Miscellaneous Mentionables

I frequently receive email from companies asking me to share news or discounts with my readers. Each week I’ll share some of these with you here.
G5 Updated Stand O’ Food® Empire (iPad) With Tons Of New Content Today – Free Download
Never put down your beloved burger-flipping simulation game – 120 new quests, new ways to earn bonuses, bug fixes, performance optimization & more in version 1.2
San Francisco, California – February 14, 2014 – Casual gamers will be delighted to learn of G5’s fresh content update for Stand O’ Food® Empire (iPad), just released today! The version 1.2 of this free-to-pay, social strategy game features 120 new quests, new ways to earn more bonuses, bug fixes, performance optimization & more. It’s free for download and prolongs gaming fun for months on end!
In Stand O’ Food Empire, your old friends Ronnie, Nikki and Clarence have traveled from Tinseltown in search of a few perfect spots for new restaurants. But the evil Mr. Torg is keeping watch as usual, hoping to destroy the hard-working team’s plans. In this unique blend of time management, city building and strategy gameplay, grow your business step-by-step, improving your offerings along the way – flip the best burgers and serve your growing clientele. Build four types of cafes serving different burger specialties: beef, fish, salad and chicken. Then oversee upgrades to maximize profits and enhance the customer experience. Сonstruct homes to grow the neighborhood – and your business! Create farms and factories to supply high-quality products and add thoughtful decorations and amenities, such as flowerbeds, drinking fountains and ice cream trucks. From the mountains to the beach, open new burger joints while unlocking recipes, mastering sauces and setting up supply chains. Knock out hundreds of quests to earn achievements, rewards and a veritable fortune
The game is developed and published by G5 Entertainment.
What’s New in Version 1.2:
* Over 120 new quests! Yes, this will be even more fun!
* Find Royal Burger and get your unique chance to receive more crystals and coins!
* Log to the game daily, complete the 5 parts of the talisman and start getting more profits from your cafes!
* Bugs are fixed, the performance is optimized! We did our best for you to enjoy your favorite game!
Key Features:
● 370+ challenging quests to complete
● 271 unique recipes to master and and serve clients
● 110+ decorations to beautify your popular eateries
● 75 buildings to enliven and support your city
● 25 factories and farms to supply your business
● Riveting storyline and stunning artwork
Trailer – http://youtu.be/tTlUvIzLzs8
Purchase in iTunes store – https://itunes.apple.com/app/id672707752?mt=8
Little Mac Joins the Super Smash Bros. Cast; Mario Kart 8 Launches May 30 with Koopalings
Nintendo Direct Video Details News for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Feb. 13, 2014 22:50 UTC – Nintendo detailed major announcements for its Wii U home console and Nintendo 3DS portable system in the first Nintendo Direct of 2014. Launch dates and details for multiple games were revealed, including new characters in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, and Mario Kart 8 for Wii U. Nintendo also announced specifics about the addition of Game Boy Advance games to the Wii U Virtual Console service. NES Remix 2 is also on the way, complete with a Luigi-themed surprise. And a pair of games coming to the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS – Steel Diver: Sub Wars and Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball – demonstrate unique new ways for players to acquire add-on content. To view the Nintendo Direct in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct.
Some of today’s announcements included:
Wii U News
Mario Kart 8: For the first time ever in any game, all of Bowser’s seven Koopalings are playable characters. Players with a taste for being bad can get ready to challenge gravity on the race track with Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, Ludwig, Morton, Roy and Wendy. The game launches in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on May 30.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: Little Mac, the hero of the Punch-Out!! boxing games, will make his first appearance as a playable character in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game. The game will launch in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in 2014.
Game Boy Advance Games: Portable classics will start making their way to the Wii U Virtual Console in April, starting with fan favorites such as Metroid Fusion, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3. Additional games will follow every month.
Bayonetta 2: A new trailer for the title from Platinum Games showed off some new game features. The game is scheduled to launch later this year.
New game-play footage was shown for the in-development title from MONOLITH SOFT INC. The game’s battle system is based on Xenoblade Chronicles for Wii. Additional updates will be announced in the future.
Nintendo eShop on Wii U
NES Remix 2: This second installment of the mashup of classic Nintendo games features challenges from later NES games like Super Mario Bros. 3, Kirby’s Adventure and Metroid. Just like NES Remix, the sequel includes stages from the original games with new challenges, as well as modified stages that introduce new elements. The game is scheduled to be available April 25 for $14.99. Best of all, players can unlock a free bonus game:
Super Luigi Bros.: This is a full game based on a challenge from NES Remix. It contains all the levels from the original Super Mario Bros. game, only now it stars Luigi and requires players to navigate familiar levels in an unheard-of way – by running to the left! The game even incorporates Luigi’s signature high jump. It’s a fun new spin on a classic game.
Child of Light: In this RPG from Ubisoft, players take on the role of young Princess Aurora, who is on a quest to retrieve three sources of light from the evil queen. She must fight monsters and solve puzzles to progress. She is assisted by her firefly companion Igniculous, who can heal party members during battles and write messages in light to interact with other players. The game is scheduled to launch April 30 for $14.99.
Nintendo 3DS News
Yoshi’s New Island: Yoshi gets to bash and thrash his environment by throwing around Mega Eggdozers and Metal Eggdozers. Yoshi also can transform into a variety of objects, such as a jackhammer or a submarine, both of which can be manipulated using the Nintendo 3DS gyro controls. A certain type of star even transforms him into Super Yoshi, giving him the ability to fly through the sky or run along walls and ceilings. Players who are having trouble completing a level might see the appearance of Flutter Wings, which let Yoshi fly through the air. Yoshi’s New Island is scheduled to launch March 14 in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS.
Mario Golf: World Tour: In addition to previously announced multiplayer features, the game will also include the Castle Club, a single-player clubhouse area that offers a variety of areas to help players hone their skills. The Castle Club includes golf courses, tournaments, training areas, shops, locker rooms and a café. A training area lets them focus on specific aspects of their game, such as putting. Players can customize their Mii characters using items sold at the shop, including clubs, golf balls and clothing. Different combinations of gear can affect a player’s performance. Mario Golf: World Tour is scheduled to launch May 2 in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe: Kirby has always had the power to inhale his enemies and take on their abilities. Each copy ability can let him do a variety of actions and moves, depending on which buttons are pressed. The game includes a huge number of collectibles for players to find, from hidden 8-bit keychains to Sun Stones. The game takes advantage of the StreetPass feature to deliver better items to players. Kirby: Triple Deluxe is scheduled to launch May 2 in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy: The game includes the series’ famous mind-bending puzzles as well as collectible items and scavenger hunts that can be shared via StreetPass. The game launches Feb. 28 in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate: Hunt alongside friends online in the most dynamic Monster Hunter game ever. Capcom’s action RPG is coming to North America in early 2015 with more content and options than ever before.
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
Steel Diver: Sub Wars: AVAILABLE NOW! This strategic first-person shooter is the successor to Steel Diver. It features more tactical action game play than typical shooters, as players are asked to navigate heavy-duty submarines while staying one step ahead of their enemies. People can compete in local four-on-four team sub battles and go online to battle submariners from around the world (as long as each person downloads the game for him- or herself). A free version that features two basic submarines, the beginning of the single-player mission mode and multiplayer features is now available for download. An upgrade to the full Premium version of the game is also available for purchase within the in-game menu for $9.99.
INAZUMA ELEVEN: AVAILABLE NOW! In this soccer-themed RPG, players help their team go from underdogs to champions by training, learning new skills and recruiting the best players around. High-tension soccer battles require players to marshal all their teammates’ special moves, from flaming tornado kicks to mind-bending acrobatics. The INAZUMA ELEVEN franchise has passionate fans in Japan and Europe, and it makes its North American debut today. The game is now available for download for $19.99.
Pokémon Battle Trozei: This fast-paced Pokémon puzzle game has players matching Pokémon to clear them while battling and collecting other Pokémon. The game includes every single known Pokémon – more than 700 of them – from Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue to Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. Caught Pokémon can be used by players during battles to help them and will even grow in strength and inflict greater damage the more they are used. The game also features four-player co-op play, and is scheduled to be available March 20 for $7.99.
Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball: Ex-pro baseball player and dog Rusty Slugger owns a sports shack. He’s broke with 10 puppies to feed, so he offers a variety of baseball mini-games for sale, themed around the simple pleasures of baseball. Players can bat, pitch, catch and even umpire. The initial software containing a part of the first mini-game is free, but players can purchase additional mini-games in a unique way: by haggling to lower the real-world price for each downloadable game. Additional games start at $4 apiece, but giving Rusty items or listening to his problems might improve his mood and motivate him to offer steep discounts. The game is scheduled to launch in April.
WEAPON SHOP de OMASSE: This is the fourth and final game in what is known in Japan as the GUILD01 series, which has delivered games like LIBERATION MAIDEN and CRIMSON SHROUD to the Nintendo eShop. In comedian Yoshiyuki Hirai’s tribute to classic role-playing games, players are tasked with managing a weapon shop inside an RPG. Players tap the touch screen in time with music to forge their weapons. Optimal timing and forge temperatures lead to better weapons for heroes to take on quests. The stronger the weapons, the more successful the heroes. The game is scheduled to be available Feb. 20 for $7.99.
Remember that Wii U 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/wiiu or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
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 U™ and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.2 billion video games and more than 669 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™ and Wii 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.
CRAYOLA® AND GENERAL MILLS JOIN ACTIVISION’S ROBUST LICENSING PORTFOLIO FOR ITS AWARD-WINNING SKYLANDERS FRANCHISE
#1 Best-Selling Kids Video Game Franchise of 2013 Worldwide1 Increases Licensing Footprint to More Than 175 Licensees
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Feb. 14, 2014 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), announced today an impressive roster of global licensees for its award-winning Skylanders franchise. Landmark new relationships with Crayola® and General Mills underscores the popularity of the Skylanders property and drives the expansion of merchandising program into new categories. Activision’s robust licensing portfolio, featuring more than 175 licensees, is set to deliver meaningful brand extensions for the #1 kids’ video game franchise in the world1.
“The relationships we have formed with Crayola and General Mills showcase how strong Skylanders has become in just 27 months,” said Ashley Maidy, vice president of global licensing and partnerships for Activision Publishing. “The brand association that comes along with these category giants expands the property’s reach outside of our traditional channels worldwide and fosters a deeper connection with our fans.”
As a result of these collaborations, a number of exciting new products and promotions will come to market this year, including:
· Activision and Crayola will introduce unique Skylanders-branded color and activity formats. The specialty line will include Crayola’s signature formats including Color Wonder, Giant Coloring Pages and Xtreme Coloring, among other new platforms and will be available this holiday at top retail channels worldwide.
· Starting in June, a new promotion with General Mills will release Skylanders-shaped Fruit Flavored Snacks to fans all over North America. This relationship marks Activision’s first entry into the category and will bring six character favorites, including Chompy, Gill Grunt, Jet Vac, Kaos, Stealth Elf and Eruptor to grocery stores, supermarkets, drug stores and mass market retailers.
New and returning licensees will launch product assortments in 2014 including: POWER A (Carrying Cases & Game Accessories), Mad Dog Concepts (Sleepwear), ABG Accessories (Headwear & Cold Weather), Thermos (Lunch Kits & FUNtainers™), FAB (Backpacks & School Supplies), PTI (Easter), American Greetings (Party Goods & Supplies) and Rubie’s Costumes (Halloween).
Activision’s rich licensing and promotional announcement comes on the heels of a successful 2013 for the Skylanders brand. Skylanders figures outsold all action figure lines worldwide in 2013 for the second consecutive year, beating out the top three action figure lines combined2. Having surpassed the $2 billon mark in sales, including 175 million toys sold worldwide in just 27 months1, Skylanders is now in the top 20 video game franchises of all time1 and continues to set benchmarks for the toys-to-life category.
‘YOU DON’T KNOW JACK®’ STUDIO HITS THE TEE WITH ‘WORD PUTTZ™’, A WORD GAME WITH BALLS
New F2P iOS and Android Game Is Jackbox Games’ First Word Game
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – February 13, 2014 – Independent developer Jackbox Games today announced the official launch of Word Puttz™, a F2P mobile game for iOS and Android that takes the word game somewhere it has never gone before: the mini-golf course.
“Word Puttz is our own twisted spin on the genre,” said Mike Bilder, GM, Jackbox Games. “After some hard work in the studio, we’re confident that Word Puttz will be the only octopus-hosted, wordtile/mini-golf mashup you’ll ever play.”
In Word Puttz, players use letters from their tray to build cross words that score points based on the combined letter value, just as in other word games. Sounds pretty simple, right? But, the Octoputtz, a spelling-obsessed octopus and mini-golf course owner, loaded each course with obstacles, challenges and bizarre surprises preventing the player from sinking that crucial putt.
Players progress through the holes of various courses that offer different layouts, missions and obstacles with increasing degrees of difficulty. The game is entirely F2P and players earn stars that enable them to continually unlock additional content. A variety of boosts are available for in-app purchase, as is an upgrade that removes ads and provides a stockpile of boosts.
Word Puttz will launch with four courses, including more than 70 levels, and additional courses will be added in the future. Facebook Connect integration allows players to compete with friends on the leaderboard and sharing of boosts and lives is fully integrated into the app.
This new game is the latest innovation from the Chicago studio that has evolved from developing the original YOU DON’T KNOW JACK for PC, which sold more than five million total units, to the SPIKE TV 2012 Social Game of the Year (YOU DON’T KNOW JACK for Facebook), to last year’s release of Lie Swatter™, Clone Booth™ and YOU DON’T KNOW JACK Party.
About Jackbox Games
Jackbox Games, formerly Jellyvision Games, is a developer and publisher of games on leading consumer gaming platforms. The company is located in Chicago, Illinois.