Boxed Up Briefs

Today's micro-items include fire-fighting action on the Wii, a Lost Planet-powered 8-bit nostalgia trip, some wet blood-suckers in Vampire Rain, and a different sort of computer chip contest.

Nick Breckon

June 21, 2007 7:32 PM

Due to the conflicting schedules, the rest of the Shack staff will be at QuakeCon when all that StarCraft 2 nonsense is going on down in Anaheim. Luckily I will be there, soldiering through the masses of drooling fans while providing all the details on every clickable sound effect and minute gameplay change. Until someone Zerg-rushes me and I break down into a temper tantrum.

Today's micro-items include fire-fighting action on the Wii, a Lost Planet-powered 8-bit nostalgia trip, some wet blood-suckers in Vampire Rain, and a different sort of computer chip contest.

Real Heroes to fight fires on the Wii

[wii]

Epicenter Studios today announced Real Heroes: Firefighter for the Nintendo Wii. Real Heroes will see players fighting fires that spread in unpredictable ways, attacking structures and victims while changing the game environment.
"Because firefighting requires a lot more than dousing flames, Real Heroes emphasizes non-violent, game-integral puzzles that mirror the challenges and on-the-fly choices firefighters actually face," states Epicenter CEO Nathaniel McClure. The company hopes to achieve a Holiday 2008 release.
Lost Planet finds more multiplayer maps

[xbox360]

Capcom has released the new set of multiplayer maps for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition (X360) announced last week. The new selections include the 8-bit-styled "Lost Technology" map, which features a pixelated aesthetic in the vein of early Nintendo games, and are downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 Microsoft Points ($5). Screenshots are available here.
Vampires rain down on Xbox 360 next month

[xbox360]

Artoon's horror-action title Vampire Rain is set to ship for Xbox 360 on July 3. The stealth-based game will feature a single player, story-driven campaign, in addition to online multiplayer over Xbox Live. Up to eight players can participate in human vs. Nightwalker combat across soaking city streets. Microsoft released new screenshots today.
Majesco announces Zoo Hospital for DS

[ds]

Publisher Majesco sends word that Zoo Hospital is in development by Torus Games for the Nintendo DS. The game will task players with diagnosing and treating over 40 different species of animals. A two-player cooperative mode will have players using the Nintendo DS Touch Screen to perform procedures such as administering injections to pulling teeth. No release date has been confirmed.
The Bigs gone gold

[ps2] [ps3] [xbox360] [wii] [psp]

Blue Castle Games' arcade baseball title The Bigs has gone gold, according to publisher 2K Sports. The game features fast-paced, action-oriented baseball set within gigantic stadiums, and ships on June 25th. 2K Sports released screenshots from all versions, including PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PSP.
Doritos throws chip contest at Xbox 360 fans

[xbox360]

Microsoft and the Doritos brand have partnered for a new contest that challenges consumers to design an Xbox Live Arcade game based on the popular chip snacks. Five finalists will work with Xbox Live Arcade development teams to capture the "spirit of the Doritos tortilla chips" and "bring it to life" on the Xbox 360. Ideas can be submitted online at the contest website from June 21-29.