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CNN Sunday Morning

Xbox About to Break Into Gaming Industry

Aired June 17, 2001 - 07:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Coming soon to your television, a marketing blitz on new video games. Not just any video games, but new game consuls from Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony -- or consoles, rather.

CNN technology correspondent Rick Lockridge has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICK LOCKRIDGE, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The graphical agility of Microsoft's Xbox console. It's strikingly apparent from the new "Dead or Alive III." The popular fight-fest franchise has sold 2 million copies on previous platforms. But Xbox's lightening-quick rendering permits new touches, like leaves that flutter in the sunlight and bodies that flutter in the sunlight.

Ouch! Now that had to hurt.

Speed is the Xbox's strong suit, and plenty of racing games are in development for it. "NASCAR Heat" lets you be one of 20 popular drivers racing any of 24 courses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Between two to 16 players can compete on the same race track at the same time.

LOCKRIDGE: Don't like to drive by the rules? "Cell Damage" by Pseudo Interactive is car combat. No blood, but you can get pancaked or perforated.

There are no wheels in "Mad Dash Racing" by Crystal Dynamics and Idos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're running. You're sliding. You're flying. You're swimming. You're bashing. You're dashing.

LOCKRIDGE: The characters may look cartoonish, but the shading and lighting take full advantage of Xbox's 128-bit powerplant.

Not to be outdone, Nintendo's Game Cube, launching the same week as Xbox this coming November will trot out all of its popular icons.

Super Mario has a role in "Super Smash Brothers Melee," a game where stars of other popular Nintendo games fight each other. Mario's brother Luigi finally gets his own game, his own mansion too. But it's haunted and Luigi is not exactly Braveheart, and all he has for weapons are a vacuum cleaner and a flashlight.

Another game for the younger set: "Donkey Kong Racing." You're the jockey, all sorts of creatures provide the transportation. You just have to feed them and hang on.

Want to hear more about upcoming games? You will: a billion- dollar marketing blitz by the big three console makers will hit full stride this fall.

Rick Lockridge, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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