This time the commercial makes fun of medicine commercials and advertises the game. Am I falling for cool advertising or does this game look awesome?

I have decided that I will post Quick Links more often and since the last week has been quite busy, I will break the Quick Links section down. This post houses the Japanese Mystery Links. Still more news in my news list as I did not do a full Quick Links yesterday.

Mystery Link 1
Mystery Link 2
Mystery Link 3
Mystery Link 4
Mystery Link 5
Mystery Link 6
Mystery Link 7
Mystery Link 8
Mystery Link 9
Mystery Link 10
Mystery Link 11
Mystery Link 12
Mystery Link 13
Mystery Link 14
Mystery Link 15
Mystery Link 16
Mystery Link 17
Mystery Link 18
Mystery Link 19
Mystery Link 20
Mystery Link 21
Mystery Link 22
Mystery Link 23
Mystery Link 24
Mystery Link 25
Mystery Link 26
Mystery Link 27
Mystery Link 28
Mystery Link 29
Mystery Link 30
Mystery Link 31

Keynotes and Sessions Announced for GDC’s Game Career Seminar at Inaugural Entertainment for All(TM) Expo

David Perry, Ru Weerasuriya, and Dave Kosak to Judge “Pitch Your Game Idea”

IDG World Expo today announced the complete session line up for the Game Career Seminar, programmed by CMP Technology’s Game Developers Conference and scheduled to take place October 19-20 during the Entertainment for All(TM) Expo (E for All(TM)) video game expo.

Day one of the Game Career Seminar, geared towards teaching attendees how to break in to the game industry, will begin with a keynote session from Marc Mencher of GameRecruiter.com. Marc will explain the basics of the video game industry and what jobs are available. Day two, focused on career development for entry-level game developers, will include a keynote from Tommy Tallarico, founder of Video Games Live Concert series. Tommy will focus on how his career started and how he was able to maintain his independence as a creative industry professional while at the same time growing his skills, reputation, and business.

Sessions: Day 1 - October 19, 2007

– Keynote: It Takes a Team: Careers in the Games Industry
(9:00-10:00am) Panelists include:
— Marc Mencher, GameRecruiter.com

– “I Made It!”: Stories About Breaking In (10:30-11:30am)
— James Portnow, Activision
— Jolex Del Pilar, Point of View Games
— David Rodriguez, Packom Interactive

– “Pitch Your Game Idea”: Round 1 (11:45am-12:45pm)
— David Perry, founder and CEO, GameConsultants.com
— Ru Weerasuriya, co-founder and VP of Creative Development,
Ready At Dawn Studios
— Dave Kosak, executive editor, Gamespy

– Stepping Stones: Applying to Your First Job (1:30-2:30pm)
— Fiona Cherbak, GameRecruiter.com

– A Matter of Degree: Options in Game Education (3:00-4:00pm)
— Peter E. Raad, The Guildhall at SMU
— Bruce Naylor, DeVry
— Tracy Fullerton, University of Southern California
— Eric Elder, Art Institute of Los Angeles

– More Stepping Stones: Landing Your First Job (4:30-5:30pm)
— Darius Kazemi - President, Orbus Gameworks

Sessions: Day 2 - October 20, 2007

– Keynote: Self-Made: Making a Successful Independent Career
(9:00-10:00am)
— Tommy Tallarico, founder of Video Games Live Concert series

– Winning Attention: Maximizing Advantages from Contests
(10:30-11:30am)
— John Jensen, DigiPen Institute of Technology
— Zach Peterson, DigiPen Institute of Technology
— Brad Rasmussen, DigiPen Institute of Technology
— Ben Smith, DigiPen Institute of Technology

– “Pitch Your Game Idea”: Round 2 (12:00 -1:00pm on Gamer Stage)
— David Perry, founder and CEO, GameConsultants.com
— Ru Weerasuriya, co-founder and VP of Creative Development,
Ready At Dawn Studios
— Dave Kosak, executive editor, Gamespy

– Portfolio Presence: Preparing for the Next Job (1:30-2:30pm)
— Joe Linhoff, DePaul University

– Switching It Up: Changing Career Paths (3:00-4:00pm)
— Tom Sloper, Game Development Consultant

– Do It Yourself: Starting as an Independent Developer (4:30-5:30pm)
— Anthony Jacobson, Spicy Horsem
— Justin Lloyd, Infinite Monkey Factory

A special feature of the Game Career Seminar schedule line up is the fast-paced “Pitch Your Game Idea” contest, open to pre-registered Game Career Seminar pass holders. Contestants will need to bring creative game ideas to the table as an all-star panel of judges including legendary game developer David Perry, founder and CEO of GameConsultants.com; Ru Weerasuriya, co-founder and vice president, Creative Development of Ready At Dawn Studios; and Dave Kosak, executive editor, Gamespy, will be searching for the next great game developer.

“I’m used to being the one pitching video game concepts, so it’ll be nice sitting on the other side of the table,” said twenty-year veteran of the video game business, David Perry. “Seriously though, E for All and Game Career Seminar have teamed up to create a fun contest that will hopefully inspire gamers to take their passion for gaming and make it a career.”

After the initial pitch round, five lucky finalists will be chosen to battle it out on the main Gamer Stage in front of the E for All audience. The “Pitch Your Game Idea” winner will bring home an All-Access Pass to CMP Game Group’s Game Developers Conference 2008.

“We created the Game Career Seminar series and the Pitch Your Game Idea contest for the express purpose of empowering creative people to get a foot in the door of game development,” said Jamil Moledina, Executive Director, Game Developers Conference. “Since the seminar is taught by developers, who were all once passionate gamers themselves, the opportunity is there for creative and enterprising E for All attendees to make meaningful connections that can influence their careers.”

“We are thrilled to host Game Career Seminar’s career development sessions and ‘Pitch Your Game Idea’ event,” said Mary Dolaher, CEO, IDG World Expo. “E for All is all about games and those who love playing them. These in-depth sessions will demonstrate how that love of gaming can be turned into a successful career. Whether you’re a casual gamer or seasoned pro, participating in the Game Career Seminar at E for All will provide you with unique insights and practical information about the business of game development.”

For more information about Game Career Seminar content visit http://www.gamecareerseminar.com.

About E for All(TM) http://www.EforAllExpo.com

Atlantic Adds Wii(TM) Bag and Wii Straps to GameKeeper(R) Line

Wii Bag Protects Console During Transport; Wii Straps Provide Added Support for Gamers’ Wrists and Prevent Accidental Controller Release

Atlantic Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of media storage products, today announced two new additions to its GameKeeper(R) line of gaming accessories–the Wii Bag, a portable Wii case designed for active, on-the-go gamers, and Wii Straps, which secure the Wii Remote(TM) to the gamer’s wrist, allowing them to fully submerge themselves in their favorite game, with a more secure, comfortable grip.

“The Wii appeals to all ages and the Wii Bag makes it easy to take the console, accessories and games to a family gathering or get together with friends,” said James Dardashti, chief operating officer of Atlantic, Inc. “The Wii is a very interactive and physically demanding gaming console, and with the Wii Straps, gamers can enjoy their favorite games, such as bowling, baseball or boxing, without worrying about letting go of the controller and damaging their TV or injuring their wrist.”

The Wii Bag features several padded interior compartments for securely housing the console, two controllers, base, sensor bar, three games and traditional A/V components. The sensor bar fits snugly and safely in its own zippered padded compartment. With exterior padding on the back for added comfort and an adjustable shoulder strap with contour padding, the Wii Bag can be worn as a messenger or toted as a handbag. The Wii Bag is equipped with front and back pockets for storing strategy guides and accessories, and includes two secure click lock closures. Available in a stylish metallic gray nylon blend fabric with a white accent stripe and blue piping, the product has a retail price of $24.99.

The Wii Straps securely fasten to a player’s wrist with Velcro(TM), preventing the controller from slipping out of their grasp and helping to avert accidental mishaps while actively playing Wii games. Utilizing adjustable Velcro fasteners, the Wii Straps are constructed of durable polyester blend material for frequent use and provide gamers with additional wrist and hand support for comfortable interactive game play. With a retail price of $9.99 per two-pack, gamers have the option of selecting Wii Straps in either black and blue or pink and green, providing a personalized multi-player experience.

According to the NPD Group, console sales for Nintendo rose 44 percent during the first half of 2007 to $6.1 billion, with game sales increasing 27 percent to $2.9 billion. Nintendo reported sales of 2.4 million units of the Wii console in the U.S. and Canada the first six months of 2007, outselling its major competitors.

“With the Wii’s tremendous popularity, we’ve seen a demand for accessories to enhance this unique gaming experience, so we’re very excited to introduce the Wii Bag and wrist straps,” Dardashti said. “We develop and test all our products with the input of gaming enthusiasts to meet their specific demands. Transporting and comfortably gripping the controller were very important to them.”

Both the Wii Bag and Wii Straps will be available for purchase in November. For more information about the Wii Bag, Wii Straps or other GameKeeper products, visit http://www.gamekeepergaming.com.

PDC DARTS 2008 - THE CHAMPIONS ARE SIGNED

10 Pros signed up, more to be announced

Following on from the rapturous fan reaction to the inclusion of ten real world darts professionals in last year’s critically and commercially successful PDC World Championship Darts, Oxygen Interactive is raising the bar further for its forthcoming, PDC World Championship Darts 2008, by increasing the number of real-life darts legends to 16!

The first ten to be announced include Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor - the greatest player ever to throw a dart, winning his 13th World Championship title in 2006 - and Raymond ‘The Man’ van Barneveld, the current World Champion who defeated Taylor in the greatest ever final in January 2007.

Also starring in the game are; Colin ‘Jaws’ Lloyd (the number one player in the world in 2004 and 2005, winning two major titles along the way), Peter ‘One Dart’ Manley (double World Champion), John ‘Darth Maple’ Part (from Canada), and the ever-popular Wayne “Hawaii 501” Mardle.

The initial 10 professionals are:
* Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor
* Raymond ‘The Man’ van Barneveld
* Peter ‘One Dart’ Manley
* Wayne ‘Hawaii 501’ Mardle
* Dennis ‘The Menace’ Priestley
* Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis
* Alan ‘The Iceman’ Warriner-Little
* John ‘Darth Maple’ Part
* Colin ‘Jaws’ Lloyd
* Mark ‘Flash’ Dudbridge

SEGA Unveils Details For Mario & Sonic At The Olympic GamesTM

SEGA Europe Ltd and SEGA® of America, Inc., revealed details of the exciting blockbuster title, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games™. Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and published by Nintendo in the Japanese market, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is licensed through a worldwide partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), the exclusive interactive entertainment software licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

This exciting new game for the Wii™ video game system Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ system is packed with all-new interactive features and includes 20 authentic Olympic events – played out in stylised Olympic venues. Using the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuck™ control system, players can have an unparalleled interactive experience and compete using one of 16 characters – 8 from the world of Mario and 8 from the world of Sonic. The Wii controls are created specifically to replicate the actions that offer the best results for each event which include:

Fencing – Individual epée
Archery
Shooting – Skeet
Gymnastics - Trampoline
Gymnastics - Vault
Field - High Jump
Field - Pole Vault
Field - Long Jump
Field - Triple Jump
Field – Javelin Throw
Field - Hammer Throw
Rowing – Single Sculls
Table Tennis - Singles
Aquatics – 100m Freestyle
Aquatics – 4×100m Freestyle
Track – 110m and 400m Hurdles
Track – 4×100m Relay
Track –100m and 400m

The interactive Wii controls include actions like swinging the Wii Remoteâ„¢ to simulate hammer throw, notching the Nunchuk to shoot arrows, and replicating swimming strokes. Players can also discover the best way to win a game by experimenting with different movements to discover secret boosts to propel them towards a win.

With four playing styles to choose from, players can decide their game strategy: all-around, technical, speed, and power - for example: Mario and Amy (All-around), Peach and Tails (Technical), Sonic and Yoshi (Speed), and Knuckles and Bowser (Power). Players will be able to choose and try out, in both single and multiplayer mode, each event individually with Single Match mode (where players can choose their event and play until they score top marks). They can also compete for the highest overall score in a series of events in Circuit mode (where players can either create their own circuit by choosing the individual events, choose a pre-determined circuit, or randomly generate a circuit). Gamers looking for extra tests of their athletic abilities can choose the single-player Mission mode and earn top marks on challenges made for only the toughest athlete. Additionally, gamers can learn about the history of the Olympic Games through trivia, quizzes, and mini-games and unlock all-new facts and figures from past Olympic Games in the Gallery.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be in-stores across Europe on November 23, 2007 for Wii, and Q1 2008 for the Nintendo DS.

Might be an old one but still good to see. I didn’t notice but this video has a playlist of all the videos associated with the game.

Just to let people know I have integrated the chatroom into our new forums and you can access it from the forum or from the main page by clicking on chat. Also Dajaco and I are in the chat right now so if you want to show up go ahead.

Here are a couple samples more at the gallery.

Race Driver: Create & Race Gallery