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.

Royalty Gone Wild! William and Kate get married in The Sims 3

Posted on April 21, 2011 by John Scalzo

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is eight days away and EA has decided to take the piss out of the happy couple (What? They’re British.) Using The Sims 3, the publisher has created their own version of the royal wedding complete with a drunk Harry, a fainting Charles and a Queen Elizabeth that gets jiggy with it.

What? She does get jiggy with it.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

Rumor: God of War IV scheduled for September 2012

Posted on April 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

Sony Santa Monica Studio has long said that God of War III would not be the end for Kratos. After making an appearance in the recently released Mortal Kombat, a PSM3 report (via CVG) makes the claim that the Ghost of Sparta will return in God of War IV, which they claim is on track for a September 2012 release:

PSM3 has heard from another source that God of War 4 is coming, and will hit in September 2012. Our source works closely with the God of War universe, and let slip he’d be working on a related project at the same time.

Hopefully we’ll find out more at E3.

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged

Section 8: Prejudice, Fancy Pants Adventures added to XBLA today

Posted on April 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

Microsoft has added two new games to the Xbox Live Arcade on this fine XBLA Wednesday: Section 8: Prejudice and The Fancy Pants Adventures.

Section 8: Prejudice is a sequel to the well-received retail game Section 8. Developer TimeGate Studios shrunk its price down to $15 (1200 Microsoft Points) but has promised the game itself is just as big as ever.

Going in a completely opposite aesthetic direction, The Fancy Pants Adventures is a platformer that features stick figures.

More information on both games can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

EA confirms original Alice included with Alice: Madness Returns

Posted on April 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

It looks like American McGee didn’t sneak a hit off the Caterpillar’s hookah when he told CVG that American McGee’s Alice would be included with PS3 and Xbox 360 copies of Alice: Madness Returns.

After initially issuing a “no comment,” Electronic Arts has confirmed the first Alice game will be included with Madness Returns as the company’s latest “Project Ten Dollar” bonus. The one-time-use Online Pass will unlock the game within the main menu of Madness Returns, which means it won’t be offered as a separate PSN/XBLA release.

However, those that purchase Alice: Madness Returns on the used market will be able to access Alice by obtaining an Online Pass through the PlayStation Store/Xbox Live Marketplace for $9.99 (or 800 Microsoft Points).

Alice: Madness Returns will be released on June 14.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged ,

Freddy and Jason WON’T be appearing in Mortal Kombat

Posted on April 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

The Mortal Kombat reboot has been available for one day, and rumors of secret characters have already arisen. Those rumors state that NetherRealm Studios will add horror icons Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees to Mortal Kombat in a future DLC package. But as awesome as that would be, it’s just not true.

The basis for this rumor appears to be a misreading of Ed Boon‘s recent tweets. The Mortal Kombat creator has taken to Twitter over the last few days offering congratulations and kind words to the Mortal Kombat team for a job well done on the latest game in the series. It looks like it was this message that sparked the Freddy vs Jason vs Mortal Kombat rumors:

You know who animated Smoke’s X-ray move? That would be Senior Animator Freddy Palma. Maybe we should put Freddy in the game as DLC?

Deleted: Boon is clearly referring to Freddy Palma, and not Freddy Krueger, in the tweet and then overeager fans filled in the rest. But the idea of Freddy and Jason in Outworld isn’t so crazy. In addition to publishing Mortal Kombat, Warner Bros. owns the rights to both Krueger and Jason. So legally, there’s no barrier to this happening if Warner Bros. wanted it to happen.

Attention WB Games… As a longtime fan of Mortal Kombat, the Friday the 13th films, and (some of) the Nightmare on Elm Street films, I would very much like to see this happen.

UPDATE: Wow. Freddy Krueger was just announced as the final DLC addition to Mortal Kombat.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Arcana Heart 3, Red Johnson’s Chronicles, Puzzle Agent, Sonic 2 added to PSN

Posted on April 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Sony has added another bevy of downloadable PS3 games and PSone Classics to the PlayStation Store. Whether your pleasure is a crimesolving adventure (Red Johnson’s Chronicles: Episode 1), a puzzling puzzle game (Puzzle Agent), an all-female fighter (Arcana Heart 3) or one of the greatest games of all-time (Sonic the Hedgehog 2), this week’s PSN update has something for you.

Hit the jump for a full rundown of all of this week’s releases and visit the PlayStation.Blog for a complete listing of all the new add-ons and discounted titles. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, PSP | Tagged ,

Check out CoD: Black Ops Escalation Map Pack trailer

Posted on April 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Treyarch has unveiled the first trailer for the second Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack, Escalation. The developers discuss what gamers can expect from the four new maps: “Zoo,” an abandoned Russian zoo; “Hotel,” a 1960s-style vacation spot that is also abandoned; “Convoy,” an abandoned truck stop (am I sensing a theme here?) and “Stockpile,” an abandoned weapons depot (yup, definite theme).

Treyarch was less forthcoming about “Call of the Dead,” the new Zombies experience included with Escalation. Apparently, more details of the flesh-eating variety will be revealed in a few days.

The Escalation Map Pack will be available for download first on the Xbox Live Marketplace on May 3rd with PC and PSN availability coming later.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Mark Ingram scores NCAA Football 12 cover

Posted on April 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

With all the hoopla over the Madden NFL 12 Cover Vote, it’s understandable if you had no idea that EA Sports was holding a second vote to determine the cover athlete for NCAA Football 12 as well. Rather than a massive 32-player tournament and a partnership with ESPN, the NCAA Football 12 cover was determined by a simple poll on the game’s Facebook page.

Four players were in the running: Auburn University defensive lineman Nick Fairley, University of Alabama running back Mark Ingram, University of Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray, and University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker. After 140,000 votes were cast, 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram was selected to be the game’s coverboy.

According to developer EA Tiburon, the game he’ll be endorsing is the most authentic college football experience yet (of course, they say that every year):

NCAA Football 12 takes the journey of the college athlete to the next level of depth and authenticity. Experience the pride and pageantry of gameday Saturday like never before as players go from high school superstar to top college player to head coach in the Road to Glory and Dynasty modes. With an enhanced in-game presentation, new traditions, and an all-new collision system, players make an impact by leading their team to the National Championship in NCAA Football 12.

NCAA Football 12 will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on July 12.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged