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The Video Game Canon: Pac-Man
Dig deeper into the Video Game Canon with a look back at the true stories behind some of gaming’s greatest urban legends, most of which seem to revolve around Pac-Man. Here’s a teaser…
With more than 40 years of history behind it, it’s not surprising the video game community has developed its own catalog of urban legends that have been passed from player to player over the years. Everyone who played it desperately tried to resurrect Aerith after her tragic demise in Final Fantasy VII, and we all heard stories about the “nude codes” that supposedly existed in games like Tomb Raider, Mortal Kombat II, and The Sims.
Unfortunately, every one of those rumors has more in common with the hook man at lover’s lane than they do with the unvarnished truth. But some of the legends are true. And nearly all of them revolve around Pac-Man in some way.
Pac-Man is a simple creature. Just a yellow circle with a triangular wedge removed to represent his mouth. Some will say his design was simplistic because the designers at Namco were working within the hardware limitations of the day. Those people would be wrong. The inspiration for Pac-Man overcame Namco’s Toru Iwatani after he snatched the first slice at a company pizza party and noticed that it looked like a circle with a mouth.
But it gets weirder from there.
Visit VideoGameCanon.com to continue reading this article and to explore the complete Top 1000.
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment will be released for the PC on April 5
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment was one of the best games released for the Nintendo Switch during its launch weekend, but we have good news if you’ve been waiting for it to make its way to other platforms.
Late last night, Yacht Club Games announced (via their official website) that Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment will be available to download for the PC on April 5. The game is also in development for more than a half-dozen other platforms (3DS, Fire TV, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, and Xbox One), and each one is currently scheduled to be released by the end of April.
Players who previously purchased Shovel Knight (which is now known as Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove) will receive the campaign as a free expansion. But PC, PS4, and Xbox One players who have never played Shovel Knight before will also have the option to purchase Specter of Torment as a standalone download.
Two additional expansions (King Knight’s Campaign and Battle Mode) are also in the works at Yacht Club Games. They’re expected to launch before the end of the year.
New trailer and screenshots reveal Akiba’s Beat will be released for PS4, Vita on May 16
XSEED Games has finally revealed an official release date for Akiba’s Beat, their spiritual successor to Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed. While Akiba’s Trip was a Matured-focused title that centered on a vampire infestation taking place in Japan’s Akihabara district (the vampires could only be thwarted by stripping the deadly denizens of the night and exposing their bare bodies to sunlight), Akiba’s Beat takes a more traditional JRPG route while remaining in the same locale.
Akiba’s Beat is described by XSEED as a satirical take on the JRPG genre, however it sticks closely to the traditional formula by tasking players with navigating a town setting and speaking with NPCs for information, as well as transitioning to battling monsters known as “Delusions” in fantasy-themed settings called “Delusionscapes.”
Akiba’s Beat is rated T for Teen and will be released for the PlayStation 4 ($49.99) and PlayStation Vita ($39.99) on May 16. Players who opt to pre-order the game will also receive a 3.5” tall plush of Pinkun, the mascot of Akiba’s Beat.
In the meantime, feel free to check out the trailer embedded above and a few screenshots after the break. (more…)
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 3, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5, MLB The Show 17, more added to PS Store
It’s another big update for the PlayStation Store this week, so let’s get right to it…
Kingdom Hearts III is still no closer to release, but Square Enix wants to prepare PS4 players with the downloadable release of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix. The compilation includes four full Kingdom Hearts games (Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Herts: ReChain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep), and it offers the most complete look back at the franchise’s beginnings.
Telltale continues the story in The Walking Dead: A New Fronter this week with Episode 3: Above the Law. Now available to download for the PS4, players will need to help Javier find a role in his newly reunited family in the middle episode of this season.
Sports fans will have several new choices to choose from this week on the PlayStation Store, including dueling baseball games (MLB The Show 17 and RBI Baseball 2017), an old school hockey game (Old Time Hockey), and a boxing management simulation (Punch Club).
Elsewhere on the PlayStation Store, the “Play Collective” promotion rolls on with the PS4 release of Videocult’s side-scrolling survival game, Rain World.
Finally this week, Ska Studios will bring Salt and Sanctuary, their side-scrolling action RPG, to the Vita.
You can learn more about this week’s additions to the PlayStation Store after the break. (more…)
World Video Game Hall of Fame announces 12 finalists for the Class of 2017
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior fought against Mortal Kombat for the hearts (and quarters) of arcade players in the early 90s. Next month, they’ll square off again as two (of the 12) finalists the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017.
Announced this morning by The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games, this year’s finalists also include Donkey Kong, Final Fantasy VII, Halo: Combat Evolved, Myst, Pokemon Red and Blue, Portal, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Wii Sports, and Windows Solitaire.
“These 12 World Video Game Hall of Fame finalists span decades, gaming platforms, and countries of origin… but what they all have in common is their undeniable impact on the world of gaming and popular culture,” said Jon-Paul C. Dyson, the Director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games. “Whether it’s a pop culture icon like Donkey Kong, an innovator and true original like Portal, or a game like Wii Sports that transformed millions of living rooms into interactive zones for all ages, they’re among the most influential games of all time.”
An international advisory committee made up of journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games will advise the Hall of Fame’s selection of this year’s inductees, which will be announced on Thursday, May 4, at 10:30 AM (Eastern Time).
You can learn more about all of this year’s finalists after the break. (more…)
Valkyria Revolution will be released for PS4, Xbox One, Vita on June 27
Sega announced this afternoon that Valkyria Revolution will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on June 27. The game will also be released for the Vita on the same day, and it’ll be available as a digital download exclusively through the PlayStation Store.
Fans familiar with the Valkyria franchise’s turn-based gameplay will be in for a surprise with Valkyria Revolution. According to Sega, Revolution will include “new characters, a new world, and new gameplay mechanics” when it launches this Summer:
In the wake of a revolution, Jutland’s elite soldiers, the Vanargand, must band together to defeat the Ruzi Empire and stop death itself–the Valkyria. This grizzled anti-Valkyria squad is equipped with advanced mana weaponry and has the powerful ability to wield ragnite spells to combat this terrifying threat. The unit is comprised of soldiers who have a high affinity for ragnite, and even Jutland’s own Princess Ophelia has joined the ranks. The princess carries the utmost love for her country and has answered the call of duty to liberate those who are suffering from the Ruzi’s tyranny. However, Amleth Gronkjaer, the commanding officer of Vanargand hides a terrible secret. Is he friend or foe to the country he has sworn to protect?
As part of this announcement, Sega also confirmed that Valkyria Revolution’s first print run will be available in a limited “Vanargand Edition.” This special edition of the game comes with a Metal Vanargand Pin and a 12-Track Soundtrack composed by Yasunori Mitsuda.
Finally, you can find a new Teaser Trailer for Valkyria Revolution after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PS4, Vita, Xbox One
Tagged Valkyria Revolution
Atlus Japan unveils new trailers for a Radiant Historia remake, SMT: Deep Strange Journey, Etrian Mystery Dungeon 2
In case you missed it, Atlus Japan revealed three new games over the weekend during a special “Spring Broadcast 2017” livestream…
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is an enhanced remake of Radiant Historia, which was originally released for the DS in 2010. The remake will be available for the 3DS in Japan on June 29.
Shin Megami Tensei: Deep Strange Journey is also an enhanced remake, and it’ll give players the chance to reexamine 2010’s Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey on the 3DS. It’ll launch in Japan this Fall.
Finally, Etrian Mystery Dungeon 2 is a dungeon-crawling sequel to 2015’s Etrian Mystery Dungeon, and it’ll be released for the 3DS in Japan on August 31.
Atlus didn’t announce a North American release date for any of these titles, but it seems likely that all three will eventually make it out of Japan. For now, teaser trailers for all three games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged Radiant Historia, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey