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
XSEED @ E3 15: Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 1/2, EDF 4.1 PS4, EDF 2 Vita, more
XSEED Games has big plans for the remainder of the year. The publisher, which specializes in localizing obscure and niche titles from Japan, will release ten more games by the end of the year and they plan to bring all of them to this year’s E3 Expo.
Here’s a quick look at XSEED’s full lineup:
- Corpse Party (PC) – The first game in the survival horror series is in development for the PC. (Fall 2015)
- Corpse Party: Blood Drive (PS Vita) – The third, and final, game in the survival horror series will be released for the Vita. (Fall 2015)
- Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space (PS Vita) – The second game in the bug-bashing shooter series will shrink down onto the Vita in its first American release. (Fall 2015)
- Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair (PS4) – An enhanced version of Earth Defense Force 2025 will come to the PS4 with an expanded level count. (Fall 2015)
- Return to PoPoLoCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale (3DS) – Farm and fight in this turn-based RPG. (Fall 2015)
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter (PC, PSP) – Yes, the “Trails in the Sky” series will finally continue in America with this PC and PSP release. (Fall 2015)
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (PS Vita, PS3) – Another Legend of Heroes game, set in the same universe as “Trails in the Sky” but starring different characters, is also coming soon. (Fall 2015)
- Onechanbara Z2: Chaos (PS4) – The “bikini zombie slayers” will be back chopping heads on the PS4 soon. (Summer 2015)
- Senran Kagura: Estival Versus (PS Vita, PS4) – The wave-based fighter will offer ten-player play on the PS4 and four-player play on the Vita. (Fall 2015)
- Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson (3DS) – The anime-influenced fighting series will return for another go-round shortly. (Summer 2015)
Finally, XSEED will also release The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II for the PS3 and Vita, but it currently has no release date and likely won’t be at this year’s E3 Expo.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS4, PSP, Vita
Tagged E3 2015, Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space, Earth Defense Force 2025
Bloodstained officially coming to Vita; final stretch goals announced
Koji Igarashi’s Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is officially coming to the PlayStation Vita after crossing the $3.5 million mark in total pledges over the weekend.
Like the Wii U version, the portable port of Bloodstained will be developed by Armature. They plan to offer a music import option to transfer Bloodstained’s soundtrack to your Vita music library, PS4 Cross-Save support, touchscreen map support, and PlayStation TV compatibility. Like all other versions of the game, digital and physical copies are currently available to backers.
With the campaign scheduled to conclude in just four days on Friday, June 12 at 11:00 PM (Eastern Time), Igarashi and his team at Inti Creates have revealed the final stretch goals, which include another playable character and a separate prequel game created created in a retro style:
$3,750,000 – Orchestrated Tracks: Yamane and Yamada are thrilled to see this goal on the horizon, as it will enable them to have some of their compositions performed and recorded by a live, professional orchestra! These tracks will, of course, end up in the game, not to mention on the soundtrack.
$4,000,000 – Online Challenge Mode: Compete and cooperate with a friend to earn points in specially designed stages by clearing challenges, killing enemies, collecting items, and more. Rumor has it there there may even be incredibly powerful bosses which drop rare crafting materials…
$4,250,000 – 3rd Playable Character: Iga and Inti Creates will include a third playable character in Bloodstained! They don’t want to give away too much—it might even be a character you haven’t met yet.
$4,500,000 – Prequel Mini-Game For Consoles: Inti Creates is so excited about Bloodstained that they’re hoping to create a 2D, pixel-based, retro-styled mini-game that sheds some light on the world of Bloodstained before Miriam awoke from her coma. This is a complete game which will be sold separately, but every $28+ backer copy of Bloodstained will come with a FREE download of this game on PS4, XB1, Wii U, or PC! (Backers at Physical+Digital tiers will be eligible for 2 copies of the mini-game.)
$4,750,000 – Prequel Mini-Game For Portables: At $4.75 million Inti will port their side story game to the PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS. Backers $28 and up will be able to choose any platform for their free copy (or copies)!
$5,000,000 – ?????
More than 44,000 backers have pledged over $3.6 million to Bloodstained so far. Can Igarashi find more folks to push it to $5 million? Check back Friday to find out.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox One
Tagged Bloodstained Prequel, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Lucas will be available to download in Super Smash Bros. For Wii U/3DS on June 14
Nintendo has updated the official Smash Bros. site with the news that Lucas will be available to download on June 14. Players can gain access to the Mother 3/Earthbound 2 star on both the 3DS and Wii U for $4.99. However, obtaining the character on just one platform will only set you back $3.99.
Nintendo will also release their Splatoon-inspired Smash Bros. costumes on June 14. The “Inkling Outfit” costume for Mii Fighters of the Gunner type will be able to be purchased for use on both platforms for $1.15. A single-platform option is also available for 75 cents. An “Inkling Squid Hat” for all Mii Fighter types will be available for $1.15 (both platforms)/$0.75 (single platform) as well.
Don’t forget, Nintendo wants to add a ton of downloadable characters to Super Smash Bros. For 3DS and Super Smash Bros. For Wii U. The publisher even opened an online poll to collect character suggestions from fans.
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Super Smash Bros. For 3DS, Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
Mighty No. 9 gets Cross-Buy on PS4; Retro Hero Mode, Collector’s Edition, on all platforms
Mighty No. 9 is just three months away, and new publisher Deep Silver is gearing up to offer gamers plenty of extras if they buy in near the September 15 launch date.
First up, the Collector’s Edition will come packaged with a 6.5 inch, individually-numbered statue of Beck. The $59.99 box (available only for the PS4 and Xbox One) will also include the Retro Hero DLC Pack and special foil packaging featuring a facsimile signature of creator Keiji Inafune. The Retro Hero DLC, a special difficulty mode that offers one-hit death and a retro-inspired look for Beck, will also be part of the Launch Edition, which will be available digitally and on store shelves.
Mighty No. 9 will be available on a wide variety of platforms this September including the PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. However, if you purchase the game on the PS4, you’ll also receive a downloadable copy of the game for the PS3 and Vita through Sony’s Cross-Buy program. Mighty No. 9’s Vita launch will take place sometime after the PC/console release. The game is also in development for the 3DS.
Finally, Deep Silver and Comcept have released a brand new trailer for Mighty No. 9 featuring the game’s many bosses.
Nintendo Download: Adventures of Pip, Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven, Pac-Attack, more
It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another Nintendo Download. Here’s a look at some of the titles you can find on the Nintendo eShop beginning today:
- Adventures of Pip is a side-scrolling platformer for the Wii U that pumps pixels into its main character to help him overcome challenges.
- Pac-Attack is a “fun and quirky” for the Wii U’s Virtual Console that originally appeared on the Super NES.
- Cube Life: Island Survival is a game that looks ridiculously similar to Minecraft and its available now for the Wii U.
- Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven is a Japanese RPG for the 3DS that bases its attack system on bowling over your opponents.
More information on all of these games (and a few more) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Cube Life: Island Survival
Skylanders SuperChargers adds vehicles to the series this September
Activision has announced Skylanders SuperChargers, the fifth game in the franchise, will be available this September. As rumored earlier this year, SuperChargers will add land, sea, and air vehicles, more than 15 in all, to the Skylanders experience.
Developed by Vicarious Visions, Skylanders SuperChargers will be available on September 20 for the iPad, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. A “unique Skylanders SuperChargers experience” will also be released for the 3DS and Wii on the same day.
Activision will bring Skylanders SuperChargers to this year’s E3 Expo and the publisher plans to reveal quite a bit more about the game during the big show. For now, an extensive “Everything You Need to Know” guide for the game is available after the break and at the Activision Games Blog. (more…)
Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure will be available for 3DS next week
The Doctor is in on the 3DS beginning this month.
Nintendo has announced that Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure will be available to download through the 3DS eShop beginning June 11. The game will include your standard style of Dr. Mario play along with a new (optional) Miracle Cure gauge that drops powerups like Bombs and Lasers. The Miracle Cure gauge will also make an appearance in the game’s multiplayer mode, offering a variety of ways to frustrate your opponent.
Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure will also include additional modes that feature the stylus controls of Virus Buster Mode and the L-shaped capsules of Dr. Luigi Mode.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure
Square Enix will release Bravely Second: End Layer in US in 2016
Nintendo closed out this morning’s “Nintendo Direct Micro” with the announcement that Square Enix will bring Bravely Second: End Layer to the 3DS in 2016.
The game, which was released in Japan back in April, will feature “a brand new story and a new protagonist.” The RPG opens with the kidnapping of Agnes Oblige, and players will take control of a “fearless knight” to save her.
A short snippet of the game has been embedded above and we’ll surely learn more about Bravely Second as the year goes on.
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Bravely Second: End Layer