Start your engines and race with Mario and his friends with their finely tuned racing machines in Mario Kart Wii. Use 3 different control styles with the Wii Wheel included in the box. The worldwide race is on with a whole new set of tricks, tracks, and ways to play. Mario Kart Wii draws on courses and battle arenas from every game in the series - not to mention tons of new ones. The true king of the Mushroom Kingdom racing circuits will finally be crowned. Experience new tracks, enhanced Wii graphics, extraordinary gameplay and much more. Place first in Grand Prix circuits or clear skill-based missions to open up increasingly difficult and thrilling circuits. You can have multiplayer races on any open courses or battle in arenas. Now you can feel like you are Mario and steering to avoid obstacles and doing incredible stunts.

Special Powers/Weapons/Moves/Features - Shake the Wii Remote to pull off a trick that will temporarily boost your speed. When riding a bike, gain additional speed by flicking the Wii Remote up and popping a wheelie Up to 12 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or up to 10 people via Wi-Fi Connection with 2 people playing locally

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Drivers, start your engines!

Nintendo is bringing Mario and his friends with their finely tuned racing machines back and this time to the Nintendo Wii. With 3 different control styles and a Wii Wheel included in the box, Mario Kart Wii is bound to be the best in the series. The worldwide race is on with a whole new set of tricks, tracks, and ways to play! Place first in Grand Prix circuits or clear skill-based missions. Mario Kart Wii draws on courses and battle arenas from every game in the series – not to mention tons of new ones – the true king of the Mushroom Kingdom racing circuits will finally be crowned.

Wii Wheel Included!

New Intense Tracks and Tricks View larger.

Cool new car designs View larger.

• The Wii Wheel transforms the Wii Remote™ controller into a steering wheel that feels natural in anyone's hands, while the Wii Remote and Nunchuk™ controller offer a classic control style for the Mario Kart veteran. In either configuration, players can perform speed-boosting tricks with a shake of the Wii Remote.
• Players can race as their favorite Nintendo character, or even as themselves! Mario Kart Wii lets players race with their personalized Mii™ characters. And racers will see other Mii characters they have created cheering from the sidelines on some race courses.
• Players can compete with up to three friends in their living room. Or challenge up to 11 opponents via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in the biggest Mario Kart race yet. All tracks and modes of play are available via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and players can visit the Mario Kart Channel to compete in tournaments, check rankings, see when their friends are playing and download ghost data.
• Cruise new tracks and arenas or tour classic courses from Super Mario Kart™, Mario Kart® 64, Mario Kart®: Super Circuit™, Mario Kart®: Double Dash!!™ and Mario Kart® DS. Tired of riding on four wheels? Bust out one of the new motorbikes for special tricks and techniques.

Characters
Nintendo favorites Mario™, Luigi™, Peach™, Yoshi®, Donkey Kong®, Wario™, Bowser™ and Toad™, plus a host of new faces-including your own! Get into the game and put your Mii™ character behind the wheel.

Special Powers/Weapons/Moves/Features
Whether racing around an obstacle-filled track or battling in an arena, drifting and tossing items are the keys to Mario Kart success. Players can shake the Wii Remote while launching off a ramp to pull off a trick that will temporarily boost their speed. When riding a bike, players can gain additional speed by flicking the Wii Remote up and popping a wheelie

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection:
Keeping in the tradition of Mario Kart, Nintendo has pushed multiplayer racingeven further utilizing the Wii's built in Wi-Fi Connection. There are two options for races and battles over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection: up to 12 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or up to 10 people via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection with two people playing locally.

Call of Duty: World at War promises to immerse players in gritty, chaotic combat. View larger.

The potent flamethrower will set the battlefield ablaze. View larger.

From the remains of Russia and the ruins of Berlin, to the beach and jungles of the deadly Pacific Theater, Call of Duty: World at War's campaign gameplay employs features that were only available in multiplayer gameplay in the previous installments. With this title you can take advantage of perks, rankings, and online stats in an up-to-four-player cooperative gameplay that is sure to revolutionize the way you play Call of Duty. And with new infantry and vehicle-based weapons, such as the potent flamethrower, you'll have the tools you need to set the battlefield ablaze and defeat the enemy.

Battle against the fearless Imperial Japanese and elite German soldiers. View larger.

Engage in epic infantry, vehicle, and airborne missions across a variety of Pacific and European locations. View larger.

Advanced Enemies, New Environments, and Fearless Tactics
You've never encountered combat challenges like those presented in Call of Duty: World at War. Prepare yourself to face off against ruthless enemies who employ advanced tactics. Your foes will stop at nothing to defend their homelands. With swampy ambushes, tree-top snipers, and fearless Kamikaze attacks, there is no safe place to turn. As U.S. Marine and Russian conscripts, you'll battle against the fearless Imperial Japanese and elite German soldiers in epic infantry, vehicle, and airborne missions across a variety of Pacific and European locations. On foot, behind the wheel, or in the air, you'll have to be relentless to achieve victory.

Cutting-Edge Technology and Physics-Enabled Battlefields
Call of Duty: World at War utilizes cutting-edge technology, including highly-detailed character models, self-shadowing, environmental lighting and amazing special effects to deliver best-of-breed visuals. Depth of field, rim-lighting and texture-streaming technology bring the adrenaline-pumping combat to life. And with physics-enabled battlefields and fire that spreads realistically through environments, you'll feel immersed in battles that are both life-like and dynamic.

Cooperative Campaign Mode
For the first time in franchise history, Call of Duty introduces cooperative campaign gameplay, bringing a breath of fresh air to "No One Fights Alone." This gameplay mode allows up to four players to meet and play online, or a two-player local split-screen co-op. Now you can share the terrifying experience of campaign missions with your friends for greater camaraderie and improved tactical execution. Co-op mode also incorporates innovative multiplayer components, such as challenges, rankings and online stats, and even features a competitive co-op mode that will identify the best player on your team.

Improved Online Multiplayer Action
Call of Duty: World at War once again delivers sophisticated, class-based, online multiplayer action that has made the series famous. New additions include vehicle combat with tanks, and Call of Duty: World at War rounds out the multiplayer experience with improved features, such as persistent stats, player rankings, upgradeable weapons, squad-based gameplay, customized classes, enhanced perks, and more.

Outdoor Challenge offers a variety of fast-paced games that engages your whole body for a fun and challenging experience. Using the specially-designed mat and the Wii Remote, you compete in over a dozen single and multi-player events like river rafting, mine-cart adventure, log jumping, and more.

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Jump into the fun with Active Life Outdoor Challenge. The first of many planned titles in the new Active Life series, Outdoor Challenge offers a variety of fast-paced, heart-pumping games that will engage your whole body for a fun and challenging experience.

Using the specially-designed eight pad Active Life mat and the Wii Remote, players get totally physical as they compete in over a dozen single and multi-player challenges like river rafting, mine-cart adventure, log jumping, and more. Simple controls and intuitive actions make these games easy to pick up and play right out of the box and in the process will get you and your whole family off the couch and into the game in no time.

Game Features:

• The Active Life Mat - A fun and easy way to get off the couch and get hearts pumping.
• Gameplay Variety - Play over a dozen fast-paced games, alone or with friends,in energetic events that gets players’ whole bodies into the action.
• Intuitive Gameplay - Simple controls allow for quick pick up and play. Great for parties.
• Play Together - With both competitive and co-operative challenges.
• Track Character’s Fitness Progress - See your character’s body change according to how you play.
• Tremendous Replay Value - Over a dozen games, each with multiple levels of play: river rafting, mine-cart adventure, log jumping, see-saw, jump rope, water trampoline, plus many more.
• Other Features - Includes training mode to work different body parts and synchronization gauge to check the level of team work in cooperative play.

Enjoy challenges on the land. View larger.

And on the water. View larger.

Battle friends in multiplayer action. View larger.

Or team up in co-op play. View larger.

Your music, your way

Simple pickup and playability. View larger.

Easy controls and learning curve. View larger.

Huge array of diverse instruments. View larger.

Make music by yourself. View larger.

Or with up to 3 friends. View larger.

Gameplay: Getting Your Band Together
In Wii Music every band has six members: Two play the main melody, two cover the percussion beats, one covers the bass groove and one uses the song's chords to support the melody. As a band, the six members often play their special parts at the same time, though each player can jam however and whenever he or she wants. Play all at once. Take turns in the spotlight. Pair up in creative ways throughout the song. You can bring the band to life by yourself, playing one part at a time-or with up to four players. See game mode below:

• Solo Play: When you play by yourself, you can add one part at a time to arrange the whole song exactly how you want. The Tutes are on hand to back up your band in any parts you need filled.
• Multiplayer: When in a band with friends, up to four people can be band members.
• Wii Friends: Using WiiConnect24, you can send your jam videos to Wii Friends who own Wii Music. They can then watch your performance, modify it to their liking and send their jam videos back to you.

Key Game Features:

• Easy to Play Improv Jams - All members of your band jam by simply playing their instruments to the beat of a song or by improvising to their heart's content. Play faster. Play slower. Skip a beat, or throw in 10 more. Wii Music challenges you to transform your improv stylings into great music. There are no mistakes and no game scores-just playing for the pure joy of playing.
• Wii Controls Immerse You in the Music - You can play most of the 60-plus instruments in Wii Music using simple motions with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers. Strum to play guitar, banjo and sitar. Drum to play jazz drums, congas and snare drums. Hammer away to play piano, vibraphone and marimba. Unlike most music games, Wii Music doesn't make you use many complex buttons. You only need to imitate playing the instrument.
• Virtually Endless Ways to Make Music - You choose the song and instruments and decide whether to blaze through a rock take on classical songs, put a jazzy spin on folk tunes or transform Nintendo classics like the Super Mario Bros. theme into Latin-flavored numbers. The song list is only a takeoff point-it's how you improvise with the songs that matters.
• Share Your Band Jams With Friends - They'll see your Mii band members, your players' improv styles and your instrument selections. They can watch your recordings, or play over parts of your song, then send their modified recording back to you. So you can send improv jams back and forth over WiiConnect24, changing them again and again.

Fun Beyond the Jam
Designed with classic Wii gameplay in mind, Wii Music includes many other modes and play options besides the main band jams, including several musical games and an enhanced video playback mode for recorded jams.

• Videos Mode: Watch your jam videos in an enhanced playback mode that brings your jams to life with fun environmental effects and dramatic camera angles.
• Mii Maestro: By waving the Wii Remote like a conductor's baton in this mini-game, you'll lead a Mii orchestra through orchestrated songs, such as The Legend of Zelda theme. Make them play quickly, slowly, strongly or gently-the orchestra is at your command.
• Handbell Harmony: In this musical mini-game, you'll play in a handbell ensemble by swinging your Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Everyone on the team has a job to do: play one of your notes only when the tune demands it.
• Pitch Perfect: How good is your musical ear? In this whimsical musical quiz, you'll have to solve challenges, like putting note-playing Miis in order from lowest to highest pitch.
• Drum Mode: In the one mode that uses the Wii Balance Board accessory (sold with Wii Fit), you can feel what it's like to play a real-life drum set. You'll use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as drumsticks, and place both feet on the Wii Balance Board-which work as virtual pedals for the bass drum and hi-hat cymbal.

As a covert agent in the Elite Penguin Force, you'll play many mini-games.

Kids will love flying around in a jet pack.

Seamlessly Move From the DS to the Web
Kids can earn coins while playing Elite Penguin Force on their Nintendo DS, and these coins will seamlessly transfer into their online accounts via a wireless connection. Players can embark on missions that use familiar and all-new gadgets, accessories, disguises, vehicles, and locations to investigate mysterious evens in the Disney Club Penguin world.

Secret Agent--Penguin?
The gameplay allows children to take on the role of a covert agent in the Elite Penguin Force and you'll complete top secret missions only available for the Nintendo DS. Your secret agent will tackle new mini-games, such as snowboarding and dance challenge, but old favorites, such as Cart Surfer, Jet Pack Adventure, and Ice Fishing, return with a twist. Although you might recognize the names of these mini-games, this version utilizes the DS stylus and unique dual-screen view for a whole new experience.

Online Interaction and Extras
Club Penguin for the Nintendo DS also includes Disney's DGamer, which allows kids to engage with other Disney gameplayers in a secure online community. Players will be able to wireless connect with the virtual Club Penguin world using the DS to unlock special features and upload coins to their online penguin personas. Plus, you'll be able to create unique 3D avatars, create a persistent profile, chat with friends, share Club Penguin accessories, earn in-game honors, unlock exclusive Disney content, and even download new missions and weekly newsletters.

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Forces bridges the gap between your kid's online Club Penguin world and the Nintendo DS, making it possible to have fun with Club Penguin at home or on the go.

Race the Mushroom circuit

Mario is a veteran of the circuit. View larger.

Choose your favorite character. View larger.

Peach is a master drifter. View larger.

Select the Kart you want. View larger.

Bowser is the bruiser of the track. View larger.

Watch your position in the pack. View larger.

Progressing Through the Game
Place first in Grand Prix circuits or clear skill-based missions to open up increasingly difficult and thrilling circuits. Of course, players can have multiplayer races on any open courses or battle in arenas.

Game Modes: At Least Five Ways to Play
Whether you prefer to race by yourself or to mix it up with friends, Mario Kart DS is a game with something for everyone. Features five different game modes, these include a 'VS' and 'Battle' mode that are available in multiplayer for up to eight players via local wireless connection while all modes are available singleplayer. See a complete list and description of the play modes below:

• Grand Prix Mode: In Grand Prix Mode, the driver who earns the most points at the end of a four-course cup is the victor. Mario Kart DS features eight different cups, with each cup featuring four different tracks.
• Time Trial Mode: Your objective in Time Trial Mode is to get the fastest time that you can on a single track. . You can save your best runs as ghost data and share them with a friend.
• VS Mode: A competitive mode that can be either singleplayer. or multiplayer. In the singleplayer. version you'll race against computer-controlled karts, while in multiplayer you'll race against human opponents who play using their own Nintendo DS systems.
• Battle Modes: Mario Kart DS contains two battle modes.
• Balloon Battle Mode: Your goal is to pop your opponent's balloons by attacking/stealing them by colliding into an opponent via a mushroom boost, before your own balloons are popped.
• Shine Runners: In this mode the driver who collects the most Shine Sprites is the winner.
• Mission Mode: In this mode you are given sets of specific missions that you must clear in order to move on to the next set of missions. What could wait at the end?

Wireless Communication: Even More Ways to Play:
Mario Kart DS features three different forms of wireless game play: two kinds of local wireless game play and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection online game play. Mario Kart DS offers two different options for LAN Wireless game play: DS Download Play, in which only one player has Mario Kart DS and all players have Nintendo DS systems, and Multi-Card Play, in which all players have Mario Kart DS and Nintendo DS systems.

DS Download Play
As with all DS Download multiplayer games, the DS Download Play in Mario Kart DS requires that only one player has a copy of the game. Unlike past DS games, however, DS Download Play in Mario Kart DS allows multiple players who have the game card to play with multiple players who do not have the game card. DS Download Play offers the following features:

• 2-8 player simultaneous wireless game play.
• A choice of multiplayer racing, Balloon Battle, or Shine Runner modes.
• Players who own Mario Kart DS can choose their own characters and use personalized icons, while players who do not own Mario Kart DS must play as Shy Guy and cannot use personalized player icons.
• Track selection is limited to eight tracks for racing and three arenas for Balloon Battle and Shine Runner modes.
• DS Download Play is limited to the 100 cc engine class

• 2-8 player simultaneous wireless game play.
• Your choice of multiplayer racing, Balloon Battle, or Shine Runner modes.
• Players can choose from different engine classes.
• No limits on character choice.
• No limits on track choice.
• Player's win/loss ratio is saved and tracked.
• Players who race locally are automatically added to each other's friend roster and then can race via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
• Players can trade ghost data wirelessly, allowing them to race against each others' best times.

• 2-4 players racing simultaneously.
• Choice of playing with:
• Friends only (players registered as Friends)
• Rivals (players with similar skills)
• Recent opponents
• Regional racers (players in their country)
• World racers (players anywhere in the world)
• No limit on course choice, but each player votes for a course and the course with the most votes wins (in case of a tie, the course is chosen randomly)
• No limit on character choice
• Players can create and use personalized player icons

Do you like to go skiing, but don't have the time or money to go to an actual slope? Then go virtual skiing with We Ski for the Nintendo Wii. Grab your Wii Remote and Nunchuk or step onto your Wii Balance Board to execute perfect wedge stops, shred the slaloms, and negotiate moguls with ease. With an in-depth Ski School and over a dozen lengthy runs packed with jumps, races, and more, you'll probably never need to go to a real slope again.

Ski with your Mii or a customized character - Use your own Mii, or customize your characters with a host of combinations and more Earn points to buy new skis, gloves, outfits, and other skiing accessories

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Welcome to the Happy Ski Resort, where fresh powder, groomed runs, multiple trails, and state of the art facilities await!

We Ski™ takes you down the slopes in the most exciting skiing game to hit the Wii™! Grab your Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ or step onto your Wii Balance Board™ to execute perfect wedge stops, shred the slaloms, and negotiate moguls with ease. With an in-depth Ski School and over a dozen lengthy runs packed with jumps, races, and more, you and your friends won’t want to leave the slopes again!.

Key Features Intuitive controls –– Fly down the slopes with the most intuitive skiing game on the Wii™! Step onto your Wii Balance Board™ or grab your Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ and ski down the massive mountain! Ski with your friends and family –– Hit the slopes with up to 4 players to race, slice through slaloms, and traverse moguls as you head to the lodge for some hot chocolate! As big as a real mountain –– We Ski™ features 14 exhilarating courses, including runs for beginner and intermediate skiers, and black diamonds for the advanced skiers! Race down the slopes and more! – In addition to races, freestyle, moguls, and slaloms, enjoy over a dozen other activities including Ski School, Centipede Races, Search and Rescue, and shoot photos to share with your friends on WiiConnect24! Ski the mountain at night – Enjoy the kaleidoscope of colorful fireworks in the night sky as you perform night specific activities on all 14 courses! Ski with your Mii or a customized character –– Use your own Mii, or customize your characters with a host of combinations and more! And earn points to buy new skis, gloves, outfits, and other skiing accessories

High Jump! View Image 4 Player split screen gameplay View Image

Personal Trainer: Cooking brings gourmet cooking from around the globe to your Nintendo DS. It features a DS Chef, your own private cooking instructor who talks you through 245+ recipes from over 30 countries worldwide. It's a combination of interactive cookbook and live cooking demonstration that'll have you cooking like a pro, even if you've never lifted a ladle before. With so many recipes, you can find something new and tasty to make no matter what you're in the mood for. You can search a map by country to find regional dishes or select options for low-calorie foods, specific ingredients or short cooking times. Each recipe contains step-by-step directions and photos to make it possible to prepare dishes you've never tried before. Use the stylus or simple voice commands to "turn the page." Hands covered in batter? Keep your DS clean using voice commands to continue to the next page, repeat a step, go back, and more. A tap of the touch screen lets you adjust the serving size automatically, and users can write and save cooking notes, just as they would in a paper recipe book. Recipes include photos of the dish as well as instructional videos on how to perform different cooking techniques, such as how to chop an onion or clean a fish. Users can access a handy reference function to explain unfamiliar terms and cooking techniques when they appear. The software includes a timer and calculator, as well as a search function to help you find what you're looking for. Cooking Guide also includes an ingredient checklist to use as a shopping list. Just put a ? mark next to the items you need and bring your Nintendo DS to the grocery store. You and the Chef will collaborate on a wide variety of recipes, with videos of techniques, explanations of ingredients, and expert advice. With its innovative interface and the interactivity that only the DS can provide, it's a perfect learning tool for the budding chef. As you browse recip

Amazon.com 

Personal Trainer: Cooking brings gourmet cooking from around the globe to your Nintendo DS. It features a DS Chef, your own private cooking instructor who talks you through 245+ recipes from more than 30 countries worldwide. It's a combination of interactive cookbook and live cooking demonstration that'll have you cooking like a pro, even if you've never lifted a ladle before.

• You and the Chef will collaborate on a wide variety of recipes, with videos of techniques, explanations of ingredients and expert advice. With its innovative interface and the interactivity that only the DS can provide, it's a perfect learning tool for the budding chef.
  
  
• As you browse recipes, just tap a box to mark ingredients you need to buy. The DS will automatically store them in your in-game shopping list. Later you can take your DS to the store and check off the ingredients as you put them in your cart.
  
  
• Search for recipes by ingredients, calorie count, cooking time, difficulty and more.
  
  
• Hands covered in batter? Keep your DS clean using voice commands to continue to the next page, repeat a step, go back and more.

About the game: The first thing to do is select a recipe. With 245+ to choose from, Personal Trainer: Cooking makes it easy to find what you're looking for by helping you browse by country, ingredients, difficulty, cooking time, cooking technique or even calorie count. Once you've found something that looks tasty, take a look at the ingredients. Out of butter or need to buy some cumin? Just tap them with the stylus to automatically add the ingredients to your Shopping List. Making several dishes tonight? Just keep tapping ingredients - your Shopping List keeps it all in one place for you. Now that you've got your ingredients, it's time to start cooking. The DS Chef is there with you, talking you through every step along the way. Don't know how to fillet a trout? Watch the demonstration video when you get to that step. Didn't quite catch the last step? Just say "Repeat," and the Chef will explain it again. You can pause the recipe at any time to consult the Cooking A-Z guide, and prompts will appear within recipes for specific terms you might need more information about.

Becoming a Better Cook: When you finish each recipe, you put a stamp on the in-game calendar, marking what you've made and when you made it. Later, you can search by whether or not you've made a dish before, allowing you to perfect your technique on a particular recipe, or keep expanding your culinary horizons. With an extensive in-game reference of cooking terms, pictures and demonstration videos, you can tailor your cooking experience to your level of skill, then watch that skill grow as you keep cooking.

Special Input Options: The game can be controlled entirely with the stylus, for maximum accessibility. When your hands are full, covered in cookie batter or otherwise unavailable, all of the in-recipe commands can be given by speaking to the DS microphone. The keyword search function uses handwriting recognition, so you can simply write out that you're looking for a "sweet" something. Finally, that same handwriting recognition is used to make notes on recipes. If you want to remember to reduce the salt, or simply that this recipe was especially tasty, the software takes the same role as the handwritten note in a cookbook.

The gears of war continue to turn as Marcus Fenix and his squad of Cogs go back into action. Gears of War 2 continues the story of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad, locked in an increasingly desperate battle against the nightmarish Locust Horde for the survival of humanity. It is an epic saga of survival, loss, and retribution. Gears of War 2 raises the bar with the amazing technological advances of Unreal Engine 3, delivering a bigger, badder, and more intense experience.

Party system and skill-based online matchmaking - form a full or partial team with friends and continue together from match to match without the need to reform after each game. A skill-based online matchmaking system groups players of similar skill level together in competitive multiplayer matches

Amazon.com Product Description 

The wait is over, Gears of War 2 has arrived. Ever since the original was released, fans have clamored for this sequel. Developed exclusively for the Xbox 360 by Epic Games, Gears of War 2, which has already garnered several awards, picks up six months after the events of the blockbuster original Gears of War. Players are thrown back into the role of Marcus Fenix, leading the battle for humankind's survival against the Locust Horde. With innovative third-person tactical action gameplay and unsurpassed high-definition graphics, Gears of War 2 is a must-have game for the Xbox 360.

Gears of War 2 Players: Offline: 1-4 Online: 10 Gameplay Modes: Single player, competitive multiplayer, cooperative multiplayer, system link multiplayer, online multiplayer with voice support. Format: 16:9 Widescreen on HDTV 480p, 720p, and 1080i.

Gears of War 2 offers stunningly realistic, vast environments to play in. View larger.

The enemies in Gear of War 2 are huge and downright nasty. View larger.

Huge Environments, Bigger Gameplay
For those who loved Gears of War, Gears of War 2 builds upon it in every way, but with several major enhancements. There are more weapons, bigger vehicles, and more action. The enemies are more dangerous, and the total experiences is more immersive than ever. And with a revolutionary tactical combat system, the game will require not just fast reaction times and shooting skill, it will also challenge you to devise a strategy that will work against the enemies who exhibit smart AI.

Jaw-Dropping, Realistic Graphics
Just as Gears of War did the first time around, Gears of War 2 ups the ante for graphical prowess. Combined with the sweeping vistas and evocative locales of Sera, where the story takes place, Gears of War 2 offers jaw-dropping graphics that are made possible through advances in Unreal Engine 3. New visual effects include ambient occlusion, dynamic shadows, improved character lighting, the ability to render hundreds of on-screen characters simultaneously, improved water physics, additional blood and bullet decals, advanced destructible environments, new weather effects, and the introduction of fluid objects.

Immersive, Gripping Story
Taking place six months after the end of the first game, Gears of War 2 returns the cast of characters of the original, including Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, as well as several newcomers.

Novelist and comic book writer Joshua Ortega, who assisted with the writing, has created a story that is big on character development and personality. With a new in-game conversational camera system and multiple story arcs, the story is presented in a gripping cinematic style where characters gain an emotional depth that matches their realistic graphical representation.

More Characters, Upgraded Vehicles, Badder Weapons
Those who were impressed by the original Gears of War will be in for a real treat. New characters such as Tai Kaliso, weapons like the burst pistol, and huge vehicles like the COG Centaur tank will give players a whole new dimension and scope of gameplay in both single-player and multi-player modes.

Everything you loved about multiplayer in the original is back, including the classic death matches, but with this sequel there is an added emphasis on teamwork. New multiplayer game modes will require better coordination in order to win. The game also features voice support, so you can communicate with other players around the world -- whether you're on the same team or trash talking!

Gears of War 2 won several awards at E3 2008, where it was first presented, including Overall Best Shooting Game and Overall Best Graphics Technology of E3 2008 from IGN, as well as Best Action Game of E3 2008 from the Game Critics Awards.