Did you think Grandma’s house was the only travel destination on your itinerary this holiday season? Think again. Thanks to the Wii™ Shop Channel, you’ve got some extraordinary places to see, from tropical islands and exotic golf courses to a faraway planet in need of triumphant heroes. Whether you play solo or with family and friends, these awesome new offerings are sure to deliver an extra dose of holiday cheer. Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are: WiiWare™ Tiki Towers™ (RealArcade, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Tiki Towers is a game of construction, destruction, problem-solving and monkeys. Reclaim the islands of your tribe by defeating a series of evil enemy chiefs. Work with your monkey friends to build towers out of bamboo poles, coconuts and vines. Match wits against the enemy chiefs bent on destroying your towers and driving you from the islands. Navigate levels filled with crazy building challenges, and deal with unfriendly wildlife and other environmental...

Konami has released a free demo of the ultimate squad, tactical shooter based on the popular Metal Gear Solid® Universe. A limited version of the Metal Gear Online game is now available exclusively on the PlayStation® Network. This demo is only playable on PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems that do not have a previously installed and registered retail copy of Metal Gear Online.  A must for anyone who wants to experience the Metal Gear Universe, this demo showcases the multiplayer aspect of the series including specialization skills, the new Sons of Patriot (SOP) system, online play and so much more. Additionally, Metal Gear fans can now purchase Metal Gear Online - MEME Expansionand have the opportunity to win a limited edition, Metal Gear Online Happy New Year T-Shirt. MEME Expansion contains a vast amount of content including new maps, special characters, new skills, new customizable characters, funny avatar parts and more. 1,200 randomly selected players will win one of three different styled in-game shirts, which will be distributed on January 5th, 2009. Metal Gear Online is available for a SRP of $9.99 through MGOnline's in-game shop. For more information please visit: http://www.konami.com.

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Holiday shoppers visiting Toys“R”Us Times Square will find a new surprise waiting for them—a new Nintendo department offering an interactive way to have fun, while experiencing the wide range of Nintendo products available this holiday season and beyond.The Nintendo department, located on Level One of the Toys“R”Us international flagship store, is nearly 1,000 square feet and is easily visible from the store’s windows overlooking Broadway. Visitors to The World’s Greatest Toy Store™ will find an interactive Wii™ wall within the department, offering shoppers the chance to play select Wii games. Additionally, shoppers interested in sampling a portable experience can play one of eight Nintendo DS™ systems with a variety of games. The department also features a Nintendo gallery, showcasing images from Nintendo’s history of classic and current games.The Nintendo department also features specially trained Nintendo experts who can walk shoppers through the department’s experience and provide information about Nintendo products. Shoppers can easily identify these experts by their special Nintendo-branded uniforms.“What we’ve been seeing all year long is the expansion of video game fun to people of both genders, and all ages and tastes—there’s literally something for everyone,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president...

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., (December 18, 2008) - True Games Interactive, aninternational publisher of multi-player online games, revealed todaynew screen shots and key details for its highly anticipated Onlineaction MMORPG, Warrior Epic (www.warriorepic.com). Developed byAustin-based studio Possibility Space, the game has already developeda growing community and will launch in Spring 2009.  True Games and Possibility Space today revealed details on the formerlyravaged and sunken land, Aberas, where players will begin theirjourney in Warrior Epic. Aberas will offer 20 unique zones, multiplePvP areas and randomized dungeons with infinite re-playability. Formore information about Aberas and its story; from its people'sgreed-driven exile to its triumphant return and its current state ofwar, raids and alliances and more, see below.   The story of Aberas"Aberas is Risen!" the fisherman had yelled to shore. "We Are Forgiven!Maraendee be Praised!"But his joyful words, uttered four centuries past and now rememberedonly in tarnished silver letters upon a crumbling temple wall,ultimately proved hollow. For while the sunken land of Aberas hadindeed returned from the watery depths of the Great sea, the exiledSumanti Tribe, children of the sea goddess Maraendee, had not beenforgiven.Greed had been their downfall; greed and a lack of respect for thebounty Maraendee provided. The Sumanti took more from...

Culver City, Calif. (December 18, 2008) – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) releases the romantic comedy13 Going on 30 on Blu-ray Disc™ January 20, 2009 for the SRP of $28.95.  Jennifer Garner[1] (Catch & Release,“Alias”) and Mark Ruffalo (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac) star in this charming love story about a girl who wakes up on her 13th birthday to find that she’s Jenna Rink, age 30 (Garner).  The Blu-ray release of 13 Going on 30 will be part of SPHE’s “Girls’ Night In” promotion and will offer consumers the chance to enter to win fabulous prizes at www.girlsnightinfun.com. Added delights on this Blu-ray Disc include commentary with directors and producers, 18 deleted scenes, two music videos, and a featurette exclusive to Blu-ray: “The Making of a Teen Dream: Another Take.”   Jenna Rink (Allen) is a typical pre-teen – she thinks her parents are “dorky,” wants to be accepted by the “cool kids” and she bores easily.  To celebrate her 13th birthday, Jenna decides to throw a big party and invite all the popular kids from school. The party doesn’t end well and Jenna is humiliated, so she wishes she could be 30 years old and have the life she always wanted.  Jenna (Garner) wakes up the next day...

Looking for something to do during the holidays?  EA and Crytek are teaming up to give the gift of gaming – in the form of 10 free days of Crysis Wars, the new multiplayer suite for Crytek’s critically-acclaimed Crysis franchise and part of this fall’s Crysis Warhead.  Crysis Wars will be free to play from December 19th through December 28th, and will include the Holiday Map Pack Crytek is releasing this week for existing Crysis Wars players.    Starting today, gamers can take advantage of this great offer by registering online at www.mycrysis.com and by downloading Crysis Wars.  After registration, players will receive a unique key generated on the site that will be saved to their profile, allowing them to play on all online multiplayer servers from Friday, December 19th at 9:00 AM PT to December 28th at 11:59 PM PT.   Crysis Wars is part of Crysis Warhead, the follow up to Crysis, one of the highest rated games of last year and winner of Editor’s Choice Awards from IGN and GameSpot.  Crysis Wars includes three diverse multiplayer modes, InstantAction, TeamInstantAction and PowerStruggle, with 21 diverse maps ranging from large battlefields to smaller, more intimate battlegrounds.    The Holiday Map Pack contains two new multiplayer maps: ·         Savanna (PowerStruggle): The large savanna plains in the neighborhood of the Victoria falls provide ideal maneuvering grounds for heavy armored...

The Dwarf New Year celebration of Keg End has officially begun and the festivities in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning are in full swing! The forces of Order and Destruction are now invited to join a Realm-wide pub crawl across the Old World as the Dwarfs drain their old barrels and casks in hopes of good fortune and better brews in the New Year.   Of course, holidays in WAR are never just for celebrating, and this one is no exception. Ogres have been drawn out of hiding by the scent of beer and blood, and those who challenge them in combat may be rewarded with special Keg End loot. Snotlings have also been discovered in ale stores across the world, and the special brews they’ve snatched could prove extremely useful for Order and Destruction players alike.   Even more incredible are stories popping up about the legendary Golden Stein, a powerful relic that bestows the blessings of Grimnir himself on whoever possesses it. Rumors say that it’s been spotted on battlefields across the Old World, but only the daring and dedicated will be able to unravel its mysteries as the New Year approaches.   Light your fireworks and /toast a friend, because Keg End has begun and the WAR rages on!...

WHAT:Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) decks the virtual halls again this holiday season with in-game activities and festive themed events in many of its online video games. This December, EverQuest® andEverQuest® II players will enjoy the annual Frostfell celebration, including a special event in theLegends of Norrath™ virtual trading card game. Not to be outshone by its Norrathian counterpart,Vanguard Saga of Heroes™ is celebrating the holiday season in the online world of Telon, and in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Galaxies™ players will enjoy the spectacular experience of Wookiee Life Day.In-game events are as follows:   EverQuest® II: Frostfell, the celebration of kinship and giving, has once again arrived in Norrathspanning from Dec. 11, 2008, to Jan. 5, 2009. Players are invited to enjoy the Frostfell WonderlandVillage through the Magic Closets in Qeynos Harbor, West Freeport, Haven, Kelethin, Neriak and Gorowyn. Players can also gather presents to craft wondrous new Frostfell goodies to add to their collections. The festivities also include a daily present from everyone's favorite Frostfell Gigglegibber, Santa Glug!   For detailed information, please visit www.eq2players.com.   EverQuest®: In the Plane of Knowledge, the impending Frostfell celebrations have been ruined by a spate of thievery, and it is up to the players to save the celebration. Many families have been awakened by ruffians and monsters breaking into...

  San Francisco, CA, and Burbank, CA, December 17, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) and Warner Home Video (WHV) have reached agreement for the home entertainment distribution in the United States and Mexico of new and catalog DVD releases from VIZ Media.  The announcement was jointly made by Hidemi Fukuhara, President and CEO of VIZ Media and Jeff Brown, WHV Executive Vice President and General Manager, TV, Family and Animation.  Effective April 1, 2009, WHV will be the exclusive home entertainment distributor for new and catalog DVD content based on well-known franchises such as NARUTO, BLEACH, DEATH NOTE and INUYASHA as well as the POKÉMON animated television series and catalog features.  The first new DVD releases from VIZ Media and WHV are scheduled to be NARUTO Uncut Box Set 13, NARUTO Uncut Box Set 13 Special Edition and HUNTER X HUNTER Box Set Volume 2 on April 7, 2009. VIZ Media is one of the leading purveyors of Japanese animated content (anime) and manga (graphic novel) publishing in North America. VIZ Media is one of the largest U.S. studios in the non-theatrical anime DVD segment and has played a major role in helping anime gain widespread mainstream popularity. A leader in the video distribution industry, over the...

Santiago, Chile, December 17, 2008 - ACE Team, an independent videogame developer based in Santiago, Chile, today released a new gameplaytrailer and the full detailed descriptions of its characters in itsupcoming PC game, Zeno Clash. The game will be available via Steam,Valve's digital distribution system in Q1 2009 in addition to beingavailable at retail (details TBD). Zeno Clash is a PC-basedaction/fighting game set in a punk fantasy world.Zeno Clash is a story driven game that uniquely blends the first persongenre with the fighting game genre. Players will play the role ofGhat, the son of an impressive hermaphrodite creature calledFather-Mother, whose children form the most powerful clan in the cityof Halstedom. Ghat must escape from his family and start an incrediblejourney with his female companion Deadra, who will aid him in thedangerous lands of Zenozoik. Some people live in the woods and have joined "The Corwid of the free"because they don't care for the semi-civilized life in the city.  InHalstedom there is no state or laws. As Corwids they are also freefrom common sense or reason. Insanity is the ultimate form of freedomfor them. In the woods they will develop their obsessions and maniasno matter how impractical or absurd these may be.Father-Mother...

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo of America Inc. and Nyko Technologies, Inc. today announced they have settled a lawsuit brought by Nintendo regarding Nintendo’s intellectual property rights relating to its popular Nunchuk® controller. Under the agreement, Nyko will continue to sell a redesigned version of its Kama wireless controller. “We are pleased to have resolved this dispute,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “The Nunchuk and Wii brands are familiar to consumers worldwide, and Nintendo is dedicated to vigorous defense of those brands.” “Nyko Technologies is proud to be an industry leader in gaming accessories,” said Herschel Naghi, CEO of Nyko, “and we will continue to develop exciting products for the benefit of the gaming community.” About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.8 billion video games and more than 480 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii and Nintendo DS, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names...

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Continuing its commitment to create fun and engaging experiences for everyone, Nintendo of America Inc. today unleashes a broad list of exciting new games for the first quarter of 2009. Topping the list isPokémon™ Platinum version for Nintendo DS™, a remarkable new entry in the beloved Pokémon series, slated for a March 22 launch across North America. Nintendo’s roster of more than 100 new games includes an impressive array of challenges and experiences for new players and loyalists, as well as everyone in between. Notable titles include the enhanced New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis™ and New Play Control! Pikmin™ for Wii™, and Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon, Personal Trainer™: Mathand Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS. “Our fans expect a diverse selection of entertainment options, and we’re eager to deliver exactly that,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “We’re building on the momentum of a strong holiday season by offering new and experienced players an even greater library of game titles in 2009.” Pokémon fans in particular will have plenty to cheer about as Pokémon Platinum is readied for its U.S. debut. Following the vast popularity of Pokémon® Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, Pokémon Platinum is the newest in the core series of Pokémon games.Pokémon Platinum features a new story full of adventure,...

Santa Clara, Calif. - Dec. 17, 2008 - Aeria Games announced today that the massively multiplayer real-time strategy game (MMORTS), Dreamlords: The Reawakening will begin its third era with several major feature additions.  Among the new features are: Convergence quests, world bosses on the PvP islands that give unprecedented rewards, and a PvP matchmaking system.MMORTS games are a growing breed of games aimed at players who prefer more intellectual playing mechanics.  Dreamlords is a highly strategic game where players rely on maximizing resource efficiencies and exploiting flaws in the battle plans of enemies.  The new era contains improvements for new players to ease into the genre.  To kick start the new era, Aeria Games is holding several contests where players can earn Aeria Points-the gaming portal's currency.Up to date contest information is available at the Aeria Games website at:http://dreamlords.aeriagames.com.  About Aeria Games:Aeria Games is the dynamic gaming community where players of all backgrounds and interests can connect, share, and enjoy an unparalleled variety of Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) games from all over the world.Our vision is to provide the best Community Gaming Experience and Service to each and every one of our players and best of all, every game is FREE to Play!...

Santa Clara, Calif. - Dec. 16, 2008 - Aeria Games announced today that they have launched their new website for Turf Battles, the free-to-play Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMORPG) from developer Imazic.Since April of 2008, devoted players have gone to great lengths to see the return of the North American version of Turf Battles.  Aeria Games heard the outcry and now fully intends to welcome Turf Battles into their portfolio of games.  Support from the player community has been overwhelming as they now count the days until Turf Battles rises from the ashes.Enter a world of conflict where players can engage in battles with friends and allies against opponents ranging in the hundreds or fight in solo competition in honorable combat.  In Turf Battles, players can: Customize your character to suit your style of play, from the high damage of the Mage to the tanking ability of the Blade Warrior.  Establish a Tribe, work to capture new land and promote or demote recruits to different ranks within the tribe.  Work together with other players while you explore vast dungeons and battle difficult monsters on your quest to earn great rewards.  Once a certain level has been achieved, players can develop new skills which transform their very appearance and grant them powerful new...

CENTURY CITY, Calif. – Beautiful and excruciating, inspirational and controversial, the timeless masterpiece, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, arrives on Blu-ray Disc (BD) February 17 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.  Written and directed by two-time Academy Award®-winner* Mel Gibson (Braveheart) and starring Jim Caviezel (Déjà Vu) and Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Revolutions), the awe-inspiring depiction of Jesus of Nazareth’s final journey to crucifixion became the one of the most talked about films of all time, taking in over $375 million at the box office and becoming one of the 15 highest grossing movies ever! THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST BD showcases Caleb Deschanel’s (The Patriot) Academy Award-nominated cinematography work and features all the Definitive Edition DVD bonus materials including the theatrical and less violent, re-cut versions of the film, filmmaker commentary with Gibson, Deschanel and Editor John Wright, production commentary, theologian commentary, music commentary, an extensive collection of “making-of” featurettes, deleted scenes, historical texts and more.  Five years after it made a first appearance in theaters, THE PASSION OF THE CHRISTBD will be available for the suggested retail price of $34.99 U.S.  Pre-book is January 21.   * 1995: Best Director (Braveheart); Best Picture (Braveheart)   SYNOPSIS: The Passion of the Christ focuses on the last twelve hours of...