Available for £0.69, Breakout: Boost+ features one hundred brand new levels with all the challenging and frenetic brick-breaking action of the original iOS hit that achieved over two million downloads in the first month after launch.

Download Breakout: Boost+ to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch now from the App Store.

Breakout: Boost+ features:

• One hundred brand new levels with unique brick layouts to smash through

• Boost Control allows players to manually adjust the ball’s speed, scaling up the speed to increase the score multiplier

• Special ball upgrades to aid your destruction, such as the Fire, Acid, Splitting and Grenade balls

• New and unique brick varieties standing in your way, including Exploding, Mystery, x4 and Metal bricks

• Save and restore in-progress games, so you can stop and start at your convenience

• Game Center and OpenFeint integration for score leaderboards and achievements

Those interested in trying out Breakout: Boost may still download the original title for free, including five levels and additional content available through in-app purchases from the Apple App Store.

For more information about Atari games and the latest news vist www.atari.com.

I am blessed with a local casino, bingo evenings and several amusements for those who enjoy feeding the slot machines. But it doesn’t compare to sitting indoors in the comfort of my own home, dry and warm, where I can play online casino games.

Online casinos enable players to gamble on casino games; and along with poker, popularity has exploded over the past few years.

As with everything on the World Wide Web, there are good and bad gaming sites.  My advice is to take a good look around a few sites before you start playing.  Everyone who plays games for money knows how easy it is to get sucked in.  So before you get hooked, at least have the peace of mind that the site you are using is reputable and offering you good odds. Online casinos generally offer odds and payback percentages similar to offline or traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ casinos. Just remember, if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is!

Some online casinos offer what’s known as ‘Live Gaming’ in an attempt to give the game more of an authentic feel.  This is where online casino sites offer the gamer the chance to play popular casino games such as roulette and blackjack with a real-life card dealer.  Gamers can interact with the dealer and in doing so give the impression of a real-life game rather than simply playing against the computer.  As with any live streaming, the quality of a ‘Live Gaming’ experience depends on the speed of your broadband.

There are two types of online casinos – web-based and download-based.  Websites that offer the gamer to play directly from the website mainly use Flash or Java software.  Both require web browser plug-ins.  Most browsers come with these plug-ins but it may require you download a latest version.

Download-based online casinos require the user to download software onto their computer before they can play the casino games. The online casino software connects to the casino service provider and handles contact without browser support. Download-based online casinos generally run faster than web-based online casinos since the graphics and sound programs are located within the software client, rather than having to be loaded from the Internet. This is worth consideration if you have a slow or shared internet connection.

Before you download any software to your computer, be confident it is legitimate software and is unlikely to include a virus.

I have planned a trip to Las Vegas next summer.  But that’s more about visiting the casino capital of the world and playing at the same table as the rich and famous.  But for now, I am happy to play poker and casino games online.

However, Shienryu does offer some challenges as you must reach the end with only a few lives, although pick-ups will help you along the way by giving you lives, increased ammunition, faster shooting or being able to shoot lighting!

At the end of the game you can record your score on a local leaderboard to see all your scores. Shienryu can be played on both PS3 and PSP.

Although it isn’t the number 1 shoot’em-up around, it is worth a go for anyone looking for a bit of cooperative madness, and is well worth every penny of the price- £3.99.

Buzzin’ Games   5/10

The Sims 3: Pets

The Sims 3: Pets enables anyone to play as they want, whether it’s the builder who creates the ultimate pet sanctuary, the achiever who solves all the mysteries in town, the experimenter who has a lone Sim and a house full of cats, or the storyteller who expresses himself through the adventures of his Sims and their pets.

Create perfect-or imperfect-pets for your Sims, from loyal dogs to daring kitties, as you determine their looks and personality traits. Then take control of these pets and experience the world from their perspective. Enjoy a little mischief by destroying furniture or impress others by mastering new skills like hunting. Lead your Sims on adventures, like uncovering relics and solving mysteries.

Players take creativity by the reins and play out the stories they want to tell whether it’s the single guy in the dog park picking up women or the criminal overlord and her evil cat. Across all platforms, The Sims 3: Pets players will be able to create, customize and control over a hundred different kinds of cats and dogs like the Australian Shepherd and the Maine Coon, and can breed and share them with friends providing endless possibilities to create new and exciting breeds.

For the first time ever, The Sims 3 Pets allows you to play as truly unique and customisable animals with personalities and looks all of their own!

Explore a new town, solve mysteries, unleash new Karma Powers and more in The Sims 3 Pets for console. With over 100 hundred breeds of cats and dogs to customise, there are infinite possibilities for creating the designer pet of your dreams. From loyal tuxedo cat to playful Chow Chow, explore the world through your pet’s eyes.

Whether the player prefers to customize the newest designer breed or be mischievous with their dog or cat, The Sims 3: Pets gives them the tools to play with life and create the perfect pet.

Free to Enter Competition to win The Sims 3: Pets for PS3

In association with Electronic Arts, Buzzin Games has 5 copies of The Sims 3  Pets for PS3 to giveaway.

To enter all you need to do is answer the following easy question:

Q: What is the title of the top latest EA football (or soccer) video game?

Submit your entries to comps@buzzinmedia.co.uk with the subject line: ‘Sims 3’ (other subject lines will not be entered) with your full name, address & contact number.

This Buzzin Media Competition ends has now closed

The editor will randomly choose five winners from the correct answers. The editor’s choice is final.

“We’ve been working with our community to develop end game content that’s relevant for our veteran players and that’s what we’ve created with Territory Wars – it allows gangs to own and control sections of the city,” said Lead Game Designer Alexandr Soloveyko. “In addition, we’ve also streamlined the user experience for new players, with our Quickplay interface which gets them into the action faster than ever.”

CrimeCraft GangWars, is set in the bloody aftermath of the Bleedout Campaign and the destruction of the Scorpion Chamber, the governing body of Sunrise City. Gangs now fight for control of the city.

CrimeCraft GangWars will be available through www.CrimeCraft.com and Steam.

CrimeCraft GangWars features include:

• MMORPG Shooter – CrimeCraft takes the best persistent world RPG features (thousands of other players, loot, guilds/gangs, crafting, trading, missions, skills, PvE and PvP Combat) and combines it with the action and skill based gameplay of a shooter.

• Quickplay – Access CrimeCraft’s core gameplay features through a simplified interface that lets you shortcut RPG gameplay and get right to the action. Players can switch between the streamlined Quickplay experience and the fully featured lobbies with the click of a button.

• Free Updates – Frequent huge free content updates. Previous updates have added: player controlled nightclubs, new maps, new gameplay modes, new weapons, new skills, tournaments (daily, weekly and monthly).

• Fast and Furious Action – CrimeCraft features 20 maps and eleven game modes including Core Annihilation, an epic game mode that blends PvP and PvE combat. Players cooperate with AI controlled soldiers to destroy an opponent’s core while protecting their own.

For more information visit www.CCGangWars.com.

The Sonic Wings Special story is enjoyable to play through over 9 missions; and there are 17 different levels altogether you can select. The game can also be played in a two player cooperative mode and the other player can join at any other point through the game. This obviously makes the game more manic; with bullets flying everywhere, but it means you can both enjoy the game at the same time.

Each stage has its own unique touches with varying enemy ships which gives you something new to look forward to on each mission. You can also interact with some of the scenery. There are different characters available to use, each with their own unique warship which all come with special moves to really wreak havoc on the enemy. As you progress through this 2D computer game your ships’ guns will improve with increased quantity and quality of missiles to aid you against the more challenging boss battles at the end of each round.

With different game modes, a good selection of characters (including unlockable ones) and a multipath story this game is definitely a worthy purchase for fans of the retro style shoot’em-up genre.

Sonic Wings Special is released on European PSN & PSP by MonkeyPaw Games Inc price £3.99.

Buzzin’ Games  7/10

The new BurgerTime experience introduces fresh and meaty additions to the re-imagined franchise. For the very first time, BurgerTime will feature platforming elements, boss characters, and local and online multiplayer to spice up this classic favorite. Loyal BurgerTime fans are also rewarded with a DLC download for a delicious BurgerTime World Tour dashboard theme now available for free on Xbox® LIVE Marketplace. BurgerTime World Tour is being served worldwide at the low price of 800 Microsoft Points.

BurgerTime World Tour stars renowned burger chef Peter Pepper as he travels the globe challenging chefs from the world capitals of cuisine. True to his retro roots, Peter Pepper will be tasked with building enormous burgers while running away from wacky food-gone-wild enemies such as Frank Furter the Sausage, Sonny the Egg, and new enemies such as Habba De Niro, the Habanero Pepper. Peter Pepper will need to overcome new obstacles such as giant chasms, wall spikes and hungry bosses to strategically find the fastest way to put together each burger.  And with 50 sizzling levels, BurgerTime has never been meatier.

Now with split-screen and online multiplayer over Xbox® LIVE, BurgerTime World Tour is the first game in franchise history to finally combine massive burger-making and friendly competition. The retro revamp also features various playable chefs and the ability to play as your Xbox® LIVE Avatar.  Fresh additions to the gameplay menu include new customizable multiplayer modes, Burger Battle and Rocket Race. The all-new rocket pack power-up will easily scale level environments, allowing up to four players to get their puzzle-platforming fix. More new twists include the ability to throw both enemies and players.  Surely a food fight will ensue as players rush to assemble burgers with various ingredients for bonus points.

The release of BurgerTime World Tour marks 29 years since the original BurgerTime arcade game was released in 1982. A beloved classic that quickly earned the label as one of the best arcade games of all time, BurgerTime became popular within the competitive gaming community. BurgerTime World Tour adds a ranked online leaderboard for players who enjoy competing to become the world’s greatest BurgerTime chef.

BurgerTime World Tour is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is now available for worldwide download on Xbox® LIVE Arcade, at the low price of 800 Microsoft Points. A trial version of the game is also available for free download on Xbox® LIVE Arcade.

For more information on BurgerTime World Tour visit www.burgertimeworldtour.com.

Digimon Masters

Joymax revealed additional gameplay details for their newly launched MMORPG, Digimon Masters by showing players how to add new Digimon to their team.  Leap once more into the fantastic universe where our world and the Digital World are closer than anyone would have imagined!  The game can be downloaded and played for free on the Joymax portal at http://www.joymax.com/portal.

Hundreds of Digimon stretching from the first 5 anime series will be available for capture, including PawnChessmon (White), Gabumon, Veemon, Guilmon, and Biyomon alongside many others.

However, players seeking to collect their favorite companions will have to work hard on gathering the necessary data to recruit these precious Digimon.

Digimon Masters is the hit MMO featuring the ever-popular Digimon franchise. The conflict has spilled once again from the Digital World into the Real World and the fate of both worlds will rest on the hands on a new generation of Tamers.   Just like in the anime, Digimon come from eggs.  Normal eggs will drop regularly from enemy Digimon, which can be exchanged for Data Chips.  Tamers will soon learn to keep a cache of these chips, which come in nine varieties:  Beast, Dark, Reptile, Fire, Insect, Plant, Rock, Water, and Bug.  Watch for the rare Partner Egg drop.  That’s where things get exciting!

A Partner Egg is hard to miss – they’re bigger than a normal egg and they glow brightly.  Tamers should take their partner eggs to a Hatching Centre along with their chips, in order to incubate their new potential Digimon.  Players must successfully upload chips a minimum of three times to their new partner, though they can attempt to do so up to an additional five times.  Be cautious, however: a failed upload will delete the fragile egg and players will need to find another Partner Egg before trying again.  For those who enjoy the thrill of gambling, try successfully pushing a Digimon to a maximum 5/5 bonus levels.

GaiaSeed - Japanese Retro PS One Game

MonkeyPaw Games Inc. announced today that GaiaSeed is now available on the recently launched Japanese PS One Import section on the European PlayStation Network.

The release marks the first time that European gamers will get the chance to play the addicting horizontal shooter in its pure, un-touched form.

As with most games in the Import section, the release marks the first time that many gamers will get to play the direct-from-Japan import.

GaiaSeed is one of the greatest shooters that never made it to Western markets. The classic is currently available at the affordable price of EU €4.99.

“We’re gradually bringing back Japanese classics without the need of paying a premium price because of their rarity. GaiaSeed is a great example of a classic shooter that simply needed to be shared with the masses. The silky smooth gameplay has definitely stood the test of time and still remains as one of the most addicting space shooters ever,” said John Greiner, president and CEO of MonkeyPaw Games.

About GaiaSeed
GaiaSeed is a horizontal shooter from Techno Soleil featuring solid control, precise bullet collision and a simple powerup system that’s a blast to use. The smooth and silky display of algorhythmic perfection always challenges but never frustrates.

Featuring six stages, GaiaSeed’s massive 2D backgrounds and variable difficulty further increase the game’s replay value for high-score perfectionists. The title’s unique presentation with techno-beat ambiance and fast-paced visual effects also remind gamers today of the uniqueness of past classic shooters.

A rare find that normally sells for upwards in the $150 range, GaiaSeed is a great classic play that fans of other shooter classics like R-Type and Gradius will appreciate.

More Import Classics from MonkeyPaw Games
MonkeyPaw Games plans to import more classic Japanese PlayStation®Network games to European digital markets at a fair price. Fans of import games are encouraged to voice their suggestions on our social networks for their most-wanted Japanese titles. Other released titles courtesy of MonkeyPaw Games include the eye-opening Cho Aniki and the challenging Sonic Wings Special, both classic 2D shooters.

Cho Aniki combines challenging and quirky gameplay with a hilarious cast of over-the-top Japanese body builders. Sonic Wings Special is a critically-acclaimed shooter with tight controls and enemy bosses that overflow with nostalgia.

These games are also available on the European PlayStation®Network at a price point of EU €4.99 each.

“We would like to offer our condolences and solidarity to the families and friends of the victims of the recent earthquake in Turkey and in response to this, Joymax is supporting relief efforts to provide humanitarian and financial assistance to those affected by the disaster,” said Joymax CEO, Nam-chul Kim.  “It has been over ten years since Joymax first started conducting business in Turkey, and during that period we have been afforded many opportunities to see the strength and compassion of the Turkish people firsthand. It is this strength and compassion that we are confident will allow the people of Turkey to overcome during these difficult times.”

Jay Suk, Joymax CFO, also had the following to say, “I believe that a community that is united can accomplish great things. Although it has only been just a few days, we have received tremendous support from our community–our players.  This is just further proof of the bonds that do exist between players. These bonds transcend national borders, language, gender and race, and without the strong support of our community, none of these relief efforts would be possible.  Joymax will continue to do its part as the head of that community, providing support to its players whenever and wherever needed.”

A portion of the proceeds from all purchases made on Joymax.com from now through November 1,2011 will go towards the relief efforts.  For more information visit www.joymax.com.