All Articles: Octopath Traveler

Celeste, God of War, Spider-Man, Red Dead 2, Smash Ultimate will compete for “Video Game of the Year” at 2019 SXSW Gaming Awards

Posted on February 11, 2019 by John Scalzo

The SXSW Gaming Advisory Board has sifted through all of 2018’s biggest games and announced the nominees for this year’s SXSW Gaming Awards.

As you might have expected, Sony Santa Monica’s God of War, Insomniac’s Spider-Man, and Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 claimed the most nominations. Each of the three games will compete in a total of nine categories, and all three are in the running for “Video Game of the Year.” Matt Thorson’s brutal platformer, Celeste, and Nintendo’s crossover fighter, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, were also nominated for the big prize.

The public will get the chance to vote for the winners in all categories at this year’s SXSW Gaming Awards, and the final winner in each category will be determined by a weighted total between public and advisory board votes. Voting is open now at SXSW Gaming’s official website, and will close on Sunday, February 17 at midnight (Eastern Time).

The SXSW Gaming Awards will be given out on March 16 and you can find the full list of nominees in all categories after the break. (more…)

Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Tabletop Games, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

13 Nintendo-published games for the Switch have sold more than 1 million copies

Posted on February 1, 2019 by John Scalzo

Nintendo-branded products have always taken up a hefty portion of Santa’s sack, and 2018 was no different as Switch sales were huge during the holiday season.

Nintendo sold 15.05 million Switch consoles during the last quarter of 2018, bringing the platform’s total install base to 32.27 million. Consumers also spent the last three months stocking up on software, purchasing 63.51 million games from October through December.

Two games stood out last quarter on the sales charts, as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sold 12.08 million copies and the combined might of Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! and Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu! sold 10 million copies. All told, 13 Nintendo-published Switch games have joined the vaunted “Million-Seller” club during this fiscal year (April 2018 – December 2018):

Title Apr 18 – Dec 18 Sales Total Sales
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 12.08 Million 12.08 Million
Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee!
Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu!		 10 Million 10 Million
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 5.8 Million 15.02 Million
Super Mario Party 5.3 Million 5.3 Million
Super Mario Odyssey 3.35 Million 13.76 Million
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 3.21 Million 11.68 Million
Mario Tennis Aces 2.53 Million 2.53 Million
Splatoon 2 2.25 Million 8.27 Million
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 2.08 Million 2.08 Million
Kirby Star Allies 1.16 Million 2.42 Million
Octopath Traveler
(US + Europe Only)		 1.08 Million 1.08 Million
Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit 1.06 Million 1.06 Million
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker 1.05 Million 1.05 Million

Even Nintendo’s dedicated handheld was still kicking along in 2018 (albeit slower than before). 3DS owners scooped up 1.07 million copies of Mario Kart 7 during the April through December period, bringing its total to 18.11 million copies sold.

Nintendo’s current fiscal year will end on March 31, and the consolemaker will announce their full-year sales figures sometime in April or May.

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Warp Zoned’s 2018 Golden Pixel Awards: Our Favorite Games From Last Year

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Warp Zoned Staff

2018 was an absolutely astounding year for video games, and while we might not have gotten the chance to play everything we wanted, the Warp Zoned staff was definitely able to add a big batch of new games to our “Favorites” pile.

This year’s selection of standout titles offered something for everybody… Insomniac’s Spider-Man let us soar above Manhattan as the webslinger like never before… The mountainous milieu of Matt Thorson’s Celeste challenged our thumbs and our hearts… Capcom’s Mega Man 11 brought the Blue Bomber back for the first time in almost a decade… And those three games were just the tip of the iceberg.

The Golden Pixel Awards aren’t the “Best Games” from 2018, but these are the titles we plan to return to again and again in 2019 (and beyond). We hope you enjoy them as much as we did. (more…)

Posted in Features, Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler was the best-selling game in July 2018

Posted on August 23, 2018 by John Scalzo

It would have been amusing if Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler took the #8 spot in The NPD Group’s monthly report of best-selling games (as reported by GamesIndustry.biz). But instead, the retro-styled RPG smashed expectations and landed in the top spot for the preceding four-week period. That means the publisher is likely less amused and more amazed.

Nintendo Switch exclusives dominated the list of best-selling games last month, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (#3), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (#5), Super Mario Odyssey (#7), and Mario Tennis Aces (#10) all cracking the top ten. The recent Switch launch of Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (#9) also likely accounted for its rise in the rankings (the game is also available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One).

The Switch was also the best-selling console in July, the first time that’s happened since December 2017.

You can find out how the rest of the top ten shook out, with a quick rundown of the remainder of July 2018’s best-selling games, after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Octopath Traveler sells one million copies and gets a new Accolades Trailer

Posted on August 6, 2018 by John Scalzo

It looks like Square Enix has another hit on their hands. Over the weekend, Nintendo of America confirmed that Octopath Traveler, a Switch exclusive, has sold more than one million copies worldwide:

Nintendo also put together a new “Accolades Trailer” for Octopath Traveler that includes new gameplay footage, as well as a recap of the excellent critical response to the game.

Octopath Traveler is now available to download through the Nintendo eShop, and a retail package is available in stores (if you can find it).

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

Octopath Traveler, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Hand of Fate 2, more coming to Nintendo eShop this week

Posted on July 12, 2018 by John Scalzo

It might be the middle of Summer, but it’s a big week for the Nintendo eShop…

Switch owners have been waiting patiently for another epic RPG to grace the console, and it looks like they might get their wish with tomorrow’s release of Octopath Traveler. The retro-styled RPG was created by Square Enix… and it features 2D sprites, 3D special effects, and eight overlapping stories. RPG fans might also want to be on the lookout for Hand of Fate 2, which drops players into a “living boardgame” and asks them to defeat the enigmatic Dealer. Hand of Fate 2 will be released for the Switch on Tuesday, July 17.

But don’t worry, Nintendo has no plans to sit this week out, as the consolemaker will bring Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker to the 3DS and Switch for the first time on Friday the 13th. Originally released for the Wii U in 2014, Captain Toad is a puzzle-adventure game that’s built up a fervent (but small) fanbase over the years.

You can learn more about the rest of this week’s additions to the Nintendo eShop (including Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion, Let’s Sing 2018, Radio Hammer Station, and more) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Switch | Tagged ,

The Games of July 2018

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Warp Zoned Staff

What can you say about the month of July? Game publishers routinely put their biggest releases on ice for the Summer months, and gamers are forced to pair hot dogs and fireworks with a handful of B-grade offerings. But there’s always a few titles that rise above the rest, and this July is no different. Whether it’s a new RPG from Square Enix, or a big batch of re-releases on new platforms, there’s actually plenty to discover this month.

What;s the Warp Zoned staff looking forward to this July? You can find out, and view the release schedule for all of this month’s new games, after the break. (more…)

Posted in Features, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged , , ,

Nintendo Switch Presentation: More than 80 games in development including Minecraft, Street Fighter II, Bomberman, more

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Mike Ryan

During Nintendo’s Switch Presentation, several developers took the stage (both live and virtually) to announce games that they have in development for the new console. More than 80 games were confirmed to be in the works, and we here at Warp Zoned compiled a list of the games announced during the presentation.

We caught a few that we’ve seen before:

  • Dragon Quest X
  • Dragon Quest XI: In Search of the Departed Time
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  • NBA 2K18
  • Project Sonic

A few that are currently available or coming soon to other consoles:

  • Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
  • Dragon Quest Heroes I & II
  • Farming Simulator 17
  • FIFA Soccer
  • I Am Setsuna
  • Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition
  • Minecraft: Story Mode
  • Rayman Legends
  • Skylanders Imaginators
  • Sonic Mania
  • Street Fighter II
  • Syberia 3

And a few brand new games that we should learn more about soon:

  • Atlus’s Shin Megami Tensei V (Working Title)
  • Frozenbyte’s Has-Been Heroes
  • Konami’s Super Bomberman R
  • Nintendo’s Snipperclips: Cut It Out Together
  • Shin’in’s FAST RMX
  • Square Enix’s Project Octopath Traveler (Working Title)
  • Suda51’s untitled No More Heroes sequel

And I know there’s some I missed, so don’t forget to watch the video!

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,