Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
- Boss Fight Books Gets a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
- GDC Awards: All the Winners from 1996 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
- Silent Hill, Dragon Quest, Skyrim, and More Announced as Finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- We Pitched a Museum a 1993 Game Hint Line (And They Actually Said Yes) – Yarn Spinner (2026)
- The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread – A Critical Hit (2025)
- Creator of Hit Game Shovel Knight Is at a ‘Make or Break’ Moment – Bloomberg (2025)
- Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history – Design Room (2025)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Author: John Scalzo
Sony Pictures hack reveals possible Super Mario Bros. movie in development
The Sony Pictures hack, and all the subsequent information revealed to the public, is just ridiculous. There’s no other word for it. Emails badmouthing Angelina Jolie and the President of the United States. Passwords hidden in a file named “Passwords.” The social security numbers of thousands of Sony employees. The entire thing is just a mess. OK, I guess that’s two words you could use.
But we’ve also learned that Sony Pictures has begun negotiations with Nintendo to produce an animated film based on Super Mario Bros. According to a report on Buzzfeed, provided the deal goes through, the movie is set to be produced by Avi Arad:
“I am the proud father of mario the animated film [sic],” producer Avi Arad told Sony Studio Chief Amy Pascal in an email dated Oct. 23, 2014, with the subject line “Mario.” Arad then forwarded Pascal separate images of him with Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, the latter of which included the message, “Happy ceo, lets get together, it’s the mother load [sic].”
Pascal forwarded that email to Tom Rothman, who heads up Sony Pictures subsidiary TriStar Pictures. “Avi closed Mario brothers,” she said. “Animated.”
Arad is best known as the producer of Sony’s Spider-Man saga (both Sam Raimi’s trilogy and the new films starring Andrew Garfield), but he is also working with Konami and Hideo Kojima on the Metal Gear Solid film adaptation.
Obviously, it’s much too early to lose our heads over this news. But an animated Mario movie could be pretty great. Though it’s probably a good thing that Sony Pictures is considered wholly separate from Sony Computer Entertainment as that could get messy.
Tetris Ultimate will be released on the PS4, Xbox One next week
Ubisoft has announced that Tetris Ultimate will make its new-generation debut next week. The latest game in the long-running game franchise will be available to download for the PS4 on December 16 while Xbox One owners will get a chance to purchase it a day later on December 17.
According to the UbiBlog, Tetris Ultimate will include a “multiplayer” option to play against AI opponents based on the play styles of your friends. These bots can be dropped into any of the game’s six gameplay modes:
- Marathon – Complete level 15 and rack up as many points as you can.
- Endless – Keep clearing lines until your stamina runs out.
- Ultra – Race to score as many points possible before time runs out in this three-minute challenge.
- Sprint – Clear 40 lines as quickly as you can.
- Battle – Go head-to-head to knock out your challengers.
- Battle Ultimate – Be the last person playing after using crazy power-ups!
- Go on the offensive with “Carousel” and make your opponent’s Matrix shift to the left after each move, or trigger “Let It Rain” and dump blocks down on top of them. “Buzz Saw” helps you advance by clearing away a number of your lines, especially useful when you’re in a spot of trouble.
Tetris Ultimate is also in development for the PC and Vita. Hopefully, release dates for the game on those two platforms will be announced soon.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Tetris Ultimate
Insert Quarter: The Rise and Fall of THQ’s Empire
Insert Quarter is our showcase for some of the best and most interesting writing about video games on the Internet.
Gamers often didn’t know what to make of THQ. The publisher built its empire on the backs of tie-in games based on Nickelodeon and Pixar properties such as SpongeBob SquarePants and The Incredibles. But they also produced intriguing original games such as Saints Row: The Third and Darksiders. They were even the initial driving force behind Evolve, one of 2015’s most anticipated games. But that all changed when the company went bankrupt early last year.
So what happened? Tracey Lien, writing for Polygon, set out to discover the answer by talking to as many former THQ employees as she could including the charismatic (but possibly crazy) Danny Bilson. Her portrait of a publisher in free fall makes you wonder, could anything have been done?
Many blame the company’s fall on the licensed games well drying up. Some pin it on the commercial failure of the company’s uDraw tablet for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Others point to poor management and too many risky bets.
“There isn’t any one, isolated event that killed the company,” says a former THQ executive who asked to not be named. “This was one of the most successful video game businesses in America. We were a billion dollar company. It was complicated.”
THQ suffered a “death by a million spider bites,” the executive says.
The full article is available for your perusal at Polygon.
Posted in 3DS, DS, Insert Quarter, Mobile, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Retro, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Darksiders, Evolve, Saints Row: The Third
The greatest trick CoD: Advanced Warfare ever pulled was being Nov 2014’s best-selling game
Activision’s Call of Duty franchise continues its reign atop the video game world by capturing the top spot in The NPD Group’s survey of November 2014’s best-selling games. It managed to hold off a strong challenge from Grand Theft Auto V, which received a huge boost from its new-generation re-release.
Nintendo had a very good month as Super Smash Bros. For Wii U and Super Smash Bros. For 3DS managed to sneak into the top three thanks to their combined might (The NPD Group considers them one game for the purposes of the monthly list). Further down the list, Pokemon: Alpha Sapphire shot to #5 while Pokemon: Omega Ruby owned the #7 spot (for some reason, the latest Pokemon release is considered two separate games by The NPD Group).
Ubisoft also had multiple games in the top ten, including Far Cry 4 at #6. Assassin’s Creed: Unity entered the list at #9, and while that’s an impressive achievement, it’s well below the top-three ranking attained by both Assassin’s Creed III and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag during their respective debut months.
Finally, Microsoft has plenty to crow about tonight as they’ve revealed to IGN that that the Xbox One outsold the PS4 for the first time.
The full top ten for November 2014 can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Assassin's Creed: Unity, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Far Cry 4, Grand Theft Auto V, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Madden NFL 15, NBA 2K15, NPD, Pokemon: Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby, Super Smash Bros. For 3DS, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
Nintendo Download: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, Xeodrifter, more
Do you object to hearing about this week’s Nintendo Download? I wouldn’t, because Capcom has added the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy collection to the 3DS eShop. The wild courtroom antics of Phoenix Wright will be joined on the 3DS eShop by Xeodrifter, a Metroidvania-style game from Moon Chronicles developer Renegade Kid.
In other eShop release news this week, Activision is opening up their vault once again and dropping a ton of older 3DS and Wii U games onto Nintendo’s digital storefront. Angry Birds Trilogy (3DS and Wii U), Angry Birds Star Wars (3DS and Wii U), Wipeout 2 (3DS), and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (3DS) are all available to download now.
More details on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, Xeodrifter
IDARB will be released for Xbox One in February… but you can win it early
IDARB, Other Ocean’s eight-player basketball/hockey hybrid, will be released for the Xbox One in February 2015. The retro-inspired game will be available for free through Microsoft’s Games With Gold program, but dedicated fans might be able to score a copy two months early.
Other Ocean plans to give away download codes for the game through their Twitter account, on IDARB.com, and through live video streams on their Twitch channel. Major Nelson will also have some codes to give out during tomorrow’s “Free Code Friday” event on his blog.
If IDARB is new to you, here’s what you can expect when it comes to the Xbox One this February:
IDARB is a competitive game for up to eight players that combines classic 2D platformer mechanics with hockey and basketball rules. Players can draw their own characters in a charming 8-bit pixel style, build their own teams, compose their own fight songs, and compete with other players either in the same room or over the internet.
In a nod to real arena sports, IDARB is the first video game where fans spectating a session can disrupt the players, in real time, using either Twitch or Twitter. Spectators can turn the ball into a bomb, spawn fireworks, fill the screen with water, and more.
Don’t forget to check out the game’s “Release Date Trailer” above. It very lovingly spoofs the recently released Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser.
Square Enix confirms that Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is coming to PS4
After being teased on their online store a few days ago, Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster will be making the jump to the PS4. The two-pack should be available sometime next Spring, presumably right around the same time as Final Fantasy VII.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster will be released as a retail disc and will include “system-exclusive features” on the PS4. But aside from that news, Square Enix isn’t ready to go into detail on just what those features may be.
Oh, and the publisher also revealed that Final Fantasy VII will be priced at $15.99 and will be available exclusively through the PlayStation Store.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
NetherRealm is making WWE Immortals for mobile devices
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has announced that NetherRealm’s mobile team has teamed up with the WWE to create WWE Immortals for mobile devices running iOS (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) and Android. In recent years, the team has produced mobile games based on Batman: Arkham City, Batman: Arkham Origins, and Injustice: Gods Among Us.
“It’s amazing to be working with WWE to offer a new way for fans to experience the brand on mobile platforms,” said Greg Ballard, the Senior Vice President of Mobile, Social, and Emerging Platforms at WB Games. “NetherRealm Studios are experts in creating award-winning games and the team is working hard to deliver the same quality of engaging gameplay with WWE Immortals.”
“We are excited to partner with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios to create WWE Immortals and bring a new action-packed mobile experience to our passionate fan base,” said Casey Collins, the Executive Vice President of Consumer Products at WWE. “By tapping into NetherRealm’s legendary game development studio along with the unparalleled reach of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, we are creating a new way for fans to engage with the larger-than-life WWE characters.”
Chicago-based Phosphor Game Studios will assist in the development of WWE Immortals, which will be available sometime in 2015.