Most Recent: News

Link snowboards and wishes fans a “Happy Holidays” in new Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild mini-trailer

Posted on December 15, 2016 by John Scalzo

After the strong sales of 1080 Snowboarding, Nintendo embraced their extreme sports success and pushed out a sequel, 1080 Avalanche, for the GameCube. More than 13 years later, the consolemaker hasn’t shown any interest in revisiting their surprise hit.

And yet, it’s hard not to be reminded of the 1080 franchise after watching Link shred some powder in this brand new mini-trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The hero wants to wish fans a “Happy Holidays” and tear down a mountain with reckless abandon on his shield. The epic music is also a nice touch.

In addition to the new mini-trailer, Nintendo is trotting out a series of new Breath of the Wild screenshots on Facebook that will “explore the Hyrulean landscape.”

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be released for the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U sometime in 2017.

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Nintendo Download: Super Mario Run, Picross E7, Excitebots, more

Posted on December 15, 2016 by John Scalzo

This Spring’s Miitomo was a fun experiment, but Nintendo is truly kicking off their mobile push today with the launch of Super Mario Run. The “one-handed” platformer will include dozens of levels, a multiplayer versus mode, and a Kingdom Builder mode for players interested in creating their own Mushroom Kingdom.

Also available to download this week on the Wii U is Excitebots: Trick Racing, which was originally released for the Wii in 2009. Swapping out motorcycles for customizable robots, Excitebots features 25 different courses and a huge selection of stunts.

Finally this week, the seventh Picross E game is now available to download through the 3DS eShop. Picross E7 is the latest game in the “Picture Crossword Puzzle” series and the first with 20×15 “Mega Picross” puzzles.

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

Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, Wii U | Tagged

Xbox Store Today: Bastion, Stardew Valley, Batman: Episode 5, more

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

A big batch of new games is now available to download through the Xbox Games Store, starting with a re-release of one of the first big hits for the digital storefront.

Bastion was originally released for the Xbox 360 by Supergiant Games back in 2011. The action RPG included an omniscient narrator was absolutely groundbreaking at the time, and now it’s available to download for the Xbox One with new Achievements and the Stranger’s Dream expansion. Best of all, if you purchased Bastion on the Xbox 360, you can grab a free download of the Xbox One edition until January 1st.

Also available to download this week is Stardew Valley, an RPG for the Xbox One that asks players to manage a farm and, eventually, restore the surrounding community. And speaking of a crusader for the community, Telltale’s Batman saga will come to an end this week with the release of Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 5: City of Light for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

Finally this week, Microsoft is celebrating the career of Hironobu Sakaguchi and the Xbox One Backwards Compatibility program with a brand new digital launch for Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon. Originally released for the Xbox 360 more than seven years ago, neither game has been available to download through the Xbox Games Store until now. Not only that, but players interested in downloading Lost Odyssey will be able to do so for free until December 31st.

More information on all of today’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)

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

See a teaser trailer for the Nintendo Switch exclusive Seasons of Heaven

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

A lush forest… Glowing blue and green glyphs… Easter Island heads… A samurai sword… A massive tower rising out of the distance… A small child with a backpack…

Prospective players were introduced to the mysterious world of the Switch-exclusive game Seasons of Heaven today in a brand new teaser trailer. Currently in development at AnyAnts Productions, and announced earlier this week, Seasons of Heaven is an exploration game based on a novel by Nico Augusto:

Seasons of Heaven will take you from deep inside of a mystical forest at the beginning of time all the way through to the twenty-first century and the fall of civilization. It will take you on a journey with Yann, a young boy with Asperger’s Syndrome and his faithful companion, Ani, a French bulldog who Yann is able to communicate with through telepathy. As you follow along on their journey you’ll have the opportunity to meet the rest of the major players and bear witness to the enlightenment of some and the demise of others. This story will allow you to experience the awe of discovering the most beautiful, magical place that ever existed while at the same time staying only one step ahead of the dark and vile underbelly of the human race.

If you’re intrigued by this fleeting glimpse of the game, you might be interested to know that a full trailer for Seasons of Heaven will be unveiled on Monday, December 19, at midnight (Eastern Time).

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Rumor: Rime is coming to the PS4 in 2017… and the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

Originally announced in 2013 as a PS4 exclusive, Tequila Works has been steadily working on Rime, a cel-shaded “adventure platformer,” ever since. Last year, the developer reacquired the publishing rights to the game, and many fans assumed that Rime would eventually make its way to the PS4 (and maybe additional platforms) when it launched in 2017. Now it looks like that might be happening.

A now-deleted rating (spotted by Eurogamer) on the Brazilian Ratings Board for Rime lists the game as in development for the PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Though Rime has been in the works for over three years, it’s still mostly shrouded in mystery:

Rime is a single-player puzzle adventure game about a young boy shipwrecked on a mysterious island after a torrential storm. Players must use their wits to decipher the challenges and secrets of an expansive world strewn with rugged terrain, wild creatures and the crumbling ruins of a long-forgotten civilization. With subtle narrative, colorful artwork and a sweeping score, Rime offers players a meaningful journey filled with discovery.

But a notice on the game’s official website has promised that we’ll hear more about it early next year.

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Xbox One Backwards Compatibility list reaches 300 titles; 50% of Xbox One owners use it

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

Yesterday, Microsoft added BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite to the Xbox One’s growing Backwards Compatibility list. Believe it or not, with the addition of these three games, more than 300 Xbox 360 games that are now playable on the Xbox One.

While a number of incredibly high-profile titles are now playable on the Xbox One, you might be wondering how many people actually bother with Backwards Compatibility. According to Phil Spencer, the Head of Microsoft’s Xbox Division, more than 50% of Xbox One owners use the program:

You can find a complete list of all Xbox 360 titles that are playable on the Xbox One through the Backwards Compatibility program at Xbox.com.

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

Stardew Valley, DriveDriveDrive, I Expect You to Die, more added to PS Store

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

Even though an extended cold snap will make the northeast and midwest a chilly place this week, PlayStation fans are thinking about the joys of planting season in Stardew Valley. Available to download now for the PS4, players will inherit their grandfather’s old plot of land and attempt to build a thriving farm with just a few coins and a dream.

Also available for the PS4 this week is DriveDriveDrive, a racing game that asks players to control multiple cars and multiple tracks. If that’s not weird enough, I Expect You to Die is a PS4 game that wants to hear your best Goldfinger impression. OK, that’s not entirely accurate, but it is a PlayStation VR-exclusive that puts players “in the well-polished shoes of an elite secret agent” as they escape from deadly death traps using only their wits and their telekinesis powers.

Finally this week, Batman: The Telltale Series comes to an end with the release of its fifth, and final, episode on the PS4 and PS3.

More information on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. A complete look at this week’s new add-ons and discounts is available at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, PS4 | Tagged ,

Turtle Rock has partnered with Perfect World to produce a free-to-play co-op FPS with “dark fantasy” elements

Posted on December 13, 2016 by John Scalzo

When Turtle Rock parted ways with 2K earlier this year, they left the future development of Evolve in the publisher’s hands. But the developer has revealed they have no plans to stop creating co-op shooters after partnering with Perfect World on a new free-to-play title.

Steve Goldstein, Turtle Rock’s President, recently sat down with GamesIndustry.biz to discuss this new title, the team’s future, and the difficulty of being an independent AAA developer in today’s world. The executive confirmed that the game, which is currently untitled, won’t be released until “at least 2018.” He also said it shouldn’t be considered a spiritual successor to Evolve or the Left 4 Dead series because it takes place in a “dark fantasy” world:

According to President and GM of Turtle Rock, Steve Goldstein, the developer isn’t willing to go so far as to call the new IP a spiritual successor. “We think that kind of label has big expectations tied to it, also – it sets an expectation that we’re making something sequel-like that does not deviate too far from the original formula. And while we focus on awesome first-person shooting and co-op, we’d rather have the new game be something our players classify and designate and judge without us affixing the label ourselves,” he said.

“What we can say is that we are definitely going back to our moment-to-moment gameplay roots with a huge focus on co-op FPS. There will be plenty of baddies to shoot up, but it is not a ‘zombie game’ or anything post-apocalyptic. What we can say right now is there’s a strong dark fantasy element to it.”

Goldstein is also very impressed with the way developers are able to quickly respond to fan feedback in the free-to-play space. However, it’s likely the last thing we’ll hear about Turtle Rock’s next game for a long time.

UPDATE: An official press release from Turtle Rock has confirmed their free-to-play project is in development for “PC and console.”

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One |