On Monday, the second-annual 989 Studios Gamer's Day was held in sunny San Diego to showcase what the company has in store for gamers.

Kelly Flock, president of 989 Studios, sat down with Gamecenter to chat about the company's success and vision. "Personally, I'm amazed where we've gotten to in only 18 months. Yes, we had some momentum from a couple of the popular [Sony Computer Entertainment America] franchises, but we're really doing well." On the future of the company, Flock said, "we're a Sony division, so we'll continue to develop for the PlayStation in all of our popular franchises, plus we've got some new undisclosed titles for next year, and of course, for the PlayStation2." Flock hinted that the company's flagship product--NFL GameDay--would likely be one of the first titles to be released on the new platform.

The following are a few of the software titles scheduled for release during the next few months under the 989 Studios or 989 Sports moniker. Keep in mind that Jet Moto 3 was released on September 7 and NHL FaceOff 2000 on September 14, so be sure to keep an eye on the Gamecenter Video Game Reviews section for these and other video game reviews.

Slated for an October 26 launch is Cool Boarders 4, the sequel to the snowboarding video game franchise. More than 16 world-famous pro snowboarders--including Jim Rippey, Ross Powers, and 13-year-old phenomenon Shaun White--have lent their names and likenesses to the game. All of the top licensed snowboarding manufacturers and clothing companies are used in the game for added realism. There are 30 boards in total, from such manufacturers as Burton, K2, and Salomon, and gamers can create custom riders with apparel from G-Shock, Billabong, and Westbeach.

Along with the usual events--such as Downhill, Big Air, Half Pipe, Slope Style, and CBX competitions--there is a Trickmaster option to teach players many of the moves and tricks in the game. There are also "special events" for each of the five mountains to reward extraordinary boarders, and a new Multiplayer Tournament mode, pitting gamers against each other to see who can pull off the most "rad" tricks and get down the hill first. There are literally hundreds of tricks in the game.
There's no clowning around--Sweet Tooth is coming back on November 9 with the fourth incarnation of Twisted Metal, the successful vehicular combat series. In this latest demolition derby-style action game, players can select from a number of deadly vehicles (each with its own attributes), as well as challenge other players or the improved AI in eight new battle environments. There are also a couple of deathmatch-only levels for more open-ended carnage.

Notable features in Twisted Metal 4 include more impressive graphics (colorful explosions, reflective surfaces, and more), realistic physics, and a more robust "create-a-car" option, in which gamers can fully customize the look and weapons of their vehicle and save it to a memory card to play on another PlayStation.

Supercross Circuit--the only all-new franchise shown at 989 Studios' Gamer's Day--is due out sometime in November. Capturing the white-knuckle excitement of motocross and supercross racing, this inaugural PlayStation title features some of the industry's most renowned riders (such as Doug Henry, Mike LaRocco, and John Dowd); dirt bike manufacturers (Fox Racing, Renthal, and Sinisalo, to name a few); and tracks (Las Vegas' Sam Boyd Stadium, the Astrodome, the Metrodome, and others). There are 10 supercross stadium courses, 12 outdoor motocross tracks, and a bundled track editor to create custom challenges.

Racing for time and tricks is key to this game. Players can also "purchase" bike modifications as they advance through the season. In addition, real-life track conditions are mirrored in the game; for instance, puddles can accumulate water and affect performance, but may dry over time. Supercross Circuit is currently under development by Idol Minds, the same team responsible for Cool Boarders 3.

Also due in November is NBA ShootOut 2000, the latest 989 Studios pro basketball game. As with past versions, NBA ShootOut 2000 features all the players and all 29 teams and stadiums; this time around, individual team playbooks have been added to the roster. Graphically, the game has improved considerably. There are 3D polygonal players, more than 300 new motion-captured animations, and new Create-A-Dunk and Create-A-Player options, where gamers can custom-design their dunks and the look of their players, respectively. More than 40 signature dunks are in the game.

Other new features in the game include "touch shooting" for more accurate shots, animated crowds, and play-by-play commentary from New Jersey Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle. NCAA Final Four 2000 is also slated for a November release. Gamecenter