Quote - IGN Pocket
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January 12, 2004 - While everyone else was running around doing some last-minute Christmas shopping, Take-Two Interactive registered 10 Grand Theft Auto-related trademarks on December 17 and 21, 2003, including both GTA: Sin City and GTA 5. If you have been following the news on GTA recently, you probably already know this.


But there is more to the GTA trademark story than first revealed. More than three or four GTA-related name were registered in December. Eight of these trademarks were registered on December 17. The ones you already know about are GTA5, GTA6 and GTA: San Andreas.

However, several more were registered, induding five more trademarked names, GTA: Sin City, GTA: Bogota, Grand Theft Auto: Sin City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and the entirely unheard of Grand Theft Auto: Bogota.

It gets even better. Four days later, on December 21, 2003, when even fewer people were paying attention, Take-Two Interactive also registered another one entirely new prospective title, GTA: Tokyo and Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo.

It's clear Take-Two has long-term plans for GTA, this we knew and expected, given the series is the most popular series on PS2 and arguably the most influential game in this generation of systems. And without using too mucb brainpower we knew that the series would continue moving from town to town, both exciting and smart.

With so many names trademarked at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office web site for the series, it's likely that two things are happening: 1) A few of these names are red herrings to keep fans guessing as to the next locale, or 2) they're names for games appearing in the long-term future. We'll have more on the GTA series very soon.
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Quote - IGN Cube
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January 14, 2004 - Late last year, Nintendo registered a logo that featured Mario's glove in a "victory" pose, with the slogan "Origin of Our TV Games" printed around it. The company today revealed the first product that features this logo and slogan yesterday: it will be printed on the boxes for the new Famicom Mini series of Game Boy Advance games set for release in Japan on February 14th.



The Famicom Mini series features direct versions of the original classic Famicom games converted to Game Boy Advance cartridges, complete with a new color scheme and classic artwork. For more details on this series, and the games that will be included in it, head over to IGN's Game Boy channel.
-- Craig Harris
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Quote - IGN Pocket
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Famicom Mini Super Bonus
Collect all the games and get a cool present from Nintendo.

February 25, 2004 - Nintendo Japan announced today another cool bonus for Club Nintendo members. Those who pick up all ten entries in the company's Famicom Mini lineup of Game Boy Advance titles and register the serials numbers for each game at the Club Nintendo website will automatically receive a "Famicom Collection Box." This box has space for storage of all ten titles.

A picture of the collector's box is viewable to the right (click to make the image larger).
Nintendo's Famicom Mini lineup consists of ten classic NES titles on Game Boy Advance cartridges, packaged in special collectors' boxes. The titles were released on 2/14 at a price of 2000 yen a piece.

The cut off date for registering the titles is 4/30 at midnight, so there's still plenty of time remaining. We're sure the unfortunate many who still can't track down copies of Super Mario Brothers and Zelda will use the time to stage a nation-wide search (hint: check out your nearest convenience store).
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Quote - IGN Gameboy
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Joy Spot
Nintendo gets gamers together in official hotspots of wireless play.

March 10, 2004 - Nintendo has announced its plans for Joy Spot, a service hosted in retail stores that enables owners of the Game Boy Advance and the Wireless Adapter to connect together for multiplayer gaming. The service will begin on March 25th in locations all over Japan.

The service will be free to all and supported by retailers. This red Joy Spot mark shows players where the Joy Spot area is located in a store.

Players who visit these Joy Spots can enjoy not only wireless trading with other users who are present, but can also enjoy wireless data distribution services that unlock new gameplay, characters, and features in games. Players can also partake in special Joy Spot Challenge Battle tournaments.

Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green will be the first title supported when the service goes live, with Mario Golf Advance Tour support on the way when it ships in Japan on April 22.

-- Craig Harris
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quote IGN

March 26, 2004 - It's been rumored and speculated on for weeks, but today Nintendo has exclusively revealed to us the details on the US equivelant of the Famicom Mini series.

The collection will be called Classic NES Series, and will begin as a limited edition NES Game Boy Advance SP as well as a line-up of eight classic games released during the Nintendo Entertainment System days of nearly 20 years ago.
The NES Game Boy Advance SP will feature a very unique color scheme that matches the original NES controller's look. It will, of course, play any Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance game.



Official art from Nintendo of America



Nintendo will release eight games for starters, all accurately emulating the NES games from the mid 80s: Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., Excitebike, Ice Climber, Xevious, and Bomberman. Each game in the series will be priced at $19.99, and will be packaged in a standard Game Boy Advance box featuring the classic artwork of the original game.

"I mean, Donkey Kong and Pac-Man? These are, like, the best games ever," says Perrin "Mallrat" Kaplan, Nintendo of America's vice president, marketing and corporate affairs. "And if you aren't just dying to get your hands on the gnarly new Classic NES Limited Edition GBA SP, you're a total dweeb." Yep, that's a real quote, folks.

The games and system will launch on June 7th in the US.

-- Craig Harris

quote IGN Gameboy

Majesco Sounds Off
The company will produce officially licensed headphones for GBA SP.

April 06, 2004 - Majesco today announced that will distribute officially licensed Game Boy Advance SP Neckband Style Headphones in the US. The company will ship these headphones as part of the company's aggressive roll-out in support of its Game Boy Advance Video line-up this spring.

Majesco's Game Boy Advance SP Neckband Style Headphones do not require an additional adaptor since they were developed exclusively for use with the Game Boy Advance SP. The headphones are scheduled to debut this spring at major retailers nationwide in conjunction with the company's line-up of Game Boy Advance Video titles.

With the introduction of our proprietary Game Boy Advance Video technology enabling consumers to watch full-motion video on their portable systems, the need for headphones has never been greater," said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Majesco Sales Inc. "We are thrilled to continue to be Nintendo's only licensed accessory manufacturer for the Game Boy Advance and look forward to introducing more high quality accessories in the future."

quote IGN Pocket

April 09, 2004 - Square Enix has announced Final Fantasy 1&2 Advance for the Game Boy Advance. This coupling of the first two games in the Final Fantasy series, both originally released on the Nintendo Famicom system (NES in America) will feature lots of improvements over the original titles.

Final Fantasy 1 sets you on an adventure to find and return crystals of light. The cast of four heroes and heroines are still without initial names in this remake. In addition to the ability to save anywhere and some gameplay changes, Square Enix will be including a new dungeon called "Soul of Chaos." Within this dungeon rest four "Chaos Spirits," along with some powerful items that didn't appear in the original and some well-known bosses from Final Fantasy lore.
FF2 features four named heroes, Maria, Guy, Leonheart and Frioniel, who attempt to protect the world from a massive empire. Square Enix is promising new gameplay elements, but perhaps of more interest to fans of FF lore is a story update in the form of a new chapter called "Soul of Re-Birth." This chapter features new events, monsters and items.

This collection is due for Japanese release in July. An American release is expected, but has yet to be announced by Square Enix. The pictures included with this story come from the upcoming issue of Japan's Weekly Jump Magazine.

quote Neoseeker Industry Page

Majesco Plans GBA Wireless Text Messaging
Leo Chan - Friday, May 7th, 2004 | 11:16PM (GMT)


More GBA wireless features in development

Majesco announces yesterday their intentions to release two new wireless applications later this year for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance handheld console system, called the Wireless Messenger and Wireless Link. You may recall that Majesco released video compression technology for the GBA as well earlier this year, allowing the system to play video (stored in a special format) on their GBA.

Wireless adapters aren't entirely new for the GBA, indeed Nintendo's Pokemon "Fire Red" and "Leaf Green" GBA games both feature support for an official adapter from Nintendo and they have both been on the Japanese market for months now.

Judging from the press release, Majesco's Wireless Link looks to make normal multiplayer GBA gaming possible through wireless transmission instead of through the normal link cables you need to hook up to each system. Meanwhile, the Wireless Messenger looks to allow GBA gamers to send instant text messages to each other via their GBA systems like conventional cellphones, provided they're within range of course.

Both products will be showcased at the E3 trade show in Los Angeles next week, May 12-14.


""More than 21 million consumers in North America own a Game Boy Advance and that alone offers a significant opportunity for publishers," said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Majesco. "Between our video compression technology and our new wireless offerings, we have managed to go beyond the normal video game applications to maximize and expand the potential of Nintendo's Game Boy Advance.""




Source: Blue's News
Section: Gameboy Advance Games

quote

KONAMI SHINES ON WITH BOKTAI 2: SOLAR BOY DJANGO

Most Innovative Game to See the Light of Day on Nintendo's Game Boy® Advance
with New Solar-Sensitive Gameplay, Characters and Weapons

LOS ANGELES - Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Booth #800 - May 12, 2004 - Konami Digital Entertainment - America, a division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced that Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django for Nintendo's Game Boy® Advance will be available in September 2004. Developed by acclaimed game designer, Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid® series), the second installment in the popular Boktai franchise brings back one of the most innovative features to be implemented into a video game - the signature solar sensor technology, which incorporates natural sunlight into gameplay. Focusing more on role playing game (RPG) elements than the previous release, many new features have been added to Boktai 2 to help create an in-depth and exciting gaming experience.

One of the truly cutting edge titles for any video game system, Boktai 2 continues the vampire hunting adventures of Django the Solar Boy. Throughout his adventures, Django will encounter a variety of characters that can help or hinder his progress and through his interactions will have an impact on the progression of the game. Although Django will face even deadlier enemies in Boktai 2, he has a selection of more than 60 solar-powered weapons at his disposal to fend off foes. In addition, players will now be able power-up and fuse different types of weapons using natural sunlight - providing a formidable arsenal to take to battle. In order to make the most of these items - and to vanquish enemies - gamers must head outside to take advantage of the sunlight to strengthen their weapons.

Aside from the action-packed Story Mode, Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django boasts a deeper Multiplayer Mode for up to four players using the Game Boy® Advance Game Link® cable. In this mode, players will battle it out against one another to determine who is the ultimate vampire hunter.

Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django is scheduled to hit shelves in September 2004. Boktai 2 has not yet been rated by the ESRB.


Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django © 2003 2004 Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. KONAMI® is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION. Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

quote

KONAMI SHINES ON WITH BOKTAI 2: SOLAR BOY DJANGO

Most Innovative Game to See the Light of Day on Nintendo's Game Boy® Advance
with New Solar-Sensitive Gameplay, Characters and Weapons

LOS ANGELES - Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Booth #800 - May 12, 2004 - Konami Digital Entertainment - America, a division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced that Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django for Nintendo's Game Boy® Advance will be available in September 2004. Developed by acclaimed game designer, Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid® series), the second installment in the popular Boktai franchise brings back one of the most innovative features to be implemented into a video game - the signature solar sensor technology, which incorporates natural sunlight into gameplay. Focusing more on role playing game (RPG) elements than the previous release, many new features have been added to Boktai 2 to help create an in-depth and exciting gaming experience.

One of the truly cutting edge titles for any video game system, Boktai 2 continues the vampire hunting adventures of Django the Solar Boy. Throughout his adventures, Django will encounter a variety of characters that can help or hinder his progress and through his interactions will have an impact on the progression of the game. Although Django will face even deadlier enemies in Boktai 2, he has a selection of more than 60 solar-powered weapons at his disposal to fend off foes. In addition, players will now be able power-up and fuse different types of weapons using natural sunlight - providing a formidable arsenal to take to battle. In order to make the most of these items - and to vanquish enemies - gamers must head outside to take advantage of the sunlight to strengthen their weapons.

Aside from the action-packed Story Mode, Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django boasts a deeper Multiplayer Mode for up to four players using the Game Boy® Advance Game Link® cable. In this mode, players will battle it out against one another to determine who is the ultimate vampire hunter.

Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django is scheduled to hit shelves in September 2004. Boktai 2 has not yet been rated by the ESRB.


Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django © 2003 2004 Konami Computer Entertainment Japan. KONAMI® is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION. Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

quote

KONAMI SERVES UP FOUR-PLAYER SHELL-SPLITTING
ACTION WITH TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 2

New Game in the Popular Series Features Four-Player Cooperative
Mode for Intense Multiplayer Action

LOS ANGELES - Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Booth #800 - May 12, 2004 - Leading video game publisher, Konami Digital Entertainment - America, a division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., today announced that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (TMNT 2) will ship in October 2004. Developed for the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Game Boy® Advance and PC CD-ROM, TMNT 2 features an-all new experience in the form of four-player cooperative play - a trademark of the legendary arcade games and a first for the next-generation franchise.

"The incredible appeal and popularity of the Ninja Turtles transcends generations, thanks to the current re-launch of the franchise and the mass appeal of the original series," said Erica Mason, product manager, Konami Digital Entertainment - America. "With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, our team has been able to create a hugely entertaining game that recreates the excitement of the renowned series through four-player cooperative gameplay which will excite both younger and older fans of the beloved franchise."

Featuring a non-linear story structure requiring more skill based play, TMNT 2 is guaranteed to offer gamers a varied and exciting gameplay experience. Complete with voice-overs from the popular TMNT animated TV series on the FoxBox, TMNT 2 allows gamers to play as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael, each with distinct characteristics and abilities. Players will need to kick, punch and slice their way past Foot Ninjas and the turtles' archenemy, The Shredder, in two exciting game modes - Story and Battle Nexus. The four-player cooperative Story Mode is based on the FoxBox's TMNT Season 2, with individual player's performance and selection affecting the story line. The Battle Nexus Mode offers slick head-to-head action. Additionally, as an added bonus for older, more nostalgic fans, the console versions provide the ability to unlock one of the classic TMNT arcade-games.

Meanwhile, the Game Boy Advance version features a total of 60 stages, including the main story mode which has total of 30 stages, as well as 15 battle stages and 15 ride courses. By completing all the Race Modes in each stage, players can earn bonus points to unlock special items. Adding to the fun, gamers can play against up to four friends with the Link cable for the ultimate kick-butt ninja party!

TMNT2 is available to play at Konami's E3 2004 booth.