Pokemon X/Y Hands-On Preview: The 3DS Game You’ve Been Waiting For

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Nicole Kline

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Pokemon X and Pokemon Y are the first “main series” Pokemon games to be rendered completely in 3D, which is something fans of the series have been waiting for since the 3DS system itself was announced. Because of this, there’s a lot of excitement about the new titles, and a lot of healthy skepticism. Pokemon Black and White (and Black 2 and White 2) didn’t really do a whole lot that was innovative, but it seems that X and Y are going places the series never has before. Nintendo has added in a lot of extra features – some obviously just there for the adorability factor – that are going to make players happy, especially players who want to interact more with their Pokemon. And I got all of that just from playing a seven-minute demo at PAX Prime 2013 – which was the first time Nintendo showed off the new game in America.

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Posted in 3DS, Previews, Top Story | Tagged ,

Nintendo Download: Zelda II, Tecmo Bowl, Wonderful 101 (Sunday), more

Posted on September 12, 2013 by John Scalzo

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It’s another big week for the Nintendo Download as Platinum Games’ strategic superhero smash ’em up The Wonderful 101 will be available on the Wii U eShop on Sunday.

If you’re looking to download something today, the Wii U’s Virtual Console expands by one with the addition of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Over on the 3DS, everyone’s favorite football game, Tecmo Bowl, can be downloaded just in time for the start of the season.

And we’re still not done. The DSi is back this week with three new titles… a word game compilation (Letter Challenge) and two interactive storybooks (Tales to Enjoy! Little Red Riding Hood and Tales to Enjoy! Puss In Boots).

You can find more information on all of these titles after the break.

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

Harry Potter spinoff game Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in the works

Posted on September 12, 2013 by John Scalzo

fantasticbeastsDid you honestly think the Harry Potter film adaptations had come to an end?

This morning, Warner Bros. announced that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a tie-in “textbook” written by J.K. Rowling and published alongside the Harry Potter novels, will be turned into a movie. In a first, the script for Fantastic Beasts: The Film will be written by Rowling herself.

“Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for seventeen years, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world,” said Rowling. “The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.”

The film will follow Newt Scamander, the author of the titular textbook, as he travels the world searching for “Fantastic Beasts.”

Naturally, Warner Bros. has also announced that a Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them video game is in development at WB Games. Unfortunately, no release date for the film or video game was announced.

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Princess Peach joins Super Smash Bros. 4

Posted on September 12, 2013 by John Scalzo

smashbros4-peachA New Challenger Approaches!

Nintendo updated the official Super Smash Bros. 4 website this morning, revealing Princess Peach as the next challenger to approach the game’s roster. The publisher also uploaded ten new screenshots to the site, which show Peach delivering the smash to Pit, Star Fox, and Mario on the 3DS and Wii U.

Super Smash Bros. 4 will be released in 2014.

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

Infinity Blade III coming to iOS on September 18

Posted on September 11, 2013 by John Scalzo

The “epic” Infinity Blade trilogy will come to an end on September 18 when Chair Entertainment and Epic Games make Infinity Blade III available to download from the iOS App Store.

Like previous games in the Infinity Blade series, players will swipe their way to victory against a series of enemies, including a “ferocious, flying dragon.” But players will get the chance to play as a female “warrior-thief” named Isa for the first time:

For the first time in franchise history, gamers play as both legendary hero Siris, and the stealthy female warrior-thief, Isa, each with unique combat styles and hundreds of collectable weapons and items. Another new addition is The Hideout, which serves as the player’s base of operations where they discover the interactive world map and unlock all-new allies to join their cause.

Infinity Blade III will be priced at $6.99 and, even though its launching alongside the brand new iPhone 5S, the game will be compatible with a wide range of iOS devices including the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini, iPod Touch 4, and iPod touch 5.

Posted in Mobile, News |

XBLA Today: DuckTales Remastered, Freefall Racers

Posted on September 11, 2013 by John Scalzo

Folks, we have entered a new golden age when it comes to downloadable games. The Kinect-exclusive Freefall Racers, today’s addition to the Xbox Live Arcade, asks you to stand in front of your TV and wave your arms around pretending to be a flying squirrel. It’s been priced at $9.99, but can you really put a price on an experience like that? I mean, the squirrels are even wearing goggles and flying caps. Happy Wednesday everybody:

Come fly with us and discover a world ruled by flying squirrels with an unquenchable desire for skydiving in Freefall Racers! Pick your favourite squirrel from a host of unique characters and explore 8 exciting jungle, winter and dessert inspired routes. Use the Kinect Sensor to fly your friends nuts as you’ll turn any race in your favour by using power-ups and bonus-items found on your way down. These nutty antics will be enjoyed over and over again.

Oh, and DuckTales Remastered, a high definition remake of the NES classic developed by WayForward, is also available to download from the XBLA today. The title is old news to some, as it was released for PC platforms, the PlayStation Store, and the Wii U eShop a month ago. But it duck blurs its way onto the XBLA today, for $14.99:

DuckTales: Remastered is a hand-crafted, beautiful reimagining of one of the most cherished 8-bit titles of all time. Go back to one of the golden ages of gaming, but now refined with a level of detail that will please the most hardened devoted Disney or retro Capcom fan, alike. Featuring hand-drawn animated sprites, authentic Disney character voices talent and richly painted level backgrounds from the classic cartoon TV series, Scrooge McDuck and family come to life like never before. The gameplay retains the authenticity of its 8-bit predecessor, simple and fun, with slight modifications to improve gameplay flow and design. Embark on an authentic DuckTales adventure, as Scrooge McDuck and his three nephews; Huey, Dewey and Louie travel to exotic locations throughout the world in their quest to retrieve the five Legendary Treasures.

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Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD coming to PC, PSN, XBLA this Fall

Posted on September 11, 2013 by John Scalzo

Depending on who you asked, many gamers preferred the Vita-exclusive Assassin’s Creed: Liberation to last year’s “main” AssCreed game, Assassin’s Creed III. Ubisoft heard your cries and the company has announced plans to release Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and PC download platforms this Fall.

More than a mere port, Liberation HD will include “a complete graphical overhaul, re-mastered music and sound effects, a revamped gameplay experience, and new missions that dive deeper into Aveline’s story.”

If you missed Aveline de Grandpre’s first adventure last year, you should definitely watch the trailer above to catch up.

[Source: Ubisoft’s UbiBlog]

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Ubisoft announces JRPG homage Child of Light

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Andrew Rainnie

With the recent release of several new games such as Rayman Legends, Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Far Cry 3, Ubisoft is proving to be one of the most adept games developer this generation, and possibly the next. Not content with perfecting several different genres at once, the company has announced Child of Light.

The new downloadable title, a love letter to the Japanese RPG genre, will be built on the UbiArt Framework, the same engine used to build the critically acclaimed Rayman Legends. The core creative team from Ubisoft Montreal (Far Cry 3) is also involved on this project and, as a result, Child of Light shares some features of that game including its skill tree.

Child of Light tells the story of Aurora, whose soul has been transported to the fantastical realm of Lemuria. There, she must defeat the Black Queen in order to recover the Sun, Moon, and Stars that the evil monarch has stolen. She is aided through the dark realm by Igniculus, a floating ball of light similar to Navi from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Igniculus can be controlled by a second player, and is able to reach places Aurora cannot. In combat, Aurora will fight with magic and weapons, while Iganculus can use his light to disorientate and blind enemies, as well as heal comrades.

While it is being built as an homage to the JRPG genre, Child of Light also takes inspiration from fairy tales and epic poems from the land of the rising sun. It will debut in 2014 on the PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

[Source: Ubisoft’s UbiBlog]

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