SEGA BRINGS THE FUNK WITH TOEJAM & EARL
III: MISSION TO EARTH EXCLUSIVELY FOR XBOX
Out-of-this-World Hip-Hop Adventure
Features Exclusive Downloadable Content Via Xbox Live
SAN FRANCISCO – (October 22, 2002) – SEGA(R)
of America, Inc. today announced the release of "ToeJam & Earl(TM) III: Mission
to Earth" exclusively for the Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft(R). "ToeJam
and Earl III: Mission to Earth" delivers a comic adventure of cosmic
proportions, blending phat beats, risqué humor and truckloads of attitude into
one seriously funkified quest to save the universe. The game also features
special downloadable content via Xbox Live(TM), which will be available when the
service launches on November 15.
The 12 Sacred Albums of Funk have been stolen
and it’s up to gamers playing as ToeJam, Big Earl and their new gal-pal Latisha,
to journey to Earth and return the vanished vinyls to Lamont the Funkopotamous,
source of all Funk in the known universe. Scattered throughout more than 30
massive, randomly generated levels, the 12 Sacred Albums of Funk will ultimately
give players the power to square off against the dreaded Anti-Funk and save the
universe.
As gamers explore Earth they will battle
hordes of decidedly un-funky Earthlings – from insane drill-wielding dentists
and perky cheerleaders to medusa babies in walkers. Players must master the ways
of Funk-Fu and make use of scores of gift wrapped power-ups, ranging from Icarus
Wings to the Funkmobile, to convert the clueless Earthlings to the ways of Funk.
"SEGA has a history of both making and
breaking the rules of video game design, and ‘ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to
Earth’ is a perfect example of the innovative, genre-bending approach to game
design that has made SEGA a leader in the industry," said Mike Fischer, vice
president, entertainment marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "A daring blend of
action, adventure, music and humor, ‘ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth’ is the
triumphant return of two of the most memorable video game characters of the
16-bit era."
Gamers can choose to play as ToeJam, Earl or
Latisha, with each character bringing their own strengths, weaknesses and
trademark personality into the mix. Additional playable characters will be
available via download on Xbox Live. The game also features dozens of
mini-games, rhythm matching challenges and sub-quests, keeping gameplay fresh.
An innovative cooperative two-player mode lets players double team the
Earthlings in style via a dynamically splitting screen.
With the game’s 30-plus levels generated
randomly, "ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth" offers nearly endless
replayability. Every time a player starts a new game, the geography of levels
will be different, enemies will be in different locations, and items will be
hidden in new places. A series of five hub levels, one for each environment,
remain the same every time, acting as a "home base" for gamers on their quest to
retrieve the 12 Sacred Albums of Funk.
The game features five gorgeously rendered
environments: snow, desert, country, urban and water. New environments will be
made available via download on Xbox Live. The levels are filled with
jaw-dropping special effects only possible on Xbox, including detailed
reflections and real-time shadow effects, which show shadows moving across the
entire environment as the sun moves through the sky – even across the
characters’ bodies.
"’Toe Jam and Earl III: Mission to Earth’
once again proves how SEGA is making the Xbox shine," says Ed Fries, vice
president, Xbox Game Content. "With awesome game play, funky music, killer
graphics and a defining sense of humor, the newest installment of this hilarious
fan favorite series will make even the most cynical gamer laugh out loud."
The third game in the series, "ToeJam & Earl"
and "ToeJam & Earl II: Panic on Funkatron" appeared on the SEGA Genesis(TM)
video game console.
"ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth" is
rated "T" for Teen and is available at retailers nationwide for an MSRP of
$49.95.
About SEGA
SEGA(R) of America, Inc. is the American arm
of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA Corporation, a $3.5 billion corporation by market
capitalization, recognized as a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment
both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes and
distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of
hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by
Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA of America’s Web
site is located at
www.sega.com.
About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/)
is Microsoft’s 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.
Xbox and Xbox Live are trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
