Nintendo News

Multiple Multiplayer Modes Revealed in Kid Icarus: Uprising Game for Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo has revealed new details on the different multiplayer modes in Kid Icarus: Uprising, which will launch exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS system on March 23. More than 25 years after the launch of the original Kid Icarus game for NES, Kid Icarus: Uprising brings the action and adventure of this beloved series to new heights. Modes and features in the new game include:

Light vs. Dark: Team up with other players in Light vs. Dark multiplayer mode, in which two teams of three are pitted against one another. The ultimate goal is to empty the opposing team’s health meter, which transforms the last defeated team member into an angel. The team who defeats the opposing team’s angel wins. This unique multiplayer mode tests players’ ability to work as a team while keeping the match exciting as the focus constantly shifts from dealing out damage to protecting the team angel.

Free-for-All: In this mode, up to six players (including CPU players) combat each other in a winner-takes-all match. Winners are determined by high score, heavily influenced by both the number of kills and the number of deaths.
Match Set-up: Both Light vs. Dark and Free-for-All multiplayer modes are playable through local wireless play or online for players with broadband Internet access. CPU players will fill out the roster if there are fewer than six players in a match. Duration of the match, CPU difficulty, weapons and team handicaps are all customizable prior to beginning a multiplayer battle.
Weapons and Weapon Fusion: The wide variety of weapons a player has collected in single-player mode can be used during multiplayer matches. Players can also earn additional weapons as rewards in multiplayer play. Players can choose set combinations of weapons and powers before entering into a match. This provides further incentive for players to continue collecting different and more powerful weapons as they play through the single-player campaign. Players can also fuse weapons together at the Arms Altar. Fusing two weapons will result in a single, more powerful weapon that retains some of the key benefits of each, giving players the ability to customize weapons to match their play style. Fused weapons can also be used in multiplayer matches.
StreetPass: Through the StreetPass functionality of the Nintendo 3DS hardware, players have the ability to share one of their weapons with other Kid Icarus: Uprising owners. The selected weapon is turned into a Weapon Gem. Shared Weapon Gems can be converted into real weapons by paying Hearts. Players can also fuse Weapon Gems together by paying Hearts to create a more powerful Weapon.

Consumers who pre-order Kid Icarus: Uprising via GameStop, Best Buy and Amazon.com will receive a bonus download code for the 3D Classics: Kid Icarus game, a re-mastered 3D version of the NES original. The download code will be given to customers who pre-ordered Kid Icarus: Uprising at the time of the actual game purchase. Retailers may require a deposit for pre-orders. Kid Icarus: Uprising will carry a suggested retail price of $39.99 in the United States.

Kid Icarus: Uprising launches across North America on March 23. For more information, please visit http://kidicarusuprising.nintendo.com.

Xenoblade Chronicles Hits Wii on April 6 with The Last Story Soon to Follow

Nintendo Unveils Exciting Lineups for Wii and Nintendo 3DS

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo is loading 2012 with surprises for all kinds of gamers. Today Nintendo can confirm that the acclaimed role-playing game The Last Story™ will come to North America for the Wii™ console in 2012, published by XSEED Games. Nintendo also can reveal that Xenoblade Chronicles™ will launch on April 6, complete with fan-chosen artwork that will be featured in the game’s packaging.

“Together, these two games level up the excitement for RPG fans in America,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “Whether roaming the vast landscape of Xenoblade Chronicles or choosing crossbows to battle with or against companions in The Last Story, gamers will recognize these titles as benchmarks for the genre.”

Remember also that Rhythm Heaven™ Fever for Wii launched Feb. 13, while PokéPark™ 2: Wonders Beyond launches Feb. 27 and Mario Party™ 9 launches March 11.

On the portable gaming side, a sporty new Mario™ game for the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system is on the way, and you don’t need to be a pro athlete to jump into the action. Mario Tennis™ Open, which launches May 20, offers immersive tennis action featuring everyone’s favorite characters from the Mushroom Kingdom in classic Mario style. With its intuitive game play, even novice tennis players can enjoy playing the game with friends and family. Mario Tennis Open also supports comprehensive online play, a first for the series. Players with a broadband Internet connection can play singles or doubles matches with friends near and far, or compete against single opponents of similar skill levels in Open Match mode. The game also supports leader boards and victory medals.

The parade of great games for Nintendo 3DS continues, particularly from third-party publishers. Games that launched during the past two weeks alone include Resident Evil® Revelations from CAPCOM, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™ published by SEGA, TEKKEN® 3D Prime Edition™ from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. and METAL GEAR SOLID® Snake Eater 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment. For more information and to see a listing of upcoming third-party games for Nintendo systems, visit http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew.

On March 23, Kid Icarus™: Uprising joins the Nintendo 3DS party, complete with online multiplayer battles. The 3D horror of Spirit Camera™: The Cursed Memoir ominously follows on Friday the 13th of April.

Lately the Nintendo eShop also has been on a roll, and today Nintendo unleashes Dillon’s Rolling Western™. Players take on the role of an armadillo ranger named Dillon who must defend Old West villages against mysterious rock-like enemies using strategy and his own unique fighting skills. This original action tower defense game is available for $9.99. Nintendo 3DS owners can find many exciting games in the Nintendo eShop, including the critically acclaimed Pushmo™, the stylish swordplay of Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword™ and Mutant Mudds™, a classic 2D platformer with a 3D twist.

Remember that Wii and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

To watch a Nintendo Direct video of Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime discussing today’s announcements, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo_direct. The video is also available at http://www.youtube.com/nintendo for viewing and embedding on other sites.

For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.

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™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 620 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

EA SPORTS Launches FIFA soccer on PlayStation Vita

Award-Winning FIFA Console Quality Gameplay, Graphics, And Game Modes

Available In Stores Now For PlayStation Vita

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – February 21, 2012 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that it has delivered the first true HD console experience on a hand-held gaming device with the launch of EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer on the PlayStation® Vita handheld entertainment system, available now in retail stores throughout North America and Europe. The first game ever developed for the PlayStation Vita by EA SPORTS features the award-winning FIFA Soccer console quality gameplay, graphics, game modes and authenticity.

“FIFA Soccer on PlayStation Vita represents a quantum leap forward for hand-held gaming, delivering the HD console quality experience in the palm of your hands,” said Vice President and Executive Producer Kaz Makita. “The level of quality that is now achievable is a very exciting landmark for the FIFA Soccer franchise and in gaming.”

Described by IGN as “a must-have launch title” and by Play Magazine as “one of Vita’s best games”, EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer on PlayStation Vita features the same physics-based, data driven technology that powers FIFA Soccer gameplay on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system across eight different game modes. The largest and most complete experience for handheld ever created by EA SPORTS includes authentic 11 versus 11, Be A Pro, Tournament Mode with over 50 real-world competitions, a full in-depth Career Mode, and head-to-head online.

In addition, FIFA Soccer features innovations that utilize front and back multi-touch screens, creating a more responsive, intelligent and unique gameplay experience. Touch Screen Shooting delivers pin-point accuracy and removes the element of “hit and hope” from shooting, Touch Screen Passing opens up the field of play for more creative, precision passing, and Touch Screen Free Kick Control enables players to swipe a finger to aim and curl the shot around the wall. The game also features over 30 officially licensed leagues and 500 officially licensed clubs in 11 v 11 matches in authentic stadiums from around the world.

FIFA Soccer on PlayStation Vita is rated “E” for everyone by the ESRB. Screenshots are available at http://info.ea.com. For the latest news on the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise join more than 7.5 million fans in the EA SPORTS FIFA community at http://www.facebook.com/easportsfifa or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsfifa.

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA JAM basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active. For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

Fan Favorite DC Comics Franchise/Animated Television Series From Warner Bros. Animation Set to Make Videogame Debut in a Multiplayer Action RPG

February 21, 2012 – Rancho Santa Margarita, CA -
Little Orbit, a worldwide game publisher, announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the Young Justice: Legacy video game set to ship in early 2013 for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii™ system, and the Nintendo DS™ hand held system.

New episodes of the Warner Bros. Animation series Young Justice will air beginning Saturday, March 3, at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network as part of DC Nation, the network’s brand-new one-hour block of exclusive kids’ television programming and shorts based on DC Comics characters. In Young Justice, teenage heroes Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis are tasked by the Justice League to act as their covert operations team. Armed with superior skills, weaponry and powers, the team must do battle against a wide array of villains from the DC Universe while trying to prove to themselves, and to their superhero mentors, that they too have what it takes to be a hero. Their journey is further complicated when they face the many unpredictable obstacles that arise in their path from inexperience and youth.

In Young Justice: Legacy fans can look forward to an original storyline set in between Seasons 1 and 2 of the television series, written in collaboration with show writers Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti. The game is packed with fan favorite playable characters, cameo appearances by popular Justice League heroes and villains, and includes online multiplayer as well as local multiplayer modes.

“The TV series is a fantastic combination of compelling writing, witty humor, iconic art, and exciting action sequences. The creators have done an amazing job blending over 180 DC Comics characters into their show filtered through a new, youthful perspective,” said Matt Scott, CEO of Little Orbit. “The new video game contains a slew of cool features and a large playable cast of familiar heroes, but our core mission is to create a unique experience that fits seamlessly into the world of the show and offers a new way to interact with these popular DC Comics characters.”

Official Website:

http://www.youngjusticelegacy.com

Join us:

http://www.facebook.com/youngjusticelegacy

Call of Duty Elite Drop 3: Overwatch drops you into a construction site atop a New York City skyscraper. The battle takes place along two levels in a near symmetrical layout, with the central bridge and side routes open to attack from multiple angles. Watch your every step, as a lack of safety barriers surrounding the perimeter leaves nothing between you and a 70 story fall to the ground below.

Overwatch is the third Content Drop in Modern Warfare 3’s Content Season, which will include more than 20 pieces of brand new content over the 9 month season. The full calendar of content is outlined here – http://www.callofduty.com/contentcalendar.

The Modern Warfare 3 Content Season is co-developed by Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence and Strong Language. For more information on the Call of Duty: MW3 content drops, season of content, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty Elite visit www.callofduty.com/mw3 and www.callofduty.com/elite.

To celebrate the launch of the 2012 stock car racing season, International Speedway Corporation (“ISC”), the leading promoter of motorsports activities in the United States, has lent its track marks to a new iTunes app, Smoke Your Tires™, a burnout bonanza for players of all ages. The app will feature the likenesses of the Daytona International Speedway®, Homestead-Miami SpeedwaySM, Talladega Superspeedway® and other iconic ISC tracks. Motorsports fans will relish the excitement of burning out, victory spin-outs and other extreme maneuvers. The thrill of the game is sure to excite fans across the country.

Smoke Your Tires was developed by Sportsblast, a production company that creates original works of animation and gaming with an emphasis on sports. The company was founded by producer and noted voice actor Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson) who is a NASCAR-licensed driver and a huge fan of motorsports racing. The company’s previous forays in this realm include the web-based series The Kellys, in partnership with Turner Sports, and the creation of the character Haley, the star of the ‘toon’ series Haley’s SportsScopes, which was seen on SprintVision and via webcast. Sportblast also co-created “The Lane” series with the NBA.

The app allows players to customize a stock car to feel as if they are smoking tires on an actual ISC track in never-before-seen-on-apps 360⁰ spins, the difficulty of which increases by graduating levels. Players can all but smell the smoke!

The first two levels, with backdrops at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Daytona International Speedway, respectively, are free with multi-level tiers added with each new event of the stock car racing season hosted at an ISC track. Each level will be a unique experience with new and different challenges and degrees of difficulty.

To give the app a test run using a simplified version in Flash, go to www.smokeyourtiresgame.com and get ready for the launch of this new and exciting addition to the iTunes store, beginning Friday, February 17th.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smoke-your-tires/id496292555?mt=8

About International Speedway Corporation

International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities. The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida (home of the DAYTONA 500®); Talladega Superspeedway® in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway® located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway® in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern CaliforniaSM near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway® in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway® in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 RacewaySM near Chicago, Illinois; Homestead-Miami SpeedwaySM in Florida; Martinsville Speedway® in Virginia; Darlington Raceway® in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International® in New York.

The Company also owns and operates MRN® Radio, the nation’s largest independent sports radio network and Americrown Service CorporationSM, a subsidiary that provides catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produces and markets motorsports-related merchandise. In addition, the Company has a 50 percent interest in the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway. For more information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.internationalspeedwaycorporation.com.

Nintendo Teams Up with Hulu Plus to Offer Thousands of Current TV Shows and Classic Movies on the Wii Console

Best-Selling Console Expands its Entertainment Options with More Popular TV Shows and Movies with Hulu Plus

REDMOND, Wash. & LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Wii owners with broadband Internet access now have a new way to watch their favorite TV shows and movies. Starting today, Wii owners can subscribe to Hulu Plus for $7.99 a month and instantly stream current-season hit TV shows such as Family Guy, Glee, New Girl, Vampire Diaries, The Office, The Biggest Loser and Modern Family, as well as full back seasons of hit shows like Community and Grey’s Anatomy. Kids can enjoy a growing library of favorites, including Arthur, Wild Kratts and Dinosaur Train, and families can browse through hundreds of popular movies from Miramax and more.

“Wii offers the most entertainment fun for everyone in the family, with an impressive selection of streaming movies and TV shows in addition to an unparalleled lineup of games that can’t be played anywhere else,” said Tony Elison, Nintendo of America’s senior director and general manager of Network Business. “The Wii console is the hub of the living room, and with the addition of Hulu Plus, millions of households now have even more options for streaming premium TV shows and movies.”

“We want to be everywhere, on every screen where people want to watch their favorite shows and discover new ones on their own schedule. Wii is not only one of the most important entertainment devices in the living room, but one of the most heavily anticipated and requested platforms by users and subscribers. Teaming up with Nintendo gives millions of households across the U.S. an immediate way to access some of their favorite current season shows on-demand in their living room through Hulu Plus,” said Pete Distad, VP of Marketing and Distribution at Hulu.

Users who have a broadband Internet connection can visit the Wii Shop Channel to download the Hulu Plus application at no extra charge. The application will allow users to navigate using the Wii Remote controller and search for their favorite TV shows, movies, clips and more. Hulu Plus offers a variety of content, including Hulu Latino, which offers hundreds of hours of current and classic Spanish-language programming, including the entire current season of prime-time TV shows from Univision, Galavision and Telefutura.

For the first month of launch, users who download Hulu Plus for Wii and do not already have an existing Hulu Plus account will get a two-week free trial.

Hulu Plus is also coming to the Nintendo 3DS system later this year, bringing full current-season TV series and popular movies to entertainment fans whenever they want.

For more information, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii or http://www.hulu.com.

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™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 620 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

About Hulu: Hulu is an online TV service whose mission is to help people find and enjoy the world’s premium content when, where and how they want it. As we pursue this mission, we aspire to create a service that users, advertisers and content owners unabashedly love. Hulu was founded in 2007 and is operated independently by a dedicated team with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Tokyo, and Beijing. NBCUniversal, NewsCorporation, The Walt Disney Company, Providence Equity Partners and the Hulu team share in the ownership of the company (www.hulu.com).

EA SPORTS GRAND SLAM TENNIS 2 IN STORES TODAY

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – February 14, 2011 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced that EA SPORTS™ Grand Slam® Tennis 2 is available in retail stores worldwide today. The EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis franchise will be coming to high definition for the first time and will be available on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PlayStation®3, including support of the PlayStation® Move controller. EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis 2 features top past and present athletes including John McEnroe, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, and is the only place to play all four Grand Slam championships. Now players can experience the thrill of serving up aces on the prestigious Centre Court at The Championships, Wimbledon – exclusive to EA SPORTS or hitting cross-court winners on the clay courts of the French Open.

“We’re excited to bring the EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis franchise to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms where we can leverage the power of these high definition consoles and give it the level of authenticity and depth that EA SPORTS games are known for,” said Dean Richards, General Manager, Team & Action Sports, EA SPORTS. “We feel like we’re bringing the first real innovation to the tennis category in a while with the Total Racquet Control system, and truly put the racket in the palm of your hands with really strong PlayStation Move integration.”

EA SPORTS Grand Slam® Tennis 2 will include a host of gameplay features including:

· All-New Total Racquet Control: Control every shot with the right analog stick, smashing forehands, backhands, overheads and volleys with precision, accuracy and power.

· Become a Champion: Become a true Grand Slam® tournament champion by capturing all four major championships in succession – including Wimbledon (exclusive to the EA SPORTS Grand Slam® Tennis franchise).

· PlayStation Move Support: The motion control experience gets you on your feet and puts a racquet right in the palm of your hands.

· Legends of Now and Then: Play with or against more than 20 of the greatest players to ever grace the courts, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Maria Sharapova, Serena and Venus Williams.

· Professional, Realistic, Organic (P.R.O.). AI: The playing styles and behaviors of the sport’s greatest stars are captured right down to their signature swings and emotional reactions. Realistic tactics and strategies are your keys to success against each legend whether playing on hard court, clay or grass.

· ESPN Grand Slam® Tournament Classics: Relive or rewrite some of the most memorable moments in tennis. From Borg versus McEnroe, to Nadal versus Federer, play your way through history unlocking up to 25 amazing moments of Grand Slam® tournaments.

· EA SPORTS Game Face: Use the Game Face Creator web application to make a lifelike 3D avatar as a playable character in the game.

EA SPORTS Grand Slam® Tennis 2 is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver and is rated E by the ESRB and PEGI 3; visit www.esrb.org and www.pegi.info for more information. For more information on EA SPORTS Grand Slam® Tennis 2, please visit www.easports.com/grandslamtennis2 or become a fan of EA SPORTS™ Grand Slam® Tennis on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EASPORTSGrandSlamTennis

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game communities, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA JAM basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active. For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

Critically Acclaimed Turn-Based Strategy Puzzle Game Now Available For PC and digital distribution

CHASKA, MN, February 14, 2012 – Build an empire and conquer the world as ValuSoft, a division of THQ Inc. – a leading worldwide publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software – today announced Tiny Token Empires™, the critically acclaimed turn-based strategy puzzle game which has already received “5 out of 5 stars” from Gamezebo, is now available for PC at major retailers nationwide.

A unique blend of empire building and match 3 style gameplay, Tiny Token Empires challenges players to govern an ancient empire and bring it to victory all while traveling through a comical universe filled with goofball gods, cute mythological monsters, clown legionnaires and more!

Embark on a strategic adventure with exhilarating features such as:

Five nations to choose from: Rome, Greece, Egypt, Persia and Carthage;
50 different combat units for a refreshing experience each time you play;
10 heroes (masculine/feminine) and 50 generals to equip with over 40 special items;
Three difficulty levels that offer a new challenge every time;
Four game modes including a free campaign mode with unlimited life;
Five campaigns; telling a story for each nation;

Rated ‘T’ for Teen by the ESRB, Tiny Token Empires is now available for PC at major retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $19.99. For additional information, please visit the official Web site at www.tinytokenempires.com.

About THQ

THQ Inc. is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com. THQ, Valusoft and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.

Nintendo Drops Irresistible New Beats with Rhythm Heaven Fever for Wii

More Than 50 Fun Rhythm Games Challenge Players to Stay in the Groove

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Starting today, video game fans and music lovers across the United States can use the Wii™ system to keep the beat in dozens of entertaining new ways. The Rhythm Heaven™ Fever game is now available, inviting players to enjoy a fresh lineup of more than 50 unique rhythm games. Easy to pick up and play but challenging to master, each minigame tasks players to tap buttons on the Wii Remote™ controller in time to catchy musical themes while completing a variety of quirky tasks. Rhythm Heaven Fever carries a suggested retail price of $29.99 in the United States.

Rhythm Heaven Fever takes the action to the living room for big beat-keeping fun. By rhythmically pressing the A and B buttons on their controller in time with the music, players might find themselves playing golf with a monkey, swinging a samurai sword or building robots on an assembly line. No matter what the activity, the game’s infectious soundtrack will keep heads bobbing and faces smiling as players test their rhythmic skills.

“If you’ve ever tapped your feet to the beat of your favorite song, you’ve already got what it takes to play Rhythm Heaven Fever,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “What makes the experience really unique is the wild mix of in-game activities coupled with the catchy music that appeals to a wide variety of players.”

As they improve their beat-keeping acumen, players earn medals that can be used to unlock a variety of bonus games and special sections to keep the groove going on and on. Unlockable content also includes two-player games that friends and family members can enjoy together. (Multiplayer modes require additional controllers, which are sold separately.)

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

For more information about Rhythm Heaven Fever, visit http://rhythmheavenfever.nintendo.com.

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™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 620 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.