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
Nintendo of America sold 906,000 Switch consoles and 1.3 million copies of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in March
There’s been an electric feeling in the air since Nintendo’s launch of the Switch on March 3. Come on, I’m sure you can feel it too. Nintendo is back… and now we have the sales figures to prove it.
Yesterday afternoon, Nintendo of America announced that more than 906,000 Switch consoles were sold in the United States during the month of March. If that weren’t impressive enough, the consolemaker added that more Switch consoles were sold during its first month of availability than any other game system in Nintendo’s history.
Nintendo also revealed that they sold even more copies of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild during the month. Zelda fans purchased more than 925,000 copies of the game on the Switch, as well as nearly 460,000 copies for the Wii U. With total sales of 1.3 million, Breath of the Wild is the “fastest-selling Nintendo launch game of all time, as well as the fastest-selling game ever in The Legend of Zelda series.”
But what about Breath of the Wild’s insane 102% attach rate on the Switch? Nintendo attributed the unprecedented sales success for Breath of the Wild to fans who purchased two copies of the game… a limited edition to keep sealed and a standard edition to play.
“Nintendo always strives to offer consumers something fun, new and different,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s President and COO. “With its various play modes and the innovative features of the Joy-Con controllers, Nintendo Switch provides unique experiences that people can take with them anywhere and share with anyone.”
Worldwide sales figures for the Nintendo Switch will be announced on April 27 during Nintendo’s annual financial report.
Posted in News, Switch, Wii U
Tagged The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo Download: Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, Mr. Shifty, Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, more
Nintendo added two surprising new 3DS games to the Nintendo eShop this morning…
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe is a standalone expansion of the “Team Kirby Clash” minigame included with Kirby: Planet Robobot. The game is free-to-start and features four different Kirbys battling it out with a series of giant boss monsters.
Also available to download for the 3DS today is Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, the conclusion to the black-and-white BoxBoy trilogy. This time around, Qbby has to overcome obstacles and rescue the Qbabies in this new side-scrolling platformer from developer HAL Laboratory.
Switch owners will get the chance to purchase several new games this week as well, and TinyBuild and Team Shifty added Mr. Shifty to their side of the eShop today. The overhead action game mixes will look familiar to fans of Hotline Miami, but Mr. Shifty is a thief with superheroic teleportation abilities and a penchant for “distraction and trickery.”
Finally today, Jackbox launched The Jackbox Party Pack 3 for the Switch, and it includes five new party-friendly games… “Quiplash,” “Trivia Murder Party,” “Guesspionage,” “Tee K.O.,” and “Fakin’ It.”
You can learn more about all of these games (and a few more new additions to the Nintendo eShop) after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U
Tagged Mr. Shifty
A new version of Namco Museum is coming to the Nintendo Switch this Summer
People love to play classic arcade games on the go with their mobile device, but the touchscreen controls leave a lot to be desired. Thankfully, Bandai Namco and Nintendo are getting together this Summer to release a new version of Namco Museum on the Switch.
The compilation will feature arcade perfect recreations of ten titles including Pac-Man, Galaga, Galaga 88, Dig-Dug, The Tower of Druaga, SkyKid, Splatterhouse, Rolling Thunder, Rolling Thunder 2, and Tank Force. A series of Special Challenge Modes will also be included.
The first trailer for Namco Museum has been embedded above.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Namco Museum
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition will include Super Mario Mash-Up Pack when it launches on May 11
Even though its available for nearly a dozen other platforms, Minecraft fans are probably pretty excited about its upcoming launch on the Nintendo Switch. Yesterday, the consolemaker confirmed that Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition will be available to download through the Nintendo eShop on May 11.
Minecraft’s Nintendo Switch Edition will come bundled with the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack, which transports your Minecraft experience to the Mushroom Kingdom:
Super Mario Mash-Up Pack Features
- 40 Super Mario‐Themed Skins! Including Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, as well as troublemakers like Bowser, Wario, and all seven Koopalings.
- Super Mario World itself! Professional Minecraft builders have remade the likeness of the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, with Mario‐themed versions of the Overworld, The Nether, and The End for you to explore.
- So Many Mario‐Inspired Surprises to Discover! from islands shaped like Warp Pipes to towering sculptures of Nintendo’s iconic characters. We’ve recreated villainous hideouts, too: like Bowser’s Castle, Bowser’s ship, and Boo’s House.
- And More! Super Mario‐style textures, numerous Mario‐themed puzzles, dozens of character skins, and music from Super Mario 64 to enjoy.
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition will also include local multiplayer for up to four players (in TV Mode and Handheld Mode), as well as online multiplayer for up to eight.
A retail release for Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition is also in the works, and it’ll be available at a later date.
Get a quick glimpse at a side-scrolling stage from Sonic Forces right here
Sonic the Hedgehog only got a few seconds to shine during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct presentation, but Sega delivered by showcasing a side-scrolling stage from Sonic Forces during that time.
If you’re more of a fan of “Classic Sonic,” don’t worry, the publisher used the remainder of their time to show off a little more gameplay from the retro-styled Sonic Mania.
Sonic Forces will be released this Fall, while Sonic Mania will be available exclusively as a digital download this Summer. Both games are in development for the Nintendo Switch, as well as the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Sonic Forces, Sonic Mania
Splatoon 2 adds a wave-based Salmon Run mode when it launches on July 21
After last month’s Global Testfire, fans of the franchise were very curious if Splatoon 2 could live up to its status as a full-fledged sequel. Those fears were alleviated a tad during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct presentation, which introduced a co-op mode known as Salmon Run.
In Salmon Run, four Inklings will team up to battle wave after wave of Salmonids, a species of walking fish that have overtaken an abandoned oil rig. Defeated Salmonids drop Power Eggs and Golden Eggs, which can be exchanged for “Fresh” new equipment in Splatoon 2.
Nintendo also unveiled a second series of Amiibo figures for Splatoon. The Splatoon 2 Series, which will unlock specialized gear and “remember” your favorite outfits, will include new figures for the Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl, and Inkling Squid.
The consolemaker also announced that new details about the single-player campaign will be revealed during a future Direct presentation.
Finally, Nintendo confirmed that Splatoon 2 will be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 21. The new Amiibo figures will be available on the same day.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Splatoon 2
Arms will be available for the Nintendo Switch on June 16
Nintendo mapped out the Switch’s Summer release schedule during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct presentation, and they kicked things off with Arms.
The consolemaker gave fans an extended look at their upcoming stretchy-armed boxing game with a brand new gameplay trailer narrated by Biff, the Arms League Commentator. In addition to briefly discussing the Arm Types and their special abilities, Biff introduced viewers to another playable character: Min Min, “The Ramen Bomber.”
She’s a martial artist with a fire-breathing Dragon Arm that’s able to hold a longer charge, and Nintendo pitted her against Spring Man in a full match. The two characters ducked, dodged, and counterpunched as they circled the arena, and we learned that you can disable your opponent’s arms. The match showcased the many strategic options players will have in Arms, but Min Min ultimately emerged victorious thanks to her powerful Dragon Arm.
Finally, Nintendo also confirmed that Arms will include 2v2 fights. We’ll likely hear more about those in a future Nintendo Direct.
Arms will launch for the Switch on June 16, alongside the separate release of a special Neon Yellow Joy-Con set and a Joy-Con AA Battery Pack.
Blaster Master Zero Review: Tanks for the Memories
The Nintendo Entertainment System was my first foray into real gaming. Granted, I played a lot of Atari and Intellivision back when I was a young ‘un, but the NES was a huge part of my childhood, and helped shape me into the gamer that I am today.
As a young hardcore gamer (did that term exist back in the day?), one of the things I loved doing was signing up for video game magazines. At Doc Lewis’s behest, I joined the Nintendo Fun Club. When I would get my allowance, I would head over to the local Woolworth and pick up the newest GamePro magazine. And yes, I was a subscriber to the short-lived Sunsoft Game Time News. I loved reading about their newest games, learning tips and tricks, and bugging my mom for $5.00 to order that Xenophobe T-shirt (I never did get it, though). One of the games that always piqued my interest in the Sunsoft newsletter was Blaster Master. It looked like a fun game, with lots of action and adventure.
Unfortunately, my only experience with the title was renting it once at the local movie rental shop. While it was a somewhat fun experience, I was pretty much lost and didn’t know what to do. I also never played it again, because I was knee deep in Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda, and Dragon Warrior. But I always regretted that decision, because Blaster Master has a reputation as one of the great games from the NES era. Well, fate as smiled upon me, as now I am able to play a new Blaster Master… and I don’t even have to hook up my old system! (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Reviews, Switch, Top Story
Tagged Blaster Master Zero