‘The aliens have landed’

In a world beyond our world, a new war has emerged. Three groups of extraterrestrial beings are engaged in fierce battle for world supremacy. It’s an all-out, no-holds barred melee that promises world domination for the victors and utter shame for the vanquished. But the battle that started in space has now reached Earth and soon earthlings will be caught in this bitter struggle for victory and survival.

Is this a storyline for the next big sci-fi movie? Or is it the headline of a tabloid magazine? No, my friends, this "out of this world" plot is the backdrop of the latest game to hit the boob tube.

It’s Alien Wars, GameChannel’s new addition to its current roster of TV-Mobile Arcade games. For those of you who are wondering what GameChannel is, it is Asia’s first interactive TV-Mobile Arcade gaming show that allows viewers to play games on TV using their mobile phones as their joystick. It is aired every Tuesday and Thursday on IBC-13 from 6 to 7 p.m., and it has attracted a growing number of loyal gamers who have made GameChannel their weekly habit.

It started airing with two action games – Katapult and Bumper Cars – and three mind games – SearchText, TriviaText and CrossText. GameChannel also boasts of the first game jock in the world – GJ Iya, who entertains the viewers by chatting with them and providing them gaming tips and instructions.

The latest addition to the action games, Alien Wars is an engaging and fun game supported by incredible graphics and breathtaking animation guaranteed to keep the viewers and players entertained from start to finish. Playing the game is fairly easy and numerous features provide excitement and suspense.

If you’ve registered into the GameChannel system, you can already play Alien Wars and all the other existing games. If not, all you need to do is text G Reg username and send it to 2359 for Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers.

To start playing Alien Wars, just text A Start and send to 2359 for Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers. After a few seconds, your alien will appear on the screen.

Upon texting this command to 2359, your alien will go down three spaces, go right two spaces and then shoot once. You can also shoot more than once. In order to eliminate players, you have to hit them twice using the standard laser gun. Once you are able to hit other players three times, your weapon will automatically change to a rocket launcher, which is a more powerful weapon with a wider damage range.

The game can accommodate a maximum of 30 players at any given time. However, if there are more than 30 players who registered to play, the game has a queuing system such that if a player is eliminated, the first player in line automatically appears on the screen.

The players are divided into the blue and red teams. If you hit players of the opposite color, you get 50 points and if you hit players of the same color, you get 25 points.

There are three space worlds that serve as the battleground. One of these backgrounds has a teleporter feature that transports your alien to another area of the screen when the alien moves into it.

And like all other GameChannel games, Alien Wars allows players to chat with each other or with GJ Iya.

This is just one of many surprises that GameChannel will be unveiling. Expect a sizzling summer as GameChannel launches more games, innovative services and exciting activities that will redefine your viewing and playing experience.

For more information and instructions on Alien Wars as well as other GameChannel games, just visit www.gamechannel.tv, or tune in to GameChannel on IBC-13 every Tuesday and Thursday, 6-7 p.m.

* * *

The author is the marketing director of Wireless Services Asia, a pioneer of local mobile value-added services.