Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Wii U
Darksiders: Warmastered Edition officially announced for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Wii U
The apocalypse is being remastered once more… Nordic Games announced today that Darksiders will be re-released for the PC, PS4, Wii U, and Xbox One as Darksiders: Warmastered Edition.
In Darksiders, players saddle up as the first Horseman, War, and roam scorched Earth in search of the shadowy cabal that kickstarted the end of the world. The Warmastered Edition takes the original game and polishes it using improved graphical rendering to present its revelation in 60FPS (30 FPS on the Wii U) with 1080p visuals, better shadow quality, doubled resolution on all textures, and new post-processing effects. Basically, it’ll be a much prettier apocalypse.
The Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is expected to be available this Fall, though Nordic Games would only say that its release date is “Coming Soon.”
Rive might skip the Wii U and be released for NX instead
Two Tribes is putting the finishing touches on their side-scrolling shooter, Rive, but it looks like the game’s upcoming launch this September will skip the Wii U. Speaking to Nintendo Life, Two Tribes Co-Founder Collin Van Ginkel confirmed the developer is having problems getting the game to run smoothly on the Wii U:
The Nindies demo in 2015 was specifically optimized to perform well in hand-picked levels and didn’t manage 60FPS consistently. We’ve added a lot of stuff since then and we haven’t been able to reach the performance level required yet. We won’t release Rive unless it’s a solid 60FPS, and if that means delaying it to a future platform, we will make that call and make sure Nintendo fans get the perfect experience.
This performance problem, coupled with the impending retirement of the Wii U, has prompted Two Tribes to consider moving Rive to the NX:
The market has also changed. The game was supposed to ship over a year and a half ago, and things are a lot different now. Nintendo is exiting the Wii U market early in favor of the NX which means a long tail in sales is not looking likely. So that is the business part; do you release a game on a platform in its last days or on a new one that’s better suited and can reach gamers for years to come?
Two Tribes has yet to announce when Rive will be available for a Nintendo platform, but we do know the game is on track to launch this September for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Overwatch climbs to the top of the NPD’s list of best-selling games for June 2016
June is typically a slow period for new game releases, but The NPD Group’s look at last month’s best-selling games proves just how slow it was. According to tracking firm, consumer spending on games was down 20% from last year, when Batman: Arkham Knight launched to strong reviews and even stronger sales.
To make matters worse, the only new release to crack the top ten were Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (#3) and Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst (#5). But that means the path to the top of the list was clear for Overwatch, which rode a wave of support from fans to become June 2016’s best-selling game. Grand Theft Auto V (#2) and Doom (#4) rounded out the top five.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom in June, as NPD Analyst Liam Callahan told GamesIndustry.biz: “After 32 months since the launches of the PS4 and Xbox One, the combined cumulative hardware sales for these two consoles exceed the sales of [the PS3 and Xbox 360] by 40% at the same point in their lifecycles.”
However, the biggest news this month might be the new way that the NPD reports their monthly sales data. Provided a publisher supplies the numbers, the company has agreed to begin integrating digital sales into their monthly tally. Most publishers have already signed on, though Bethesda, Sony, and Mojang remain holdouts, and Blizzard has decided not to share sales data from Battle.net.
A complete look at last months top ten best-selling titles can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Destiny, Doom (2016), Grand Theft Auto V, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Minecraft, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, NBA 2K16, NPD, Overwatch, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Nintendo Download: Pokemon Ranger, Buddy and Me, Wind-Up Knight 2, more
It’s time to recatch another classic Pokemon game as Nintendo has added Pokemon Ranger to the Wii U eShop this week. Originally released for the DS in 2006, Pokemon Ranger is an action RPG where players work as a… Pokemon Ranger… and attempt to preserve nature and protect Pokemon in the wild.
Also available to download on the Wii U eShop this week is Buddy and Me: Dream Edition, a side-scrolling platformer where players become a young boy and race through the forest with their “magical flying companion” named Buddy.
Over on the 3DS, a different kind of side-scroller asks players to take control of the Wind-Up Knight in Wind-Up Knight 2. Players who download Wind-Up Knight 2 will unload the springy Sir Sprint and help guide him as he “rockets through the kingdom dodging traps, pits and mythical creatures.”
More details about all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Nintendo releases alternate Splatoon covers to celebrate this weekend’s Splatfest
“Pledge your allegiance to Team Callie or Team Marie with this nifty printable alternative box art!”
Whether you’re “Team Marie” or “Team Callie,” I think we can all agree that alternate covers are the best. And Nintendo certainly thinks so, as the consolemaker’s Squid Research Lab has designed a pair of printable covers for Splatoon to celebrate the final Splatfest. So head over to the blog and download them now… and don’t forget to use Legal Size Paper.
This weekend’s supersized Splatfest will begin on Friday, July 22, at 5:00 AM (Eastern Time). Players will be able to battle it out for 48 hours until a winner is crowned on Sunday, July 24, at 5:00 AM (also Eastern Time). Good luck to both sides and may the best Squid Sister win.
Tumblestone Review: Puzzle Fans… Here’s Your New Favorite Game
With a Story Mode that features 360 levels, three marathon variants under an Arcade menu, and a whole slew of multiplayer options, Tumblestone contains a massive amount of content compared to the average puzzle game. And the only ones that come close are going to be found exclusively on mobile devices, which is an altogether different experience. For the most part, large-scale puzzle games abandoned the consoles years ago.
But Tumblestone might change all that. (more…)
Nintendo Download: Tumblestone, Monster Hunter Generations, four Virtual Console games, more
It’s another big week for the Nintendo eShop, especially if you’re a fan of nearly-forgotten platformers from the 90s.
However, this week’s spotlight title is most definitely Monster Hunter Generations, the latest game in the long-running series from Capcom. Set to be released for the 3DS tomorrow, Monster Hunter Generations is being touted as the “most customizable” game in the Monster Hunter franchise, offering players the chance to use “four unique Hunting Styles and special Hunter Arts abilities.”
Jumping over to Nintendo’s home console, Wii U owners will be able to download Tumblestone, a modern match-3 puzzler that also serves as an homage to the multiplayer puzzlers that were all the rage back in the 90s. And speaking of the 90s, a trio of new Virtual Console releases (Bonk’s Adventure, New Adventure Island, and R-Type) will let Wii U owners relive some of the less-remembered (but no less classic) corners of that decade.
Finally this week, we jump back to the 3DS for another Virtual Console classic from the 90s, Final Fight. Capcom’s brawler helped define the genre, and many still look to it as a highlight of the punching and kicking oeuvre.
More information on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U
Tagged Monster Hunter Generations, Tumblestone
Nintendo is bringing 15 games to Comic-Con 2016… but not Zelda: Breath of the Wild
I’ve got bad news for anyone hoping to try out The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con… Nintendo won’t have the highly-anticipated game available at their Play Nintendo Family Lounge at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina next door.
However, the consolemaker will have 15 other demos on hand, including five 3DS titles (Monster Hunter Generations, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, Style Savvy: Fashion Forward, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, and Yo-Kai Watch 2) that won’t be released until later this year:
3DS
- Monster Hunter Generations (Available July 15)
- Metroid Prime: Federation Force (Available August 19)
- Style Savvy: Fashion Forward (Available August 19)
- Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (Available September 27)
- Yo-Kai Watch 2 (Available September 30)
- Yo-Kai Watch
- Yoshi’s New Island
- Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
- Kirby: Planet Robobot
- Mario Kart 7
- Pokemon Omega Ruby / Pokemon Alpha Sapphire
- New Super Mario Bros. 2
Wii U
- Splatoon
- Mario Kart 8
- Pokken Tournament
The Play Nintendo Family Lounge will also be home to tournaments, Pokemon meetups, a Yo-Kai Watch voice actor panel, and much more. The full list of events can be found after the break, and don’t forget that the Play Nintendo Family Lounge is free and open to the public from July 21 through July 24. (more…)