Most Recent: Mobile

Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories will bloom on the Wii U, PC, mobile devices this Winter

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After Natsume and original Harvest Moon developer Marvelous parted ways in 2014, the publisher decided to continue the series in North America with the release of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley. Yesterday, they announced their second new Harvest Moon since the split, Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories. The game is in development for the Wii U, PC, and mobile devices, and will be available this Winter.

“From the farm to the town, we wanted Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories to evoke the feeling of a classic Harvest Moon game with modern twists!” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. “We’re also excited to finally bring the Harvest Moon series to the Nintendo Wii U, PC, and mobile platforms, where fans have definitely told us they want to see the series.”

Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories brings the franchise to several platforms where its never been before, but the gameplay will be inspired by some of the earliest entries in the series:

Go back to the roots of Harvest Moon in the latest installment of the series! Inspired by the old-school gameplay of the very first games, Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories will bring players a sense of nostalgia, along with exciting gameplay twists.

Tasked with the job of revitalizing a farm, players will need to befriend the villagers in town to unlock the titular “Seeds of Memories”! Seeds can be unlocked in many ways, such as giving a villager their favorite item, catching a giant fish, or by raising their first cow. Players will need to be up to the challenge of collecting all of the Seeds of Memories!

If farm life’s not your thing, players will also be able to cook, fish, forage, and mine, while also participating in contests and festivals. Players might even find that special someone among the bachelors and bachelorettes that live nearby.

We’ll get our first look at Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories during this year’s E3 Expo, which opens in less than two weeks.

Posted in Mobile, News, PC, Wii U | Tagged

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is now available on iOS devices

Back in 2005, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved was only released for the Xbox 360. Aside from a PC port a few years later, it has stayed exclusive to Microsoft’s console. It’s sequel, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 never even strayed that far. It debuted on the Xbox 360 in 2008 and has remained exclusive to that console ever since.

But Sierra Games is taking an entirely different tack with Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions. After bowing on five platforms back in November, the publisher announced today that the twin-stick shooter is now available on the iOS App Store for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

The mobile version of Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions will feature an Adventure campaign, complete with all 50 levels from the PC/console version. Two bonus stages exclusive to the iOS version will also be available, along with five Classic modes borrowed from Retro Evolved 2. Owing to the lack of sticks on an iDevice, this version of Dimensions will also include touch controls, as well as controller support, iCloud game saves, and Game Center Achievements.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is available to download for $4.99 with no in-app purchases.

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10 more Guitar Hero Live tracks revealed by Activision

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It worked so well the last week that Activision has decided to reveal another ten tracks from Guitar Hero Live that span the gamut from hard rock to metal all the way back to hard rock. What are you waiting for, throw up the horns for these tunes…

  • Anthrax – “Got the Time”
  • Architects – “Gravedigger”
  • Beartooth – “I Have A Problem”
  • Chevelle – “The Clincher”
  • A Day to Remember – “Right Back At It Again”
  • Halestorm – “Love Bites (So Do I)”
  • Pearl Jam – “Mind Your Manners”
  • Rise Against – “Tragedy + Time”
  • Soundgarden – “Been Away Too Long”
  • Tenacious D – “Tribute”

Including the first batch of songs, Activision has officially announced 44 tracks from the upcoming rhythm revival, which will be released this Fall for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U.

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Pac-Man 256 is an endless mazer for iOS devices from the makers of Crossy Road

Hipster Whale’s Crossy Road brought Frogger into the 21st century with a nostalgic eye towards the game’s pixelated past. Seeking yet another way to honor Pac-Man during his 35th anniversary year, Bandai Namco has given the developer the keys to the franchise. The result is Pac-Man 256, an endless mazer that forces Pac-Man to escape the dreaded “Level 256 Glitch.”

Using the same isometric camera angle as Crossy Road, Pac-Man 256 traps our hero in a maze with a ton of ghosts and the “Level 256 Glitch” always looming just out of view (thus, the endless running). The first trailer has been embedded above and the free-to-play game will be available for iOS devices this Summer, though this looks perfect for a port to a platform with native controller support.

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See space battles, Lightsaber combat, pod racing in new Disney Infinity: Star Wars videos

All week long, Game Informer has been uploading gameplay videos highlighting a different facet of this Fall’s Disney Infinity: Star Wars. The most recent video, which has been embedded above, puts the spotlight on the game’s space battles, including the famous Battle of Yavin in and around the Death Star from the end of Star Wars.

An additional trailer features the game’s brand new Toy Box Speedway mode. This Mario Kart-inspired mode takes place on Tattooine, recreating the pod racing scene from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Escept this time the pod racers include Yoda and Question Boxes are all over the course.

The final trailer focuses on an elegant weapon for a more civilized age as Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker show off their Lightsaber skills.

Both of these trailers can be found after the break and don’t forget that Disney Infinity; Star Wars will launch sometime this Fall (possibly as early as August) for the PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. (more…)

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

Video Game Release Calendar Changelog: E3 2015 Table Setting Edition

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Don’t Forget! This is just a changelog of recently announced release dates. Warp Zoned’s complete Video Game Release Calendar includes every title we could find with a 2015, 2016, 2017, or unannounced release date.

This edition of the Video Game Release Calendar Changelog is definitely focused on the pre-E3 table setting that happens every May. In addition to release dates for some of this Summer’s most-anticipated games (Lego Jurassic World on June 12, Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition on June 23, and Rory McIlroy PGA Tour on July 14) we were recently treated to release dates for some of this Falls big franchise titles (Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege on October 13, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate on October 23, WWE 2K16 on October 27, and Call of Duty: Black Ops III on November 6).

Looking beyond the big names, we now know that Keiji Inafune’s Mighty No. 9 will be released on September 15 (though the 3DS and Vita versions will launch “sometime later”). But even the recent surprise announcements are focused on big names including Need For Speed and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, both of which will launch this Fall.

Finally, you can’t talk about release dates without mentioning a few delays. This time, Tom Clancy’s The Division was pushed back (to early 2016) alongside Mirror’s Edge 2 and the Ratchet & Clank remake (both will be available in Spring 2016). But Dead Island 2 got the worst delay of all, going from Spring 2015 all the way to TBA 2016.

But speaking of games that are far away, let’s end this roundup with Telltale’s Marvel Game, an untitled episodic adventure game that won’t be released until sometime in 2017. Hey, gotta get that announcement out there sometime.

Even more new release dates for this edition of the Video Game Release Calendar Changelog can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One |

Pac-Man debuted in Japanese arcades 35 years ago today

pac-man-arcadeBandai Namco and Pac-Man have a lot to celebrate thanks to today’s big anniversary, but after the year he’s had, everyone’s favorite ghost-chomper isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

On May 22, 1980, exactly 35 years ago, “Puck Man” made its debut in Japanese arcades. The game and its title character would go on adopt the much better known moniker of Pac-Man a few months later because executive at Midway, its American distributor, feared that unruly teenagers would attempt to vandalize the machines. And just like that, an icon was born.

Pac-Man made the most of its simple “eat dots/avoid ghosts” gameplay model, spawning dozens of sequels, spinoffs, and successors. And its unique mazelike structure shows up again and again in games like Bomberman, The Legend of Zelda, and many others. Pac-Man has appeared on numerous “Best Games of All-Time” lists and was selected as a finalist for the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.

“From arcades and consoles to digital and mobile, Pac-Man has remained a fixture in our gaming lives. The endless appeal of the series’ simple but masterful design after all this time is nothing short of remarkable,” said Jeferson Valadares, the General Manager at Bandai Namco America. “But more than anything else, this is an anniversary for the fans. If you treasure any fond Pac-Man memories of your own from the past 35 years, we hope you share them with someone special today and make some new ones together.”

Bandai Namco is hosting a celebration for their most famous creation today at Level 257, a Pac-Man-themed restaurant in Schaumburg, Illinois. Pac-Man’s creator, Professor Toru Iwatani, will be on hand to present the birthday cake and I’m sure “Pac Man Fever” will be playing on a continuous loop. Mobile gamers who own Pac-Man on their iOS device will also receive a free update today that adds a “classic-inspired user interface” to the game.

Aside from starring in one of the most beloved video games of all time, Pac-Man manages to keep himself busy with a variety of side projects. Earlier this year, Bud Light borrowed the game’s familiar maze to create a “Real Life Pac-Man” commercial for Super Bowl XLIX. More recently, Google also dropped Pac-Man into the real world by offering a playable Pac-Man Street View in Google Maps. And last year the mascot got the chance to duke it out with Mario, Sonic, and Mega Man in Super Smash Bros. For Wii U and 3DS, with his very own Amiibo figure scheduled for release next week.

Let’s hope there’s also some pizza at that Pac-Man anniversary celebration.

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Game of Thrones: Sons of Winter will be available next week

Telltale’s video game adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones continues with the release of the fourth episode, Sons of Winter, next week. Depending upon which platform they prefer, players will be able to dig into the latest episode on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, May 26: PC (Windows, Mac) and PlayStation Network (PS3, PS4)
  • Wednesday, May 27: Xbox Games Store (Xbox 360, Xbox One)
  • Thursday, May 28: Mobile (iOS, Android)

So what sorts of intrigue and deception will the denizens of House Forrester experience in Sons of Winter? Here’s what Telltale had to say…

In Episode 4, the fate of the scattered Forresters hangs in the balance, and no one allied with the family is safe. An unexpected meeting offers Rodrik a new opportunity to free Ironrath from its Whitehill stranglehold, but with young Ryon Forrester still held prisoner, his next moves are critical. Gared must abandon Castle Black and venture beyond the Wall in search of the mysterious North Grove, risking encounters with Wildlings and worse. In King’s Landing, the population is reeling from a recent royal death, and Mira must step carefully in an increasingly complex game of politics where secrets are traded as currency. Far away in Essos, Asher infiltrates the slave city of Meereen at the behest of Daenerys Targaryen, but will the friendship he holds dear break under the strain of a mission that raises memories best forgotten?

Unlike the typical Telltale game series, their Game of Thrones adaptation will stretch out across six episodes. So be on the lookout for Episode 5 (A Nest of Vipers) and Episode 6 (The Ice Dragon) in the coming months.

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