They may be a magnet for bad publicity, but it certainly can't be denied that their franchises sell well. Two of Electronic Arts' games have reached rather high sales, making EA games a high seller on two continents.

In the United States, EA Sports' Madden NFL '07 has sold over 5 million copies across the different consoles. As a result of these figures, a press release EA sent out, they proclaimed Madden to be "North America's most popular game of 2006".

Over in the United Kingdom, it's their underground racing game that's taking up the Electronic Arts banner. Gamasutra reports Need for Speed: Carbon as the new leader of the pack by pushing another EA title, FIFA '07, out of the top spot and into second place.

With best-selling games in two countries, as well as additional games in their lineup in the top ten lists, EA should be quite pleased with their results this year. This is one of EA's best years in the business, making them a company to watch out for yet again in 2007.

Admit it, you have the feeling that business analysts make their numbers up. But nobody doubts an Irish bookie, so we'll look at Paddy Power's numbers instead. Yup, bookmaker Paddy Power (PaddyPower.com) has predictions for which games will sell well this Christmas:

• Need for Speed: Carbon 8 - 13
• FIFA 07 4 - 1
• Gears of War 10 - 1
• Eragon 10 - 1
• Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 10 - 1
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 11 - 1
• Tony Hawk Project 8 14 - 1
• Superman Returns 16 - 1
• WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2007 16 - 1
• Call of Duty 3 20 - 1
• Pro Evolution Soccer 6 20 - 1
• The Sims 2: Pets 20 - 1
• Happy Feet 22 - 1
• Guitar Hero 2 25 - 1
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories 33 - 1
• Bratz: Forever Diamonds 80 - 1
• Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: Party Edition 250 - 1

It's another NFS year. Need for Speed: Carbon is the favourite with odds of 8/13. NFS: Most Wanted took the number one spot last year, while NFS: Underground 2 was the favorite the year before that. Then again, cross-platform games would tend to sell more titles than the single-platform games. (Does that explain why Eragon is up there - we don't know; only a few of us bought the book, and quite a number of us did not buy the game.)

Twilight Princess is up there duking it out with the Xbox 360's Gears of War. Oh. That's a tough one to call right now. If you're a gambling man, you might wanna make a bet, but we won't just yet.

It's barely been a month since Need for Speed Carbon hit the roads and onto store shelves, and still, they remain to be sizzling hot. But of course. After all, it's not everyday that we have a game versatile enough to paint not only the console-town red, but the handhelds as well.

What we have here are UK packshot images of Need for Speed Carbon: Own the City for the PSP and the DS. Yeah, so they may be just packshots. But behind those are even bigger stories, even bigger sceneries, even bigger race adventures. So if you're one of the few that has still yet to grab a copy of this game for your handheld or console, then we're telling you, right now would be the best time for you to judge a story by its cover.

 

Buy: [NFS Carbon: Own the City (PSP)]
Buy: [NFS Carbon: Own the City (Nintendo DS)]

You've seen screens and read the details, now, do you guys wanna see how Need for Speed: Carbon will play out on your handhelds? Well, the trailer we have for you now give you exactly that...and more.

We know most of the NFS updates we've been bringing you are not console-specific, because NFS Carbon will be a multiplatform title (Xbox360, PS3, PS2, PC, Xbox, Wii, PSP, GC, and GBA), but this time, the trailer we have is made and molded only for your Nintendo handhelds.

So, let's see, what's in the trailer? Aside from showing your hot rides in action, it also gives us a glimpse of the controls system and how the car customization works. And because the DS has the unique dual screen, your car's dashboard will occupy the bottom screen, showing your speedometer, the track map, and of course, your lucky dice.

There's not much else we can tell you about NFS Carbon based on the trailer itself, and because we know that you guys have been doing your reading on the game as well. So why don't we just bring you the trailer and let you see for yourself, eh? Developed by EA, Need for Speed: Carbon is set to drift your way later this month.

Download: [NFS Carbon DS Trailer]

Need for Speed: Carbon for the DS will hit the shelves on the last day of October. Omg, is it that close? EA whets our street-racing appetite with a bunch of new screenshots that you can scroll through here. The game will be the first ever in the Need for Speed series that will be released for all the next-gen platforms and also on the PC, PS2, GC, GBA, Xbox and mobile.

EA has loads of stuff in store for us, including the fact that actress and model Emmanuelle Vaugier will be featured in the game. Basically, she (a.ka. Nikki) will play the part of the player's girlfriend, and they sort out their burned relationship all throughout the game. The best thing about Carbon is that you'll represent a car class, whether it is Tuner, American Muscle, or Exotic car class, and prove yours is the best. . Players get to screech through the streets on night-time mode too. Moreover, Need for Speed Carbon lets you use the Autosculpt technology to customize and tweak your car's design in every manner possible -- all more than 50 of 'em.

Carbon Canyon will be the next battleground for this next-gen racing smash. Can't wait to play the game? Let the screenshots here give you another delicious view.

   

  

Electronic Arts' Need for Speed Carbon, the latest in the Need for Speed series, is named after a real place in the real world: Carbon Canyon in California. And speaking of real, let's segue over to the cars in the game and look at how real they are. And remember, as pretty as those rides look, you can always modify your car to your tastes. Remember:

• You have over 50 "completely" customizable cars to choose from.
• You can modify even the smallest bits (like the number of spokes), you can morph parts (pull, twist, stretch some pieces to customize the look of the car), and you can put on any of 900+ decals and 90,000+ paint combinations.

Fans of the movie "Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift" will notice all the burned rubber, smoke, and drifting (I tried to watch it but I was drowsy from too much videogaming that I "drifted" in and out of sleep). This game is drifting over onto the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, Nintendo DS, GBA, PSP, PC and mobile.

  

Buy: [Need for Speed: Carbon Xbox 360]
Buy: [Need for Speed: Carbon PSP]

In what may well be the best game soundtrack of the year, EA's Need for Speed: Carbon features an international soundtrack comprising of some 30 diverse cuts that reflect the game's three distinct car classes, including Exotics, Muscles and Tuners.

The Exotic class consists of a mix of the new UK Grime scene, Muscles are fueled by riff-heavy power bands, and Tuners deliver a newly revitalized sub-genre of 'Electro' (electronic music).

Artists announced for the car classes are the following:

• Muscle Class : Kyuss (US), Eagles of Death Metal (US), Metro Riots (UK), Wolfmother (Australia)
• Tuner Class : Ladytron (UK), Goldfrapp (UK), The Presets (Australia), Melody (Japan), Tiga (Canada)
• Exotic Class : Lady Sovereign (UK), Roots Manuva (UK), Sway (UK), Pharrell (US), Spank Rock (US)

Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing at EA added, "Street racing is an international outlaw sport with a velocity all its own, Need for Speed Carbon takes a cinematically sonic approach to the sport's different personalities and the crews that rule it. We've spent close to a year working with artists and labels from around the world to ensure that not only does the music capture the true hardcore styles of the sport, it also pushes it forward with breakthrough new artists. By combining these genres, we've now taken the premier street racing simulation brand in the industry to an unstoppable new level."

Need for Speed: Carbon will be available on most platforms including PSP, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation2, Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube.

Buy: [Need for Speed: Carbon Xbox 360]
Buy: [Need for Speed: Carbon PSP]

It is easy to tell that Christmas is just around the corner do to the extreme attention that the gaming industry has been receiving.  More games are released in these few months than any other time of the year.  This goes for all systems.  The DS was sure not to be left out in the Christmas rush with these new games to be released. 

Take a look at the list below.

September:
22: FIFA 07
22: Guilty Gear Dust Strikers
25: Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
29: 42 All-Time Classics
29: Age of Empires: The Age of Kings
TBC Tenchu: Dark Secret

October:
6: Open Season
13: Crazy Frog Racer
13: English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills
20: The Sims 2: Pets
27: Actionloop
27: Sudoku Master (tentative title)

November:
3: Need For Speed: Carbon
3: Scooby Doo! Who's Watching Who
3: SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
10: Mario Slam Basketball
10: Point Blank
10: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
24: Hotel Dusk: Room 215
TBC Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
TBC Crash Boom Bang!
TBC Eragon
TBC Rayman Raving Rabbids
TBC SNK vs. Capcom Card Fighters
TBC The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
TBC The Settlers

G'day, mates! Ol' St. Nicky will be coming around in a few short months, and if you're reading us from Oz, then we here at QJ will be glad to help you with your Chrissie wish lists! It's no big, as we say back here; we do this courtesy of your fellows over at PAL Gaming Network Australia who've compiled this list. After all, the Pacific should never be a barrier to people who share the passion for gaming.

All dates are subject to change if their respective game publishers decide to change them, though (it's happened before, right?). Stay tuned to QJ for any new updates to this list as we find them.

September 2006:
21: Starfox Command, Joytech Accessories
28: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team
30: Disney's Little Mermaid Ariel's Undersea Adventure, Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long, Age of Empires 2: The Age Of Kings

October 2006:
  5: FIFA 2007
19: Break'em All
22: Crazy Frog Racer
23: Top Gear Downforce
25: Tony Hawk Downhill Jam
26: Clubhouse Games, Mario Hoops 3 on 3, Ys Strategy, Surge Hive, New Zealand Story, The Sims 2: Pets
31: Lunar Knights, Eragon, Justice League Heroes, Tomb Raider: Legend, Arthur and the Minimoys, Bionicle: Heroes, Tom and Jerry Tales

November and onwards at the full article (click on the Full Article link below)!

Car aficionados, listen up. We got swell Need for Speeed:Carbon news for you. We got our hands on the factsheet, and we're going to give you a rundown of the things you have took out for in this brand-spanking game.

If you're following news at QJ lately, you're probably aware that this game allows players to build their own crew, and go on all-out war with others who want to take over the city. Basically, the goal is to take over one city at a time, and making your rivals literally bite their own dust as you zoom your way past them.

This "crew feature" is a first in Need for Speed history, and of course will be accessible in virtually any platform imaginable: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, Nintendo DS, GBA, PSP, PC and mobile. Users also get to customize their own wheels with the " Autoscuplt car customization," with a selection of 50 real-world licensed cars. There are also the Tuner, American Muscle, and Exotic car classes "to prove once and for all who makes the best set of wheels."

Hmmm... it seems that competition is really the heart of this game. And really challenging ones at that. Imagine racing in the dangerous canyons just to ultimately prove who's really the king of the road. EA's game is surely a recipe for an adrenaline rush, and is expected to hit stores on November 10. For more game updates, just stay tuned here at QJ.

Pre-Order: [Need for Speed: Carbon]