Publisher THQ is very happy to announce that the video game title Cars has been made a discount title across almost all platforms. This means that the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions have been added to the "Greatest Hits" basket while the Xbox360 version can now found in the "Platinum Hits" basket.

If you really want to know, even the GameCube (GC) version is now a part of "Player's Choice" retail program.

THQ decided to come up with a sequel called Cars Mater-National for the 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 platforms. Disney Interactive Studios Exec. VP and GM Graham Hopper commented:

We are excited by the tremendous success the Cars franchise has achieved across the world on multiple video game platforms. Our successful and long-standing relationship with THQ has delivered a strong portfolio of Disney/Pixar titles that have become family favorites for gamers of all ages.

The original Cars is now available across all platforms at a suggested retail price of US$ 19.99. On the other hand, the new title Cars Mater-National is expected to careen around retail stores this fall. It will also be available on PS2, Nintendo DS, and GBA platforms.

Okay, so we here at QJ have already given you a lowdown on the impressions of Disney-Pixar's Cars game, or at least the demo of it. If that still didn't happen to be enough for you to be convinced that it's worth getting for your little one at home (although we cannot really imagine how that could be the case), then maybe these gameplay vids just might do the trick.

Below are the High speed and Night time gameplay videos from the game. The High speed vid basically gives you a ride through the course, where you can show off your drifting skills and earn powerslide points. Now, it's nothing demanding like what them street racing games do. Obviously, this doesn't cough up as much horsepower as those guys at Need for Speed does. But still, it's fun and playable enough for the whole family.

The second vid exhibits one of the mini-games, which Kristine C. aptly describes as "tractor-tipping". I'd call it a midnight rendezvous. We can't be certain if the car's loaded, hence the trippy laughter or what not. But it does seem to give the impression that the whole point of the exercise is to disturb the other sleeping tenants of the barnyard.

Anyways, you can download the videos as well right here. Enjoy!

Download: [Cars: High Speed gameplay]
Download: [Cars: Night time gameplay]

Check out the other vid after the jump!

High Speed gameplay

Okay, so Cars for the Xbox 360 has been out on retail for around half a month now, and reviews for the game have been so-so. Mainly because there's a lot of online sentiment that the Xbox 360 version doesn't really have anything new in it.

So why bother with the Demo version? Well for one thing it's still a game that your kids (and by kids I mean the really, really young ones) might end up liking. More importantly, the demo is free. If you've got an Xbox 360 around and you don't really want to spend on some newer retail game for your 7 year old, the Cars demo is a must-download for you. I'll let Miss Kristine C. tell you why.

On the two mini-games available on the demo
Kristine C: The demo is sweet but may be a little too much on the short side since it only contains two mini-games, one of which involves racing, and the other, er... tractor-tipping. But then again, despite the lack of variety in this sampler, it's still good enough to keep kids happy for a good while since the mini-games are still worth more than several spins, even for grown-ups. The fact that the game is also based on a Pixar film, which your offspring has probably seen, is a plus.

Ian C: Yeah, kids either get really bored really quickly or when they end up liking something they'll repeat it forever. Remind yourself of that Lion King DVD that the little squirt in your household kept playing on... and on... and on. Either the kids will keep playing that race game or they'll ask you to buy the thing. If they do, you can at least delay the little devils with the demo. Like feeding food pellets to hamsters.

Get the rest of the article after the Jump!

Browsing over the realms of the Xbox Live Marketplace, we found out that the Cars demo is now available for download for Xbox Live Gold members.

The Cars Demo is free, so that's good, the thing is, it's not available to folks in Asia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Norway. Oh, and before you guys close the browser and go to your Xbox to download the thing, please be aware that Silver users will have to wait until November 23.

So far, the game looks like a fun kids' game parents can get for their 7-9 year olds. There is word though that it isn't "totally" a game for kiddies, as some online reviewers say that the cars handle like bricks on wheels.

We'll be downloading this as soon as the pending downloads we've got on the Xbox 360 we have here finish. We'll inform you guys about how the thing plays when it's done and we've tried zooming over the plains as Lightning McQueen.

Have you got your copy of Disney's Cars yet? If you own a PSP, PS2, PC, GBA, Nintendo DS, GameCube, or Xbox, then maybe you do. But the Xbox 360 and Wii versions of the game are set to come out in Europe on November. And in anticipation of the release for the next-gen platforms, we got you covered with another trailer to tide over all that waiting.

You've seen the movie. And you often find yourself singing that "Life is a Highway" song. Now it's time to get into the game as Lightning McQueen in his life-changing journey in a detour to Radiator Springs. You'll be meeting familiar friends from the film, including Sally the Porsche, Doc Hudson the Hudson Hornet, and of course, Mater the Rusty Toe-Truck. The cast is all here, and some of them are actually playable characters. There's also going to be some new vehicles you would be meeting for the first time, so that's something you guys might look forward to.

So, watch the vid, hotrods! (it's even voice-over'd by that Movie Trailer guy)

Download: [Cars trailer]

The Force was definitely with Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy as it lightsabered its way through zombie hordes and gangs of thugs to reach the top spot in the UK Sales Charts this week. LucasArts' multiformat title has become the tenth Star Wars title to gain a number one position in the UK all formats charts. It debuted at number 3 in the UK sales charts last week even before it was officially released, so this development isn't unexpected.

Here are the chart's top five games:

1. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
2. Dead Rising
3. Saints Row
4. Cars
5. Test Drive Unlimited

Buy: [Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Dead Rising]
Buy: [Saints Row]
Buy: [Cars]
Buy: [Test Drive Unlimited]

You all might have noticed that Christmas is just around the corner, and game developers and publishers probably noticed this too. And here's another hint that the holidays are so near: great game releases. And there's enough to get every gamer excited.

If you ask us though, gamers who fancy the sports games will be the ones who'll find it very hard to sleep at night especially with this list of titles that will be released in the coming days, weeks, months... Just be sure you won't be cranky in the morning for lack of sleep from anticipating - or playing - the games.

So here's the list of Xbox 360 games' European release dates:

September:
22:  Just Cause
30:  Mad Tracks
TBC:  LMA Manager 2007
TBC:  World Snooker Championship 2007

October:
6:  Import Tuner Challenge
6:  Open Season
20:  Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
27:  NBA 2K7

November:
3:  Need For Speed: Carbon
10:  WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2007
17:  Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
TBC:  Cars
TBC:  Eragon
TBC:  Football Manager 2007
TBC:  Pro Evolution Soccer 6
TBC:  The Sopranos

Click "Full Article" for the complete list.

Yeah, yeah, we've seen about a bajillion Disney games in our lifetime. And a lot of us have grown tired of them. But (yes, there's always a big "but") that doesn't eliminate the fact that we grew up with them. I remember hours and hours of playing Aladdin (Capcom) and Lion King (Virgin Games) on the SNES before. Besides. No one's too old for Disney.

One good thing about Disney games is that they have replay value. And with that said, some of you must have tried Cars by now, but have you gotten everything? It's one thing to beat the game, it's quite another to *fully complete* it. There's a difference.

Here we have a list of Achievements that you can obtain in the game. All of these will boost your credits to 1,000 points if you managae to get them all. There are 15 achievements, and we'll list them from lowest to highest (with regards to points):

50 points each

• Motor Speedway of the South (win 1st place)
• Sheriff's Hot Pursuit (complete all levels of Sheriff's Hot Pursuit)
• Rustbucket Race-o-Rama (win 1st place)
• Monster Truck Mayhem (win 1st place)
• Radiator Springs GP (win 1st place)
• Tailfin Pass GP (win 1st place)
• Ornament Valley GP (win 1st place)

75 points each

• Tractor Tipping (complete all levels of Tractor Tipping)
• Palm Mile Speedway (win 1st place)
• Sun Valley International Raceway (win 1st place)
• Smasherville Motor Speedway (win 1st place)
• Tailfin Pass (complete necessary activities to unlock Tailfin Pass)
• Ornament Valley (complete necessary activities to unlock Ornament Valley)

100 points each

• Lizzies Postcard Hunt (collect all postcards in Postcard Hunt)
• LA International Speedway (win 1st place)

So get your gears ready and change your oil. Get back on the track and find all the Achievements. That's 1,000 points waiting for you at the finish line.

The Leipzig Games Convention (LGC) is here! The Developer Conference opens today, August 21, with a record-breaking participation of more than 600 visitors. The LGC starts August 21 if you're a game developer, August 23 if you're a VIP or with the media, and August 24 if you're one of us, the unwashed masses. The LGC exhibitions end August 27, so start hiking now.

What does video game publisher THQ have for their line-up for the LGC? We took THQ's (very long) press release and squeezed it for the goodies. Here's the short version for your reading pleasure:

Saints Row
For the Xbox 360 is this third-person open-world action/driving hybrid developed by THQ's Volition, Inc. You're a gang member with the 3rd Street Saints and you have to go up the gang ranks and eventually take over the city Stilwater. The game features character customization options and supports multiplayer mode through Xbox Live. Official release: Aug. 29 for North America; Sept. 1 for Europe.

Frontlines: Fuel of War
For the Xbox 360 and also for PS3 and Windows PC is this open-world infantry and vehicle first person shooter from THQ's Kaos Studios. In the near future, a global war for oil is being waged between the Western Coalition (US/NATO) and the Red Star Alliance (Russia/China). You'll play both sides of the battle. Official release: 2007.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
For the PSP, Xbox 360, and PS2 is this 8th release in the THQ and JAKKS Pacific franchise. It features an analog control grappling system, new movesets, and an interactive fighting area within the crowd. There are updated rosters for Raw and SmackDown and an expanded General Manager Mode and online multiplayer game play with voice chat support. Official release: 2006 holiday season.

Disney-Pixar Cars
You race. Based on the movie. Official release: fall 2006 for Xbox 360 and Wii; all throughout this summer for PS2, Xbox, GameCube, GBA, PSP, DS, Windows PC, and Mac.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Bikini Bottom. Enough said. Official release: fall of 2006 for Wii, PS2, DS, GameCube, GBA, and Windows PC.

Monster House
Based on the movie. Official release: all throughout this summer for DS, PS2, GameCube, GBA.

Bratz: Forever Diamondz
Search of the country's hottest fashion designer. Official release: fall of 2006 for DS, PS2, GameCube, and GBA.

Barnyard
Based on the upcoming film. Official release: fall of 2006 for Wii, PS2, GameCube, GBA, and Windows PC.

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Do your kung fu and explore the four Avatar nations. Official release: fall of 2006 for Wii, DS, PSP, PS2, GameCube, Xbox, GBA, and Windows PC.

When hotshot rookie race car Lightning McQueen unexpectedly made a detour to the sleepy Route 66 of Radiator Springs, he finds out that life is not about the finish line but the journey. His new friends - Sally, a snazzy 2002 Porsche; Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet with a mysterious past; and Mater, a rusty but trusty tow truck - make him realize that trophies, fame, and sponsorship are not the end all and be all of life.

Experience one of life's most important lessons through a race car in the upcoming Disney/Pixar movie Cars to be released this 9th of June. And after watching the movie, experience the fun all over again when the animated film goes to your Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 as a racing/adventure game.

Explore the town of Radiator Springs and Ornament Valley while collecting Bolt Icons and Bonus Points. Play as Lightning McQueen or any of the other nine playable characters - some of whom you'll meet in the movie, some will be introduced for the first time in the game - in over 30 races and mini-games, most of which are in multiplayer mode.

Cars the video game is slated for a 2006 fourth quarter release.