Most Recent: Articles

704 Games will release NASCAR Heat 2 on September 12

Posted on May 15, 2017 by John Scalzo

704 Games has announced they will release NASCAR Heat 2 for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on September 12. In addition to confirming a release date, the publisher promised the sequel will build on last year’s game with “enhanced online multiplayer, a deeper career mode, track updates, additional drivers and other features in line with the 2017 NASCAR-sanctioned national series formats.”

“[NASCAR Heat 2] will have a very different look and an enhanced overall experience that reflects the insights of actual NASCAR drivers,” said Paul Brooks, the CEO of 704 Games. “Over the coming months, we’ll announce additional new features that we believe will really excite our fans.”

Like last year, 704 Games will use the results of an upcoming race to determine NASCAR Heat 2’s cover athlete. From now until Friday, May 19, fans can vote for the two drivers they want to see compete for the cover spot at NASCARHeat.com/CoverRace. And then on May 20, the first driver to finish Stage 2 at the Monster Energy All-Star Race will become the game’s cover athlete.

We’ll learn more about NASCAR Heat 2 during this year’s E3 Expo, as 704 Games also announced they’ll have a demo version of the game on display at the industry’s Summer showcase.

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

WB Games will release Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 on November 14

Posted on May 15, 2017 by John Scalzo

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 was first teased more than six months ago as one of the struck titles from the SAG-AFTRA voice actor’s strike (which has still not been resolved, by the way), but a new announcement from WB Games has confirmed the game will be out this Fall.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 will be developed by TT Games, and feature a dimension-hopping story that’ll bring together a huge number of Marvel characters:

Players will go head-to-head with the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror in an epic battle across Chronopolis, from Ancient Egypt and The Old West to Sakaar and New York City in 2099. Along the way, gamers will be able to take control of a host of iconic characters, from Cowboy Captain America from the past to Spider-Man 2099 from the future along with Thor, Hulk, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Green Goblin, and dozens of other Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains.

“With a completely original branching storyline, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 introduces amazing new gameplay features, including the ability for characters to manipulate time and a four-player competitive Super Hero battling mode,” said Tom Stone, the Managing Director at TT Games. “With a huge array of brand new characters from the Marvel Universe, including old favorites in new guises, this game is sure to thrill both Lego and Marvel fans, as well as newcomers to the series.”

WB Games will release Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 14. The game is also in development for the Switch, and it’ll be released for Nintendo’s console sometime this Fall. An official launch date for Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 on the Switch will be announced at a later time.

Finally, you can find the first teaser trailer for Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 after the break. And WB Games plans to unveil the “Full-Length Trailer” on May 23. (more…)

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

Rumor: Nintendo will bring Legend of Zelda to mobile devices later this year

Posted on May 15, 2017 by John Scalzo

The hierarchy of Nintendo franchises is very clear… Mario is on top, then there’s The Legend of Zelda, and Pokemon comes after that. With Super Mario Run and Pokemon Go already available to download for mobile devices, it’s only a matter of time until Nintendo introduces Link to their mobile initiative. But according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, it might be happening sooner than we think.

Speaking to “people familiar with the matter,” The Journal’s Takashi Mochizuki believes that a Legend of Zelda Mobile game will be released later this year, sometime after the launch of Animal Crossing Mobile. Mochizuki also stressed that it’s possible Animal Crossing might be delayed (for the third time), which would force Nintendo to release Zelda Mobile first. However, aside from its existence, no other details about the game were revealed.

Naturally, Nintendo declined to comment on this rumor, but it seems rather obvious the company would want to ride the Breath of the Wild hype with more adventures starring Link. A new entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise will eventually appear on mobile devices, and now is as good a time as any.

Posted in Mobile, News | Tagged

New Retail Releases: Injustice 2, Fire Emblem Echoes, The Surge, More

Posted on May 14, 2017 by John Scalzo

The DC Universe will descend into civil war once more with this week’s release of Injustice 2 for the PS4 and Xbox One. But in addition to a new antagonist (Brainiac), the latest one-on-one fighting game from NetherRealm Studios will introduce a special Gear System that allows players to customize their favorite character in interesting new ways.

Speaking of war, Nintendo will also launch Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia for the 3DS this week. Widely expected to be the final Fire Emblem game released for the 3DS, Echoes is an enhanced remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, which was originally released in 1992, and only in Japan.

A wholly different type of RPG will be available from Focus Home and Deck 13, as they’ll release The Surge for the PS4 and Xbox One. An action RPG set in a science fiction setting, The Surge requires players to augment their character with technological enhancements and scavenge additional powerups from dismembered enemies.

Finally this week, the sugary and sweet Cooking Mama franchise returns to the 3DS with Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop. Seems like a rather appropriate choice for Mother’s Day.

A complete list of this week’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged , , ,

Tom Brady gets a “GOAT Edition” as the cover athlete of Madden NFL 18

Posted on May 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

Ever since he helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl LI in February, the sports world has been debating whether or not Tom Brady is the “Greatest Of All Time” (the “GOAT”). Yesterday, EA Sports delivered their opinion on the matter by announcing that Brady would grace the cover of Madden NFL 18, as well as a special “GOAT Edition” of the game.

“The Madden NFL 18 cover is a great honor for me,” said Brady. “Especially since I have been playing the game since growing up next to EA headquarters in the Bay Area. I’m not one to believe in curses, so I’m ready to take the challenge head on like always! It doesn’t stand a chance!!!”

Madden NFL 18 is once again in development at EA Tiburon and will use EA’s proprietary Frostbite engine for the first time. According to the publisher, the Frostbite engine will provide “a significant visual leap” for the franchise.

EA Sports also unveiled the first teaser trailer for Madden NFL 18, but fans will have to wait until this year’s E3 Expo for a more in-depth look at the game. As part of this presentation, EA Sports will reveal a brand new story mode for Madden NFL 18 patterned after FIFA 17‘s The Journey.

Fans who pre-order Madden NFL 18 will receive a pair of Ultimate Team bonuses including an Elite player from their favorite NFL team and five Squad Packs. Those who opt for the GOAT Edition will also receive the “GOAT Player” of their choice for the popular mode. And in addition to these bonuses, the GOAT Edition will also feature a three-day early access period.

Madden NFL 18 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on August 25.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged ,

Xbox Store Today: Demon’s Crystals, Narcosis, Human Fall Flat, Elliot Quest

Posted on May 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

The Xbox Games Store is taking us into the weekend with a quartet of new additions to its virtual shelves.

First up is Demon’s Crystals, a twin-stick shooter for the Xbox One with a fantasy vibe. Players will take control of anime-styled Urican demons, who use magic and heavy artillery to battle back an invading army.

Also available to download for the Xbox One today is Narcosis, a survival horror game that takes place on the bottom of the ocean.

Finally today, Xbox One owners will be able to download two new puzzle platformers. Human: Fall Flat is a surreal adventure that takes place in “floating dreamscapes,” and Elliot Quest is a dungeon-crawling platformer where players attempt to break a curse on the main character.

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

Posted in News, Xbox One |

Weekend Pipeline: 5/12/17 – Flash Sales and Mother’s Day Celebrations

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Brittney Williams

It’s Friday, and I couldn’t be happier. Between sales, free games, and celebrating Mother’s Day, there’s plenty to be excited about. If you’re looking for something special for the mommy gamer in your life, there are a few sales that you’ll likely want to check out. And if you’re up for traveling, there’s an amazing convention with a star-studded attendance list underway.

So without further ado, let’s start planning those weekend schedules! (more…)

Posted in News |

The Video Game Canon – Contra

Posted on May 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

Dig deeper into the Video Game Canon by calling up the two commandos from Contra to examine the history of gaming’s most famous cheat code. Here’s a teaser…

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.

The rhythm of the words made them sound less like a controller input and more like a prayer. By “speaking” the correct phrase with their controller as the Contra title screen rolled into view, players were able to invoke the spirit of the developers and begin the game with 27 additional lives. In a way, the Konami Code was quite literally a gift from the gods behind the game’s creation, and not so dissimilar from the God Mode cheat that was included in early first-person shooters like Doom.

The Konami Code was originally programmed into 1986’s Gradius by Kazuhisa Hashimoto as a way to unlock a huge weapons cache in the notoriously difficult shooter. He has even joked that the button sequence was left in the game by accident. The Code quickly became an accepted part of the of the publisher’s identity, and its inclusion in Contra (along with Super Mario Bros.‘s Warp Zones and Metroid‘s password system) changed the way people progressed through a game’s levels. These features meant that players were no longer forced to follow the same trail through a game. Now, they could veer off in new directions, and discover what secrets a game held on their own.

Visit VideoGameCanon.com to continue reading this article and to explore the complete Top 1000.

Posted in Features, Retro, Top Story, Video Game Canon | Tagged