Kinect Youth Of Today

Microsoft and Xbox have teamed up with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to help the nation’s youth lead healthier, more active lifestyles. The Active Play PALA Challenge is a collaborative effort between the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and its member companies and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN). By harnessing the excitement surrounding active video games, the PALA Challenge helps families establish a long-term, sustainable approach to healthy lifestyles by making video game screen time truly “active.” Active gaming is an excellent way to begin earning your Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+), and PALA+ is a great tool to motivate and track activity levels to help you live a healthier lifestyle.

Time To Battle For Everything

Battle for Everything is a “tower defense” experience inspired by Battleship the movie. You play as Lieutenant Alex Hopper who fights to defeat aliens and defend our planet. At the beginning of each level, you receive a briefing from Admiral Kowalski, telling you the latest news and what you need to do. At the end of every level, the Admiral tells you the results of your actions. You’ll also get a chance for an instant win prize or to enter one of our sweepstakes. (But you only get this chance the first time you play a level. If you skip your chance, you won’t get it again!)

While playing a level, your brother, Commanding Officer Stone Hopper, gives you instructions. You control an inflatable speedboat called a RHIB (pronounce “rib”) or a helicopter. Maneuver your vessel using your WASD keys or arrow keys. Move your RHIB or helicopter next to an alien unit to shoot down enemies with autofire. On some levels you won’t have the RHIB or helicopter and will solely need to place weapons to destroy the aliens. You can do this by dragging and dropping weapons from the left-side weapons menu onto the level’s ocean or land. A green or red marker tells you where units can and cannot be placed. The unit menu also tells you the cost, damage, fire range and health of each unit.

At the end of every level, you will have an opportunity to play for an instant-win prize or to enter a sweepstakes. You only get this chance the first time you play a level. If you skip your chance, you won’t get it again!

Prizes include coupons for money off any Coke Zero product, Battleship movie swag and Concert Cash from Live Nation. Sweepstakes include incredible trips to Universal Orlando Resort, Los Angeles and Hawaii. For more information about the prizes and sweepstakes, see the prize and sweepstake panels in the “Want Everything” section of the Battle for Everything homepage.

2012 Wadiyan Games Are Calling You!

The Dictator: Wadiyan Games, the animated game, voiced by General Aladeen, lets players step into the shoes of the General and compete in his four favorite events – running, swimming, fencing and boxing. In each event players, as General Aladeen, attempt to destroy the competition by any means necessary to advance to the winner’s podium where they’ll receive a gold medal and the love and adoration of Wadiyan’s subjects. The iOS app is free to download through the Apple iTunes store and available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

In addition to the competitions, the game features several backdrops for players to upload a headshot and pose alongside the General that can be shared with friends on Facebook, Twitter and email. The game also features several hidden boosts giving players an even greater edge over their opponents. Additional sporting events and backdrops can be unlocked with in-app purchase.

General Aladeen’s motion picture The Dictator opens in theaters nationwide May 16, 2012.

Are You A Schemer?

Courtesy of IGN, a new site called Schemer {link no longer active} has launched with recommendations on cool spots and things to do related to games, movies, TV, gadgets, and more. Fans can connected with their Google account and connect with friends, plan and scheme something to do!

What Would Statham Do?

A Facebook app to promote the new action thriller Safe has been launched asking fans to answer the question, “What would Statham do ” Fans that complete the engagement are entered to win a chance at a $500 gift card for a guy’s night out. Click ‘start’ to begin and each engagement shows a clip of video from the film and asks the user to answer what they would do in that situation. If the user chooses the right answer, they are shown a clip from the film of Statham doing their answer. The closer the answer to what Statham would do, the more points the user will score.

The Raven Photo Challenge

Get your creative juices flowing by taking a shot at the Digital Photography Review Photo Challenge {link no longer active}, sponsored by The Raven. Challenges are photographic mini-competitions (with no prize other than glory) open to all preview members and judged by popular vote. There are four suitably horrific weekly themes – Midnight, Entombed, Gothic, The Raven – to inspire your photographic creativity. Starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven hits theaters April 27.

Never Miss A Beat

Enhance your in-theater experience with Disney FilmPulse {link no longer active}, an all-new app for your Android smartphone. Just “check-in” to the theater and showtime for the Disney movie you’re about to see, and begin the FilmPulse experience. Unlock surprises and enjoy interactive games and bonus content before the movie, then take advantage of special offers after the credits roll. The FilmPulse app is currently only available for use at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, CA. There may be films that run at the El Capitan that are not supported with a FilmPulse experience. You will only be able to check-in at the El Capitan when watching a supported movie.

Click To Load The Entire Universe

Load this page {link no longer active} and wait for the entire universe to load. Click “Start,” and then use the slider across the bottom, or the wheel on your mouse, to zoom in — and in and in and in… or out and out and out… It will take you from the very smallest features postulated by scientists (the strings in string theory)  {link no longer active}  to the very largest (the observable universe.) If you want background music, click on the musical note in the upper right corner. But a lot of work went into it. It turns out that “Scale of the Universe 2” {link no longer active} was created by Cary Huang, a 14-year-old ninth grader from Moraga, Calif., with technical help from his twin brother Michael. Cary said he worked on the project, on and off, for a year and a half, getting information from Wikipedia and astronomy books. It is now spreading virally online.

Draw A Beetle

Volkswagen invites you to test your drawing skills with this amazing site {link no longer active} launched for the Norwegian market. It starts simply: Draw a VW Beetle. Your artistic creation then trundles through various other scenes, and you’re asked to draw key parts of the story. For example, sketch a guitar and then watch a character play it, then make a bucket that will tip over and ‘paint’ your hand-drawn Beetle.

Enter The Battle Zone

War Inc. Battle Zone is out of beta and launching {link no longer active} as a first and third-person shooter – the only shooter that allows gamers to play in either mode and switch camera perspectives on the fly. Players will also find new character specializations, weapon customization system, maps, and Clan features that make the business of war never better! Aim down your sights and dominate the scoreboard in FPS, tactically switch in real time to TPS and gain a better perspective of the battlefield. The updated Class-Based Skill System allows you to customize your mercenary to your specific play style. Each Mercenary on your account now has a unique Class. Design the look of your character using uniforms, armor, and head gear. Customize each of your weapons for max performance and killing power by adding attachments and upgrading weapons parts. With the re-introduction of Loot Crates, Mystery Crates and the Addition of Vehicles and 64-player maps, the action has never been better. Enter the War Inc. sweepstakes {link no longer active} now for a chance to win an Alienware X51 Desktop and unbelievable game bundle, which includes a custom branded Alienware Arena chest plate.