Warp Zoned Presents
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First three Dragon Quest games will make their way to Switch on September 27
Dragon Quest fans have a lot to look forward to later this month as Square Enix has announced the classic “Erdrick Trilogy” will be available to download for the Switch on September 27.
The games in the “Erdrick Trilogy” for the Switch will be based on the recent mobile re-releases for iOS and Android devices, and they won’t feature the original pixel art. Each game will also be available to download individually, with Dragon Quest set to be the cheapest ($4.99). It’s two sequels, Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line ($6.49) and Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation ($12.49), will be a tad higher.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the three games (or you weren’t one of the many Nintendo Power subscribers who received a free copy of Dragon Quest in 1990), Square Enix has passed along this short primer on the series:
The iconic Erdrick trilogy begins in the acclaimed Dragon Quest where players begin their voyage as the “Hero,” a descendent of the valiant hero Erdrick in an epic journey through the historic realm of Alefgard.
Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line takes place a century later, where the young prince of Midenhall embarks on a journey to find the other two descendants of Erdrick in order to defeat the nefarious Hargon.
The third and final title in the Erdrick trilogy, Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation, takes players through the land of Aliahan, where a young hero has been charged with an impossible task of slaying Baramos, the master of darkness.
The “Erdrick Trilogy” introduced a huge population of players to the joys of turn-based RPGs back in the early 90s, so it’s great that Switch owners will get the chance to relive these games alongside the launch of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition, which will also be available on September 27.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Dragon Warrior, Dragon Warrior II, Dragon Warrior III
Madden NFL 20 goes back-to-back as the best-selling game of August 2019
The month of August was fairly light on new releases, so naturally, it looks like the game industry went through a lighter period on the business side of things as well.
According to The NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella (via Twitter), EA Sports’s Madden NFL 20 topped the list the best-selling titles for the month, repeating its victory from July (I guess you could say the developer went for two). The rest of the Top 20 was littered with repeat entries, but most surprisingly of all is that Minecraft earned the #2 spot, more than seven years after its retail debut.
The other big story to come out of the Top 20 was Nintendo’s continued dominance of the Summer. The consolemaker placed nine Switch games in the Top 20, including Platinum’s latest project, Astral Chain, at #10. Fire Emblem: Three Houses (#4), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (#5), Super Mario Maker 2 (#6), Mario Kart 8 (#7), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (#12), Super Mario Party (#16), Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (#17), and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (#18) were the other Nintendo titles to crack the list.
However, the overall industry felt a bit of a dip in August 2019, totaling $666 million in sales, an 18% drop versus August 2018.
You can find a full list of best-selling games from last month after the break. (more…)
Say hello to Ring Fit Adventure… Nintendo’s latest wacky peripheral for the Switch
Most of their fans would be happy to tell you that they never want Nintendo to stop being Nintendo. Thankfully, the consolemaker added another notch to their wacky bedpost today with the announcement of Ring Fit Adventure, an RPG that hands players a plastic ring known as a Ring-Con (as well as a Leg Strap) and asks them to do daily exercises to defeat “Dragaux the Bodybuilding Dragon.” And no, I’m not kidding:
In the Ring Fit Adventure game, players explore an expansive world, battling enemies along the way using real-life exercises to perform in-game attacks. The new Ring-Con and Leg Strap accessories that are included with the game respond to the player’s real-world movements, allowing the game to turn them into in-game actions, like jogging in place to move your character through the world using the attached Leg Strap, or squeezing the Ring-Con and turning that strength exercise into powerful attacks. By playing the game daily, players can regularly work out various parts of their bodies. With additional mini-games and workout routines, Ring Fit Adventure is a fun experience for players of various skill levels and lifestyles.
The Adventure mode featured in Ring Fit Adventure takes place across 20 different colorful worlds in a quest to take down Dragaux, a giant, chiseled dragon with an ego to match his oversized muscles. Jog, sprint, and do knee-highs in real life to travel through the world, and use the Ring-Con accessory to perform different in-game actions, like jumping, hovering in mid-air or steering a raft on a river.
To play Ring Fit Adventure, players attach a Joy-Con controller to both the Ring-Con and Leg Strap, which then translate your movements (known as Fit Skills) into attacks within the game world. A wildly upbeat Announcement Trailer, which has been embedded above, provides a pretty good overview of how it all works.
If you’re just in it for the exercise, players can compete in a series of minigames by dropping in to Quick Play, Simple Mode, or Set Mode. A Silent Mode with quieter exercises is also available for players who “live in an upstairs apartment or don’t want to make a lot of noise.”
Ring Fit Adventure will be released for the Nintendo Switch on October 18… which gives you plenty of time to watch that mesmerizing Announcement Trailer over and over and over again.
Square Enix will release Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition on January 23, 2020
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition will be released for the PS4, Switch, and iOS and Android mobile devices on January 23, 2020.
Originally released for the GameCube back in 2004, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is a multiplayer action RPG for up to four players. The Remastered Edition will add online multiplayer to give far-flung friends a chance to play together, and the game also supports cross-play functionality on all platforms. Upgraded graphics and a series of audio updates (including new character voiceovers) will bring the game’s presentation into the 21st century, and new dungeons and bosses will add an additional challenge to the adventure.
Square Enix will bring a playable demo of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition to this week’s Tokyo Game Show, and a brand new trailer for the game has been embedded above.
Posted in Mobile, News, PS4, Switch
Tagged Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Nintendo adds Super NES game collection to Nintendo Switch Online
We’re nearing the first anniversary of Nintendo’s Switch Online subscription service, and the consolemaker wants players to celebrate the big day in style… Super NES games will soon be available to play through a new app. Beginning this Friday, September 5, Nintendo Switch Online will be able to download a selection of 20 Super NES games, with more to come in the future.
As you might expect, the list is littered with some of Nintendo’s greatest triumphs (such as Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past), as well as a few more surprising inclusions (Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics is a deep cut even among deep cuts). Nintendo was also quick to point out that a trio of titles in the initial collection (Stunt Race FX, Super Soccer, and Super Tennis) will be available again for the first time since their original release back in the 90s.
Here’s the full list:
Super NES Games Available to Download Through Nintendo Switch Online
- Brawl Brothers
- Breath of Fire
- Demon’s Crest
- F-Zero
- Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics
- Kirby’s Dream Course
- Kirby’s Dream Land 3
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- Pilotwings
- Star Fox
- Stunt Race FX
- Super Ghouls ’n Ghosts
- Super EDF: Earth Defense Force
- Super Mario Kart
- Super Mario World
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
- Super Metroid
- Super Puyo Puyo 2
- Super Soccer
- Super Tennis
Nintendo also announced that Nintendo Switch Online subscribers interested in purchasing up to four replica Super NES controllers for their Switch can do so through the consolemaker’s Online Store for $29.99 apiece. There’s no ETA on when the controllers will be available, but it should be soon.
Tetris 99’s Big Block DLC 2 and Version 2.0 update coming soon
Tetris 99 is set to take another quantum leap forward tomorrow, as Nintendo has announced a slew of updates for the popular multiplayer puzzler.
First, the consolemaker will unleash Tetris 99’s free Version 2.0 update, which features a brand new Invictus Mode that’s only available to players who have previously won an online match against the 99-player field. New Daily Missions will also be available, and completing these challenges will let players earn Tickets to unlock new Themes and Player Icons.
Nintendo will also release the second half of Tetris 99’s Big Block DLC tomorrow, which will add two new modes to the game. The paid expansion will include 2P Share Battle Mode, which allows two players to compete in Tetris 99’s battle royale mode on the same screen against CPU-controlled opponents, and Local Arena Mode, which gives up to eight players a way to battle via local wireless multiplayer.
If you’re interested in trying out Tetris 99, but you’re not yet a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, Nintendo will also release a physical version of the game this Friday, September 6. The package will be priced at $29.99 and come bundled with a 12-Month Subscription to Nintendo Switch Online and all the new content from both Big Block DLC expansions.
Blizzard will bring Overwatch to the Switch on October 15
Like Thanos and The Terminator‘s Judgment Day, Overwatch coming to the Switch was seen as inevitable by many. And Blizzard finally made that prediction a reality during today’s Nintendo Direct presentation.
Overwatch: Legendary Edition, which includes 15 Skins and a 3-Month Subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, will be available to download through the Nintendo eShop on October 15. New players will also receive the “Noire Widowmaker” Skin, as well as a Golden Loot Box containing at least one Legendary item.
Naturally, Nintendo had to put their stamp on Overwatch, and while we’re not getting any exclusive Skins just yet, Blizzard has announced that optional motion controls will be added to their “Hero Shooter” on the Switch:
In addition, Nintendo Switch gamers have the option to take control of their heroes in a whole-new way using the console’s built-in gyroscopic motion controls, which let players tilt their console to line up the perfect shot as McCree, pilot D.Va through the air, or quickly turn to deflect incoming projectiles as Genji.
“Overwatch brings players together to cooperate and compete in a bright and optimistic vision of the future, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Nintendo Switch gamers into the fun,” said J. Allen Brack, the President of Blizzard Entertainment. “The Legendary Edition includes more than three years’ worth of content updates and gameplay enhancements, and we’re excited to team up with Nintendo to provide players with new ways to enjoy the full Overwatch experience—including on the go.”
A new trailer for Overwatch’s Switch debut has been embedded above.
Square Enix will release Trials of Mana on April 24, 2020
Nintendo just blew away the Internet with possibly their biggest Nintendo Direct ever. Front and center during the presentation was Trials of Mana, an upcoming RPG from Square Enix. The publisher confirmed that Trials of Mana, which is a modern-day remake of Seiken Densetsu 3 (AKA Secret of Mana 2), will be released for the PC, PS4, and Switch on April 24, 2020.
Originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3 in 1995, and later making its debut in the West with the Collection of Mana on Nintendo Switch earlier this year, Trials of Mana is a full, high-definition remake of the third entry in the classic Mana series, seamlessly bringing the beloved story and characters to a new, modern era of fans with real-time combat, beautiful 3D graphics and updated gameplay. The game tells the story of six heroes as they battle against the forces of evil that threaten a world where Mana has been weakened. Players will craft their own experiences by selecting a party of three from these unique characters as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime to protect the very essence of Mana itself.
Naturally, a new trailer for Trials of Mana has made its way online, focusing on the game’s upgraded visuals, new combat system, character classes, and the brand new English voiceover. Square Enix produced an expanded version of this video for next week’s Tokyo Game Show, and it’s been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch
Tagged Trials of Mana