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
Beatbuddy beta begins and Threaks shows off the game’s mo-cap session
Threaks is spreading the word about Beatbuddy, their upcoming rhythm-based puzzle platformer for the PC, with a new developer diary titled “Threaks News Episode 2.” Company CEO Wolf Lang and programmer Steve Liesche sit in their “new studio” (Translation: A desk in front of an air mattress) and show off the game’s “mo-cap session” (Translation: A guy in a Beatbuddy costume with ping pong balls taped to his face). I love those wacky Germans.
In actual Threaks news, Lang and Liesche announced that the Beatbuddy closed beta has begun. If you’re interested in joining, please email them at beatbuddy AT threaks DOT com.
Beatbuddy will be available through Steam’s download service sometime this Summer.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians
XBLA Today: Doodle Jump For Kinect
A Kinect-powered, Xbox Live Arcade version of Doodle Jump was announced over two years ago. Today, it has finally been added to Microsoft’s digital storefront and it’s been priced at 400 Microsoft Points ($5).
Developed jointly by Lima Sky and Smoking Gun Interactive and published by D3 Publisher, Doodle Jump For Kinect players can now tackle “three original worlds, robust power-ups, and challenging boss battles” in their attempt to get the Doodler to the top of the screen:
Doodle Jump, the most addictive mobile platformer ever, comes to Xbox Live Arcade with amazing new Kinect-only features. Guide Doodle the Doodler on a journey up, up, up, bouncing from platform to platform, past monsters, black holes and other obstacles. Players step left and right to move, point to blast nose balls at baddies, flap their arms to fly and more with other unique gesture controls. Doodle Jump for Kinect introduces 3 all-new worlds, treacherous bosses, and unique power-ups. Get off your couch and get your friends and family together to see who can score the most points and collect the most stars.
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Doodle Jump
Angry Birds Trilogy comes to Wii U, Wii on August 13
After releasing the game on the 3DS, PS3, and Xbox 360 last year, Activision plans to fling Angry Brids Trilogy onto the Wii U and Wii this August 13.
The Trilogy includes Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Rio, along with 40 hours of “bonus gameplay,” and 19 exclusive episodes. The Wii U version also includes high definition graphics, GamePad touchscreen controls, and Off-TV play.
Angry Birds Trilogy will be available for the Wii U and Wii on August 13.
Posted in News, Wii, Wii U
Tagged Angry Birds Trilogy
Nintendo Download: Kokuga, Sonic 2, Sonic Labyrinth, more
Ikaruga and Gradius V fans take note, Hiroshi Iuchi’s next game as Director, Kokuga, is now available to download from the 3DS eShop. Kokuga is a top-down shooter (naturally) that also throws in a card-based powerup system.
Also available this week on the 3DS eShop are a trio of Game Gear titles (Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic Labyrinth, Crystal Warriors), one of the first NES games ever (Spelunker), an “action-biker” game (Urban Trial Freestyle), a bite-sized version of rhythm game Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove (Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove Mini), and a futuristic racer from Majesco (Crash City Mayhem, which will be availably July 2).
Finally, the Super NES game Vegas Stakes, which was originally released in 1993, has been added to the Wii U eShop. OK, but it seems like an odd choice for one of the first SNES games to be added to the Wii U Virtual Console.
TitanFall, Destiny, Watch Dogs lead all nominees in Best of E3 2013 awards
The 30 publications that form the Game Critics Awards judging panel have announced this year’s nominees for the Best of E3 2013. This year, Respawn’s TitanFall lead the way with six nominations. Bungie’s Destiny and Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs were close behind with five nominations apiece.
All three games were selected to be part of the “Best in Show” alongside new hardware from Sony (the PlayStation 4) and Oculus VR (the Oculus Rift HD). That has to sting for Microsoft and the continued debacle that is their Xbox One announcement. Though the Xbox One did get a nod in the “Best Hardware” category. I have a feeling it’s not going to win.
A complete list of all the nominees can be found after the break. The winners will be announced on July 2. (more…)
XBLA Today: Spartacus Legends, Magic 2014, Boxing Fight
Three new titles have been added to the Xbox Live Arcade today…
Spartacus Legends is a free-to-play fighter based on the popular Starz series:
Developed in collaboration with the critically acclaimed television series from Starz, Spartacus Legends invites you to experience raw, visceral combat using multiple fighting styles and thousands of different weapon combinations. Follow your gladiator’s journey through multiple arenas and watch as they strive to reach legendary fame, or meet death at the hands of another. Compete with friends online and see if you have what it takes to kill them all.
Magic 2014: Duels of the Planeswalkers, priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10), is the latest video game adaptation of the popular collectible card game:
Ignite your spark with Magic 2014: Duels of the Planeswalkers! With over 12 million fans, discover what makes Magic: The Gathering the world’s premier trading card game. Become a Planeswalker and travel the planes of existence unleashing a torrent of spells and creatures to devastate your opponents.
And finally, Boxing Fight is the latest game in the “Kinect Sports Gems” series and offers gamers a bite-sized boxing game for 240 Microsoft Points ($3).
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Spartacus Legends
DualShock 4 is bigger than you think (and bigger than the Xbox One controller)
The DualShock has been Sony’s go-to controller design (with slight variations) for three generations now. The fourth DualShock, which will be packaged with the PS4 this Fall, makes a few major changes to the formula and fixes a complaint gamers have had about Sony’s controllers for almost 20 years.
Sony’s DualShock controllers have always been on the small side, but the DualShock 4 remedies that problem with a wider profile and longer handles. It acutally looks comfortable to hold for extended periods of time and, as you can see in this side-by-side photo from GameChup, is actually larger than the Xbox One controller.
As someone who spents years trying to find a third-party PS2 controller that didn’t cramp my hands, this is excellent news.
PSN Today: Deadpool, Hotline Miami, Magic 2014, More
Two very different agents of chaos highlight today’s PlayStation Store update.
Deadpool, Marvel’s fourth wall-breaking assassin-for-hire, has been given the big budget PS3 game treatment by High Moon and Activision. Meanwhile, the pixelated 2D mayhem of Hotline Miami comes to the PS3 and Vita as a Cross-Buy title. A wide variety of other titles are available this week including:
- Magic 2014: Duels of the Planeswalkers (PS3), the latest adaptation of the collectible card game.
- Ride to Hell Retribution (PS3), an action game starring some angry bikers.
- Spartacus Legends (PS3), a free-to-play fighter based on the popular Starz show.
- Muramasa Rebirth (Vita), an action RPG originally released for the Wii that’s been rebuilt for Sony’s handheld.
More information on all of these games (and a few others) can be found after the break. And a full list of this week’s new game add-ons can be found at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3, Vita
Tagged Deadpool, Hotline Miami, Ride to Hell: Retribution, Spartacus Legends