Insert Quarter: Remembering the Best Instruction Booklets Ever

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Insert Quarter is our showcase for some of the best and most interesting writing about video games on the Internet.

Creating a beautiful and engaging instruction booklet has become a lost art in today’s go-go world of downloadable games and extensive in-game tutorials. Some, like Yacht Club Games and their awesome booklet for Shovel Knight, are attempting to keep the practice alive. But it seems like a foregone conclusion that the instruction booklet will have breathed its last in the not-too-distant future.

Thankfully, Jason Dafnis of Game Informer took some time out of his day to honor ten of his favorite instruction booklets, manuals, and strategy guides:

Let me spin you a yarn. Times were, you’d open that brand-new cardboard (or plastic) box and there, nestled right next to your cartridge (or disc), would be a booklet. Yes, a booklet – paper pages stapled together that told you how to play the game (and sometimes more). Remember those?

Now the left (or right) side of your game case sits bare or thinly veiled with tie-in ads or DLC codes. Those clippies that once held your booklet are all but obsolete. Booklets might not be completely extinct, but they are on the way out. Here are ten of our favorites in no particular order.

The full article is available at Game Informer.

Posted in 3DS, DS, Insert Quarter, PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, PSP, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One |

Nintendo Download: Persona Q, Thomas Was Alone, Mighty Gunvolt, more

personaq-3dsxlThe folks working the counter at Nintendo’s eShop aren’t taking the day off and have laid out a bountiful Thanksgiving spread of nearly a dozen new games.

This week, the Persona series comes to the 3DS for the first time as Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is now available for Nintendo’s handheld. The portable system is also now home to Mighty Gunvolt, a retro-styled side-scrolling shooter from Inti Creates, one of the developers behind the upcoming Mighty No. 9.

Indie platformer Thomas Was Alone will make its Wii U debut this week alongside a few classics from Nintendo’s earlier eras including Mario Pinball Land and Mighty Final Fight (also available for the 3DS)

More information on all of these games (and a few others) can be found after the break. And don’t forget about Nintendo’s Cyber Deals, which are available starting today and going through Tuesday, December 2.

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Xbox Store Today: Geometry Wars 3, Tales From the Borderlands, Pinball Arcade

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Happy Thanksgiving Eve everybody! For Xbox, it’s time to be thankful for three new games, including two of the most anticipated titles of the Fall.

First up is Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions (Xbox One, Xbox 360), Lucid Games’ first entry in the twin-stick shooter series. Lucid is comprised of several employees from original Geometry Wars developer Bizarre Creations, so they’re definitely familiar with the franchise’s formula while adding in companion drones, super moves, and a 3D playing field.

Also available today is Tales From the Borderlands: Zer0 Sum, the first episode in Telltale’s latest episodic series. Taking place on the planet of Pandora, Tales From the Borderlands has the full blessing of Gearbox and will serve as an official continuation of the franchise’s story until we get Borderlands 3.

Finally this week, FarSight has brought The Pinball Arcade to the Xbox One.

More information on all of these games can be found after the break.

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The Exo Zombies invade in first Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC pack

Last year, Call of Duty: Ghosts included a new episode of “Extinction,” a multi-part mutant-hunting co-op experience, in each one of the its downloadable expansion packs. Beginning next year, Activision and Sledgehammer Games will attempt this strategy all over again with the new “Exo Zombies” co-op mode planned for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

The first “Exo Zombies” episode will be released as part of the Havoc Map Pack, with a new episode scheduled to be included in all four packs. Advanced Warfare includes a brief tease for “Exo Zombies,” but you can check out the newly released trailer above if you’ve yet to unlock it.

The Havoc Map Pack will be available to download through the Xbox Games Store for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 in January. If history is any guide, PC and PlayStation playerts will have to wait about a month to try it out.

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Star Wars Skins are now available in Minecraft on Xbox One, Xbox 360

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“Strike me down and…”
“Sand People always ride…”
“No! I am your…”

I’m trying to think of an appropriate Star Wars quote to pair with this news and I’m coming up dry. So instead, I’ll just point out that Microsoft and Lucasfilm have teamed up to release the Star Wars Classic Skin Pack for Minecraft: Xbox One Edition and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition. Available through the Xbox Games Store as of yesterday, the Skin Pack is priced at $2.99 and includes 55 characters from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. A complete list of all the characters available in the Star Wars Classic Skin Pack can be found after the break.

Microsoft has also revealed that more Star Wars content will be available for Minecraft soon… and I’m guessing we should prepare ourselves for a Prequel Skin Pack. And who knows, a sequel trilogy Skin Pack might be in the works too, especially after the release of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer this weekend.

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PS Store Today: Geometry Wars 3, Tales From the Borderlands, Speakeasy, more

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Most of this Fall’s biggest games have been released over the last few weeks, so today’s PlayStation Store update is home to just a handful of new games. But a few of them are definitely big in their own right.

For example, Sierra and Lucid Games have joined forces to bring Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions to the PS3 and PS4. The twin-stick shooter sequel adds three-dimensional levels, drones partners, and several new game modes. Also available this week for the PS3 and PS4 is Zer0 Sum, the first episode of Telltale’s Tales From the Borderlands episodic series.

A complete look at all of this week’s new releases (including the 1920s-styled fighter Speakeasy and the PS4 launch of Thomas Was Alone) can be found after the break. And a full rundown of this week’s new game add-ons and discounts can be found at the PlayStation Blog.

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Posted in News, PS3, PS4, Vita | Tagged ,

Daily Scoop: November 25, 2014 – And so it begins

The Black Friday deals are pouring in from everywhere, and things are getting out of control. Steam’s launching their big sale on Wednesday, and many more outlets are beginning Thursday night. Where will you be when the madness begins?

Speaking of madness, the latest Humble Bundle is a crazy good Sega sale! Pay what you want for Dreamcast Collection, Nights Into Dreams, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, Total War: Rome II – Caesar in Gaul DLC, and Miles’ Tactic DLC for Football Manager 2015. Beat the average to unlock Empire: Total War and Company of Heroes 2 – The Western Front Armies: Oberkommando West. Pay $12 or more to unlock Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall of the Samurai, and pay a whopping $50 to get all that and an exclusive Dreamcast t-shirt. Whew! That’s a lot!

Steam is offering 10% off Tales from the Borderlands, which launched today, bringing the price down to $22.49. The Daily Deal is Pro Cycling Manager 2014, which is on sale for $9.99.

Hit the jump to see today’s shirts!

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Posted in Daily Scoop, Etcetera, News |

Dark Souls II plus all DLC will be released for PS4, Xbox One in 2015

When Bandai Namco and From Software released Dark Souls II last year, some fans were disappointed that the game wasn’t also released for the PS4 and Xbox One. But good things come to those who wait as the publisher has announced that a special edition of the game, known as Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, will be released for new-gen consoles and DirectX 11 PCs on April 7, 2015.

Bandai Namco will pack every piece of Dark Souls II content into the Scholar of the First Sin edition including the original game and all three DLC expansions (Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King). An array of new content will also be produced for Scholar of the First Sin including “an expanded story featuring additional in-game events and NPC character along with new deadlier enemies and gameplay improvements.” Naturally, Bandai Namco plans to improve the graphics in Scholar of the First Sin.

Finally, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin will also be released on the PS3, Xbox 360, and DirectX 9 PCs with a slew of improvements. These improvements (which will also be available to current owners of the game as an update) will include “an additional NPC to seek out along the treacherous quest through Drangleic as well as expanded story, in-game events, improved balance, and online matchmaking functionality.”

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