Village Gamer

Nintendo Canada invites gamers in and around the Vancouver area to come down to the corner of Robson & Burrard (in front of HMV) this Saturday, June 4^th to check out the world of one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time.

Watch as  “Chalkmaster” David Johnston will work his creative magic as he brings to life the new highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D game for Nintendo 3DS™, with a life-size work of art. Weather permitting (this is Vancouver, after all) David will be at work on the image all day. Should the weather not co-operate, the art presentation will have to be re-scheduled for a sunnier day.

This event will also be the perfect spot for gamers to gather for StreetPass™ activity on the Nintendo 3DS. If you’re able to pass by, feel free to tweet about the art using Nintendo’s hashtag, #ZeldaChalkArt. The finished art work is anticipated to be complete by 7pm.

Finnish developer Grey Area has released Shadow Cities, the world’s first mobile global location-based massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) for free on mobile Apple devices in Canada. Shadow Cities uses location based technology to create an augmented reality and a revolutionary global arena for its players to participate in real-time large-scale combat with friends and other gamers. Players will engage each other in epic battles around the world in their very own neighborhoods and cities.

Shadow Cities Features Include:

• Choose your side: Players can choose to fight on the side of the Animators or Architects, two opposing schools of magic locked in a struggle for power and control.
• Definitively Massive: Hundreds of gamers at once will clash and battle with one another across neighborhoods, towns and cities across the world.
• Best in Class RPG Elements: Building upon traditional roleplaying systems and concepts, Shadow Cities offers a deep leveling system that allows players to customize their character by learning spells and developing attributes.
• Draw your Spells: Using the touch screen of the Apple mobile device, players draw magical runes to cast a variety of spells with which to attack foes, heal allies and defend their neighborhoods.
• Transform your Neighborhood: As players move around in the real world, their position in the parallel world of Shadow Cities will also move, revealing both new friendly and enemy players, spirits, traps, neighborhoods and much more.
• Transport Friends: Portals can be opened in cities that allow friends and allies to move between locations and take part in full-scale virtual battles, creating a truly global gameplay experience.
• Speedy Recovery: As mages engage in battles their health and mana will deplete but also refill over time. Players will have the option to purchase potions from the in-game store to refill mana instantaneously.

Shadow Cities is rated Rated 9+ for the following:

Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes
Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Hothead Games has announced a batch of updates to the popular 99 cent iOS zombie-defense game Bunny the Zombie Slayer. Released today, this update offers expanded game play and in-game improvements for additional hours of zombie killing fun.

Bunny the Zombie Slayer version 1.2 now includes:

• Three different modes to play
  • Classic: how many waves of zombies can you defeat with your hardboiled hand-grenades?
  • 28 Waves Later: Put your skills to the test with even more hordes of zombies and no special eggs to bail you out.
  • Time Attack: Kill as many zombies as possible in 2 minutes—aim for the head for bonus time and high scores.
• Game Center support with leaderboards for each mode
• Native Retina Display support
• Automatic detection for device orientation

“Bunny the Zombie Slayer was a top 50 overall app in the first week it launched, and even with that success we still want to keep improving the game and make it even more fun for the players,” said Hothead Games producer Joel DeYoung. “We’ve listened to all the feedback that the game has received and are offering this update thanks to the comments and reviews from our customers.”

[http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjSKFjyKMtI]

Bunny The Zombie Slayer is Rated 9+ for Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.3 or later.

Tactica Interactive, creators of the Tiga Talk Speech Therapy game have launched a contest with a 4G iPod Touch as the top prize.  The contest is open to anyone aged 15 and up (void in Quebec), and will feature 9 bi-weekly Tiga Talk prize packs on top of the Grand Prize:

Grand Prize Draw: One (1) Grand Prize draw will be made at 1 pm on Friday September 2, 2011. The Grand Prize winner will be randomly selected among the entries and the name of each winning entry will be declared the potential winner.

Bi-Weekly Prize Draws: Nine (9) Weekly Prize draws will be made every second Friday starting May 6th, 2011. Each of the Weekly Prize winners will be randomly selected among the entries and the name of each winning entry will be declared the potential winner.

All you have to do to win is talk about Tiga Talk by using the form or links on the Contest Info Page to share Tiga Talk with your friends on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr, or show them your  own Tiga Talk blog, YouTube video or other way you are spreading the good word about Tiga Talk. Please refer to the Contest Rules for full entry and prize details.

Tiga Talk, the companion game to APTN’s television show by the same name, is currently on sale for $1.99 USD in the iTunes App Store, and was developed with licensed speech and language pathologists. Tiga Talk is a fun way for children to develop speech sounds through playful voice-controlled games that can improve speech clarity, articulation, and instill confidence. The app is for parents and speech therapists working with toddlers and children with language delays, as well as any parent looking to give their child a head start in early language development.

Children learn fundamental phonetic sounds, that are the building blocks of language, as they play 23 fun voice controlled games on an imaginative adventure with Tiga and friends. Game play rewards are based entirely on participation, not accuracy, so the child is constantly getting positive feedback as long as they are trying to make sounds.

Game activities include piloting a boat, helicopter, hot air balloon, race car, train, submarine, and even flying a rocket ship to visit the moon. Players can pop balloons to reveal clues to guide them on their adventure as well as knock over obstacles that lay in their path, including towers of tires, ice blocks, hay bales, crates, logs or even moon rocks.

Before each game children are introduced to a new phonetic sound by game characters. They are shown a cartoon image representing the sound and are encouraged to try saying the sound aloud. The app listens to make sure they’re verbally participating and congratulates them if they are and showers them with friendly encouragement if they aren’t.

Tiga Talk’s other features include:

• Voice controlled games encourage kids to speak clearly
• Game play based on actual speech therapy sessions
• Beautifully vibrant graphics and a variety fun learning games designed to engage young children
• Entertaining cartoon characters deliver lots of positive feedback
• An exciting interactive story adventure
• Licensed speech therapists selected the apps 23 core phonetic sounds
• Audio and video hints help demonstrate the correct way to make language sounds
• A sound meter to measure voice volume levels
• Track progress and earn gold stars the more you play
• Children are able to practice specific sounds and games
• So easy to play young children can even use it by themselves

Here are just some of the benefits to be gained with Tiga Talk:

• A great way for all kids to get a head start on language development
• Kids learn to pronounce sounds more accurately including syllables, letters, and letter combinations
• Help your child improve coordination and strength of speech muscles
• Children learn through sound repetition and imitation
• Children differentiate between sounds they hear and create a broader base vocabulary
• Improve communication between the child’s brain and the body through visual and auditory aids
• Improve childhood communication with peers and adults
• Instill a sense of pride and confidence in your child

Tiga Talk is rated 4+ and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch (2nd, 3rd and 4th gen) and iPad. It requires iOS 4.1 or later. Tiga Talk is developed with the financial support of the Bell Fund.

Edmonton dev studio Fluik Entertainment and Big Fat Simulations, a BC studio located not far from the Village Gamer cave in the Fraser Valley, have released a new free to play title in the iTunes App Store.  The ad-supported Office Jerk is available now for the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, and if you prefer to torment co-workers ad-free, you can purchase the Remove Ads Pack for $0.99 USD.

For anyone fed up with people at their work place – and we’ve all been there – The Office Jerk is the harmless, feel-good game of the year for anyone tired of dealing with brown-nosing, know-it-all coworkers. From the comfort of your cubicle, unleash a barrage of comical destruction upon your unsuspecting victim – from office supplies like paper and pencils to hilariously dangerous staplers and dynamite. You can also purchase the ACME Pack ($1.99), which will add to your arsenal and up the damage you can inflict on your annoying office mate. The ACME pack includes pies, eggs and incendiary devices, while the $0.99 Ad Unlock will provide you with the stapler and coffee mug. The free version includes a wad of paper, a pencil and an eraser.

Of course, just tossing stuff at The Office Jerk isn’t always as easy as flinging the nearest stapler. The office fan adds to the challenge of nailing your target by intermittently causing a draft that can influence the flight path of your weaponry.

The Office Jerk is rated 9+ for Frequent/Intense Cartoon or Fantasy Violence, and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Bunny the Zombie Slayer, the first iOS title from Hothead Games is now available on the App Store for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch for 99 cents USD.

In the game, players control a heroic but slightly unstable bunny who must protect children from relentless waves of Zombie Hordes. These once-deceased characters (nurses, businessmen, cheerleaders, chefs and more) will stop at nothing to reach the innocent children and spoil their fun. In response, Bunny unleashes his projectile weapons of fury to dismember and decapitate the undead, aiming at their heads for a clean knock out!

“At Hothead, we strive to produce the most innovative, fun games possible with a unique twist and I’m happy to say Bunny the Zombie Slayer follows that mold”, said Hothead Producer Joel DeYoung. “Like most heroes, we felt that this Bunny had attitude and a fearless streak and we are happy to give gamers of all ages a fun way to interact with a very brave rabbit.”

Bunny the Zombie Slayer is rated 9+ for Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The game requires iOS 3.1.3 or later

Montreal indie studio Exequor has released a free, ad-supported beta of its debut game Heroes of Zulula on Android Market. Heroes of Zulula is a strategy RPG game which sees the vile Akolan declare himself as overlord of Zulula, and his first order of business is to ban the traditional tournaments of Zulula forever. Ex-champions Grunty the Cyclop, Ledouche the Knight and Oulette the Slime join forces along with other combatants to defeat Akolan and bring the tournaments back to Zulula.

As you take on Akolan, you will move your armies around 10 battlefield areas in turn-based strategic play, establishing a battle plan and positioning your forces for action in real-time simulated combat. With over 30 items with which to equip your characters and improve their stats and powers, your ex-champions will soon become heroes.

Heroes of Zulula also features:

* Deep, emotionally charged storyline of brotherly love, redemption and more
* Returning champions include the Cyclop, Human Knight, Slime, Eye, Dog, Land Octopus, Stone Golem, Human Mage and Snakeman
* Among the minions of Akolan are the Dark Knight, Warlock, Slime, Mud Golem and Scorpak
* Face Yvan Shar Ooze, the horrific protoplasmic horror in his labyrinthine sewers
* Unlockable Feint achievements

You can keep up with the latest Heroes of Zulula news and provide game feedback on the official Facebook page.

Frima Studio, in conjunction with Bolt Creative, has announced that the Pygmies of Pocket God on Facebook are having a bit of a fire ant problem in Episode VI: Kiss Your Ants Goodbye. The latest expansion for the Pocket God world introduces an all new animal power, a horde of ravenous fire ants, features a new Easter-themed challenge where players will battle the legendary Chocoro, and gives the ability to send friends an Easter treat.

Since its debut in December 2010, the Facebook version of Pocket God has grown exponentially and is attracting more players every month. More than 55 million loyal, unquestioning Pygmies have met their demise over that time—that’s approximately the same amount of USD spent on Super Bowl food each year. Another two and a half million sacrifices can be attributed to friends on Facebook sacrificing other friends in a host of brutal and irreverent ways, including electrocution, shark attack, venus fly traps, tornados, tar pits, and more! Impairing means caring, right?

The new updates for Kiss Your Ants Goodbye include:

• Get Antsy: Fire Ants have burrowed their way to the island and they’re looking for pants to invade! But since Pygmies don’t wear pants (most of the time), the ants will have to settle for covering a Pygmy’s entire body instead. And, devouring them. Selectable as an animal power, Fire Ants can now be earned and used to torture Pygmies.

• Defeat Chocoro the Bunny: He’s like Cthulhu, but more chocolatey and bunny-shaped. Okay, so maybe there’s no resemblance to Cthulhu whatsoever, but Chocoro is still big and it’s up to you to help the Pygmies defeat him. How is this done, you say? By feeding him to your tribe, of course! For a limited time, coconut trees will not grow coconuts but instead will bear chocolate eggs, just feed your Pygmies as many of the chocolate halves as possible to best the chocolate monstrosity. And don’t worry, chocolate eggs still count towards your coconut-related quests. We’re not accountable for any dental work your Pygmies need after all this candy though, just saying!

• “Treat” Your Friends: Smiting your buddies is all fun and games but there comes a time when some good old-fashioned gift-giving is in order, and that time is now! For only 2 bones worth of Pocket Change, send your friends a treat by clicking on their icon and selecting “Treat.” What kind of treat will you give? That’s a surprise and we’re not going to spoil it. It could be a chick, a bunny, an egg, who knows?! Well actually, we know, but that’s beside the point. Treats will give a significant boost to devotion for your friends’ tribe, spread the love!

Building on the wildly successful voter engagement game Mayor Munch, Onestop Media Group has launched Ballot Blitz – an online game starring animated versions of Canada’s top five party leaders: Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe and Elizabeth May.

Ballot Blitz is accessible online through Onestop’s consumer site and is promoted nationally to the millions of people viewing Onestop’s portfolio of  Digital Out-of-Home Networks across the country. Registration is required in order to play the game.

Ballot Blitz features Live poll results based on the animated candidates’ popularity.  Playonestop.com will also feature a series of fun election-specific polls and content. Over the next few weeks, Onestop will be using its digital media channels, PlayOnestop.com, Twitter, and Facebook, to promote several creative polls as an alternative to the dozens of scientific polls and ‘more-serious’ election media.

“History shows youth engagement leads to next generation voters. As a Canadian company immersed in the digital landscape, we have the mandate and social responsibility to do just that… help the communities in which we operate engage youth in this federal election in a fun fashion relevant to their generation,” says Michael Girgis, President and CEO, Onestop Media Group.

The digital and interactive campaign largely targets what is recognized as an untapped voting community of 18 – 34 year olds. As an incentive, Ballot Blitz players are eligible to win an Apple MacBook. The contest closes Friday, April 29^th at 5:01pm.

EA BioWare™ has partnered with FUNimation® Entertainment, a distributor of Japanese animation in North America, announced today an agreement to create an anime feature film adapted from one of the video game industry’s most revered franchises, Mass Effect™. Tokyo-based anime and international feature film production company T.O Entertainment, Inc. has signed on as a co-producer on the video. Based on the Mass Effect universe, the anime video will tell the tale of an epic science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets.

Casey Hudson of BioWare, executive producer of the Mass Effect series, will serve as executive producer on the film, along with FUNimation President and CEO Gen Fukunaga and Director of Original Entertainment Chris Moujaes and T.O Entertainment’s CEO Takeichi Honda and Yui Shibata.

“Over the last few years, we have revealed different pieces of the Mass Effect world through different media. Extending the story through an anime medium is another amazing opportunity for us,” said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer for the Mass Effect series. “Partnering with FUNimation ensures that we will bring this rich universe to life with the utmost quality and the same attention to detail that the Mass Effect games are known for.”

“It is thanks to the enormous and passionate Mass Effect fan base that this movie is made possible,” said Gen Fukunaga, President & CEO of FUNimation. “With production underway on the Dragon Age video, we are excited to team up with another BioWare team to add an exciting new chapter to this vast sci-fi world.”

Production of the Mass Effect anime movie has already begun. Digital and home video releases are scheduled for the summer of 2012. The original Mass Effect game and its sequel Mass Effect 2 have received over 250 awards and 100 perfect ‘10’ scores from critics worldwide. Mass Effect 2 is available now for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system and PC. Stay tuned for more news about the continuation of Commander Shepard’s adventure as BioWare will release more information about Mass Effect 3 soon.

In another deal, EA and Hasbro, Inc. have proclaimed that today, April 7th, is Global Monopoly Day on Facebook. Monopoly fans around the world are invited to play Monopoly Millionaires on Facebook to win more than $20,000 in prizes (no purchase necessary, void in Quebec) and participate in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Records® title. The attempt will be measured by the greatest number of people worldwide simultaneously playing Monopoly Millionaires on Facebook. Official adjudicators will be monitoring the game over a 24-hour period from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. PST on April 7. Players can take part during that time frame through Monopoly Millionaires on Facebook and can RSVP to participate at the Global Monopoly Day event page on Facebook any time prior to 11:59 p.m. PST on April 7. As of right now, there are over 74 000 people “attending” the event. Read the rest of this entry »