Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
- Boss Fight Books Gets a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
- GDC Awards: All the Winners from 1996 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
- Silent Hill, Dragon Quest, Skyrim, and More Announced as Finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- We Pitched a Museum a 1993 Game Hint Line (And They Actually Said Yes) – Yarn Spinner (2026)
- The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread – A Critical Hit (2025)
- Creator of Hit Game Shovel Knight Is at a ‘Make or Break’ Moment – Bloomberg (2025)
- Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history – Design Room (2025)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Most Recent: 3DS
New Releases: Tomb Raider, SimCity, Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, More
Alright, after a few slow weeks, we’ve got a much more substantial list of new releases this week.
Leading the pack is Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider reboot. The game travels back to Lara’s first adventure and looks to be more of a survival tale than a hunt for shiny babble #23. It’ll be available for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 and it definitely looks interesting.
Another interesting entry in this week’s new release list is SimCity. The last game in series, 2007’s SimCity Societies, made quite a few changes to the standard SimCity mechanic. SimCity, while not technically a “reboot,” will attempt to bring back the franchise’s familiar feel.
Also available this week this is Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, the 3DS interquel set between Lords of Shadow and the upcoming Lords of Shadow 2. Namco Bandai will also bring Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk exclusively to the PS3 this week.
Finally, it’s time to play ball as MLB 13: The Show (PS3, Vita) and MLB 2K13 (PS3, Xbox 360) are ready to enter the batter’s box. Just 29 days until opening day.
A complete list of this week’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Nintendo Download: Runner 2, Retro City Rampage, Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, more
It’s another big week for Nintendo’s download services… and we even get another Wii U game.
That game is Gaijin Games’ Bit.Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien. The platformer, which stars everyone’s favorite monochrome mascot, CommanderVideo, is available today is both demo and full version form.
Also available this week is Konami’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate. The 3DS side-story that bridges the gap between the two Lords of Shadow games on the PS3/Xbox 360 is available now as a demo, with the full game set to hit the 3DS eShop on Tuesday, March 5.
Finally, this week finally marks the release of Retro City Rampage on the Wii Shop Channel. An 8-bit-styled, open-world game reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto’s early days, Retro City Rampage on the Wii includes the special “ROM City Rampage” mode, which morphs the game into a true 8-bit adventure that would have worked on the NES.
Hit the jump for more details on all of these games as well as three other additions to this week’s Nintendo Download. (more…)
THQ plans to sell off Darksiders, Red Faction, Homeworld, more in May
The THQ sell-off will continue this Spring as the publisher has announced that four major franchises will go up for auction as well as two compilations of lesser franchises.
Darksiders (which went unsold at the initial THQ auction), Red Faction, Homeworld, and the MX racing franchise have all been put on the block by THQ. The company will also sell the rights to a package of original properties (including Big Beach Sports, Destroy All Humans!, Summomner, and others) and a package of licensed games (Marvel Super Hero, Supreme Commander, Worms, and others). A new owner for each franchise will be chosen sometime in May.
If you’ve ever wanted to own a formerly top-selling video game franchise, you should get in touch with THQ by emailing them at auction@thq.com by April 1. But be aware, you’ll be expected to show proof of funds in case your bid is selected by the creditors committee.
Of course, how much could something like Destroy All Humans! (which, admittedly, I love) actually go for?
Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Tagged Darksiders, Darksiders II, Destroy All Humans, Homeworld, Homeworld 2, Red Faction: Armageddon
New Releases: Etrian Odyssey IV, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus, More
Atlus’ DS RPG series makes the leap to the 3DS as Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan leads this week’s look at what’s new in stores. Also available this week, Ryu Hayabusa returns to a Sony portable platform (along with three beautiful assistants: Ayane, Rachel, and Momiji) in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus for the Vita.
If you’ve skipped the DLC content for Borderlands 2 so far, but don’t want to wait for the inevitable Game of the Year Edition, you might be interested in checking out the Borderlands 2: Add-On Content Pack for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It smushes the first two expansions and the Mechromancer character class onto a single disc (which requires Borderlands 2) for a decent price. Motorcycle racing game Mud: FIM Motocross World Championship is also available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 this week.
Finally, this week sees the release of the Kinect-powered Top Hand Rodeo Tour, which I imagine just asks you to do the “Gangnam Style” dance in your living room under the guise of taming a bucking bull.
Posted in 3DS, News, PS3, Vita, Xbox 360
Tagged Borderlands 2, Etrian Odyssey IV
Nintendo Download: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate demo, F-Zero, Etrian Odyssey IV, more
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate will be available for the 3DS and Wii U on March 19, but you can download a demo from the Nintendo eShop beginning today! If monster-slaying isn’t your thing, two other demos, Trine 2: Director’s Cut on the Wii U eShop and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on the 3DS eShop, are now available.
Wii U gamers will also get a chance into the past this week with F-Zero. The Super NES classic has been priced at 30 cents for a limited time, so if Captain Falcon stirs fond memories in your Nintendo thumb, now’s the time to buy.
Finally this week, we have a quartet of 3DS game downloads…
- Picdun 2: Witch’s Curse is a dungeon-crawling RPG from developer Intense.
- Viking Invasion 2 is a tower defense game with vikings.
- Yoshi is the NES puzzle game, re-released for the 3DS’ Virtual Console.
- And Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan is the latest RPG from Atlus. It’ll be available on Tuesday, February 26.
More information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Etrian Odyssey IV, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Angry Birds Trilogy sells a million; Wii U, Wii versions dropping this year
The Angry Birds fly high regardless of what platform they’re on. Activision has revealed that their HD compilation of the first three games, Angry Birds Trilogy, has “soared” past one million copies sold worldwide. The 3DS, PS3, and Xbox 360 game was originally released in September. To celebrate (and in a quest for more money), Activision and Rovio have announced that Angry Birds Trilogy will be released on the Wii U and the Wii by the end of the year.
“It was certainly satisfying to see Angry Birds gameplay adapt so well to other platforms in 2012,” said Petri Jarvilehto, Executive Vice President of Games for Rovio. “The features specific to the Wii U are very intriguing to us, so we’re excited to release this version to fans.”
Those Wii U-specific features will likely involve the use of the Wii U GamePad to fling birds at those crafty swine.
CoD: Black Ops II is the bestselling game of January 2013
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the bestselling game of the month for a third month in a row, according to the NPD Group’s January 2013 report of retail game sales.
Capcom’s Devil May Cry reboot, DMC: Devil May Cry, was the only new release to crack the top ten. The game, the first created by UK developer Ninja Theory, clawed its way to sixth place.
Here’s the complete top ten for the month:
Bestselling Retail Games in January 2013
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC)
2. Far Cry 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
3. Just Dance 4 (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U)
4. NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PC)
5. Madden NFL 13 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Vita, Wii U)
6. DMC: Devil May Cry (PS3, Xbox 360)
7. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)
8. Assassin’s Creed III (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC)
9. Skylander Giants (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, 3DS, Wii U)
10. FIFA Soccer 13 (PS3, Xbox 360, Vita, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, PSP)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Assassin's Creed III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, DMC: Devil May Cry, Far Cry 3, FIFA Soccer 13, Halo 4, Just Dance 4, Madden NFL 13, NBA 2K13, NPD
Animal Crossing: New Leaf sets up house on June 9
3DS owners will finally get a chance to purchase Animal Crossing: New Leaf when its released for the 3DS on June 9. The game, which has been available in Japan since December, will be the first game in the series available for the handheld.
New Leaf will add plenty of new things to the Animal Crossing formula including a Main Street shopping plaza and the Happy Home Place model home showcase. And, of course, this time you get to be the mayor. Bill Trinen, Nintendo’s Director of Product Marketing, had this to say: “You’re the boss now. No more doing chores for Tom Nook.”
As the boss, you also might like to know that Nintendo is adding an Animal Crossing-themed clothing line to Style Savvy: Trendsetters. The Gracie Grace line is inspired by “the fashion-forward giraffe from the Animal Crossing series” and is available for download now. Another new clothing line, based on the popular Japanese brand Liz Lisa, will be available to download later this year.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Animal Crossing: New Leaf