FIFA 09: First details emerge (FIFA 09)

The first details have started to trickle in on EA Sports’ FIFA 09.

US mag GamePro reports ”considerable gameplay improvements,” the most significant of which sounds like “increased responsiveness” from passing, dribbling and the physical pushing and shoving that occurs in a game.

Apparently thanks to some excellent and refined animation work, FIFA 09 feels “much faster and more realistic” than previous iterations, and this has “a huge positive impact” on the quality of play.

First SimCity Wii details, screens (SimCity Creator)

EA has lifted the lid on the latest game in the long-running SimCity franchise: SimCity Creator for Wii and DS, out here on September 22 (and Sept 19 in UK).

“SimCity Creator is an open-ended, highly creative game with a sense of humour that allows players to utilize the distinctive gameplay aspects of the Wii and Nintendo DS to create, enjoy and destroy epic cities,” describes EA.

So, pretty much like previous SimCity games then, only in keeping with the mainstream appeal of Nintendo’s latest hardware, EA promises this to be “the most accessible and light-hearted game from the SimCity franchise,” designed for “families and players of all ages”.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC – first screen (Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe)

Midway’s bizarre comic beat-’em-up crossover, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, makes its debut in screens. Check out the official site for environment artwork and get a load of Scorpion right here:

As you’d have heard from the internet commotion last month, the new MK stars the caped crusader (that’s Batman, noobs) and other characters from the DC universe, including Superman, as part of a radical reinvention.

In the first trailer you can also glimpse one of the next game’s biggest features – Freefall Kombat. This new mechanic sees fighters going at it while plummeting through the air. It looks good, but will it work?

EA dev: ‘Nintendo first to crack console MMO problems’ (Wii)

The MMO genre has never really taken off on consoles in the same way as on PC. It’s a puzzle for developers, but if anyone can figure it out, Nintendo can, says EA Mythic creative director, Paul Barnett.

The huge influence of World of Warcraft is the first creative problem for console MMOs, says Barnett, who’s currently busy working on Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.

“The number-one problem of a developer of an MMO these days is it’s very hard to be creative and keep your eye on the target when almost everyone has only ever played one of these games and it dominates their thinking,” Barnett tells our buddies at CVG.

First details on Bayonetta, MadWorld, and Infinite Line (MadWorld)

Publisher Sega just delivered the first scant details on MadWorld, Infinite Line, an unnamed game, and Bayonetta, the first four projects from new developer Platinum Games Inc. And yes, new games are announced almost every day, but this is special. Why? Because Platinum Games is made up of the men who invented cutting-edge classics like Resident Evil, Okami, Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry, and the mech-tacular Steel Battalion. Simply put - they’re good. Really good. And here’s a tantalizing, if infuriatingly small (how small? Sega didn’t even give out screens) peek at what they’re doing next.

First Line Rider 2 footage (Line Rider 2: Unbound)

LittleBigPlanet and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts are the big user created content-focused games that everyone’s talking about, but Line Rider got there first.

Physics geeks and people with very few friends have been addicted to the simple PC flash game for years, in which you draw an obstacle course on a blank sheet and set a little man in a physics-controlled loose to slide down it.

First WiiWare sequel in development (LostWinds – WiiSoftware)

Frontier Developments is already working on a sequel to its WiiWare game LostWinds, despite it only being on sale in the US for just one day.

“Click here to REGISTER FOR ADVANCE INFORMATION on Frontier’s forthcoming LostWinds sequel containing amazing new gameplay as Toku and Enril’s incredible adventure to save Mistralis continues”, reads a blurb advertising a newsletter on the company’s website.

We’ve clicked but haven’t received anything yet, but considering the game hasn’t even been released over here yet, we think it’s a little unfair to expect news on the sequel immediately.

First details on new Earthworm Jim game (Wii)

Interplay has revealed that it is partnering with franchise creator Doug TenNapel to work on a new Earthwork Jim game, TV series and film.

Other than the tentative title of Earthworm Jim 4, no other details have been confirmed. TenNapel will serve as a creative consultant on all of the projects.

Earlier in the month, Earthworm Jim was one of a number of IPs owned by Interplay that were flagged up as getting the revival treatment.

First details on new Earthworm Jim game (Wii)

Interplay has revealed that it is partnering with franchise creator Doug TenNapel to work on a new Earthwork Jim game, TV series and film.

Other than the tentative title of Earthworm Jim 4, no other details have been confirmed. TenNapel will serve as a creative consultant on all of the projects.

Earlier in the month, Earthworm Jim was one of a number of IPs owned by Interplay that were flagged up as getting the revival treatment.