New Games |
- Pokémon Shuffle's microtransactions are even worse than I thought
- This gold Mario amiibo looks to be a Wallyworld exclusive
- Disabled Gaming: The time of the Wheelchair Warrior Comes
- Team Fortress 2sdays: Suck It Trebek
- Last week's top stories, now in handy haiku form
- Square Enix is back for another Humble Bundle
- This demo for Strafe didn't make my head explode
- The weapons in this Bloodborne video get my hype up a bit
- There's no regular-size New 3DS in North America because it'd be too confusing
- Wind Waker-esque Oceanhorn moving from iOS to PC next month
- Square Enix is taking pitches for a new Gex
- What would it be like if Nintendo ran a theme park?
- Xbox has another Ultimate Game Sale up its sleeve
- The Evil Within's DLC teaser really wants Leslie
- Paranautical Activity sold to Digerati Distribution
- Rumor has it all Xbox Ones will be dev kits this year
- Letters to the editor: Why should I keep reading Destructoid?
- Hyrule Warriors has another max level increase on the way, also its last announced DLC
- PC classic shmup Raptor: Call of the Shadows is on Steam
- Still haven't picked up Majora's Mask 3D yet? Here's another comparison video
- Watch Villager pocket all of the moves in Super Smash Bros. Wii U
- #darksiders2: Darksiders II current gen remaster confirmed
- Dragon Ball Z: Butōden announced for the 3DS, developed by Arc System Works
- Lara looks cold in Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Last Guardian 'still in development' despite trademark abandonment
- This Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS tutorial video explains ledge grab punishing
- Link is the most popular amiibo in the world, US and Canada account for 63% of all amiibo shipments
| Pokémon Shuffle's microtransactions are even worse than I thought Posted: 17 Feb 2015 03:00 PM PST I just obtained my review copy for the upcoming 3DS match-three puzzler Pokémon Shuffle, and man, is it ever rough to get on-board with this microtransaction scheme. If you want the full rundown of what to expect you can read this article, but the gist is that it features both power-ups and an energy mechanic. You'll start with five "Hearts," -- Shuffle's in-game currency -- and win or lose, each stage takes one Heart to play. Hearts take 30 minutes to refill -- I haven't been able to get the StreetPass functionality to refill limited Hearts to work yet. Within 15 minutes after the first five tutorial stages, I was waiting 30 minutes to play again. Not good. But, that's not the worst of it. |
| This gold Mario amiibo looks to be a Wallyworld exclusive Posted: 17 Feb 2015 12:00 PM PST What do you do if you're a die-hard amiibo fiend and you hate Walmart? Well, what if you hate Walmart so much you boycott it? Time to throw away those morals and standards because it looks like your favorite box store might be getting an exclusive amiibo -- a golden Mario. Thanks to this picture snapped by a fan, the signage says it all: Only at Walmart. Your move, hippies. |
| Disabled Gaming: The time of the Wheelchair Warrior Comes Posted: 17 Feb 2015 10:00 AM PST I'm going to start this off as I mean to go on and I hope I can word this in a way that is not offensive, but there are some sentences that have to be said flat out. I’m calling out journalists and game developers, because this message is simple, it’s inclusive and I believe it’s just as important as any other gaming issue right now. Why on earth have we not yet had a video game that features a lead character that happens to have a disability? Why hasn’t anyone realised how cool it would be to have your main character be someone who happens to be in wheelchair? The potential for a really fun video game that features a character that represents real people who are part of the gaming demographic is pretty great. |
| Team Fortress 2sdays: Suck It Trebek Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:45 AM PST Hank has taken the day off, so it's me (I'm Mike!) delivering this intro to you fine folks. I don't have much to say, as my car broke down after physical therapy today and I'm not in the best of moods. Since that's the case, let's reflect on something that recently brought me much joy. This weekend saw the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Live and it was beautiful and bittersweet. I grew up watching SNL and to see all my favorites together was amazing. My favorite sketch was always Celebrity Jeopardy though and man did the new one deliver. All the actors new and old were on point and it brought joy to my heart to see. The stab at Cosby had me almost fall out of my chair with laughter. That took balls. Moving on from Jeopardy saw some hits and misses, but overall it was the best SNL episode I've seen in a long time. It broke my heart to be reminded of the losses of Phil Hartman, Gilda Radner and Chris Farley though. Those three were geniuses of their art form. It was hilarious how they kept saying Jon Lovitz was dead though. His expression the first time was golden and it was one of the few times recently, the show didn't run a joke into the ground. Enough with the reminiscing though, let's play some Team Fortress 2, eh? Or as Connery would say: Le tits now. |
| Last week's top stories, now in handy haiku form Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:30 AM PST This past weekend I was up late and feeling loopy, and some haikus about a Flash game nobody cares about fell out of that state. Struck with inspiration, I thought, "Why can't all news be digested 17 syllables at a time?" Thus, the video above was conceived. Here are the stories mentioned, in case you missed them the first time and would like more information than a three-line stanza affords.
There! Are you feeling a little more zen now? |
| Square Enix is back for another Humble Bundle Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:00 AM PST As a "half-baked concoction full of lofty ideas that don't quite mesh well together topped with a fedora," Murdered: Soul Suspect seemed like the kind of game I'd only get around to trying because of a bundle. It's in the Square Enix Humble Bundle 2, which breaks down like so:
More games will be added soon. As far as what they might or might not be, here's what made it into the last Square Enix bundle. Hoping it's something that hasn't been featured a bunch already. |
| This demo for Strafe didn't make my head explode Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:30 AM PST I liked the look of Strafe, a 1996-style first-person shooter. As of today, I like how it plays, too. In the final hours of the game's Kickstarter run, a PC/Mac demo has come out for backers and non-backers alike. Can it help bring in the remaining $17,000 in crowdfunding? Hope so. Developer Pixel Titans was quick to stress that this demo is "pre-alpha, broken, and not representative of the final game." The content is limited in scope and enemy AI and pathfinding aren't quite there yet, but don't let that scare you off. This is a good indication of how movement and gunplay feel in Strafe and they feel good, all things considered. Fast but not too fast. I'm also into the demo's various default player names. I got Bill Gates and Sanic and Lil Detroit. !!PLAY STRAFE®'S SPEED RUN ZONE NOW!! [Kickstarter] |
| The weapons in this Bloodborne video get my hype up a bit Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:00 AM PST Nowadays, I actually try to stay away from a lot of previews and sneak peeks. Just like with movies, I don't like to know too much of what I'm getting into before I get into it. This has been the case with Bloodborne. I've been keeping things pretty casual with my attention for this game, but this video certainly demonstrates why I should have been paying more attention all along. While I don't think the weapons in Bloodborne are OMFGBBQWTF!!!! special in the visual department, the sense of impact and feeling of satisfaction they appear to bring certainly trump any generic or drab looks of any given weapon. So, you got a favorite? Bloodborne's Devastating Weapons in Action [IGN] |
| There's no regular-size New 3DS in North America because it'd be too confusing Posted: 17 Feb 2015 07:30 AM PST Nintendo has made some unconventional decisions lately when naming new iterations of its hardware. The successor to the Wii was called the Wii U. The upgraded 3DS was named the New 3DS. It's easy to see how that branding could be confusing for anyone that's not in the know about these matters. Well, Nintendo thinks that it's sparing North American consumers a bit of grief by not offering a regular-size New 3DS. In an interview with Nintendo Life, senior manager in marketing and licensing Damon Baker said that releasing only the New 3DS XL is Nintendo's way of innately clarifying the difference in units. Baker stated "Now we have clear differentiation between those three systems. Before, there was a very limited difference between the 3DS and 3DS XL other than size. It was the same resolution, same functionality. Now, there's the 2DS, 3DS, and New 3DS XL, all of which have their own functionality and features. The different price points give it a clear message for consumers. The core audience, we weren't going to win with them on that decision. But we had to think about expanding the user base; we had to be able to market it and make it easy to pick up for consumers." Nintendo hasn't yet ruled out the idea of bringing the non-XL New 3DS to North America. However, if that were to happen, it'll most likely signal the discontinuation of the older model. Nintendo's a real stickler for clear-cut product branding, after all. Nintendo of America's Damon Baker Explains the New Nintendo 3DS XL Decision and Desire to Engage With the Community [Nintendo Life] |
| Wind Waker-esque Oceanhorn moving from iOS to PC next month Posted: 17 Feb 2015 07:00 AM PST Watching the trailer above, it's difficult not to see immediate parallels with The Legend of Zelda, specifically Wind Waker. The young boy hero bombs open secret passages, sails between islands, shoots target switches with a bow, fishes, avoids laser-eye monoliths, and solves puzzles. I'm a little surprised that developer Cornfox & Brothers didn't go with cel-shaded graphics. All that said, Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas looks pretty dang good. The world is laid out in a grid, so a lot of the exploration reminds me more of the 2D Zelda games than the newer entries. It has already been released on iOS, where it has gathered a decent following. Oceanhorn is set to release on Steam on March 17. |
| Square Enix is taking pitches for a new Gex Posted: 17 Feb 2015 06:30 AM PST Before we can dive into the future of Gex, you have to know what Square Enix Collective is. In short, it's a curated platform for developers to pitch games and receive feedback from both the public and Square Enix before crowdfunding through Kickstarter or Indiegogo. "Essentially, we're trying to help small teams build awareness of their ideas, and ultimately self-publish -- while retaining IP and full creative control," explains the site's utterly necessary about page. Now that Collective has become an "established" platform, Square Enix is opening access to select Eidos properties. The first three are Gex, Fear Effect, and Anachronox. Developers can submit pitches based on those IPs to the publisher for approval -- "feel free to mash up genres, and get creative," it says -- and then put the idea out on Collective for community voting. "At the end of that period we'll weigh up the response, and then decide whether or not to proceed further." From there, it's crowdfunding. "[W]e'll still take 5% of net crowdfunds raised (assuming the initial target is reached); and we will also distribute the game when it's done -- for that we take the standard distribution fee of 10% net sales revenue, but we'll also charge a 10% license fee for the use of the IP. And, obviously, we'll have more involvement in the direction of development -- because let's face it, we want to make sure the game that's released is the game that's promised." Lot of work to get to that point, but someone will make it happen. I want another 3D platformer Gex because there aren't enough of those these days, but after that, I'm down for anything. First Eidos IPs made available via Square Enix Collective [Square Enix] |
| What would it be like if Nintendo ran a theme park? Posted: 17 Feb 2015 06:00 AM PST Nintendo is a company whose name is synonymous with videogames (just point at any console and ask my granny what it's called). It's produced some of the most beloved and iconic characters of the last century, and is still going strong after over 30 years in the game industry. With all the hubbub lately about Nintendo's uncharacteristic forays into mobile apps, letting third parties use its characters, and NFC figures, as I was watching old episodes of Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin'? I heard the phrase "Nintendo amusement park," and I was off and running. Here's how it could go down:
Wow! I hope Nintendo gets started on it soon. I'd love to see Miyamoto at the head of a parade of trumpeting Marios. Let me know what you guys think! |
| Xbox has another Ultimate Game Sale up its sleeve Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:30 AM PST There's a tiny niche audience of consumers that love both buying things and doing it at a discount. Seriously, just the smallest sliver on a Venn diagram. Still, Microsoft's doing its best to cater to that sub-section with another of its Ultimate Game Sales. Running February 18 through 24, this sale will likely function exactly like the others: a few decent deals on big-name titles, some deep discounts on games you might not pick up otherwise, and daily sales so that you're forced to pay attention all week long. While the Ultimate Game Sale hasn't been officially announced yet, an image leaked of Xbox One's mainstay deals. Most of the "Ultimate Offers" seem to be live already, and there are different prices depending on Xbox Live subscription level. We'll likely have the sale confirmed later today or tomorrow morning, alongside the first round of daily deals. In the meantime, this is the perfect excuse to finally arrange that rough-and-tumble playdate with those pesky orcs that you've been putting off for months. Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale (Feb 18th - 24th) [NeoGAF] |
| The Evil Within's DLC teaser really wants Leslie Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:00 AM PST Well, Leslie. That's quite the predicament you've gotten yourself into, Leslie. We can't wait to see how you manage to get out of this one, Leslie. It's just a teaser, but at least we know that The Evil Within's first add-on is coming in March, Leslie. It's called The Assignment, and it probably involves Leslie to some extent, Leslie. If not, we just said "Leslie" a whole lot for no good reason, Leslie. Leslie. |
| Paranautical Activity sold to Digerati Distribution Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:00 AM PST As I'm sure some of you are aware, Code Avarice's delightful, drum and bass-infused FPS roguelike Paranautical Activity was pulled from Steam last October after one of the game's creators took to Twitter to vent his frustrations with the service, going so far as to threaten Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. The lesson we can all take away from this? Don't shit where you eat, my friend. Thankfully, indie publisher Digerati Distribution had the good sense and common decency to step in to rectify the situation by purchasing the intellectual property rights to the game, and after some negotiation with Valve, managed to get the title back up on Steam where it belongs. "We bought the IP, so it is now a Digerati title," said Digerati's Nick Alfieri in an email to Destructoid. The publisher also noted that it made a gamble when purchasing the property and picked up the rights without any guarantee Valve would reverse its decision and allow the title to be sold on Steam again. Paranautical Activity returned to Valve's hallowed halls last Friday, resurrected as the Deluxe Atonement Edition, featuring a slippery new floor (because who doesn't love ice levels?), a new weapon type and various digital goodies, such as developer footage, and commentary as well as a strategy guide for honing your skills at the devilishly difficult game. |
| Rumor has it all Xbox Ones will be dev kits this year Posted: 17 Feb 2015 04:30 AM PST With several big-budget titles sitting in my home uncompleted (Destiny, Sunset Overdrive, Shadow of Modor), more games -- specifically, more types of games -- on Xbox One sounds grand to me. And the ability for apps to output background music on the console while gaming? Mmm. The Verge reports that Microsoft will enable Xbox One owners to turn their systems into development kits this summer. So, easier access. More people creating games and apps. Great. There's also this nugget: "Developers will also be able to use beta apps to test them with the community, and apps will finally be able to run in the background allowing third-party music apps to continue outputting music while a game is being played." That's assuming what the outlet heard from its sources is accurate and those plans don't change. It's believed that Microsoft will make these announcements during the Build conference in April. Microsoft is ready to unleash Xbox One apps [The Verge] |
| Letters to the editor: Why should I keep reading Destructoid? Posted: 17 Feb 2015 04:15 AM PST [This just came to our support email line. I thought I'd share, just in case anyone else feels this way.] @Support:
If you ever get a letter like this, no matter what business you're in, the first thing you need to remember is that this person did you a favor. They cared enough to tell you what's wrong with your business from an outsider's point of view. I really appreciated it and responded: |
| Hyrule Warriors has another max level increase on the way, also its last announced DLC Posted: 17 Feb 2015 03:30 AM PST Soon, Hyrule Warriors will get its 1.6.0 update, which brings in more free enhancements to the mix. The max level cap will be increased, new potions and medals will be added, challenge mode will be enhanced, and there will be a score recording function and an extended load time fix. Nice! Also around the corner is the "Ganon Pack" add-on, which is coming February 26 in Japan. You'll be ale to battle against the gigantic bosses in a new Boss Challenge mode as well as acquire new costumes, and play as the massive Ganon in Ganon Play. This is the last DLC that is part of the Season Pass, but given the popularity of the game I'm not so sure the money train is completely over yet. Zelda Musou [GamesTalk] |
| PC classic shmup Raptor: Call of the Shadows is on Steam Posted: 17 Feb 2015 03:00 AM PST If you were an old school PC gamer in the '90s, you remember Raptor. It was a really rad shoot-'em-up that had a heavy emphasis on upgrades, allowing you to slowly enhance your plane over the course of 27 levels. It was a fully featured shmup for the time, especially since a number of eastern shooters only featured a handful of arcade levels with no room for an experience system. If you want to relive the magic you can do so with the 2015 Edition on Steam for $4.49. Note that the "2010 Edition" is also on GOG.com for $5.99. |
| Still haven't picked up Majora's Mask 3D yet? Here's another comparison video Posted: 17 Feb 2015 02:30 AM PST Based on all of the happy pictures I saw of people getting their shiny new Majora 3DS and Majora's Mask collectors editions, I'm thinking a lot of people have been playing The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D this past weekend. If you still aren't sold yet, give this video a chance as Master0fHyrule takes you through a quick Nintendo 64 to 3DS graphical comparison in multiple zones. It's a bit less canned than Nintendo's prior official efforts. |
| Watch Villager pocket all of the moves in Super Smash Bros. Wii U Posted: 17 Feb 2015 02:00 AM PST YouTuber Master0fHyrule compiled a video of almost every attack that the Villager can pocket and throw back at his opponents in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. A lot of them are really surprising! Who knew you could pocket Pikachu's Thunder? Or the water from another Villager's watering can? Or the freaking bullets from Duck Hunt dog's gunmen? And it seems like you can pocket just about any attack Robin can throw at you. Poor Robin... The video doesn't include any of the items you can pocket, but Master0fHyrule plans to do a second video if enough people are interested. I certainly am! Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS - every move the Villager can pocket [GoNintendo] |
| #darksiders2: Darksiders II current gen remaster confirmed Posted: 17 Feb 2015 01:30 AM PST I'm sure Darksiders 2 is a fine game if you've dry humped behind a Hot Topic counter after a date at Orange Julius, but my favorite thing about its existence is #darksiders2, which Occams blessed us with all those years ago. We can also remember when Handy found 137 skulls in 13 screenshots of the game. A listing for a $40, remastered Darksiders II (PS4) appeared briefly on Amazon. A representative of Nordic Games, which bought the rights to the series, told GameSpot that "the authenticity of the listing is unquestionable," but didn't go into detail. An Xbox One version is also likely. |
| Dragon Ball Z: Butōden announced for the 3DS, developed by Arc System Works Posted: 17 Feb 2015 01:00 AM PST Most Dragon Ball fanatics that were alive during the retro era have probably played, or at least heard of the Butōden series. Making its debut in 1993 on the SNES in Japan, the 2D fighter was something else, allowing for both aerial and ground combat with the press of a button. While it's been a while since we've seen a new entry, the newest issue of V Jump magazine is revealing a new 3DS game called Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden, which will have over 100 playable characters and team battles. Sadly, the last game wasn't ever localized, but given the popularity of the 3DS, there's hope. Dragon Ball Z: Butōden 2D Fighting Game Franchise Heads to 3DS [Anime News Network] |
| Lara looks cold in Rise of the Tomb Raider Posted: 17 Feb 2015 12:30 AM PST The Microsoft-published, badly named -- unless we're talking dough or erections, let's cool it on all the rising -- Rise of the Tomb Raider is looking far more frigid in these new screenshots than it did at reveal (above). My mind jumped from the reboot following in Uncharted 2's snow tracks, to my recent stint in a not-so-cold Stockholm, to the movie Vertical Limit, which I've weirdly watched a lot. Snow will actually play some practical parts in the game; for example, animals leave tracks in the snow that disappear over time. If Lara is that damned cold, though, why doesn't she zip up her dang jacket instead of showing off her infinity scarf? This is actually bugging me. Her jacket is zipped halfway down in all the stills, which looks much more fashionable and accentuates her bust, but is also stupid. It is freezing out. |
| Last Guardian 'still in development' despite trademark abandonment Posted: 16 Feb 2015 11:30 PM PST Folks were worried last night when Sony failed to extend the trademark for The Last Guardian. Sony confirmed to GameSpot that it, "can confirm that the Last Guardian is still in development." Failing to renew the trademark was merely an administrative error. Announced in 2009, Last Guardian development has been troubled. Team Ico head Fumito Ueda left Sony in 2011, though originally stayed on as an independent contractor. Here's to another "The Last Guardian is still alive/not cancelled" post! The Last Guardian Still in Development, Sony Assures [GameSpot] |
| This Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS tutorial video explains ledge grab punishing Posted: 16 Feb 2015 11:00 PM PST The "My Smash Corner" YouTube channel is back with another Super Smash Bros. tutorial video, covering the new ledge grab mechanic. As you may know the new iteration has a completely reworked ledge concept that drops you off of a ledge if another player grabs on. But what you may not know is that after a player grabs a ledge a second time in succession, you have approximately 20 frames to get a guaranteed hit on them, which usually can be a down-smash, or something unusual like Mario's up-tilt that can lead into combos. The video also shows you how to edge trump, which is basically when you force them to grab again by grabbing it yourself. My edge game is now strong. |
| Link is the most popular amiibo in the world, US and Canada account for 63% of all amiibo shipments Posted: 16 Feb 2015 08:30 PM PST Nintendo spoke up on the amiibo situation, noting that the toys are performing well during its investor briefing last night. Some factoids were revealed, most notably that Link was still the number one selling amiibo worldwide, followed by Mario and Pikachu. Approximately 5.7 million units have been sold to date. Nintendo notes that it wants amiibo have a "constant presence" at stores, but still hasn't stated which amiibo will be "regulars" and which will require restocking/retire entirely. In all, the US and Canada account for 63% of all worldwide shipments, The publisher also briefly mentions a new "NES and SNES app" that will allow you to download "scenes" from various retro consoles using amiibo. Apparently you can't play the entire game because of a time limit -- if you tap your figure you can play another "scene" though. Oh, and that external NFC reader for old 3DS units is coming "this summer." Cards for amiibo are re-confirmed. See the charts in the gallery below for the full worldwide sale ranking list. Third Quarter Financial Results Briefing [Nintendo] |
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