Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- 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
- Boss Fight Books to Get a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
- GDC Awards: All the Winners from 1996 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- We Pitched a Museum a 1993 Game Hint Line (And They Actually Said Yes) – Yarn Spinner (2026)
- The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread – A Critical Hit (2025)
- Creator of Hit Game Shovel Knight Is at a ‘Make or Break’ Moment – Bloomberg (2025)
- Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history – Design Room (2025)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Author: John Scalzo
These are the first screenshots of Super Mario Bros. Wii U
Tonight’s Pre-E3 edition of Nintendo Direct revealed some interesting new details about the Wii U GamePad and Pro Controller, but the most interesting thing that company President Satoru Iwata showed off was unveiled with no fanfare at all.
During the latter portion of the presentation, Iwata unveiled the Miiverse social networking component that is included with every Wii U console. He also said that the service can connect gamers as they’re playing Wii U games and demonstrated this connection with 16 seconds of footage from Super Mario Bros. Wii U.
The game is officially untitled and Iwata never confirmed the video came from the next Mario game. But we know the game in development, we know it’ll make its debut at E3 2012, and we know that this new footage is different from last year’s New Super Mario Bros. Mii tech demo.
You can see a few screenshots we pulled from the video, or watch the entire presentation yourself, after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2012, New Super Mario Bros. U
Wii U Pro Controller announced and it looks very familiar
Nintendo didn’t just show off the Wii U GamePad during their Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 presentation, they also debuted the tablet’s little buddy, the Wii U Pro Controller.
When you don’t need the full-size tablet (or are “mainly interested in multiplatform games with more traditional means of control”), you can use the Xbox 360-looking controller to your left. I mean, just look at it. The face buttons and the right analog stick have switched places, and the whole controller looks a tad wider from front to back, but they’re basically the same.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced that the Wii U Pro Controller will be sold separately from the Wii U console.
Final version of Wii U tablet officially unveiled
Only, it’s not called the Wii U tablet anymore.
A few hours ago, Nintendo put out their latest Nintendo Direct broadcast. On the 30-minute program, company President Satoru Iwata revealed the Wii U GamePad to the world. While the two GamePads look similar (and the touchscreen in the center is the same), the outer edge of the controller is brand new.
The analog nubs have been replaced by full-size analog sticks that are clickable (just like the PS3 and Xbox 360). The sticks themselves have been pulled further away from the screen while the d-pad and face buttons have been slid closer for a more comfortable feel. The GamePad also has a small sensor below the d-pad for scanning objects such as “action figures.”
But the coolest feature may just be the “TV Button” along the bottom row. Pressing it turns the Wii U GamePad into a full-fledged, infrared television remote. Maybe it’s the head cold I current have talking, but I think Nintendo just won the living room war with that little innovation.
Hit the jump to view the full Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 2012 presentation. (more…)
Game Informer reveals Gears of War: Judgment early
Game Informer promised to reveal the first details of the next Gears of War game on Monday, during Microsoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference.
But it looks like they’ve jumped the gun a bit, revealing the new game will be titled Gears of War: Judgment and that it’ll be a prequel set more than a decade before the first game.
According to the magazine, Judgment will star younger versions of Augustus “Cole Train” Cole and Damon Baird during their days in Kilo Squad. Two additional teammates (never-before-seen in Gears lore) will be joining them and IGN got the scoop from an anonymous source:
Baird, Cole, Garron, and Sofia — the four members of Gears of War: Judgment’s Kilo Squad — have been “charged for treason because they didn’t follow orders, stole equipment, and their actions could end up killing millions of people they swore to protect.
So it’s like The A-Team? Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged E3 2012, Gears of War: Judgment
Aliens: Colonial Marines Collector’s Edition makes me say “Get away from her you…”
Here’s something to take the sting about the most recent delay for Aliens: Colonial Marines. Sega and developer Gearbox Studios have announced a Collector’s Edition that will make you want to sing the praises of the Corps… “A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal’s a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I love the Corps!”
Retailing for $99.99, the Collector’s Edition will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 only (sorry PC gamers). The centerpiece of the edition (which is house in a “Xeno Hive” box) is an awesome resin powerloader figurine complete with a snapping Xenomorph. Sega has been shipping a life-size version of this statue to multiple game conventions around the world, so if you’re going to be at the E3 Expo next week, be on the lookout for it.
The package also features a USCM Dossier complete with a Mission Briefing, USS Sephora Schematic, Recruitment Card, LV-426 Recon Photo, USCM Iron-on Badges, and a USCM Graduation Certificate.
A host of in-game bonuses rounds out the Collector’s Edition including four playable movie characters (Corporal Hicks, Private Hudson, Private Drake, and Sergeant Apone), Additional Marines Character Customization Options, an exclusive multiplayer map (USCM Academy Firing Range) and a trio of weapons (Ripley’s Flamethrower, Sonic Electronic Ball Breakers, and Phase Plasma Rifle).
If you just want the in-game stuff (minus the Academy level, the Ball Breakers, and the Plasma Rifle), you can pre-order the game from GameStop to get them.
Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available on February 12, 2013.
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Aliens: Colonial Marines
Ni No Kuni’s E3 2012 trailer reveals January 22 release date
Gamers everywhere were pretty distraught when Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, the Namco Bandai-published PS3 collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, was delayed from late 2012 to early 2013. Thankfully, the new year will only be three weeks old when we finally get a chance to play it. An E3 trailer for Ni No Kuni was released by Namco Bandai ahead of the big show and it confirms a January 22, 2013 release date for the game.
If you’re a fan of gorgeous animation, you owe it to yourself to watch the trailer above.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged E3 2012, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 given July 10 release date
Zeboyd Games has revealed that Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 will be available to download for the PC (from Steam) and for the Xbox 360 (from Xbox Live Indie Games) on July 10. A Mac version is being planned for further down the line and purchasing the game through Steam will net you a copy of Penny Arcade’s We Need To Shorten the Title on These Games 3 for both platforms.
As promised, the game will arrive with the very wallet-friendly price of $5 (or 400 Microsoft Points).
Mobile versions for the iOS and Android platforms are also in development, but details on those “will be announced later.”
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, Xbox 360
Tagged Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3
Weekly Warp-Up: A New E3 Approaches Edition
No, that’s not a typo. Welcome to the Weekly Warp-Up, your weekly wrap-up of the biggest and the best articles posted at Warp Zoned this week…
The 2012 E3 Expo begins tomorrow! So talking about what happened last week seems just a little unnecessary. Or not, since most of the industry is already in “E3 Mode.” There were plenty of big announcements, promises of big announcements, and promises of promises of big announcements. Oh E3, don’t ever change.
But if you’d prefer to read about games that are already available I could point you towards our latest edition of Warpback, or better known as What We Played in May 2012.
Or maybe you want to find out which Warp Zoned staff members have an unhealthy obsession with Lollipop Chainsaw. The correct answer is all of us… OK, maybe it’s just me. But you won’t know for sure unless you check out our summation of The Games of June 2012.
But I know what you’re really after. Hit the break for more pre-E3 announcements from some of the biggest names in gaming from the week that was. (more…)
Posted in News