Today's Special Archives: April 2003

News Archives Index PilotWings to Return? [ GameSpot ] According to GameSpot, Factor 5, the team behind the Rogue Squardron series, is set to debut the next installment in Nintendo's hit PilotWings series. The game will supposedly going to appear either at E3 next month or SpaceWorld (yes, it looks like SpaceWorld may be coming back!) in August. There was no official comment from Nintendo. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 21:02 PM [Top] E3 Floorplan Revealed [ Electronic Entertainment Expo ] E3Expo.com has released a floorplan for this year's convention. Not surprisingly, Nintendo has the biggest booth, as has been the standard in recent years. Click the source link above to see the plans, and if you want to see where Nintendo is located (and where the Café will be spending a good chunk of its time) check out the West Hall. The craziest week of the gaming year hits in mere weeks, so make sure you have plenty of extra pairs of underwear for all the incredible news and games that will be revealed, especially if this is the first time you've ever followed E3 coverage. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 16:31 PM [Top] WrestleMania XIX Info [ THQ ] Features for WrestleMania XIX will include: -More Than Forty WWE Superstars: The 2003 roster features a complete list of the top Superstars including Rey Mysterio, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan and the Rock -All New Story Mode: Players must restore their favourite WWE Superstar's status through five different environments in 30 unique missions complete with scripted cut-scenes. -Graphics and Realism: Completely new Superstar models and art direction resulting in more physically detailed Superstars with blood! -Enhanced Grappling Based Engine: Featuring strong and weak grapples as well as offensive moves from various positions and grapples with extensive counters and reversals. -Location Specific Damage: Players can wear down their opponents by taking advantage of each Superstar's unique abilities and attributes. -New Game Modes: Wrestlemania XIX features several new game modes including, "Sweet Revenge, Challenge, ShopZoneTM and a brand new tutorial mode. -Create-A-Superstar: Choose between a variety of settings including appearances, costumes and moves. -Presentation: Improved sound, camera angles, technology and special effects better replicating the attitude and style of the WWE brand. WM XIX will be available this October exclusively for GameCube. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 15:33 PM [Top] Nintendo Conquers March [ IGN Cube ] Strong sales of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker shot sales of video games up by eight percent, as reported by Reuters today. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker sold more than 826,000 copies during that month, giving it the #1 spot in game sales. But, according to independent analysts, did not help the overall sales of the GameCube itself. As for the Game Boy Advance, sales rise by 36 percent from the recent success of the latest Pokemon title. "We view the March industry software data as disappointing… excluding the strong software sell-through by Nintendo, industry software sales would have been down 8.3 percent," J.P. Morgan analyst Dean Gianoukos stated in a note. He went on to say that he expected EA, Activision and THQ to either meet or top their sales estimates for March. The Game Cube took in 10.7 percent of the market share, as Sony Playstation 2 snatched up 37.8 percent and 14.7 for the Microsoft XBox, according to Gianoukos. Chris Tucker -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 10:38 AM [Top] Pokemon Stadium 3 Seems More than Likely [ Newtechnix ] It seems more than likely that the next Pokemon game on GameCube (besides that Pokemon Box thing) will be a new addition to the Stadium collection. Both Pokemon Stadium games on Nintendo 64 were million sellers so it seems like the best choice for Nintendo to go with what they know will sell big regardless of the outcries for an actual 3D Pokemon RPG. No word on a date of the game or if it will be at E3. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 5:01 AM [Top] New Zelda at E3 [ Capcom ] It's not a GameCube Zelda but it's the next best thing. A new Zelda game is being developed by Capcom for the Gameboy Advance. The game will be featured at E3 but it is unknown right now if it will be playable or just a video, most likely it's just a video. The game is said to take on similarities to The Four Swords game which was packing in with A Link to the Past for GBA. More information on this when it becomes available. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 4:58 AM [Top] Enter the Matrix to Deliver Big Time [ Infogrames ] According to Infogrames, Enter the Matrix will have three and half million copies shipped on May 15th (the same day The Matrix Reloaded comes out in theatres). The game will be across all three next generation systems. The popularity of the game is based largely on the success of The Matrix and soon to be The Matrix Reloaded. As you can see from the site we here at GameCube Café know this game will be huge. Our site theme for this month is EtM and Mr. Schraeder is working on a little special project of his own and will be ready for you guys when the game is released. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 30 2003 4:55 AM [Top] Harvest Moon Features List [ Ubi Soft ] Ubi Soft has released a features list for their upcoming game Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life: -You will be part of the drama, not just a spectator of it! -You will interact with the many people around you, including your wife and son. -The characters will not act in a repetitive fashion...however their actions will constantly change with the environment that you create. -A variety of fruits and vegetables added to increase the quality of the game. -More home extension...more tools... -A new chapter system will be incorporated into the Harvest Moon series for the first time: -Your life on the farm will be for 30 years, divided into 6 chapters. -The story starts when you meet your future wife and begin to raise a family. Each chapter will represent different parts of your life. -It will take roughly 40 hours to complete the game. -In addition, there will be multiple endings...increasing the replay value. -A new mode will be added to the game, Free Play Mode will let you play as long as you want on the farm! -Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life will communicate with the new Harvest Moon title for the Game Boy Advance. By linking these two games together new events and items will become available! Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life releases October 3 this year. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, April 29 2003 17:54 PM [Top] Capcom's E3 Line-Up [ GC-Inside ] GC-Inside, an online magazine, today revealed which games Capcom would have at E3 along with which of them will be playable. Strange enough, Dead Phoenix will not be at the convention which brings up suspicions that it was one of those eighteen games canceled a while back. Of the six games Capcom is showing only three of them are playable. Resident Evil 4 is not playable; someone hates me. - Mega Man Network Transmission - Playable - P.N.03 - Playable - Viewtiful Joe - Playable - Killer 7 - Video - Biohazard 4 - Video - "Gacha Forces" (Exclusive Gamecube) - Video Matthew Silver -- Posted on Monday, April 28 2003 15:15 PM [Top] Sega's E3 Line-Up [ Sega of America ] Sega announced its E3 lin-up today which includes a few never before heard about titles as well as the ones we did know about. The biggest surprise is Phantasy Star Online Episode III which will obviously have online support. The full list is below: - Sonic Heroes (Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube) - Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (GameCube) - Worms 3D (Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PC) - Vectorman (PlayStation 2) - Headhunter: Redemption (PlayStation 2) - Otogi - Myth of Demons (Xbox) - Sega GT Online (Xbox) - Altered Beast (PlayStation 2) - Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution (PlayStation 2) - Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution GameCube) - Virtual On Marz (PlayStation 2) - Dororo (PlayStation 2) - Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut (GameCube) - Sonic Pinball Party (Game Boy Advance) - Sonic Battle (Game Boy Advance) - NFL 2K4 (Xbox, PlayStation 2) - NBA 2K4 (Xbox, PlayStation 2) - NHL 2k4 (Xbox, PlayStation 2) - NCAA College Basketball 2K4 (Xbox, PlayStation 2) Matthew Silver -- Posted on Monday, April 28 2003 15:05 PM [Top] SSX 3, Screens and First Details [ IGN Cube ] A brief interview with the producer of the latest addition to the SSX series of games by EA Canada, Larry LaPierre, popped up on IGN Cube today explaining a few details from the game. A few new screens from the game were also included in the article. According to the interview, a couple of the features enable players to continue combos over the ground by using "board press tricks" and block attempts to hit you. As for the levels or courses or whatever you may call it, the game will take players on what's described as one gigantic mountain with various paths, areas and events all over it. Ten characters will be in the game. Six of the previous characters and four new ones. SSX 3 will be released sometime this fall and will most likely be shown at E3. More information of the game can be read at IGN's article. Chris Tucker -- Posted on Monday, April 28 2003 8:15 AM [Top] Price Drop on All Three Systems [ EBGames ] According to EBGames and other game retailers Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft will announce at E3 that their game systems will be taking a price cut in the upcoming Fall months. GameCube will be going down to one hundred dollars, PS2 and Xbox will be going down to one hundred and fifty dollars. The price cuts come just in time for the holiday season. This will be GameCube and Xbox's third holiday season and it will be PS2's fourth holiday season. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Saturday, April 26 2003 16:37 PM [Top] Nintendo of Europe Warns Retailers [ Nintendo of Europe ] Nintendo fo Europe is trying desperately to stop the importing of Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire. The game comes out this Summer in Europe and the amount of people importing the game from America will through off the sales figures in the future. Nintendo of Europe has said that any retailer caught selling the imported versions of the games will be stuck with a hefty fine. No fine will be given to the persons whom buy the games from these retailers. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Saturday, April 26 2003 16:33 PM [Top] Return of the King Screens [ Newtechnix ] Somehow Newtechnix managed to get about a dozen screens of the upcoming Electronic Arts game The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The graphics for this edition of the LotR videogame series looks the best of its two predecessors. Clicking the two links below will take you to two different sets of six screens. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Saturday, April 26 2003 16:27 PM [Top] Grand Theft Auto Games MIGHT Come to Cube [ Yahoo ] In an article by Yahoo a little while ago the following passage was found: The last two "Grand Theft Auto" games have provided an immersive story with multiple coinciding missions. The next one is due out in 2004. A month later, "Grand Theft Auto 3" and "Vice City" finish exclusive run on Sony's PlayStation 2 and will be available for Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube. "And they will sell, like, a jillion copies," Pachter said. This next passage is taken from Nintendo's E3 mini-page: "With mega-hits like Metroid Prime and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker already exclusively available for Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo is riding a wave of momentum as the show approaches. Industry leaders such as Electronic Arts, Sega, Capcom, Activision, Rock Star Games and many more will be showcasing their upcoming Nintendo GameCube games at the 2003 E3 Expo.." It does hint that the two GTA games for PS2 will be coming to Nintendo but nothing is solid. If they did they would be arriving in 2004 sometime. I highly doubt Nintendo would take a game like that and get it ported to Cube. Hopefully some light will be shed on the subject at E3 in a few weeks. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Saturday, April 26 2003 16:21 PM [Top] A New Capcom Game [ Trademark Electronic Search System ] Capcom has listed on their games to be shown at E3 a spot that says "Secret Title." Today the game title "Bakeneko" has been registered with the Trademark Electronic Search System. Capcom was unable to comment because it was right at the end of closing week when this information was released. No details are known about the game except the fact that it will be featured at E3. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Saturday, April 26 2003 16:13 PM [Top] Next Metroid to be Shown at E3 2003 [ IGN Cube ] According to IGN Cube, the upcoming sequel to Samus's previous adventure on the Gamecube, Metroid Prime, will be shown through video at this year's E3. Video means it will not be playable. Cry. It is also said to be a short teaser clip. Metroid Prime's developer, Retro Studios, has been working on the project for several months in hope of getting the title out this year, but unfortunately weren't able to make that deadline and was tossed into 2004, according to IGN's Insiders. More can be read at the article linked above. Chris Tucker -- Posted on Saturday, April 26 2003 10:31 AM [Top] New Soul Calibur II Videos! [ Soul Calibur II ] After a few weeks of virtually no coverage on the game Namco updates us with a new video. You can also check out the updated official page by hitting the source link at the top. The video is of the intro to the game. Right click and save this video to your harddrive. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 22:28 PM [Top] New Steering Wheel Controller [ Impress Watch Headline ] A new steering wheel will be displayed at E3 from Logicool Lenkrad. The wheel can be looked at by heading over to Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 19:01 PM [Top] New Trailer for Metal Arms: Glitch in the System [ Vivendi Universal/Sierra ] Metal Arms: Glitch in the System is set to be released in November of this year on GameCube and Xbox. You take on the role of Glitch (a robot) and try to defeat and evil robot General and his army. The game will also feature multiplayer levels where you can play as enemies and bosses from the game. The trailers are below, right click and save them you your harddrive. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 18:29 PM [Top] Edge Awards are Here [ Edge Magazine ] Some of the stuff here will surprise you, shock you, and some of it will plain old make you cry. Like Tecmo taking home the best developer award. I mean come on! It should have been Retro; at least they came in third. The entire list is below. Game of the Year 1. Metroid Prime (Retro Studios) 2. Neverwinter Nights (BioWare) 3. Super Mario Sunshine (Nintendo) Publisher of the Year 1. Nintendo 2. Electronic Arts 3. Ubi Soft Developer of the Year 1. Tecmo 2. Treasure 3. Retro Studios Gameplay Innovation of the Year 1. Animal Crossing (Nintendo) 2. Neverwinter Nights (BioWare) 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Electronic Arts) Graphical Achievement of the Year 1. O.TO.GI (From Software) 2. Ikaruga (Treasure) 3. Panzer Dragoon Orta (Smilebit) Audio Achievement of the Year 1. Metroid Prime (Retro Studios) 2. O.TO.GI (From Software) 3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar North) Technical Achievement of the Year 1. MotoGP (Xbox)(Climax) 2. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (GBA) (Crawfish) 3. Burnout 2 (PS2) (Criterion) Hardware Innovation of the Year 1. Steel Battalion controller (Capcom) 2. GamePark 32 handheld (Game Park) 3. Game Boy Advance SP handheld (Nintendo) Best Use of a License The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Electronic Arts) Posthumous Developer Recognition Rage Software Surprise of the Year Rocky (Rage Software) Disappointment of the Year Blinx: The Time Sweeper (Artoon) Vaporware Award Galleon (Confounding Factor) Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 18:12 PM [Top] Sphinx Site Goes Live [ THQ ] The official site for Sphinx has been launched today by THQ. In this game you play as the character with the same name as the title to the game. You have a sidekick who is a mummy follow you around through many different worlds as you try and defeat the all evil bad guy. You can read up on this game, which is set for a fall release this year, by going to the Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 18:08 PM [Top] Simpsons Hit and Run Details [ Vivendi Universal ] The game's graphics look a lot like the graphic style of Homer when he was stuck in cyberspace. If you're a Simpsons fan you should know which episode I am talking about and if you aren't a Simpons fan then we will try and get screens of the game soon. The game's features and description is listed below. FEATURES Over 56 driving and on-foot missions in 7 huge levels spread out over the familiar Springfield landmarks Explore Springfield like never before – ON FOOT - as Homer, Bart, Apu, Marge, and Lisa. For the first time, explore the interiors of locations like the Kwik-e-mart, the Power Plant, and even the Simpsons home. Brand new story and dialogue written by award-winning The Simpsons writers Voiced by The Simpsons cast for full brand authenticity Drive as 17 different characters including Cletus, Comic Book Guy, and Principal Skinner with his nagging Mother as a backseat driver. Over 40 unique vehicles to unlock including Homer's Mr. Plow and Cletus's pick-up truck. Pick-up-and play game controls are inviting for non-gaming Simpsons fan while challenging the serious gamer In-game animated gags and hidden jokes throughout the environments give the genuine feel of being in an episode of The Simpsons. Hidden pickups containing episode-specific bonus material from the last 14 seasons to reward The Simpsons fan and increase the shelf life of title. Multiplayer mode for up-to 4 players in unlockable driving challenges. GAME STORYLINE There are strange happenings in Springfield. People are missing, very mysterious crop circles are appearing, and hidden cameras are being exposed. When Homer notices a black van with a satellite dish parked outside the Simpsons house, he decides to investigate further into these odd events. What he reveals could be the biggest mystery to rock Springfield since Who Shot Mr. Burns? The Simpsons Hit & Run promises a hilarious mission based driving game with exciting out-of-the-car platform gameplay, the signature satire of The Simpsons, and the interactive world of Springfield. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 18:00 PM [Top] Seven New The Hulk Screenshots [ C-E ] Cube-Europe scored some pretty decent looking screens of the upcoming Hulk game which is being published by Universal Interactive. The game is set to release a couple of weeks after E3 on May 28th. The president of UI, Jim Wilson has the following to say about the game, "The Hulk is one of the most physically powerful and emotionally compelling superhero characters ever created, and his transition to the world of interactive entertainment will extend all the power of this movie event and create a uniquely exciting game experience." Click the source link to look at the screens. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 17:53 PM [Top] Midway Gets Scolded for Violent Ad [ Gamers.com ] Midway was running an advertisement in Europe for the recently released Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. The advertisement was taken down due to a series of complaints by parents of younger children. They said the advertisement condoned violence and racism (because there was an African-American depicted in the ad). You can view an ad similiar to the one removed by heading over to Gamers.com or clicking the source link. Midway now has to go to the Committee of Advertising Practice every time they want to put up a new advertisement now in Europe. Midway's European marketing director David Burton told Reuters news service, "The poster in question was created in conjunction with a TV advertising campaign, which hints at the player's competitive nature and what they are thinking while playing. It does not portray a crime or violent act." Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 17:12 PM [Top] Crash Nitro Kart Official [ Vivendi Universal ] It seems a little too much like Mario Kart and it will be coming out around the same time too. I wonder what game is going to sell better? Anyway, here is a quote from the press release, "The release of a Crash Bandicoot kart racing title created specifically for next-generation video game systems has been eagerly anticipated by Crash fans for some time," said Luc Vanhal, VU Games' North American President & COO. "By mixing rich next-generation graphics and incredible gameplay with the playability and fun of classic kart-racing titles, Crash Nitro Kart will lead the pack in 2003." Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 16:57 PM [Top] Def Jam Vendetta Tour [ Electronic Arts ] Don't get too excited, it isn't what you think. Basically it will be radio giveaways, store tournaments, and a concert by the Def Jam artists at the end of the stop in each city. I would participate in it if it were the artists beating the crap out of eachother. I mean, rappers seem to beat the hell out of eachother every day anyway; they should go on stage and have people pay to watch. - Sunday, May 11th - Chicago - House Of Blues - Monday, May 12th - Pittsburgh - Laga - Tuesday, May 13th - Columbus - Brick Yard - Wednesday, May 14th - Cleveland - Peabody's - Thursday, May 15th - Philadelphia - Chrome - Friday, May 16th - Baltimore - Hammerjacks - Sunday, May 18th - Washington DC - VIP - Tuesday, May 20th - Atlanta - Vision - Wednesday, May 21st - Orlando - Tabu - Thursday, May 22nd - Tampa - XS - Saturday, May 24th - Miami - Tuesday, May 27th - Los Angeles - House Of Blues - Wednesday, May 28th - Anaheim - House Of Blues - Thursday, May 29th - San Francisco - Filmore - Friday, May 30th - Portland - Roseland - Sunday, June 1st - San Diego - 4th & B - Monday, June 2nd - Phoenix - Cajun House - Thursday, June 5th - Norfolk - Boathouse - Friday, June 6th - Raleigh - Saturday, June 7th - Columbia, SC Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 16:54 PM [Top] Cat in the Hat Announced for Cube [ Vivendi Universal ] Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) announced today that it will publish Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat, a 3D action-adventure game inspired by the upcoming Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures/Imagine Entertainment presentation of Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat. Developed by Magenta Software for console and Digital Eclipse Software for the handheld and PC, Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat interactive game will make its multi-platform debut in the fourth quarter 2003. Inspired by the film, the video game tells the story of Conrad, a young boy tricked by his neighbor, Mr. Quinn, into opening the Cat's big red box of Seussian magic, allowing it to escape into the real world. The Cat must help Conrad and his sister, Sally, return the Seussian magic to the box and retrieve all three pieces of the "Crab Lock" in order to lock the box for good. Players will also get the unique chance to explore a world beyond the film, as they navigate through rooms of the house that are not seen in the movie. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 16:45 PM [Top] Square E3 Lineup [ Nintendo/Square Enix ] Square and Enix Co. along with Nintendo of America revealed what the acclaimed RPG makers have in store for Nintendo fans at E3 this May. There will be three games present at the event, including Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicle (GC), Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA), and Sword of Mana, "an action role-playing game with its roots deep in the time-honored craft of 2-D - also is coming to Game Boy Advance. Boasting a huge game environment, the story will alter depending on the character and course the player chooses to follow" which we haven't heard of before. FF:CC is scheduled for a Japanese release this year, with no word on when it will come to the States or other regions. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 16:08 PM [Top] New Screens for Enter the Matrix [ EtM Official Site ] The game comes out the same day as the movie, May 15th, across all platforms. The basic plot of the movie is that you have to do certain things in order for Neo to succeed and save Zion. The new screens are below for you to marvel at. , , , , , , Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 14:48 PM [Top] Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 Announced [ ActiVision ] Activision announced almost a year ago that they virtually own Tony Hawk. They have the rights to use his name until 2015. Already they are on the fifth installment of the mega hit extreme sports franchise. Tony Hawk 5 will be available on all four next generation consoles; GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, and of course Gameboy Advance. The game will be featured at E3 with some new information on the game. This game will most likely have online capabilities for GameCube as well as Live support for Xbox and online support for PS2. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 14:31 PM [Top] New F-Zero AC Information [ Nintendo of America ] Some new information has come to light about F-Zero AC and its connectivity with F-Zero GC. The following passage is from Nintendo's site of F-Zero, "When you use a Memory Card with F-Zero Arcade, you can transfer new pilots or machine parts that you can use for customization on your Nintendo GameCube. You can even race your home-built machine in the arcade!" F-Zero AC is definitely on board to come to North America and possibily other regions of the world. F-Zero GC is set to release on August 25th. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 14:10 PM [Top] Mario Tennis Online [ ESRB ] According to the ESRB website the next addition to the Mario Tennis franchise will in fact be online. Nothing is confirmed by Nintendo as of yet but the possibility for this game to be online were very good in previous months. Nintendo is very likely to make announcements about this game and the other Mario games at E3. It would not surprise me the least if Mario Tennis and Mario Golf were online. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 14:03 PM [Top] Hidden Games in Sonic Adventure DX? [ Sega ] The newest Sonic game to hit GameCube, Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut, has some added bonuses to it. Hidden throughout the game there are twelve Game Gear games. Most of these games are presumed to be the old Sonic games, but there is a possibility that there are other games as well. Right now it is unknown how you would unlock these game and if/when you do you can play them whenever you want. This could be a really nice feature if it was done correctly. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 13:54 PM [Top] Return of the King Announced by EA [ Electronic Arts ] The Return of the King has been announced to release this fall around the same time the movie comes out. The game will be on five systems; GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, Gameboy Advance, and PC. In this game you take on the roles of Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Sam and Frodo and also host a few other modes like multiplayer and co-op. The Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and PC versions will be developed by Redwood Shores Studio, while the GBA version will be handled by Griptonite Games. To go to the official site hit the source link. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, April 25 2003 13:48 PM [Top] Online Play for Mortal Kombat VI [ IGNCube ] IGN Cube is reporting that they have confirmation that Mortal Kombat VI is currently in development and will be released for multiple platforms at the end of 2004. They also mentioned it is being redone from scratch and that online play will in fact be incorporated into the final version of the game. It will also be a long while before any other information or press releases are announced to the public about the game. Chris Tucker -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 22:17 PM [Top] 1,350 Games to be Unveiled at E3 [ Gamers.com ] Interactive Digital Software Association has announced today that the video game industry will be showing off one thousand three hundred fifty (or 1,350 if you're a lazy reader) new products at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3. They surveyed 93% of the exhibitors that intend on showing their stuff. And as for the other numbers from the survey... 57.3% of the games are set for consoles 26.7% for PCs 8.6% for handhelds 4.7% for PDAs, wireless phones and other platforms 2.6 % will be online/Internet games Genres of the games... 20.3% Action 15.5% Sports/Racing 11.7% RPG 8.3% Strategy 8% Adventure 5.1% "Child and Family" 4.8% Educational/Edutainment 2.9% Simulation Yeah, E3 is next month. Crawling towards us journalists with a cold, bloodied, rusted kitchen knife. I can't wait! Chris Tucker -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 21:05 PM [Top] Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines for the Cube [ IGNCube ] Atari has announced that Black Ops Entertainment will be developing the Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines game that we all knew would come. Said to be a first person shooter which will contain somewhere over 20 weapons, such as grenade launchers, assault rifles and futuristic weaponry like the SkyNet Arc-Laser, and is scheduled to be played in 20 various areas of cities from the present day or cities from the future war. The plot will follow closely along with the movie, featuring clips from the film and about five minutes of newly filmed footage shot exclusively for the game. It will also apparently feature a chance to be evil. Yep, you know you want to be evil. The part where you play as the enemy will be set in the future before the T-800 (Schwarzeneggar) was programmed to save John Connor. How exciting. The game is scheduled for a Fall 2003 release on all major video game systems and will be shown at E3 this year. Chris Tucker -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 20:40 PM [Top] Washington State Passes Videogame Violence Bill [ GCA ] Washington State has passed a bill making it a misdemeanor to rent or sell vidoegames that depict violent acts against police or other government authorities to persons under the age of 17. The bill was passed in a landslide vote of 47-7. The exact wording bill is as follows, "Contains realistic or photographic-like depictions of aggressive conflict in which the player kills, injures, or otherwise causes violence to a human form in the game who is depicted, by dress or other recognizable symbols, as a public law enforcement officer." If caught selling and/or renting these games to persons under 17 there will be a hefty fine waiting for them (if they're caught of course). Matthew Silver -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 17:07 PM [Top] Jack Noseworthy Signs on to RE2 [ IMDB ] Jack Noseworthy is the most recent actor to sign on to be in Resident Evil 2: Nemesis. Jack will be playing that annoying helicopter pilot that leaves Jill and Chris to fend for themselves in Resident Evil (game). After thinking it over in my head Brad Vickers is the first victim of the Nemesis in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (game). Jack Noseworthy has starred in films such as Undercover Brother, U-571, Idle Hands, and Event Horizon. If you want to see the rest of Jack's work head over to . Also, Jason Isaacs (The Patriot, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) is signed on to play Doctor William Birkin. Other presumed characters in the movie include Jill Valentine and Albert Wesker, though it is not known who will play them. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 16:38 PM [Top] Resident Evil 2: Nemisis Casting and Info [ Hollywood Reporter ] Once again Milla Jovavich is on to play the part of Alice who is trying to stop the deadly T-Virus from escpaing further than it already has. While she is trying to contain the virus she is also trying to escape Raccoon City; which has been taken over by the zombies and Nemisis. The Nemisis is presumed to be the same one from Resident Evil 3: Nemisis the game. Filming for the movie will begin this August in Toronto. Paul S. Anderson, who wrote and directed the first installment, wrote the script for the sequel and will produce along with his Impact Pictures partner Jeremy Bolt as well as Bernd Eichinger of Constantin Film and Sam Hadida of Davis Films. The release of the movie is supposed to be early 2004. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 14:38 PM [Top] Pikmin 2 and Mario Kart: Double Dash Release Dates [ Nintendo of Europe ] On Nintendo of Europe's media site they mention that both Pikmin 2 and Mario Kart: Double Dash will be released in Europe by the end of the year. If Europe is getting these two mega hits by year's end then it is most likely that they will be released in Japan shortly after E3 and probably late Summer or early Fall for the North American region. Both of these games will be at E3 with Mario Kart: Double Dash probably being Nintendo's biggest featured game. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 14:24 PM [Top] Japanese Hardware Sales (April 14-20) [ Media Create ] Gameboy Advance SP continues to beat out PS2 by a few thousand units, while GameCube sales continue to be rather poor. Xbox is still doing horribly over in Japan. - Gameboy Advance SP: 56,100 (Total: 774,600) - PlayStation 2: 41,600 (Total: 1,067,300) - Gameboy Advance: 12,300 (Total: 8176300) - GameCube: 6,900 (Total: 242,600) - Xbox: 1,200 (Total: 51,100) - PSOne: 1,100 (Total: 35,100) - Gameboy Color: 510 (Total: 10,700) - Wonder Swan: 380 (Total: 19,300) Matthew Silver -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 14:17 PM [Top] Auto Modellista on the GameCube [ EB Games ] EB Games now has a listing for Auto Modellista, Capcom's cel-shaded racing game. Apparently they have the release date as October 7th, 2003. They also have it listed for the Xbox. There isn't any confirmation from Capcom as of yet, so this could be another one of EB Games' screw ups. We'll let you know more as it developes Matt Schraeder -- Posted on Thursday, April 24 2003 11:27 AM [Top] Rogue Squadron III Game Details [ GCAdvanced ] GCA recently received a copy of the June edition of Electronic Gaming Monthly. Inside there was tons of new information regarding Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike. Below is all the information. - The game will span 13 missions plus 7 additional hidden missions that take place right after the destruction of the Death Star. - Missions will include memorable parts of the Star Wars Trilogy such as saving Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker (posing as imperial soldiers) all modeled with painstaking detail. - The famous Hoth level will be expanded to enable you to fly up into orbit and see the battle taking place below you on the snow covered grounds. - Character models will be rendered using the character rendering technology made for Thornado which supposedly enables very realistic onscreen characters. - This time the skies and backgrounds will be filled with up to 120 Tie Fighters. That is double the amount that Rogue Squadron 2 was able to display. - Background terrain is now 16x more detailed than in Rogue Squadron 2. - A revamped sky particle system models how light scatters in the atmosphere as well as allowing very realistic modeling of sunrises and sunsets of the twin suns of Tatooine. - The ewoks will now help you via d-pad controls in parts of the forest levels. - The game incorporates destructible backgrounds such as trees. - There will be times where you have a choice of different characters to use during some levels. Situations and game play will change depending on who is chosen. This could lead to some interesting branching storylines and levels. - All of the original Rogue Leader levels will be included in the game as Co-Op only missions. - Other multiplayer modes for up to four players will also be available. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 19:28 PM [Top] Spawn to be at E3 [ Impress Game Watch ] Todd McFarlane's comic book character Spawn, who is a playable character in the Xbox version of Soul Calibur II, will be getting his own 3D action/adventure game. The game will most likely be called simply "Spawn". The game is planned to be released on all three next-gen systems. Obviously, Namco is going to be the developer and publisher. No release date is known now but this game will be at E3 so we will probably find out then. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 19:18 PM [Top] Pikmin 2 Does Have a Story! [ Nintendo of America ] Pikmin 2 was announced a little while back without any real solid story. With Nintendo opening its E3 2003 website today we now have that story. It seems kind of interesting, maybe even better than the first Pikmin. "The company he works for is going bankrupt, so to save it, Olimar must salvage the treasure buried all over the planet. His company's debt is a whopping 10,000 pokos- luckily, Olimar brought an assistant, so if the two of them can delegate their work well, they should be able to erase that debt in no time! Of course, they'll need the help of the Pikmin to do that-these two can't do anything by themselves. Alternate controlling the main characters-Olimar and his assistant-as you command your Pikmin to defeat enemies, propagate more Pikmin, collect precious doodads, and solve puzzles. With no time limit, new colors of Pikmin, and two-player cooperative play, Pikmin 2 improves on the original in every way." Did they really just use the word "doodads?" Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 19:00 PM [Top] Nintendo Launches E3 2003 Website [ Nintendo of America ] Nintendo has launched their E3 preview site, complete with some new information of F-Zero, Pikmin 2, Kirby's Air Ride, Advance Wars 2, Wario World, and of course the newly unveiled Mario Kart: Double Dash. The Café will be reporting to you live at E3 2003 in a few weeks so stay tuned for more inforamtion. You can go directly to the game page of your choice below or the main page by clicking the source link. Each page has new screens and the backstory to the game. Matt Schraeder -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 14:54 PM [Top] MARIO KART REVEALED! (Updated) [ Newtechnix ] Newtechnix has scored some unbelievable shots of Mario Kart: Double Dash. This game is looking insane, with a whole slew of new vehicles, tracks, and presumably weapons as well. Characters include Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Yoshi, Birdo, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Bowser, Baby Bowser, Koopa Troopa, and Koopa Paratroopa. Looks like our April Fools joke wasn't too far off. Some interesting new gameplay features are shown, like two characters on the same vehicle, along with classic 4-player mode. Click the source link to see them and shed tears of joy. Mario Kart is back. While you're there, check out the and Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 14:24 PM [Top] Konami Breaks Rules of The Fair Trade Commission of Japan [ Gamers.com ] The Fair Trade Commission of Japan has issued a warning to Konami in regards to attempting to hold a monopoly on the Japanese Bassball Associate videogames. Konami does have a license to use the JPBA teams and players but had to sub-license to other developers if there wasn't a good reason not to. This has apparently been going on since April of 2000 (when Konami obtained the license). However, the license is up next month and Konami's license will not be renewed. The JPBA will not distribute rights to developers on an individual basis. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 4:35 AM [Top] Weekly UK Sales Charts (April 13-19) [ ELSPA Ltd ] It's nice to see some GameCube games on the list, even if they are only 3rd party developers and on PS2 and Xbox as well. 1. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA, PC/Ubi Soft) 2. The Sims (Xbox, PS2, NGC, PC/Electronic Arts) 3. Championship Manager 4 (PC/Eidos) 4. Primal (PS2/SCEE) 5. FIFA 2003 (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA, PC/Electronic Arts) 6. Harry Potter – Chamber Of Secrets (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA, PC/Electronic Arts) 7. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2/Take-Two Interactive) 8. The Getaway (PS2/SCEE) 9. Vietcong (PC/Gathering) 10. X-Men 2: Wolverine’s Revenge (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA, PC/Activision) 11. Dancing Stage Party Edition (PSOne/Konmi) 12. Metal Gear Solid 2 – Substance (Xbox, PS2, PC/Konami) 13. Lord Of The Rings – The Two Towers (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA/Electronic Arts) 14. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon (Xbox, PS2, NGC, PC/Ubi Soft) 15. Rayman 3 (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA, PC/Ubi Soft) 16. Zelda: Link To The Past (GBA/Nintendo) 17. Devil May Cry 2 (PS2/Capcom) 18. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (Xbox, PS2, NGC, PC/Electronic Arts) 19. Lord Of The Rings – Fellowship Of The Ring (Xbox, PS2, NGC, GBA/VU Games) 20. Freelancer (PC/Microsoft) Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 4:28 AM [Top] Rogue Squadron III Details and Screens Released [ Gamers.com ] Bits of information and the first screens from Rogue Squadron III have been released on the internet. It seems that once again Star Wars fanatics and those who loved the previous games of the Rogue Squadron series shall once again battle on the beautiful, cold planet of Hoth. In addition to that, the screens also show off new features such as a two player co-operative mode, the ability to leave your vehicle and run around in a third person view and leaping into various different vehicles, other than what the Rebel Alliance provided for you, such as AT-STs, speeder bikes and so on. The June issue of the magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly, which will apparently hit magazine stands May 6th while subscribers get it this week, will contain more exclusive details and around 40 screens from the game. Gamers.com also mentions they will have a two minute gameplay movie sometime in the middle of May. More can be read about the upcoming title at the source link provided above. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 4:25 AM [Top] Shinji Mikami Steps Down [ Magic Box ] Shinji Mikami has decided to step down as the chief of Production Studio 4. The decision comes from recent poor sales of Biohazrad 0 and P.N.03. He will still stay on a a producer but will have very little say in the big decisions that are being made. With Shinji Mikami out of the main office it appears that Killer 7 cancelation rumors have disappeared; the game will still be made. This also means that maybe the controls for the remaining 4 of the Capcom 5 will be semi-decent. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, April 23 2003 4:16 AM [Top] Rogue Squadron III Details and Screens Released [ Gamers.com ] Bits of information and the first screens from Rogue Squadron III have been released on the internet. It seems that once again Star Wars fanatics and those who loved the previous games of the Rogue Squadron series shall once again battle on the beautiful, cold planet of Hoth. In addition to that, the screens also show off new features such as a two player co-operative mode, the ability to leave your vehicle and run around in a third person view and leaping into various different vehicles, other than what the Rebel Alliance provided for you, such as AT-STs, speeder bikes and so on. The June issue of the magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly, which will apparently hit magazine stands May 6th while subscribers get it this week, will contain more exclusive details and around 40 screens from the game. Gamers.com also mentions they will have a two minute gameplay movie sometime in the middle of May. More can be read about the upcoming title at the source link provided above. Chris Tucker -- Posted on Tuesday, April 22 2003 21:48 PM [Top] Resident Evil CVX Confirmed for Cube [ Capcom Japan ] Finally, Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil: Code Veronica X will be ported over to the GameCube. The official site for the game has been launched by Capcom Japan. You can view the site and read up on game details and characters by clicking Matthew Silver -- Posted on Tuesday, April 22 2003 15:14 PM [Top] True Crime: Streets of LA Cast List [ Activision ] True Crime: Streets of LA, which is "inspired by Hong Kong action flicks and American crime dramas, True Crime: Streets of L.A. puts the player in the shoes of Nick Kang, a rogue ex-cop whose personal vendetta with the L.A. underground nets him as many enemies with the "Force" as with the syndicates he's sworn to destroy. is sporting an all-star voice cast. Here's the list: -Gary Oldman, featured in films as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Sirius Black), Bram Stoker's Dracula (Count Dracula) and Air Force One (Ivan Korshunov) -Michael Madsen, from Die Another Day (Damian Falco) and Reservoir Dogs ("Mr. Blonde") -Russell Wong, Romeo Must Die (Kai) -Michelle Rodriguez, Resident Evil (Rain Ocampo) and The Fast and the Furious (Letty) -Ron Perlman, Star Trek: Nemesis (Reman Viceroy), Blade II (Dieter Reinhardt) and Enemy at the Gates (Koulikov) -CCH Pounder, End of Days (Detective Margie Francis), Face/Off (Dr. Holllis Miller) -James Hong, Wayne's World 2 (Jeff Hong), Kung Fu TV show (Hsiang) -Mako, Pearl Harbor (Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto), Highlander II: The Sorcerer (Nakano), and Seven Years in Tibet (Kungo Tsarong) -Keone Young, Jack (Dr. Lin), Striptease (Ling), and Fear (Detective William Wu) And the kicker... -Christopher Walken, A View to a Kill (Max Zorin), Wayne's World 2 (Bobby Cahn), Sleepy Hollow (The Headless Horseman), Catch Me if You Can (Frank Abagnale, Sr.), and Pulp Fiction (Capt. Koons) That's a hell of a cast, hopefully the game can deliver on it. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, April 22 2003 14:44 PM [Top] P. Diddy Decides to Create Videogame [ New York Post ] Sean "P.Diddy" Combs is currently working to get his new game idea into development. Right now he has no developer, no publisher, no details on the game, and no idea which system it will be available on. Basically he has no game, only an idea. However, with his large resources of money from his music and clothing businesses it is most likely this idea will be made into a game. The game seems a lot like The Sims but in a more "business" way. Players take the role of a character and try to bring their character to the head of a global entertainment corporation. "P. Diddy" had the following to say, “This new game will have Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs’ likeness in a top-of-the-line video game, which will reach the elusive youth and urban markets.” Dear lord, he talks in the third person when desribing his own game. He seems a touch to full of himself. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Tuesday, April 22 2003 3:18 AM [Top] WrestleMania XIX Roster List [ Gamers.com ] THQ has released the list of playable and non-playable characters in their newest wrestling game for Cube. Expect to see this game at E3 with lots of coverage here at GCCafe. The list awaits you: Kurt Angle Stone Cold Steve Austin Batista Chris Benoit Big Show Booker T John Cena Christian Bubba Ray Dudley D-Von Dudley Edge Ric Flair Goldberg Goldust Chavo Guerrero Eddie Guerrero Jeff Hardy Matt Hardy Hulk Hogan Hurricane Chris Jericho Kane Stacy Keibler Brock Lesnar Lita Dawn Marie Stephanie McMahon Vince McMahon Shawn Michaels Rey Mysterio Chris Nowinski Randy Orton William Regal Rikishi The Rock Al Snow Scott Steiner Lance Storm Trish Stratus Tajiri Test Triple H Undertaker Rob Van Dam Victoria Torrie Wilson Non-Playable Characters Jim Ross (Commentator) Jerry Lawler (Commentator) Earl Hebner (Referee) Nick Patrick (Referee) Matthew Silver -- Posted on Tuesday, April 22 2003 3:05 AM [Top] New Lost Kingdoms II Trailer [ From Software ] Lost Kingdoms II is set to release for Cube next month right before E3. The newest trailer can be saved to your harddrive by right clicking and saving as. You can also look at Dannielle's preview of the game to read up on what it's about; do that by clicking Matthew Silver -- Posted on Tuesday, April 22 2003 3:00 AM [Top] Last Week's Rentals Numbers [ GamerFeed ] GameCube rentals are lacking. The only thing I can say about The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker being so poorly represented is the fact that everyone already owns it. 1. Midnight Club 2 (PlayStation 2/Take-Two Interactive) 2. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (PlayStation 2/Ubi Soft) 3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PlayStation 2/Ubi Soft) 4. Def Jam Vendetta (PlayStation 2/EA) 5. The Getaway (PlayStation 2/Sony) 6. Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelists Of The Roses (PlayStation 2/Konami) 7. The Sims (PlayStation 2/EA) 8. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai (PlayStation 2/Infogrames) 9. The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube/Nintendo) 10. All-Star Baseball 2004 (PlayStation 2/Acclaim) Matthew Silver -- Posted on Monday, April 21 2003 15:57 PM [Top] Next Bond Game is Underway [ Variety ] Not much has been said by Electronic Arts about the new James Bond game, but today from a story coming from Variety a little light is shed on the subject. It was today reported that Bruce Feirstein, the screenwriter for MGM’s James Bond movies: "Goldeneye" (1995), "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) and "The World Is Not Enough" (1999)), will be helping with the next game. No plot details or other information is available at this time. It does seem unlikely at this point that they would be using the storyline from Die Another Day, the latest Bond movie. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Monday, April 21 2003 15:52 PM [Top]