Most Recent: Wii U

Nintendo will release Devil’s Third in North America this Fall; PC version confirmed

Posted on July 21, 2015 by John Scalzo

devilsthirdlogoAs promised, Nintendo has quietly confirmed that Devil’s Third will be available for the Wii U this Fall. The consolemaker still plans to publish the title, which will be available as a retail disc and as a digital download through the Wii U eShop.

“Devil’s Third delivers a unique combination of shooting and melee combat to provide Wii U owners with a fresh action-oriented experience,” said Director Tomonobu Itagaki. “We’ve been working hard on the game and can’t wait for fans to get their hands on it later this year.”

Devil’s Third is an “over-the-top, third-person action shooter” that melds “modern military weaponry with ninja-style swordplay and melee combat.” Players will take control of Ivan the Terrible, an anti-hero who hunts down terrorist cells with sword-in-hand after a series of satellite explosions renders the world’s tanks and jets useless.

In addition to the game’s Wii U launch, developer Valhalla Game Studios will self-publish a free-to-play version of the game’s multiplayer mode on the PC. It’ll be available to download in North America after the Wii U version, and internationally in September.

Speaking of international audiences, they’ll get to play the Wii U version of Devil’s Third much earlier than American players. Nintendo will publish the game in Japan on August 4 and throughout Europe on August 28.

Posted in News, PC, Wii U | Tagged

Player skill to blame for negative previews of Devil’s Third, says Itagaki

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Josh Griffiths

devilsthirdlogoThe tumultuous development cycle of Devil’s Third is finally starting to get to Tomonobu Itagaki, the game’s Director. The Wii U exclusive has been beset by the bankruptcy of its original publisher, a rocky relationship with its current publisher, an engine switch, and upgrading to a new console generation in mid-development.

Itagaki, who is no stranger to speaking his mind, took to Facebookto blame Devil’s Third’s poor reception on game journalist’s overall lack of skill:

Guys, At last, I was be able to understand about the reactions. Devil’s Third is the game which reflects the player’s skill directly/vividly. This is truth.

Game developers claiming any negative reviews are the result of the game journalist’s skill, or lack thereof, is nothing new. But when game journalists are in almost universal agreement that a game isn’t very good, it’s possible the game might not be very good. Criticism exists to inform readers, not to wage vendettas against people the critic doesn’t even know.

Hopefully Devil’s Third will be a good game, and who knows, maybe the people playing it weren’t very good. But we won’t know for sure until the game’s launch this August in the UK and Japan.

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged

Batman: Arkham Knight stands watch atop the best-selling games list for June 2015

Posted on July 17, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy went out with a bang last month, and it looks like a lot of fans went along for the ride, as The NPD Group has confirmed Batman: Arkham Knight was the best-selling game for June 2015.

Aside from the problems with the PC version, WB Games had a pretty good month as four of the publisher’s titles placed in the top ten. Newcomer Lego Jurassic World joined Arkham Knight near the top of the list in the #3 spot, while The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (#4) and Mortal Kombat X (#8) held over from May. NPD’s Liam Callahan told GamesIndustry.biz, “Warner Bros. Interactive is the top corporate publisher so far in 2015, with dollar sales growing 217% versus the first half of 2014.”

But WB Games wasn’t the only company having a nice Summer as Bethesda has a hit on their hands with The Elder Scrolls Online. It was also a good month to be a squid as Nintendo’s Splatoon held strong at #5, and became the only platform exclusive to crack the top ten.

The industry as a whole should be very happy about last month’s sales as consumers spent a lot more than they did last year. Overall sales were up 18%, $869 million versus $734 million, over June 2014. And that includes increases in hardware (+8%), software (+21%), and accessories (+34%).

The complete top ten list of best-selling games for June 2015 can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Nintendo Download: Tiny Galaxy, Blaster Master, Airport Hero Narita, more

Posted on July 16, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Six titles were added to the Nintendo eShop today. In no particular order, they are…

  • Tiny Galaxy (Wii U) is a side-scrolling platformer that takes place on a variety of planets of different size, each with its own gravity and rotation.
  • Blaster Master (Wii U) is a beloved NES side-scroller that is now available on the Wii U’s Virtual Console for the first time.
  • Airport Hero Narita: I Am An Air Traffic Controller (3DS) is an air traffic controller sim.
  • I Love My Dogs (3DS) is a pet ownership sim.
  • G.G. Series: Score Attacker (DSi) is a vertically-scrolling space shooter.
  • G.G. Series: Vector (DSi) is a falling block puzzler.

More information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, DS, News, Wii U |

Here’s the video game deals for Amazon Prime Day 2015

Posted on July 15, 2015 by John Scalzo

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UPDATE (8:15 PM): We’re in the final stretch of Amazon’s Prime Day 2015 festivities and another PS4 bundle is available to purchase. More deals will surely go live before midnight, but here’s what Prime members can pick up at a steep discount right now…

UPDATE (7:10 PM): Prime Day 2015 is beginning to wind down (and some people aren’t entirely happy about what’s been offered), but Amazon is still posting new deals…

UPDATE (3:55 PM): Are you in the market for a 3DS? If you act fast, you can grab one as part of Amazon’s latest update to the Prime Day 2015 page. There’s a few other new deals of note too…

Previous Prime Day deals, many still available by joining a waitlist, can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One |

Fans petition Nintendo to create an Amiibo figure of Satoru Iwata

Posted on July 14, 2015 by John Scalzo

20110426-3ds_iwataSatoru Iwata’s death has greatly affected the game industry, with heartfelt tributes and tearful eulogies appearing in every corner of the Internet. Nintendo’s President and CEO lost his battle with cancer a few days ago, and now fans are asking the consolemaker to honor him with an Amiibo figure.

The Change.org petition has nearly 15,000 signatures as of this writing. The creator of the petition included this note in support of his goal:

“On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer.” – Iwata-san

Satoru Iwata’s importance to modern gamers is more than words could ever describe. After helping to create some of Nintendo’s biggest fanchises such as Pokemon, Earthbound and Super Smash Bros., Mr. Iwata’s legacy influences and inspires anyone who has ever picked up a Wiimote or 3DS stylus.

Mr. Iwata’s business knowledge and work ethic as Nintendo’s CEO will always be remembered. Being responsible for Nintendo’s most profitable times and taking responsibility for Nintendo’s financially turbulent times, Mr. Iwata has made several tough decisions based on a simple tenet: “Is this Nintendo?”

These are just a few reasons why we should honor Satoru Iwata with his very own amiibo. Even if the amiibo itself lacks in-game functionality, it serves as a small reminder of Iwata’s legacy and accomplishments.

Enough cannot be written about how important Satoru Iwata was to the game industry. Personally, I think an Amiibo figure would be a wonderful tribute to the man and I hope Nintendo seriously considers it.

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U |

Songs from Paramore, Disturbed, Foster the People, more added to Guitar Hero Live

Posted on July 14, 2015 by John Scalzo

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Activision has announced ten more songs that will be included in this Fall’s Guitar Hero Live, bringing the total number of announced songs to 84. This time around, players can look forward to tracks from Paramore, Disturbed, Foster the People, and more. Here’s the latest tracklist update:

  • Asking Alexandria – “The Final Episode”
  • Cypress Hill (Featuring Tom Morello) – “Rise Up”
  • Disturbed – “Down With the Sickness”
  • Foster the People – “Coming of Age”
  • The Mowgli’s – “San Francisco”
  • OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
  • Paramore – “Now”
  • TV On the Radio – “Lazerray”
  • The Vines – “Metal Zone”
  • Wolf Alice – “Moaning Lisa Smile”

Guitar Hero Live will be released for the PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and mobile devices on October 20.

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

Nintendo still plans to publish Devil’s Third; More info coming soon

Posted on July 13, 2015 by John Scalzo

devilsthirdlogoThe rumor mill went into overdrive last week, with multiple people saying that Nintendo had relinquished the publishing rights to Devil’s Third. Originally announced by THQ in 2010, the “hack and slash” game was re-announced by Nintendo last year.

Writing on Twitter over the weekend, the consolemaker put all the rumors to rest and confirmed they still plan to publish the Wii U game in North America:

Devil’s Third, which is in development at Valhalla Game Studios under the supervision of Tomonobu Itagaki, is currently scheduled to be released in Japan and the UK this August.

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged