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.

Joel Embiid is your NBA Live 19 cover athlete

Posted on June 26, 2018 by John Scalzo

The Philadelphia 76ers were a bit of a laughingstock before Joel Embiid’s arrival in 2014. But things finally started to turn around this year as the team made the playoffs (and advanced to the second round after a win over the Miami Heat) and Embiid received his first All-Star Game selection.

And now, Embiid has been selected by EA Sports as the cover athlete for NBA Live 19.

“It’s great, it’s amazing. I’m thankful for this opportunity, especially as a basketball player,” Embiid said. “You work so hard because you have goals in life, you want to be in the Hall of Fame, but also, being on the cover of a video game is something I’ve always dreamed of and I’m happy to be in this position.”

NBA Live 19 is in development at EA Tiburon, and it’ll be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on September 7. A free demo of the game will be available to download on August 24.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Nintendo adds Labo Motorbike support to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Posted on June 26, 2018 by John Scalzo

If you’ve ever thought it would be fun to sit in front of a cardboard motorcycle and play some Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, don’t worry, Nintendo’s got you covered.

A new update for the kart racing game will add a new controller option for the “Toy-Con Motorbike” from the Nintendo Labo: Variety Kit. After players construct the Motorbike using the included cardboard pieces, and slot in their Switch console and Joy-Con controllers, they’ll be able to vroom vroom their way through Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in an entirely new way.

After downloading the update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, simply select the “Nintendo Labo” icon on the game’s title screen to access a menu where you can select Toy-Con as the control type. When racing, turning the handlebars changes direction, twisting the right handlebar accelerates, and the various Joy-Con buttons are used for items, brakes and drifting. Up to four players can play at the same time with Toy-Con Motorbike with their own Toy-Con and Joy-Con controllers.

Be sure to check out the teaser trailer embedded above to get an idea of what it’ll look like.

The consolemaker also promised that additional games will receive support for Nintendo Labo creations in the future. So that’s something to look forward to.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged ,

New Retail Releases: The Crew 2, Crash Bandicoot Trilogy, Wolfenstein II, More

Posted on June 25, 2018 by John Scalzo

Ubisoft is racing for the horizon this week as The Crew 2 brings its cross-country race to the PS4 and Xbox One this week. This time around, the franchise’s vehicular options have expanded to include “exotic cars, bikes, planes, and boats,” and players will be able to travel where their heart takes them all across the United States.

But it’s possible that the open world racing game will be overshadowed by a big batch of re-releases this week, including the Switch and Xbox One debut for Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. In addition to giving players the chance to relive Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped on modern platforms, the N. Sane Trilogy now includes two never-before-seen bonus levels (“Stormy Ascent” and “Future Tense”).

Three other games will also be making their Switch debut this week including Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Bethesda’s alternate history shooter sequel; Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, the newest entry in Falcom’s long-running Action RPG series; and Brawlout, a Smash-like party fighter from Angry Mob Games.

And finally this week, Aksys Games will bring Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk, a “suspense-filled” visual novel about a mysterious young woman, to the Vita.

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at all the new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

Posted in News, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , ,

The first episode of Life Is Strange 2 will be released on September 27

Posted on June 22, 2018 by John Scalzo

Dontnod Entertainment quietly announced Life Is Strange 2 in May 2017… and then they proceeded to pour all their attention into Vampyr, which was released earlier this month. But with Vampyr now available on store shelves, Dontnod is ready to reveal (in a short teaser trailer) that Life Is Strange 2’s first episode will be released on September 27.

Even with a release date announcement, we still don’t know much of anything about Life Is Strange 2. Though that might change after Dontnod releases The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit next week. The “narrative experience demo” will be available as a free download for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and it’ll somehow link up with Life Is Strange 2.

As you might have guessed, Life Is Strange 2 is also currently in development for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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

NHL 19 skates onto the PS4 and Xbox One on September 14

Posted on June 21, 2018 by John Scalzo

EA Sports has announced that NHL 19 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on September 14. This year’s hockey sim will feature the Nashville Predators’s PK Subban on the cover, along with new modes of play (including outdoor rinks) and “Hero Teams” built with more than 200 Hockey Legends.

In addition to the Gameplay Trailer embedded above, EA Sports has offered up plenty of details on NHL 19’s new animation system, as well as Hero Teams, and the revamped Create-A-Character mode:

Powering the core of NHL 19 is cutting-edge gameplay technology, Real Player Motion (RPM) Tech, which redefines the way movement and animations are captured. RPM Tech enables explosive-edge skating, giving players more control, faster acceleration and more responsiveness as they move up and down the ice. RPM Tech combines with a new collision physics system that introduces more contextual body-checking, bringing bigger, badder, jaw-dropping hits that are dynamic based on speed, size and point of impact.

Fans can enjoy all that NHL 19 has to offer while also paying tribute to stars of the past with the addition of Legends, featuring over 200 of hockey’s greatest from all eras, including Wayne Gretzky. Players can compete as Hero Teams that combine squads of superstars from the past and present for an ultimate fantasy matchup. Play with the best of the best from all eras in both single-player and multiplayer modes.

The youthful expression of today’s hockey is also represented in NHL 19 where, for the first time, players can create a unique look with lifestyle gear and clothing, including hoodies, jackets, parkas, and knits frame hockey lifestyle brands and unique custom designs. New playstyle classes and player traits also let players customize the way they perform on the ice, allowing fans the freedom to create and compete as the players they’ve always wanted to be.

NHL 19 will also feature the return of 3-on-3 hockey in NHL Threes, but players will also get to compete in a 1v1v1 free-for-all with no rules and no stoppages in NHL Ones. A new practice mode (NHL Pro-Am) will also make its debut in the game.

Finally, as is customary with all of EA Sports’s games, players who pre-order NHL 19’s Legends Edition (featuring Wayne Gretzky) or Ultimate Edition will be able to begin playing three days early on September 11.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Dragon Ball FighterZ will be released for the Switch on September 28

Posted on June 21, 2018 by John Scalzo

Bandai Namco has announced that Dragon Ball FighterZ will be released for the Switch on September 28. But that’s not all.

Fans who pre-order Dragon Ball FighterZ on the Switch will receive instant access to SSGSS Goku and Vegeta at launch. And the publisher will also gift pre-order purchasers with a downloadable copy of Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden (a Super NES game that was never released outside of Japan) as soon as you press the “Buy Now” button at your favorite online retailer.

And in case you missed it, you can view Dragon Ball FighterZ’s E3 Trailer from earlier this month after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged ,

State of Decay 2 rises as the best-selling game of May 2018

Posted on June 21, 2018 by John Scalzo

I think we can all agree that the Xbox’s two biggest franchises are Halo and Gears of War. But it looks like Microsoft can add the State of Decay series to the list, as The NPD Group (via Game Informer) has confirmed that State of Decay 2 was the best-selling game of May 2018.

The zombie survival sim beat out other several other May releases including Detroit: Become Human (#3), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (#5), Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (#7), and Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection (#17).

While it might have seemed like a slow month for new releases, The NPD Group confirmed that increased hardware sales gave the game industry a 13% bump over May 2017’s retail figures.

The complete Top 20 for May 2018 can be found after the break. (more…)

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

Playdead’s Inside and Limbo are launching for the Switch on June 28

Posted on June 20, 2018 by John Scalzo

By way of a very economical tweet, Playdead announced this morning that the critically-acclaimed Limbo and Inside will both be released for the Switch on June 28.

Limbo was released for the Xbox 360 in 2010, while Inside followed likewise on the Xbox One in 2016. Since then, both games have made their way to multiple platforms and racked up a huge number of “Game of the Year” nominations.

If nothing else, Playdead’s signature blend of visually-striking graphics and puzzle-platforming gameplay should match up well with Switch owners.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged ,