Paradox Interactive today launched the pre-order program for Graviteam’s upcoming war strategy game, Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943. Gamers who purchase the title at participating online retailers between now and March 3 will get 15% off (the pre-order campaign will run through the game’s February 25 release).

The pre-order announcement coincides with the release of the Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 demo, offering a taste of the game’s focus on realism and both tactical and strategic depth.

For more info, visit www.paradoxplaza.com/games/achtung-panzer-kharkov-1943 or join the Achtung Panzer fan page on Facebook where one copy of the game will be given to fans daily leading up to the release of the game.

Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 Main Features:

• Great replayability and flexible AI behavior: “smart” AI analyzes tactical movements of player and chooses the best strategy based on opponents’ behavior, rather than following scripts. It allows players to complete the same scenarios using different tactics as if playing with a human player.
• Painstaking landscape reconstruction of Kharkov region in scope and size
• Thorough re-creation of weapons, artillery and vehicles: all battle characteristics, including missile trajectories or number of crew, were modeled according to military archive materials and WW2 chronicles.
• Dynamic change of day & night, and weather effects that affect combat – terrain traversal, visibility on the battlefield, disguise abilities of all forces, etc.
• Destructible environment: blast and destroy almost everything, from ground terrain to houses and enemy defenses. All traces of previous battles (shell-holes, broken vehicles, corpses, etc.) are left on the battlefield until the end of the scenario.
• Real ballistics: bullets and projectiles follow authentic trajectories. Proper shot longitude, number of frags and their range are calculated.
• Real vehicle damage system: engine, suspension, weapons, aiming appliances can all be damaged separately, affecting the combat abilities of the vehicle.
• Real soldiers’ behavior: every soldier has some basic parameters, such as experience level, fatigue and morale that affect his behaviour and effectiveness.
• Military Encyclopedia with 3D model viewer and detailed data on all units, describing their historical and in-game characteristics.

About Paradox Interactive

Since 1999, Paradox Interactive has been a leading global developer and publisher of PC-based strategy games. World-renowned for its strategy catalog, the company holds a particularly strong presence in the United States and Europe. Its steadily-growing portfolio includes originally developed titles such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis and the Hearts of Iron franchises, as well as publishing titles such as the Elven Legacy series, Mount&Blade and Majesty 2. Paradox stands poised to make an explosive entry onto consoles during 2010 with the release of Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West. For more information, please visit www.paradoxplaza.com and follow @pdxinteractive on Twitter.

“We wanted to create a game that was not only fun and accessible to young audiences, but that also tied in real-world themes and responsibilities around caring for animals,” said Peter Driessen, CEO of SPIL GAMES. “Animal Shelter combines both of these initiatives seamlessly, and we’re looking forward to hearing our audiences’ response to the game.”

In Animal Shelter, players step into the role of Shelter Director, responsible for the health and happiness for a host of cuddly creatures including cats, dogs, turtles, hamsters, and bunnies. In this simulation game, players must feed and clean up after the animals and give them medicine and affection. Based on how well they do this, they will earn money to spend at the animal shelter. Players also need to create advertisements for each animal to help get them adopted, taking photographs, writing a short description, and deciding where to place the advertisement – online, in a newspaper, or on television – while keeping their overall budget in consideration. While animal rescue and adoption processes are different all around the world, Animal Shelter provides an easy-to-learn and accessible simulation experience for all audiences to enjoy playing.

On World Animal Day, occurring each year on October 4th, animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned at locations all around the globe. Typically, on this day, animal rescue shelters hold fundraising events and open days, wildlife groups organize information displays, schools engage in animal-related projects, and individuals and groups of friends or co-workers donate to animal charities or pledge to sponsor a shelter animal. To learn more about World Animal Day and how you can participate, please visit www.worldanimalday.org.uk.

To view the intro video for Animal Shelter see below.

For more information about Animal Shelter, please visit www.GirlsGoGames.com. For more information, please visit: www.spilgames.com.

“World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder™ is truly an immersive game where players can build intricate societies,” said Isaias Vallejo, Senior Producer at Big Fish Games. “There is also a lot of room for customization and players can really express themselves creatively by building villages based on their vision.”

“We designed World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder™ to be accessible for everyone, from seasoned city-building veterans to new players who are trying their first strategy title,” said Mariana Cardoso, General Manager of GAMEINVEST. “We’ve also incorporated an intriguing storyline to entertain and draw in audiences, creating a deeper experience in the game.”

In World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder™, players are tasked with helping seven rulers develop their lands into prosperous and productive kingdoms. Players will build roads, orchards, fisheries, farms, shops and more, as they improve the lives of villagers and solve the mystery behind the Zellian rulers’ ailing societies. As players level up, they will earn trophies and travel through seven kingdoms – Prairie, Forest, Ruins, Mountains, Tundra, Volcano, Desert, and Coast – featuring new challenges and areas in the world to explore.

Using accessible computer mouse controls, players will freely create, destroy or move objects, and more. With accessible gameplay mechanics and increasing levels of tasks to manage, players of all ages and skill levels will be drawn into the World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder™.

For more information on World of Zellians: Kingdom Builder™, please visit www.bigfishgames.com.

In Ship Simulator Extremes, take control of a wide variety of ships including hovercrafts, coast guard interceptors, mammoth tankers, tugs, cruise liners, and more as you engage in storylines that will take you to locations all over the globe. Find out what it’s like to lead a ship across a wide range of geographic locations and into a variety of ultra-realistic weather conditions. Players will navigate the open seas in an attempt to complete missions that will lead you anywhere from the bitter cold of Antarctica, to the tropical paradise of Bora Bora.

For a preview of the action to come, watch the Gamescom trailer below.

Ship Simulator Extremes is scheduled for release in Q1 2010. To keep up with the latest news about Ship Simulator Extremes, visit: www.shipsim.com or www.paradoxplaza.com.

Have you ever wondered how it feels to sail a half-million ton supertanker through the perfect storm or to take on illegal whale hunters in the Antarctic? Feel the rush of serving as a coast guard as you evacuate an island threatened by a volcanic disaster. With missions based on actual events that take place in realistic environments and locations from all over the world, Ship Simulator Extremes has you endure extreme conditions, fight the elements and face all of the challenges associated with being a ship captain.

“Following the successful legacy of our game series, we look forward to cooperating with Paradox Interactive and continue to give gamers worldwide all the excitement of being in the captain’s helm chair,” said Frank Dolmans, CMO of VSTEP.

Key features:

• Wide range of vessels to control, including hovercrafts, coast guard interceptors, mammoth tankers, tugs, cruise liners, and many others.
• Includes exciting storylines and missions all over the world.
• From the very hot to the very cold, sail to the most enchanted regions of the world. Explore the Antarctic or take in beautiful Bora Bora. Includes famous harbors and locations worldwide.
• Official Greenpeace license : sail famous Greenpeace ships and take on ecological missions based on real events!
• Realistic water & weather system. Sail a calm sea or take on the most extreme conditions ever witnessed at sea.
• Online Multiplayer mode. Sail online with your friends and take part in cooperative missions and community events.

Ship Simulator Extremes is scheduled for release in Q1 2010 and will be officially introduced to world press at the Gamescom 2009 in Cologne. To keep up with the latest news about Ship Simulator Extremes, visit: www.shipsim.com or www.paradoxplaza.com.

The fishing docks have opened up in every battle lobby; have you caught your Creatures weight in fish yet? Have you collected a pile of fish in your lobby to eat just before your next battle? Is it starting to smell? Sitheur and his trainer AJsoDEF took home the big prize in our first ever Lair Design Contest, so you can be sure he’s got that special collection in one of his corners. Well, why don’t you put down those fishing poles for a minute and listen to all the great stuff coming up in the near future for Freaky Creatures.

This month, we’ve received a transmitted video from the farthest reaches of Freaky Space, our subscription prices might have gone on sale, and you have a chance to win gift cards to your local f.y.e. with a new contest. That’s not all, though. Miri pays us a visit to give us the latest tips and tricks about Freaky Creatures, we have more activities on the Activity Page, a new Featured Creature, and you can learn about the friendly (when he wants to be) pet Purriz. Oh, and I can’t forget to tell you all about our special Freaky Creatures events at specific f.y.e. stores this month.

Getting Freaky with f.y.e.

August is here and we are hitting the road! We will be holding special events at six different f.y.e. stores located in Simon Malls this coming month. If you attend any of the events you will be given a $3 coupon to use towards your purchase of either Freaky Creatures Starter Pack. Here are the dates and locations for the events:

1. 08/08/09 – Apple Blossom Mall, Winchester, VA. in Fashion Court
2. 08/15/09 – Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa, CA. in the Macy’s Wing
3. 08/21/09 – Oxford Valley Mall, Langhorne, PA. in Sears Court
4. 08/22/09 – Franklin Mills, Philadelphia, PA. in the Grand Court
5. 08/29/09 – Lakeforest Mall, Gaithersburg, MD. in Sears Court
6. 08/30/09 – St. Charles Towne Center, Waldorf, MD. in front of Old Navy

All events run from 12pm to 4pm local time.

Freaky and FREE!

This summer, Free to Play came to Freaky Creatures. Players with Free to Play accounts have the opportunity to get into Freaky Creatures and experience the game as long as they want, but there are many benefits to upgrading to a Premium Account.

Free to Play members that upgrade to a Premium Account get the following benefits:

1. Ability to level up to level 80 instead of being capped at 60.
2. Twice as much experience for their Creatures from battle.
3. Four times as many Creature Credits for battle.
4. Twice as much fishing experience for each successful catch.
5. More Creature Credits for selling their fishing catches.
6. The ability to create Lair Lobbies, to allow friends to visit their creature’s habitat.
7. The ability to post and respond to posts on the Freaky Creatures Forums.
8. Unrestricted access to the Creature Club Store for purchasing parts & powers.
9. The ability to purchase and equip a pet to assist you in battle.
10. The ability to trade powers and credits with other players.

These are just a few of the benefits to upgrading an account. For full details on what advantages Premium Members get, and to upgrade a Free to Play Account, go to https://freakycreatures.com/al/upgradeplan.aspx. And right now, for a limited time any trainer that upgrades their Free to Play account to a Premium account can get a 4 month subscription for the price of 3 months ($17.97), and an 8 month subscription for the price of 6 months ($32.94).

That’s not the only deal we have for you though. Right now, if you visit the Freaky Creatures online store, you can get all 10 Creatures for a discounted price of $75. Remember, if you buy all 10 you get the special in-game 11th Creature, Greytal!

These programs won’t last long, so be sure to sign up before the next ship leaves for Gluon.

Transmissions from Freaky Space

Transmissions come in all the time from deep space. They’re mostly just a bunch of random noise and garbage. Once in a while, though, something real comes through. A video of some of the amazing battles that go on in the deep black expanse has come into our possession, and is available for viewing at www.freakyspace.com.

Keep checking back in to see more of what lies at the fringes of the galaxy.

Freaky Contests with Freaky Prizes

Some of you may know that every month we try to bring you some new Freaky Activities. Usually they are for your own enjoyment, but this month we have decided to reward you for keeping your eyes open and alert. This month there is a new “Freaky Differences” activity, with 15 things wrong with it. The first five (5) people to email contest@freakycreatures.com with a list of the correct fifteen (15) things wrong with the image will get an f.y.e. gift card to use in their local f.y.e. The first person to email the correct answers will get a gift card worth $50, second person will get a gift card worth $30, third, fourth, and fifth will all get a gift card worth $20. Most f.y.e. stores carry Freaky Creatures, but if they don’t have it at your local store be sure to request that they carry it.

Last month we told you about our story contest and asked you to write us a 200 to 300 word story about Freaky Creatures. We told you that the best story would end up being published in a future issue of Beckett Pokemon Unofficial Collector magazine and get the winner a full set of all 10 Freaky Creatures collectible action figures.

There have been some great submissions so far, but there is still time for you to write your masterpiece. Write your heart out, and get those stories in by August 31st, 2009. We can’t wait to read them.

Click here to read all the Rules & Regulations.

Trainer Tips

This month, Miri has decided to pass along some of her knowledge as an up and coming scientist and trainer. She has a tip about dual effect powers that is sure to get you more bang for your buck.

Click here to get tips from the pros.

Meet Purriz

Cute and dangerous. That is the simple description of Purriz. Part cat, part whirlwind of destruction, this little animal adores mischief. We want you to know all about Purriz, because one of them just might save your Creature in battle.

Click here to learn about this mysterious Pet

CJ Internet, the leading global entertainment company, today announced the launch of the Mini Fighter closed beta test and released a new gameplay trailer showcasing in-game battles. In the short week leading up to the launch of the beta, thousands of players pre-registered for beta keys and downloaded the Mini Fighter client. Eager players will now have the opportunity to explore various battle zones – including tag match, free battle and gem catch – and battle opponents in 14 different modes, as well as participate in a variety of community events throughout the closed beta phase.

“Players will have a lot to experience in the first beta test of Mini Fighter,” said Youngjong Jung, President and CEO of CJ Internet. “We’ve been hard at work developing these rich new zones and inaugural events in the game, and it’s exciting to see players enter into the game for the first time and truly engage with the world and its inhabitants.”

During the closed beta phase, players can explore the following new areas in Mini Fighter: battle room, coliseum and single play mode. In addition, players have several play modes to choose from including Survival and Tag Team, and can engage in Village Grapple and Siege Warfare battles with over 200 players at a time.

Additionally, CJ Internet will host two special events during the closed beta. In the first event, called “Achieve Level 25,” players who reach level 25 will receive a colorful character name upgrade that carries over to the full version of the game. In the second event, called “Phoenix Pet Griffith,” players who collect 20 gold carp and visit the Jiang Taigong NPC can exchange the carp for a special addition pet.

To view the new gameplay trailer for Mini Fighter, please click on the following link: http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter/Download/videos.asp

For more information about Mini Fighter and to register for entry into the closed beta, please visit the official Netmarble website at: http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter/

About Mini Fighter

Mini Fighter is a frenetic, side-scrolling fighting game that features massively multiplayer online battles of up to 210 combatants. Players can level-up their fighters and compete in a wide variety of modes, from Survival and Tag Team matches to Boss fights and daily Siege Warfare. Take a break from the fisticuffs to compete in a variety of minigames, including the brain-busting Quiz Village. Combining a simple user interface with action-packed gameplay, Mini Fighter is sure to be a blast no matter what kind of MMO player you are!

About CJ Internet

Located in Seoul, Republic of Korea, CJ Internet is a global entertainment company dedicated to enriching people’s lives through fun, social, massively online gaming. The company currently provides over 200 titles to more than 20 million registered players through Netmarble (www.netmarble.net), the highly-popular Korean gaming portal they launched in 2001. CJ Internet has published a number of high-profile online titles since its establishment in 2000, including Sudden Attack, Korea’s number one online FPS, baseball game MaguMagu, MMORPG PRIUS and stylish action MMORPG Ys Online.