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Classic Franchise Returns to the Ring with Motion Controls, Multiplayer Action and New Surprises

Today the world of video game boxing returns to its roots with the launch of the new Punch-Out!! game for Nintendo’s Wii console. The game brings immersive motion controls to an iconic franchise that has been around since the days of the NES. Players are invited to step into the ring as underdog Little Mac as they go toe-to-toe with an array of memorable characters, including familiar faces like Glass Joe, King Hippo and Don Flamenco.

The motion-sensitive Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers turn the swings players make in real life into on-screen punches. Both novice and veteran gamers can pick up Punch-Out!! and punch their way to the top. The optional Wii Balance Board accessory (sold separately with Wii Fit) can be added to provide an extra challenge for advanced players who want to literally bob and weave through their fights. For those who insist on old-school Punch-Out!! purity, the game also can be played with classic NES-style controls by turning the Wii Remote controller sideways.

Even players who have battled through the original games hundreds of times will find new challenges with Punch-Out!! for Wii. For instance, once Little Mac (with the help of trainer Doc Louis) has pummeled his way through all the contenders, they return to offer him new challenges in Title Defense Mode. Only this time, their traditional weaknesses have been eliminated and players must find new ways to achieve victory. In this mode, the once-harmless Glass Joe now wears headgear, and King Hippo’s vulnerable belly is protected behind a manhole cover. The new twists ensure fans enjoy a completely new play experience.

For the first time in the Punch-Out!! series, a head-to-head multiplayer mode lets players compete against one another. Both players take on the role of Little Mac and match wits as they trade uppercuts, jabs and body blows. With a series of well-placed punches, Little Mac transforms into the gargantuan Giga Mac, who can land more powerful blows and is more difficult to take down.

“Punch-Out!! is back, keeping all the charm of the original while delivering a knockout punch with new twists to experience and enjoy,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “As part of one of Nintendo’s most storied franchises, this new Punch-Out!! game will surprise and delight fans with even more ways to enjoy its timeless game play.”

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

For more information about Punch-Out!!, visit www.PunchOut.com.

Battle the Jamaican Bobsled Team on the Wii Balance Board in Downhill Racer

SouthPeak Games announced today that it will be publishing Sled Shred for Wii. Focused on downhill sled racing on everything from tubes and toboggans to discs and bobsleds, Sled Shred promises to give players a thrilling experience as they try and earn their way into the World Winter Games, racing with and against the world-renowned Jamaican Bobsled team. Sled Shred is scheduled for release in fall 2009.

“We are very excited to bring this unique racing experience to Wii with Sled Shred,” said Richard Iggo, VP of Marketing at SouthPeak Games. “A sledding game is a natural fit for Wii owners, and we can’t wait to see everyone using their natural body movements to steer their sleds down those slopes!”

In Sled Shred, players form a team determined to prove themselves in a quest to compete at the World Winter Games. The Jamaican Bobsled team will be present in the game’s story mode to coach and challenge players. Sled Shred offers a variety of different vehicles to race, including inner tubes and bobsleds, on more than 10 different snowy courses. Players can challenge one another or race together against the computer in free play mode, and have the option of using the Wii Balance Board accessory to control their vehicles as they race.

Sled Shred is scheduled for release this fall. For more information visit www.southpeakgames.com.

Ubisoft has announced that Gold’s Gym: Cardio Workout is now available in retail stores throughout North America. Rated “E” for Everyone, Gold’s Gym: Cardio Workout for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo retails for a suggested price of $29.99 and includes a coupon for a 7-day VIP membership to Gold’s Gym.

Compatible with the Wii Balance Board accessory, the game provides players with an interactive personal training experience. Players can perform a variety of exercises including cardio boxing, running, sit-ups, squats and other activities while also tracking burned calories and body weight evolution. In addition, the game offers multiple training modes and fitness levels, and the difficulty of the gameplay evolves as the player’s fitness level increases.

Gold’s Gym: Cardio Workout will be featured on the Gold’s Gym website and the game trailer will be displayed nationwide on the Gold’s Gym Broadcast Network.

For more information on Gold’s Gym: Cardio Workout, please visit: http://www.goldsgymvideogame.com

Have fun, stay healthy and get fit using Yoga for Wii™ .

DreamCatcher Games and JoWooD Productions, leading publishers of interactive entertainment software worldwide, are pleased to announce that Yoga for Wii™ is under development and set to be released October 2009.  Fans of yoga and those interested in improving their overall fitness and well-being will be able to practice Yoga from the comfort of their own home.

Utilizing the Wii Balance Board and following step-by-step instructions from a variety of in game Yoga Gurus, players will be guided through a variety of popular Yoga exercises.

Players will be able to monitor their progress with a dynamic tracking system and set up a schedule to follow.  The yoga guru, acting as your own personal trainer, will make suggestions to you based on your progress and computations taken from the Balance Board.  The Wii Remote™ and Balance Board will be used for many poses to determine the player’s balance and any movements or shifts in weight by the player will be detected and recorded once the pose is complete.

Yoga for  Wii has three play modes – Story Mode where players start the game as a beginner and finish as a yoga guru; Training Mode where players have the opportunity to learn new poses to add to their routines; and Routine Mode, a set of consecutive yoga poses either user-created or pre-created routines.  There are mini-games to test the player’s knowledge of yoga and predetermined routines created to help alleviate common ailments. Yoga for Wii is beneficial to anyone wanting to try Yoga and discover its unique way of providing strength, flexibility and endurance training while at the same time creating a powerful connection between mind and body.

The expected ESRB rating is E for Everyone.  

Family Friendly Title Transforms City Streets Into Competitive Urban Playgrounds This Fall

Lace up your sneakers and get ready to hit the pavement as Majesco Entertainment Company announces Go Play City Sports for Wii. The latest title in Majesco’s recently announced Go Play line of motion-based video games for the whole family, Go Play City Sports recreates the experience of playing sports in a vast urban playground where manhole covers double as home plate. The all-new sports compilation allows players to compete against the best neighborhood athletes in six classic games, including stickball, kickball, handball, rooftop hockey, shootout soccer and jump rope.

Go Play City Sports takes full advantage of the Wii’s capabilities in order to bring these timeless games from the streets to the living room. Players use the intuitive movements of the Wii Remote to rule the courts and stake their claim as king of the block. However, just like on the real street, they must dodge obstacles like manhole covers, fire hydrants and parked cars as they try to earn trophies and unlock items such as new courts and equipment. The game supports up to four players in both head-to-head or team-based games, while single player mode allows gamers to fully explore the expansive urban environment. With fully customizable characters and Wii Balance Board support, Go Play City Sports is a fun, competitive game for players both young and old!

Developed by Digital Embryo, Go Play City Sports for Wii is expected to release this fall. For additional information about Majesco’s exciting line of products, please visit www.majescoentertainment.com.

Ubisoft announced today that it has partnered with Gold’s Gym, the world’s leading authority on health and fitness, to create the video game Gold’s Gym: Cardio Workout. Licensed by Rocket Co., Ltd., the game will be in North America stores on March 31, 2009 and it will be available exclusively for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo.

“We are excited to partner with Ubisoft on our first video game,” commented Lisa Zoellner, chief marketing officer of Gold’s Gym International. “It is a natural extension of our brand and is in line with our mission to get more people around the world excited about exercise and fitness. We believe that the game will provide consumers with a workout that is both fun and rewarding.”

Compatible with the Wii Balance Board accessory, the game provides players with a personal training experience. Players can perform a variety of exercises including cardio boxing, running, sit-ups and other activities while also tracking burned calories and body weight evolution. In addition, the game offers multiple training modes and fitness levels, and the difficulty of the gameplay evolves as the player’s fitness level increases.

“As a leader in personal training, we are thrilled to collaborate with Gold’s Gym on a new cardio workout game,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “In order to provide an authentic Gold’s Gym experience the game will incorporate gym signage and dialogue into the game.”

As part of the partnership, the game will be co-marketed by Gold’s Gym and Ubisoft. Each game will include a coupon for a one week free trial to Gold’s Gym. In addition, Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout will be featured throughout the Gold’s Gym clubs, on the Gold’s Gym website, and the game trailer will be displayed on the Gold’s Gym Broadcast Network. A demo of the game will also be available at various Gold’s Gym facilities.

For more information on Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout, please visit http://www.ubi.com.

Entertain Rowdy Crowds With Amazing Circus Feats in This Motion-Based Family Game Due This June

Are you ready for the big time? Then step into the Big Top and realize your star potential as Majesco Entertainment Company today announced Go Play Circus Star for Wii. Featuring a full collection of all-time favorite circus attractions, players can wow the crowd with death defying stunts, animal tricks and sleight of hand in 15 different events.

Developed by N-Fusion Interactive Entertainment Corp., Go Play Circus Star includes intuitive motion controls and integrates support for the Wii Balance Board accessory in a majority of games–balance on the tightrope and the backs of elephants, steer the human cannonball, dodge pie-throwing monkeys, jump to new acrobatic heights on the trampoline and much more! Players choose from a range of memorable circus performers and fabulous costumes before stepping into the arena to perform for the fans in aerial, animal and other classic circus events, including: Trapeze, Amazing Silks, Big Cat Taming, Rola Bola, Pony Dancing, Mile-High Stunt Diver, Knife Throwing and Juggling, among others. The more daring and death-defying the tricks, the more money you can earn as you win over the cheering crowd. But fumble in the air or miss a trick and the fans will boo in disapproval as they pellet you with tomatoes! Amazing performances will unlock additional events and new venues as you follow your circus career all the way to the Las Vegas Stadium. A fun game for both family and friends, Go Play Circus Star also lets players compete against up to three other aspiring circus performers.

Go Play Circus Star joins Go Play Lumberjacks as the second announced title in Majesco’s new Go Play brand of games designed for motion-based family entertainment. Both games are expected to launch this June. For additional information about Majesco’s exciting line of products, please visit www.majescoentertainment.com.

Snowboard Riot Combines Snowboarding and Combat into One Exciting WiiWare Experience

Hudson Entertainment announced that Snowboard Riot, a snowboarding experience unlike any other snowboarding game players have ever encountered, is now available for WiiWare. Snowboarding will reach new heights when players take to the slopes with action-packed racing utilizing weapons such as homing bullets and invisibility!

Gamers have several control options to carve their way to a dominating victory, via the Wii Remote and Nunchuk or the Wii Balance Board. Just like a real snowboard, players can lean left and right on the Wii Balance Board, providing a realistic snowboard experience. Boarders can also choose from four characters to bomb the slopes with, and can customize their look with Oakley apparel and goggles to improve their performance.

After practicing with a friend in 2-player local multiplayer, gamers can use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to compete with up to 4 snowboarders online as they race and blow away the competition. Weapons such as mines and turbo are available to give players an edge fighting it out on the mountain.

“Snowboard Riot packs a huge punch of adrenaline-filled content for players,” said Sabine Duvall, Vice President of Product Development at Hudson Entertainment. “In this tiny WiiWare download, you have online and offline multiplayer, Wii Balance Board support, character customization, and more. We’re giving gamers a very robust experience in Snowboard Riot.”

Snowboard Riot is rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).