Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon
- Meet the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025: Quake, GoldenEye 007, Defender, and Tamagotchi
- The BAFTA Games Awards Polled the Public and Shenmue is “The Most Influential Video Game of All Time”
- 2024 GOTY Scoreboard: Astro Bot, Balatro, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, More
- The Strong Museum of Play Acquires Prototypes and Development Documents from Volition’s 30-Year History
- Minecraft’s Volume Alpha Soundtrack Has Been Added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry
Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Research Library
- It’s beginning to feel like gaming isn’t for everyone – Digital Trends (2025)
- 22 years later, modders are keeping SimCity 4 alive – The Verge (2025)
- The B-movies of Paul W.S. Anderson double as acts of devotion to his muse, Milla Jovovich – The AV Club (2025)
- Breakout, Ripoff, Genre: How Fiction Outgrows Originality – Uncanny Magazine (2025)
- ‘I Could Make “Fart Fart Boobie Fart: The Game” and Maybe It Would Eventually Get Taken Down’ – Devs Reveal Why the Consoles Are Drowning in ‘Eslop’ – IGN (2025)
Warp Zoned Archives
Most Recent: 3DS
New Retail Releases: Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, Kirby Planet Robobot, Odin Sphere HD, More
You’ve gotta have Faith in this week’s new retail releases, because the star of Mirror’s Edge is back.
Eight years after her first adventure, Faith is back in Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst, a prequel/reboot for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Players will return to the city of Glass and use their first-person freerunning skills to climb skyscrapers and battle the oppressive government.
Another underdog is back on store shelves this week as Nintendo plans to release Kirby: Planet Robobot for the 3DS. Standing up to an alien invasion, Kirby will pilot a battle mech and blast his way through dozens of stages to take back Dream Land.
Also this week, Atlus and Vanillaware have teamed up to produce Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, an HD remake of 2007’s Odin Sphere, for the PS4, PS3, and Vita. The side-scrolling action RPG includes five playable characters and a unique take on Norse mythology.
Finally this week, Koei Tecmo will release Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book, the 17th game in the Atelier series of RPGs, for the PS4, and Arc System Works will launch Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator, the latest game in the 2D fighting series, for the PS4 and PS3.
A few other games will also make their way onto store shelves this week, and you can find the complete list after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox One
Tagged Kirby: Planet Robobot, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, Odin Sphere
Yacht Club reveals a short snippet from Shovel Knight’s King Knight add-on
Yacht Club Games launched the beefy “Plague of Shadows” expansion for Shovel Knight late last year, but they’re not done updating their 2013 debut. The developer is also in the midst of creating add-on campaigns for King Knight and Specter Knight, and the current plan is to release both by the end of the year.
There’s still no ETA on when the King Knight or Specter Knight campaigns will be completed, but Yacht Club recently released this quick glimpse at King Knight in action:
We're creating two new Shovel Knight campaign updates! Specter is cool and King Knight rules. Here he is in action! pic.twitter.com/tkIwxcA2Xy
— Yacht Club Games (@YachtClubGames) June 2, 2016
I love the regal flourishes that have been added to the status bar.
Nintendo Download: Metroid Prime Hunters, Kick & Fennick, Donkey Kong Country 3, more
It’s Thursday, so Nintendo is back with another update to the Nintendo eShop.
This week, platforming fans will get to try out Kick & Fennick on the Wii U. According to the developers, Kick & Fennick is an “action-filled adventure” where the titular duo “blast, bounce, and bound their way through 45 challenging levels.”
Also available for the Wii U this week is Metroid Prime Hunters, a multiplayer shooter that was originally released for the DS in 2006. Taking control of one of six bounty hunters, players will challenge Samus Aran in the search for relics from a “once-powerful warrior culture.” The Star Wars and Indiana Jones comparisons practically write themselves.
Nintendo will also bring another classic title to the New 3DS this week through the handheld’s Virtual Console service. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie’s Double Trouble was originally released for the Super NES and serves as the capper to the original Donkey Kong Country trilogy. Fans of classic platforming should definitely give it a look.
More information on all of these games (as well as a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Meet two new Legendary Pokemon in latest Pokemon Sun/Moon trailer
The Pokemon Company and Nintendo introduced fans to a pair of Legendary Pokemon in a new trailer for Pokemon Sun and Moon.
In addition to the new Pokemon, the trailer includes a look at the Alola region, which is the Hawaii-like series of islands where the game takes place. Several new characters also make their debut in the trailer, including Professor Kukui, who will serve as your mentor in the game alongside his young lab assistant, Lillie. Players will also meet Hau, the Trainer’s best friend, and the Rotom Pokedex, which has a personality of its own.
But first, let’s say hello to the Legendary Pokemon, Solgaleo and Lunala:
Name: Solgaleo
Category: Sunne Pokemon
Height: 11′02″
Weight: 507.1 lbs.
Type: Psychic/Steel
Ability: Full Metal Body
Honored as an emissary of the sun since ancient times, Solgaleo is referred to with reverence as “the beast that devours the sun.” Solgaleo’s body holds a vast amount of energy, and it shines with light when it is active. It has a flowing mane with a remarkable resemblance to the sun. Its signature move is Sunsteel Strike, an attack that charges at an opponent with the force of a meteor, disregarding the target’s Ability. Solgaleo’s Ability is Full Metal Body, a new Ability that no previous Pokemon has had. With the Full Metal Body Ability, a Pokemon’s stats will not be lowered by the effects of an opponent’s moves or Ability.
Name: Lunala
Category: Moone Pokemon
Height: 13′01″
Weight: 264.6 lbs.
Type: Psychic/Ghost
Ability: Shadow Shield
Since ancient times, Lunala has been honored as an emissary of the moon. Referred to with reverence as “the beast that calls the moon,” Lunala is constantly absorbing light and converting it into energy. With its wings spread to absorb the surrounding light and glittering like the crescent moon, it resembles a beautiful night sky. Lunala’s signature Moongeist Beam attack releases an ominous beam of light that disregards the target’s Ability. Lunala’s Ability is Shadow Shield, a new Ability that no previous Pokemon has had. With the Shadow Shield Ability, a Pokemon will take less damage from an attack that lands when the Pokemon has full HP.
While Nintendo’s E3 focus remains on The Legend of Zelda Wii U/NX, the consolemaker also plans to debut the first live gameplay footage from Pokemon Sun and Moon during a Nintendo Treehouse program on June 14. You can watch along at home through E3.Nintendo.com, and don’t forget, Pokemon Sun and Moon will be released for the 3DS on November 18.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged E3 2016, Pokemon Sun/Moon
BB-8 stars in the latest Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer
The time has come… the latest Character Trailer for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is an epic showcase for none other than BB-8. The breakout star of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, BB-8 certainly holds his own in the 30-second clip, and he looks like he’ll be a major part of the game.
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is less than a month away now, as the game will be released for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on June 28.
Nintendo Download: StarTropics, StarTropics II, Dragon Fantasy: The Black Tome of Ice, more
Two NES classics, and an RPG that just looks like an NES classic, are now available to download through the Nintendo eShop.
When fans reminisce about Nintendo’s great franchises, they often leave the StarTropics series off the list. But I’m quite fond of these NES action RPGs and they’re both now available to download for the Wii U. StarTropics and Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II both star adventurer Mike Jones, who has come to the tropics to save his missing uncle. But the action moves far beyond blue water and palm trees after the aliens show up.
Also available to download this week for the Wii U and 3DS is Dragon Fantasy: The Black Tome of Ice, a game built from the ground up to honor the JRPGs that were popular in the 80s and 90s (Captain a pirate ship! Battle giant bosses! No random encounters!).
More information on all of these games (as well as a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Deep Silver continues their goofy advertising pitch for Mighty No. 9 with new “Masterclass” trailer
Prospective fans of Mighty No. 9 are understandably upset that the game has taken so long to go from Kickstarter campaign to finished product. But game development takes time, and creator Keiji Inafune started work on Mighty No. 9 with little more than an idea and a dream.
So here we are, less than a month away from its launch, and publisher Deep Silver has delivered a new “Masterclass” trailer that focuses on Beck’s many special abilities. Narrated by the same goofy announcer as last November’s “Features Trailer,” it has a similar retro vibe, and probably would have felt right at home on Nickelodeon in 1992.
Will this kind of advertising fly in 2016? It’s too soon to say, but we do know that Mighty No. 9 will be released for the PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on June 21. The game will also appear on the 3DS and Vita later this year.
Finn stars in the second Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Character Trailer
WB Games is back with a second “Character Vignette” from Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and this time they’ve focused on Finn, everyone’s favorite ex-Stormtrooper.
Watch as Finn helps Chewbacca stuff Captain Phasma down the garbage chute, and hear new dialogue recorded by John Boyega as Finn explains to Han Solo that everything’s going to be OK (grumpy Han Solo sounds less than convinced).
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released on June 28 for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.