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Nintendo releases NINE mini-trailers for Splatoon 2’s weaponry ahead of this weekend’s Global Testfire

Posted on March 22, 2017 by John Scalzo

If you’ve put down The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild long enough to explore the Nintendo eShop, you might have noticed that Splatoon 2‘s Global Testfire is now available to download for the Switch. The consolemaker plans to put their upcoming team-based shooter to the test this weekend for six hour-long blocks during a three-day demo period:

Global Testfire Starting Times (Eastern Time)

  • Friday, March 24: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM and 11:00 PM – Midnight
  • Saturday, March 25: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, and 11:00 PM – Midnight
  • Sunday, March 26: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

To prepare “Squid Researchers” for the big event, Nintendo has uploaded nine mini-trailers that showcase some of the game’s Main Weapons, Sub-Weapons, and Special Weapons. Old favorites like the Splat Charger, Splat Roller, and Splattershot will return in Splatoon 2, but players will also get to channel film director John Woo with the Splat Dualies. And our friends in Canada will surely enjoy the brand new Sub-Weapon known as the Curling Bomb.

You can find all nine mini-trailers after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

Meet the fighters from Arms in two new English-language trailers

Posted on March 22, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nearly six weeks ago, Nintendo Japan released two trailers for Arms that pitted the strengths and weaknesses of its fighters against each other, as well as offering a glimpse at the game’s fighting mechanics.

More recently, Nintendo of America translated those trailers into English, and we can finally understand what the tale of the tape says about Spring Man, Ribbon Girl, Ninjara, Master Mummy, and Mechanica. Once again, the second trailer focuses on Arms’s fighting mechanics and the different gloves each fighter can use.

You can find both trailers after the break, and Arms will be released exclusively for the Switch in Spring 2017. (more…)

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

CoD: Modern Warfare Remastered’s Variety Map Pack is now available for the PS4

Posted on March 21, 2017 by John Scalzo

As promised, PS4 players can download the Variety Map Pack in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered beginning today.

Priced at $14.99, the Variety Map Pack includes the four multiplayer maps that were originally released as downloadable content for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare back in 2008. Players who purchase the expansion will receive 10 Rare Supply Drops.

To go along with today’s launch, Activision also released a brand new trailer showcasing the improved visuals in the Variety Map Pack’s four maps:

Multiplayer Maps in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’s Variety Map Pack

  • Broadcast: Based on the TV station from the campaign mission “Charlie Don’t Surf,” this map provides a unique blend of confined corridors and wide-open spaces. Outside the station, the parking lot contains long sightlines, but once inside, cramped hallways and a computer-cluttered broadcast room provide ample close-range combat opportunities.

  • Chinatown: Set in a foggy downtown district, this nighttime map is lit up by flickering neon signs and a full moon. A re-imagining of the original Call of Duty multiplayer map “Carentan,” players will need to be careful on these streets, as almost every building in the map can be occupied, providing perfect cover for enemies waiting for a chance to line you up in their sights.

  • Creek: Set in a wide-open village ravaged by combat where concealment is the difference between life and death, a gaping ravine divides this map into two. Open clearings with sheer cliff faces and ample forested cover make this map ideal for snipers and long-range firefights.

  • Killhouse: A small training warehouse filled with various building mock ups that feature soft and hard cover points. Expect fast-paced and fierce firefights for maximum close-quarters chaos.

PC and Xbox One players will likely be able to download Call of Duty: Mordern Warfare Remastered’s Variety Map Pack sometime in April.

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

Play as Orisa in Overwatch beginning today

Posted on March 21, 2017 by John Scalzo

Overwatch players can now choose from 24 different Heroes before each match, as Blizzard added Orisa to the game on all platforms earlier today. According to her profile on PlayOverwatch.com, Orisa is a robotic centaur with a defensive-minded play style, but don’t worry, her attacks also pack a wallop:

Orisa’s Abilities

  • Fusion Driver: Orisa’s automatic projectile cannon delivers sustained damage, but slows her movement while she fires it.
  • Fortify: Orisa temporarily reduces damage she takes, and cannot be affected by action-impairing effects.
  • Halt!: Orisa launches a graviton charge which she can detonate, slowing nearby enemies and pulling them towards the explosion.
  • Protective Barrier: Orisa throws out a stationary barrier that can protect her and her allies from enemy fire.
  • Supercharger: Orisa deploys a device to increase damage inflicted by allies within her line of sight.

Blizzard also released a new trailer for Overwatch featuring Orisa, and it’s been embedded above for your viewing pleasure.

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

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is officially coming to the Nintendo Switch

Posted on March 21, 2017 by John Scalzo

We’ve expected this announcement for quite some time, but Koji “Iga” Igarashi confirmed today that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is coming to the Nintendo Switch.

This also means that Kickstarter backers hoping to play Bloodstained on the Wii U are out of luck, as Iga and his team had to cancel development of the project for Nintendo’s former console. Backers interested in switching their pre-order to the Switch can do so though the same survey link they received previously, though Wii U backers can also opt to receive the game on the PC, PS4, Vita, or Xbox One. And if you were only interested in playing Bloodstained on the Wii U, you can request a full refund from now until April 20, 2017.

Iga further explained the situation to fans in a new Kickstarter update:

Hello, this is IGA.

Thank you for always supporting us. I would like to give a message to the backers who pledged for the Wii U version of Bloodstained.

During our Kickstarter campaign, the Wii U was at the height of its popularity, but the situation has drastically changed after the release of Nintendo Switch.

This change made it difficult to receive the necessary support from the hardware maker, which has led us to drop the Wii U development and shift the development to Nintendo Switch.

We are very sorry that it has come to this after all your support, but we hope you will understand. We would like to respond by preparing options for our backers, such as moving your pledge to another version or requesting a refund if you don’t want any other version.

We hope you will continue to support us.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is currently on track to be released sometime in 2018.

Posted in News, Switch, Wii U | Tagged

Square Enix will release a Switch-exclusive Secret of Mana Collection in Japan this June

Posted on March 21, 2017 by John Scalzo

Yesterday, Square Enix teased fans with a short video showing Seiken Densetsu 3/Secret of Mana 2 being played on a Switch. Today, the publisher confirmed that a Seiken Densetsu Collection will be released exclusively for the Switch in Japan this Summer.

In addition to featuring the third entry in the franchise, the compilation will also include Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden (released in America for the Game Boy as Final Fantasy Adventure) and Seiken Densetsu 2 (released in America for the Super NES as Secret of Mana). All three games will retain their original graphics, but with added portability thanks to the Nintendo Switch.

The Seiken Densetsu Collection will be released in Japan on June 1, but Square Enix has yet to announce if it’ll be released in North America. Though it’s important to note, the Switch is region free, so as long as you can read Japanese, you’ll be able to play it anywhere in the world.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

New Story Trailer and Limited Edition revealed for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Posted on March 21, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo will release Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia in North America on May 19, and it’s been a long time coming. Previously only available in Japan for the NES (as Fire Emblem Gaiden), Shadows of Valentia is one of the “lost” Fire Emblem games, and is finally making its North American debut (on the 3DS) after 25 years.

Naturally, Nintendo wants to give fans a package worthy of this formerly forgotten game, and they’ll do that with a special Limited Edition. Priced at $59.99, the Limited Edition will include several goodies that should be of interest to Fire Emblem fans:

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Limited Edition

  • Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Gamecard
  • Hardcover Valentia Artbook
  • Sound Selection CD
  • Pin Set (Alm, Celica, and Marth)
  • Reversible Cover Sheet (Based on the Packaging for the Original Famicom Game)

Nintendo also announced that an Amiibo Two-Pack featuring Alm and Celica will also be released on May 19. Not available separately, the Amiibo figures will unlock their own exclusive dungeons, “allowing heroes to earn items and level up their armies further by defeating bosses.” Tapping these figures in battle will also allow players to summon a computer-controlled Illusory Hero, which acts as an ally for a single turn.

Finally, Nintendo unveiled a brand new Story Trailer that’ll give fans a history lesson on the two armies in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, and “their differing quests attempt to achieve the unified goal of bringing peace to the land of Valentia.”

A closer look at the contents of the Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia’s Limited Edition can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News | Tagged

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory announced for Early 2018 release

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Brittney Williams

Digimon fans will be ecstatic to hear that a new entry in the Digimon Story franchise is on the horizon and slated for a sooner release than some of us may have initially expected. Bandia Namco has announced that Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory will be released for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in European territories in Early 2018. There is no definitive release date for the game as of yet in North America.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory picks up from the previous game, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, challenging players to uncover the truth about mysteries first revealed in the aforementioned title. Hacker’s Memory will put players in the shoes of protagonist Keisuke Amazawa, a young man falsely accused of a crime, who must team up with a band of hackers and enter the Digital World to investigate and clear his name. The game will also feature over 300 different Digimon, and players will be able to utilize a wide range of battle strategies, compatibilities, combos, and skills to use their Digimon to their fullest potential.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory will be available in both physical and digital formats for the PlayStation 4, but it’ll be digital-only on the PlayStation Vita.

In the meantime, check out some new screenshots showcasing the main protagonist, a few Digimon, and some of the settings players can expect to explore in the upcoming game after the break. Also, be sure to watch the Japanese-language trailer embedded above. (more…)

Posted in News, PS4, Vita | Tagged