Hockey Season Returns on Xbox and PS2

At least one game publisher is ready to woo the cross-checking, high-sticking, zamboni-craving hockey fans left cold last year with a new video game. 2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, shipped “NHL 2K6” to retailers on Wednesday. The top-rated hockey video game series is available on Xbox and PlayStation 2.

“The hockey season is back in full force and so is ‘NHL 2K6,’” said Erik Whiteford, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “NHL 2K6 delivers the most authentic, intense and fun hockey video game on the market. With the return of fan-favorite features, terrific online play, the addition of ground-breaking new features and an incredible price-point, consumers are sure to enjoy all that ‘NHL 2K6’ offers.”

According to 2K Sports, puck fans will be immersed in all of the authenticity and excitement of hockey as they play like the pros. The game includes an icon-based passing system called ProControl, which will allow players to execute combo passing and shooting controls and queue up give-and-go attacks, in addition to tic-tac-toe passing, puck cycling, behind the net plays and more.

On-the-Fly Coaching invites gamers to play their style of hockey at both ends of the ice by calling team strategy during the action. Players can crash the net, screen the goalie and have defensemen pinch in toward the net and then counter the attack by clearing the crease, collapsing the defense or setting up a breakout for an offensive rush.

Gamers take matters into their own hands with Maximum Goaltending by swapping into the cage and using their right analog stick to make quick, intuitive saves when it counts the most. In addition, commentaries feature broadcasters Bob Cole and Harry Neale. Now that’s hardcore.

Crave Entertainment Signs Seven Top Poker Pros to Exclusive Deals

Seven of the world’s top poker players will soon allow you play the best in the comfort of your living room. Publisher Crave Entertainment inked a deal that brings Howard Lederer, Greg Raymer, Clonie Gowen, Amir Vahidi, Paul Darden, Robert Williamson III and tournament director Matt Savage to PlayStation 2, Xbox and PlayStation Portable.

Each person’s likeness, play styles and signature personality traits will be added to “World Championship Poker 2: Featuring Howard Lederer.” Howard’s sister, women’s’ champion Annie Duke, will also be featured.

“The World Championship Poker franchise has been phenomenally successful for Crave,” said Rob Dyer, president and COO. “We’ve locked up some of the world’s top poker players, so they’ll only be featured in WCP2.” No release date was given.

Developed by Point of View, “World Championship Poker 2” will be a much more detailed single-player game where you have to work your way up the ranks, starting in your mom’s basement. Once you start winning and accumulating money, you can spend your winnings on increasingly better pads and furnishings. Hit a losing streak and you may have to hock your stuff to stay in the game.

“Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Lockdown” Ships for Consoles

Tactical video game junkies should head to their local retailer this weekend to grab “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Lockdown” for the Xbox or the PlayStation 2. The “Rainbow Six” franchise, known for its immersive single-player games, continues with Lockdown as Team Rainbow, the world’s most elite counter-terrorist unit, is called into action into unfamiliar territory as they battle a Bioterrorist threat.

“’Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six’ is the godfather of tactical squad-based play, having invented the genre in 1998,” said Tony Kee, vice president of marketing for Ubisoft.

Developed by Red Storm Entertainment, the maker of the original “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six,” and Ubisoft’s Montreal Studio, “Lockdown” builds on the ingredients that have made the “Rainbow Six” franchise popular among fans. In addition to completely new, more ominous multiplayer content, the single-player game contains a darker storyline and state-of-the-art equipment, also offering gamers the chance to play as two members of Team Rainbow. A GameCube version should show up later this month.

New “Monopoly” Branded Games in Development

The electronic gaming industry owes its existence to table top and pen-and-paper games that came before it, so it’s not a real shock someone would want to brush off a classic family game like “Monopoly” and give it new life – in casinos.

WMS Gaming will debut seven new game themes based on Hasbro’s “Monopoly” brand at next week’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas. The company plans to show off a type of multiplayer slot machine that allows several players to work together to beat the game. The new branded series of games is called “Monopoly Big Event.”

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