Apple's multiplayer gaming platform for iEverything -- Game Center -- may not have arrived just yet, but it appears that it's getting a bit of a face-lift on the back-end. As seen in the image above (care of Mobile Crunch), the color palette of GC has been lightened and varied quite a bit, going from a black and blue tone to a decidedly more billiard table-flavored one.

Given that the new look also bears a striking resemblance to our friend (and yours) Kermit the Frog, we're not exactly on the fence in terms of preference of the two -- what can we say, it's a lot more welcoming! Now all we need is an actual release of the client so we can see what else (other than the frontmost loading screen) it has to offer.

Apple's Game Center goes green originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did you know that, before the driving force of Pac-Man was named "pellets," the items were called "cookies?" I didn't either, but that's exactly what a Namco rep told me while showing off upcoming Wii minigame collection Pac-Man Party. She did this, you see, because that's what Pac-Man (and his nebulous cohorts) spend a lot of time chasing. Cookies. Also, not a single "power cookie" in sight. Madness!

Unfortunately, Pac-Man Party isn't quite as exciting as that tidbit of trivia. In fact, it's downright awful (at least the bit I played of it was). At a recent press event in NYC, I played through some of the game's party mode with the aforementioned Namco rep. We were first asked which character from the Pac-Man universe we'd like to choose.

Wait, there's a Pac-Man "universe?" Isn't it just ghosts and Mr./Ms. Pac-Man?

Continue reading Preview: Pac-Man Party

Preview: Pac-Man Party originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to a recently revealed list of XBLA Achievements found over at Xbox360Achievements, it seems that the upcoming XBLA iteration of PopCap's zombie gardening game Plants vs. Zombies will be getting a new versus mode, as well as the inclusion (in some form) of co-op play. Two separate Cheevos indicate as much -- the first named "Versus vs. Versus" (fittingly enough) and the second named "ZFF's 4 Evr" (earned by bowling "a winner with a friend in Co-Op Wall-Nut Bowling").

The real question is, of course, whether or not everyone's favorite crazy gardener be a playable character -- we can only dream, folks.

Plants vs. Zombies XBLA getting co-op, versus mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, let me be clear right away. This game is not for you. Seriously, it isn’t. I mean, it could be, and we won’t judge you, but with the upcoming Kinect device for the Xbox 360, we think this may be the best first game that your children to try. Especially after seeing a flawless demonstration at E3, where Microsoft had a young child show off some of the game’s features. From hiding, to playing jump rope, it will be interesting to see how children will react with the upcoming game.

Kinectimals invites children, their parents and animal lovers of all ages to build lasting friendships with some of the world’s most exotic creatures. Just like real pets, your Kinectimals will come running when they hear your voice, respond to commands such as “jump,” “roll over” and “play dead,” and purr with joy when you scratch them behind their ears.

Some other details we learned from E3 include:

• Get in touch with your wild side. Your journey begins when you adopt and name one of 20 playful friends, including a lion, cheetah and Bengal tiger.

• Create memories that last a lifetime. From the first time she recognizes her name to when she learns to fetch, your cub will grow up as your sidekick, eager to discover the island around you. She will always be ready for a scratch and a belly rub with smiles and purrs.

• The fun never ends. There are new ways to train tricks such as fetch, play activities such as jump rope, and even master agility courses with hops, stops and balancing acts. Invite a friend with his or her pet for some fun contests.

• Discover, collect and customize. Kinectimals rewards those who are curious about the island they live on. Travel far and wide to discover treasures and toys, and find and unlock new environments.You can customize your pet and decorate your home, plus use the in-game store to shop for items to nurture and care for your new best friend.

• Grow your Kinectimals family. Collectible, limited-edition plush toys will be available online and at popular retail stores. Choose your new friend, scan the code with the Kinect sensor, then watch it come to life on the screen right before your eyes. With your very own plush pal you can keep your new friend with you even when you’re away from your Xbox 360.

Now that services like Xbox Live, PSN, Steam and the iPhone App Store have proven digital distribution as a market force to be reckoned with, it's time to start examining what this change means to publishers and developers. Four game industry veteran got up on stage at the Develop Conference in Brighton this week to do just that.

On the one hand, some saw the increasing influence of digital distribution as having a democratizing effect on the market, letting big publishers and small indie developers compete on even footing. BioWare's Greg Zeschuk argued that, these days, a well-known brand isn't enough to sell a low-quality game on its own. "EA hasn't been throwing out half-assed content [on digital platforms]," he said. "You not only have to have the franchise but also the quality."

Continue reading Develop: How is digital distribution changing the games you play?

Develop: How is digital distribution changing the games you play? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know you've been asking for a long time and we've been listening! Our very first iPhone / iPod Touch app is finally available to download in the iPhone App Store. Click on the image above, or go straight to the App Store with this link.

The Joystiq app brings everything you love from the site to your iPhone: the latest video game news and commentary, game videos and screenshots, reviews and previews - all presented with as much excitement, enthusiasm, insight and fun as the laws of physics allow. Notable features include: offline viewing (goodbye, boring subway ride), built-in video streaming (both in posts and a list of videos), in-app tipping (did you see someone playing Kinect sitting down?), photo galleries, and more.

If you love the idea of a Joystiq app, but are rocking another device (Android perhaps?), let us know in the comments. Most importantly, if you like the app, please leave us a review on iTunes right away. That helps other people find the app and, ultimately, helps us support this platform and hopefully others in the future.

Of course, we need to thank the team at AOL that put this app together: Andy Averbuch, Vikas B R, David Balogh, Richard Foster, Asha Indira, Stephen Kim, Rajesh Kumar, Anibal Rosado, Sun Sachs, and Eric Wedge.

Joystiq app for iPhone, iPod Touch now available! originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking to scare some pain into your life? Seven naughty Joystiq readers will win a copy of Naughty Bear, courtesy of 505 Games. Plus, three especially naughty readers will also take home a Naughty Bear statue. Isn't it adorably murderous?

To enter this giveaway:

• Leave a comment, inventing a new sidekick for Naughty Bear. (Example: "Irritated Platypus")
• You must be 13 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
• Limit 1 entry per person.
• This entry period ends at 2:30PM ET on Sunday, July 18.
• At that time, we will randomly select three (3) grand prize winners to receive a copy of Naughty Bear (Xbox 360) and a Naughty Bear statue (ARV $80); and four (4) first prize winners to receive a copy of Naughty Bear (Xbox 360) (ARV $50).
• For a list of complete rules, click here.

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What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition.

For more info on our policy, click here.

Swag Saturday: Naughty Bears originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that Cave shooters like Deathsmiles on Xbox 360, the upcoming XBLA release of Guwange and the iPhone's EspGaluda 2 are being made available to gamers worldwide, the announcement of a new Cave game is less depressing and more exciting -- because no longer do shmup fans have to assume they'll be paying $100+ to import them.

The next slice of bullet hell from the developer is Akai Katana ("Akai" meaning "red," and "katana" meaning ... "katana"). The teaser trailer doesn't do much to teach us about the game, instead showing anime characters looking pained. It's safe to assume that some of those characters will be able to fly and fire upgradeable weapons while dodging screen-filling bullet patterns. Cave will hold location tests for the arcade game in Akihabara next week, so there will be more information (and probably off-screen footage) then.

The company also announced (PDF) an iPhone port of DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu for this summer. You can see an intense trailer for that after the break, as well.

Continue reading Cave announces two more shmups

Cave announces two more shmups originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Friday, the teams at Atari and Eden Games revealed the next car that will be playable in Test Drive Unlimited 2: the Aston Martin One-77.  Why the special name for it?  The car is only being produced in a limited run totalling 77 units, which means it’ll be quite rare and quite expensive as well.

As Aston Martin’s latest supercar the main thing that will set this one apart from previous ones is, generally and notably, the price.  Previous Aston Martins have landed within the price range of roughly $100,000 – $300,000, but this one is going to likely be over a million.  Autoblog states the real price of the One-77 will clock in at £1,050,000 and that’s before all the taxes, fees and other “stuff,” for lack of a better word.  I’m left wondering how much the car will be priced in TDU2, and how much racing we’ll need to do to rack up all that cash!

Let’s move on to the car. It sports a 7.3 Liter V12 capable of producing 700hp and 553 lb.-ft. of torque.  For those that understand cars, that’s quite a load of power to handle.  All this is going to be put to the wheels through a “six-speed automated transmission” which will give you the ability to either use Auto Shift Manual or Select Shift Manual.  While most may not understand this, it still sounds impressive and it’s guaranteed that the folks over at Aston Martin know what they’re doing.

With all that said, we’re still eagerly awaiting this game this fall.  Oh and if you haven’t signed up for the closed beta, you can do that as well, but Atari shall be hand-picking who gets in.

If you're anything like us, you'd much rather explore the future wasteland of Metro 2033 and Mars' wartorn settlements in Red Faction: Guerrilla than run around outside under that giant boiling sphere in the sky. It's trying to kill us all, you know, right? Anyway, you'll be glad to hear (like we were) that THQ is making our collective choice that much easier by dropping up to 75 percent off of a mess of titles over on its website -- the two aforementioned titles are only $12.50 and $5, respectively.

Perhaps you'd rather shoot feces onto surrounding buildings while wearing "bigass chains?" Saint's Row 2 is also only five bucks! The rest of THQ's stable is similarly on sale in a dramatic way, but the sale only lasts until Monday (and is only for US residents -- sorry!), so we'd suggest getting on that. The full list of 75 percent off titles can be found just beyond the break.

Continue reading THQ's summer sale dropping 75% off select PC titles

THQ's summer sale dropping 75% off select PC titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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