play games against people online

Except for feature-length animation, the musical has gone the way of the dinosaur. The Walt Disney company took a stab at reviving the live-action musical in 1992 with Newsies, a throwback picture with a curious subject. In 1899, the pint-sized newsboys delivering the New York papers go on strike against the unfair practices of news magnates Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. The production is heavy on kiddie humor, although Christian Bale (the child star of Spielberg's Empire of the Sun) is charismatic as one of the older leaders of the revolt. The adult stars don't fare as well, with Robert Duvall doddering around as Pulitzer and Ann-Margret and Bill Pullman doing decorative duty. The film was not well received when first released, but hindsight reveals its charm (and allowed the young target audience to catch up with the picture on video). The first-time director is Kenny Ortega, the choreographer of Dirty Dancing, who brings plenty of energy to the action. --Robert Horton

High-stepping musical-comedy set in 1899 and focusing on a teenager's efforts to unite a newspaper boys' strike of Joseph Pulitzer's New York World. There's dazzling footwork, a score co-written by Alan Menken ("Beauty and the Beast") and a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Ann-Margret, Christian Bale and David Moscow. 121 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital Surround, Spanish Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentaries; featurettes; bonus sing-along; storyboard comparison.

James Wan (Saw) brings the ultra-violence to this gritty story of a suburban father (Kevin Bacon) who discovers the consequences of revenge after his son is murdered. The perpetrators of this senseless killing are a multi-ethnic (and highly visible) gang of drug dealers and cutthroats led by the psychotic Billy Darley (Garrett Hedlund); when the case is thrown out on a technicality, Bacon takes a page from Charles Bronson's book (no surprise, as this is based on author Brian Garfield's 1975 follow-up to Death Wish) and pursues a vigilante course to avenge his boy. Things do not go according to Bacon's plan, which cues a series of frantic and well-executed action set pieces, most notably a parking structure chase that unfolds in a nearly unbroken take. Death Sentence breaks no new ground in the action-thriller department, and its characters and dialogue are nearly indistinguishable from any violent crime movie of the last few decades (in its weakest moments, it resembles grindhouse fare like The Exterminator); however, Bacon is excellent (as always) as the mild-mannered architect who discovers his inner killer the hard way, and Wan's knack for screen mayhem and unsettling atmosphere are well used here. The DVD includes both the theatrical version and an unrated cut (which offers 10 additional minutes), as well as two making-of featurettes that originally aired on the Fox Movie Channel, and several webisodes that focus on director Wan, his cast, and the film's elaborate stunts and fight scenes. -- Paul Gaita Beyond Death Sentence More Revenge Movies More from Kevin Bacon More from Fox Stills from Death Sentence

Insurance company executive Kevin Bacon's world is shattered when he witnesses his son's murder. Learning that the killer will only get a few years in prison, Bacon plans to take matters into his own hands and refuses to identify him, but will Bacon's quest for vengeance endanger his family? Gripping thriller from "Saw" director James Wan also stars Kelly Preston, Aisha Tyler and John Goodman. R-rated version; 106 min./Unrated version; 111 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital Surround; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; featurettes; more.

Follow the evolution of the ladder match and how it has come to be one of the most popular professional wrestling events today. From the earliest ladder matches through TLC and the 6-man Money in the Bank WrestleMania tradition some of the craziest and most violent ladder matches are included.System Requirements:Run Time: 540 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SPORTS/GAMES Rating: NR UPC: 651191945931 Manufacturer No: WWE94593

Cards Against Humanity is a party game for horrible people. Unlike most of the party games you've played before, Cards Against Humanity is as despicable and awkward as you and your friends. The game is simple. Each round, one player asks a question from a Black Card, and everyone else answers with their funniest White Card. Version 1.2. Reviews of Cards Against Humanity: "Pretty amazing." - The Onion AV Club "An incredible game." - Mike "Gabe" Krahulik, Penny Arcade "Uncontrollable laughter." - Kill Screen Magazine "The game your party deserves." - Thrillist "A game." - The Daily Beast

Bristling with barrels of dripping oil, catapults and castle guards, Alamut Castle will be a major challenge for Dastan and his new friend, Seso. Nizam and his powerful Hassansin warriors are prepared to do anything to keep the Dagger of Time from the heroic prince. Can Dastan stop them in time?

Violent video games are successfully marketed to and easily obtained by children and adolescents. Even the U.S. government distributes one such game, America's Army, through both the internet and its recruiting offices. Is there any scientific evidence to support the claims that violent games contribute to aggressive and violent behavior? Anderson, Gentile, and Buckley first present an overview of empirical research on the effects of violent video games, and then add to this literature three new studies that fill the most important gaps. They update the traditional General Aggression Model to focus on both developmental processes and how media-violence exposure can increase the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior in both short- and long-term contexts. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents also reviews the history of these games' explosive growth, and explores the public policy options for controlling their distribution. Anderson et al. describe the reaction of the games industry to scientific findings that exposure to violent video games and other forms of media violence constitutes a significant risk factor for later aggressive and violent behavior. They argue that society should begin a more productive debate about whether to reduce the high rates of exposure to media violence, and delineate the public policy options that are likely be most effective.As the first book to unite empirical research on and public policy options for violent video games, Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents will be an invaluable resource for student and professional researchers in social and developmental psychology and media studies.

Listening to pundits and politicians, you'd think that the relationship between violent video games and aggressive behavior in children is clear. Children who play violent video games are more likely to be socially isolated and have poor interpersonal skills. Violent games can trigger real-world violence. The best way to protect our kids is to keep them away from games such as Grand Theft Auto that are rated M for Mature. Right?Wrong. In fact, many parents are worried about the wrong things!In 2004, Lawrence Kutner, PhD, and Cheryl K. Olson, ScD, cofounders and directors of the Harvard Medical School Center for Mental Health and Media, began a $1.5 million federally funded study on the effects of video games. In contrast to previous research, their study focused on real children and families in real situations. What they found surprised, encouraged and sometimes disturbed them: their findings conform to the views of neither the alarmists nor the video game industry boosters. In Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth about Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do, Kutner and Olson untangle the web of politics, marketing, advocacy and flawed or misconstrued studies that until now have shaped parents' concerns.Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all prescription, Grand Theft Childhood gives the information you need to decide how you want to handle this sensitive issue in your own family. You'll learn when -- and what kinds of -- video games can be harmful, when they can serve as important social or learning tools and how to create and enforce game-playing rules in your household. You'll find out what's really in the games your children play and when to worry about your children playing with strangers on the Internet. You'll understand how games are rated, how to make best use of ratings and the potentially important information that ratings don't provide.Grand Theft Childhood takes video games out of the political and media arenas, and puts parents back in control. It should be required reading for all families who use game consoles or computers.Almost all children today play video or computer games. Half of twelve-year-olds regularly play violent, Mature-rated games. And parents are worried..."I don't know if it's an addiction, but my son is just glued to it. It's the same with my daughter with her computer...and I can't be watching both of them all the time, to see if they're talking to strangers or if someone is getting killed in the other room on the PlayStation. It's just nerve-racking!""I'm concerned that this game playing is just the kid and the TV screen...how is this going to affect his social skills?""I'm not concerned about the violence; I'm concerned about the way they portray the violence. It's not accidental; it's intentional. They're just out to kill people in some of these games." What should we as parents, teachers and public policy makers be concerned about? The real risks are subtle and aren't just about gore or sex. Video games don't affect all children in the same way; some children are at significantly greater risk. (You may be surprised to learn which ones!) Grand Theft Childhood gives parents practical, research-based advice on ways to limit many of those risks. It also shows how video games -- even violent games -- can benefit children and families in unexpected ways.In this groundbreaking and timely book, Drs. Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson cut through the myths and hysteria, and reveal the surprising truth about kids and violent games.

The ultimate Mario Kart race is on…and online via your Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in Mario Kart DS. Drawing on more than 30 courses and battle arenas from every game in the Mario Kart series - not to mention tons of new ones, Mario Kart DS allows you to play as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Wario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Toad, Bowser and Shy Guy as you put the pedal to the go-kart metal, grab coins to max out your speed and blast rivals with the ever-popular arsenal of red, green and spiked Koopa shells in a race to finally put to rest the question of who is the true king of the Mushroom Kingdom racing circuit. 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? Special Powers, Weapons, Moves & Features Turbo power-drifting and item tossing is the order of the day, whether players are racing around an obstacle-filled track or battling in an arena. Use familiar items taken from every game in the series like Green Shells, homing Red Shells, Bananas, Bombs, Lightning and the destructive Spiny Shell, not to mention new ones like the Blooper. The touch screen features a map that shows items being fired at players, who can even tap it with their fingers mid-race to zoom in or out. 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 Multi-Card Play Multi-Card Play requires all players to have their own copies of Mario Kart DS, giving players more options, modes and tracks to choose from. Multi-Card Play offers the following features: 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. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is a free online game-play service provided by Nintendo to Nintendo DS owners. It offers seamless access to online game play and an environment that is welcoming to gamers of all skill levels. Features include: Whether it's the updated graphics that retain the side-scrolling feel of classic games in the Sonic franchise, an expansive world to race through and explore or the multiple and new ways to play, Sonic Unleashed offers something for players of any age or level of ability. 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 Connecting to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection will be quick, easy and seamless. Players can go to an official Nintendo hotspot and immediately go online and start playing. To use their home Wi-Fi routers, players first must configure the DS to connect to their routers by entering the router's network ID and optional security key or install the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector on their PC and configure the DS to enable it to share the PC's broadband connection. After that, players can go online anytime without further configuration. Friends are registered to the friends roster either by exchanging and entering Friend Registration Keys or by playing local Multi-Card Multiplayer mode together.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORPG) for the PC gaming platform, set in the Star Wars universe. The first game of its kind, in it players choose from either the Galactic Republic or Sith faction, create a character, and along with a multitude of fans playing from all over the world, explore the fictional historic period of the Old Republic, as the Jedi confront the resurgent Sith Empire. Players can assume one of many races through their character, visit multiple planets, pilot spacecraft, utilize advanced dialog options in-game, take advantage of AI companions for gathering and crafting tasks and more. Serve the Dark or the light side of the Force. View larger. Finally your own personal Star Wars experience. View larger. Your Personal Star Wars Saga Begins Play Star Wars: The Old Republic and be the hero of your own Star Wars saga in a story-driven massively-multiplayer online (MMO) game from BioWare and LucasArts. Explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy. Choose to be a Jedi, a Sith, or one of a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, and make decisions which define your personal story and determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way you will befriend courageous companions who will fight at your side or possibly betray you based on your actions. Together you will battle enemies in dynamic Star Wars combat and team up with other players to overcome incredible challenges. Key Game Features Define Your Star Wars Saga - Choose from one of eight iconic roles and become the hero of your personal Star Wars saga - an interactive storyline with cinematic dialogue and full voiceover for all in-game characters Choose the Light or the Dark Side - Meaningful choices throughout your journey will determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force Adventure with Companions - Build or break meaningful relationships with your companions as they join in your journeys and fight at your side Engage in Heroic Star Wars Combat - Fight against reactive enemies in dynamic lightsaber duels, cantina shoot-outs, and large-scale multi-player battles Pilot Your Personal Starship - Earn your own ship which is your base of operations as you explore the galaxy and participate in epic space combat Discover a Fully Featured MMO - Join your friends and experience player vs. player Warzones, multi-player flashpoints, multi-group operations, guilds, auction houses, crafting, mounts, and much more Minimum System Requirements OS: Windows XP (SP3)/ Vista / Windows 7 Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4000 or better / Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.0 Ghz or better RAM: Windows XP - 1.5 GB, Windows Vista and Windows 7 - 2 GB, PCs using a built-in graphical chipset - 2 GB recommended Video Card: ATI X1800 or better*, nVidia 7800 or better*, Intel 4100 Integrated Graphics or better* DVD-ROM: 8x or better Additional Screenshots Robust list of character classes. View larger. Robust menus and maps. View larger. Heroic Star Wars combat. View larger. Space flight and combat. View larger. * Minimum of 256 MB of onboard RAM and Shader 3.0 or better support.

Star Wars: The Old Republic PC

Set off on a journey to a tropical island where an array of fun activities await. In Wii Sports Resort, the sequel to the engaging Wii Sports, you'll discover a wide range of new sports and activities you can play anytime. Go head-to-head with your friends and family in the ultimate sports showdown set in a tropical paradise. Water Sports View larger Sky Diving View larger Compete against friends View larger About the Game: In Wii Sports Resort, you'll use your Wii Remote to literally swing into action. Perform realistic sports moves to take on the competition in activities that include Sword Play, Power Cruising (racing a water scooter) and Disc Dog, in which you'll toss a disc to an adorable, Mii-like dog. Become even more immersed in the action courtesy of the included Wii MotionPlus accessory, which attaches to your Wii Remote to provide even greater responsiveness and precision. With the game's easy-to-use controls, anyone can pick up a Wii Remote and leap into the game to experience all the heated competition and hilarity. Key Game Features: Engage in a wide range of exciting activities, including Sword Play, Power Cruising, and Disc Dog Savor the escapism of the game's tropical island theme Jump easily into the game no matter what your experience level thanks to easy pick-up-and-play controls Compete against friends and family in thrilling sports showdowns Includes the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which plugs into the base of your Wii Remote to provide a more responsive and realistic playing experience For 1 to 4 players Wii Sports Resort Requires Wii MotionPlus: You're in luck! This game includes one Wii MotionPlus accessory in the box with the game. You willl want additional Wii MotionPlus add-ons for each additional controller you will use to play the game though. With the Wii MotionPlus accessory you can add even greater precision to every move you make within the game. With your motion-sensitive Wii Remote, you've swung into action, shaken things up, bowled people over, maybe even totally flipped out! Connect the Wii MotionPlus to your Wii Remote, and the accessory's additional sensors respond to the slightest motion of your wrist, allowing your most subtle movements to deliver impressive results on screen. Intuitive and easy to use, the Wii MotionPlus is compatible with a variety of Wii games to help you increase your accuracy and enhance your overall control.

Wii Sports Resort(r) is an expansive active-play game that includes a dozen fun resort-themed activities. Wii Sports Resort whisks players away to a resort that's full of action, while introducing an unprecedented experience in physical reality. It comes bundled with a Wii MotionPlus accessory to provide players the most realistic, immersive experience possible - the slightest tilt, turn and twist of the controller are recognized.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic takes place just a few years after the Mandolorian Wars, thousands of years before the events in the Star Wars movies we know and love. Two Jedi, master Revan and his apprentice Malak, led the Republic's forces to victory and pursued the Mandalorians into deep space only to return as Dark Jedi at the head of a huge fleet of Sith warships. Only the Force powers of the Jedi Bastila prevented the Sith from overwhelming the Republic's weakened forces. At the start of the game Malak has usurped control of the Sith by betraying Revan and has attacked the ship carrying Bastila and yourself. In true Star Wars style, the game begins with a bang. The storyline could have been a standard coming-of-age yarn but is instead a genuinely interesting adventure told with humor, compassion, and respect for the source material. Your character has a mystical bond with Bastila, and the two of you share some kind of connection to the Sith villains Darth Malak and Darth Revan. The game's planet-hopping adventures are driven by your exploration of these connections and how they relate to your larger goal of discovering the source of the Sith's sudden fleet. During your adventure you can explore side quests minor (such as racing swoops or gambling) and major (such as uncovering the fascinating back stories of your companions). Star Wars fans will get a kick out of the rich lore introduced in the game, particularly the Tatooine storyline that reveals the origin and history of the Sand People. Gameplay is an abbreviated form of Wizards of the Coast's d20 Star Wars RPG game system--anyone who has played Dungeons & Dragons will be familiar with the abilities, stats, feats, and bonuses in this game. The player creates a character as a member of one of three starting classes (soldier, smuggler, scout) and then later chooses a Jedi class (guardian, consular, sentinel). Joining the player's character are other Jedi, warriors, thieves, droids, a wookiee, and even a Mandolorian. Unlike the faceless non-player characters of other games, each member of the supporting cast has an intriguing history and even agenda. Up to two of these other characters can join your character at any time. Depending on who you chose to take with you, new dialogue and even intra-party arguments come into the game (put the Mandalorian veteran with the Republic patriot and you'll see sparks fly). Combat is real-time turn-based, meaning the turns are seamless but the player has the option of pausing the action at any time to issue orders or direct any character to use a certain Force power, ability, feat, or item. Graphics range from adequate to exceptional. Building and character models are not impressive--about what you get in GTA 3. Lightsaber graphics and environmental effects (like waving grass, clouds, and weather) bring the world to life. Battles are just brilliant, with characters pumping out blaster fire at Jedi who dash, dodge, and even deflect the bolts back toward their assailants. Complete with sounds straight out of the movies, the thrilling combat is pure Star Wars. All in all, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a masterpiece of Star Wars gaming. The pacing, balance of action and dialogue, clever puzzles and quests, and loving attention to detail have set the bar very high for role-playing games in general and Star Wars games in particular. Consider this a must-have game.--Mike Fehlauer Pros: Captivating storyline Clever dialogue Star Wars feel True story and dialogue support for either Light Side or Dark Side play Brilliant combat graphics Fascinating characters (the loyal--and homicidal--droid HK-47 is truly unique) Cons: Occasional bugs in dialogue, movie playback Cannot transfer equipped gear between characters while on your ship

Choose Your PathProduct InformationIt is four thousand years before the Galactic Empire and hundreds of Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith.  You are the last hope of the Jedi Order.  Can you master the awesome power of the Force on your quest to save the Republic?  Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side?  Hero or villain savior or conqueror... you alone will determine the destiny of the entire galaxy!Product FeaturesA brand new Star Wars role-playing experience with unique characters creatures vehicles and planets.Learn to use the Force with over 40 different powers and build your own lightsaber.Adventure through some of the most popular Star Wars locations including Tatooine and the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyk.Choose your party from nine customizable characters including Twi'leks droids and Wookiees.Travel to eight enormous worlds in your own starship the Ebon Hawk.Windows RequirementsWindows 98 98SE Me 2000 XPIntel Pentium III 1 GHz or AMD Athlon 1 GHz processor100% DirectX 9.0b compatible computer256 MB of RAM4.0 GB free Hard Disk spaceMicrosoft DirectX 9.0b included on CDVideo Card:  32 MB OpenGL 1.4 compatible PCI or AGP 3D Hardware Accelerator with Hardware Transform and Lighting (T&L) Capability required100% DriectX 9.0b compatible audio device Sound Card required4X CD-ROM drive requiredKeyboard and Mouse required 

Real-time strategy goes to new levels as three intergalactic species fight for survival. Control the vagabond Terrans, enigmatic Protoss, or the bloodthirsty Zerg as they wage war on the edge of the galaxy. Includes support for Internet play over Battle.net, Blizzard's on-line gaming service.

The full versions of StarCraft and the acclaimed expansion pack Brood War, as well as complete strategy guides for each, make StarCraft: Battle Chest a treasure chest for real-time strategy fans. Instead of two similarly powered enemies facing off, the three distinct races in StarCraft have unique capabilities and strategies. Everyone still competes in the RTS genre's typical race for resources, but that's the only shared trait. Terrans can move their bulky mechanized bases as necessary, while the reptilian Zerg grow their colonies and warriors from mutating larvae. Meanwhile, the noble Protoss warp in equipment from their home world using psionic powers. Not only does game maker Blizzard juggle the races' playability and match it with superb art and sound effects, it also weaves together an engrossing three-act plot. Early on, as a Terran magistrate, you spend a breathtaking 30 minutes defending against a Zerg onslaught. As the story unfolds around you, you'll experience the Zerg's hive mentality and decipher the mysterious Protoss by the game's dramatic conclusion. Missions vary in scope and are effectively framed with dialogue, chapter screens, and in-mission exposition. Multiplayer games are also very well represented by Blizzard's own free Battle.net service. If you'd rather play over a local area network, StarCraft will generously "spawn" up to seven copies so your friends can join in. In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, Brood War presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming humans, insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles. Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps. Some missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have Valkyrie missile frigates as well as medics who automatically try to heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under)ground support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss reenter the fray with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon. Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from weak artificial intelligence in path finding. Real-time strategy games don't get any more epic or any more satisfying. --Jack Gardiner

This package includes both Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood Wars plus Prima Publishing's Official Strategy Guides, which offer you strategies, statistics, and details about new worlds to give you the upper hand in gaining control over the galaxy's resources.