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.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Season Pass will include $45 worth of DLC content

Posted on May 4, 2017 by John Scalzo

It’s taken more than 25 years for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia to travel across the Pacific Ocean, but Nintendo has decided they also want to expand the strategy adventure with a wide array of post-launch downloadable content.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia will released exclusively for the 3DS on May 19, and Nintendo will release the first DLC Pack on the same day. Additional Packs will arrive every week after that, and a Season Pass option (priced at $44.99) will be available for those who want to collect them all. However, players who aren’t interested in obtaining all five DLC Packs can purchase them separately.

Each DLC Pack for Fire Emblem Echoes will feature a variety of new content including new maps, new dungeons, new character classes, and a sweeping new story chapter that serves as a prologue to the main game:

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia – DLC Schedule

  • DLC Pack #1: Fledgling Warriors Pack – Ideal for early- to mid-game adventurers, this pack includes a new dungeon (The Astral Temple) and two new maps, great for gaining more items, money and experience points. (May 19, $7.99)
  • DLC Pack #2: Undaunted Heroes Pack – In addition to a new dungeon (The Inner Sanctum), this pack also includes two challenging new maps that stronger, more seasoned heroes will want to tackle. (May 25, $9.99)
  • DLC Pack #3: Lost Altars Pack – The mysterious dungeons included in this pack hold the power to upgrade characters to exclusive classes that don’t appear in the main game. (May 25, $14.99)
  • DLC Pack #4: Rise of the Deliverance Pack – Discover the previously untold history of Valentia in this prologue pack. Complete with new story content and additional voice acting that details the rise of the Deliverance in Zofia, this collection of challenging maps includes new support conversations between selected heroes, as well as the ability to take command of a character players won’t be able to control in the main game. (June 1, $12.99)
  • DLC Pack #5 – More information about this final DLC pack will be revealed in the future. ($5.99)

In addition to this series of paid expansions, Nintendo plans to release several free updates for Fire Emblem Echoes. The first free update will also be available on May 19, and it’s a special gift that can be obtained from the Goddess Mila.

More information about all of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia’s DLC Packs can be found at the game’s official website.

Posted in 3DS, News | Tagged

Nintendo Download: NBA Playgrounds, Bonk’s Revenge, more

Posted on May 4, 2017 by John Scalzo

The classic arcade-style hoops of NBA Jam returns to the Nintendo eShop this week with NBA Playgrounds. Developed by Saber Interactive, NBA Playgrounds will be available to download this coming Tuesday, May 9. The Switch game will include dozens of NBA superstars, and offer “high-flying” two-on-two contests.

Also available as part of this week’s Nintendo Download, and available to purchase today, is Bonk’s Revenge on the Wii U. The side-scroller was originally released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1991, and players will once again get the chance to headbutt their way through a prehistoric jungle.

Nintendo fans can learn more about both games (and the rest of this week’s new additions to the Nintendo eShop) after the break. (more…)

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

Nintendo is hoping some households will purchase more than one Switch console

Posted on May 4, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo had great confidence in the Switch’s prospects from the very beginning, and after its very profitable first month, the consolemaker is even more bullish about its future. But because of its dual nature as a console and a handheld, President Tatsumi Kimishima is setting his sights even higher. Like Nintendo’s previous portables, he expects many households to buy multiple Switch consoles:

[C]onsidering that Nintendo Switch is a home console video game system that you can take with you on the go so you can play anytime, anywhere, with anyone, we think there will be households that feel as though one is not really enough.

Kimishima made his remarks during Nintendo’s most recent shareholder Q&A session, and this newfound confidence in the console is all part of the company’s plan to ship ten million Switch consoles to stores over the next year. The executive also said that reaching this milestone will be a positive signal to their third-party partners, and it’s the best way to ensure a steady stream of third-party software remains in production for the Switch.

But it sounds like Nintendo themselves plan to power up the Switch’s first year, with Kimishima promising that major titles will launch “one […] after another with no gaps” until the end of the year:

Our vision for Nintendo Switch is to release one title after another with no gaps following the March launch, reach a large number of consumers during the holiday season, and continue to expand the business.

Kimishima’s statement heavily hints at more Switch announcements before the end of the year, but with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe already available on store shelves, and Arms and Splatoon 2 confirmed for this Summer, he’s already well on his way to making good on his pledge.

Posted in News, Switch |

Sledgehammer Games reveals their “Vision” for Call of Duty: WWII in new trailer

Posted on May 4, 2017 by John Scalzo

Sledgehammer Games is taking Call of Duty back to World War II this Fall in the less-than-imaginatively titled Call of Duty: WWII. After giving the world their first look at the game late last week, the developer is back with a new trailer discussing their “Vision” for the project.

For Sledgehammer, the key word appears to be “authenticity,” as they’ve recruited World War II historian and author Martin K.A. Morgan to help with the game’s story, which will be based on real-life events. They’re also closely modeling WWII-era vehicles and weapons, and testing those weapons on a firing range to ensure they sound the same in the game as they would on the battlefield.

The development team is also working with something of a mantra for Call of Duty: WWII… “Dark and Beautiful.” They want to game feel “emotionally dark” while also looking “visually beautiful.”

You can see if they’re on the right track in the new “Vision” trailer, which has been embedded above. And don’t forget, Call of Duty: WWII will launch for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 3.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

The World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 includes Halo, Pokemon Red/Blue, Street Fighter II, and Donkey Kong

Posted on May 4, 2017 by John Scalzo

The debate has ended for another year and the induction committee from the World Video Game Hall of Fame is ready to announce their Class of 2017. Drum roll, please…

This year’s first new addition to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games’s Hall of Fame is Donkey Kong. Nintendo’s first big hit became an arcade sensation in 1980, and also introduced the world to a mustachioed plumber named Mario. On the game’s selection, ICHEG Director Jon-Paul Dyson said, “[Donkey Kong’s] overarching narrative of love and its vibrant graphics brought the game to life in a way that few other games could in the early 1980s. It captured the hearts of a generation.”

This year’s class also includes Halo: Combat Evolved, Bungie’s groundbreaking first person shooter and the game that put Microsoft’s Xbox on the map. Curator Shannon Symonds said, “[Halo] boasted one of the strongest multiplayer experiences of its time and created a legion of hardcore fans that refer to themselves as the ‘Halo Nation.’ ”

Hot off the heels of the launch of Pokemon Go, the Hall of Fame also chose to induct Pokemon Red and Blue, the first pair of games released in the far-reaching RPG franchise. The universal appeal of the franchise was a major factor in its selection, as Symonds added: “Pokemon Red and Blue launched a franchise that has taken the world by storm, vaulting many of its characters, such as Pikachu, into popular, mainstream culture. Nearly two decades after its inception and with the introduction of Pokemon Go, ‘Poke-mania’ shows little sign of fading.”

Finally, Capcom’s Street Fighter II: The World Warrior became the first one-on-one fighting game to be added to the Hall of Fame as the final member of the Class of 2017. ICHEG Assistant Director Jeremy Saucier believes that Street Fighter II’s social component fueled its popularity, adding, “This communal style of game play reinvigorated the arcade industry in the 1990s and helped give birth to a generation of fighting games.”

Congratulations to all of this year’s inductees.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame chose to deny entry to eight other finalists this year including Final Fantasy VII, Microsoft Windows Solitaire, Mortal Kombat, Myst, Portal, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, and Wii Sports. But they’ll get another shot. Nominations are already being accepted for the Class of 2018.

Posted in News, Retro | Tagged , , ,

Xbox Store Today: Paladins, FlatOut 4, Samurai Shodown, more

Posted on May 3, 2017 by John Scalzo

There’s a nice variety of new titles now available to download through the Xbox Games Store today…

First up is Paladins, a free-to-play team-based shooter from for the Xbox One Hi-Rez Studios (who are also the creators of Smite). Paladins features a “unique collectible card system” and players can use it to customize the abilities of their favorite in-game character.

Also available to download today is FlatOut 4: Total Insanity, a new entry in the stunt racing franchise for the Xbox One. This time around, players will get to experience “bigger, louder, better, and more outrageous stunts” while also recreating some of the most popular stunts from the franchise’s past.

A two-fer of NeoGeo games were also added to the Xbox Games Store for the Xbox One today including one-on-one fighter Samurai Shodown and side-scrolling shooter Last Resort.

Finally today, Planetbase, “a strategy game where you guide a group of space settlers trying to establish an outpost on a remote planet,” is now available to download for the Xbox One.

You can learn more about all of these titles after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox One |

Quake’s Ranger enters the Arena in the latest Quake Champions trailer

Posted on May 3, 2017 by John Scalzo

Doomguy is the instantly recognizable face of id Software’s Doom franchise, but Quake‘s Ranger has also built quite the reputation for himself as part developer’s other shooter series.

Today, id Software unveiled their latest character trailer for Quake Champions, and reintroduced fans to Ranger:

Ranger (Slipgate Marine)
From his origins in the original Quake, to his time spent in the bloody halls of Quake III Arena, Ranger is a legendary character who’s returning to once again wreak havoc in the arenas of Quake Champions. With his Dire Orb active ability Ranger can teleport to impossible ledges, dodge incoming attacks and much more.

Active Ability – Dire Orb: Ranger battled waves upon waves of Death Knights and Shamblers to get the Dire Orb. It was worth keeping. Now he uses it to teleport around the Arenas, reaching ledges, dodging rockets, and telefragging unsuspecting enemies dumb enough to stand in his way. The Dire Orb also does damage when it hits an enemy and if left unused, it will explode, damaging foes in the immediate area.

Passive Ability – Son of a Gun: Ranger’s a veteran – he’s knows all the tricks of the Arenas. His Son of a Gun passive ability reduces the amount of self-damage he takes by 25%, meaning he can Rocket Jump with less penalty to get the drop on unsuspecting foes.

A Closed Beta is currently underway for Quake Champions, and the free-to-play shooter will receive a full release on the PC later this year. You can register for a chance to receive a beta invitation at the game’s official website.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

Prey, Gnog, World to the West, more added to PlayStation Store

Posted on May 3, 2017 by John Scalzo

The month of May has belonged to Bethesda Softworks for a last few years, and it doesn’t look like they’re letting go anytime soon.

The publisher will bring Prey to the PS4 this week, and it’ll be available to download through the PlayStation Store on Friday, May 5. The first person shooter isn’t connected to Human Head’s Prey, but it does feature the same themes of malevolent aliens and human experimentation. Also available to download this Friday is World to the West, Rain Games’s followup to the well-received Teslagrad.

If you’re looking for something to play today, KO_OP has launched their “tactile 3D puzzle” Gnog for the PS4. It’s also compatible with PlayStation VR, so you can really get a feel for the game’s scary heads.

Finally today, Alex Rose Games will bring their “masocore” platformer Super Rude Bear Resurrection to the PS4. Players will die often as they rush through the game’s many stages, but luckily, “your previous bodies stack up and you can jump on them, push them around and use them as shields.”

On that happy note, you can find a complete rundown of all of this week’s new releases after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PS4, Vita | Tagged ,