Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Wii
Nintendo Download: Mario & Sonic Olympics 2014, Adventure Time 2, more
Ready for another big batch of additions to Nintendo’s download services? Great, here we go…
- Tomorrow, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be added to the Wii U eShop. The latest Olympics-themed character crossover will feature 24 events, including the brand new Snowboard Slopestyle.
- On Tuesday, Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW!, the second game starring everyone’s favorite post-apocalyptic adventurers, will be released for the 3DS and Wii U.
- Also on Tuesday, Zumba Fitness: World Party brings the exercise craze back to the Wii U.
- But if you’re looking for something today, do check out the NES classic River City Ransom on the 3DS’ Virtual Console.
There’s more information on all of these games (and many more) after the break. (more…)
Wii Mini (bundled with Mario Kart Wii) comes to US this month
If you live in the US and have been wondering what to get for the holiday season, or if you’ve always been curious to see why the Wii was the best-selling video game console of the seventh generation, then your chance has finally arrived.
Nintendo has announced that the Wii Mini, previously only available in Canada and the UK, will be arriving in the United States this month. The Wii Mini is a more compact and affordable version of the Wii that is perfect for families or friends who want a more economic experience. The console features an awesome black-and-red color scheme, and is set for a retail price of $99.99.
Unlike the Wii, the Wii Mini has no Internet capabilities (which means no online play, no Virtual Console, and no WiiWare), but it can play every disc-based game in the extensive Wii library. To get new players started, the Wii Mini comes bundled with Mario Kart Wii, so families and friends can take advantage of the game’s great local multiplayer instantly.
Posted in News, Wii
Tagged Mario Kart Wii
The AAA Game: Where It’s Been, Where It’s Going, and Did It Kill the Mid-Tier Game?
An edited and updated version of this article is now available at Video Game Canon.
With a new generation of consoles almost upon us, there is the worry that the spiraling budgets and massive teams required to create AAA games is hurting the industry. But for all the hand-wringing about how the AAA game is detrimental to mid-size developers, no one can seem to agree on what exactly a AAA game is or when the AAA designation was even first used. In attempting to solve this etymological mystery, I found that the AAA designation shares much in common with Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s obscenity test from a 1964 case: “I know it when I see it.” But I also found out that “Will the AAA game survive?” is probably the wrong question to ask. (more…)
New Releases: CoD: Ghosts, Guided Fate Paradox, Castlevania: LoS Collection, More
You hear that? That’s the sound of freight train coming down the track. It’s got “Call of Duty: Ghosts” (PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360) painted on the side and all the other publishers have gotten out of the way. Activision’s juggernaut of a franchise dominates this week’s new releases, but a few other games will find their way into stores over the next seven days.
Also available this week is The Guided Fate Paradox from NIS America. This RPG is a PS3 exclusive and, like all NIS games, it’s full of the crazy. Just how weird does it get? Well… “Players take on the role of high school student Renya Kagurazaka who has become a god by winning a lottery in a mall.”
Finally, Konami has bundled together Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (and all of its DLC) and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD into a single package on the PS3 and Xbox 360. The Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection also includes a playable demo of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, which is scheduled for release next year.
You can find the complete list of this week’s new releases after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PC, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Call of Duty: Ghosts, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
New Releases: Battlefield 4, Assassin’s Creed IV, Sonic: Lost World, More
It took a little bit longer than usual, but we’re finally in the middle of the Fall gaming avalanche.
This week, gamers can look forward to Battlefield 4 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360), the next entry in DICE’s popular shooter series; Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360), the next entry in Ubisoft’s popular stealth series; and Sonic: Lost World (Wii U, 3DS), the next entry in Sega’s sometimes anger-inducing popular platformer series.
Also available this week is…
- The Wii Fit U Fit Meter, Nintendo’s stylish exercise gizmo designed for the free downloadable version of Wii Fit U (which will also be available this week).
- The first wrestling game published under the 2K Games banner WWE 2K14 (PS3, Xbox 360).
- The console version of Angry Birds Star Wars (3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360).
- The latest platformer starring Pac-Man, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures (PC, Wii U, Xbox 360)
A complete list of this week’s new game releases can be found after the break. And remember to keep an eye on “New Releases,” because we’re just a little over two weeks away from the launch of two new consoles. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Angry Birds Star Wars, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Battlefield 4, Sonic: Lost World, WWE 2K14
New Releases: Batman: Arkham Origins, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Rocksmith 2014, More
It’s a Marvel versus DC face-off this week as Batman: Arkham Origins (PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360) and Lego Marvel Super Heroes (3DS, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360) are both scheduled for release. A handheld companion game to Arkham Origins, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (3DS, Vita) will also swing into stores this week.
The remainder of this week’s new releases include a grab bag of stuff such as…
- Rocksmith 2014 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) – Ubisoft’s next guitar game.
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut (PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360) – An updated version of Square Enix’s 2011 FPS, now available for the Wii U for the first time.
- The Sims 3: Into the Future (PC) – The last Sims 3 expansion before The Sims 4 is released in 2014.
- Hometown Story (3DS) – A new life sim from the creators of the Harvest Moon series.
Even more new releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Batman: Arkham Origins, Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Someone leaked GameStop’s Black Friday 2013 ad
Someone from GottaDeals.com has obtained a copy of GameStop’s 12-page Black Friday 2013 circular and it’s certainly worth a look. There’s nothing that absolutely screams, “MUST BUY,” but there is plenty of smaller deals and at least something to appeal to everyone.
If you’re looking for system bundles, both the PS3 and Xbox 360 will have $199.99 packages available. The Xbox 360 250GB Bundle will include Halo 4 + Tomb Raider while the PS3 250GB Bundle will include Batman: Arkham Origins + The Last of Us. Nintendo is also getting in on the act with a Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds 3DS XL Bundle. Priced at $219.99, it includes a gold system and the game.
Some of the best “Friday Only” deals include Beyond: Two Souls ($39.99), The Last of Us ($39.99), Battlefield 4 ($29.99), Call of Duty: Ghosts ($49.99), and Just Dance 2014 ($19.99). A few “All Weekend” deals are pretty great as well: Diablo III ($39.99), WWE 2K14 ($39.99), Dishonored: Game of the Year Edition ($24.99), and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist ($24.99).
There’s a possibility that the ad (and the sales within) could change between now and Black Friday, November 29, as Watch Dogs and DriveClub, both of which were delayed into 2014 this week, were included in the PS4 section.
GTA5 steals our hearts (and money) as the best-selling game of September 2013
Rockstar Games was on a quest for booty last month as Grand Theft Auto V was declared the best-selling game of the month by The NPD Group (via Joystiq). Not only did GTA5 sell a ridiculous amount of copies, but the title actually raised the fortunes of the entire video game industry. In September 2012, the game industry recorded $848 million in retail sales. Last month? $1.07 billion. Whoa.
The rest of the top ten includes a mixture of new releases and August holdovers. NBA 2K14 (#3), Diablo III (#4), FIFA 14 (#5), Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMix (#6), and NHL 14 (#8) represent the new releases while Madden NFL 25 (#2), Disney Infinity (#7), and Saints Row IV (#10) all remained on the list from August. The retail version of Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (at #9) was the only game with a pre-August release date to crack the top ten.
If you’d prefer your monthly NPD report in list format, we’ve got that too:
Bestselling Games in September 2013
1. Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox 360, PS3)
2. Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360, PS3)
3. NBA 2K14 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
4. Diablo III (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
5. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360, PS3, Vita)
6. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMix (PS3)
7. Disney Infinity (Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, Wii U, 3DS)
8. NHL 14 (Xbox 360, PS3)
9. Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (Xbox 360)
10. Saints Row IV (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Diablo III, Disney Infinity, FIFA 14, Grand Theft Auto V, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMix, Madden NFL 25, Minecraft, NBA 2K14, NHL 14, NPD, Saints Row IV