Most Recent: DS
Call of Duty: Black Ops II nukes the competition in November 2012 NPD report
Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Halo 4 set records in November 2012. The Wii U also opened strong with sales of over 400,000 consoles. And the Christmas rush resulted in big numbers for new releases like Assassin’s Creed III, Just Dance 4, and Need For Speed: Most Wanted. But that still didn’t stop The NPD Group from reporting that retail game sales dropped 11% from November 2011.
“Despite an overall retail video game decline of 11 percent, November had the smallest year-over-year decrease we have seen for dollar and unit sales so far this year. This is a sign of momentum going into the December holiday period,” said NPD analyst Liam Callahan.
You can view the complete top ten from last month after the break, and remember, despite what The NPD Group says, the console game market is still in good shape. (more…)
Nintendo Download: Lego Lord of the Rings, Scribblenauts Unlimited, a lot more
Nintendo seems to have really gotten the hang of this digital download thing since the release of the Wii U. The consolemaker has added 13 games to their quartet of download services today as well as the first Wii U demo (FIFA Soccer 13).
This week’s biggest new releases can be found on the 3DS eShop: Lego Lord of the Rings and Scribblenauts Unlimited. Also available this week is Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning, Classic Games Overload: Card & Puzzle Edition, Murder on the Titanic, and the NES favorite Mighty Bomb Jack.
More information on all of these games (as well as new DSiWare, Wii Shop, and Wii U eShop titles) can be found after the break. (more…)
Nintendo Power’s last issue goes out in style
The final issue of Nintendo Power’s nearly quarter-century-long run is being delivered to subscribers now. It’s even possible to say that it’s the end of an era. Thankfully, Nintendo is sending their beloved official magazine off with a rather fitting tribute.
A Reddit user has posted a picture of the final cover and the claymation figures depicting a key moment in New Super Mario Bros. U that bears an uncanny resemblance to the cover of the first issue.
Yup, this is definitely the end of an era. Also, these tears running down my face are because of allergies. Yup, definitely allergies.
Nintendo Download: Aero Porter, Pac-Man, more
It’s Thursday, so welcome to your weekly dose of Nintendo Downloads. This week we’ve got another Level-5 collaboration for the 3DS, Aero Porter, yet another re-release of Pac-Man, and a pair of DSiWare titles.
More details? Why yes, we have them:
3DS eShop
Aero Porter – Level-5 and Yoot Saito team up to bring you Aero Porter, an airport simulation and puzzle game that will have you sorting luggage, expanding your airport’s operations and avoiding security mishaps. It’s your job to put your airport on the map and help it grow from a sleepy regional terminal to a bustling international hub.
Pac-Man – Control iconic character Pac-Man as you navigate through mazes, eating Pac-Dots and simultaneously avoiding devious ghosts. Warp from one edge of the maze to the other using tunnels, or eat a Power Pellet to turn the tables and make the ghosts vulnerable. Earn extra points to achieve the high score and see how far you can get before losing all your lives.
DSiWare
Invasion of the Alien Blobs! – A mysterious alien life form has appeared from outer space and is raging war against humanity. Use your stylus to take a stand against the invasion by squashing the alien blobs one at a time. With just 10 seconds to deal with each attack wave, you have no time for sightseeing as you travel the globe to fight off the blobs.
Bloons TD 4 – The monkeys are ready to take down the enemy from land, air and sea in this classic tower defense game. Using a ranking system, you can build up your experience and gain access to powerful towers and upgrades like mortar strikes and banana farms. Can you battle through all 75 rounds to earn the gold medal?
Just Stop! Consoles Are NOT Headed For a Crash
When the Internet decides to collectively believe something that’s just not true, we have to cry out… Just Stop! This is what’s making a Warp Zoned editor rip his computer from the wall in frustration today…
Over the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen more than a few articles bemoaning the financial health of the retail games sector. Analysts and journalists have been carrying on about how this is the end of the line. That even with a generational jump looming, the gaming community has abandoned disc-based games for their iGadgets and their free-to-play Facebook counterparts.
No! Just Stop! YOU. ARE. WRONG. (more…)
Cyber Monday Game Deals 2012: Amazon
You didn’t think it was over did you? With Black Friday in our wake, it’s time for Cyber Monday and Amazon, of course, has posted some amazing deals.
Be sure to check out all of their Cyber Monday Lightning Deals and hit the jump for a look at some of their best all-day deals (which will be updating throughout the day).
Ready? Set? Shop! (more…)
New Releases: Ratchet & Clank Full Frontal Assault, More
The Fall gaming rush is over. After last week’s huge Wii U launch, there’s only a handful of new games left for the rest of the year (and only four this week).
At the top of the list is Sony’s “fun-sized” Ratchet & Clank game, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault. The PS3 game, which carries a budget price of $19.99, will also be available to download from the PlayStation Network this week.
In addition to Full Frontal Assault, there’s a trio of handheld games: A Pets and Vets Bundle for the DS and American Mensa Academy and 50 Classic Games 3D for the 3DS.
See you next week!
Black Friday Game Deals 2012: Amazon
Welcome to Black Friday! Amazon has uploaded all of their Black Friday deals and if you’d prefer to avoid the crowds, this is the best way to find a bargain on Black Friday.
We’ll be updating the list of sale-priced games throughout the day, but be sure to track the limited-time Lightning Deals, especially if you’re looking for Borderlands 2, Halo 4, God of War Saga, WWE ’13, or XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
Also be sure to check out Amazon’s Black Friday Video Game Deals page.
Hit the jump for the complete list of Lightning Deals as well as a quick rundown of some of the today’s best all-day deals. (more…)