Nintendo Download: Super Mario Run, Picross E7, Excitebots, more

Posted on December 15, 2016 by John Scalzo

This Spring’s Miitomo was a fun experiment, but Nintendo is truly kicking off their mobile push today with the launch of Super Mario Run. The “one-handed” platformer will include dozens of levels, a multiplayer versus mode, and a Kingdom Builder mode for players interested in creating their own Mushroom Kingdom.

Also available to download this week on the Wii U is Excitebots: Trick Racing, which was originally released for the Wii in 2009. Swapping out motorcycles for customizable robots, Excitebots features 25 different courses and a huge selection of stunts.

Finally this week, the seventh Picross E game is now available to download through the 3DS eShop. Picross E7 is the latest game in the “Picture Crossword Puzzle” series and the first with 20×15 “Mega Picross” puzzles.

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

Press Start to Continue →

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

Xbox Store Today: Bastion, Stardew Valley, Batman: Episode 5, more

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

A big batch of new games is now available to download through the Xbox Games Store, starting with a re-release of one of the first big hits for the digital storefront.

Bastion was originally released for the Xbox 360 by Supergiant Games back in 2011. The action RPG included an omniscient narrator was absolutely groundbreaking at the time, and now it’s available to download for the Xbox One with new Achievements and the Stranger’s Dream expansion. Best of all, if you purchased Bastion on the Xbox 360, you can grab a free download of the Xbox One edition until January 1st.

Also available to download this week is Stardew Valley, an RPG for the Xbox One that asks players to manage a farm and, eventually, restore the surrounding community. And speaking of a crusader for the community, Telltale’s Batman saga will come to an end this week with the release of Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 5: City of Light for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

Finally this week, Microsoft is celebrating the career of Hironobu Sakaguchi and the Xbox One Backwards Compatibility program with a brand new digital launch for Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon. Originally released for the Xbox 360 more than seven years ago, neither game has been available to download through the Xbox Games Store until now. Not only that, but players interested in downloading Lost Odyssey will be able to do so for free until December 31st.

More information on all of today’s new releases can be found after the break.

Press Start to Continue →

Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , ,

Daily Scoop: December 14, 2016 – Humble Code Your Own Games Bundle now live

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Nicole Kline

Recently, a friend of mine who doesn’t play games bought a PlayStation 4, because some of her friends (including me) were raving to her about video games. Today, I gave her my old 3DS, and I’m going to loan her some games. I’m so excited to welcome a friend into the world of modern gaming! And I can’t wait to hear what she thinks of Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright, because those are what I’m going to start her out with.

Anyway, speaking of learning about games, the latest Humble Book Bundle is all about how to Code Your Own Games! Pay $1 or more for Learn Unity 3D Programming with UnityScript, Swift Game Programming for Absolute Beginners, Android Studio Game Development: Concepts and Designs, Irresistible Apps, and Learn Pixi.js. Beat the average to unlock Beginning RPG Maker MV, Make a 2D Arcade Game in a Weekend with Unity, Build your own 2D Game Engine and Create Great Web Games, Beginning Swift Games Development for iOS, and The Business of iOS App Development. Pay $15 or more to unlock Beginning RPG Maker VX Ace, The Game Maker’s Apprentice: Game Development for Beginners, Pro HTML5 Games, Polished Game Development: From First Steps to Final Release, Program Arcade Games with Python and Pygame, and Beginning Java Game Development with LibGDX. That’s a lot of really amazing resources!

Over at Steam, the Midweek Madness is Grand Theft Auto V for $29.99. The Daily Deal is SimplePlanes, which is on sale for $7.79.

Hit the jump to check out today’s shirts!

Press Start to Continue →

Posted in Daily Scoop |

See a teaser trailer for the Nintendo Switch exclusive Seasons of Heaven

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

A lush forest… Glowing blue and green glyphs… Easter Island heads… A samurai sword… A massive tower rising out of the distance… A small child with a backpack…

Prospective players were introduced to the mysterious world of the Switch-exclusive game Seasons of Heaven today in a brand new teaser trailer. Currently in development at AnyAnts Productions, and announced earlier this week, Seasons of Heaven is an exploration game based on a novel by Nico Augusto:

Seasons of Heaven will take you from deep inside of a mystical forest at the beginning of time all the way through to the twenty-first century and the fall of civilization. It will take you on a journey with Yann, a young boy with Asperger’s Syndrome and his faithful companion, Ani, a French bulldog who Yann is able to communicate with through telepathy. As you follow along on their journey you’ll have the opportunity to meet the rest of the major players and bear witness to the enlightenment of some and the demise of others. This story will allow you to experience the awe of discovering the most beautiful, magical place that ever existed while at the same time staying only one step ahead of the dark and vile underbelly of the human race.

If you’re intrigued by this fleeting glimpse of the game, you might be interested to know that a full trailer for Seasons of Heaven will be unveiled on Monday, December 19, at midnight (Eastern Time).

Posted in News | Tagged ,

Rumor: Rime is coming to the PS4 in 2017… and the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

Originally announced in 2013 as a PS4 exclusive, Tequila Works has been steadily working on Rime, a cel-shaded “adventure platformer,” ever since. Last year, the developer reacquired the publishing rights to the game, and many fans assumed that Rime would eventually make its way to the PS4 (and maybe additional platforms) when it launched in 2017. Now it looks like that might be happening.

A now-deleted rating (spotted by Eurogamer) on the Brazilian Ratings Board for Rime lists the game as in development for the PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Though Rime has been in the works for over three years, it’s still mostly shrouded in mystery:

Rime is a single-player puzzle adventure game about a young boy shipwrecked on a mysterious island after a torrential storm. Players must use their wits to decipher the challenges and secrets of an expansive world strewn with rugged terrain, wild creatures and the crumbling ruins of a long-forgotten civilization. With subtle narrative, colorful artwork and a sweeping score, Rime offers players a meaningful journey filled with discovery.

But a notice on the game’s official website has promised that we’ll hear more about it early next year.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , ,

Xbox One Backwards Compatibility list reaches 300 titles; 50% of Xbox One owners use it

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

Yesterday, Microsoft added BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite to the Xbox One’s growing Backwards Compatibility list. Believe it or not, with the addition of these three games, more than 300 Xbox 360 games that are now playable on the Xbox One.

While a number of incredibly high-profile titles are now playable on the Xbox One, you might be wondering how many people actually bother with Backwards Compatibility. According to Phil Spencer, the Head of Microsoft’s Xbox Division, more than 50% of Xbox One owners use the program:

You can find a complete list of all Xbox 360 titles that are playable on the Xbox One through the Backwards Compatibility program at Xbox.com.

Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Tagged , ,

Stardew Valley, DriveDriveDrive, I Expect You to Die, more added to PS Store

Posted on December 14, 2016 by John Scalzo

Even though an extended cold snap will make the northeast and midwest a chilly place this week, PlayStation fans are thinking about the joys of planting season in Stardew Valley. Available to download now for the PS4, players will inherit their grandfather’s old plot of land and attempt to build a thriving farm with just a few coins and a dream.

Also available for the PS4 this week is DriveDriveDrive, a racing game that asks players to control multiple cars and multiple tracks. If that’s not weird enough, I Expect You to Die is a PS4 game that wants to hear your best Goldfinger impression. OK, that’s not entirely accurate, but it is a PlayStation VR-exclusive that puts players “in the well-polished shoes of an elite secret agent” as they escape from deadly death traps using only their wits and their telekinesis powers.

Finally this week, Batman: The Telltale Series comes to an end with the release of its fifth, and final, episode on the PS4 and PS3.

More information on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. A complete look at this week’s new add-ons and discounts is available at the PlayStation Blog.

Press Start to Continue →

Posted in News, PS3, PS4 | Tagged ,

Daily Scoop: December 13, 2016 – War for the Overworld on sale at Steam

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Nicole Kline

I’ve got a huge stack of games next to my television, and I’m not sure what to start next. I’m thinking about putting a poll up here just to see what people think! I would love to play Gods Eater 2: Rage Burst, but I’m also being tempted by Final Fantasy XV. Decisions, decisions… Either way, I have to get through The Last Guardian first!

Over at the Humble Store, they’ve got lots of games on sale this week. Grand Theft Auto V is $29.99, L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition is $8.99, and Max Payne 3 is $6.99, among many others.

The Midweek Madness at Steam is Mount & Blade: Warband, which is on sale for $5.99. You can also get the DLC Collection for $11.99, or the Full Collection for $13.49. The Daily Deal is War for the Overworld. You can get the standard version of the game for $7.49, the Underlord Edition for $9.99, or the Gold Edition for $15.75.

Hit the jump to see today’s t-shirts!

Press Start to Continue →

Posted in Daily Scoop |