Valcon Games LLC's Ultimate Board Game Collection for the Sony PSP, Sony PS2, and Nintendo Wii will finally see the light of day in Europe and in all PAL territories Q1 2008 as Empire Interactive takes responsibility to publish the game outside North America. The Sony PSP version of the game has 24 classic board games while the Nintendo Wii version has 12 games players will enjoy more with the Wiimote. Check out the full article to see what games are included in the collection.

While a lot of racing games nowadays put a lot of detail into how realistic the vehicles look, there just doesn't seem to be enough racers where ramming your car into another at high speed gives you that addictive thrill.

All of that is going to change when Empire Interactive releases its tiniest demolition derby racer on the PSP with FlatOut: Head On. You can check out the first gameplay video movie after the jump and see just how much destruction a tiny handheld platform can hold.

Empire Interactive has announced that the new installment to their FlatOut series, FlatOut: Head On, is coming exclusively to the PSP. They've also announced that the game will be released for Europe early next year.

This is the first time the FlatOut series has released a game for the PSP. It'll be a blast (pun intended) to bring  the demolition chaos around with you on the PSP. Details for the game have been released earlier along with a couple of screenshots but there are a couple new details waiting in the full article.

Cricket fans will be happy to know that Empire Interactive is announcing the upcoming PlayStation Portable and PS2 ports of their International Cricket Captain III (ICC III)title.

The game - the latest iteration in Empire's International Cricket Captain series of games - was originally released to the Windows PC back in July this year, and will have players creating, training, and nurturing their very own cricket team.

ICC III carries on the game franchise's legacy with a new 3D graphics engine, Ball Tracker instant replays, and enhanced decision-making controls. ICC III's PSP port will enable two players to face off their custom teams wirelessly via the handheld's WiFi connection.

For those fans out for a quick match, there will also be a short exhibition match based on Cricket's Twenty20 matches. International Cricket Captain III for the PSP is currently scheduled for release in the UK this November 16 at a retail price of £ 20 (US$ 41).

  

If you think that there isn't enough realistic damage modeling in today's racing games then developer Six by Nine is here to make a statement with its demolition derby-styled racer in FlatOut: Head On for the Sony PlayStation Portable.

Following the series' recent console release with FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage, FlatOut: Head On is set to deliver the same brand of grand scale vehicle destruction on the handheld platform as seen on the next-gen console version.

Squeezing in 45 cars, 40 tracks, six varied environments, and more than 80 different racing combinations, the game promises to put all the other mild mannered racing games to shame. FlatOut: Head On will still be published by Empire Interactive and is planned for a holiday release date this year.

Rob Noble, Empire Interactive's European Marketing Manager praised the new developers for working on the handheld version of the game and had this to say:

Transferring FlatOut's unique game play style from console to handheld is a tremendous developmental challenge. The developer, Six by Nine, has done an exceptional job of taking the closely packed, highly destructive racing mayhem of FlatOut and squeezing it into a portable device. The results are stunning.

   

And the Games Convention Developers Conference (GCDC) for 2007 is rolling to a good start as another company has officially announced, via press wire, games that will be offered for gamers, media and retailers at the Leipzig Business Center come late August. Deep Silver (X3: Reunion Game of the Year Edition, Warhammer: Mark of Chaos) and its partners have listed ANNO 1701, Ferrari Challenge, Final Fantasy Tactics, Secret Files 2, Flatout Ultimate Carnage, Heroes of Mana, Perry Rhodan, and Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria as featured games for gamers.

 

ANNO 1701 is Deep Silver's upcoming add-on to the ANNO (PC) real-time strategy series, published by Ubisoft. Ferrari Challenge (PlayStation 3, DS, Wii), published by System 3, will be there to tout realistic modeling and racing simulations of the Italian sports car and the motor sports series of the same name.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion War (PSP) under Square Enix' supervision will also be at the Leipzig Convention, enticing fans of the Square Enix Final Fantasy and tactical action persuasion to give the game a try over handheld. Mystery fans might want to to stop by to take a gander at the sequel to the classic German adventure Secret Files: Tunguska, Secret Files 2 (PC) - the predecessor being a winner of several local and regional game of the year awards.

And if you're a fan of Mana, you could check out Heroes of Mana (DS), a real-time strategy title published by Square Enix and based on the Mana series. Empire Interactive's Flatout Ultimate Carnage (Xbox 360) will be smashing its way to Leipzig, too, after a well-anticipated, timely launch for the destructive driving title.

Perry Rhodan (PC) will feature the famous astronaut of the same name in a fictional adventure game published by Brain Game. And if Heavenly Sword coming out for the PlayStation 3 just shattered your day, worry not, because Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2) by Square Enix will be brandished at the event to satisfy the Sony current generation console gamers.

But wait, Deep Silver isn't done yet, because more games will be announced when the second part of the European-centric trade fair highlights by the developer is polished before the curtains rise by August 23. Catch them, and their games, at stand A12 of Hall 3 of the Leipzig Business Center.

The last few iterations of the Ford video game franchise enjoyed moderate successes in the market. But a lot of people argue that the series is still lacking that one defining title that will establish Ford's foothold in the racing genre. Empire Interactive is planning to change all that as it announced Ford Off Road for the PSP, PS2, and PC.

Compared to the previous titles, one of the more interesting changes to Ford Off Road is that the licensed vehicles in the game are now allowed to get dirty and receive body damage. Empire simply explained that the car companies have "relaxed" their laws a bit on this matter.

There are still no specific details as to how many vehicles will be available this time but Empire Interactive mentioned that there will be more than 24 tracks spanning across various environments like mountains, forests and deserts. Some of the race modes will include Time Trial and Show Me The Money. The main campaign will last a regular player for about 15 hours.

Curiously, Empire Interactive wasn't able to furnish any information regarding the multiplayer mode for the PC version. PlayStation Portable players need not worry on that aspect as the company mentioned that six players can race it out in one go using the handheld's Wi-Fi connection.

Ford Off Road is expected to come out this November.

A few more details for the PSP version of Sidhe Interactive and Empire Interactive's Jackass: The Game have surfaced via a recent press release from Red Mile Entertainment and MTV Games.

The game features quite a lot of cool stuff: more than 35 scenarios, detailed ragdoll modelling, dynamic physics and a detailed in-game injury system that keeps track of the amount of punishment players inflict upon the game's characters.

The PSP version will also feature unlockable footage from the Jackass TV series. There's also a replay engine that will allow players to save and edit their very own Jackass moments. These replays and clips can then be shared with other players through the PSP's wireless connection feature.

Since this is from a press release (which are known for being riddled with quotes and the like), let's end this post with a quote from Johnny Knoxville:

For years on Jackass, we stressed 'do not try the stunts we do at home'. But with our new Jackass video game, you can now try our stunts at home ... but only while playing the video game -- you little juvenile delinquents!

Jackass: The Game is currently slated for a September 24 release.

You are all familiar with how the TV series Jackass goes: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, and the rest of the gang perform awe-inspiring stunts while making themselves look downright stupid. Now, you shouldn't expect anything less from the upcoming title Jackass: The Game.

The video game is being developed by Sidhe Interactive and will be published by Empire Interactive with the help of MTV Games' Red Mile Entertainment. The group of Knoxville also talked with the developers to help bring some stunts that they've thought of using before but never really made it in either the show or the film. Johnny Knoxville commented,

It is kind of odd that people will take on our personas and depressing that they're going to have to do that. We've never really worked on anything like this before. This is our first video game. We just hope that our video game is as crappy as our movies.

Aside from the already announced PlayStation Portable (PSP) and PlayStation 2 (PS2) versions, Red Mile Entertainment mentioned that a DS version of the title will also be released alongside the other two on September 24. Senior Director Sales and Marketing at Red Mile Henry Price uttered,

Most of what we have in the game are extreme versions of the original stunts. These stunts are set up like mini games, which provides a great deal of diversity in the gameplay. We have the luxury of throwing characters off a 50-story building into a pile of elephant dung without worrying about our insurance rates.

Speaking of which, there will be a total of 35 stunts including bumper car races across New York rooftops, uni-cycling though a construction site, rolling down San Francisco streets in a trash can, and destroying a golf course with a golf car. True to the TV show, stunts will not always go as planned.

Players will always have the option to "Bail Out" which will throw the character into a ragdoll position and tallies up the resulting injuries. Take note that you are playing Jackass, meaning higher scores will be given as more punishments are inflicted upon the characters.

Back in November 2006, we informed you that video game developer Sidhe Interactive is bringing MTV's popular show Jackass to the PlayStation Portable (PSP) platform in the form of Jackass: The Game.

Since then, nothing's been heard about the game... until today. Empire Interactive just announced that it will be taking care of the game's publishing reins. If we are not mistaken, this is actually one of the few major announcements from Empire ever since it acquired technology firm Silverstar late last year.

Aside from the PSP version, Jackass: The Game will also be appearing on the PlayStation (PS2) platform and other versions will also be announced in the coming weeks. Furthermore, the PSP and PS2 versions of the title will be released this coming September as a full game.

This will coincide with MTV Europe's promotional events and materials (Jackass DVD) for the TV show. Empire CEO Ian Higgins commented,

We're really pleased with the deal. It shows that we're very much back in business. The genesis of the deal was two of our new directors, Joe Abrams and Geoff Heath, talking to the U.S. publisher and developer. We got involved from here by putting a string marketing campaign together for them.

Speaking of which, Empire Interactive is really going all-out for Jackass: The Game as a multimedia marketing campaign is being planned. Higgins added that he believes that this is their biggest title for some time in Europe and that, Jackass: The Game, has the potential to top the charts.