Sega reveals Tails, Metal Sonic to return in Sonic 4 Episode 2

Posted on December 29, 2011 by John Scalzo

Ken Balough, Sega’s Digital Brand Manager, recently sat down with GameSpot to reveal that the publisher is still hard at work on Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II. What’s been taking so long? Apparently Sega is listening to the fan complaints and creating all-new graphics and physics engines for the game.

Oh, and they’re also inserting Miles “Tails” Prower as your sidekick and they’ve resurrected Metal Sonic to be the villain. Hit the break to view the entire interview.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II will be coming to the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and mobile platforms like iOS, Windows Phone, and Android in 2012 (sorry Wii owners).

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Posted in Mobile, News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

First printing of Twisted Metal will include code for Twisted Metal Black

Posted on December 29, 2011 by John Scalzo

Outspoken game developer David Jaffe has unveiled the final box art for Eat Sleep Play’s reboot of Twisted Metal. As expected, a demonic looking Sweet Tooth is front and certain, but off to the side, you’ll see a little tag stating “Free Downloadable Game With Purchase.” According to Jaffe, the first printing of Twisted Metal will include a voucher to obtain a downloadable version of PS2 favorite Twisted Metal Black. It’s unknown how long the “first printing” will last, so if your copy of Twisted Metal Black is gone, you may want to pre-order the new Twisted Metal.

Twisted Metal will be available exclusively for the PS3 on February 14.

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The Golden Pixel Awards 2011: Gaming’s Best, Worst, and Everything Else

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Warp Zoned Staff

Welcome to Warp Zoned’s first ever Golden Pixel Awards. Sit back and relax as we reward the best (and worst) games of 2011 with accolades based on their rather unique accomplishments.

The Apocalypse List

The bombs have fallen, the zombies have horded, food is scarce, and you’ve boarded yourself up in a bunker that’ll stand for a hundred years. What better way to spend your time in “The Vault” than by playing Warp Zoned’s favorite games from 2011? It doesn’t matter if you call it a “Top Ten List” or “Our Favorites From 2011,” but these are the games we plan to keep playing even if there was no game industry to keep making games.

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Posted in 3DS, Etcetera, Features, PC, PS3, Top Story, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

VVVVVV, Bionic Commando added to 3DS eShop

Posted on December 29, 2011 by John Scalzo

Indie darling VVVVVV and the Game Boy rendition of Bionic Commando lead this week’s 3DS eShop update. Also available this week is Cake Ninja (DSiWare), Slingo Supreme (DSiWare), and Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Big Ben Burglary (WiiWare).

More information on all of these games can be found right here:

VVVVVV (3DS eShop) – There’s something terribly wrong in an alternate dimension. Help Captain Viridian flip to find five crew members, locate 20 hard-to-reach Trinkets and save a dimension on the brink of destruction.

Bionic Commando (3DS eShop) – When the Federation’s greatest soldier is captured while infiltrating the enemy Doraize Army and investigating the development of a powerful super-weapon, elite commando Rad Spencer is sent in to save his missing comrade.

Cake Ninja (DSiWare) – This casual game invites you to slide the stylus across the screen to slice cakes into small pieces like a true ninja warrior. The more cakes you slice, the longer you stay around.

Slingo Supreme (DSiWare) – Slingo Supreme is the sequel to Slingo Deluxe, packed with even more Slingtastic fun. It features a new Supreme mode that lets you build more than 16,000 different Slingo games. It also offers an infinite supply of Daily Challenges, new Powerups (including Reel Nudge and Instant Slingos) and the long-awaited introduction of Devil Mini Games.

Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Big Ben Burglary (WiiWare) – Carmen Sandiego is back and only you can foil her V.I.L.E plans. Travel the globe, solve brain-twisting math puzzles, and catch the villain behind the Big Ben Burglary.

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

Justin Verlander’s Major League Baseball 2K12 box art revealed

Posted on December 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

This wintry Wednesday can definitely be classified as a slow news day. Thankfully, 2K Sports has added some Spring to our steps with the reveal of Justin Verlander’s Major League Baseball 2K12 cover. The Detroit Tigers pitcher went 24-8 with 250 strikeouts in 2011 en route to winning the AL Cy Young and AL MVP award. He also threw his second career no-hitter and took two other potential no-hitters into the 8th inning before surrendering a hit.

That’s quite a resume for a guy who’s only 28.

Major League Baseball 2K12 will be released on the DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, and Xbox 360 on March 6, 2012.

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XBLA Today: All Zombies Must Die!

Posted on December 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

The final addition to the Xbox Live Arcade this year is All Zombies Must Die!, a twin-stick shooter from Square Enix and Doublesix that looks remarkably similar to the genre classic Zombies Ate My Neighbors.

For 800 Microsoft Points ($10), you can find out how similar they are for yourself. Square Enix is practically daring you:

Go on! Do it! Spend those points! Hurry up!: time is of the essence. Someone has to take care of all those zombies and who better to do that than a gifted gamer like yourself! Think – in a short while – you could be blasting your way through ranks of brain-hungry monsters, making bizarre weapons and completing crazy quests. All that could be yours if you just buy the game! Remember, All Zombies Must Die! We need you!

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Controller company’s customer service invokes the ire of the Internet

Posted on December 27, 2011 by John Scalzo

The following story is true. The names have not been changed to protect the guilty because it’s funnier that way.

To your left is The Avenger, a controller adapter created by N-Control that can bring more precise control to your PS3 and Xbox 360 controller. It also opens up the frantic world of first person shooters to players with disabilities that may otherwise prevent them from using an unmodded controller. Score one for the good guys, right?

Sadly, the people that N-Control hired to run the customer service end of their business are a bunch of bad guys.

That company is Ocean Marketing and, thanks to the boneheaded responses by Ocean PR rep Paul Christoforo, their days of working game-related PR/customer service likely just came to an end. Christoforo was contacted by Dave, an N-Control Avenger customer who wanted to check on the status of his order. After being given the run-around by Christoforo (and being insulted for good measure), Dave took his case to the game media.

As usual in a situation like this, Penny Arcade came to the rescue. They published Dave’s exchange with Christoforo and tried to make peace between the two parties. Christoforo then insulted PAX, insulted Mike “Gabe” Krahulik and, more or less, made an ass of himself.

In case you missed the link above, here it is again. Read the entire email exchange and watch as a man flushes his entire career down the toilet.

Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

UPDATE: N-Control has told Kotaku that Christoforo and Ocean Marketing no longer represent the Avenger Controller in any capacity. In other words, he’s been terminated!

Posted in Etcetera, News |

NFL Blitz coming to XBLA on January 4

Posted on December 27, 2011 by John Scalzo

Microsoft’s Major Nelson has revealed that EA Sports’ revamped and rebooted NFL Blitz will be available to download from the Xbox Live Arcade on January 4. As expected, it has been given a price of 1200 Microsoft Points ($15). If history is any guide, the game should be available on the PlayStation Network on January 3, but right now only the XBLA release date is official.

Major Nelson has also supplied us with a septet of new additions to the Games on Demand service. Four of the games were released today while the remaining three will be available next week:

December 27
Child of Eden
Resonance of Fate
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Wipeout: In the Zone

January 3
Backbreaker
Naughty Bear
Super Street Fighter IV

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged