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More than 2,500 playable MS-DOS games have been added to the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive has made it their mission to safeguard as much of the Internet as they can, but the group is also heavily involved in preserving classic video games and making them playable for a new generation of players through in-browser emulation.
Earlier this week, they massively expanded the number of retro video games available in their collection thanks to the addition of more than 2,500 MS-DOS games from the 1980s and 1990s.
It wasn’t easy getting all of those titles to work in a browser, and Curator Jason Scott had a bit to say about the process on the Internet Archive Blog:
The update of these MS-DOS games comes from a project called eXoDOS, which has expanded over the years in the realm of collecting DOS games for easy playability on modern systems to tracking down and capturing, as best as can be done, the full context of DOS games – from the earliest simple games in the first couple years of the IBM PC to recently created independent productions that still work in the MS-DOS environment.
What makes the collection more than just a pile of old, now-playable games, is how it has to take head-on the problems of software preservation and history. Having an old executable and a scanned copy of the manual represents only the first few steps. DOS has remained consistent in some ways over the last (nearly) 40 years, but a lot has changed under the hood and programs were sometimes only written to work on very specific hardware and a very specific setup. They were released, sold some amount of copies, and then disappeared off the shelves, if not everyone’s memories.
It is all these extra steps, under the hood, of acquisition and configuration, that represents the hardest work by the eXoDOS project, and I recognize that long-time and Herculean effort. As a result, the eXoDOS project has over 7,000 titles they’ve made work dependably and consistently.
Even with 2,500 new additions, you’re not going to find every MS-DOS game ever released in the Internet Archive’s collection. But you will find a wide variety of beloved games, including id Software’s The Ultimate Doom, Psygnosis’s Wipeout, EA’s original The Need For Speed, LucasArts’s The Secret of Monkey Island, and many more.
Google Stadia will launch on November 19
Google has announced (via the official Google Blog) that the Founder’s Edition Bundle for their Stadia game streaming service will be available on November 19. Stadia’s online storefront will open its doors on the same day and all users will receive a free copy of Destiny 2 as part of the deal:
Stadia Founder’s Edition will start arriving on gamers’ doorsteps on November 19, 2019. If you were one of the first gamers who pre-ordered and have received your Founder’s Editions, you’ll be able to buy and play your favorite games beginning at 9AM PST/5PM BST/6PM CET on November 19.
Whether you ordered Stadia Founder’s Edition or Premiere Edition, you’ll have three months of Stadia Pro, with access to Destiny 2: The Collection. Using the included Chromecast Ultra and Stadia Controller, you’ll be gaming in up to 4K HDR with 5.1 surround sound when playing on your TV.
Stadia Founder’s Editions and Stadia Premiere Editions will begin shipping in the same order that pre-orders were received. You’ll get an email when your package ships, and soon after, will receive a code to activate your Stadia account and Stadia Pro.
According to Google, Stadia will offer instantaneous game streaming with no downloads required. However, players will also need to subscribe to the Stadia Pro service (priced at $9.99 per month) to receive access to the the Stadia storefront. Prices for individual games have yet to be announced, but they will likely be comparable to competing digital game merchants. A free Stadia Base tier will be available in 2020… but you’ll still have to purchase individual games through the service.
If you still have questions about Google Stadia, the search giant has uploaded a brand new “What is Stadia and How It Works” video that answers most of them, and it’s been embedded above.
Play as Sonic the Hedgehog in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD
Sonic the Hedgehog is strapping on his red sneakers and heading out for a new destination later this month.
Sega has announced that their beloved Blue Blur will make an appearance in the upcoming Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD as an unlockable character. And don’t worry, you’ll be collecting Rings, not bananas, when you play as Sonic:
Playing as the world’s fastest hedgehog comes with some unique effects. In addition to boasting incredible speed (obviously), selecting Sonic automatically changes all stages’ bananas to golden rings, complete with nostalgic, classic SFX!
You can check out Sonic’s slick moves in the trailer embedded above, but if you’d prefer to stick with Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD’s original rollers, the re-release will also include a selection of unlockable costumes for every monkey in the base cast.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD will be released for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on October 29. The game will also be available for the PC (through Steam) later this Winter.
Fortnite relaunches with a new map and new features as Fortnite: Chapter 2
Fortnite blipped out of existence on Sunday, as Epic Games closed out Season X of the battle royale shooter with a barrage of missiles that sucked players (and the entire game world) into a black hole. But this fiery end also gave players the chance at a new beginning, and Fortnite returned this morning after a 36-hour maintenance period as Fortnite: Chapter 2.
The world of Fortnite has changed in Chpater 2, thanks to a new map with 13 new locations to explore (including a power plant and a dam), and new features to play with.
Players interested in getting wet and wild in Chapter 2 can go fishing, pilot a motoboat, or swim for shore. Teams can also interact like never before as players can carry fallen teammates to safety, celebrate with a group high five, or get healthy with the new Bandage Bazooka. But players looking to cause a little mayhem will also get their shot in Fortnite: Chapter 2. Hiding places (like haystacks) now dot the map and Epic Games remembered their 90s-era roots with the addition of exploding barrels and gas tanks.
Fortnite: Chapter 2 is now available to download for the PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and mobile devices. A trailer showcasing many of the new features and locales has been embedded above.
Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain invades your PC (via Steam) beginning today
The bugs are back! Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is the first game in the long-running series developed by Yuke’s, and it’s now available to download for the PC through Steam.
Originally released for the PS4 in April, Iron Rain is a spinoff that features a slightly more serious tone than the games in the main series. But don’t worry, you’re still taking control of a lone soldier that does battle against an entire alien invasion force:
About Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain
Twelve years have passed since mankind’s first encounter with the alien Aggressor invasion that devastated planet Earth. In this time of great despair, the battle to free mankind from the Aggressor’s extended assault continues in Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain.Features
- First EDF in Unreal Engine 4: Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is the best-looking EDF to date. Players will see and feel the difference with an overwhelming number of on-screen alien invaders as well as gigantic kaiju monsters raining down from the sky
- Over 50 Intense, Story Driven Missions: Five levels of difficulty to select from where players can unlock new weapons and items by clearing missions and levels as well as spending Energy Gems currently earned from mission playthroughs
- Master Four Soldier Classes: Recent advancements in PA Gear research has resulted in a variety of updated soldier classes, each with their own critical Over Drive ability to change the tide of battle, including the Trooper whose E-Dodge ability and versatility makes it a strong choice for a variety of situations, the Jet Lifter, whose E-Flight ability and mobility helps maintain control over the skies, the Heavy Striker whose E-Field barrier shields players from damage on the frontlines, and the Prowl Rider whose E-Needle ability let’s players zip across the battlefield
- Co-Op and PvPvE Multiplayer: Staying true to the series’ roots in arcade action, both online and local multiplayer split-screen modes are available. Online supports up to six player co-op – and the new Mercenary mode, which finds two teams competing for Energy Gems gained by defeating enemy waves, which hosts up to 8 players
- Character Customization: For the first time in the EDF series, players will step into the boots of Closer, a decorated war hero who awakens from a seven-year coma. Players can fully customize his or her appearances with vast options including facial expressions, hair styles, body figures, voice types, clothing style, before diving into the game’s character driven campaign
A Launch Trailer for Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain’s PC debut has been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain
Bethesda delays Doom Eternal and Doom 64 to March 20, 2020
Bethesda has dropped a BFG-sized blast on Doom Eternal‘s release date, as the publisher has announced that it’ll no longer be available this November.
Instead, the sequel to 2016’s Doom will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on March 20, 2020. Doom Eternal is also in development for the Switch, but it’ll make its debut on Nintendo’s console “after the other platforms.” As you might expect, Bethesda cited a need for more “polish” as the reason for the delay:
Throughout the development of Doom Eternal, our goal has been to deliver a game that exceeds your greatest expectations across the board.
To make sure we’re delivering the best experience — for Doom Eternal to live up to our standards of speed and polish — we’ve made the decision to extend our launch date by a few months to March 20, 2020. We know many fans will be disappointed by this delay, but we are confident that Doom Eternal will deliver a gaming experience that is worth the wait.
Sadly, this delay also applies to the digital debut of Doom 64, which will now launch on March 20, 2020 as well. But fans will be happy to know that the re-release won’t be limited to the Switch, as Bethesda has confirmed that Doom 64 is in the works for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
And on note, the publisher also announced that everyone who pre-orders Doom Eternal on the platform of their choice will also receive a free download code for Doom 64.
Red Dead Redemption 2 officially coming to PC and Google Stadia this November
Though it’s been available on consoles for more than ten years, the original Red Dead Redemption never managed to mosey its way onto the PC. However, the same cannot be said about the sequel, as Rockstar Games has announced that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released for the PC on November 5.
According to Rockstar, the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 will feature a number of improvements over the PS4/Xbox One release, including “a range of graphical and technical enhancements for increased immersion,” as well as new Bounty Hunting Missions, Gang Hideouts, Weapons, and more.
Players who purchase Red Dead Redemption 2 through the new Rockstar Games Launcher will be given the opportunity to download a bonus game from the company’s catalog (including Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Bully: Scholarship Edition, L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition, and Max Payne 3: The Complete Edition) for free. However, the western epic will also be available through the Epic Games Store, Greenman Gaming, the Humble Store, and GameStop in November. A Steam release is planned for sometime in December.
Rockstar also revealed that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be available to download this Fall as a launch title for Google’s Stadia streaming service.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Red Dead Redemption 2
See The Terminator deliver a cybernetic smackdown in Mortal Kombat 11
The Mortal Kombat franchise is just rife with cyborgs (and humans with cybernetic enhancements), but it’ll soon welcome the original killer cyborg into the fold as Kombat Pack owners will be able to download Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Terminator in Mortal Kombat 11 on October 8.
This new trailer gives us a glimpse at The Terminator’s powerful punches, as well as his personal Time Displacement Sphere (that acts as a teleporter), and the exploding power pack from Terminator 3. But this T-800 pulls most of his moves from The Terminator and Terminator 2, including a preference for a shotgun and the ability to keep fighting as just an endoskeleton after being exposed to fire.
All Mortal Kombat 11 players will be able to purchase the standalone version of The Terminator beginning on October 15, and don’t forget, Terminator: Dark Fate (starring Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Edward Furlong) opens in theaters on November 1.