WIN tickets to Xbox secret Pendulum gig

WE'VE teamed up with Xbox LIVE to give away FIVE pairs of tickets to an exclusive, one-off gig starring Pendulum,  one of the hottest acts of 2008.
Xbox LIVE is hosting the intimate gig at Fabric in London on Monday May 12 to celebrate the launch of one of the most anticipated albums of the year, Pendulum’s In Silico.
Xbox LIVE will also be offering downloads of exclusive Pendulum content to Xbox 360 users. Connecting millions of members across 26 countries, Xbox LIVE has become a one-stop shop where you can download music videos, movies and TV shows in HD and standard-definition straight to your console's hard drive, not to mention playing the best games against your friends. For a chance to win a  pair of tickets, email the answer to this question by midnight tomorrow, Friday May 9th, to comps@notw.co.uk  Who makes the Xbox 360? a) Sony b) Microsoft or c) Nintendo. First five selected at random will win the tickets. Please remember to supply your name and address with your entry. Over 18s only. Proof of age will be required. Usual rules apply. Editor's decision is final.

SUPERHERO PRIZES

WE’VE teamed up with our pals at SEGA and Toshiba to bring you a superhero giveaway. We’ve got 10 copies of the new Iron Man game up for grabs (for the Xbox360 and PC) plus one lucky winner will get a Toshiba Satellite X200 LAPTOP. Purpose built for Toshiba, the Toshiba X200 is packed with the latest graphics and audio technology, combined with a powerful processor. It looks the part too, with a striking specially designed carmine flare finish. For your chance to win, answer this question and email it to comps@notw.co.uk with your name, age, address and format preference by midnight, Saturday May 10, 2008. Who is the Iron Man? a) Tony Soprano b) Tony Blair or c) Tony Stark. First correct answer drawn at random wins the laptop plus a copy of the game. The following nine names win the game. Normal rules apply. Editor’s decision is final.

GOLDEN GIVEAWAY

THREE lucky winners can get their hands on an exclusive Sony Ericsson W910i Gold White edition, thanks to our pals at Carphone Warehouse. Hip Hop legends DefJam Records have also preloaded the handsets, worth £149,99. with some top tracks from artists like Rihanna and Mariah Carey – plus their music videos too. For you chance to win, answer this question and email it to comps@notw.co.uk with your name and address by midnight, Saturday May 10, 2008. What was Rihanna’s first No1 hit in the UK called? a) Umbrella b) It’s Raining Men or c) Singing In The Rain. First three correct answers drawn at random win. Normal rules apply. Editor’s decision is final.

IRON FAN, by Owen Anslow

Iron Man

FORMAT: Xbox 360/PS3/Wii/PS2/PSP/DS

GENRE: Action

RATING: 12+

OUT: Now

AFTER being blown away by Iron Man in the cinema, it’s now time for gamers to Marvel at the steely superhero.
Based on the new blockbuster movie by Marvel Studios, Iron Man the video game (out now on all major consoles) allows you to become the hardest superhero of the lot to take down the bad guys.
Film-to-video game titles can often go horribly wrong but SEGA have done a brilliant job with this, bringing a good balance to the experience with original stories that draw from characters in the Iron Man comic universe. As the one-man army of Tony Stark, voiced by the film’s star Robert Downey Jr, your role is to engage with scores of enemies both on the ground and in the air.
The scope of this game is fantastic and a vast arsenal allows you to take on tanks, fighter jets and loads of super-villains.
You can even customise your suit and improve weapons as you prepare for the battlefield.
There are also some tough decisions to make as a hero—choices which affect your adventure later in the game.
Graphically, it’s brilliant, and a seamless transition between ground and air combat is another nice touch.
There’s a lot going on in this game, but hey, who said being a superhero was easy?

VERDICT: Come and 'av a go if ya think yer 'ard enough!

SCORE: 8/10

Let us know if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

STEAMING IRON

Check out this Marvel-lous preview of the new Iron Man game. Talk about a weapon of flash destruction . . .

WIN GRAND PRIZES

To celebrate THE game of 2008, we’ve teamed up with Rockstar to offer some great prizes. We’re giving away a special GTA IV Xbox 360 Elite, plus T-shirts and GTA licence plates. For your chance to win, answer this question and email it to comps@notw.co.uk with your name, age and address by midnight, Saturday, May 3, 2008. What is the name of the main character in Grand Theft Auto IV? a) Cheeko b) Niko or c) Freako. First correct answer drawn at random wins the special edition GTA IV Xbox 360 Elite console. Next three win a T-shirt and the following two win a GTA licence plate. Normal rules apply. Editor’s decision is final.

WIN Wii Fit and console

WE’VE got a totally Wii-cked contest—with 20 Wii Fit Boards and consoles to be won.
That’s right, Nintendo’s work-out board game is a virtual sell-out everywhere—but GadgiTs has managed to get hold of TWENTY. We bumped into Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding at the Wii Fit launch this week.
Despite suffering a back injury, the star looked in great shape working out with the £69 board. She said: “Wii Fit is fun and really easy to use.”
Gadgits’ Emily Merritt also put the board through its paces at home. She  says: “The Wii Fit board lives up to its promises of a good workout and a mixture of movements specific for you.”
“After entering my age and height it told me I had the fitness of someone 12 years older, which only made me more determined to get fit. And by the end of the week my fitness age had come down a year!
To be in with a chance of winning one of 20 boards and consoles, answer this question: What do the Americans call trainers? Is it, a) Sneakers, b) Plimsolls, c) Pumps.
Send a text to 80855 with the word FIT, leave a space then your answer (a, b or c), then put your address. For example: FIT B Paul Jones, 43 London Road, Anywhere. Or call 0904 040 0715. (ROI 1517 303 315)
T&Cs: You must be 18 or over. Texts cost £1.50 plus standard msg rate. Calls cost £1.50 only from standard BT landlines. If you call or text in after the closing date/time of this competition, you will not be entered but you will be charged. Competition closes at midnight tonight. Winners will be contacted on Monday, April 28. Winners selected at random.

GRAND THEFT AWE-TO, by Owen Anslow

WIPE the drool away and breathe a sigh of relief gamers, for the new Grand Theft Auto is here—and still streets ahead of the rest.

GTA IV, which hits the shops on Tuesday, is in great nick and the BAFTA award-winning Rockstar have once again taken the game to the next level.

Firstly, it looks sensational—cars, thugs and buildings no longer have a cartoon feel to them. And the storyline is probably the best yet.

You’re Niko, an Eastern European who has landed in Liberty City looking for a new life.

Sadly, his cousin’s promises of mansions, fast cars and pretty women have all been a big fat lie. So, Niko must start from the bottom and work his way up.

Differences from previous GTA titles include a more intense gameplay, thanks to the seamless plot and great graphics.

Your playing area is one (big) city with no load screens in between districts. Car handling is more realistic and cop chases now rely on a line-of-site system (well, that’s when they’re not dodging the grenades you’ve dropped out the car window).

Your main character is a lot more agile this time round. Niko can hop and climb around and also has some cheeky little combos for when he gets into a scrap.

During a gunfight players will enjoy Niko’s ability to take cover behind anything and shoot his way out of trouble (firing controls have vastly improved).

This may be a violent game—but no more so than any film or TV show, hence the 18 certificate.

Rockstar have also introduced a nifty mobile phone system so Niko can call and send texts, which help with missions—one of many nice touches.

Others include Ricky Gervais at the comedy club and the music. Ah yes, the music. There’s plenty to keep you nodding along to as you zoom across Broker Bridge.

Basically, GTA IV is much bigger and much better than ever before. And here’s where it gets even better . . . Rockstar have put their greatest project online. Yes, sixteen of you and your mates can run riot throughout Liberty City until the wee hours.

Simply put, this game is grand.

VERDICT: Runaway success

SCORE: 9.8/10

Let us know if you Hate It or Rate It . . .

Win legendary watch

GET the Will Smith look and WIN a Hamilton Khaki Twilight watch.
We’ve teamed up with Warner Brothers Entertainment to give away the amazing watch featured in No1 box office hit I Am Legend which is out on Blu-ray and DVD from tomorrow.
Set in New York City, I Am Legend follows the struggle of Robert Neville - a brilliant army virologist who is the last human survivor on earth following the spread of a man-made and incurable virus.
While most of the population perished when the contagious superbug took hold, a small number of people transformed into vile vampire-like mutants - The Infected, a breed of vicious and bloodthirsty monsters, bearing no human resemblance, who fear the light.
Neville learns to live his life by his watch as it expertly alerts him to the onset of sunset — a feared time when The Infected are out in force.
Set in stainless steel casing and with sapphire crystal glass and an automatic movement, the Khaki

STEERS OF WAR

Mario Kart Wii

FORMAT: Nintendo Wii

GENRE: Racer

RATING: Everyone

3…2…1… GO-KART! Yes, quite possibly THE best racing game in the world is back and still pinging off those green and red shells in style. Mario Kart Wii is car-azy fun and a triumph in online gaming for the whole family. Parents need not worry about their nippers coming across bad language while whizzing Mario or Yoshi around the tracks because this is safe gaming. You can compete with racers all over the world without swapping personal info and there’s a limit of pre-approved phrases you can use to gloat about karting victory. The game itself is superb. As well as online gaming mode, new features include motorbikes, a special balancing system and the funky Wii wheel. The 32 tracks include 16 new designs and 16 classics that have had a little work done to them. All your favourite characters are their (Luigi, Wario, Donkey Kong etc.) and once you’re racing, you won’t stop. Nintendo deserve a honk of congratulations for this cracker – so far, it’s our game of the year.

VERDICT: A beautiful work of kart

RATING: 9.4