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.

Ubisoft bringing Splinter Cell, Rayman, Driver, more to 3DS launch

Posted on January 20, 2011 by John Scalzo

Ubisoft plans to bring eight games to the 3DS’ launch window, more than any other third party publisher and more than even Nintendo themselves.

As you might expect from the company, the eight titles are heavily skewed towards Ubisoft’s existing franchises. Exact release dates for each game weren’t announced, but gamers can expect a 3D take on Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, the first-ever turned-based Ghost Recon game, a new entry in the Driver series, a remake of Rayman 2 and a new Rabbids platformer.

Ubisoft’s 3DS launch lineup is rounded out by Asphalt 3D, a racing game; Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D, a one-on-one fighter starring dinosaurs; and James Noir’s Hollywood Crimes, a puzzle game with a quirky protagonist (shades of Dr. Layton perhaps?).

More details on all eight titles can be found after the break. (more…)

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Team Ninja planning Metroid cameos for Dead or Alive Dimensions

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Does the suckitude of Metroid: Other M still sting? Well it looks like Team Ninja will be getting another crack at the game’s universe in this year’s Dead or Alive Dimensions on the 3DS.

In addition to the Metroid-themed stage you see in the video above, Samus Aran and Ridley will show up as background characters that can attack the DoA fighters. Does this also mean Samus might show up as a playable character? Nothing’s been confirmed, but we can certainly dream…

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Can you dig these WWE All-Stars trailers?

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

OOOOOOOHHHHH YYYEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!

THQ is taking the WWE to the arcade this March (March 29 to be exact) with WWE All-Stars, a wildly over-the-top wrestling game that brings together two generations of the WWE’s finest.

Check out the game’s debut trailer above and hit the jump for a special message from “Macho Man” Randy Savage on why he’s the greatest superstar in the PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, PS2 and PSP game. At 58, the former Slim Jim spokesman is still more awesome than any wrestler working today. (more…)

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Gears of War: Exile trademarked

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

What is Gears of War: Exile?

Epic Games has filed a trademark application covering “video game software,” “computer game hint books and instruction manuals,” and “t-shirts” for the phrase along with the image to your left. This is obviously not an announcement of anything, but it is rather interesting in light of the canceled Gears of War presentation during the 2010 Spike TV Video Game Awards.

So we come back to the question, what is Gears of War: Exile? Hopefully we’ll find out soon.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 |

Amazing Race game predicted Unfinished Business teams

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

A video game adaptation of The Amazing Race was released for the Wii back in November and while the game only featured fictional teams, the cover art was apparently an early sneak peak at the cast of The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business.

Unfinished Business is the second all-star edition of The Amazing Race, as 11 teams have returned to race around the world again. That includes six of the seven teams pictured on the cover of The Amazing Race for the Wii (from left):

  • Jaime & Cara (The Cheerleaders)
  • Flight Time & Big Easy (The Globetrotters)
  • Mark & Michael (The Stunt Brothers)
  • Kisha & Jen (Sisters)
  • Jet & Cord (The Cowboys)
  • Luke & Margie (Deaf Son & Mother)
  • Kynt & Vyxsin (The Goths)

Only Mark & Michael, “The Stunt Brothers” from The Amazing Race 14, were included on the game’s cover but left out of Unfinished Business.

The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business premieres next month, Sunday, February 20, on CBS. More information on this season’s participants can be found at CBS.com.

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3DS “launch window” titles revealed

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Nintendo wouldn’t get specific about which 3DS games would be available on March 27 and which would come later, but they did reveal 24 “launch window” titles that should be sure to have every prospective 3DS owner drooling:

  • Pilotwings Resort
  • Nintendogs + Cats
  • Steel Diver
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked
  • Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition
  • Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
  • Madden NFL Football
  • The Sims 3
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D
  • Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
  • Ridge Racer 3D
  • Dual Pen Sports
  • Super Monkey Ball 3D
  • Thor: God of Thunder
  • Crush 3D
  • Bust-A-Move Universe
  • Samurai Warriors Chronicles
  • Dead or Alive Dimensions
  • Asphalt 3D
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
  • Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D
  • Rayman 3D
  • Rabbids Travel in Time

Wow. That is like a whole year of great titles and, according to Nintendo, they’ll all be released by June.

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3DS launching March 27, priced at $250

Posted on January 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Nintendo’s New York City reveal of the 3DS is finished and we now know everything about the company’s next handheld.

It’ll launch on March 27 with a suggested retail price of $249.99, making it Nintendo’s most expensive handheld ever. And what do you get for your money, in addition to the 3DS system, the box will be packed with a ton of extras:

  • Telescoping stylus
  • Mii Maker software
  • A physical activity log/pedometer program
  • Face Raiders, a pre-installed game that uses the 3DS’ camera
  • “Enhanced” Internet browswer
  • Sound software/MP3 player that’s very similar to what’s on the DSi
  • AR Cards for “alternate reality” games
  • 2GB SD card

Nintendo plans to have more than 30 games available for the 3DS between its launch and E3 in June. The publisher didn’t want to get specific about which titles would be available on day one and which would be available in the launch window, but 24 titles were revealed by Nintendo this morning, including Nintendogs + Cats, Pilotwings Resort and Steel Diver.

As to the 3DS’ online capabilities, Nintendo revealed that the handheld will still use Friend Codes, but they will be system-specific. Individual game codes will no longer be required. And the system’s “Spot Pass” will attempt to connect to wi-fi networks automatically.

Finally, the 3DS eShop will include “a steady stream of Game Boy and Game Boy Color games,” along with a variety of original titles.

So that’s what we know about the 3DS, are you excited yet?

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Top Spin 4 serving up biggest roster ever on March 15

Posted on January 18, 2011 by John Scalzo

Andre Agassi is returning to a virtual tennis court for the first time in over a decade and he’s bringing the largest roster of players ever to appear in a tennis game with him. 2K Sports has revealed that 25 players Top Spin 4 will be released for the PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 on March 15.

The complete roster includes:

  • Andre Agassi
  • Bjorn Borg
  • Roger Federer
  • Jim Courier
  • Rafael Nadal
  • Boris Becker
  • Serena Williams
  • Patrick Rafter
  • Michael Chang
  • Dinara Safina
  • Andy Murray
  • Novak Djokovic
  • Ana Ivanovic
  • Ivan Lendel
  • Pete Sampras
  • Andy Roddick
  • James Blake
  • Caroline Wozniacki
  • Nikolay Davydenko
  • Gilles Simon
  • Bernard Tomic
  • Eugenie Bouchard
  • Stanislas Wawrinka
  • Vera Zvonareva
  • Jelena Jankovic

PS3 and Xbox 360 owners can add a 26th player to the mix if they pre-order Top Spin 4: “Vintage” Andre Agassi. That’s right, the mullet returns!

Agassi was quiet on the subject of his mullet, but he did say, “Tennis has been in my life for as long as I can remember. I hope that with Top Spin 4 players can enjoy the sport as much as I have.”

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