Author: John Scalzo

John Scalzo is Warp Zoned's Editor-In-Chief and resident retro gaming expert. You can email him at john AT warpzoned DOT com.

New Releases: Pokemon Conquest, Lego Batman 2, Brave, More

Posted on June 16, 2012 by John Scalzo

This week’s new releases are for the kids as Pokemon Conquest (that wild Pokemon/Nobunaga’s Ambition crossover on the DS), Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (3DS, DS, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Xbox 360), and the game adaptation of Pixar’s Brave (DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360) will all be available in stores this Tuesday.

Also available this week is the Kinect-powered Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor and an all new Civ V expansion, Civilization V: Gods and Kings.

Hit the jump for a complete look at this week’s new releases. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged , , ,

Diablo III named best-selling game of May 2012 after collecting a ton of loot

Posted on June 15, 2012 by John Scalzo

Can you guess the best-selling game of May 2012 according to The NPD Group’s monthly calculations? Go on, guess, it’s not really a mystery… The best-selling game of May 2012 was Blizzard’s Diablo III.

Diablo III’s loot frenzy was the lone bright spot for the game industry this month as total sales were down 28% from May 2011 with console hardware taking the biggest hit (a 39% drop).

But that’s not for lack of trying. A ton of new releases broke into the top ten this month including Max Payne 3 (#2), Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (#3), Sniper Elite V2 (#7), and Dragon’s Dogma (#9). But I guess they didn’t put up the sales numbers to compete with last May’s biggest game, L.A. Noire.

The complete top ten can be found after the break. (more…)

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

Neversoft has been drafted to develop a Call of Duty game

Posted on June 15, 2012 by John Scalzo

Activision has recruited another one of their internal teams to work on the Call of Duty franchise. This time it’s Neversoft, the developer formerly repsonsible for the Tony Hawk series and the non-Harmonix Guitar Hero games. Neversoft is now the fifth team connected to the Call of Duty franchise, joining Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Raven Software, and Sledgehammer Games.

The news comes from Neversoft’s Careers page, which features multiple job listings connected to their new project including a Single-Player Level Designer, Multiplayer Level Designer, and Senior Environment Artist.

But the real question is, what Call of Duty game is Neversoft working on? Treyarch is the lone developer behind Call of Duty: Black Ops II while Sledgehammer and Raven currently share DLC duties for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Infinity Ward is working on an unannounced “next generation game” that may or may not be Call of Duty 10.

So where does that leave Neversoft’s game? The way I see it, there are three options:

1. Neversoft is the currently unnamed developer behind the Vita-exclusive Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified. Or…
2. They’ve been handed the recently rumored Wii U port of Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Or…
3. They’re developing the current generation port of Call of Duty 10.

I suppose there’s a fourth option, but that would involve the announcement of yet another Call of Duty game.

Posted in News |

Penny Arcade 3’s release moved up to June 25

Posted on June 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

Zeboyd Games is pulling a Saturn! Two weeks ago, the indie developer announced that Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 would be released on July 10. In that time, they finished the game and got it approved for release on Steam and Xbox Live Indie Games. So they’ve pushed up the release to June 25 instead!

Jerry “Tycho” Holkins dropped the happy news on the Penny Arcade homepage yesterday:

“On The Rain-Slick Precipice Of Darkness: Episode 3 was well received at E3, which is nice, because we tried desperately to bring about that very result. We’re committed to releasing it “When It’s Done” as they say, and it is done, so waiting until July seems dumb. How does the 25th sound, for Steam and XBLIG? Zeboyd is throwing in Cthulhu Saves The World for Steam purchases in the first week, which I thought was sweet of them. The ports are… porting, EVEN NOW, and the PC version will have SteamPlay when Mac goes live.”

Holkins also promised that a new trailer would be released on Monday, so keep your eyes peeled for that sure bit of awesomeness next week.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox 360 | Tagged

First Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition patch will be available tomorrow

Posted on June 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

Remember that list of bug fixes and new features for Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition we posted on Monday? It turns out that that update, which was said to be coming “soon,” will actually be available tomorrow. I think Minecraft fans the world over just started doing a happy dance. Perhaps a little jig.

Before you put your dancing shoes away, you can dance past the jump for the complete list of fixes and new features. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Nintendo Download: Amazing Spider-Man demo, Donkey Kong Jr., Mega Man X2, more

Posted on June 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

This week’s Nintendo Download includes another major 3DS demo. Today, gamers will be able to experience the handheld adventures of The Amazing Spider-Man before he swings his way into stores on June 26.

But that’s not all, Nintendo has also added a ton of classic games to their three download services today:

Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS eShop) – In this timeless classic, clamber up vines and chains and gather vital fruit and keys to free your father, Donkey Kong, who’s been imprisoned by Mario.

Mad Dog McCree (3DS eShop) – When the ruthless outlaw Mad Dog McCree goes on a rampage with a nasty pack ofwanted fugitives, they leave death in their wake. The only gunslinger who can stop them is you.

Mega Man X2 (Wii Virtual Console) – Fresh from defeating Sigma and his Mavericks, Mega Man X tracks down the remaining rogue Reploids to an abandoned factory where they are continuing their rebellion. While Mega Man X is kept busy by eight new Mavericks, a new threat plots to resurrect a secret weapon that is all too familiar.

Devil Band: Rock the Underworld (DSiWare) – Millions of demons and monsters emerge from the earth, destroying everything on their wake. Xavier, the most popular (and most evil) Death Metal rock band around the world, might be the only hope for the mankind…

7 Wonders II (DSiWare) – Match three to help your workers build the unbelievable sights from Stonehenge to the Taj Mahal.

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

Diablo III’s real-money auction house is open for business

Posted on June 13, 2012 by John Scalzo

Blizzard has announced that the Diablo III real-money auction house is now open for business in North America and Australia. Accessing the auction house is a piece of cake. All you have to do is click the “Auction House” button of the far left side of the campaign screen.

Blizzard has promised that more information on the impending European and South American launches of the auction house will be available soon.

More information about the real-money auction house can be found at Battle.net.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

XBLA Today: Babel Rising

Posted on June 13, 2012 by John Scalzo

A single new game has been added to the Xbox Live Arcade, and it’s Ubisoft’s god game, Babel Rising. You can deliver the wrath of god through some fancy Kinect movements (or a regular controller) for 800 Microsoft Points ($10):

Babel Rising lets you play as a God and use your powers to prevent humans from building the tower of Babel. Hurl bolts of lightning, cause massive earthquakes, or unleash gigantic floods upon the Babylonians. Face a wide range of challenging enemies and levels and use the motion controllers to get a unique feeling of power!

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged