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Continuing the recent pattern of eleventh-hour Cube announcements, news has emerged that Snowblind's Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance will be gracing the screens of Cube owners, offering a nice alternative to the recently-announced Hunter: The Reckoning and completing the game's multi-platform line-up. A PS2 version was released to universal acclaim a while back. Related Feature - Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance screenshots (Xbox)

Anybody going to see GRIN's latest effort, the futuristic vehicular action game Bandits, at ECTS in London this week will get more than they bargained for. Three times more, to be precise. Yes, for the duration of the show Bandits will be running on Matrox's new Parhelia graphics card to demonstrate its "Surround Gaming" support, which allows the card to power three monitors simultaneously. Is it the next leap forward in immersive gaming and cause for hardcore gamers everywhere to dig out those spare old CRTs, or is it just another useless gimmick for the gullible? We'll let you know tomorrow afternoon after we've checked out the card in action at GRIN's stand... Related Feature - ECTS Indies preview

Although Frontline Attack is allegedly based on the new Earth 3 engine, the interface, terrain and special effects all look eerily familiar at times. It's hard to tell what, if anything, has been changed since the last version of the engine, but fortunately the visuals are still quite attractive, if not as spectacular as they seemed back in 2000.

Although we had hoped to hear more about this at last week's Nintendo Gamer's Summit in San Francisco, the short and sweet of the announcement appears to be the whole hot and spicy enchilada. According to Nintendo representatives, Metroid Prime on the GameCube and Metroid Fusion on the GBA will link up in some capacity. Do we know to what end? No. But it's yet another argument for picking up that link-up adapter, isn't it? We hope but don't necessarily expect to learn more about this connectivity when Nintendo courts the press in London on Thursday morning. Related Feature - Metroid Prime preview

Apart from raising its online gaming revenues and releasing the PC version of Final Fantasy XI in Japan, Squaresoft also plans to shuffle the GameCube's highly anticipated real-time Final Fantasy RPG out the door ahead of March 2003. The news came as part of an announcement concerning the company's financials, which look a lot stronger than they did last year. Square also plans to release two GBA titles before March, although it didn't elaborate. Our guess is Final Fantasy Cube's GBA twin - vital to promote that all-important link-up function - along with Final Fantasy Tactics. Although Square recently revealed a new Chocobo-based title and a new Secret of Mana for GBA, neither is likely to be ready within the proposed time window. Unfortunately, Square's profits announcement also came with the footnote that it does not currently plan to develop for Microsoft Xbox, despite its claims that Nintendo development is being undertaken to offset "slack" demand for its PS2 releases. If you ask us, despite the Xbox's relative failure in Japan, its prominence in Europe and particularly the US should definitely not be overlooked. Then again, Square has a tendency to change its mind about things like this. Expect to hear about the developer's 2003 product line-up in more detail when the sun rises on this year's Tokyo Game Show. Related Feature - The Square Rumour Mill!

Rockstar's official Vice City website is now online, offering a trailer and selection of screenshots. The bad news is that the site is completely swamped at the moment, making it virtually impossible to even load the front page. The good news is that we've ganked all the screenshots and posted them right here on EuroGamer for your lag-free enjoyment. We're still trying to download the trailer, but in the meantime you can try and watch it on the official website. Be warned though - it may take several minutes to load, even on a broadband connection. For those of you with an aversion to Hawaiian shirts, Vice City is the Miami-based follow-up to Rockstar's multi-million selling Grand Theft Auto 3, featuring blazing sunshine, palm tree lined streets, tacky neon-lit hotels, bikini-clad rollerbladers and an even wider variety of vehicles for you to .. ahem .. liberate, including motorbikes. The whole thing looks absolutely gorgeous and looks set to fulfill all your Scarface fantasies, so if it's half as fun as the last one it should be well worth your hard earned euros. Related Feature - GTA Vice City screenshots

Russian developers Deep Shadows will be demonstrating their first person shooter Xenus at this year's ECTS. Designed by some of the talent behind the flawed Codename Outbreak, the game is set in the jungles of Columbia and sees you setting out to rescue a lost journalist. Along the way you'll get to explore over six hundred square kilometers of uninterrupted terrain, drive around in a wide range of vehicles, chat to the locals and interact with factions varying from the CIA to drugs cartels. With any luck we should know more by the end of the week, but in the meantime we've got four brand new shots of the game in action to give you a taste of things to come. Related Feature - Xenus screenshots

Microsoft will be offering a mail-in rebate to American Xbox buyers between now and November 2nd to give them a free DVD movie playback kit with their console. Normally the kit (without which the Xbox won't play DVD movies) costs up to $30 in the US, while the rival PlayStation 2 supports DVD playback out of the box at no extra cost. Given that both consoles cost just $199 in America, no more than a decent stand-alone DVD player, this is sure to make the Xbox an even more attractive proposition in the run-up to the holiday seasons. Hopefully something similar will be introduced here in Europe, but as it's a national holiday in England today we haven't been able to reach Microsoft's local office for any comment.

ECTS isn't just about big name publishers - dozens of developers come to the show each year in search of funding, publishing deals and press coverage for their games. This year AMD will be providing a developer pavilion for companies to show off their wares, while some of the larger companies will have their own stands. Here are a few of the highlights we'll be seeing during the show...

1C Company has been distributing games in its native Russia for a few years now, including the likes of Max Payne, Pool Of Radiance and Europa Universalis, as well as local projects such as Etherlords and Evil Islands. This year saw Ubi Soft return the favour by bringing their World War II flight combat sim IL-2 Sturmovik (developed by 1C's Maddox Games studio) to the west, and 1C are hoping to follow through on that international success by making a splash at ECTS 2002, with an impressive line-up of Russian developed games on display. Amongst the titles we can look forward to are Perimeter (a real-time strategy game in which you seize and terraform land on alien worlds), Borderzone (an attractive looking fantasy action role-playing effort with multiple endings), MechMinds (another action role-player, this time involving big stompy robots) and Sphere (the inevitable massively multiplayer game). Look for more information on all these and more at the weekend as part of our official online coverage of Europe's biggest videogames trade show.

Over the last eighteen months a small British company called Nicely Crafted Entertainment has been toiling away in the wilds of Cambridge to create a novel online strategy game. Set in a shattered world made up of rocky islands floating in space, each round of Time Of Defiance gives players one month to conquer as many of these islands as possible and build up an empire. The catch is that a few hundred players may be fighting over the thousands of lumps of rock scattered around the playing area.

Two years ago, Elite Force was one of the finest first person shooters to grace our PC screens since Half-Life. Two years ago, the Quake III engine pulsating beneath the surface was a purveyor of jaw-dropping visuals, and we were suitably impressed by the way developer Raven wielded this power. Then again, two years ago was two years ago, and we've all moved on. Sadly, Elite Force hasn't, and yet Codemasters are still dangling the game like a mouldy carrot in front of PS2 gamers with nothing better to do. Except, shock horror, they do have better things to do. Something bad happened in the transition between PC and console - it always does; the textures are of dismal quality, the character models are grotesquely angular and the environments are depressingly simplistic. Despite this, nothing has actually changed much. Overlooking its technological shortfalls, Elite Force is still very much the same enticingly atmospheric and yet disappointingly short game we remember it to be.

Pinball games, on the whole, don't do a great deal for me. However, if I were to delve back into the fancies of my youth, I might be able to claw a couple of popular titles to mind. Pinball games which I actually bothered to play - a measure of quality unsurpassed in the field of pinball-reviewage, I assure you. Those two games would be Pinball Dreams and Pinball Fantasies. Somebody out there, and I don't know exactly who, is well aware of my enduring obsession with these two icons of popular pinball pursuit, and I believe that somebody works for Ubi Soft, because Pinball Challenge Deluxe encompasses both and offers much in the way of entertainment as a result.

Fairies. I'm playing a game about collecting fairies. I thought this job had hit a new low when I was installing Zanzarah, I mean, honestly... fairies for crying out loud. Luckily though the German-developed Zanzarah is much better than the subject matter might lead you to presume. Starting out in her house in London, our protagonist Amy ventures into her attic to discover a small chest (stop giggling at the back). Unable to contain her curiosity, she opens it and subsequently finds herself transported to a cave opening out onto a lush green garden, where she is approached by a friendly looking goblin who lets her know just what the hell is going on.

Ah, Capcom - one of last year's most notable absentees from the main show. Although the venerable publisher's trade hall presence won't be on a par with its PlayStation Experience outing, we are promised the chance to speak to the people behind the games. With no England-Germany football clash to contend with this year, they might even save some of the beer for us.

As the brains behind the Smuggler's Run series, Angel Studios are back on familiar territory with Off-Road Wide Open, a 4x4 racing game which takes you from Hawaii to Yosemite. And although the game was originally released in the USA as part of the Test Drive franchise, we'll try not to hold that against it - Wide Open might not be perfect, but it's a far cry from the horrors of TD overdrive.

Polish developers Techland have confirmed their line-up for this year's ECTS, with four future titles on show alongside three more kiddie-focused past releases. Top of the list is Chrome, a first person shooter combining on-foot and in vehicle action, with optional implants adding some simple character development elements to the mix. We've been following this one for a while now, but this will be our first chance to see it firsthand - look for a full preview next weekend. Xpand Rally should also be on show, using the same graphics engine as Chrome to render some sixty rally stages scattered around the world. Two other games are also being presented at the show, although these are perhaps more likely to be present in trailer form only - Speedway Grand Prix does exactly what the name suggests, while the cheesily titled Day Of The Mutants is a post-apocalyptic tale in the vein of Mad Max, with your character driving around sixty miles of scorched highway before hopping out to kick some mutant ass with a broad selection of weapons. Hopefully we'll know more about both games by the end of the show. In the meantime though, we've got half a dozen impressive new shots of Chrome to keep you satiated. Related Feature - Chrome screenshots

Guildford-based Lost Toys have finished work on their mech-packed futuristic blaster, Battle Engine Aquila, but the game won't be released until January 2003 in order for Infogrames to prepare a "formidable market presence" according to Lost Toys head honcho Jeremy Longley. Rather like Kevin Costner's Waterworld, Battle Engine Aquila sees a world submerged by rising seas, and a climactic battle for dry land between the forces of good (you) and evil (them). However, unlike the aforementioned big screen tripe, the guys and gals in BEA are out to settle their differences using enormous mechs. What gives you the upper hand is your unique Battle Engine, a towering mechanical monstrosity with enough firepower to ravage entire cities, and certainly enough to thrill PS2 and Xbox owners when it bursts into view next year. Related Feature - Battle Engine Aquila screenshots (Xbox)

One of the cutest things about Super Mario Sunshine is the text that pops up when Mario grabs a shine (shine = star). "Shine Get!" the game joyfully proclaims and Mario salutes, shine in hand. Unfortunately, Nintendo has deemed this a bit too quirky for casual gamers in the US and Europe, and it will be replaced before its release in both territories. However, one suspects that the game's popularity is likely to be unaffected. Related Feature - Super Mario Sunshine screenshots

Acclaim Austin has been pumping out interesting games for quite a while now, and ECTS will play host to a couple of the biggest, while also showcasing the works of Criterion and Aggressive Inline developer Z-Axis. Acclaim is a publisher that aims to be taken very seriously in 2003, and ECTS is a pedestal to launch that campaign.

It looks like the summer lull of the last few weeks is finally coming to an end, with the arrival of several new games today. Heading up the list is the PlayStation 2 version of Codemasters' highly anticipated TOCA Race Driver, which has apparently proven a big pre-order hit already. In a break from tradition the game features an actual storyline for players to follow rather than the usual faceless career mode, not to mention some great wheel-to-wheel racing on the track, a bewildering array of cars to drive and all manner of Surround Sound audio effects along the way. Look for a full review next week. After numerous delays, Zoo Cube has arrived this week as well. A mind-bending puzzle game for both GameBoy Advance and GameCube, it's well worth a look if you fancy something to exercise your reflexes. Meanwhile Xbox fans finally have something to celebrate with the arrival of Aggressive Inline, a Tony-Hawks-on-rollerblades affair which made a big impression when we reviewed the PlayStation 2 version recently. Somewhat less exciting is the appearance of Slam Tennis on the Xbox. And even PC owners are getting in on the action this week, with the PC port of Xbox masterpiece Moto GP belatedly reaching the beige box. If it's half as good as the console version it should be well worth a look. New Releases - CubeZoo CubeGBAZooCubePCGoreMoto GPProject EarthPSX No new releases PS2TOCA Race DriverXboxAggressive InlineSlam TennisRelated Feature - UK Release Date List

One assumes that there must be some sort of difference between the words "freak" and "freek", other than a simple spelling inconsistency. I wandered over the road to the local skate park yesterday and asked whether anybody knew the difference, and they had no idea, but presumably for someone, somewhere, it's a word which holds some significance. Anyway, with that out of the way it's time to talk about FreekStyle, the latest EA Sports BIG game borne of the SSX formula. And oddly enough, it's a bit of a freak.

Old school Amiga fans and retro enthusiasts can look forward to the impending re-release of Defender Of The Crown and The Three Stooges. Revamped for the new millennium by Cinemaware, the games feature updated sounds and graphics but are otherwise faithful adaptations of their original 1980s incarnations. Defender Of The Crown takes you back to medieval England where, contrary to the title, your aim is to steal the crown for yourself rather than to defend its present occupant, while The Three Stooges brings the popular comedy act back to life with a mixture of pie throwing, prize fighting and "medical madness". Both games are expected on store shelves in the UK on Friday 20th September and will set you back a princely £12.99 each. Plans are also afoot for "digitally remastered" versions of Lords Of The Rising Sun, Wings, Rocket Ranger and It Came From The Desert.

Davilex are bringing David Hasselhoff's finest hour to the PC and PlayStation 2, with the arrival of Knight Rider - The Game on November 8th. Although Michael Knight will be appearing in the game, you'll be assuming the role of the true star of the show, the sentient car KITT. As such you'll be able to scan buildings, chase down enemies, pull off insane jumps and speed around on two wheels, taking on the criminal mastermind Garth and KITT's evil twin KARR amongst other characters lifted from the TV series. To help you make it through the game's ten missions you'll have the benefits of KITT's tough high tech bodywork, a "super pursuit" mode, micro jammers and the famous turbo boost amongst other gizmos. We hope to be taking a pre-release build of the game for a spin in the not too distant future, but in the meantime you'll have to make do with some slightly fuzzy screenshots. Related Feature - Knight Rider screenshots (PS2)

Resident Evil on the Cube isn't even out in Europe yet, but we've already had a taste of the highly anticipated prequel thanks to Capcom's Japanese demo disc. Wouldn't it be nice if we got this sort of exclusive perk in Europe in exchange for a measly pre-order, instead of rebadged demos from official console publications? [Stop whinging - Ed]

Liverpool based developer and publisher Rage has had its share of problems in the last year, but after a strong showing at last year's ECTS (including walking away with the official Game Of The Show gong for fiendish puzzler Denki Blocks) they're hoping for a repeat performance this year.

Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions wasn't very good. I'm sorry, but it wasn't. It's not our fault that it wasn't, and we're not going to pretend otherwise for the sake of hyping up the Cube version. After failing to set the Xbox world alight, Wreckless was announced for PS2, and despite some outrageous claims, it hasn't so far managed to demonstrate the same level of graphical mayhem and the same patchwork of visual effects working coherently, but we'll wait and see. On the Cube, however, it stands a better chance of living up to the Xbox release, and according to Nintendo's website, it will feature two-player support. So, for those of you who liked it, and continue to tell me how great it was, soon you will have the chance to buy it for the second time.

Knowing Square, this will turn into a regular feature, but never mind. Remember how the Final Fantasy games are all turn-based with huge flipping great chunks of story (and CG, these days) breaking up proceedings every five minutes? Not so when it comes to the GameCube's Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicle, Square is purported to have said. Apparently we can look forward to a real-time alternative, more akin to The Legend of Zelda and, gasp, Secret of Mana. Elsewhere, Famitsu has allegedly revealed that the GBA port of Final Fantasy Tactics could actually be an entirely new adventure game in the same guise as the original, or will at least include a heck of a lot of new scenarios. With only Tactics Ogre competing for the same market on GBA (and by the same fellow, to boot), a new Tactics game would satisfy a hell of a lot of RPG fanatics bored of Breath of Fire and galled by Golden Sun. Tune in next… well, just keep tuning in. Square have developed a penchant for drip feeding the gamer. Related Feature - Square working on four GBA titles

Nintendo has been delving deeper into its back catalogue lately, repackaging old NES games on collectible trading cards with a magnetic strip. The forthcoming E-Card Reader will allow gamers to plug in their trading cards and play the likes of Donkey Kong Jr. and Excitebike, and now it has emerged that the Cube release of Animal Crossing will not only reward players with collectible NES games as they work their way through the game, but that these traces of the platform holder's history will be playable on the GBA. IGN reports that by selecting "Advance Play" from the Animal Crossing menu screen, games can be transferred to the portable in less than five seconds. Excitebike will be among those games included in Animal Crossing, despite also appearing as part of the E-Card range. Nintendo has yet to announce a firm UK release date for Animal Crossing, but we'll try to remember to kick them about it when we meet up during ECTS. Related Feature - E-Reader plays its hand

Worlds Apart Productions have announced a licensing deal to make online games based on GURPS. For those of you who wouldn't know GURPS from a similar sounding bodily function, the name stands for Generic Universal Role Playing System, and it does exactly what it says on the box, offering a modular set of rules which can be expanded and adapted for a wide range of settings. Over sixty rule books and adventures are still in print for the ever-popular pencil and paper role-playing game, with more on the way, taking in everything from Hellboy and Discworld to World War II and the Middle Ages. It's not known at this stage what kind of setting Worlds Apart will be using for their debut GURPS game, but several projects are apparently being "contemplated".