Need for Speed SHIFT becomes a team sport

Electronic Arts revealed an all-new Team Racing pack for Need for Speed SHIFT to be released via PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace. The content pack features a new race mode and five racing cars - all for free. The Team Racing pack is the first downloadable content for Need for Speed SHIFT and will be available worldwide on December 1st on the Xbox 360 and on the PlayStation 3 on December 3rd in Europe and on December 10th in North America.

The Team Racing mode allows two teams of up to six racers race against each other for online supremacy. As part of the new content, players will also get access to some legendary racers including the 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427, 1967 Shelby GT-500, 1969 Dodge Charger R/T, 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T, and the 1998 Toyota Supra Mark IV.

Look for it on your favorite console system in early December.

Zombie Driver coming Dec. 4

The digital release of Zombie Driver is tentatively scheduled for December 4, according to developer EXOR Studios. Zombie Driver will be released on Steam and GamersGate and will be published in Russia through Akella. EXOR Studios is best known for creating the Source Engine modification, D.I.P.R.I.P. Zombie Driver, which was built using the open-sourced OGRE game engine, mixes top-down action themed driving with loads and loads of zombies and a dash of gore just for fun.

Your goals in the game are pretty straightforward: drive through the streets of a destroyed city to save the survivors of a disastrous chemical accident that changed most of the population into mindless zombies. Time is your enemy and your car is your weapon as you race through the streets smashing everything on your way including fences, phone booths, street lamps and hordes of zombies. When those zombies become too much to handle, players can buy a new car or get more guns and upgrades installed. You earn more money for finishing side quests, racking up kill combos and searching (and finding) hidden prizes.

The game will cost 9.95 dollars, 8.95 euro and 7.95 pounds at both digital distribution portals. Retail distribution in Russia and surrounding territories will be handled by Akella. Further retail distribution partners and other territories will be announced soon.

Learn more by visiting www.zombiedriver.com.

Halo 3, Trials HD tops on Xbox Live

What’s hot happening and downright exciting on Xbox Live lately, According to data from Major Nelson’s official Blog, Halo 3 is all the rage for the week of Oct. 26, 2009. The top Arcade title for the week (based on sales, not usage) was Trials HD, followed by the new South Park tower defense game, Konami’s Zombie Apocalypse and Battlefield 1943. I can’t believe that Castle Crashers is still in the top ten after all this time.

The top Indie game for the week was Avatar Drop, followed by I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1, Pumpkin Chop, Miner Dig Deep and Headshot. It’s nice to see that Miner Dig Deep is getting some sales because it is one of the best Indie games released so far in my ever so humble opinion. The full list of games after the break.

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Need for Speed NITRO released

Need for Speed NITRO is now available in North America and will be available on November 6th in Europe. Developed specifically for the Wii and Nintendo DS, Need for Speed NITRO brings arcade racing to Nintendo’s platforms.

Besides a NFS branded arcade racing experience for Nintendo platform owners, the game features a soundtrack with such artists as k-os, Placebo and Crystal Method. EA’s NFS NITRO promises arcade racing for all kinds of players - from the casual to the hardcore - by offering accessible controls, and competitive multiplayer events.

For more information on the game check out www.ea.com..

Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer in stores

Ubisoft has released Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer to stores across North America today. Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer promises over 50 different challenges, brand new vehicles and tracks, vehicle customization, a wall-riding feature and a “party-play” split screen mode for up to 4 players locally or online. Some of the modes in these challenges include a combat option where you can launch bombs and missiles causing your challengers to take flight, and a stunt option where you can multiply maneuvers and tricks to increase your score.

Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer is available for the Nintendo Wii system, is rated “E” for Everyone and available for an MSRP of $29.99 with the wheel or $19.99 without the wheel.

Need For Speed reaches 100 million units sold mark

Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed franchise has surpassed 100 million units sold life to date, according to its own internal sales figures. The newest release, Need for Speed SHIFT, managed to push the franchise over that mark, making it the best-selling racing brand in the world, says EA. EA says that, life-to-date, the Need for Speed series has generated over $2.7 billion in sales as well.

Since its launch in 1994 on the PlayStation, there have been 15 Need for Speed titles released across more than 14 platforms in over 60 countries around the world. The game franchise has been released in 22 languages and players have generated over 17 trillion user-generated vehicle customizations and raced 79 billion miles of virtual roads and race tracks.

This year there are three titles being launched under the Need for Speed franchise: Need for Speed SHIFT (available now), Need for Speed NITRO, and Need for Speed World Online .

It came from retail: what’s in stores this week

Tuesday is release day and there are plenty of new games to choose from including shooters, games based on movies heavy weight sports titles, games for girls,  games about apocalyptic wastelands, ports of games that should have sold better than they did,  games  involving dudes in spandex and more.

Come and take a tour of this week’s best and worst  releases after the break - you probably won’t regret it, but if you do i’ll give you a refund (let’s see, 0 - 0 = ?).

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