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.

“Dodge Everything” later this year in minimalist action game HyperDot on the PC and Xbox One

Posted on April 10, 2019 by John Scalzo

Do you have a polygonal-shaped hole in your heart for “dodge ’em ups” like Super Hexagon, Just Shapes & Beats, and Jumpgrid? Then you’re in luck, because Tribe Games and Glitch will release HyperDot for the PC and Xbox One sometime in 2019.

The minimalist arcade-style game will include more than 100 single-player levels, as well as a level editor, and multiplayer co-op:

Dodge Everything
HyperDot is an action arcade game rooted in minimalist design, maximum challenge, and infinite flexibility. Evade enemies and test your skills in over 100 trials in the campaign mode, outlast your friends in multiplayer battles, or build custom challenges with the level editor.

Features

  • Trials: 100+ levels and challenges in the single-player campaign
  • Better With Friends: Local co-op play with an elegant drop-in/drop-out system to get you and your friends in-game fast
  • Customization: Extensive gameplay customization with more than one million enemy, arena, and modifier combinations
  • Play Without Compromises: Speed adjustments, color-blind mode, and even full gameplay support with eye-tracking technology.

You can catch a glimpse at HyperDot in action in the Announcement Trailer embedded above.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One |

Nintendo’s second Tetris 99 Maximus Cup tournament will switch up the rules this weekend

Posted on April 9, 2019 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has announced that Tetris 99‘s second Maximus Cup event will take place this weekend… but dedicated players of the puzzle battle royale will need to do more than chase victories if they want to come out on top.

Unlike last time, this weekend’s Maximus Cup is a “Point Stacking Challenge,” and Nintendo will reward points for finishing a match anywhere in the Top 80. Naturally, a win will net you the most points (100), but earning 2nd Place (50) or 3rd Place (30) will also add a hefty bump to your tournament tally. Additional points will be awarded for finishers in the 4th-10th range (20), as well as 11th–30th (10), 31st–50th (5), and 51st–80th (2). Any player KOed below that threshold will receive 0 points for the match.

The 999 players who score the most points in the “Point Stacking Challenge” will receive 999 My Nintendo Gold Points (equal to $9.99 in credit on the Nintendo eShop).

This weekend’s Tetris 99 Maximus Cup will begin on Friday, April 12, at 9:00 AM (Eastern Time) and conclude on Monday, April 15, at 3:00 AM (Eastern Time).

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

New Retail Releases: Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, Dangerous Driving, More

Posted on April 8, 2019 by John Scalzo

Nintendo will finally dip their toe into the virtual reality waters this week with the launch of Nintendo Labo: VR Kit for the Switch. The consolemaker’s latest Labo set will include instructions to construct several new cardboard controllers including Toy-Con VR Goggles, a Toy-Con Blaster, a Toy-Con Elephant, a Toy-Con Camera, a Toy-Con Bird, and more.

While Nintendo is busy asking their players to pretend to be elephants, the team at Three Fields Entertainment will finally get the chance to give the public a look at Dangerous Driving, their spiritual successor to the Burnout franchise. Set to be released for the PS4 and Xbox One, Dangerous Driving will let players drive with “speed” and “aggression” as they tear up the track. A digital release for the PC will also be available exclusively through the Epic Games Store.

Finally this week, a pair of specialist publishers will release some new games that might have flown under your radar. Spike Chunsoft will launch their latest RPG, Zanki Zero: Last Beginning, for the PS4 (and with a digital release on the PC through Steam). Meanwhile, NIS America will bring their exploration sim, Neo Atlas 1469, to the Switch for the first time.

That’s it for this week’s new retail releases, but you can expect a wide variety of new titles to also make their way to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop (including Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain, and the Switch debut of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice) over the next seven days.

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

Nintendo will add VR support to Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Breath of the Wild on April 26

Posted on April 5, 2019 by John Scalzo

Switch owners should be excited, as the Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will finally bring a limited version of virtual reality to the console when it launches next week.

But Nintndo also has plans to quickly expand VR support on the Switch thanks to a pair of free updates coming April 26 to Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. A recent post on Nintendo.com highlights how the consolemaker plans to integrate the VR Kit’s included VR Goggles with these two games:

Super Mario Odyssey
Experience small areas of the Cap, Seaside, and Luncheon Kingdoms in a whole new way with the Toy-Con VR Goggles. Players must collect music notes and Coins to complete objectives in three new mini-missions.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Enjoy this epic adventure like never before—change modes at any time while adventuring to explore your favorite places with VR!

The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be available in stores on April 12, and a new trailer showcasing the upcoming VR features for Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been embedded above.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged , ,

NetherRealm adds the four-armed Kollector to Mortal Kombat 11

Posted on April 5, 2019 by John Scalzo

NetherRealm Studios has been busy stacking Mortal Kombat 11‘s roster with plenty of returning fan favorites, but the developer has also been hard at work adding several new characters to the game. And just today they revealed The Collector, yet another new enforcer for Shao Kahn.

Nah, I’m just kidding. He’s actually known as “The Kollector” (because, of course he is).

Kollector is a four-armed beast similar to Goro and Sheeva, but with a more slimmed down and Gollum-like appearance. The comparison to Tolkien’s creation is particularly apt as Kollector claims that his purpose is to collect “blood and gold” for Shao Kahn. You can see just how he goes about this mission in the new trailer embedded above, and be on the lookout for his absolutely vicious Fatality at the end.

Mortal Kombat 11 will be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on April 23.

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

First full-length footage of Stranger Things 3: The Game recreates the show’s brilliant trailer

Posted on April 4, 2019 by John Scalzo

Netflix revealed a few months ago that a game adaptation of Stranger Things 3 was in the works and scheduled to launch this Summer, but the developers at Bonus XP needed a little extra time to filter the third season’s brilliant trailer through the game’s glorious pixelated hues. The result was certainly worth the wait and this Teaser Trailer has been embedded above.

Stranger Things 3: The Game is an isometric brawler with a 16-bit art style for up to two players, and it’ll be released alongside the premiere of the show’s third season on July 4 for the PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and mobile devices.

Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One |

God of War wins “Best Game” at 2019 BAFTA Games Awards

Posted on April 4, 2019 by John Scalzo

It’s a clean sweep for Sony Santa Monica’s God of War. The highly-acclaimed title collected the “Best Game” statuette at this morning’s BAFTA Games Awards ceremony, and the developers can now add it to a stuffed trophy shelf that also includes “Game of the Year” honors from the GDC Awards, SXSW Gaming Awards, DICE Awards, and the Game Awards.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts bestowed four more awards on Kratos’s latest adventure throughout the ceremony, including “Audio Achievement,” “Music,” “Narrative,” and “Performer” (to Jeremy Davies for his portrayal of The Stranger).

Nintendo marched to the stage multiple times during the 2019 BAFTA Games Awards to collect statuettes for Nintendo Labo in the “Game Innovation” and “Family” categories. Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn also won two awards, “Artistic Achievement” and “Game Design.” And this year’s BAFTA for “Best British Game” was given to Playground Games’s Forza Horizon 4.

The complete list of winners at the 2019 BAFTA Games Awards can be found after the break. (more…)

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

Borderlands 3 will rain “billions of guns” on PC, PS4, Xbox One on September 13

Posted on April 3, 2019 by John Scalzo

As promised, Gearbox Software has unveiled a new trailer for Borderlands 3, as well as the highly-anticipated game’s release date. Fans eager for more mayhem will be able to begin playing Borderlands for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on September 13, and they’ll be able to do it alongside “billions of guns” and four brand new Vault Hunters:

A Mayhem-Fueled Thrill Ride
Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four brand new Vault Hunters – the ultimate treasure-seeking badasses of the Borderlands, each with deep skill trees, abilities, and customization.

Play solo or join with friends to take on insane enemies, collect bazillions of guns and loads of loot, and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy… the Calypso Twins.

“For the past several years, the team at Gearbox Software has been devoting every ounce of our passion, creativity and love into making Borderlands 3 the biggest, baddest and most ambitious Borderlands adventure we’ve ever made,” said Randy Pitchford, the President and CEO of Gearbox Software. “Borderlands 3 is being crafted not only as a love letter to fans of the series, but also as an ideal entry point for new players to jump-in alone or cooperatively, on or off-line, in the latest and greatest installment of the definitive best-in-class benchmark shooter-looter.”

We’ll get our next look at Borderlands 3 during a “Worldwide Gameplay Reveal Event” livestream on May 1, and Gearbox also confirmed the public will have four different options to choose from when the game launches on September 13. Of course, there’s the expected Standard Edition ($59.99), but fans will also be able to pick up one of three different special edition packages.

You can learn more about all of Borderlands 3’s “Deluxe” options after the break. (more…)

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