Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Jordan Minor’s “Boss Fight Books: Super Mario Galaxy” is Now Available for Pre-Order
- Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA Soccer, and Silent Hill are the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
- 2025 GOTY Scoreboard: In Progress
- BAFTA Games Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- With Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to take over the world, I reached out to Jack Thompson and it did not go well – PC Gamer (2026)
- Vib-Ribbon: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It – Aftermath (2026)
Author: John Scalzo
US release for Fire Emblem: Awakening confirmed by Nintendo
Oh Nintendo, you so crazy.
Just a few minutes after exiting the stage at their 3DS Software Showcase, someone at Nintendo tweeted confirmation that Fire Emblem: Awakening will be making it across the Pacific sometime in the near future:
We are excited to confirm a NEW game announcement coming to the US: the new 3DS Fire Emblem! More info to come.
The fact that this announcement came via Twitter, instead of at the big E3 presentation, is a bit odd, to say the least.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged E3 2012, Fire Emblem: Awakening
Disney releases first trailer of Wreck-It Ralph, their video game movie
Disney continues to hit all the right beats with their upcoming movie, Wreck-It Ralph. Between the promise of classic game characters a la Who Framed Roger Rabbit to the film’s story, a Donkey Kong-like villain who “game jumps” into a modern first-person shooter to earn some respect, it seems like Disney really gets it. They’re parodying game conventions, but it’s clear the filmmakers are also gamers themselves.
And today’s release of the film’s first trailer is just more proof that Wreck-It Ralph is going to be a ton of fun come November 2. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
You know what else? I can’t wait to play the inevitable tie-in game too.
Lego City: Undercover trailer makes it look like GTA for kids
When I was watching the Lego City: Undercover trailer yesterday during Nintendo’s E3 2012 Press Conference, it felt very familiar to me. Obviously, the formula that developer TT Games refined with Lego Star Wars, Lego Indiana Jones, Lego Batman, and Lego Harry Potter was self-evident. But there was something else…
Today it hit me. Lego City: Undercover is basically “Grand Theft Auto: Legoland” and that is quick possibly the coolest realization ever. Watch the trailer above and judge for yourself.
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2012, Lego City Undercover
XBLA Today: Virtua Fighter 5, Bang Bang Racing
Microsoft has two games ready to be added to the Xbox Live Arcade for today’s E3 week update.
The spotlight game this week is likely Sega’s Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. It’s been priced at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15) and is considered the ultimate revision of the fifth game in the fighting franchise:
Reignite your inner fighter and prepare for the ultimate showdown! Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is the definitive version of the Virtua Fighter 5 series that incorporates all the enhancements Sega has rolled out since 2007 with some brand new features.
Also available this week is Bang Bang Racing, a top-down racer that, at a price of 800 Microsoft Points ($10), is “perfect for the whole family”:
Put the pedal to the metal with Bang Bang Racing, a brand new top-down arcade car racer perfect for every speed demon in the family! Choose from 20 sleek cars in four different categories (muscle cars, Evo GT, Protech and open-wheel formula cars), eight different skins and nine exotic, reversible and variable tracks around the world. Cones and exploding barrels will challenge your driving skills on snow, water, sand and oil covered tracks. You can also take the race to 4-player split-screen multiplayer to show your friends or family who the daddy is!
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown
Nintendo says Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines will ship on February 12
UPDATE: A Sega spokesperson told us “We’re still nailing down the Wii U release date.” So I guess February 12 is only the official date for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions as of now.
When Sega set the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions of Aliens: Colonial Marines for release on February 12, 2013, they said that the Wii U launch date would be announced “at a later time.”
That later time appears to be today as Nintendo has gone ahead and revealed, courtesy of their E3 2012 Hub, that the Wii U version of the game will also launch on February 12, 2013.
Of course, it’s not real until Sega says so. So we’ve contacted the publisher for confirmation on the February 12 release date.
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged Aliens: Colonial Marines, E3 2012
Wii U launch lineup will include at least 17 games
Nintendo’s E3 Hub is an interesting place. In addition to hosting screenshots and video for most of the Wii U’s announced titles, the site also includes an early glimpse at the console’s launch lineup, which currently numbers 17.
There’s even a pair of previously unannounced games:
- Project P-100, a Nintendo-published superhero game from Platinum Games!
- Game & Wario, a WarioWare-like experience for the Wii U.
Nintendo has split the Wii U’s launch lineup into “Launch” titles, “Launch Window” titles, and “Holiday 2012” titles. Hit the jump to see which game landed where and which games will make it out in 2013. (more…)
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2012, Game & Wario, The Wonderful 101
Agni’s Philosophy gives a glimpse at what Square Enix can do on next-gen systems
Agni’s Philosophy is not a game. Instead, it’s a mini-movie, produced by Square Enix, depicting what is possible on next-generation consoles and PCs. Like the Final Fantasy VII technical demo they created to showcase the PS3’s processing power, Agni’s Philosophy was designed to give gamers their first taste of the Luminous Engine, Square Enix’s multiplatform game creation tool.
Agni’s Philosophy includes many of the hallmarks of the Final Fantasy series inclduing a plucky young protagonist, Summons, crystals, and an ancient order that protects them. New to the series is an almost post-apocalyptic look to the world including modern trucks and terrorists wielding AK-47s.
There’s little chance that Agni’s Philosophy will enter full production for the PS4, Xbox 720 or Wii U (in fact, Square Enix’s history with tech demos almost assures it won’t), but it’s also a stunning piece of video with some nifty smoke, fire, and water effects.
PS Store Yesterday: Virtua Fighter 5, LittleBigPlanet 2, Instant Game Collection, more
In addition to announcing the “Instant Game Collection” for PlayStation Plus subscribers, Sony added a quartet of new games to the PlayStation Store late last night.
These new releases include Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, the revamped fighting game from Sega; Bang Bang Racing, a top-down racer for the whole family; Madagascar 3, the video game tie-in to this weekend’s new movie; and LittleBigPlanet 2, Sackboy’s most recent adventure.
More details on all of those games, as well as this week’s new game add-ons, can be found at the PlayStation Blog.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged LittleBigPlanet 2, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown