Now taking over the world through your Xbox 360s!

Being a fan of the original board game, I was extremely happy to hear about a RISK title being released for this current generation of consoles. Unfortunately, I remember as well the terrible iterations of electronic versions being put out on the PC during the 90′s and the PS2 version, Global Domination, that just drove me insane. Please EA, don’t screw up this version! (Press Release)

Globally Popular, Strategic Game of Conquest in Development for Xbox LIVE Arcade

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that it is bringing Hasbro’s (NYSE:HAS) globally popular strategy game, RISK, to Xbox LIVE® Arcade (XBLA) in early 2010. Featuring outlandish factions, a unique art style, new gameplay twists and off-beat humor, RISK: Factions promises to challenge and captivate both new and seasoned RISK fans on their quest for world domination.

“For the past half-century, millions of RISK fans have been consumed with ruling the world, underscoring the board game’s enduring appeal,??? said Chip Lange, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s Hasbro Division. “We’re now going to bring that masterpiece experience to life and add other amazing layers of XBLA-style gameplay that will take conquests to a new level, including the ability to battle players from around the globe for the first time, truly giving new meaning to the phrase ‘world domination’.???

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This would still make a great drinking game. 'Buzz' and 'Chug'!

With the success of the first installment of these table games, Hasbro and EA are promising five new games to add to your family feuding arsenal. The first (and one we’re most excited about) is Operation, which teaches you how to keep a steady paw, while removing all the important organs and bones (seems like my last ex did that with not so much precision at all, dah duh tsss). The rest of the titles are somewhat new: Bop-It, Pictureka, Connect 4X4 (ouch) and that last being Jenga.

In conjunction with the release of Family Game Night 2 will be Hasbro Family Game Night for the Nintendo DS, featuring the same games from the first game in convenient portable form.

I’m still waiting for Hasbro and EA to blast out some more old school table top titles like Stratego or Clue. You know you wanna see your Xbox Live avatar murder your opponent with the candlestick in the study. We’ll, we do anyhow.

[Source]

-Crutchboy Out

Coming to wreck a Con near you!

Games like “Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition,” “Battleship” and “Boggle” have entered the digital world with EA using the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to showcase upcoming spring releases aimed at the burgeoning casual games market.

A new version of “SCRABBLE” for PSP and Nintendo DS introduces a SCRABBLE Slam mode that challenges players to get rid of Slam cards by spelling words.

Those wishing to go green can save paper by playing “Trivial Pursuit” on Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2.

After releasing “Hasbro Family Game Night” on Wii and PS2 last fall, EA is offering all of the games on Xbox Live Arcade.

Gamers can buy games individually or the entire suite, which includes “SCRABBLE,” “Connect Four,” “Boggle,” “Yahtzee,” “Battleship,” “Sorry!,” and “Sorry! Sliders.”

But despite the recent influx of board games going digital, Hasbro isn’t about to lose its lucrative board game business.

“I don’t think you can ever replace the experience of pulling out a box of “Monopoly” and playing in front of the fireplace with your family over the holidays,” said Chip Lange, EA Hasbro vice president and general manager.

Instead, Lange foresees video games giving franchises like “SCRABBLE” and “Yahtzee” new life through online connectivity that allows families to play together from across the country.

The virtual world also opens up new gameplay options like a 30-minute speed game of “Monopoly.”

“The cardboard version of “Connect Four” is limited to connecting four checkers in a row, but we can do things like blow up checkers in the digital version and it adds a lot of new strategic gameplay mechanics,” said Lange. “These video games keep the brands relevant in the digital age.”