediate area for wireless access points and recruit new teammates. Based on each different IP address in range, players will be able to generate a unique character. Certain rare and unique characters will be available only via access point scanning, giving gamers an incentive to play in different locations and build out their squad with new members.
METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS features support for massive online battles in more than ten areas specifically designed for multiplayer encounters, letting up to six players take their custom squads online and battle in stealthy encounters across several different modes of play. Using a unique White Flag mechanic, players can choose to surrender and fight again or risk permanently losing one of their valuable comrades. Players can also wirelessly trade characters with others, building a squadron that is best suited to dominate the online competition.
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops sells for $39.99 and is rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB.
For the more casual PSP player, Konami has released ONLINE CHESS KINGDOMS, which updates the original "brain game." The title introduces new modes of play, detailed fantasy graphics and infrastructure support in which players battle for control in a persistent online world.
Gamers, travelers, chess connoisseurs and novices alike can now take chess on the road. Players can jump into a quick game or venture online to test their skills against other players in a massive fantasy world. ONLINE CHESS KINGDOMS is set in an ancient mystic land composed of five different warring factions. Players choose to compete as one of the five kingdoms with 3D animated chess sets, complete with powerful magicians, fearsome warriors and ethereal spirits.
From the fantasy to the online world, ONLINE CHESS KINGDOMS brings classic chess action to gamers nationwide with a persistent online world in which players join factions and engage in matches to claim territory from their opponents. Strategically pursuing areas that will give their faction the most influence over the online kingdom, teams work together to expand their nation and limit the growth of the other four teams. By claiming neutral regions and going head-to-head with other online players in contested areas, players become part of an ongoing struggle for conquest that is played out on the checkered squares of the chessboard. Online leader boards document the contributions of each player to their faction, separating the kings from the pawns in this constant struggle for supremacy.
ONLINE CHESS KINGDOMS is rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB and sells for $29.99.
For animation fans, Konami has released YU-GI-OH! GX TAG FORCE for the PSP. The first entry in the YU-GI-OH! franchise for the PSP system, the game engages players in a new Duel Academy storyline and features an original tag team dueling mechanic that lets gamers team up with allies for an intense and strategic card-based experience.
YU-GI-OH! GX TAG FORCE immerses players in the Duel Academy, an elite school for young duelists, as they join the Slifer Red dormitory and go head to head with other students from the opposing Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue student associations. The school is holding a new type of dueling contest this year, letting students team up in groups of two and compete together.
YU-GI-OH! GX TAG FORCE features an original tag team battle system in which players can team up with a computer-controlled teammate and take on two other duelists. Each teammate utilizes a different deck, allowing for countless new strategic opportunities as players bring each character into the dueling fray. The game also features a larger selection of cards than any previous YU-GI-OH! videogame, providing players with more choices in building their decks and new custom animations for each card as they are brought into play.
YU-GI-OH! GX TAG FORCE also features ad-hoc wireless multiplayer functionality for two duelists. Players can select two unique characters and decks to use in each battle, setting the stage for intense head to head standoffs.
YU-GI-OH! GX TAG FORCE is rated "E" for everyone by the ESRB and sells for $29.99.
Additionally, Konami has released POCKET RACERS, the dark and zany new racing game for the PSP. The title offers players the chance to drive for their soul against a powerful evil adversary in detailed racing environments, either solo or with friends.
An evil nemesis has crashed a party by summoning dark sorcery and turning all the guests into tiny cars - and placing them in an ongoing race for their souls. In every corner and cranny of a giant house, players will find more than a dozen different race tracks with breathtaking jumps, drops, obstacles, twists and turns as they race to victory or meet certain doom. Race around hallways, navigate kitchen counters, weave between chair legs and dodge party debris in 15 unique indoor environments. POCKET RACERS provides an extensive array of 16 colorful vehicles - from flashy rear-wheel drive sports cars to rough and tough four-wheel drive off-roaders. In addition, players will find a variety of sinister Power Ups from nitro boosts to homing missiles to give them an edge against opponents.
With the PSP system's wireless option, up to four players can enter into the multiplayer mode and compete in the white knuckling versus mode, ball-bouncing soccer matches or object-tagging domination rounds.
Pocket Racers is rated "E" by the ESRB and sells for $19.99.
Nintendo DS gamers aren't left behind either with Konami's release of CASTLEVANIA: PORTRAIT OF RUIN exclusively for the DS. The latest installment in the renowned action series lets players control two different characters as they attempt to thwart a terrible plan to resurrect Dracula's Castle and bring a reign of darkness upon the world.
Breaking new ground in the CASTLEVANIA series, CASTLEVANIA: PORTRAIT OF RUIN lets players continue the battle against the evil minions of the night as two playable characters, Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin. Players can choose to use Jonathan's whip-cracking melee abilities or Charlotte's magical prowess individually or team up together for the first time in the history of the franchise as they explore all new levels and environments. Players can also play online with friends and wirelessly trade items using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service.
CASTLEVANIA: PORTRAIT OF RUIN takes place amidst the chaos of World War II where many lost souls from the global conflict were left to wander the world in search of salvation. A powerful vampire painter, Brauner, emerges to resurrect Dracula's Castle utilizing the lost souls along with magical paintings that double as portals to other dimensions. Fueled with the power of the lost souls, the magical paintings and assisted by two mysterious vampire sisters, the probability of Dracula's Castle returning to power is stronger than ever. Now Jonathan and Charlotte must work together to confront the face of evil and ensure that this villainous catastrophe is not unleashed on the world.
CASTLEVANIA: PORTRAIT OF RUIN lets players switch freely between Jonathan and Charlotte as they proceed on their mission, each with their own strengths, abilities and style of play. Players can now utilize powerful co-operative attacks in which both characters unleash the full extent of their combat abilities to decimate the game's more than 100 different enemies and massive bosses in new environments such as the desert and Misty Town. In their quest to stop Dracula's resurrection, Jonathan and Charlotte can collect and use different weapons, equipment and items to increase their overall skill level and acquire new abilities.
CASTLEVANIA: PORTRAIT OF RUIN was created by Koji Igarashi and the acclaimed development team behind 2005's hit CASTLEVANIA: DAWN OF SORROW. CASTLEVANIA: PORTRAIT OF RUIN is rated "T" for Teens by the ESRB and sells for $34.99.
As for the DS, Konami has released XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN, licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Ent. Based on the popular Warner Bros. Animation television series, the videogame lets players embark on a mystical adventure packed with martial arts action as they attempt to recover valuable relics known as Shen Gong Wu and defeat the nefarious Jack Spicer and his army of evil robots.
On the quest to obtain the Shen Gong Wu, players will be able to take on the role of four young warriors: the well-rounded Omi, feisty Kimiko, boisterous Clay and the agile Raimundo. Each character has their own unique set of moves and special abilities, including skills from the television series such as the Seismic Kick, Judallet Flip and Typhoon Boom. Players can switch freely between the four characters at dojo drop-off areas through the game's 20 action-packed stages, selecting the best character for each new encounter.
As they complete portions of the single player story mode of XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN, players will unlock special mini-games such as fire bowling and wind hockey, which take advantage of the unique features of the Nintendo DS with support for touch screen and microphone input. These mini-games can be enjoyed alone or with a friend via local wireless multiplayer support.
The XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN videogame sells for $29.99 on the Nintendo DS and is also available on the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PSP. The game is rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB.
For fans of classic game franchises, Konami has released MY FROGGER TOY TRIALS for the Nintendo DS. For the first time in the history of the franchise, Frogger will be paired with a new partner named the Hero, as the two playable characters try to win a toy pet competition that will grant them one wish which will make all their dreams come true. MY FROGGER TOY TRIALS brings the classic "Hop 'N Dodge" gameplay into the new millennium with new mini-games that fully utilize the Nintendo DS touch-screen and microphone. Control the Hero in the game's adventure map and use Frogger to solve puzzles and take part in the mini-games, as players hop higher and dodge faster than ever before. Players can collect more than 20 different costumes to obtain power ups such as super speed and sticking ability, or compete head-to-head wirelessly with up to four friends using the Nintendo DS Download Play.
In MY FROGGER TOY TRIALS, a company named Tobi Inc. has developed a way to transform a child's drawing of his or her ideal pet into a real toy pet with a will of its own. The newly created pets are then entered into a competition of mini-games to crown the best pet ever. Deciding to take part in this exciting contest, Frogger and the Hero must rush to submit their idea before time runs out!
MY FROGGER TOY TRIALS is rated "E" for everyone by the ESRB and sells for $29.99.
For animation fans, Konami has released THE WINX CLUB: QUEST FOR THE CODEX for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Magical fairies Musa, Layla, Tecna, Flora, Bloom and Stella are back with new adventures, an updated wardrobe and familiar friends and foes. QUEST FOR THE CODEX is the latest installment from the popular Konami videogame franchise based on the hit animated children's television series THE WINX CLUB, broadcast by 4Kids Ent.
In the Nintendo DS version, players experience the QUEST FOR THE CODEX story through a series of side-scrolling flying segments, using their magical powers to blast enemies and to clear obstacles. Players can also use the touch screen to switch between characters at any time in the game, strategically using their unique abilities to solve puzzles and defeat opponents. Adding an additional element of fun, players can enjoy character-specific mini-games in between the action, and design new clothing patterns to share with friends through a local wireless connection.
With QUEST FOR THE CODEX for the Game Boy Advance, players must stop the evil and relentless Lord Darkar, who has plagued the stylish and empowered fairies on numerous occasions. Bloom, Stella, Layla, Musa and Tecna must thwart his plan to take over the universe through succeeding in mini-games that will determine the game's storyline. Each fairy has her own individual mini-games and can call on her friends for help by collecting Secret Charmix items throughout the game. Players can also unlock different outfits for their Magic Closet to wear by achieving high scores in each mini-game.
Available for $29.99, QUEST FOR THE CODEX is rated "E" for everyone by the ESRB.
For more information, visit www.konami.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
