Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Switch
Shovel Knight’s King of Cards and Showdown expansions will be released on December 10
Yacht Club Games has announced that the first chapter of the Shovel Knight saga is finally coming to a close after four expansions and five glorious years (though you’ll need to tack on an additional year if you want to go all the way back to the Kickstarter campaign). Yesterday, the developer confirmed that Shovel Knight: King of Cards and Shovel Knight Showdown will both be released on December 10.
King of Cards is a followup to Plague of Shadows and Specter of Torment, and it’ll be the final side-story starring a member of the villainous Order of No Quarter. Meanwhile, Showdown breaks from tradition and isn’t a platformer at all. Instead, it’s a multiplayer fighting game that features the franchise’s entire cast, along with a huge single-player adventure.
Fans who originally backed the Kickstarter campaign for Shovel Knight, or who own the Treasure Trove bundle, will receive both expansions for free. The King of Cards expansion will be available for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Vita, Wii U, and Xbox One, while Showdown will be available for the PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, and Xbox One.
Yacht Club will also release King of Cards and Showdown as standalone downloads for fans who are digging into the franchise for the first for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Finally, the developer will try to also take over your favorite game store on December 10th with the release of a pair of Amiibo sets (a Treasure Trove 3-Pack and a Gold Edition Shovel Knight), as well as a Physical Edition of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (which includes the original game and all four expansions) for the Switch and Xbox One. A PS4 version of the Physical Edition will follow in 2020.
Whew, that’s a lot of Shovel Knight. But don’t forget, Yacht Club is also hard at work on a 16-bit-styled sequel/spin-off known as Shovel Knight Dig.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Vita, Wii U, Xbox One
Tagged Shovel Knight, Shovel Knight Showdown, Shovel Knight: King of Cards
Square Enix’s Romancing Saga 3 is now available in English for the first time
It’s been a struggle for RPG fans in North America and Europe to experience Square Enix’s long-running Saga franchise over the years. While the earliest Saga games were brought West under the Final Fantasy Legend banner, many of the later entries were only released in Japan by the publisher.
Thankfully, Square Enix has recently begun filling in those missing piece with a handful of Saga-related re-releases, including today’s launch of Romancing Saga 3.
Originally released for the Super NES in 1995, Romancing Saga 3 follows eight different protagonists, “each with their own motives and unique personalities.” This HD remaster of the game will give players outside of Japan their first chance to try out the turn-based RPG, which will include upgraded graphics, new areas to explore, and a New Game+ option:
Romancing Saga 3 gives players the freedom to forge their own path, choosing to play through eight different narratives led by eight protagonists, each with their own motives and unique personalities. Developed by industry veterans, including renowned developer Akitoshi Kawazu (Final Fantasy, Romancing SaGa, SaGa Frontier), this HD remaster will feature optimized graphics, a new dungeon called the Phantom Maze to explore, and a New Game+ function. Romancing Saga 3 adds new storylines to the game original game, making it the perfect time for both new and veteran players to experience the SaGa series.
Romancing Saga 3 is now available to download for the PC, PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox One, and mobile devices. A Launch Trailer for the RPG re-release has been embedded above.
Nintendo just surprise-released a crazy ambulance game known as The Stretchers
Well here’s a nice Friday afternoon surprise from Nintendo… The Stretchers, a hybrid driving/puzzle game from Tarsier Studios, is now available to download for the Switch through the Nintendo eShop.
Players will need to become daredevil paramedics in The Stretchers, driving crazily across the game’s map to save the residents of a small town from a mad scientist known as Doctor Brains. But once they reach their patient, they’ll have to load them onto a stretcher and get safely back to the ambulance:
In The Stretchers, players take on the role of two medics who must work together to rescue Dizzies, troubled residents dizzied by the evil mastermind Captain Brains, in all kinds of wacky ways.
To rescue Dizzies, players will drive to each scene in their ambulance while breaking through walls, soaring through the sky and facing other perils along the way. Once they’ve arrived, players will need to pile Dizzies up on a stretcher (or grab them by their limbs) and bring them back to the trusty ambulance. Each player controls one of the two medics, so working together and passing a Joy-Con to a friend or family member to carry the stretcher, dodge dangers and overcome physics-based puzzles takes skillful coordination and communication.
The Stretchers, which has been priced at $19.99, was published by Nintendo themselves, and a Launch Trailer for the game has been embedded above.
Wilmot’s Warehouse Review: Probably Not An Accurate Warehouse Simulator, But Absolutely A Blast
Wilmot’s Warehouse is a delightfully refreshing take on the puzzle genre. You – Wilmot – need to take deliveries, organize them in your warehouse, and deliver them. Sounds easy, right? Did I mention there are 200 different items you’ll need to organize, and most everything is timed? Oh, and you are a white square with a cute smiley face, and all the items you have to organize are the same size as you, just with different, colorful images on them? And that you can unlock a helper named Borky?
Well, buckle up. Wilmot’s Warehouse is simultaneously soothing and stressful – and I had a hard time putting it down. (more…)
Jamestown+ blasts its way onto the PC and Switch on December 12
Jamestown, a steampunky space shooter from Final Form Games, was originally released for the PC all the way back in 2011. It eventually slid onto the PS4 (as Jamestown+) in 2015, and now its on the move again. Earlier today, Final Form announced that Jamestown+ will be available to download for the PC and Switch on December 12.
Strap in for a rocket-fueled, bewilderingly imaginative adventure across 17th-Century Mars and her moons. Escaping a death sentence on Earth, Sir Walter Raleigh sets a course for Mars, home to his only refuge: Jamestown. Absolve Sir Walter by uncovering the truth behind the disappearance of Roanoke and defending the good peoples of the New World from a Conquistador hellbent on conquering the colonies using an ancient, terrible power.
Soar through the skies aboard one of twelve Conveyances, rocket-sleds with mighty weapons. Tear through oncoming enemies with the simple but reliable Beam ship. Experiment with the Ghost ship, capable of summoning a duplicate ship to maintain support fire while daring pilots get up close and personal with the legendary sword Excalibur. Roll the dice with the Fortune ship, which mimics other ships after death and requires a high degree of adaptability.
Rise up and rebel against the malevolent Conquistador and his army of robots and Martian Warriors by weaving through streams of bullets. Dodge, dip and dive out of the way while fighting to end tyranny on Mars. Every aspect of Jamestown+ — from lush pixel landscapes to enemy design to gameplay mechanics— was hand-designed with an emphasis on presenting something fresh every 10-15 seconds. An emotionally-stirring orchestral score raises the stakes and makes victory all the sweeter.
The top-down shooter features four-player simultaneous play, and players new to Jamestown+ will receive an improved game with two new levels, four new ships, new background and enemy artwork, and remastered music and effects. A new trailer for the game has been embedded above.
Dark Horse’s The Art of Super Mario Odyssey is now available
Nintendo produced hit after hit for the Switch during its first year on the market in 2017. Breath of the Wild at launch… Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in April… Splatoon 2 in July… and Super Mario Odyssey in October. If you’ve got fond memories of that last one, then you should definitely pay attention to the latest tome from Dark Horse Comics.
The Art of Super Mario Odyssey is available on store shelves today, and it is packed with more than 360 pages of “concept art, preliminary sketches, and notes from the development team,” as well as “insight into some early ideas that didn’t make it into the game itself”:
In October of 2017, Super Mario Odyssey took the gaming world by storm. Now, discover the art and expertise that went into creating one of Nintendo’s best-loved games! This full-color hardcover volume clocks in at 368 pages and features concept art, preliminary sketches, and notes from the development team, plus insight into some early ideas that didn’t make it into the game itself! Explore the world of Super Mario Odyssey from every angle, including screen shots, marketing material, and more, to fully appreciate this captivating adventure.
The Art of Super Mario Odyssey is now available to purchase for $49.99, and a trailer for the book has been embedded above.
Posted in Etcetera, News, Switch
Tagged Super Mario Odyssey
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Review: Party Like It’s 1964
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a slightly different game than I was expecting. I thought it was just going to be a simple party game with an interesting, nostalgia-driven Story Mode. What I didn’t realize was that it was also a game that would teach me a lot about the Olympics, Japanese interest and pride in the Olympics, and facts about both the 1964 and upcoming 2020 Games in Tokyo. Oh, and it was fun, too! (more…)
Posted in Reviews, Switch
Tagged Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Tetris 99’s next Maximus Cup starts November 8 and it’ll feature a Pokemon Sword and Shield theme
I know what you’re thinking… didn’t Nintendo host a Maximus Cup event for Tetris 99 just a little over a week ago? And guess what, you would be right. The eighth Maximus Cup coincided with the weekend before Halloween and players competed to win a spooky Theme based on Luigi’s Mansion 3.
But here we go again.
A few days ago Nintendo confirmed that the ninth Maximus Cup will kick off on November 8th, and it’s once again centered around a major new release for the Switch. This time, Tetris 99 players will be dropping blocks to earn a brand new Theme based on Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Like last time, players will need to collect 100 Event Points to unlock the new Theme. As always, a 1st Place victory will net you 100 Points, though a smaller cache of Points can be earned for lower finishes: 2nd (50 Points), 3rd (30 Points), 4th–10th (20 Points), 11th–30th (15 Points), 31st–50th (10 Points), 51st–90th (5 Points), and 91st-99th (1 Point).
Tetris 99’s Pokemon-themed Maximus Cup event will begin on Friday, November 8, at 2:00 AM (Eastern Time) and conclude on Tuesday, November 12, at 2:00 AM (also Eastern Time).