Most Recent: News

Nintendo files another trademark application for Eternal Darkness

Posted on December 27, 2016 by John Scalzo

Video game fans looking for a good scare have been captivated by Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem since it was released for the GameCube all the way back in 2002. Developed by Silicon Knights and published by Nintendo themselves, the game’s unique psychological scares and sanity effects made it stand out in the crowded horror genre.

Now, it looks like there’s a possibility that Nintendo might bring the franchise back, as the consolemaker filed a trademark application for “Eternal Darkness” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on December 20.

While this is great new for horror fans everywhere, it’s not a guarantee that Nintendo is planning a sequel or a re-release of the original game. Back in 2013, the company filed a very similar trademark application with the USPTO, and nothing ever came of it.

But with the pending launch of the Nintendo Switch (and the rumored addition of GameCube games to the Virtual Console), maybe this time will be different.

Posted in News, Retro | Tagged

GalaxyTrail will bring Freedom Planet 2 demo to PAX South; Demo will also be released as a free download after the show

Posted on December 27, 2016 by John Scalzo

GalaxyTrail got dressed up in a big red coat and a bushy white beard and played Santa on Christmas as they delivered a series of tweets about their upcoming plans for Freedom Planet 2.

According to the developer, they’re going to make an appearance at PAX South in January with a playable demo of the side-scrolling homage to Sonic the Hedgehog. But if you can’t make it to the first major gaming convention of the year, GalaxyTrail also revealed that they plan to make the demo available as a free download (presumably for the PC) after the show:

But wait, there’s more… GalaxyTrail also released a brand new trailer for the game, and it’s been embedded above. More trailers will be uploaded over the next few weeks.

Freedom Planet 2 will be released for the PC this Summer. It’ll also be available for “Nintendo Platforms” (probably the 3DS and/or Switch) sometime later.

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, Switch | Tagged ,

See Supergirl deliver a beatdown in this new Injustice 2 gameplay trailer

Posted on December 26, 2016 by John Scalzo

NetherRealm Studios paid a visit to IGN’s offices a few days before Christmas to show off a new gameplay trailer for Injustice 2 featuring Supergirl.

Like her more famous cousin, Supergirl can use her “Freeze Breath” to stop an opponent in their tracks, but she also put her own spin on her Kryptonian superpowers. To that end, “Krptonian Force” creates a whirlwind of energy that can trap her opponent in place or propel the character forward with lightning speed. Finally, her “Teleport Punch” and “Heat Vision” special moves are quick attacks that also pack a punch.

Injustice 2 is currently in development for the PS4 and Xbox One. It’ll be released sometime in 2017.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

PC/Xbox One owners will be able to purchase Halo Wars: Definitive Edition as a standalone game in 2017

Posted on December 26, 2016 by John Scalzo

Microsoft sent out codes for an “Xbox Game Preview” version of Halo Wars: Definitive Edition to everyone who pre-ordered Halo Wars 2 last week. The remaster will continue to be tweaked and enhanced ahead of its “final” release, but the consolemaker had yet to announce if it would ever be available to PC and Xbox One owners who weren’t interested in the sequel… until now.

Buried deep within an Xbox Support page for Halo Wars 2 is a single paragraph confirming that Halo Wars: Definitive Edition will indeed receive a standalone release sometime in 2017:

When you pre-order Halo Wars 2, you’ll receive a code for Halo Wars: Definitive Edition when the game is made available early on December 20, 2016. The game won’t be available to purchase separately until later in 2017.

Halo Wars 2 will be available for the PC and Xbox One on February 21, so there’s still time to pre-order it to receive early access to Halo Wars: Definitive Edition.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One | Tagged

Arc System Works will release NES-styled Double Dragon IV on January 30

Posted on December 26, 2016 by John Scalzo

Well this is a surprise. After acquiring the rights to the Double Dragon franchise in 2015, Arc System Works has announced that Double Dragon IV will be released for the PC and PS4 on January 30, 2017.

To help create an authentic sequel, Arc System Works recruited several members of the Technos team that originally worked on the franchise back in the 1980s including Producer Takaomi Kaneko, Director Yoshihisa Kishimoto, Character Designer Koji Ogata, Composer Kazunaka Yamane, and Programmer Kei Oyama.

The last game in the series, 2012’s Double Dragon Neon, was an affectionate parody designed by WayForward. But for Double Dragon IV, Arc System Works will employ NES-style graphics in a game that’ll also serve as a direct sequel to the storyline found in the NES adaptations of Double Dragon, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, and Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones.

Interestingly enough, this won’t be the first game to be thought of as “Double Dragon IV.” Super Double Dragon, developed by Technos and originally released for the Super NES in 1992, was often informally referred to as the fourth Double Dragon game. It was followed by Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls, a one-on-one fighting game based on the Double Dragon animated series, in 1994.

Fans can get their first look at the new Double Dragon IV in the game’s first teaser trailer, which has been embedded above.

Posted in News, PC, PS4 | Tagged

Weekly Warp-Up: Merry Christmas 2016

Posted on December 25, 2016 by John Scalzo

No, that’s not a typo. Welcome to the Weekly Warp-Up, your weekly wrap-up of the biggest and the best articles posted at Warp Zoned this week…

“You there, boy! What day is this?”
“Today, sir? Why, it’s Christmas Day!”

Whether you’re spending time with family or having a chat with three spirits, wishing for a Red Ryder BB Gun, or throwing Hans Gruber off a skyscraper, it’s time to be of good cheer. Even if the great video game news wheel has ground to a halt in the last few days of 2016.

Though let’s not forget, Square Enix gave us a brand new look at Dragon Quest XI: In Search of the Departed Time, 343 started to internally discuss “super-secret” stuff related to Halo 6, and Niantic kicked off a “Year-End Event” for Pokemon Go.

Elsewhere on Warp Zoned this week, UK Correspondent Andrew Rainnie filed his final Kickstart This! of the year for Super Red-Hot Hero, and Editor-In-Chief John Scalzo reviewed Super Mario Run.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Now we’ve got more news after the break. (more…)

Posted in News |

Image & Form will release SteamWorld 3 in 2017

Posted on December 24, 2016 by John Scalzo

After the huge success of SteamWorld Dig and SteamWorld Heist, developer Image & Form has fans all over the world. To close out 2016, they gave those same fans something to look forward in 2017. During the most-recent episode of their web series, “The Engine Room,” CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson and Community Manager Julius Guldbog revealed that SteamWorld 3 (officially known as SteamWorld Project 2017) will be released in 2017.

The third SteamWorld will make its public debut this March at PAX East, as Image & Form also announced they’ll travel to the Boston-based convention for the first time with a playable demo of their next game.

Back in October, Image & Form announced that they’re working on a game for the Nintendo Switch. As of right now, we don’t know if SteamWorld 3 and their Switch project are the same game… though it seems likely. I guess we’ll have to wait until March to find out for sure.

Posted in News | Tagged ,

Pokemon Go “Year-End Event” begins on Christmas Day

Posted on December 24, 2016 by John Scalzo

Niantic is launching another seasonal event for Pokemon Go and it’s going to take fans all the way into 2017. The Year-End Event kicks off tomorrow and the developer discussed what players can expect to find during it on their official website:

Don’t miss out on an increased chance to hatch a Togepi (and other Pokemon)! Starting the morning of December 25, 2016, and through the afternoon of January 3, 2017 (PST), PokeStops will award one single-use Incubator each day after your first Photo Disc spin. As you visit PokeStops during this time period, there will be a greater chance of finding Eggs that hatch Togepi, Pichu, and several other recently found Pokemon, originally discovered in the Johto region. Special Pikachu wearing festive hats will also be staying around a bit longer! You are more likely to find these limited-edition Pikachu during the time period of this celebration.

The Year-End Event will continue through January 8, and players will be more likely to encounter certain Pokemon, and they’ll receive bonus time when using Lures:

In addition, from the afternoon of December 30, 2016, through the afternoon of January 8, 2017 (PST), the first partner Pokemon and their Evolutions, originally discovered in the Kanto region, are more likely to be encountered. This means a greater chance to catch Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur, as well as Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard, plus Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise! As a way to increase your chance to encounter one of these Pokemon, Lure Modules will also last for 60 minutes instead of 30 minutes.

Finally, Niantic revealed that Pokemon Go players have walked an astounding 8.7 billion kilometers (about 4.5 billion miles) and caught 88 billion Pokemon since the game’s launch this Summer.

Posted in Mobile, News | Tagged