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The Mac OS X version of Call of Duty 2 has just been declared Gold Master by Aspyr Media. This sequel to the original best-selling WWII shooter features many enhancements to its graphics, AI and gameplay, and is expected to ship out very soon.

Here's the lowdown from Aspyr's mini-site:

* The #1 WWII shooter development team returns with an amazing new experience: Developed by Infinity Ward, creators of the award-winning Call of Duty. All-new, unprecedented enhancements from stunningly realistic graphics to seamless gameplay, thanks to the revolutionary COD2 engine, groundbreaking AI, and choice-based gameplay innovations.
* New conflicts and enemies to face: Call of Duty 2 brings you bigger battles, with more tanks, troops, and explosions on-screen, and bigger scope, with a wide range of locales and environments across the European Theater.
* Rely on your squad as never before: The dozens of Allied soldiers surrounding you are fully aware of the changing situations around them, and will let you know using an all-new, context-sensitive battle chatter system.
* Choice-based gameplay: Play through missions in the order you see fit. Will you decide to play first as a sniper or as a tank commander?
* Multiplayer Mayhem: Go online for intense Axis vs. Allies team-based multiplayer action.

Macgamestore.com is expecting to ship the game on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Be sure to get in your pre-order at Macgamestore.com by following the buy link below.

Aspyr Media

Call of Duty 2

IMG Preview: Call of Duty 2

Buy Call of Duty 2

Professor Fizzwizzle is now available at Macgamestore.com as a digital download for $19.95

Professor Fizzwizzle is a fun, mind-expanding puzzle game, where you take control of the diminutive genius, Professor Fizzwizzle. You must help the professor use his brains and his gadgets to solve each exciting level. Do you have what it takes to get past the Rage-Bots and bring the prof back to his lab?

A free demo is available for download from Macgamestore.com. For more, follow the link below.

Macgamestore: Professor Fizzwizzle

MacMall has deals on a wide variety of Mac compatible products including; an economical multi-purpose projector for business or entertainment, the Sony VPL-ES3 multimedia digital projector for only $826.99!; get the EZQuest Monsoon 300GB external FireWire 400/USB 2.0 hard drive for only $$159.99; upgrade you laptop hard drive with the MCE 160GB MobileStor PowerBook hard drive kit for only $395.99; increase the memory in your digital camera or other digital device with the Viking 2GB Secure Digital (SD) Flash Card for only $59.99!; now you can share a hotel's broadband Internet connection wirelessly with the Belkin Wireless G Travel Router for only $52.99!; capture all the great moments of your vacation with the Nikon Coolpix P4 8.1-megapixel compact digital camera for only $339.00!; or start production on your iMovie with the Sony DCR-HC96 MiniDV HandyCam Camcorder for only $799.99; and much more.

Small Dog Electronics has deals on a wide variety of Mac compatible products including; back it up with the LaCie 160GB P3 FireWire external hard drive for only $99.00!; give your Mac Mini a custom designed backup drive with the LaCie 250GB FireWire for the Mac Mini for only $139.00!; print like a pro with the Hewlett-Parckard Photosmart 8750 USB wide-format printer w/fine art paper for only $519.00!; get free shipping with the purchase of the Canon Digital Rebel XT SLR camera with a 1-55mm zoom lens for only $884.00!; match the coolness of you iPod to an Ignitek iCarrier 3-way speaker system w/remote for only $209.00!; protect your new MacBook Pro with the Ogio Hip Hop Messenger Bag in Chiaro Blue for only $47.50!; start your producing our own podcast with the help of the M-Audio Fast Track Studio with mic and USB audio interface for only $139.00! and much more.

Sweetwater Sound has deals on a wide variety of Mac compatible products including; the AKAI MPD16 USB/MIDI Pad Control Surface w/16 pressure and velocity sensitive drum pads for only $99.97!; on a budget but want to make hip sounds? Get the Novation ReMOTE LE49, 49-key USB/MIDI controller w/touchpad, joystick and more for only $249.97; make MIDI connections a breeze with the TAPCO Link.MIDI 4x4 USB/MIDI Interface w/"Thru" button for only $119.99; does your riff need drums? Get Groove Agent 2 virtual drummer from Steinberg Key for only $249.99! get the high-definition audio interface for the road with the Edirol FA-66 for only $349.97! Buy before 6/30 and get Cakewalk SONAR LE free directly from Roland!; and much more.

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IMG has posted a review of Jets'n'Guns, accompanied by a video review showcasing the game's frenetic gameplay. Here's a clip from the article:

Jets'n'Guns has all of the classic shmup standbys and introduces a number of interesting twists to the gameplay that elevate it from the level of just another side-scroller rehash to a ridiculously fun game in its own right. From the rusted iron sign on the title screen, spewing fire into space, to the soldiers parachuting from their wrecked vehicles in order to shoot rockets at you from the ground, to the absolutely amazing soundtrack, this game takes everything that makes shoot-em-ups fun and ratchets it up a notch.

IMG Review: Jets'n'Guns

Jets'n'Guns

Rake in Grass

Download Jets'n'Guns Demo

Buy Jets'n'Guns

Phelios today released Kickin' Soccer for Mac OS X, a fast-paced arcade soccer game.

Set in an athletic backdrop of a soccer stadium filled with
enthusiastic fans, and created with the true soccer crowd in mind,
Kickin' Soccer offers soccer gamers hours of engaging game play.
Kickin' Soccer is a fast-paced arcade soccer game. Dribble the
opponent players, slide into their defenses with quick and accurate
passing, score with shoots from a distance or use crosses and try to
head the ball in the back of the net.

Players of Kickin' Soccer can use the pass button/key to perform
quick low passes, or if the button is kept pressed longer players are
able to lift the ball for higher passes. The shoot button works in a
similar manner: the longer the key is pressed, the stronger the shoot will be.

Kickin' Soccer features three modes of play:

-1 Player Arcade Mode: A friendly match mode where you pick each
team's country. (Choice of 16 countries). Plays one match at a time.
-1 Player Cup Mode: The Cup Mode lets you take control of one of the
16 available countries, each country's team with their own specific
skills, trying to win the World Cup. Plays 4 matches.
-2 Players Mode: Friendly match played by two players at the keyboard.

The finishing touch to Kickin' Soccer is a stimulating original
soundtrack with bold beats and grooves that perfectly complement not
only the sports theme of Kickin' Soccer, but also accentuates the
high energy level of the game play.

Kicking Soccer Website

MGF: Kickin' Soccer 1.0

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Readers may recall earlier news concerning Shadowbane, which noted the impending closure of developer Wolfpack Studios and the subsequent news that only a few weeks of play were guaranteed for the game. However, according to a recent news entry by MMORPG.COM, SB will continue to thrive under a new company called Stray Bullet Games, which is essentially Wolfpack Studios reformed under a new name outside of Ubisoft's umbrella.

MMORPG.COM credits Sean "Ashen Temper" Dahlberg's blog as the main source for this information, which explains that Ubisoft is currently contracting Stray Bullet Games to continue maintaining SB. In addition, they plan on working on a new MMORPG as well:

What will it be? Well, it is much too early to say and it is something we are discussing internally as to what exactly we want to do. I will be blunt and say we will not be doing Shadowbane 2. The publishing and intellectual rights are not owned by Stray Bullet Games and we will, more than likely, make an original title. With that said, we plan on doing what we do best so it wouldn’t be unthought-of to expect player-vs.-player and strategic combat. And while the implementation and specifics may differ, the aspects I talk about in my (crazy) sandbox idea Dominion, such as an in-depth political system, territorial and economic control systems, and character building with meaning are echoed by everyone at Stray Bullet Games.

MMORPG.COM - New Home: Stray Bullet Games

Wolfpack Studios

Ubisoft

Shadowbane: The Rise of Chaos

Graham Randall has released an update for Cricket, his Mac OS X only cricket sports game. This release introduces OS 10.4 support and 3D gameplay for the first time, allowing players to zoom into the action and view the players and field from a variety of different perspectives.

Here are some of the game's features:

- Bouncers, fast,medium,offspin & legspin bowling
- 1-player & 2-player mode
- Auto play mode
- See the catches and runouts from new camera angles
- Atmospheric crowd buzz
- Replay each ball with the Tracker slow motion camera
- Superb bowling and batting action
- Full Test Match or Limited Overs
- Scorecards with fall-of-wicket

Cricket Website

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Macworld's Game Room has reviewed Toybox Games' Flip or Flop Home Edition, a matching game with a real estate theme. Players must match objects like sinks, windows, and wallpaper to collect money and advance to new screens. The Game Room gave Flip or Flop Home Edition four out of five mice.

From the review:

There’s a bit of strategy in Flip or Flop Home Edition, too. Different houses—even different houses in the same neighborhood—require different types of renovation. Some might only require some paint, wallpaper, and floors to turn a profit, while others might need more extensive work. You’ll have your choice of which properties to fix up in each given neighborhood, limited only by your budget. As you amass more cash and complete more renovations (changing the houses from drab, sometimes filthy and boarded-up pits to respectable looking homes), you’ll unlock the new neighborhoods that will let you work toward your dreams.

The puzzle part of the game takes place on a square blueprint that’s pegged to large pegboard. Clicking on arrows at the edge of each row or column of the blueprint causes icons representing each renovation to move over one space—match three and they’ll vanish from the puzzle in a flurry of paper, leaving you with some more cash and getting you closer to your goal, replaced with new icons that descend from the top. It’s a fun and interesting variation on the popular “match three” genre.

Macworld Game Room: Flip or Flop Home Edition Review

Toybox Games

It's Friday, and you know what that means, right? Yep, a brand new desktop from IMG's Brad Custer. This week's desktop features Call of Duty 2, the upcoming sequel from Aspyr's popular World War II first-person shooter.

Here's what Brad had to say about his latest creation:

With our recent preview and the shipping date looming for Call of Duty 2 from Aspyr Media, my inbox has had a recurring theme. You have made it apparent that you're looking forward to this sequel and I can't say I don't blame you. :) I have been a long time fan of games based on previous conflicts especially ones centered around World War II. So, this week's creation is for me as well as for all the viewers. I was able to design this wallpaper with the help of Aspyr Media and my trusty cable modem.

IMG Desktop: Showdown

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