Most Recent: Wii

EA buys PopCap for $750 million

Posted on July 13, 2011 by John Scalzo

PopCap Games, the casual gaming powerhouse behind such franchises as Bejeweled, Plants vs Zombies and Zuma, has been acquired by Electronic Arts for $750 million ($650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock). PopCap had recently been mulling a public IPO, but it looks like EA swooped in and made a better deal.

“We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games,” said David Roberts, CEO of PopCap. “By working with EA, we’ll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience.”

Executives on EA’s end also sound thrilled with the PopCap purchase.

“EA and PopCap are a compelling combination,” said EA CEO John Riccitiello. “PopCap’s great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA’s momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA’s global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels.”

I hope the marriage between PopCap and EA works out for the best. Now, can I have a sequel to Heavy Weapon?

Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 |

WWE Brawl takes it to the streets in 2012

Posted on July 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Everyone’s favorite WWE wrestlers will be taking their fighting prowess to the streets in next year’s WWE Brawl. The game was first revealed at a WWE corporate event back in April, but its full trailer wasn’t released on the Internet until today (and there’s still been no official announcement from THQ).

In development for the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360, WWE Brawl features cartoony renditions of WWE superstars as they use their wrestling super powers in “full destructible environments.” Beyond the beat ’em up nature of the game and a preliminary roster that features The Undertaker, The Miz, John Cena, Kelly Kelly, Triple H, Edge and Sheamus, there’s not much else to tell about WWE Brawl.

But the trailer above is fairly entertaining.

Posted in News, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 |

New Releases: NCAA Football 12, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, More

Posted on July 9, 2011 by John Scalzo

As the Player’s Association and the NFL slowing grind towards a deal to prevent the cancellation of the 2011-12 season, EA Sports wants to know if you’re ready for some college football as NCAA Football 12 will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 this week. Also available this week is the final entry game adaptation of a Harry Potter movie as EA plans to release Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 for the DS, PC, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360.

The final major release for this week is a game that’s actually five years old. It’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – 5th Anniversary Edition and it includes all the previously released DLC, both expansions and a coupon for $10 off this Fall’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Check out the full list of the rest of this week’s new releases after the break. (more…)

Posted in DS, News, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged ,

Fortified Zone, Qix added to 3DS eShop

Posted on July 7, 2011 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has unleashed the latest Nintendo Download and it is chock full of Virtual Console goodness on the 3DS eShop.

The service will be receiving two Game Boy classics today: the run-and-gunner Fortified Zone and the puzzler Qix.

3DS owners will also have access to the four games being added to the DSiWare Shop today. They include Jewel Keepers: Easter Island, a match-3 puzzler; Make Up & Style, a makeup artist sim; Farm Frenzy, a farming sim; and Roller Angels, an insanely colorful platformer.

Nintendo didn’t forget Wii owners eithers as the WiiWare service will receive Just Jam, a rhythm game that lets you “mix, match and lay down your own tunes.”

More information on all of these titles can be found at the Nintendo Download weekly newsletter.

Posted in 3DS, DS, News, Wii |

Daily Scoop: July 6, 2011 – Encounters!

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Nicole Kline

It’s Wednesday again! And you know what that means… it’s another night of D&D Encounters! I’m looking forward to it. It seems to make the workweek go by more quickly!

Amazon’s Deal of the Day in video games today is Activision’s Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011 with Top Shot Elite for the Nintendo Wii. It’s only $39.99 today, and features “next-generation shooting galleries featuring hot-seat, multi-stage and head-to-head multiplayer options.” The description also refers to is as an “epic story of drama and survival as players face kill-or-be-killed scenarios deep in the wild.” Damn!

No video game t-shirts today, but today’s Ript shirt is definitely worth $10: (more…)

Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News, Wii |

Second Chances: 5 Games That Deserve Another Look

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Adam Woolcott

Gaming is a time-consuming hobby. Unlike music or movies, which require a minimal investment, video games can be lengthy and involved affairs. As such, it’s much easier to miss out on really good games that come and go without much notice. Perhaps it’s because of a bad release date, or maybe it just didn’t get heavy distribution or advertising. Hell, maybe it doesn’t have a good Metacritic score, or it was completely ignored on gaming message boards. Regardless of the reason why, some games just don’t make it, and that’s a shame. That’s why we’re here, though – to pick out some unheralded gems and give them the attention they so richly deserve. They might not be able to compete with the heaviest of hitters, the so-called “AAA” games that sell millions, but they present entertaining gaming experiences all the same. (more…)

Posted in Features, PC, PS3, Top Story, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged ,

Daily Scoop: July 5, 2011 – Patriotic savings!

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Nicole Kline

The 4th of July has come and gone, but the savings still remain! The Internet is buzzing with deals, deals, deals. How many games did you buy this weekend?

Amazon’s Deal of the Day in video games today is Namco’s Tekken 6 Limited Edition Wireless Fight Stick Bundle for the Xbox 360. It’s just $37.99 today, and includes the game, the Hori fight stick, and an art book. This is a good deal for any fan of the franchise! Also on Amazon is this ridiculous buy one, get one free sale, which includes Mini Ninjas for $25.55 on the PS3, Lost Planet 2 for $19.82 on the Xbox 360, this insane Wii Bowling Ball for $16.54, and much, much more. In addition to all that, Amazon’s also having another weekly deal, with Duke Nukem Forever at $37.99 for the regular edition and $79.99 for the Balls of Steel Edition, Hunted: The Demon’s Forge at $39.99 on PS3 and Xbox 360 and $29.99 on PC, and Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident for the DS only $14.99. Whew. That’s a lotta deals!

And there’s still more. Gamestop is also having a sale, with Tron: Evolution Collectors Edition for the PS3 and Xbox 360 marked down to $49.99 from $129.99, as well as God of War III for $14.99 (OMG). And F.3.A.R. seems to be on sale everywhere – it’s $39.99 on consoles and $29.99 on PC at Gamestop, and they’re also running a deal where you can get it bundled with the DVD or Blu-ray of Sucker Punch for $64.99 and $74.99, respectively. Now’s your chance to grab some games on the cheap!

No gaming t-shirts, but today’s Ript shirt gave me pause: (more…)

Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 |

Nintendo has “no plans” to bring Xenoblade, Last Story, Pandora’s Tower to America

Posted on June 30, 2011 by John Scalzo

Bad news, Operation Rainfall supporters: Nintendo has announced they have “no plans” to bring Xenoblade, The Last Story or Pandora’s Tower to North America. Posting on the company’s Facebook page, a spokesman wrote:

Thank you for your enthusiasm. We promised an update, so here it is. We never say “never,” but we can confirm that there are no plans to bring these three games to the Americas at this time. Thanks so much for your passion, and for being such great fans!

I’m not sure what else needs to be said. Nintendo continues to ignore their most hardcore fans and refuses to localize their new and exciting franchises.

Wait, one other thing needs to be said… this sucks!

Posted in News, Wii | Tagged , ,