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.

Wii Sports Club comes to Wii U eShop on November 7

wiisportsclub-logoNintendo is bringing Wii Sports back in a big way on the Wii U this Fall. The Wii pack-in’s five sports – bowling, tennis, baseball, boxing and golf – will get a high definition makeover as part of the “Wii Sports Club,” a series of downloadable titles that will be released separately through the Wii U eShop. These “Wii-makes” will also include MotionPlus support and online multiplayer.

Wii Sports Club: Tennis and Wii Sports Club: Bowling will be available to download on November 7, with Wii Sports Club: Baseball, Wii Sports Club: Golf, and Wii Sports Club: Boxing scheduled for release “in the months ahead.”

Each Wii Sports Club title will be priced at $9.99, but Nintendo also plans to release a demo version of each sport. In addition to the standard purchasing model, Nintendo is attempting something different with the Wii Sports Club “Day Pass.” Priced at $1.99, the Day Pass will give players access to all five sports for a 24-hour period.

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged , , , ,

Sega is now the proud owner of Atlus

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I guess Atlus is going to have to stop looking at themselves as “the little guy.” Index Corporation, the parent company of Atlus, has been acquired by Sega in an auction that was completed yesterday.

According to the acquisition contract, Sega is now the new owner of Atlus’ game catalog (including popular JRPGs like the Persona series and the larger Shin Megami Tensei series) as well as the new employer of the company’s nearly 400 employees. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Bloomberg is estimating that Sega paid 14 billion yen ($141.5 million) for Atlus.

Atlus will be run by a new division within Sega known as Sega Dream Corporation and the acquisition is expected to be finalized on November 1, 2013.

Posted in News |

Grand Theft Auto V, Capcom Fighting Evolution, more added to PS Store

grandtheftautov-box-largeGrand Theft Auto V fever has infected the PlayStation Network!

Rockstar’s open world game was added to the PlayStation Store last night along with three other titles: Hot Wheels: World’s Best Driver (PS3), Capcom Fighting Evolution (PS3), and Real Boxing (Vita).

More details on all of these games can be found after the break (though I trust you’re familiar with GTA5) and a full list of this week’s new game add-ons and bonuses (including the addition of Ico HD and GTA: Liberty City Stories to the PS Plus Instant Game Collection) can be found at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, Vita | Tagged

NBA Live 14 will be released for PS4, Xbox One on November 19

nbalive14-1After a multi-year hiatus that included an aborted rebranding and the cancellation of two different games, the NBA Live series will finally return this Fall with the release of NBA Live 14. Yesterday, EA Sports revealed (via their Twitter account) that the game will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on November 19. So it’ll be available in stores three days ahead of the Xbox One launch, but four days after the release of Sony’s PS4.

EA Sports also released the first official in-game screenshot for NBA Live 14, which you can see to your right. Be sure and click the image to get a closer look at the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard shooting over NBA Live 14 cover boy Kyrie Irving.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

The Evil Within terrifies the Tokyo Game Show with a new trailer

Shinji Mikami, “The Father of the Survival Horror Game,” is hard at work on his next gore-riffic game, The Evil Within. Part of that work includes plans to showcase the game at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. But for those that can’t make the trip across the Pacific, Bethesda has released a new story/gameplay trailer for the title. Be sure and check it out above, but you might want to leave the lights on.

The Evil Within will be released for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One sometime next year.

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

Mighty No. 9 reaches PS3/Xbox 360/Wii U stretch goal

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The Kickstarter campaign for Keiji Inafune’s Mighty No. 9 has reached a huge funding milestone. Shortly before midnight, the total pledged amount crossed $2.2 million, ensuring that the spiritual successor to Mega Man will be released for the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii U. The console editions of Mighty No. 9 join the previously confirmed PC version (which also includes Mac and Linux options) and all versions of the game are expected to be completed by Spring 2015.

There’s still two weeks remaining before Mighty No. 9’s Kickstarter campaign is closed to new pledges. That leaves plenty of time to cross the PS4/Xbox One threshold, which is currently set at $3.3 million.

Posted in News, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged

Rockstar says don’t install GTA5 “Play” disc on Xbox 360

grandtheftautov-box-largePlayers will be required to install Grand Theft Auto V when its released tomorrow, but Rockstar is warning Xbox 360 owners not to install the “Play” disc to ensure “optimal performance.”

The Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto V comes on two discs: one labelled “Install” and one labelled “Play.” After installing the “Install” disc, players will have to keep the “Play” disc in the drive to play the single-player campaign and the Grand Theft Auto Online multiplayer mode. According to Rockstar Support, it is not recommended to install the “Play” disc.

The PS3 version of Grand Theft Auto V also includes a mandatory installation requirement, but because it ships on a single Blu-ray disc, no special recommendation is required.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Mutant Football League might rise from the grave thanks to Kickstarter

You know, I think Kickstarter might need to rename their “Games” category to “Sequels to Your Favorite Games From 20 Years Ago.” Especially, after today’s debut of a campaign to fund a Mutant League Football sequel.

The classic game was released for the Sega Genesis in 1993, or exactly 20 years ago. Now, the game’s original creator, Michael Mendheim, wants to create a sequel (using a slightly altered title: Mutant Football League) for the Xbox Live Arcade and mobile devices.

Mendheim has partnered with Robomobo to develop the game and is seeking $750,000 from the Kickstarter community. He’s promising that the game will include 30 unique teams (including the Mutant Humans, The Undead, Battlebots, Orcs, and more), trap-filled stadiums, “devastating mayhem” on the field, a Create-A-Player mode, and “tongue-through-cheek humor.”

The MFL team is offering up a variety of backer rewards and Mendheim hopes that the fan fervor that kept the game in the public eye for 20 years crosses over to the Kickstarter campaign: “The fans have kept their interest in this genre alive over the years and we want to reward them for their loyalty. We will be creating a new and very different game that pays homage to classic monster sports games and parodies the owners, the coaches, the sponsors and everything else that makes football such a great American sport.”

Posted in Mobile, News, Xbox 360 | Tagged