Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA Soccer, and Silent Hill are the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
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- Boss Fight Books to Get a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- With Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to take over the world, I reached out to Jack Thompson and it did not go well – PC Gamer (2026)
- Vib-Ribbon: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It – Aftermath (2026)
Most Recent: Wii U
Ubisoft @ E3 12: Rayman Legends gets demoed on the Wii U
Michael Micholic was onstage at Ubisoft’s press conference to talk about Rayman Legends. But he did more than talk about it – he gave a live demo on the Wii U. While the game itself looks pretty adorable on its own, I couldn’t help but stare at the controller every single chance I could. The controllers were wired, but Micholic assured us they were early controllers and that the final models would “of course” be wireless.
And then, suddenly, the game turned into a platforming pseudo-rhythm game. I hope I wasn’t the only one who thought that was rad. I’m not really sure what to make of all of these bells and whistles, but I’m actually interested in the Wii U for the first time… ever.
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2012, Rayman Legends
Wii U gets its own social network, Miiverse
I know that everybody loved Friend Codes, but Nintendo plans to do away with the matchmaking service when the Wii U launches later this year. Instead, the console will come pre-bundled with the Nintendo Network, which will be home to a Wii U-centric social network known as Miiverse (or “Mii Universe,” if you prefer).
When players enter the Miiverse, they’ll be transported to a bustling city of Miis that are congregating around the most popular apps and games the Wii U has to offer (even games you don’t own). In addition to learning that Super Mario Bros. Wii U is very popular, the Miiverse will also blast the player with status updates from “friends, people playing the same games as you, and people who speak the same language as you.”
For a more personal connection, the Miiverse also offers video chat (courtesy of the Wii U GamePad’s front-facing camera), messaging (including handwritten messages scrawled on the GamePad’s touchscreen), and game-specific message boards.
These in-game messages will also bleed over into the games themselves, as all Wii U games will have the ability to connect to the Miiverse. During the Pre-E3 Nintendo Direct presentation, company President Satoru Iwata showed how gamers can converse and commiserate within Super Mario Bros. Wii U.
The Miiverse will also be accesible from other devices including the 3DS, the PC, and mobile devices. However, this feature of the social network won’t be available when the Wii U launches this Fall.
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2012, New Super Mario Bros. U
These are the first screenshots of Super Mario Bros. Wii U
Tonight’s Pre-E3 edition of Nintendo Direct revealed some interesting new details about the Wii U GamePad and Pro Controller, but the most interesting thing that company President Satoru Iwata showed off was unveiled with no fanfare at all.
During the latter portion of the presentation, Iwata unveiled the Miiverse social networking component that is included with every Wii U console. He also said that the service can connect gamers as they’re playing Wii U games and demonstrated this connection with 16 seconds of footage from Super Mario Bros. Wii U.
The game is officially untitled and Iwata never confirmed the video came from the next Mario game. But we know the game in development, we know it’ll make its debut at E3 2012, and we know that this new footage is different from last year’s New Super Mario Bros. Mii tech demo.
You can see a few screenshots we pulled from the video, or watch the entire presentation yourself, after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2012, New Super Mario Bros. U
Wii U Pro Controller announced and it looks very familiar
Nintendo didn’t just show off the Wii U GamePad during their Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 presentation, they also debuted the tablet’s little buddy, the Wii U Pro Controller.
When you don’t need the full-size tablet (or are “mainly interested in multiplatform games with more traditional means of control”), you can use the Xbox 360-looking controller to your left. I mean, just look at it. The face buttons and the right analog stick have switched places, and the whole controller looks a tad wider from front to back, but they’re basically the same.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced that the Wii U Pro Controller will be sold separately from the Wii U console.
Final version of Wii U tablet officially unveiled
Only, it’s not called the Wii U tablet anymore.
A few hours ago, Nintendo put out their latest Nintendo Direct broadcast. On the 30-minute program, company President Satoru Iwata revealed the Wii U GamePad to the world. While the two GamePads look similar (and the touchscreen in the center is the same), the outer edge of the controller is brand new.
The analog nubs have been replaced by full-size analog sticks that are clickable (just like the PS3 and Xbox 360). The sticks themselves have been pulled further away from the screen while the d-pad and face buttons have been slid closer for a more comfortable feel. The GamePad also has a small sensor below the d-pad for scanning objects such as “action figures.”
But the coolest feature may just be the “TV Button” along the bottom row. Pressing it turns the Wii U GamePad into a full-fledged, infrared television remote. Maybe it’s the head cold I current have talking, but I think Nintendo just won the living room war with that little innovation.
Hit the jump to view the full Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 2012 presentation. (more…)
First Injustice trailer, screenshots released
A day after the announcement of their first non-Mortal Kombat game in a long time, NetherRealm Studios has released the first trailer and screenshots for Injustice: Gods Among Us. And what do you know, it looks just like Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, just minus the Mortal Kombat characters.
Not that that’s a bad thing of course.
Injustice: Gods Among Us will be released for the PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360 sometime next year. You can check out the first screenshots after the break. (more…)
No Metro: Last Light for Wii U… yet
Despite being one of the games featured on the Wii U third-party showreel video at Nintendo’s E3 press conference last year, Metro: Last Light has been demoted to “no longer confirmed” for the new system. The news comes from Mark Madsen, global brand manager at financially troubled developer THQ:
“As we got along in the development process, we just really wanted to focus on what we knew, focus on PS3, 360 and PC… The verdict is out on what we can do to maximise the code for the Wii U, and we’ll see [what happens].”
Set to unveil the Wii U at E3 in less than a week, the news comes as a small blow to Nintendo (but it doesn’t completely shut the door on Metrod: Last Light coming to the Wii U). The announcement also poses more questions about the diminishing third-party publisher and makes us ask if other THQ titles due to launch on the Wii U, such as Darksiders II, will ever see the light of day.
[Source: Digital Spy]
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged Metro: Last Light
Now Infinity Ward is working on a “next generation” game
With the “next generation” officially set to begin next week with the Wii U’s E3 2012 reveal, another developer is looking to the future.
This time, it’s Call of Duty creator Infinity Ward. The development team is looking for a Senior Network Engineer, so I think it’s safe to say that their next game will include online multiplayer.
Their ideal candidate should also have an “[i]nterest in games, preferably first person shooters.” So I’m going to make another leap and state that Infinity Ward is working on a first person shooter, maybe even Call of Duty 10. I’m really sticking my neck out there, I know.