REDMOND, Wash. Oct. 16, 2002 Whoever thought that sweeping up trash could be this much fun? Microsoft Game Studios today announced the release of
“Blinx™ : The Time Sweeper™ ” for the Xbox™
video game system. Runner-up for Best Original Game at this years Electronic Entertainment Expo (E 3 ),
“Blinx: The Time Sweeper,”
developed by Artoon, takes gamers through wild, warped worlds on a mission to fix glitches in time. The only 4-D game available on Xbox, with time being the fourth dimension,
“Blinx: The Time Sweeper”
provides a totally new gaming experience by allowing gamers to control the flow of time.
A janitor at the local time factory, Blinx must collect time crystals with his TimeSweeper, the TS-1000, before they cause glitches in time. When this furry feline hears that a princess has been kidnapped and a plan has been hatched to steal time crystals, Blinx goes into action. With the aid of his trusty and powerful TS-1000, Blinx begins his challenge of recovering lost time crystals and rescuing the missing damsel in distress. Because time is what Blinx knows best, he collects specific time crystals to gain a variety of time-control abilities, including the following:
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Rewind. Blinx can throw the world into reverse to uncover secret areas and gain additional opportunities at challenges.
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Fast-forward. He can tackle challenges that require him to be quick on his paws or fast-forward to get out of hairy situations and achieve goals more quickly.
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Pause. Blinx can hit the brakes to take free shots at frozen enemies or grab time crystals without any hassle.
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Record. Two cats are better than one. Blinxs wild adventures can be recorded and replayed for twice the Blinx action.
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Slo-mo. Blinx can slow down the world to sneak by his enemies or other dangerous obstacles as he moves about in real time.
“‘Blinx’ is a blast,”
said Ed Fries, vice president of Xbox game content at Microsoft Corp.
“Game developers are constantly striving to create new, innovative ideas, and Blinx is a prime example of how Xbox allows developers to stretch the limits of game design. The ability to control time in ‘Blinx’ is literally not possible on any other console. This is a game that delivers on creativity, originality and innovation.”
Throughout his mission, Blinx visits more than 30 fantastical levels in
“warped-reality”
worlds including underground caverns, abandoned mines, snowy regions and watery canals. Blinx uses his TS-1000 to store time crystals and pick up trash, but the Time Sweeper can also be thrown into reverse for enough blowing power to eliminate time monsters. Cooler gear and Time Sweeper upgrades, such as the TS-FIRE, which blasts out flaming projectiles, can be purchased with gold that Blinx gathers during his adventures.
“Blinx: The Time Sweeper”
is rated
“E,”
for Everyone, and is available on store shelves nationwide for an estimated retail price of $49.99 (U.S.)*.
About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/) is Microsofts future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in North America, Japan, Europe and Australia.
About Artoon
Artoon, based in Yokohama, Japan, creates original content for game consoles and mobile telecommunication devices. Established in 1999 by Yoji Ishii and Naoto Ohshima, co-creator of
“Sonic the Hedgehog”
in 1991 and part of Segas Sonic Team, Artoon can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.artoon.co.jp/.
About Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios is a leading worldwide publisher and developer of games for the PC, Xbox video game system and online platforms. Comprising a network of top developers, Microsoft Game Studios is committed to creating innovative and diverse game portfolios for the PC ( http://www.microsoft.com/games/ ), including such franchises as
“Age of Empires® ,” “Flight Simulator”
and
“Zoo Tycoon™ ”
; Xbox ( http://www.xbox.com/ ), including such franchises as
“Halo™ ,” “Project Gotham Racing™ ”
and
“NFL Fever”
; and Zone.com ( http://www.zone.com/ ), the official games channel for the MSN® network and home to such hits as
“Bejeweled”
and
“OutSmart™ .”
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software
any time, any place and on any device.
* Retail prices may vary.
Microsoft, Blinx, The Time Sweeper, Xbox, Age of Empires, Zoo Tycoon, Halo, Project Gotham Racing, MSN and OutSmart are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft® Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsofts corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsofts Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .
