Monthly Archives: December 2016

The Sacred Hero will be released for the Nintendo Switch and PC in 2018

Posted on December 9, 2016 by John Scalzo

Featuring a teaser trailer very reminiscent of Link’s adventures in The Legend of Zelda franchise, indie developer Simplistic has announced they will release The Sacred Hero for the Nintendo Switch and PC in 2018.

While it’s not very much to go on, we know The Sacred Hero is being directed by a teenage developer named Kane Goodridge, with music by Ruven “Music Proposition” Wegner.

An earlier trailer, embedded after the break, make the Zelda parallels a bit more clear. The Sacred Hero is clearly influenced by A Link to the Past, as well as older Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy titles.

Good luck to the young team at Simplistic, and hopefully we’ll learn more about The Sacred Hero soon. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, Switch |

Super Mario Run won’t be released for the Nintendo Switch

Posted on December 8, 2016 by John Scalzo

supermariorun-header

Even though the Nintendo Switch will sport a tablet-style screen, it’s looks like the consolemaker’s upcoming mobile titles will stay on mobile platforms… for now, at least.

Speaking to CNET, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed the company has no plans to bring Super Mario Run to the Switch. Set to launch for iOS devices on December 15, Super Mario Run is a side-scrolling that can be played with one hand, and Fils-Aime said the game was designed to be played on a mobile screen:

“Development for Super Mario Run is different than development for Nintendo Switch [the company’s all-new Wii U successor, coming in March 2017]. With Switch we’re going to have a variety of input devices, a variety of ways for you to interact with the game. Here, it’s all the screen. So it’s a different type of development challenge. But at the core, our developers are looking to create content that you really can’t get anywhere else, you can’t experience anywhere else…that’s a core philosophy that’s going to continue.”

Fans got a quick look at Mario’s first adventure for the Switch as part of the console’s “First Glimpse” unveiling back in October. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about it during Nintendo’s Switch presentation on January 12.

Posted in Mobile, News, Switch | Tagged

Nintendo Switch exclusive Seasons of Heaven announced by AnyArts Productions

Posted on December 8, 2016 by John Scalzo

nintendoswitch-header

AnyAnts Productions is a California-based developer that’s working on an exclusive game for the Nintendo Switch. Today, the company officially unveiled Seasons of Heaven, and a handful of great-looking screenshots, on the French-language Gameblog.

Based on a novel by Nico Augusto, Seasons of Heaven is an exploration title that’s being built with Unreal Engine 4. We also know that it takes place in a “mystical forest,” and stars a young boy with telepathic powers:

Seasons of Heaven will take you from deep inside of a mystical forest at the beginning of time all the way through to the twenty-first century and the fall of civilization. It will take you on a journey with Yann, a young boy with Asperger’s Syndrome and his faithful companion, Ani, a French bulldog who Yann is able to communicate with through telepathy. As you follow along on their journey you’ll have the opportunity to meet the rest of the major players and bear witness to the enlightenment of some and the demise of others. This story will allow you to experience the awe of discovering the most beautiful, magical place that ever existed while at the same time staying only one step ahead of the dark and vile underbelly of the human race.

It’s unknown when Seasons of Heaven will be released for the Switch, but hopefully we’ll learn more about it during the big presentation Nintendo has planned for January 12.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

Nintendo Download: Animal Crossing New Leaf Welcome Amiibo Edition, Metroid Other M, Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon, more

Posted on December 8, 2016 by John Scalzo

Nintendo is going retro with this week’s eShop update, as four games from the consolemaker’s past resurface in new locales or with new features.

Leading the way is a 3DS re-release for Animal Crossing: New Leaf that adds Amiibo functionality to the game. The appropriately-named Welcome Amiibo Edition adds new features and activities, as well as support for all Amiibo figures and cards in the Animal Crossing series. Players who’ve previously purchased Animal Crossing; New Leaf will be able to access all of the Welcome Amiibo content with a free update.

3DS fans might also be interested in Demon’s Crest, which is also now available to download for Nintendo’s handheld. Originally released for the Super NES in 1994, Demon’s Crest is the final adventure of Firebrand, a heroic gargoyle first glimpsed in the Ghosts N Goblins franchise.

Over on the Wii U eShop, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is now available to download for Nintendo’s home console. The strategy RPG is a remake of the first Fire Emblem game, and it was originally released for the DS in 2009.

Finally this week, the divisive Metroid: Other M makes the leap from the Wii to the Wii U. Developed by Team Ninja, Other M gives bounty hunter Samus Aran a very complicated backstory in a game that combines first-person and side-scrolling viewpoints.

More information on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U | Tagged

Doom’s latest Free Update adds bots, new SnapMap options, and more

Posted on December 8, 2016 by John Scalzo

The imaginatively-named “Free Update 5” is now available to download for id Software’s Doom. This no-cost patch adds a new competitive game mode to Doom’s online multiplayer, as well as the option to play against bots and a higher level cap for your Echelon Rank.

You can check out the trailer above for a look at everything available in “Free Update 5,” or read on for an overview of the update direct from the developer:

Multiplayer Additions

  • Infernal Run: A new competitive game mode where teams fight for control of the ball and score in the opponent’s goal.
  • Bots: Available on original multiplayer maps in Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch game modes.
  • Echelon 11: Multiplayer rank now extends to Echelon 11. Once you reach the new highest ranking, you’ll unlock the signature Doom Marine Armor (Praetor Suit)!

SnapMap Additions

  • Play as the Doom Marine in the Doom Marine Armor (Praetor Suit).
  • More elements from the campaign, allowing you to play and create even more campaign-like experiences.
  • Lazarus Lab themed modules and props.

To get the most out of Doom’s newest update, players will be able to take part in a Double XP Weekend from now until Monday, December 12, at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time).

Finally, id Software also announced that Bloodfall, Doom’s third downloadable expansion, will be released on December 15. The final DLC Pack will include three new multiplayer maps and the invisible Spectre Pinky demon.

More information about “Free Update 5” and the Bloodfall DLC Pack can be found at Bethesda.net.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Daily Scoop: December 8, 2016 – Daedalic Publisher Weekend at Steam

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Nicole Kline

I’m having a delightful time so far with The Last Guardian. I am savoring every moment because I know it will be over too soon. But that’s OK – I have a huge pile of unopened games next to my television, so I’ll have something else I can easily dive into once I’m done!

Speaking of diving in, there are plenty of games for sale at the Humble Store if you need some! Earth’s Dawn is $23.99, Space Hulk: Deathwing is $33.99, and Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is $35.99.

The Weekend Deal at Steam is all about the publisher Daedalic! Get the Daedalic Publisher Weekend Bundle 2016 for $59.90, which includes Crazy Machines 3, Holy Potatoes!, Bounty Train, and more. There are tons of other deals as well, so check that link to see more! Their Daily Deal is Deadlight, which is on sale for $2.99.

There are just two shirts today. Hit the jump to check them out! (more…)

Posted in Daily Scoop |

Nintendo unveils new Super Mario Run trailer and live-action commercial

Posted on December 8, 2016 by John Scalzo

Jimmy Fallon got to show off his prowess at Super Mario Run on yesterday’s episode of The Tonight Show. But Nintendo also unveiled a brand new trailer for one of their first mobile projects yesterday, giving fans a look at the game’s three modes.

Players will guide Mario through the game’s main mode, collecting coins and bashing enemies before they reach the flagpole. But in “Toad Rally,” players will compete against each other to impress the most Toads and win the match. Finally, “Kingdom Builder” will give players the chance to spend their hard-earned coins and construct their own personal Mushroom Kingdom. It’s even possible to unlock bonus characters such as Luigi, Yoshi, and Toad in “Kingdom Builder.”

In addition to Super Mario Run’s new trailer, Nintendo also announced that fans can try it out early by visiting a demo kiosk at their local Apple Store all week. Finally, the company also revealed a live-action commercial to promote the game, and you can find it after the break.

Super Mario Run will be available for iOS devices on December 15. Android users will be able to download it beginning in 2017. (more…)

Posted in Mobile, News | Tagged

Gigantic Open Beta (and the Founder’s Pack) is now available for Xbox One, Windows 10

Posted on December 8, 2016 by John Scalzo

The Gigantic Open Beta kicked off today on the Xbox One and Windows 10, and developer Motiga has unveiled the Founder’s Pack for players looking to get the most out of the free-to-play MOBA. Priced at $39.99, the Founder’s Pack will include access to every character, four post-launch characters, and various other goodies:

Gigantic Founder’s Pack

  • 16 Original Heroes
  • 4 New Heroes (Released at a Later Date)
  • 2 Limited-Edition “Imperial” Skins for Tyto the Swift and Charnok
  • 2 Exclusive Founder’s Profile Icons

Players who forego the Founder’s Pack will be able to play Gigantic for free by selecting one of the six heroes in the weekly rotation. Other characters can be unlocked through an in-game currency earned by completing matches, fulfilling Fortune Cards, or purchasing it with a credit card.

About Gigantic
Teams work together to attack enemies while claiming points on the map to summon powerful Creatures. Players will power up their team’s Guardian by controlling the battlefield and defeating enemies. Victory is awarded to the team who can overpower their opponents’ Guardian.

Windows 7 and Windows 8 users will also be able to get in on the Gigantic Open Beta at a later date through Perfect World’s Arc platform.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One | Tagged