Most Recent: Switch

Switch owners will get to test out Splatoon 2 in a Global Testfire on March 24-26; Local Multiplayer and Spectator Mode also confirmed

Posted on February 12, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo successfully sold the original Splatoon to unsure Wii U owners with a series of Global Testfires that allowed players to try out the multiplayer shooter before it launched. This was new territory for Nintendo, though other publishers have been using open betas to build hype for years.

But it looks like the consolemaker had a good experience with their Global Testfire gambit, because they’re bring it back for Splatoon 2. Beginning March 24, Switch owners will be able to download a special demo version of the game that’ll include four different main weapons: the new Splat Dualies, as well as remixed versions of the Splat Roller and Splat Charger.

Splatoon 2’s Global Testfire will be available for six hour-long blocks during the demo period:

Global Testfire Starting Times (Eastern Time)

  • Friday, March 24: 3:00 PM and 11:00 PM
  • Saturday, March 25: 7:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 11:00 PM
  • Sunday, March 26: 7:00 AM

Nintendo also announced that the final version of Splatoon 2 will include a local multiplayer mode, known as LAN Play because each player will need their own Switch console, for up to eight players. And two additional non-players will be able to watch all the action unfold from multiple camera angles (including overhead) in a special Private Battle Spectator View.

Finally, the consolemaker confirmed that Amiibo figures from the original Splatoon series will be compatible with Splatoon 2.

Splatoon 2 will be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch sometime this Summer. A new trailer advertising the Global Testfire can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

Indie Megabooth will host 12 games in their GDC 2017 Showcase

Posted on February 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

The Indie Megabooth will once again offer a small chunk of real estate at the Game Developers Conference to up-and-coming developers this year. Their GDC 2017 Showcase will feature 12 games that are sometimes goofy (Keyboard Sports), sometimes terrifying (Perception), and sometimes without explanation.

The full lineup includes:

Indie Megabooth’s GDC 2017 Showcase

  • _Transfer
  • A Duel Hand Disaster: Trackher
  • Cosmic Express
  • I, Hope
  • Keyboard Sports
  • Lightfield
  • Monster Prom
  • Perception
  • Post Human WAR
  • Rogue Process
  • Snake Pass
  • Super Slime Arena

The Indie Megabooth will set up shop in San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center on the third floor of West Hall, and more information about every game featured in the Showcase can be found on their official website.

The 2017 Game Developers Conference will begin on February 27.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox 360 | Tagged

No new Skylanders game in 2017, but multiple “Adventure Packs” coming

Posted on February 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

As part of their quarterly financial report yesterday, Activision executives confirmed that a new game in the Skylanders franchise won’t be released in 2017. However, fans should still expect plenty of new content to appear this year.

First and foremost, Skylanders Imaginators will make its Nintendo Switch debut on March 3. The “toys-to-life” franchise has been one of the few third party bright spots on the Wii U, so it’s good to see Activision continuing the tradition on the Switch. And with Imaginators in the spotlight for another year, COO Thomas Tippl confirmed that Activision plans to launch “multiple Adventure Packs, new characters, and new in-game content” for it throughout the year.

Tippl revealed that Netflix’s Skylanders Academy has also been well-received by fans. A second season will premiere on the streaming service sometime this year, and a third is already in the works.

Finally, Activision is working on a new mobile game set in the Skylanders universe, but that’s all we know at this point.

Posted in Etcetera, Mobile, News, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged

Enroll in Switch 101 and learn the basics of the console with this new video from Nintendo

Posted on February 9, 2017 by John Scalzo

Is there someone in your life who wants to learn more about the Nintendo Switch? If so, then you should definitely direct them towards this new Hardware Overview video from Nintendo.

Even if you consider yourself a Switch expert, the video offers a nice refresher on exactly what the console’s capable of. Topics discussed include the console’s three output styles (TV Mode, Handheld Mode, and Tabletop Mode), as well as local multiplayer options, wi-fi connectivity, and the ins-and-outs of both Joy-Con controllers.

The Nintendo Switch will launch on March 3… which is just 22 days from today.

Posted in News, Switch |

Microids will release Syberia 3 on April 25 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Mac

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Brittney Williams

Spring is looking rather chilly and it has nothing to do with global warming! Today, Microids dropped a few juicy details, and a new trailer, about the latest entry in the Syberia series, Syberia 3.

First and foremost, fans of the series will be ecstatic to know that Syberia 3 has an official release date of April 20 in Europe, and April 25 in North America. Even better, Syberia 3 will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and even Mac… which is notorious for not having enough games. Syberia 3 will be fully dubbed in five languages; French, English, German, Polish, and Russian. It will also support subtitles for the aforementioned languages plus Spanish, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Czech, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese. Talk about accessible.

So what is Syberia 3 about? I’m glad that you asked. According to Microids…

The story begins when Kate is found left for dead on a shore by the Youkol tribe, a nomadic people caring for their snow ostriches during migration. Trapped, prisoners in the city of Valsembor, they will have to find together a way to continue their journey in a chase against their enemies and unexpected challenges. While at the same time, Kate’s past is catching up with her…

To go along with its interesting premise, Microids also found a composer for Syberia 3 that’s likely to produce an amazing soundtrack. Inon Zur, credited for composing the amazing soundtracks for Fallout 4, Dragon Age: Origins, Prince of Persia, and Syberia 2, has also composed the soundtrack for Syberia 3.

Fans have been waiting for Syberia 3 since Microids first announced it all the way back in 2009, so this is great news. However, if you were hoping to learn when Syberia 3 would make its Switch debut, you’ll have to keep waiting. A release date for the game on Nintendo’s upcoming console has yet to be announced.

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

Puyo Puyo Tetris will be released for Nintendo Switch and PS4 on April 25

Posted on February 8, 2017 by John Scalzo

After revealing the game last month during Nintendo’s Switch Presentation, Sega has announced that Puyo Puyo Tetris will be released for Nintendo’s next console and the PS4 on April 25. To go along with this good news, the publisher also released a new trailer highlighting the puzzle mashup’s many multiplayer modes:

Puyo Puyo Tetris Multiplayer Modes

  • Versus – Players compete head-to-head in either Puyo Puyo or Tetris to fight in the puzzle fight of their life.
  • Swap – Players’ abilities are put to the ultimate test when they compete on both Puyo Puyo and Tetris boards, which switch back and forth at set intervals.
  • Fusion – A true hybrid game where players compete with Puyos and Tetriminos together on the same board, requiring deft, on-the-fly thinking to become victorious.
  • Big Bang – It’s a race to the finish as players compete against each other to clear unique challenge boards as quickly as possible to win.
  • Party – Players compete on Puyo or Tetris boards, but the puzzles feature special items that when activated either help players or harm their opponents.

Puyo Puyo Tetris will be released for the Switch as a digital download through the Nintendo eShop ($29.99) and in a special retail edition containing Puyo Puyo and Tetris-themed keychains ($39.99). Unfortunately, PS4 owners won’t be able to purchase it digitally through the PlayStation Store, and will have to settle for a limited retail edition with no keychains ($29.99).

Posted in News, PS4, Switch | Tagged

FIFA 18 will be “custom built” for Nintendo Switch by EA Canda

Posted on February 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

Representatives from Electronic Arts took the stage during Nintendo’s Switch Presentation last month to confirm that the FIFA franchise would make its debut on the company’s next console sometime this year.

Secrecy is nothing new for EA or Nintendo, but earlier this week, EA’s Peter Moore told Gamereactor that the FIFA team at EA Canada is hard at work on a “custom-built” version of FIFA 18, which should launch this Fall alongside the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game:

“Well, as we have said, we are custom-building a FIFA version for the Nintendo Switch,” Moore said of the game. “It will be FIFA 18, and it will obviously be later this year when FIFA 18 comes out.”

We also asked whether FIFA for Nintendo Switch would be a slimmed down version of the game we’re getting on PS4 and Xbox One, closer to the old-gen versions still being made for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Moore answered: “What you have will be a custom built version for the Nintendo Switch from the FIFA development team in Vancouver.”

The annual launch of the FIFA franchise typically takes place in late September, so prospective Switch owners should expect to see it on store shelves around then.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged

Freedom Planet 2 Hands-On Preview: Not Your Parent’s Platformer

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Brittney Williams

Over the last few days, I’ve had the pleasure of playing around with a demo for Freedom Planet 2, which is in development at GalaxyTrail. The demo itself isn’t that long (one stage with a boss battle), however, the game is just that damn fun that I kept coming back to it, trying to beat my time and experimenting with the four characters in an effort to determine whose move set best fit my play style.

Before playing the Freedom Planet 2 demo, I had never heard of GalaxyTrail or the original Freedom Planet game. Though fascinated by indie developers and the masterpieces that they create, I often shy away from playing them, instead opting for AAA titles. Freedom Planet 2 makes me regret that decision.

It’s hard to gather much from a demo that can be finished in a little over two minutes, however, I have drawn the conclusion that Freedom Planet 2 is definitely not your parent’s platformer. What do I mean by that? Despite its obvious similarities to Sonic the Hedgehog, Freedom Planet 2 sets itself apart from traditional platforming games while still holding on to the charming components that define the genre. (more…)

Posted in PC, Previews, Switch, Top Story | Tagged ,