Xbox Store Today: Metrico+, I Am Bread, Toby The Secret Mine, more

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

It’s Friday, and Microsoft has added another batch of games to the Xbox Games Store today…

Digital Dreams will finally bring Metrico+, their minimalist infographics-themed puzzle platformer, to the Xbox One today. It’ll be joined on the Xbox One by I Am Bread, Bossa’s engaging tale about a sentient piece of bread who longs to become toast.

Finally today, Toby: The Secret Mine is another minimalist platformer, and it asks players to help little Toby rescue his friends from the foreboding deep forest.

More information about all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break.

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The Video Game Canon – Super Mario Bros. 3

Posted on January 20, 2017 by John Scalzo

Dig deeper into the Video Game Canon with a look at Mario’s actorly ambitions in Super Mario Bros. 3. Here’s a teaser…

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
– As You Like It, Act II Scene VII

Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom cohorts have held a surprising number of occupations over the years. In addition to his plumbing business and the hero-for-hire game, Mario has been employed as a multi-sport athlete, a race car driver, a referee, a dancer, an artist, a virologist, and a typing tutor. He’s practically done it all, and I think only political office has eluded him. I guess that’s the trouble with monarchies.

Bouncing from genre to genre like that is usually considered a liability for other game characters. As sublimely silly as the idea seems, no one wants to see Kratos squeezed into a go-kart. And yet, fans readily accept Mario’s multitasking, and many of his spinoff adventures are now more popular than some of the franchise’s traditional platformers. There’s a strong possibility this all stems from the fact that Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, designed the character this way from the beginning.

Visit VideoGameCanon.com to continue reading this article and to explore the complete Top 1000.

Posted in 3DS, Features, Retro, Top Story, Video Game Canon, Wii, Wii U | Tagged

Daily Scoop: January 20, 2017 – Endless Grand Master Collection Sale at Steam

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Nicole Kline

I’m excited that we finally hit the weekend! But unfortunately, I won’t have much time for gaming. That’s not totally true – I am playing Dungeons & Dragons on Sunday – but other than that, it’s going to be a ton of work. Exciting!

The Winter Sale is still going strong in the Humble Store! Street Fighter V is $19.79, Valkyria Chronicles is $4.99, L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition is $8.99, Broforce is $3.74, and Tabletop Simulator – a must for board game designers! – is $9.99.

The Weekend Deal at Steam is Endless Grand Master Collection, which is a whopping 85% off. For just $17.99, get Dungeon of the Endless, Endless Legend, and much more! The Daily Deal is the Zombie Army Trilogy. Get it alone for $8.99 or get a four-pack for $26.99.

Hit the jump to see today’s shirts!

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CoD: Infinite Warfare, Battlefield 1, The Division are the best-selling games of 2016

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

The video game industry should definitely be celebrating right now, as The NPD Group has announced that consumers spent $30.4 billion on hardware, software, peripherals, and in-game purchases in 2016. This is a slight increase over 2015 revenues, which totaled a measly $30.2 billion.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, NPD Analyst Mat Piscatella attributed some of this growth to the emergence of virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR. He also cited the “cultural phenomenon” that was Pokemon Go and the subsequent release of Pokemon Sun and Moon on the 3DS.

“Growth in entertainment software consumer spend was seen across the mobile, PC, virtual reality, subscription, portable, and digital console segments,” Piscatella said. “Consumers have more options to purchase and enjoy entertainment software than ever before, while developers have more and easier ways of delivering that content. No matter the delivery platform, entertainment software has never been more engaging, diverse or accessible.”

However, none of those games managed to crack the top ten for 2016, which was once again dominated by Activision’s Call of Duty franchise. Even though it launched to less-than-stellar reviews and a negative fan reaction, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was still the best-selling game in 2016. Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops III was also represented in the top ten, at #8.

Tom Clancy’s The Division (#3) and Overwatch (#7) proved that new franchises can still make some noise in the NPD’s annual ranking, but perennial best-sellers like NBA 2K17 (#4), Madden NFL 17 (#5), and FIFA 17 (#9) also sold well in 2016, as did strong sequels such as Battlefield 1 (#2) and Final Fantasy XV (#10).

You can find the NPD’s list of best-selling games throughout all of 2016 after the break.

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Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare repeats as the best-selling game of December 2016

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare launched on November 4, and it easily took the crown as the best-selling game for the whole month. Today, The NPD Group revealed the best-selling games for December, and Infinite Warfare managed to repeat as the top title.

While Activision’s shooter series continued to be a favorite among gift givers at the end of the year, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XV had an almost equally impressive retail peformance.

“Although a Call of Duty has now topped the December sales chart for the ninth consecutive year, Final Fantasy XV was the best-selling game for the PS4 during the month,” NPD Analyst Sam Naji told GamesIndustry.biz. “Final Fantasy XV was the second best-selling title for December 2016… Final Fantasy XV experienced the best console launch month in the history of the franchise selling 19% more new physical units than Final Fantasy XIII in its launch month and 54% more in total dollar revenue including digital full game sales.”

The remainder of the top ten should look familiar as it contains several of 2016’s biggest games including Battlefield 1 (#3), Madden NFL 17 (#4), NBA 2K17 (#5), Watch Dogs 2 (#6), FIFA 17 (#8), and Pokemon Sun and Moon (#8 and #10, respectively). 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V also cracked the best-sellers list for December at #7.

You can find the complete top ten in list form after the break.

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

Nintendo Download: Dragon Quest VIII, Punch Club, Star Fox 64, more

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nintendo has added an eclectic mix of titles to the Nintendo eShop as part of today’s update. Let’s have a look…

Nintendo and Square Enix have teamed up to bring Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King to the 3DS on Friday, January 20. The epic RPG has received a complete makeover including new dungeons, bosses, items, quests, scenes, and a new possible ending.

3DS owners looking to download something today can try Punch Club from Lazy Bear Games. The “boxing tycoon management game” features multiple storylines for players who want to indulge in their inner pugilist. But will you participate in fair fights or go the “shady” route?

Finally, Wii U owners will have the chance to download Star Fox 64 through the Virtual Console today. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, Star Fox 64 popularized the use of the Rumble Pak and is considered by many to be the best entry in the space shooter franchise.

You can learn more about this trio of games (and the rest of today’s new releases) after the break.

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Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U | Tagged

Latest trailer for Call of Cthulhu: The Game is full of Lovecraftian scares

Posted on January 19, 2017 by John Scalzo

If you’re allergic to dread and menace, I would suggest skipping the latest trailer for Cyanide’s game adaptation of Call of Cthulhu. But if not, dive right in, and experience a glimpse at some of the creepier themes from H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction.

A Private Detective, Edward Pierce is a mission to find the truth behind the death of an acclaimed artist and her family on a backwater island. Pierce is used to trusting his instincts, but with whale mutilations and disappearing bodies, this is only the beginning as reality becomes skewed. As your investigation leads you closer to the sphere of influence of the Great Dreamer, you will start to doubt everything you see. You will have to find balance between your own sanity, and your determination in finding out what lurks in the shadows – as they say that madness is the only way that can bring you to the truth.

Call of Cthulhu will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One sometime this year.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Daily Scoop: January 19, 2017 – Get Deadpool for just $19.99

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Nicole Kline

We played a ton of games last night during our game night, including a bunch I had never played before! It was super fun. I think my favorite for the night was Cat Stax, which is an incredible little puzzle game with cats. It reminds me a lot of some of my favorite Professor Layton puzzles!

The Winter Sale is still underway at the Humble Store. Pick up Grand Theft Auto V for $29.99, Football Manager 2017 for $37.49, Sid Meier’s Civilization VI for $53.99, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for $11.99, and Undertale for $11.99, among many others.

Over at Steam, the Weekend Deal is Killing Floor 2. Get the game for $19.99, the Deluxe Edition for $26.79, or split a six pack with some friends for $100.46. The Daily Deal is Deadpool, which is on sale for $19.99.

Just one shirt today! Hit the jump to check it out.

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