Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Silent Hill, Dragon Quest, Skyrim, and More Announced as Finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Has Another Big Night and Wins “Game of the Year” at the 2025-2026 DICE Awards
- 2025 GOTY Scoreboard: In Progress
- The Game Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Racks Up Nine Wins, Including “Game of the Year”, at the 2025 Game Awards
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: Switch
Square Enix finally brings Collection of Mana to US and it’s available to download on Switch eShop today
One of the first games that Square Enix released for the Switch back in 2017 was Collection of Mana, a compilation that brought together the first three games in the franchise… but you might not know that as Collection of Mana never made its way out of Japan. But that all changed today as Square Enix finally added Collection of Mana to the Switch eShop immediately following the completion of Nintendo’s E3 2019 Nintendo Direct presentation.
Priced at $39.99, Collection of Mana includes two games that should be familiar to North American fans: Final Fantasy Adventure (which was originally released for the Game Boy in 1991) and Secret of Mana (which was originally released for the Super NES in 1993). But the compilation also includes the first English localization of Seiken Densetsu 3, which was originally released for the Super NES in 1995. Often referred to as “Secret of Mana 2” by game publications before the publisher decided to limit its availability to just Japan, it’ll officially be known as Trials of Mana to North American audiences.
If you’d prefer to add a Collection of Mana cartridge to your Switch library, Square Enix also said they plan to release a Retail Edition of the game through “participating retailers” and the Square Enix Store on August 27.
A Launch Trailer for Collection of Mana has been embedded above.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged E3 2019, Secret of Mana
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered will land on PC and consoles later this year
Aside from making Final Fantasy VIII available to download for the PS3 through Sony’s PSone Classics banner in 2009, Square Enix has basically kept the RPG under lock and key since its launch more than 20 years ago. But it looks like they’re finally pulling it out of the vault later this year for a new re-release known as Final Fantasy VIII Remastered.
Featuring “newly rendered” visuals, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered will be your first real chance to play the game on modern platforms:
In Final Fantasy VIII, the military nation of Galbadia has declared war on the Dukedom of Dollet, who must hire the mercenary force, SeeD. Squall Leonhart, a new member of SeeD, together with his friends and Rinoa Heartilly, a member of a resistance group, get pulled into the war, unaware of their fated task to save the world.
The E3 Trailer for Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has been embedded above, and you’ll be able to purchase it later this year for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Doom Eternal razes Hell on store shelves on November 22… and in two new trailers
2016’s Doom was a wild ride through Hell that recaptured everything fans know and love about the seminal shooter series. So expectations are sky high for this Fall’s sequel, Doom Eternal. Thankfully, id Software and Bethesda have delivered with two new trailers at this year’s E3 Expo.
The first trailer focuses on the game’s story, and after spending five games in Hell (Doom 64 absolutely counts), it looks like we’re finally going to find out what Heaven is like in the Doom universe. You’ll get a glimpse at the Double Dash ability, as well as the Shoulder-Mounted Flamethrower, the new Meat Hook attachment for the Super Shotgun, and the retractable Doom Blade.
Meanwhile, the second trailer introduces Battlemode, a 2v1 multiplayer mode where one player controls the Doom Slayer and two others step into the cloven hooves of a pair of demons.
Slayer Threat Level at Maximum
Gain access to the latest demon-killing tech with the Doom Slayer’s advanced Praetor Suit, including a shoulder-mounted flamethrower, and the retractable wrist-mounted Doom Blade. Upgraded guns and mods, such as the Super Shotgun’s new distance-closing Meat Hook attachment, and abilities like the Double Dash make you faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever.Unholy Trinity
You can’t kill demons when you’re dead, and you can’t stay alive without resources. Take what you need from your enemies: Glory kill for extra health, incinerate for armor, and chainsaw demons to stock up on ammo. These tools are the key to your survival and becoming the ultimate demon-slayer.A New Class of (Destructible) Demon
Obliterate more demons than ever before, each with unique attacks and abilities. Fan-favorite classics such as the Pain Elemental, Archvile, and Arachnotron make their return, while a horde of totally-new demons join the roster including the Doom Hunter, Marauder, and the Gladiator. Rip apart your favorite demons to the core with Doom Eternal’s “destructible demons” system and take your power fantasy to new levels.Demonic Invasion Detected
As the Slayer, allow other players to invade your campaign as demons for a dramatic and unpredictable twist anytime you’re playing the campaign. Or be a demon and invade other players’ campaigns either by yourself or with someone else to give the Slayer a true taste of Hell.Enter Battlemode
Battlemode is the new 2 versus 1 multiplayer experience built from the ground up at id Software. A fully-armed Doom Slayer faces off against two player-controlled demons, duking it out over three rounds of intense first-person combat. More details coming soon!
Doom Eternal will be available for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on November 22. Players who pre-order the game will receive the Rip and Tear Pack, which includes a Doot Revenant Skin, a Throwback Shotgun Weapon Skin, and a Bonus Master Level for the Campaign.
Doom Eternal will also be available in a special Deluxe Edition that contains the Year One Pass (which includes access to the story-based DLC 1 and DLC 2 expansions when they’re released), a Demonic Slayer Skin, and a Classic Weapons Sound Pack. Finally, the Collector’s Edition will come packed with all the Deluxe Edition content, a Wearable Doom Slayer Helmet, “The Gift of Argent Power” Lithograph, a Lore Book by id Software, a Digital Soundtrack, and a copy of the game in a Steelbook Case.
You can find Doom Eternal’s new trailers after the break.
Battle monsters in Minecraft Dungeons for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One in Spring 2020
Microsoft pledged to “to nurture and grow” the Minecraft franchise when they purchased it (and its developer, Mojang) for $2.5 billion back in 2014. While a handful of spinoffs have been farmed out to other developers (a moment of silence here for Minecraft: Story Mode), Mojang has been hard at work on Minecraft Dungeons.
Earlier today, the consolemaker gave fans their best look yet at the blocky dungeon crawler in a new trailer at their E3 Briefing, and filled in a few more details on the Xbox Wire:
Created in the classic dungeon crawler style, Minecraft Dungeons will be single player and co-op multiplayer for up to four, including couch co-op on Xbox One. As a new standalone game from Mojang, Minecraft Dungeons takes players to never-before-seen locations in the Minecraft Universe teeming with mobs, old and new.
Minecraft’s signature blocky look shines throughout Minecraft Dungeons, but you can expect to find unexpected twists like all-new weapons, abilities, and even some new mobs! Players will also be faced with unfamiliar challenges and environments that have not existed in Minecraft until now. Randomly-generated levels will create fresh challenges in every play-through, and players will quickly learn how different gear can affect their chances against enemy mobs. Oh, did we mention epic boss battles?
Minecraft Dungeons will include four-player cooperative play (both locally and online), and it’ll be available for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One in Spring 2020.
Playtonic will release Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair later this year
Playtonic Games has announced that their platforming duo of Yooka and Laylee will return in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.
The second game in the franchise will mix things up a bit, swapping out the original game’s 3D platforming for a side-scrolling adventure that also includes a puzzle-filled overworld to explore. The developer had quite a lot to say about this change on their official website:
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a 2D Platforming Adventure Hybrid. Master Yooka and Laylee’s medley of moves and traverse through charming and challenging 2D levels packed to the brim with collectibles, vibrant environments, and a bumbling batch of baddies to battle. Then, pull up your adventuring boots and explore a sprawling 3D overworld that boasts a wealth of puzzles, game-changing secrets, special challenges and a cast of colourful characters to chat to. You’ll meet some familiar faces, and some new ones, as you help Queen Phoebee restore order to the Royal Stingdom.
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair will be on display at next week’s E3 Expo, and Playtonic plans to announce more details about it then. In the meantime, the developer has uploaded an Announcement Trailer for the game (which we’ve embedded above) and confirmed that it’ll be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One later this year.
Darksiders Genesis is a top-down action RPG from Airship Syndicate
THQ Nordic teased an upcoming announcement for the fourth game in the Darksiders franchise last week… but they confirmed today that it’s not the Darksiders 4 that many fans were expecting.
Instead, the publisher has teamed up with Joe Madureira’s Airship Syndicate to create Darksiders Genesis, a top-down action RPG set within the Darksiders universe. Madureira co-created the Darksiders franchise for Vigil Games back in 2010, and this Diablo-inspired spinoff will finally give players the chance to play as the last Horseman, Strife:
In Darksiders Genesis, the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse, Strife, is called upon to save humankind from certain destruction at the hands of Lucifer. True to its roots, Darksiders Genesis will feature intense combat, exploration, puzzle-solving, epic boss battles, and serpent holes from heaven to hell. The game marks the first, full-scale Darksiders adventure played from the top-down perspective.
Darksiders Genesis will be playable at next week’s E3 Expo and it’ll be available for the PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and Google Stadia later this year. In the meantime, a pretty fantastic new Announcement Teaser has been embedded above.
Grandia HD Collection is coming to the Switch and PC “soon”
GungHo Online Entertainment America has announced that Switch owners will “soon” be able to purchase the Grandia HD Collection, a compilation of the first two entries the franchise.
While GungHo wasn’t ready to announce a release date just yet, they did say that a re-release of the first game, Grandia HD Remaster, will be available to download for the PC on the same day (a Grandia II HD Remaster is already available through Steam). As of now, it looks like PC players will have to purchase both games individually and won’t receive the HD Collection as a single package.
Both games in the Grandia HD Collection will receive a graphical makeover with high definition sprites, along with an enhanced user interface. But fans new and old will be able to experience the classic RPGs just as they were in the late 90s/early 2000s:
Grandia HD Collection Features
- Real-Time, Turn-Based Action – Experience and employ a unique action bar system for real-time fighting with distinct characters
- Magic-Based Combat – Gather Mana Eggs to learn and use magic-based skills, ranging from elemental attacks to character-enhancing magic for defense and offense statistical boosts
- Illustrious Worlds to Explore – The vibrant worlds in Grandia HD Collection include nostalgic starter cities such as Parm (Grandia) and Carbo Village (Grandia II) to iconic fields and areas such as The End of the World (Grandia) and Valmar’s Moon (Grandia II)
- Gather Skill Points and ATTACK! – Skill Points or Skill Coins can be used to earn incredibly intense moves that make for an extraordinary fighting experience
- Eclectic Enemy Encounters – The worlds of Grandia and Grandia II bring forth a plethora of challenging and epic enemies in the wild, as well as main storyline bosses
- Ear-Indulging, Melodious Compositions – Experience world exploration, momentous battles, and legendary in-game experiences in beautiful harmony with musical compositions from acclaimed Japanese composer Noriyuki Iwadare
GungHo Online Entertainment America is planning to bring the Grandia HD Collection to next week’s E3 Expo and we should learn more about the compilation then.
Blasphemous is a wild-looking gothic MetroidVania from The Game Kitchen
Spanish Developer The Game Kitchen has teamed up with Team17 to unveil Blasphemous, a gothicly-themed MetroidVania that pits a sword-swinging badass against a neverending cavalcade of eldritch abominations.
Showcasing themes and locales that wouldn’t look out of place in Castlevania, Bloodborne, and God of War, Blasphemous’s Reveal Trailer invites viewers to soak in the stylishly grotesque atmosphere of its unique world:
Prepare for a descent into a dark and punishing MetroidVania world where fast-paced, skilled combat combines with a deep and evocative narrative core. You will play as The Penitent One, a sole survivor of the massacre of the Silent Sorrow. Exploring the nightmarish world of Cvstodia and unlocking the hellish secrets within, only you can free it from a twisted fate and reach the origin of your torment.
- Explore A Non-Linear World: Overcome fearsome enemies and deadly traps as you venture through a variety of different landscapes and search for redemption.
- Brutal Combat: Release the power of the Mea Culpa, a sword born from guilt, to slaughter your foes. Acquire devastating new combos and special moves as you purge those who stand in your path.
- Executions: Unleash your wrath and relish in the gory dismemberment of your adversaries – all in beautifully rendered, pixel-perfect animations.
- Customize Your Build: Discover and equip Relics, Rosary Beads, Prayers, and Sword Hearts to give you new abilities and stat boosts to help you survive. Experiment with different combinations to suit your playstyle.
- Intense Boss Battles: Hordes of gigantic, twisted creates stand between you and your goal. Learn their attack patterns, strike them down and more importantly, survive.
- Unlock the Mysteries of Cvstodia: The world is full of tormented souls. Some offer you aid but may ask you for something in return. Uncover their stories to gain rewards and delve into the deep lore of the land.
Blasphemous is currently in development for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, and it’ll be released “soon.”