Every summer blockbuster seems to spawn a video game tie-in these days. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is no different. The game from Electronic Arts, lets you step into the boots of some of your favorite G.I. Joe characters. Whether you are a fan of the original animated series or have just recently enlisted as a fan of the feature film, the game manages to bridge the gap of both incarnations. Story-wise, the game picks up where the summer blockbuster left off. If you haven’t seen the film yet, have no fear as the game serves as a stand alone adventure.

The game opens fast and furious as Duke and Scarlett set out on a mission to save Heavy Duty who has been captured by Cobra. Along the way, they will need to ferret out intel on what the evil organization may be up to next. The game is a fast paced and the player selects two Joes per mission to take on whatever Cobra may try and throw at them. Once you step foot on the battlefield, there is rarely a dull moment.

The game is a classic run-and-gun style shooter, with a little hand- to-hand combat thrown into the mix. Players earn points during the missions which are then converted to Battle Points at the end of each level or at mission checkpoints. Battle Points are the key to unlocking additional characters and other items in the game.When taking to battle in one-player mode, you can switch between both characters quickly, which can come in handy should you require a particular Joe’s skill set or heavier firepower. The game is certainly reminiscent of the old school arcade feel of Konami’s original G.I. Joe arcade game and is even more enjoyable when you team up with a friend. As you you make your way through the waves of Cobra attackers, which range from everything from Vipers to Battle Android Troopers, you will also be able to tap into the power of the “Accelerator Suits” that played a sizeable role in the film. Once you activate the suit, your Joe will experience increased speed and firepower, which is great for taking on end bosses. In discovering the power of the suits for the first time, we were floored to hear the classic “Yo Joe!” battle cry along with a revved version of the cartoon’s theme song. This alone garnered more then a few hoots, hollers and fist pumps from the guys in the room. Very well done!

During the course of the game you will fight on many terrains varying from the desert, to the jungle, to the tundra, which gives you the opportunity to pilot several different types of vehicles as well. The vehicles in the game may not be the easiest thing to control, but there is nothing sweeter than the satisfaction of running down a few of Cobra Commander’s minions in an old school “Snow Cat.”

Throughout the adventures with the Joes, the player will have the chance to play as and unlock G.I. Joe staples such as Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Heavy Duty, Gung Ho, Hawk and Shipwreck. Fans of Cobra’s classic characters will also be happy to see Storm Shadow, Destro and The Baroness. Other non-playable characters, such as Wild Bill, Breaker, Dial Tone, Snow Job and Dusty make appearances in dialogue sequences and will definitely provide some nostalgic moments for fans of the series. The little extra touches that the developers added into the game are really what make it most enjoyable. Along the way you will notice the iconic red and blue laser blasts from the two rival organizations some of the classic vehicles from the series and even some interesting trivia during the load screens.

Does G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra reinvent the wheel? Of course not. However, it does offer up a heaping helping of fun for fans of the franchise. The controls are pretty simple for anyone to pick up quickly and jump into the fight. The classic arcade feel adds to the fun whether playing with a comrade or going it alone. Another selling
point for the game is the unlockable characters and hidden content, which will provide plenty of replay value for the die-hard gamer. With a sequel to the film as good as green lit, fans of the game can rest assure that a sequel to the game will soon be in the works as well.

The game is available for for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2, PSP, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. Be sure to check out the official site for the game at gijoe.ea.com.

Icon Vs. Icon Game Rating: 3.75 out of 5
ESRB Rating: Teen.

Hasbro announced that G.I. Joe: Resolute, an adult fan-oriented animated miniseries, will air on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block and online; based on the classic G.I. Joe action figures, the miniseries will comprise 11 episodes totaling 60 minutes of new content.

The new series is intended to bridge the gap between classic G.I. JOE series and the new G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA movie. Warren Ellis (“Fantastic Four” and “Iron Man”) penned the entire series for director Joaquim Dos Santos (“Justice League Animated”). All episodes, including the finale, will be available to view online after this airing.

Check out the first 5-minute episode below and make sure to check out Adult Swim on Fridays to watch the shows or check them out online at this location >

Children of the ’80s rejoice! The classic animated adventures of The Transformers and G.I. Joe are alive, well and headed for DVD!

Shout! Factory and Hasbro, Inc. have announced a multi-year, multi-property alliance to bring the original animated TV series The Transformers and the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero animated series to DVD.

The announcement was made by Shout! Factory founding partners Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos, and Lisa Licht, General Manager, Entertainment & Licensing, Hasbro.

Shout! Factory’s first release under the agreement will be The Transformers: The Complete First Season — 25th Anniversary Edition.

The set is slated for June 16, 2009, a week before the big-screen debut of the Michael Bay-directed feature film sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which hits theaters nationwide on June 24, 2009.

The $29.99 three-DVD set will include the original broadcast versions of all 16 episodes from the 1984 season in the intended storyline order, with remastered picture and a new stereo soundtrack created from the original audio. The Rhino releases featured incomplete work prints of episodes and modified sound effects.

Tentative extras include the featurette “Triplechanger: From Toy to Comic to Screen: The Origins of the Transformers,” a printable script, rare PSAs, toy commercials and a limited-edition Autobot magnet.

Foos said Shout! Factory would follow the release with special complete-series sets of “The Transformers” and “G.I. Joe” later this summer.

Electronic Arts Inc. today announced that development is underway to bring Hasbro’s legendary “G.I. Joe” brand to all major console and handheld gaming platforms in summer 2009 to coincide with the theatrical release of the�G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra�live-action movie from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass�Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, which opens in theaters August 7, 2009. EA will unveil a “first look” of the video game at Hasbro’s Showroom at Toy Fair on February 15-17, 2009 in New York City.

Check out the official site for the game at this location >

“As Hasbro and Paramount Pictures reignite the ‘G.I. Joe’ property this year with an all-new toy line and film, EA is excited to play a major role in bringing this icon of pop culture history to a new generation of enthusiasts through interactive gaming,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro. “‘G.I. Joe’ offers exceptionally rich storylines and a cast of characters that lends itself incredibly well to creating an over-the-top action adventure video game that will thrill gamers as well as ‘G.I. Joe’ fans.”

For fans of all ages, 2009 is gearing up to become another watershed milestone in the timeless franchise by introducing even more new ways to engage, immerse and play within the “G.I. Joe” universe. The “G.I. Joe” video game will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie leaves off, allowing players to re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film, cartoon series and action figure toy line.

The game will feature 12 “G.I. Joe” characters, each with unique abilities and weapons. Adding to the adrenaline rush will be an intense single-screen co-op mode allowing two players to easily unite as a team in a classic struggle between good and evil as they work together to defeat the powers of the COBRA organization.

The “G.I. Joe” video game is under development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP, Nintendo DS, and mobile devices.

“‘G.I. Joe’ has been an icon of action for 45 years,” said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro. “EA has tapped the legacy of the G.I. Joe vs. COBRA saga to create an amazing interactive experience inspired by the movie, comic books, animated series and iconography that we hope will resonate with millions of fans.”

For more information about the “G.I. Joe” video game and to sign up for updates, visit�GIJoe.EA.com.

Stephen Sommers, director of this summer’s G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, says his film version of the popular toy, comic and cartoon franchise is a throwback to a different era of action films.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly’s Hollywood Insider blog, Sommers said he had an agent of Her Majesty’s Secret Service in mind while making his film rather than a Real American Hero. “I always loved the old Bonds,” the director said. “It’s funny now how Bond wants to be Bourne. I loved Quantum of Solace, but it was like, man, this is a completely different movie to the Bonds I grew up with.

Every year around this time we can start looking forward to the Superbowl and the great ads that we will be bombarded with during the big event.

On the movie trailer side of things, Variety confirms that Paramount will premiere the first footage from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen during SuperBowl XLIII on February 1st 2009, forgoing the traditional theatrical teaser trailer route. Other high profile film advertising spots might include Star Trek, G.I. Joe, Angels and Demons,�Monsters vs. Aliens (90-second 3D trailer), Land of the Lost, Fast and Furious, Up, Race to Witch Mountain, and Wolverine.

Surprisingly enough, Warner Bros. hasn�t bought a television spot despite having a great line-up of films that would appeal to the Superbowl crowd. Those films include: �Terminator Salvation, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Watchmen.