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
New 3DS and New 3DS XL will launch in Australia on November 21
Nintendo just uploaded the first-ever Australian Nintendo Direct. And in their inaugural down under address, the consolemaker has confirmed the redesigned New 3DS and New 3DS XL will make their Australian debut on November 21. Nintendo’s Australia arm also confirmed that the New 3DS-exclsuive remake of Xenoblade Chronicles will be released in Australia in 2015.
First unveiled on September 1, the New 3DS and New 3DS XL include a bevy of improvements over the original models. A second analog stick, designed for more precise camera control, and additional trigger buttons bring the handheld more in-line with the Wii U controller layout. NFC support is included out of the box for Nintendo’s Amiibo figures and bigger screens allow for improved 3D functionality. When it launches in Australia, the new handheld will be available in three different packages:
- New 3DS (White) – $219.95 AUD
- New 3DS XL (Metallic Black) – $249.95 AUD
- New 3DS XL (Metallic Blue) – $249.95 AUD
The New 3DS and the New 3DS XL won’t be released in North America or Europe until sometime next year. Presumably, the Xenoblade Chronicles remake will also make the trip across the Pacific in 2015.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Xenoblade Chronicles
Xbox Store Today: FIFA 15, Slender: The Arrival, Defense Grid 2, CastleStorm
Three new games are now available to download from the Xbox Games Store including one Xbox 360 title and a pair of Xbox One games. First up, Midnight City has brought Slender: The Arrival, the first game starring the sinister Slenderman, to the Xbox 360 today and he’s joined by FIFA 15 from EA Sports:
Slender: The Arrival ($9.99)
You’re on your own. No one to come for you. No one to help you. No one to hear you scream. Slender: The Arrival is the official video game adaptation of Slender Man, re-created from Mark Hadley’s original nerve-shattering sensation. Developed in collaboration with Blue Isle Studios, The Arrival features a brand new storyline, improved visuals, great replay value, and most importantly, survival horror at its best.FIFA 15 ($59.99)
FIFA 15 brings football to life so fans can experience the sport like never before. Authentic Player Visuals make players look lean, athletic, and true to their real-life appearance. Player Control heightens the responsiveness of player movement, giving athletes more control and personality on the ball, and makes Man-to-Man Battles more rewarding than ever before. Football is the greatest drama on earth and FIFA 15 puts fans center stage allowing them to experience the intensity of the world’s greatest sport.
And the Xbox One is now home to Hidden Path’s tower defense title, Defense Grid 2; Zen’s tower-smashing title, CastleStorm; and EA Sports’ FIFA 15:
FIFA 15 ($59.99)
FIFA 15 brings football to life in stunning detail so fans can experience the emotion of the sport like never before. Witness the intensity of crowds chanting and cheering like on match day, and listen to commentators guide fans through the story of the game with Dynamic Match Presentation. For the first time ever, all 22 players on the pitch are connected with Emotional Intelligence – now players will react to opponents and teammates within the context, and relative to the narrative of the match.Defense Grid 2 ($24.99)
Defense Grid 2 is the highly-anticipated sequel to Hidden Path Entertainment’s 2008 Defense Grid: The Awakening. Setting the bar as the definitive tower defense game, Defense Grid 2 introduces new worlds and threats to test your tower placement strategies. With a bold new look, a compelling single-player campaign, and the addition of new game modes, online player-versus-player and multiplayer co-op, every play-through brings fun new opportunities and challenges.CaslteStorm: Definitive Edition ($14.99)
Welcome to the world of CastleStorm, a super genre mashup of 2D physics destruction mashed with tower defense brawler! CastleStorm was born out of the fond childhood memory of building and destroy Lego castles. The clouds bring rumors of war…It’s Knights vs. Vikings in CastleStorm, where medieval warfare meets 2D physics-based destruction! Controlling the battle in real time, players will harness the power of medieval artillery, manage a fearsome ground attack, and cast powerful spells! CastleStorm features a story-driven solo campaign, a custom castle editor, online multiplayer, co-op modes, and more. Building castles and knocking them down has never been so much fun!
Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged CastleStorm, Slender: The Arrival
FIFA 15, Slender: The Arrival, Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!!, more added to PS Store
Sony pushed out another huge PlayStation Store update yesterday, adding 13 new games to their three platforms.
PS4 players can now look forward to owning EA Sports’ latest soccer sim, FIFA 15, as well as Defense Grid 2 (a tower defense game from Hidden Path), Flockers (a Lemmings-like puzzler from Team17), and CastleStorm: Definitive Edition (a catapult game from Zen Studios).
EA Sports has also graced the PS3 with FIFA 15, and its joined by Slender: The Arrival (the first video game to star the titular Slenderman), Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! (an all-girl fighter from Arc System Works), Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star (an RPG from Gust), Resonance of Fate (an RPG from Sega and Tri-Ace), and the PS2 Classic adaptation of WALL-E.
Finally, Vita owners can also download FIFA 15 and Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! as well as the futuristic tactical action of Frozen Synapse Prime.
More information about all of these can be found after the break. And a complete rundown of this week’s new game add-ons can be found at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3, PS4, Vita
Tagged Ar Nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star, CastleStorm, FIFA 15, Slender: The Arrival
Assassin’s Creed: Unity Season Pass, AC Chronicles China side-scroller announced
Ubisoft has announced they’re preparing a Season Pass for Assassin’s Creed: Unity that will include story content that takes place after the main campaign as well as a standalone side-scrolling adventure set in China. You read that right… Unity’s Season Pass will include access to Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, a standalone game developed by Climax Studios that takes place after Assassin’s Creed: Revelations:
For the first time ever, players will be transported to the Middle Kingdom in the 16th century, where the last remaining Assassin of the Chinese Brotherhood has returned to her homeland. Players will be immersed in a vibrant setting, inspired by traditional brush paintings and Chinese architecture from a pivotal, historic time period in one of the greatest civilizations in history. Hell-bent on revenge, Shao Jun will use the skills she learned under legendary Assassin Ezio Auditore to exact vengeance. Players will be able to rely on stealth to accomplish their mission, as well as Shao Jun’s martial arts training and all-new Assassin gear.
Meanwhile, the Unity expansion is known as “Dead Kings” and includes a wonderful weapon known as the Guillotine Gun:
In this self-contained set of missions, players will explore the murky depths of the Basilica and fight merciless adversaries to uncover the darkest secrets of the city. Arno will equip the new Guillotine gun, a deadly explosive weapon for short and long range combat. In addition to the main missions, players will discover new open-world activities including treasure hunts, murder mysteries and contracts, as well as new co-op missions. Additional weapons, gear, skills and outfits can be unlocked and carried over to the main game.
The Assassin’s Creed: Unity Season Pass has been priced at $29.99 and those who pre-order it will receive an exclusive in-game weapon, the Double-Handed War Axe. All of the Season Pass content, including Chronicles: China, will be released separately and should be available by “early 2015.”
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, Assassin's Creed: Unity
Nintendo will release a pair of see-through 2DS systems in Europe
Nintendo already has plans to release three new 3DS designs this Fall in North America, but European gamers will be able to choose from two new 2DS models as well. Echoing the clear cartridges produced for the Game Boy Color, the “Transparent Blue” and “Transparent Red” 2DS systems will be “transparent in design, revealing the skeleton of the system underneath both the front and back of the system casing.” Both models be available on November 7 across Europe.
However, if you’d prefer to bundle your brand new 2DS with a copy of the latest Pokemon game, Nintendo of Europe will give you that option as well. Beginning November 28, Transparent Blue + Pokemon: Alpha Sapphire and Transparent Red + Pokemon: Omega Ruby bundles will be available. And instead of a packed-in Game Card, each bundle will include a 4GB Memory Card pre-loaded with the game.
A North American release wasn’t announced, but I hope Nintendo of America is seriously considering it.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Pokemon: Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby
Blizzard ceases development on their Titan MMO and officially cancels StarCraft: Ghost
In an interview with Polygon, Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime has confirmed that the company’s upcoming MMO, Titan, has been canceled. Development on Titan previously hit a snag when Blizzard delayed it into 2016 “at the earliest” last year. This massive delay was due to Blizzard blowing up their work on the game to start from scratch. According to Morhaime, that wasn’t enough to save Titan:
“We didn’t find the fun,” Morhaime continued. “We didn’t find the passion. We talked about how we put it through a reevaluation period, and actually, what we reevaluated is whether that’s the game we really wanted to be making. The answer is no.”
Morhaime is unsure if the developer will ever try their hand at an MMO again, but he still has big plans for World of Warcraft. “My hope personally is that we’ll support it forever,” he told Polygon. And finally, after being “on hold” for years, Morhaime also confirmed that StarCraft: Ghost is officially canceled as well:
“It’s always really, really hard to make those kind of decisions. It was hard when we canceled Warcraft Adventures. It was hard when we canceled StarCraft Ghost. But it has always resulted in better-quality work.”
The decision to cancel Titan was definitely affected by Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, which just notched its 20 millionth player last week.
Posted in News, PC, Retro
Tagged StarCraft: Ghost, Titan
Somebody gets maimed in Sunset Overdrive’s live action trailer… maybe
Insomniac Games has spent all year hyping up the insane action that’ll be found in this Fall’s Sunset Overdrive. When players aren’t zip-lining and rail-grinding from place to place, they’ll battle hordes of mutants with a variety of different weapons including one that shoots exploding teddy bears.
Is it possible to translate all of this absurdity into a live action trailer? Probably not… but Insomniac wasn’t going to let a pesky thing like the safety of their actors get in their way. Unfortunately, their attempt to produce the greatest live action trailer of all time resulted in a few disemboweled actors and a fiery rain of body parts. Thankfully, this behind-the-scenes look at the production should make you glad its all just a parody.
Sunset Overdrive will be released exclusively for the Xbox One on October 28.
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Sunset Overdrive
PS4 version of SingStar will take the stage on October 28
Sony has announced they will add the PlayStation 4 version of SingStar to the PlayStation Store on October 28. SingStar for the PS4 was designed as a free download and can be supplemented with free demo songs as well as single-song downloads ($1.49 each) and five-song song packs ($5.99 each). Previously-purchased PS3 songs will also be available for re-download:
The best news is if you have already purchased songs from the SingStore or PSN for SingStar on PS3, then if the song is available on PS4 you will be able to download it to your PS4 at no extra charge as long as you are logged in to the same SEN account.
And if you’re in need of a microphone, don’t panic, Sony will also release the SingStar Mic mobile app on October 28 too. SingStar Mic will allow you to transform your smartphone or tablet into a microphone for SingStar on both the PS3 and PS4.
[Source: PlayStation Blog]
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged SingStar PS4