Most Recent: Articles

Wii U launch date, price won’t be announced at E3 2012

Posted on April 27, 2012 by John Scalzo

During their most recent quarterly financial briefing, Nintendo reconfirmed that the Wii U will appear in its “final form” at this year’s E3 Expo. The publisher also revealed that the system’s launch lineup will be announced at the big show.

Nintendo itself has yet to announce any launch titles for the Wii U, but third party publishers such as Sega (Aliens: Colonial Marines), Ubisoft (Assassin’s Creed III), THQ (Darksiders II), Tecmo Koei (Ninja Gaiden 3), and WB Games (Batman: Arkham City) all have games lineup up for the system’s launch.

However, those attending E3 (and all of us watching at home) won’t hear anything about when the Wii U will launch or how much it’ll cost during the show. Nintendo is saving that information and will announce them sometime after E3 but before the system’s “year-end sales season” release.

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged

3DS, Wii U retail games to be sold digitally… starting with New Super Mario Bros. 2

Posted on April 27, 2012 by John Scalzo

The 3DS eShop just got a whole lot cooler. Nintendo has announced that, beginning this August, the online store will offer downloadable versions of retail games. First on the list… New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Like current 3DS eShop downloads, downloadable retail games must be stored on an SD card and will only be playable on the handheld they were purchased on. If you’re one of those people who are still uneasy about using a credit card on the Internet, brick-and-mortar retailers will also sell download codes for 3DS digital downloads. Best of all, retailers can set the price for a download code just as they can for a cartridge game, so we might see some big sales for downloadable 3DS games.

Nintendo also announced that “Onitore,” the game more popularly known as Brain Age: Devil Training, will receive a US release and that it too will be available sometime this year as both a retail release and a digital download.

Finally, Nintendo confirmed that the same retail/digital download deal will apply to Wii U games when the system launch’s this Fall. So shoppers will be able to download any Nintendi-publisher Wii U title at the same time the game is released in stores.

Hey! Nintendo can finally say they’ve one-upped Sony and Microsoft in the online arena for something!

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

The Walking Dead shambles onto XBLA today

Posted on April 27, 2012 by John Scalzo

Telltale has announced that the first episode of their zombie-riffic adventure series, The Walking Dead, is now available to download from the Xbox Live Arcade. To celebrate, the company has released a new trailer, “Choice Matters,” to highlight that… well… choice matters in a world full of walking dead.

The first episode of The Walking Dead can be downloaded from the XBLA for 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale officially announced… aren’t you shocked?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by John Scalzo

People throw around the phrase “worst kept secret in gaming” a lot. EA just used it when their Crysis 3 reveal was accidentally leaked a day early by their own Origin store. But if you’re looking for a true example of the “worst kept secret” phenomenon, then look no further than PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale for the PS3.

Officially announced last night, PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale is a Smash Bros.-like mashup where characters from Sony’s long history in video games get together to fight. The game, which is being developed by SuperBot, will include Kratos, Sweet Tooth, PaRappa, Fat Princess, Colonel Radec, Sly Cooper, and many more. And like Nintendo did with later editions of Smash Bros., Sony is in talks with third party developers to bring their characters into the Battle Royale.

PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale will include a ton of different modes for your punching preference including an Arcade Mode, online multiplayer, local multiplayer, team battles, Practice Mode, Special Event Battles created by SuperBot, and a Combat Trials mode similar to Mortal Kombat‘s Challenge Tower.

PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale currently doesn’t have a release date, but in the months to come I’m sure we’ll learn all about a number of characters that are virtual shoe-ins to appear in Battle Royale such as Nathan Drake, Cole McGrath, Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, the Buzz! host (who makes a brief appearance in the trailer above), and Sackboy. I bet Ico and Wander just might make the final cut as well.

Who do you want to see in PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale?

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Powers Boothe, Shannyn Sossamon added to Hitman: Absolution cast

Posted on April 26, 2012 by John Scalzo

Square Enix has announced that Powers Boothe (probably best known for his turn as Vice President Daniels in “24”) and Shannyn Sossamon (best known for naming her child Audio Science A Knight’s Tale) have agreed to lend their voices to Hitman: Absolution.

Boothe will play Benjamin Travis, a new handler for the International Contract Agency (ICA). His backstory is explored in the trailer above with imagery by comic artist Ben Oliver. Sossamon will voice a character named Jade that is currently a bit of a mystery, but it’s likely she’s a sassy brunette who doesn’t take any guff from anybody. That’s right, I said guff.

Hitman: Absolution will be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 later this year.

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Portal 2 level editor coming May 8

Posted on April 26, 2012 by John Scalzo

Valve has announced that the long-awaited Portal 2 level editor, cleverly titled the “Perpetual Testing Initiative,” will be available to PC players on May 8.

The DLC will be available as a free download and it allows players to “easily create, share, and play Portal 2 puzzles.” After creating a puzzle, players will be able to “directly publish maps to the Steam Workshop where users can browse, vote on, and select to play them.” Certain maps will be automatically downloaded for players to try.

It’s unlikely this level editor will ever come to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Portal 2, but we can always hope.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

Nintendo Download: 3DS system update, Super Street Fighter II, more

Posted on April 26, 2012 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has pushed out a system update for the 3DS as part of their weekly Nintendo Download offerings. The update adds the ability to place folders on the handheld’s Home Screen as well as streamlines browsing in the 3DS eShop.

And speaking of the 3DS eShop, Nintendo has added a new game to the online store today as well. Titled Block Factory, it’s, you guessed it, a puzzle game that features falling blocks. On the DSi Shop, Nintendo has Chuck E. Cheese’s Arcade Room, which promises to “recreate the magic of being at Chuck E. Cheese’s!” Unless it includes a miniature copy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, I doubt it could recreate my favorite memories of Chuck E. Cheese.

Finally, Nintendo remembered that the Virtual Console still exists on the Wii and has added Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers to the Wii Shop. Unlike your typical Virtual Console game, Super Street Fighter II adds online multiplayer to the mix.

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

Posted in 3DS, DS, News, Wii |

Daily Scoop: April 26, 2012 – Persona day!

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Nicole Kline

It’s rainy and crappy here in Philadelphia, and a sort of melancholy has descended upon me. I just keep trying to remember that it’s nearly Friday, and that is helping to get me through the day!

Ryan Littlefield brought to my attention a certain Persona sale going on over at Amazon today. All of these games are on the PlayStation 2, and they’re all just $19.99:

Now is a great time to scoop these up and round off your Persona collection!

Next up is a funny Skyrim t-shirt: (more…)

Posted in Daily Scoop |