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.

Celebrate Xbox Live’s 10th anniversary with a free copy of Wreckateer

Posted on November 15, 2012 by John Scalzo

Microsoft is celebrating their Xbox Live service’s 10th birthday today, and instead of asking for gifts, they’re the ones doing the giving…

Today and tomorrow, all Xbox Live members will be able to download a free copy of Wreckateer. It would have been nice to give away a game that every Xbox 360 owner can play, but a free game is a free game. The Kinect-exclusive is regularly priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

If Wreckateer isn’t your kind of game, Microsoft has also cut the price of seven of the biggest Xbox Live Arcade titles. Bastion (600 Microsoft Points), Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved (200 Microsoft Points), Castle Crashers (600 Microsoft Points), Fruit Ninja Kinect (400 Microsoft Points), Battlefield 1943 (600 Microsoft Points), Peggle (400 Microsoft Points), and Full House Poker (400 Microsoft Points) are all 50% off from today until November 22.

Xbox Live users can also download a special 10th anniversary Gamerpic this week. Doing so will enter you in a contest to obtain a special 10th anniversary Xbox 360 console. Yes, please.

Finally, Microsoft’s Major Nelson has given away 90 one-year Xbox Live Gold subscriptions so far today. He’s got 10 more he plans to give away in 15 minutes (at 7 PM Eastern), so head over to his blog and enter.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged , , , , , ,

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 announced; will feature Arnold Palmer

Posted on November 15, 2012 by John Scalzo

EA Sports has announced that Tiger Woods will be teeing it up next year for the 16th time in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14. In development for the PS3 and Xbox 360 at EA Tiburon, the game will likely be released next Spring.

As in previous years, Tiger won’t be going it alone on the cover of PGA Tour 14. Golfing legend Arnold Palmer, Mr. Iced Tea and Lemonade himself, will share the cover with Tiger. In addition to Woods and Palmer, more than 25 professional golfers will be playable in the game including newcomers Keegan Bradley, Bud Cauley, Stacy Lewis, and Lexi Thompson.

The publisher wasn’t ready to reveal much else about the game, but we do know it’ll contain 20 courses and that players who pre-order will receive a retailer-exclusive piece of bonus content:

  • GameStop: Pinehurst No. 2 DLC Course
  • Amazon: Bethpage Black DLC Course
  • Best Buy: 1986 Jack Nicklaus Exclusive Character
  • Target: Whistling Straits DLC Course
  • Wal-Mart: Kevin Love and Andy Roddick Exclusive Characters
  • Origin: Set of Exclusive Historic Golf Clubs
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Nintendo Download: Epic Mickey Power of Illusion, Hotel Transylvania, Myst, More

Posted on November 15, 2012 by John Scalzo

For the final pre-Wii U update to the Nintendo Download, the publisher has decided to put a heavy focus on 3DS titles, including this Sunday’s Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

If a Mickey sidescroller doesn’t thrill you, several other previously retail-only 3DS games are available to download today. They include movie tie-in Hotel Transylvania, brain trainer American Mensa Academy, and the ultimate adventure game, Myst. The 3DS eShop-exclusive Monster Shooter is also available today.

Two new additions have also made their way to the DSiWare Shop. There’s the N-like platformer Jump Trials and the puzzler Working Dawgs: A-Maze-ing Pipes.

More information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News | Tagged , ,

Black Friday Game Deals 2012: Best Buy

Posted on November 15, 2012 by John Scalzo

Best Buy will open at midnight on Black Friday this year and the blue shirts have plenty of great gaming deals for you.

Borderlands 2, Assassin’s Creed III, Forza Horizon, and Epic Mickey 2 seem to be the most popular games to discount this Black Friday and Best Buy has responded with a $34.99 sale price for each (except for Epic Mickey 2, which is $29.99). The retailer has also cut the price on Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Darksiders II, and Need For Speed: Most Wanted to a very nice $29.99. Those are “Doorbusters” so you’ll want to get their early on Friday morning if you’re interested in picking them up.

Finally, all you Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventures fans will be happy to know that Best Buy has single character packs priced at $2.99 (regular price: $8.99) for Black Friday.

Hit the jump for a complete list of Black Friday game deals from Best Buy. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Xbox 360 |

XBLA Today: Planets Under Attack, Warlords

Posted on November 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

Welcome to this week’s Xbox Live Arcade update, which includes the strategic spacefaring combat of Planets Under Attack:

Humanity discovered a new galaxy rich with resources and wonders and it’s up to you to conquer it! Guide your space fleet through the depth of space, discovering new star systems and colonizing planets. Beware, you are not alone in the universe and other races also starve for living space and are ready to fight for it. Not to mention mysterious treasures, dark secrets, treacherous rivals and Bosses! Planets Under Attack is a fast and fun strategy game, easy to understand and to control, offering dozens of hours of tactical fun.

And the medieval combat of Atari’s rebooted Warlords:

Show no mercy and take no prisoners as you fight to the death for title of the almighty Warlord. Defend your castle from mischievous minions and ferocious fireballs in this whimsical reinvention of the beloved classic. In the ultimate battle of speed, strategy and survival, command your troops with shrewdness and skill to capture control points, collect power-ups and destroy the other warring factions!

Planets Under Attack can be downloaded for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), while Warlords will only set you back 800 Points ($10).

Posted in News, Xbox 360 |

Check out the second Grand Theft Auto V trailer

Posted on November 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

As promised, Rockstar has released the second trailer for Grand Theft Auto V and it is a doozy. Full of the Hollywood-style action appropriate to its Los Santos location, the new trailer gives gamers their first look at bank robber Michael, low-life Trevor, and repo man Franklin. If you weren’t excited before, you should be now.

Grand Theft Auto V will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 next Spring.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

DMC: Devil May Cry demo available next week

Posted on November 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

Capcom has announced that a demo of DMC: Devil May Cry will be available to download from the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace next week.

The demo, which will contain two levels and a boss battle, will be available in North America on November 20 and in Europe on November 21. Players who download the demo will get a taste of “a few of the game’s difficulty modes,” as well as the remixed Son of Sparda mode (which requires completion of the demo to unlock). A variety of weapon upgrades and “maybe a few secrets” also await those who test out Dante’s next adventure.

The full version of DMC: Devil May Cry will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on January 15, 2013. A PC version will follow sometime later in the year.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

WWE WrestleFest runs wild on the XBLA on December 19

Posted on November 14, 2012 by John Scalzo

WWE WrestleFest was originally released for iOS devices back in February with the promise of a future release on the PlayStation Network and the Xbox Live Arcade. Nine months later, it looks like THQ is finally ready to bring the remade arcade game to consoles.

The release date news comes courtesy of an updated Xbox.com profile for the game. The page doesn’t give us any idea how much WWE WrestleFest will cost, but we know when it’ll be released: December 19, 2012. So in exactly five weeks we’ll be able to suplex and slam our way through the 90s arcade classic, which now features a whole passel of current WWE wrestlers as well.

Sony hasn’t made an announcement concerning the PSN version of the game, but a mid-December launch to match the XBLA version seems likely.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged