News
4 CommentsTomodachi Life hits 3DS June 6, combining universal gameplay with Western hooks
By Dave Tach on Apr 10, 2014 04.10.14
It's difficult to describe the Tomodachi series, and Bill Trinen knows it.In fact, when Nintendo of America's director of product marketing first got his hands on a Westernized version of the previously Japanese-only Nintendo 3DS game Tomodachi Life, he wasn't sure he was going to get into it. It wasn't until he started playing the game, which corrals Mii characters together and lets players watch then interact and interact with them, that its appeal dawned on him.
"The thing that surprises me about Tomodachi Life is how it gets its hooks in you in unexpected ways," Trinen told Polygon in a recent interview. "You know, when I first started playing the game, I was a little unsure of whether or not it was going to be the kind of thing that I would really enjoy. Very quickly, I found...
News
12 CommentsNES Remix 2 dumps your favorite retro games on their head
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Apr 10, 2014 04.10.14
For fans of Nintendo's original NES games, NES Remix 2 is likely to hit the sweet spot between comfortable nostalgia and jarring alteration.
During a recent demo in San Francisco, I spent some hands-on time with the game. Like its predecessor, NES Remix, Remix 2 focuses on stuffing gameplay from retro games into rapid fire challenges. These bite-sized segments rarely, if ever, ran longer than 45 seconds and kept me on my toes. Mario 3-themed trials made me take out enemies with everlasting starpower as quickly as possible, or attempt to get Mario off the ground and flying. In a challenge taken from side-scroller Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, I had to defeat a tricky boss with a few well-timed hits.
The game's titular remixes are named for their mashups or otherwise drastic changes...
News
2 CommentsStick It to The Man launching for PlayStation 4, Wii U
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Apr 09, 2014 04.09.14
Swedish developer Zoink will release its indie platformer, Stick It to The Man, for PlayStation 4, according to an announcement on Facebook.
Stick It to The Man previously launched for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Mac and Windows PC via Steam. The game, written by Adventure Time comic book writer Ryan North, follows Ray, a man who wakes up one day to find a magical arm attached to his forehead. Using his new appendage, Ray can read the minds of his fellows.
It will be displayed in 1080p and use the DualShock 4 controller speakers to "tap into characters' thoughts in the game, further separating the mind-reading world from Ray's world."
Previous PlayStation versions of the game were cross-buy, meaning those who purchased it on one system received it on the other.
Stick It to...
News
10 CommentsAtlus picks up RPG Citizens of Earth after failed Kickstarter
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 09, 2014 04.09.14
Citizens of Earth, the retro-inspired role-playing game from indie studio Eden Industries, will be published by Atlus and is set for release later this year on Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows PC and Wii U, the publisher announced today.
Vancouver, Canada-based Eden Industries attempted to fund development of Citizens of Earth with a CA$100,000 Kickstarter campaign last fall, but the funding drive fell short with a final total of CA$36,875. Upon the closure of the campaign, Eden vowed to continue developing the game. Atlus will release Citizens of Earth in North America and Europe as a downloadable title.
Citizens of Earth casts the player as Vice President of the World. The day after the vice president takes office, the people of planet Earth go crazy. It's up...
News
7 CommentsWhat Cirque du Soleil, Coeur de Pirate and flowers bring to Child of Light
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 09, 2014 04.09.14
Ubisoft partnered with Cirque du Soleil and Canadian singer-pianist Coeur de Pirate to develop the soundtrack and theatricality of its upcoming JRPG-inspired game Child of Light, developers shared today.
The video above shows how de Pirate along with the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra created the soundtrack, while le Cirque du Soleil Media worked to "enhance the sense of theatricality in the game," bringing some of the shows movement and costume style into the game. Viewers can also get a first listen at their work and how it melds with gameplay and combat.
"Music is one of the most important ways to communicate emotion to players," said creative director Patrick Plourde. "The music of Coeur de Pirate is fresh, romantic and optimistic, a perfect match for what we wanted to express with...
News
44 CommentsNew Mario title in development at Nintendo EAD Tokyo
By Jenna Pitcher on Apr 09, 2014 04.09.14
Nintendo EAD Tokyo has begun developing the next Mario title, the studio revealed in an interview with Edge Online.
Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi could not confirm if the next Mario iteration is in development for Nintendo 3DS or Wii U, adding that "we've already started approaching our next challenge" and "there's still a lot more room for discovery and invention, and we'll continue to propose new and exciting game mechanics going into the future."
Co-director and EAD Tokyo team leader Kenta Motokura mentioned that the development team "might need to make even more use of the GamePad" if the new Mario title will see a launch on the Wii U platform.
Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto revealed last November that there is "little chance" for him to oversee or be heavily involved with the...
Top Games
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Spelunky
- Platforms: Win, XBLA, PS3, PS Vita, Win
- Publisher: Mossmouth
- Developer: Mossmouth
- Release Date: 07/04/2012
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Saints Row 4
- Platforms: Win, 360, PS3
- Publisher: Deep Silver
- Developer: Volition
- Release Date: 2013-08-20
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Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Publisher: PopCap Games
- Developer: PopCap Games
- Release Date: 08/15/2013
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Gone Home
- Platforms: Win, Mac, Linux
- Publisher: The Fullbright Company
- Developer: The Fullbright Company
- Release Date: 08/15/2013
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Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn
- Platforms: PS3, Win, PS4
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Developer: Square Enix
- Release Date: 2013-08-27
News
53 CommentsSheik, Yoshi and Zero Suit Samus join the roster in Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS
By Dave Tach on Apr 08, 2014 04.08.14
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS will include Sheik, Yoshi and Zero Suit Samus as playable characters, director Masahiro Sakurai announced during a Nintendo Direct event today.
Sheik was Princess Zelda's secret identity in The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and also appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In the upcoming game, she'll have new moves like Burst Grenade and Bouncing Fish.
Yoshi, Mario's dinosaur-like sidekick and Smash Bros. veteran, will also return. In the upcoming 3DS and Wii U games, Yoshi will stand straight up, not hunched over like in previous versions, which will change his play style.
Zero Suit Samus will return in the new Super Smash Bros. as her own fully playable character, separate from heavily armored Samus,...
News
19 CommentsSuper Smash Bros. to feature 'For Fun' and 'For Glory' modes for online multiplayer
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Apr 08, 2014 04.08.14
Super Smash Bros., Nintendo's latest entry in the fighting franchise, will include two multiplayer modes — For Fun and For Glory — for players to choose from, director Masahiro Sakurai announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation today.
Both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game will include online multiplayer to allow players to try "whatever style" they want to play. The Wii U's online multiplayer will function like Super Smash Bros. Brawl's. However, the 3DS version "isn't going to be overshadowed," Sakurai said, and will offer online options as well for players with a stable connection.
When people are playing online with random players, they can choose from two different modes. In the For Fun mode, the stage will be randomly selected from the game's available options;...
News
63 CommentsSuper Smash Bros. hits 3DS this summer and Wii U this winter
By Dave Tach on Apr 08, 2014 04.08.14
Super Smash Bros. will arrive on Nintendo 3DS this summer and Wii U this winter, director Masahiro Sakurai announced during a Nintendo Direct event today.
The 3DS version will run at 60 frames per second in stereoscopic 3D, Sakurai said. Assist characters will run at 30 frames per second.
"New Super Smash Bros. games are a major event for video game fans everywhere, and present an experience that only Nintendo can offer," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales and marketing. "Fans have two launches to look forward to this year, and they will want to get in plenty of practice with the Nintendo 3DS version so that they can be prepared for the launch of the Wii U game later in the year."
Super Smash Bros. is headed to Wii U and Nintendo 3DS...
News
2 CommentsTetris has passed 425 million downloads on mobile, not including free-to-play
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 08, 2014 04.08.14
Classic puzzle game Tetris has surpassed 425 million paid downloads on mobile devices since its launch in 1984, according to The Tetris Company head Henk Rogers.
Speaking with VentureBeat, Rogers — who purchased the publishing rights from creator Alexey Pajitnov and brought the game to the Game Boy handheld in 1989 — said this number takes into account downloads over the past 14 years and does not include free-to-play versions of the game.
"We have 425 million total paid mobile downloads," Rogers said. "That's all just on mobile. We had 35 million on the original Game Boy. Boxed products, I think altogether we sold something like 70 million.
"It's really spread over the whole period where phones have become able to play games," he added.
Electronic Arts acquired the mobile...
News
10 CommentsMarvel teases Avengers in Disney Infinity '2.0 Edition' (update)
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 08, 2014 04.08.14
Marvel's Avengers appear to be on their way to Disney Interactive's Disney Infinity, according to a teaser trailer released today by Marvel Entertainment.
The 27-second clip, named "Get Ready to Assemble," shows Captain America's shield flying through the world of Disney Infinity, zooming past characters like Dash from The Incredibles, Sully from Monsters, Inc. and Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean films. A Disney Infinity logo pops up at the end of the video, along with a label mentioning a "2.0 Edition." We're reaching out to Disney Interactive for more details, and will update this article with any information we receive.
The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment in August 2009 for $4 billion. John Blackburn, CEO of Disney Infinity developer...
Video
14 CommentsWatch Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano create Child of Light artwork
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 07, 2014 04.07.14
Ubisoft shared a special video today for role-playing game Child of Light in which reknowned Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano creates artwork for the upcoming title.
Amano, perhaps best know for his design and concept work done for the Final Fantasy franchise, is shown in the video above painting at his desk. The team behind Child of Light partnered with Amano to create an art print inspired by the game — a picture of young protagonist Aurora surrounded by characters in the strange world she travels to.
The artwork will be featured in the Child of Light Deluxe edition, which includes a copy of the game as well as several physical goods and is currently available for pre-order in Europe. For a more intimate look at Amano's process, check out our interview with the artist from New...
News
4 CommentsRenegade Kid's Cult County to support Project Morpheus for PS4 if funded
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Apr 07, 2014 04.07.14
Upcoming survival horror game Cult County will support virtual reality play with Sony's recently announced VR headset, Project Morpheus, if its minimum funding goal is met, Renegade Kid co-founder Jools Watsham told Polygon via email.
Renegade Kid recently announced on Kickstarter that it will be "getting [its] hands on [Project Morpheus] in the near future" to use with the game. Watsham told Polygon the team wanted to work with Project Morpheus because the experience is like "strapping a 3DS to your head."
"You get the sense of stereo depth, but with blinkers on, so the outside world is tuned out," Watsham said. "This allows you to further immerse yourself into the gaming world. The effect this presentation has on a first-person survival horror game, like Cult County, is quite...
News
7 CommentsThe Amazing Spider-Man 2 loads up on the villains in its latest trailer
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 07, 2014 04.07.14
The latest trailer for developer Beenox's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 demonstrates that the second game in Activision's latest comic-based series won't be skimping on the villains.
Much like Batman: Arkham Origins, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is loading up on baddies for our titular hero to face. In addition to the already-known Electro, Green Goblin and Kraven, the trailer above gives a look at the supervillain Kingpin, potential romantic interest Black Cat and a brief glimpse of what appears to be the alien-infected Carnage.
The game, announced during New York Comic Con last fall, expands on the city of Manhattan build up in the first game, 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man. The title also features tweaks to its combat and web-slinging mechanics as well as some light role-playing game...
Deals
13 CommentsTarget offering Xbox One with year of Xbox Live, 15 percent off accessories at Best Buy
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 07, 2014 04.07.14
Gamers looking to snag a deal on an Xbox One can get one of two bundles featuring a free year of Xbox Live from Target, according to the retailer's website.
Players can grab the standard edition bundle featuring Forza Motorsport 5 — introduced early last month — or the Titanfall bundle with a 12 month subscription to Xbox Live Gold for $449.99. Both bundles, in addition to their respective games, feature a console, Kinect, chat headset and one wireless controller.
Target is also running a buy two, get one free promotion for video games, spanning all consoles and including older as well as more recent titles like Titanfall and The Elder Scrolls Online.
The Titanfall bundle has been available for $449.99 through the Microsoft Store since late March and includes just one month of...
Culture
3 CommentsHere is every Super Nintendo start screen, in a video nine hours long
By Owen S. Good on Apr 06, 2014 04.06.14
Two months after compiling every start screen for every Nintendo Entertainment System game, NicksplosionFX is back at it again with every start screen for every Super Nintendo game. And this video is three times as long as the first.
That's more than nine hours, in all. How much can you take? The games are presented in alphabetical order; NicksplosionFX gives timestamps for some of his favorites — Battle Mobile at 2:19:30, Jurassic Park 2 at 3:14:00 and Lupin Sansei at 3:46:07. For a full list of all the games in the order they are presented, see his Tumblr.
News
11 CommentsCapcom asks fans to design two weapons for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
By Owen S. Good on Apr 06, 2014 04.06.14
Capcom is looking for a few good weapons for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.
The publisher is staging a design contest and encouraging fans to develop two weapons to be used in the game, when it launches in the west for Nintendo 3DS in 2015.
Capcom is only accepting one entry per person and asks that submissions be based on one of the 14 weapon classes available in the game: Sword & Shield, Dual Blades, Great Sword, Long Sword, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Bow, Insect Glaive and Charge Blade.
Participants are asked to send an illustration and a weapon name in an email to contest@capcom.com with the subject line "MH4U weapon design." A description of the weapon's capabilities is optional but should be limited to 100 words.
Two winners will...
News
2 CommentsEvo 2014 adding Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Bandai Namco sponsorship
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Apr 04, 2014 04.04.14
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 has been added to the roster for the 2014 Evo fighting games tournament, event organizers announced last night.
During the last episode of iPlayWinner's The Fray, Evo co-founder Joey "Mr. Wizard" Cuellar announced the game's addition. This brings the current Evo roster up to eight games, including BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Killer Instinct, The King of Fighters 13, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Ultra Street Fighter 4.
Evo welcomes back Tekken Tag Tournament 2 into the lineup!
— Evo (@evo2k) April 4, 2014
Registration for Evo 2014 has already been updated to include the Tekken Tag Tournament 2 division.
Cuellar also revealed that publisher Bandai Namco Games, owner of the Tekken Tag...
News
12 CommentsThe Amazing Spider-Man 2 wants to connect you with Spider-Man as a character
By Samit Sarkar on Apr 04, 2014 04.04.14
The Amazing Spider-Man, the 2012 video game companion to the film of the same name, brought Spider-Man back into an open-world Manhattan after two comparatively linear titles that received lukewarm responses. But according to Thomas Wilson, creative director and co-studio head at Quebec City, Canada-based Beenox, the company realized that when it came to building a sequel, most of the original game's foundation needed work.
Players liked the freely explorable Manhattan that was the setting for The Amazing Spider-Man, and Beenox also wanted to keep the web rush mechanic, which allowed Spider-Man to slow down time and zoom forward to a point of his choosing in the environment.
"All the other stuff that was in there needed to be improved, in our opinion," said Wilson during a phone...
News
33 CommentsSuper Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct coming April 8
By Emily Gera on Apr 04, 2014 04.04.14
Nintendo will provide new details regarding the upcoming Wii U and 3DS brawler Super Smash Bros. in the next upcoming Nintendo Direct, scheduled for April 8, the company announced today.
The Bandai Namco Games and Sora Ltd. iteration of the fighting game franchise will launch on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS sometime this year; However, a release date has yet to be announced. The company has so far revealed a portion of its roster, including a cast of Nintendo characters like Luigi, Princess Peach and Princess Zelda, Mega Man and Sonic.
Game director Masahiro Sakurai also confirmed the development team is working to crack down on exploits known to users, including "edge hogging," when a player hangs from a stage's ledge, blocking another player who is trying to not fall off the stage from...
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