Australian independent game developer publishes first title on Steam.

ADELAIDE, Australia –  June 14th, 2011 – Manic Game Studios, an independent team of two is announcing the release of their first title Critical Mass. The game will be available for purchase through Steam, Impulse Driven and CriticalMassGame.com on June 20th with a special offer for Steam users of 10% off the regular price during the first week of availability.

Critical Mass is an action puzzle game that takes the traditional match 3 game style and brings it into the world of 3D. The game combines fast addictive gameplay with strategy to create a new and innovative play experience. With 3 levels of difficulty and 4 distinct game modes, Critical Mass aims to entertain everyone from new gamers to hardened veterans.

The game is available for PC only on release with plans to expand to Mac and iOS in the near future.

Website: http://criticalmassgame.com

Video Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QikguKClRpA

About Manic Game Studios
Manic Game Studios is an Australian independent game developer. The team consists of two members, James Barrie is the Creative Lead and Matthew Edmondson is the Technical Lead. They both have a strong background in the Arts and Computer Science, originally working in the areas of Web Development and Systems Analysis in the Telecommunication industry before founding Manic Game Studios.

Website: http://manicgamestudios.com

Family Feuds and Cake Creations are Brewing This July  (on-sale June 29 2011) with Magna Home Entertainment!                 

American Chopper Senior Vs Junior: Season 1 Box Set 2 Blu-ray

This spin-off series has proven to be a great success overseas after receiving the highest ratings ever recorded since American Chopper first premiered in America, which has earned the series a second season. American Chopper Senior Vs Junior: Season 1 Box Set 2 Blu-ray contains the final episodes of Season 1, which to Senior’s disgust, sees Junior’s company significantly expand and grow with clients.       

Blu-ray Specifications

2 discs

6 episodes

Approximately 270 minutes running time

SRP: $34.95

Mythbusters Season 5 DVD

Jam packed with 31 exploding episodes, Mythbusters Season 5 DVD also includes a bonus limited edition myth-busting T-shirt! This season Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage are back to put what remains of their nine lives on the line to bust more myths and dispel untruths in the name of science! 

DVD Specifications

8 discs

31 episodes

Approximately 1565 minutes running time

SRP: $49.95

Cake Boss Season 2 DVD

Buddy Valastro is the Cake Boss and is set to create some of the best cakes ever seen in this deliciously successful reality TV cooking series. Between the boisterous disagreements and the flying flour throughout the episodes, this DVD also includes never-before seen extras on how to bake these amazing cakes and more!

DVD Specifications

3 discs

18 episodes

Approximately 396 minutes running time

SRP: $29.95

Brew Masters Season 1 DVD

Craft brewing has become a popular past time locally with many Aussies purchasing homebrew kits to create their own drop of beer. Brew Masters Season 1 DVD explores the wonderful world of beer by following US craft brewer Sam Calagione and his team in search of exotic ingredients and ancient techniques to produce beers of astounding originality.

DVD Specifications

1 disc

6 episodes  

Approximately 270 minutes running time

SRP: $24.95

Rollbots Complete Season 1 DVD

This visually-stunning CGI kids’ series is now available in a complete season. The series follows the group of crime-fighting robots in Flip-city, where new police recruit Spin is learning the ropes. Hold on tight as you ride with Spin on all 26 episodes from season one! That’s over 10 hours of action!      

DVD Specifications

4 discs

26 episodes

Approximately 604 minutes running time

SRP: $14.95

Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Fast Friends DVD

The second DVD release of this CG animated educational hit from Jim Henson is currently broadcast on Nick Jr and a toy range is available in stores now.  Dinosaur Train Fast Friends is a pre-schooler’s dream – dinosaurs and trains! 

DVD Specifications

1 disc

6 episodes

Approximately 90 minutes running time

SRP: $19.95

Roary The Racing Car Season 2 DVD

Currently broadcast on ABC1, ABC2 and Nick Jr, Roary The Racing Car continues to dominate preschool viewing timeslots and is showing no signs of slowing as season two DVD launches in July. Energetic storylines and realistic racing sequences keeps kids wanting more and with eight volumes of season one available too, Roary The Racing Car is revved and ready to go for season two.

DVD Specifications

1 disc

7 episodes

Approximately 70 minutes running time

     SRP: $14.95

Strawberry Shortcake: The Berry Bunch Triple DVD Pack

Catch all the fun and excitement of Strawberry Shortcake and friends with Strawberry Shortcake: The Berry Bunch Triple DVD Pack. There are three exciting adventures to be had by Strawberry and her friends in Berry Bitty City in this 3-disc pack including Sky’s the Limit, The Berryfest Princess and The Glimmerberry Ball! 

DVD Specifications

3 discs

3 episodes

Approximately ?? minutes running time

SRP: $29.95

Marvel Knights: Animated Miniseries Collection DVD

With mammoth blockbuster movies Thor and Captain America hitting screens in 2011, now has never been a better time to enjoy all the iconic Marvel action heroes including Iron Man, X-Men, Spider Woman and Black Panther!  The all new Marvel Knights: Animated Miniseries Collection is a must-have for any Marvel fan. Loaded with bonus features, each multi-part series boasts ground breaking graphics, sensational soundscapes and, of course, the explosiveness of the Marvel Universe. 

DVD Specifications

4 discs

4 Motion Comics 

Approximately 323 minutes running time

SRP: $79.95

Marvel Knights: Thor and Loki: Blood Brothers DVD

Building on the momentum of last year’s explosive new Marvel motion comic series comes the latest electrifying addition – Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers – featuring this year’s most talked about hero. Inspired by the acclaimed graphic novel from Robert Rodi and Esad Ribic, Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers takes a powerful look inside the minds of Thor & Loki, brothers in the mythical land of Asgard and seemingly forever enemies.

DVD Specifications

1 disc

4 episodes  

Approximately 80 minutes running time

SRP: $29.95

July is “KidZone” month and Magna Home Entertainment has got kids entertainment covered! Loaded packed full of goodies including Pokemon, Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears and a huge range of discounted top-selling titles from preschool, animated and live action genres, all “KidZone” titles offer you the chance to win a home entertainment package valued at over $5000.00!

Square Enix and Obsidian Entertainment’s anticipated next chapter in the Dungeon Siege lore is set to ship from this Thursday, June 16th, in Australia, New Zealand and and other PAL territories, with North America following on Tuesday, June 21st.

In DUNGEON SIEGE III, players assume the role of one of four heroes, fighting for the sake of their fallen comrades to restore the land of Ehb. Conflict is constant in this action-RPG and decisions have lasting consequences, allowing players to alter the storyline. Choose to battle along with a companion or fight for honour with up to three friends via online co-op play. DUNGEON SIEGE III allows for two players to experience the story from start to finish in local co-op mode. Thanks to the robust AI, DUNGEON SIEGE III’s co-op multiplayer mode allows players to seamlessly drop in and out of battle without interrupting the action or impacting the campaign.

Players will experience the much-awaited next chapter in the DUNGEON SIEGE lore from 16th June, 2011, on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. For more information about DUNGEON SIEGE III, please visit the official website at: www.dungeonsiege.com.

THE AWARD-WINNING HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER COMES TO DVD

Madman proudly presents Palace Films’ multiple international award-winning HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER – coming to DVD on 10 August 2011 (DVD $34.95srp).

One of the most striking, distinctive and critically-acclaimed films to emerge from Europe in recent years, Alexei Popogrebsky’s HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER is a compelling morality tale and a heart-racing thriller, filmed against the spectacular landscape of the pristine Russian Arctic.

Filmed entirely on location in the easternmost tip of Russia, HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER features unforgettable cinematography, masterfully utilising the majestic, yet terrifyingly stark landscape, matched with exceptional performances and a masterful slow-burn story. The film has garnered a slew of prestigious international awards, including the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival awards for the ‘Silver Bear for Best Actor’ (shared by both leads) and the ‘Silver Bear for Best Artistic Achievement’, as well as awards for ‘Best Film’ from both the 2010 BFI London and Chicago Film Festivals.

VA Panel technology is about superior colour reproduction, ultra high contrast ratio and blacker blacks – meaning that true black is available on a VA Panel monitor thanks to zero bright dot (ZBD) minimising light leakage giving dark scenes more detail and intensity. But when you take a look at BenQ’s new EW2430V monitor, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the acronym VA stood for ‘very attractive’.

Clean, simple lines seamlessly integrating audio and visual dimensions of entertainment, the new EW2430V is a monitor designed to support a variety of multimedia applications. It comes with a component (RCA) jack, headphone jack, audio line in and out, 2 X HDMI ports, and 1 X D-Sub and 1 X DVI-D to support various gaming devices and both analogue and digital signals. A total of four USB ports are built-in ensuring all USB devices are accommodated permanently, allowing easy manoeuvring between DVD player, webcam, PC, iPod and gaming consoles.

A metallic finish projects a refined look which enables the monitor to blend into its environment. Cleverly concealed within the screen design so as not to detract from the monitor’s aesthetic beauty are dual 2W speakers. Good-looks aside, the EW2430V is equipped with numerous features adding convenience and enjoyment to its long list of credits.

“Smart Focus” is one such addition, allowing the user to highlight a viewing window drawing attention to a section of content for added impact. “Super Resolution” increases the density of low resolution images, enhancing picture quality, while PIP / PBP enables the display of two different input sources simultaneously. Automatic 3D noise reduction removes noise from the source to create advanced quality output while 3D De-interlace reduces cross-over interference flickers produced while incoming videos are in interlaced format for smooth, consistent video presentation.

Said Chee F. Chung, general manager for BenQ Australia, “With true 3000:1 Native Contrast Ratio and BenQ’s proprietary Senseye® Human Vision Technology all on a true 8-bit colour panel (10-bit internal), this stylish-looking monitor offers full connectivity and smarter video design for a first-class audiovisual experience.

“Detail and colour contrast are exceptional producing exquisite and flawless true-to-life images, and being a VA panel monitor, the EW2430V also has a wider viewing angle (178?/178?) compared to a regular Twisted Nematic (TN) panel, so the monitor can be shared across the room with more people, more angles and more fun,” she said.

EW2430V RRP $449 Warranty: 3 years

Available from June – for information and stockists call BenQ on 8988 6500 or visit www.BenQ.com.au

Toybox  

Open the lid to a fantasy world full of fun, music, learning and adventure!  The bedroom door swings open and a toy box is spilled on its side in a jumble of shapes and colours.  No-one is around…all is quiet…and then something magical happens – every child’s dream comes true as the toys spring to life!

Toybox: What’s In The Box DVD

The bedroom door swings open and a toy box is spilled on its side in a jumble of shapes and colours. No-one is around…all is quiet…and then something magical happens – every child’s dream comes true as the toys spring to life! There is a funky doll named Tina who is energetic and sporty. Her cheery friend Tom is an adventure doll who loves exploring and being creative. Patches, the cute rag doll, is shy and sensitive whilst Super Ned is a brave and excitable toy robot who loves rescuing! 

DVD Specifications

1 disc

Approximately 154 minutes running time

SRP: $19.95

Toybox: Animal Farm DVD

When the bedroom is quiet, and no-one is around… something magical happens – every child’s dream comes true as the toys spring to life! Join the fun as the toys create their own animal farm, sail the seas in a pirate ship, and discover the most beautiful butterfly they’ve ever seen. Laugh along as Tom tricks everyone with his crazy talking exercise mat. And for more excitement, take a journey underwater in the toy’s submarine or a visit the moon in their pretend rocket ship.

DVD Specifications

1 disc

Approximately 154 minutes running time

SRP: $19.95

SYDNEY, 14 June 2011: Canon Australia today enhanced its EF telephoto zoom lens range with the addition of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II – a versatile, all-round lens ideal for a variety of photographic situations from action to portrait photography.

Compact and lightweight, the new improved EF-S 55-250mm features Canon’s superior built-in Image Stabiliser (IS) that makes it easy to achieve sharp, blur-free photographs even in low light conditions. The IS technology delivers the equivalent effect of a shutter speed approximately 4 stops faster, and reduces camera shake to ensure clear and crisp shots – effortlessly. Like its predecessor, the Series II Model has a broad zoom range which makes it ideal for getting close to the action from a distance, and its automatic panning detection offers great mobility for capturing moving subjects with ease.

Exterior design improvements on the Series II Model includes a high-grade platinum ring mounted in front of the zoom ring for easier operation, and a leather tone texture coating on the body for a luxurious feel.

“The new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II is a versatile, multipurpose telephoto zoom lens that would suit entry-level photographers, looking to broaden their creative potential,” said Chris Macleod, Brand Manager – EOS, Canon Australia. “Its focal length makes it perfect for shooting a broad range of subjects such as family portraits, holidays, sporting events and special occasions, as it allows you to draw close attention to your subject while softening the background for a more powerful image.”

Environmentally-friendly, lead-free glass is used in the construction of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II. It has the equivalent focal length to an 88-400mm when used on an APS-C size sensor, including all Canon entry-level DSLR cameras such as the new Canon EOS 600D and EOS 1100D.

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be sold individually, while the Series I Model will remain available in kits only.

Key Features

· Affordable, general-purpose telephoto zoom lens

· 88-400mm equivalent focal length

· Comfort: High-speed auto-focusing due to high-speed CPU and optimised AF algorithm

· High image-quality

o UD glass corrects aberrations

o Circular aperture diaphragm allowing striking background blur effects

o Minimal flare and ghosting

· Mobility: 4-stop Image Stabilizer with automatic panning detection in either the horizontal or vertical direction when following moving subjects

Pricing and Availability

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II will be available from July 2011 through Canon dealers nationally. For more information, customers can contact Canon on 1800 021 167, or visit the website at canon.com.au.