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: Switch
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe becomes the fastest-selling game in franchise history
The Nintendo Switch continues to be a source of success for the consolemaker, as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe became the fastest-selling game in franchise history.
Fans in the US purchased more than 459,000 copies of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on its first day of availability (April 28), smashing the previous record set by Mario Kart Wii nearly a decade ago. These sales figures include both retail copies and Nintendo eShop downloads, and according to Nintendo, “nearly one in two Nintendo Switch owners in the US purchased a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the first day it was available.”
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an updated and expanded re-release of 2014’s Mario Kart 8, and Nintendo considers it the “definitive” version of the game. These additions include both downloadable expansions that were originally available to download for the Wii U, as well as Switch-exclusive content including new characters, new weapons, the ability to carry two items at the same time, and a brand new Battle Mode.
Nintendo has announced plans to launch nearly a dozen Switch-exclusive games in 2017, so it seems likely they’ll be setting even more sales records before the year is out.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Mario Kart 8
Retro-styled Breath of the Wild fangame will remove Zelda characters after takedown notice from Nintendo
As expected, Nintendo has dropped the hammer on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of a NES, a retro-styled reimagining of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The takedown notice was issued to developer Winter Drake by Nintendo’s lawyers over the weekend, and it’s available for public viewing on Twitter.
Even though this is a huge setback for Winter Drake, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of a NES will continue in an altered form. The developer has vowed to remove every reference to Nintendo’s franchise, and replace them with original characters and designs. Winter Drake even posted this encouraging message on the game’s Itch.io this morning: “Nintendo has asked me to take stop hosting the game. The project will live on, just not with Zelda characters.”
And speaking to Kotaku, Winter Drake revealed that the new vision for Breath of the NES will include “32-bit sprites” and “a rich soundtrack”:
As for what Breath of the NES’s spiritual successor will look like, Winter is planning on 32-bit sprites working with musicians to put together a rich soundtrack. Substituting improved gameplay and originality for the 8-bit nostalgia powering the original project won’t be easy though, meaning we probably won’t see a new trailer or playable demo for some time. “Ideally I’d like to make the final game a big cross-platform release on Steam,” Winter said. “I may even start a Kickstarter once I can show off what the new game will have to offer.”
As before, Winter Drake will be providing additional updates on the progress of Breath of the NES’s successor on Twitter.
Posted in News, PC, Switch, Wii U
Tagged The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Square Enix offers a quick look at new features in Secret of Mana Collection
Square Enix’s Seiken Densetsu Collection (also known as the Secret of Mana Collection) will be available exclusively for the Switch on June 1st. Unfortunately, the publisher has yet to announce if the compilation will launch outside of Japan, and as of right now, it seems unlikely that English-speaking audiences will never get a chance to play it.
However, with just one month before its Japanese launch, Square Enix has released a trio of short videos showcasing some of the Seiken Densetsu Collection’s new features.
With “Screen Change Mode,” players will be able to customize the screen setting to their liking, as well as add Super Game Boy color palettes to the first game in the series, Final Fantasy Adventure. Players will also have a “Quick Save” option to pause the action and return to the game at a later date. Finally, a “Music Mode” will let players listen to each game’s soundtrack right from the title screen.
You can view all three videos after the break, and don’t forget to let Square Enix and Square Enix Europe know if you want to see the Secret of Mana Collection released outside of Japan. (more…)
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Secret of Mana
Shovel Knight: Official Design Works officially announced by Udon Entertainment
It looks like the rumors are true… Udon Entertainment will release a Shovel Knight artbook this August.
Shovel Knight: Official Design Works will include an in-depth look at the early concept art that allowed Shovel Knight to become a Kickstarter darling and indie sensation, as well an exclusive interview with the development team:
Udon has worked very closely with developer Yacht Club Games to ensure that Shovel Knight: Official Design Works is every bit the definitive Shovel Knight art book that fans deserve. Within its pages you’ll find character art, developer commentary, rough illustrations and concept art, background development images, comprehensive sprite sheets, full-page promotional illustrations, and more – including an exclusive interview with the game’s development team!
The 184-page book will also include content from the game’s first expansion, Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows.
If you can’t wait until August, you can view a selection of preview pages at the the publishing company’s official website right now.
Nintendo Download: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Puyo Puyo Tetris, TumbleSeed, more
After being on store shelves for almost two month, Nintendo’s next wave of major new releases for the Switch are ready to launch this week on the Nintendo eShop.
Leading things off is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the ultimate version of the kart racer that was originally released for the Wii U in 2014. Players will receive all the content included in the base game and both DLC Packs, as well as Switch-exclusive content including five new characters (Bowser Jr., Dry Bones, King Boo, and Boy and Girl Inklings), a brand new Battle Mode, new weapons, and the ability to carry two items at the same time. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be available to download tomorrow, April 28.
Also available to download for the Switch this week is Puyo Puyo Tetris, a crossover puzzle game that’s built for multiplayer play. But don’t worry, single-player Adventure and Challenge modes are also on the menu.
Finally, TumbleSeed will be available to download for the Switch early next week, on May 2. Designer Greg Wohlwend (who also contributed to Threes and Ridiculous Fishing) describes the game as “a deceptively deep roguelike about balancing a seed up a dangerous and ever-changing mountain.”
You can learn more about all of these games (and a few other new releases on the Switch and Wii U) after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Switch, Wii U
Tagged Mario Kart 8, Puyo Puyo Tetris
Nintendo’s 2016-2017 Annual Report: Big sales for Switch, Zelda BotW, Pokemon + Fall release dates for Xenoblade 2, Mario Odyssey, more
Nintendo published their annual financial report this morning, and the company gave us our best look yet at the Switch’s retail prospects, as well as reconfirmed several 2017 releases.
The big announcement today is that Nintendo has sold 2.74 million Switch consoles around the world as of March 31. Nintendo originally predicted that they’d sell two million around Switch consoles in March, so it’s safe to say they surpassed their goal. The consolemaker expects to sell ten million more Switch consoles before the start of their next fiscal year. If this prediction proves accurate, the Switch will have matched the total sales of the Wii U in a single year.
Moving on to games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has proven to be fairly popular, with total sales of 3.84 million copies sold (2.76 on the Switch and 1.08 on the Wii U). And don’t count out the 3DS just yet. According to Nintendo, Pokemon Sun and Moon combined to sell 15.44 million copies since they were released in November.
Nintendo closed out their report with the promise of a bright future, reiterating that all of their upcoming Switch and 3DS game are still on track to be released in 2017. Super Mario Odyssey and Fire Emblem Warriors are both still set for the Fall, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is still penciled in for a “TBA 2017” launch date.
Other titles scheduled to be released this Fall include Monster Hunter Stories, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, Kirby‘s next 3DS game, and Miitopia. Ever Oasis (June 23), Hey Pikmin (July 28), Splatoon 2 (July 21), and Arms (June 16) are set for this Summer.
Nintendo will most likely reveal a lot more about all of these games at this year’s E3 Expo… unless they get delayed, of course.
Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U
Tagged Arms, Ever Oasis, Fire Emblem Warriors, Kirby: Battle Royale, Miitopia, Monster Hunter Stories, Pikmin For Nintendo 3DS, Pokemon Sun/Moon, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits/Fleshy Souls
Insert Quarter: Some Devs Aren’t Happy With How Nintendo is Handling the Switch eShop
Insert Quarter is our showcase for some of the best and most interesting writing about video games on the Internet.
It’s no secret that the PlayStation Store and Xbox Games Store are more “curated” than the Nintendo eShop. In between absolute gems like Axiom Verge and Shovel Knight, the digital storefront for the 3DS and Wii U is absolutely cluttered with a wide variety of shovelware.
Nintendo doesn’t want to make this same mistake with the Switch, and their Publisher and Developer Relations department is working with indie developers to create an impressive portfolio of downloadable titles for the Switch… and possibly find the next big thing. Best of all, this mission has already borne fruit. Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, Snipperclips, and FAST RMX were Switch exclusives that made the console feel like more than a “Zelda Machine” in its first few weeks.
But Thomas Whitehead of Nintendo Life has heard from some indie developers (even longstanding “Nindie” teams) that working with Nintendo is much harder than it used to be. After conducting a wide-ranging series of interviews, he delved into some of their frustrations with Nintendo’s (possibly flawed) new process for acquiring indie games:
Not long ago, however, we were contacted by and followed up with multiple respected and established ‘Nindie’ developers unhappy with aspects of Nintendo’s approach to the Switch eShop. Issues related to curation and communication have been at the core, and we were painted a picture of an arrangement and set of policies that undoubtedly pleases those in the door, but has left those on the outside at times frustrated, ignored and in some respects embittered. Some were hesitant to be quoted even anonymously due to upcoming business with Nintendo, while others were happy to share their perspectives – directly and indirectly quoted – while being un-named.
Whitehead’s report can be read in full at Nintendo Life.
The story behind Splatoon 2 begins with a falling out between Callie and Marie
Splatoon‘s final Splatfest event featured a showdown between the game’s beloved hosts, Callie and Marie. Players were reluctant to choose one Squid Sister over the other, but after a weekend of hard-fought Turf War battles, Marie’s fans emerged victorious over Callie’s supporters.
But according to the latest update to the game’s official website, that’s where the story of Splatoon 2 begins. A new section labeled “Squid Sisters Stories” has revealed that the results of the Splatfest have caused some bad blood between Callie and Marie:
About nine months have passed since the final Splatfest.
Twilight lowers its curtain on Inkopolis. Neon signs paint the dusk in brilliant shades of green and pink. The Squid Sisters dance on, as though driven by the Inkling love of battling for turf. Memories such as these linger, vividly etched in my mind, but feel too like remnants of a long-forgotten past. It happened the night the final Splatfest came to an end.
The showdown of Callie versus Marie ended in victory for Marie, but there was no ill will between the two. The girls left the studio arm in arm, smiling and laughing as they always had. The bond between them would continue, unbroken, for years to come.
Or so it seemed at the time…
We’ll likely receive more reports from the “Squid Sisters Stories” series soon. And hopefully, we’ll learn what happened to Callie and Marie before Splatoon 2 launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 21.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Splatoon 2