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.

Strafe will be released for the PC on March 28

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

Publisher Devolver Digital has announced that Strafe, Pixel Titans’s retro-inspired first person shooter, will be released for the PC on March 28.

Strafe is a roguelike first-person shooter pushing the limits of computer-generated photorealism and hardcore sci-fi action into unimaginable territory.

As a Scrapper on a impossibly dangerous mission at the edge of the galaxy, you only have one life to navigate all the nightmarish terrains of Strafe. When you die, nothing will ever be the same again.

Strafe is also in development for the PS4, and it’ll be available for Sony’s console at a later date. In the meantime, I suggest visiting the game’s official website, which will definitely make you nostalgic for 1996-era web design.

Posted in News, PC, PS4 | Tagged

Gigantic: Exile in the North update adds winter-themed skins and a goofy yeti named Pakko

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

Gigantic is currently available in Open Beta on Windows 10 and the Xbox One, and developer Motiga has now delivered the MOBA’s first major update: Exile in the North.

The wintry update will include new character skins and weapon skins for Wu and Tripp. But Exile in the North’s major addition to the game is a brand new character named Pakko. Pakko is a happy-go-lucky yeti who slides into battle on his butt and can hurl exploding snowballs at enemy squads. He can also deliver a painful barrage of melee attacks and exhale icy breath to stop the competition cold.

New Hero: Pakko
A huggable, playful giant who has no problem keeping cool in the heat of battle. The happy-go-lucky Pakko slides into action, pummeling foes with powerful paws while maneuvering around opponents with surprising agility.

New Winter Themed Skins

  • Pakko – “I’m Tido!”
  • Wu – “Mercy Gi”
  • Wu – “Shadow’s Chill”
  • Tripp – “Citadel of Frost”
  • Tripp – “Shock Therapy”

New Winter Themed Weapon Skins

  • Wu – “Mark of Corruption”
  • Tripp – “Icicle Shards”

A trailer starring Pakko has been embedded above, and the complete Patch Notes for Exile in the North can be found on Gigantic’s official website.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One | Tagged

You can sign up for an Injustice 2 Beta right now

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

WB Games and NetherRealm Studios have announced plans to hold a Beta to test the online capabilities of the upcoming Injustice 2.

We don’t yet know when the Beta will go live, but you can register now to possibly receive an invite at the game’s official website. Both PS4 and Xbox One owners have been asked to participate, so it doesn’t look like the Beta will be exclusively tied to a single platform or a pre-order bundle.

Injustice 2 will be released on May 16. And in case you missed it, you can learn what happened in the aftermath of Superman’s imprisonment by watching the recently-released Story Trailer.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Xbox Store Today: Metrico+, I Am Bread, Toby The Secret Mine, more

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

It’s Friday, and Microsoft has added another batch of games to the Xbox Games Store today…

Digital Dreams will finally bring Metrico+, their minimalist infographics-themed puzzle platformer, to the Xbox One today. It’ll be joined on the Xbox One by I Am Bread, Bossa’s engaging tale about a sentient piece of bread who longs to become toast.

Finally today, Toby: The Secret Mine is another minimalist platformer, and it asks players to help little Toby rescue his friends from the foreboding deep forest.

More information about all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox One | Tagged ,

The Video Game Canon – Super Mario Bros. 3

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

Dig deeper into the Video Game Canon with a look at Mario’s actorly ambitions in Super Mario Bros. 3. Here’s a teaser…

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
– As You Like It, Act II Scene VII

Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom cohorts have held a surprising number of occupations over the years. In addition to his plumbing business and the hero-for-hire game, Mario has been employed as a multi-sport athlete, a race car driver, a referee, a dancer, an artist, a virologist, and a typing tutor. He’s practically done it all, and I think only political office has eluded him. I guess that’s the trouble with monarchies.

Bouncing from genre to genre like that is usually considered a liability for other game characters. As sublimely silly as the idea seems, no one wants to see Kratos squeezed into a go-kart. And yet, fans readily accept Mario’s multitasking, and many of his spinoff adventures are now more popular than some of the franchise’s traditional platformers. There’s a strong possibility this all stems from the fact that Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, designed the character this way from the beginning.

Visit VideoGameCanon.com to continue reading this article and to explore the complete Top 1000.

Posted in 3DS, Features, Retro, Top Story, Video Game Canon, Wii, Wii U | Tagged

CoD: Infinite Warfare, Battlefield 1, The Division are the best-selling games of 2016

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

The video game industry should definitely be celebrating right now, as The NPD Group has announced that consumers spent $30.4 billion on hardware, software, peripherals, and in-game purchases in 2016. This is a slight increase over 2015 revenues, which totaled a measly $30.2 billion.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, NPD Analyst Mat Piscatella attributed some of this growth to the emergence of virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR. He also cited the “cultural phenomenon” that was Pokemon Go and the subsequent release of Pokemon Sun and Moon on the 3DS.

“Growth in entertainment software consumer spend was seen across the mobile, PC, virtual reality, subscription, portable, and digital console segments,” Piscatella said. “Consumers have more options to purchase and enjoy entertainment software than ever before, while developers have more and easier ways of delivering that content. No matter the delivery platform, entertainment software has never been more engaging, diverse or accessible.”

However, none of those games managed to crack the top ten for 2016, which was once again dominated by Activision’s Call of Duty franchise. Even though it launched to less-than-stellar reviews and a negative fan reaction, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was still the best-selling game in 2016. Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops III was also represented in the top ten, at #8.

Tom Clancy’s The Division (#3) and Overwatch (#7) proved that new franchises can still make some noise in the NPD’s annual ranking, but perennial best-sellers like NBA 2K17 (#4), Madden NFL 17 (#5), and FIFA 17 (#9) also sold well in 2016, as did strong sequels such as Battlefield 1 (#2) and Final Fantasy XV (#10).

You can find the NPD’s list of best-selling games throughout all of 2016 after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare repeats as the best-selling game of December 2016

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare launched on November 4, and it easily took the crown as the best-selling game for the whole month. Today, The NPD Group revealed the best-selling games for December, and Infinite Warfare managed to repeat as the top title.

While Activision’s shooter series continued to be a favorite among gift givers at the end of the year, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XV had an almost equally impressive retail peformance.

“Although a Call of Duty has now topped the December sales chart for the ninth consecutive year, Final Fantasy XV was the best-selling game for the PS4 during the month,” NPD Analyst Sam Naji told GamesIndustry.biz. “Final Fantasy XV was the second best-selling title for December 2016… Final Fantasy XV experienced the best console launch month in the history of the franchise selling 19% more new physical units than Final Fantasy XIII in its launch month and 54% more in total dollar revenue including digital full game sales.”

The remainder of the top ten should look familiar as it contains several of 2016’s biggest games including Battlefield 1 (#3), Madden NFL 17 (#4), NBA 2K17 (#5), Watch Dogs 2 (#6), FIFA 17 (#8), and Pokemon Sun and Moon (#8 and #10, respectively). 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V also cracked the best-sellers list for December at #7.

You can find the complete top ten in list form after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Nintendo Download: Dragon Quest VIII, Punch Club, Star Fox 64, more

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has added an eclectic mix of titles to the Nintendo eShop as part of today’s update. Let’s have a look…

Nintendo and Square Enix have teamed up to bring Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King to the 3DS on Friday, January 20. The epic RPG has received a complete makeover including new dungeons, bosses, items, quests, scenes, and a new possible ending.

3DS owners looking to download something today can try Punch Club from Lazy Bear Games. The “boxing tycoon management game” features multiple storylines for players who want to indulge in their inner pugilist. But will you participate in fair fights or go the “shady” route?

Finally, Wii U owners will have the chance to download Star Fox 64 through the Virtual Console today. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, Star Fox 64 popularized the use of the Rumble Pak and is considered by many to be the best entry in the space shooter franchise.

You can learn more about this trio of games (and the rest of today’s new releases) after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U | Tagged