Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Switch
New Retail Releases: FIFA 20, Code Vein, Contra Rogue Corps, More
The month of September is rolling to a close with a bevy of new retail releases, including FIFA 20, the latest launch for EA Sports’s soccer simulation series. FIFA 20 will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One, and a Legacy Edition of the game will be released for the Switch.
Monsters and mayhem are also on the docket for this week, as Bandai Namco will bring their vampire-centric action RPG, Code Vein, to the PS4 and Xbox One. It’ll be joined by Konami’s latest bizarro take on the Contra franchise, the twin-stick shooter Contra: Rogue Corps, for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Speaking of the Switch, several big titles will finally make their way to Nintendo’s console. Square Enix’s epic RPG Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition will be released for the Switch, as will Behavior Interactive’s multiplayer survival game Dead by Daylight and THQ Nordic’s apocalyptic action game Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition.
Elsewhere on store shelves this week, Focus Home Interactive will publish their futuristic action RPG, The Surge 2, for the PS4 and Xbox One. And Spike Chunsoft will also go the sci-fi route for their latest adventure game, AI: The Somnium Files, on the PS4 and Switch.
And finally, Natsume wants to get players invested in the fast farming of Harvest Moon: Mad Dash on the PS4 and Switch.
A complete list of this week’s new retail releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Batman Day comes to Fortnite for the next two weeks
Today is Batman Day, DC’s annual celebration of the Caped Crusader and everything that makes him one of the great comics characters of all time. So naturally, they decided to team up with Fortnite for a special “Fortnite X Batman” crossover.
Beginning today an running through Sunday, October 6, the event will give players access to some of Batman’s most famous gadgets (the Batman Grapnel Gun and an Explosive Batarang), as well as a pair of costumes (the Batman Comic Book Outfit and The Dark Knight Movie Outfit). A Catwoman costume will also be available.
According to Epic’s official website, part of Gotham City will also be recreated on the map:
A Rift Zone has brought Gotham City to Fortnite. Of course, it wouldn’t be Gotham City if villainy didn’t come along with it. This POI lets you be the hero the citizens of Gotham City need by giving you your own Batman cape and the power of Glider Redeploy!
More details about the Fortnite X Batman crossover can be found on the Patch Notes page.
Play this weekend’s Tetris 99 Maximus Cup to unlock a Theme based on Super Kirby Clash
Nintendo has scheduled this month’s Maximus Cup for Tetris 99, and it looks like the puzzle royale’s latest competition will begin on Friday, September 20, at 3:00 AM (Easten Time) and conclude 96 hours later at 3:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, September 24. This time, Tetris 99 competitors who amass 100 Event Points will unlock a new Theme based on Super Kirby Clash.
Super Kirby Clash is the latest starring role for Nintendo’s pink puffball, and the free-to-play game is now available to download for the Switch. Nintendo is encouraging Tetris 99 players to try it out by also offering 99 Gem Apples (it’s in-game currency) to anyone who accumulates 100 Event Points in this weekend’s Maximus Cup:
Gem Apples are the in-game currency in Super Kirby Clash, which let players craft and obtain new items. Qualifying players will receive their 99 Gem Apples via a Nintendo eShop code that will be emailed to the address associated with their Nintendo Account within one week after the event ends. In the multiplayer mode of the Super Kirby Clash game, players choose from four unique Roles and join up to three other players to take down tough bosses.
As always, more information about this weekend’s Maximus Cup can be found at Tetris 99’s official website.
Single-stick shooter Deathstate is now available for the Switch
Deathstate was originally released for the PC in 2015, and later made its way to the PS4 in 2017. Today, developer Bread Machine announced that their single-stick shooter, which was inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, is now available to download for the Switch:
Deathstate is a roguelike bullet hell action RPG set in a bizarre world of dimensional exploration. Play as a number of unique characters trying to discover the fate of Professor Elinberg who opened a portal to the void. Are you ready to venture deep into the abyss?
Featuring a wildly colorful neon palette and multiple playable characters, Deathstate also supports Cloud Saves on the Switch.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Deathstate
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