Mario the new world Search Results

POV: Take Off Your Rose-Colored Glasses

Posted Apr 30, 2012 at 5:30PM EST by Brett Huffman Listed in: PoV Tags: Sonic the Hedgehog, super mario bros, video game nostalgia

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We all like to look back fondly upon the game we played growing up. Hanging out with the kids in the neighborhood, playing Super Mario Bros or Sonic the Hedgehog to see who could get the furthest, etc. And we often like to say those were better days for video games. But is this reality or pure nostalgia?


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Nintendo Gets All Digital on Us

Posted Apr 27, 2012 at 3:45PM EST by Todd B Listed in: Wii U Tags: nintendo digital distribution, origin, Steam

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Move over, Steam , Origin and….okay just you guys. Nintendo has its eye on digital distribution.


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Crashing Into Walls Or The PS3? The Catachthonic v0.95 Kills One Of These

Posted Apr 24, 2012 at 1:20PM EST by Demonchild Listed in: PS3 Tags: homebrew, PlayStation 3, ps3, thatotherdev, thatotherperson, the catachthonic

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Are you spending more time crashing into walls or crashing your PS3 in ThatOtherDev's The Catachthonic homebrew? If it's the latter, you'll want the new update pushed yesterday.


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What Should They Call The Sequel To New Super Mario Bros.?

Posted Apr 23, 2012 at 2:39PM EST by Todd B Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: 3ds, new super mario bros 2, Nintendo, super mario bros, wii u, xenoblade chronicles

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Nintendo knows how to sell games. Mario games, specifically.


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Happy Birthday Little Pink Blob. Please Don't Fail Me.

Posted Apr 21, 2012 at 1:00PM EST by Mr Ham Listed in: Wii Tags: anniversary, kirby, Nintendo

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One of the most cheerful and happy guys in videogames has his birthday coming up soon, but will the party be worth it?


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Think You Have A Big Brain? Test Your Videogame World Knowledge In 3 Minutes

Posted Apr 15, 2012 at 8:01PM EST by Mr Ham Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: planets, test, videogame quiz, videogame worlds

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Ever find yourself getting lost in immersive videogame worlds? Well then try your hand at this little bit of fun.


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Interview with Brandon Cobb - SNES Nightmare Busters developer

Posted Mar 14, 2012 at 6:40PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Wii Tags: brandon cobb, interviews, nightmare busters, retro, SNES

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Harrison E talks to the creator of the first SNES game in over a decade.


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Interview with Vita developers Drinkbox Studios

Posted Feb 29, 2012 at 12:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS Vita, PS3 Tags: drinkbox studios, interviews, mba, minis, mutant blobs attack, Sony

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The creators of Mutant Blobs Attack recently talked to Harrison E about their recent foray into developing for the Vita.


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The Best Video Game Ending of All Time, According to Guinness, is...Wait...What?

Posted Feb 13, 2012 at 3:45PM EST by Brett Huffman Listed in: PS3 Tags: call of duty: black ops, halo: reach, ocarina of time

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Guinness polled 13,000 gamers to get their opinion on the best video game ending of all time and what they came up with may surprise you. 13,000 fans can't be wrong - or can they?


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AbleGamers gives SWTOR Game of the Year

Posted Jan 20, 2012 at 3:30PM EST by Listed in: MMORPG Tags: BioWare, Star Wars, swtor, the old republic

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The charity, dedicated to bringing gaming to disabled individuals worldwide, celebrates the deep accessibility options present in Bioware’s MMO.

If you’ve never heard of AbleGamers, here’s the scoop: The organization, founded in 2004, focuses on bringing expensive accessibility technology to gamers with disabilities, thus enriching their lives by providing them with fun entertainment and a method for interacting with the online world. AbleGamers also lobbies for accessibility options in games that allow people with a variety of disabilities to more easily enjoy the titles.

Star Wars: The Old Republic has just been named AbleGamers’ 2011 Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year, a title that, while not catchy, recognizes the immense work Bioware put into making their massive MMO accessible to all gamers.

The charity cited full subtitles, colorblind graphics setups and flexible control schemes as the primary reasons for the award, with president Mark Barlet noting, “It's very rare to see a game of this caliber initially released with so many accessibility options.” He also stated that thanks to Bioware’s work on accessibility, the great majority of disabled gamers would still be able to enjoy SWTOR.

Nice work, Bioware!

Do you think developers have a responsibility to make their games accessible to individuals with disabilities?

[AbleGamers]

The charity, dedicated to bringing gaming to disabled individuals worldwide, celebrates the deep accessibility options present in Bioware’s MMO.


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Hudson Closes March 1

Posted Jan 18, 2012 at 5:00PM EST by Listed in: Wii Tags: bomberman, bonk, Hudson, Konami, mario party

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Konami has confirmed that Hudson, the studio behind Bomberman, will shutter its doors this spring.

Hudson is one of the most recognizable developers in the gaming world, responsible for popular games like Bomberman, Mario Party and Bonk. Sadly, Hudson’s reign over fun comes to an end March 1, just over a year after the studio was acquired by Konami Digital Entertainment.

While Konami had originally signaled its intent to keep the studio open and harness its experience in the mobile and social gaming markets, it appears that someone in the company must have had a change of heart. As of March 1, Hudson and all of its properties will be absorbed into the Konami machine – there’s no word on whether the company intends to continue with Hudson’s franchises.

It’s a dark day for fans of simple, fun and cute games – a genre of which Hudson was one of the masters. So pour a drink out for Hudson in March, and fire up some Bomberman to wish them a fond farewell.

Do you think Konami will revive any of Hudson’s franchises?

[Edge]

Konami has confirmed that Hudson, the studio behind Bomberman, will shutter its doors this spring.


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Sound Off: Best Game Soundtrack Ever

Posted Jan 17, 2012 at 1:34PM EST by Listed in: Wii Tags: mario, mega man, ninja gaiden, wind waker

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We want to know which games you still hear in your head.

When it comes to game design, the importance of music absolutely cannot be overlooked. Music brings us into the environment, manipulates our moods and sticks with us long after the game has been turned off. Great games with bad music aren’t great games at all, and an amazing score may be the most memorable thing about an otherwise shoddy title.

When you think back on your long history of gaming, surely there are a few songs that stand out. Upon first glance, I can remember most of the music in Ninja Gaiden II, Mega Man II, various Mario titles and pretty much every Zelda game ever made. And if you asked me to pick one game that I thought had the best soundtrack ever, my answer would be The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.

Every piece of music in Wind Waker, from the epic overworld theme to the slightly altered Ocarina of Time themes present on each of the game’s tiny islands, is an absolute joy. I find myself humming tunes from that game at random, simply because they had such an impact on me.

So what’s your favorite game soundtrack? Something retro? Something new? Sound off!

We want to know which games you still hear in your head.


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Miyamoto talks about life, death and his legacy

Posted Jan 8, 2012 at 12:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Wii, Nintendo 3DS Tags: Interview, mario kart 7, miyamoto, Shigeru Miyamoto, super mario land 3d

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Miyamoto discusses life and working at Nintendo in new interview.


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Shigeru Miyamoto Working on New IP

Posted Jan 6, 2012 at 1:58PM EST by Listed in: Wii U Tags: Shigeru Miyamoto, Super Mario

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The gaming luminary is developing a brand new, top-secret project for the Wii U.

Shigeru Miyamoto is a busy guy. He’s in charge of pretty much every important franchise at Nintendo, and has confirmed that he’s currently working on Pikmin 3 and Luigi’s Mansion for the Wii U. However, he seems to be working on a brand new franchise in addition to the games that have already been announced.

In an interview with Zoomin Games, Miyamoto discussed the expectations that have been placed on him by fans, and how he strives to live up to their demands. He also noted that despite the pressure to hit grand slams, he has no fear of developing all-new project.

The legendary developer is the mind behind some of the biggest characters in the industry, most notably Super Mario. Anything he makes usually ends up being well received and well remembered, but it’s been quite some time since he had his hands in a completely original property. It will be interesting to see what he’s up to.

There’s no official word on what Miyamoto is developing or when it will come out – stay tuned for updates as they roll out. In the meantime, do you think Miyamoto is over-hyped, or that he truly is one of the best in the world?

[Edge]

The gaming luminary is developing a brand new, top-secret project for the Wii U.


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PoV: The JRPG Story and You

Posted Dec 29, 2011 at 11:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360, PC Gaming, PoV Tags: bethesda software, breath of death, dark souls, Final Fantasy, From Software, jrpg, new vegas, rpg, wrpg, zeboyd games

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Harrison E takes a slightly analytical look into the realm of JRPG's and RPG's in general after a trek into Demon's Souls.


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Interview with Zeboyd Games Bill Stiernberg

Posted Dec 9, 2011 at 12:30PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: bill stiernberg, breath of death vii, cthulu saves the world, zeboyd games

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Co-creator of indie RPG’s Cthulu Saves the World and Breath of Death VII, Bill Stiernberg talks to Harrison E about working on RPG’s, pirates and Microsoft.


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3DS first year sales Surpass DS first year in only 8 months

Posted Dec 2, 2011 at 9:00AM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS Tags: 3ds ambassador programme, 3ds gba, 3ds sales, 3ds vs ds, ds sales

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And, in other good news for Nintendo, the 10 Gameboy Advance games owed to early 3DS purchasers as compensation for the recent 3DS price drop are due before year end.


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Should Nintendo and Sony Stop Making Consoles?

Posted Dec 1, 2011 at 6:27PM EST by Listed in: Wii Tags: andy payne, mastertronic, Nathan Drake, uncharted, Zelda

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One indie game developer seems to think the companies would have more success in the mobile market.

Sony and Nintendo are two of the biggest names in the world of console gaming, taking up a large portion of market share. With only three serious contenders available in stores, it stands to reason that two of those contenders would have a major influence on the future of games development. And while both Nintendo and Sony have seen success in their forays into console gaming, the ever-changing games market calls into question the long-term viability of consoles.

Andy Payne, managing director of Mastertronic and indie game developer, believes that it would make more sense for Nintendo and Sony to stop worrying so much about console development and focus instead on mobile devices and tablets. Speaking at a round table event for the Develop in Liverpool game conference, he offered some thoughts on how the two companies can evolve into pure software providers.

The general argument is that holding your biggest names (Mario, Nathan Drake) to one specific console severely limits your market share to people that own that specific console. If Mario games were release on the Android Market, for example, Nintendo could dramatically increase the number of people with access to the titles. Of course, they’d lose the performance guarantees that come with developing a game for one system, and they’d lose a major motivating factor in console purchases.

Payne’s main thrust is that it would be exciting to see Zelda, Uncharted, and all of the other Sony/Nintendo-specific franchises cropping up on a number of devices. Plus, the lack of need for a console would free up developmental and financial resources for both companies. I’m not exactly sure why he left Microsoft out of the loop in these statements, but I assume he feels the same way about Halo and Gears of War.

The big problem that I see with this theory is control – Nintendo and Sony’s games are designed around specific control schemes and require them for ease of play. How deep could the Uncharted experience really be if Sony had to ensure it worked across a number of devices? What about Skyward Sword?

What’s your opinion on Payne’s statements? Do you think we’ll ever see Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft giving up on hardware to focus exclusively on software?

[VideoGamer]

One indie game developer seems to think the companies would have more success in the mobile market.


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Interview: VooFoo Studios John Kearney

Posted Nov 30, 2011 at 10:00AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: hustle kings, john kearney, john kearney interview, mantis engine, psn, pure chess, rebel play, voofoo studios

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John Kearney is the co-founder and Art Director of VooFoo studios, the main man behind the Hustle Kings series and the upcoming Pure Chess. Harrison E sat down to have a game of wits with John.


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Rumours continue to surface on new fighting game for the PS3

Posted Nov 27, 2011 at 8:00PM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: PS3 Tags: chris molina, ps3 fighting games, sony rumours, sony smash bros, superbot, title fight

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Sony appears to be pressing ahead with development of Super Smash Bros. 'esque' title for their Playstation console.


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Two New 3DS Bundles Due This Week

Posted Nov 21, 2011 at 3:00PM EST by Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: ocarina of time, Star Fox, super mario 3d

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Pick up a Nintendo 3DS and one of two great games for $200. Party!

The Nintendo 3DS is staging quite a comeback. Faced with skepticism from the industry and a rough launch, the handheld device is quickly outpacing the sales pattern of the original Nintendo DS. As more games come out and the price continues to drop, the 3DS stands ever closer to success. And, to help cement this process into being, Nintendo is launching two more bundles this week.

Here’s the low-down on the two new bundles:

Super Mario 3D Land Bundle - $200

Fire Red Nintendo 3DS

Super Mario 3D Land

Ocarina of Time Bundle - $200

Cosmos Black Nintendo 3DS with Gold Accents

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

$200 is a pretty solid price point for the 3DS, especially when you consider that it’s only about $50 more than the current pricing of the various DS models. The holidays look like they’re going to treat Nintendo quite well, a good thing considering their recent financial woes.

Are you going to buy a 3DS? I feel like this question comes up every few days with all of these bundles and deals – if they make a Star Fox bundle, I’m sold.

[GamePro]

Pick up a Nintendo 3DS and one of two great games for $200. Party!


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Saturday Mash-Up: The Hottest QJ Posts of the Week

Posted Nov 19, 2011 at 7:00AM EST by Listed in: Wii Tags: final fantasy xv, PETA, saints row the third

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Find out what your fellow readers were talking about in this week’s edition of the mash.

It’s been an interesting week in the world of games, with everything from a stupid PETA scandal to swirling rumors regarding the next console generation. If you haven’t had time to check in on QJ over the last few days, don’t worry – we’ve compiled five of the most commented/jumped/contested posts from the last week for your viewing pleasure. Oh! And we have a new Comment of the Week. Party!

Here they are, in no certain order:

PETA Upset Again, This Time Over Mario

This post addresses PETA’s most recent video game complaint, regarding Super Mario 3D Land’s Tanooki suit. The organization argues that this furry Mario accessory sends the message that it’s okay to wear fur, and they’ve even gone so far as to make their own game where you play as a bloody Tanooki trying to save your skin. Predictably, commenters found this to be a very, very dumb thing.

Next-Gen Consoles On the Way

With Microsoft expected to announce the Loop/720 next year and the Wii U already on the way, next-gen rumors are flying all over the place. Most recently, we learned that a major Sony studio is already developing games with PS4 specs. Comments are a mixed bag here, with some readers excited, some dubious, and some very angry with me for even mentioning the phrase “PlayStation 4.”

Final Fantasy XV May Not Be Turn-Based

One of the producers of the Final Fantasy franchise has gone on record regarding the game shifting away from its turn-based roots, prompting a mix of comments from dismayed to excited. The post also discusses the future of the Final Fantasy franchise. The franchise has hit some rocky times as of late, so the next game (FFXIII-2) has a lot to fix.

PSN Shutting Down at Night for Young Korean Gamers

In Korea, games are serious business. They have a full-fledged professional gaming scene and thousands of people line up to watch the pros go at it. With intense gaming schedules being a part of many young Koreans, the government has instituted a law that forces gamers to log off for six hours a night. Sony is obliging by shutting their service down, and most commenters seem to agree that the law has potential. Weird.

Saints Row the Third Breaks Promise of PS3 Exclusive Content

THQ stated that the PS3 version of Saints Row the Third would have exclusive content, but unfortunately no on in the gaming community seems to have tracked it down. All versions of the game are essentially identical, and THQ didn’t have much to say on the subject. Commenters mostly agree that when a company says it’s going to do something, it should follow through.

So there’s your mash-up. Read ‘em and get to commenting. And, before I forget, it’s time to hand out the very serious and important “Comment of the Week.” This week’s winner is xnamkcor, for his/her comment on the PETA post:

“’PETA claims that the Tanooki suit sends the message that it’s okay to wear fur’

If there was anything I ever agreed with PETA about, it's that furries are bad.”

I think we can all agree with that one.

Find out what your fellow readers were talking about in this week’s edition of the mash.


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Ever wanted a real life Mario Kart? Want no more!

Posted Nov 18, 2011 at 9:00AM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: mario kart 7, Nintendo, real luigi kart, real mario kart, west coast customs karts

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Both the original Mario Kart and Luigi's Bumble Kart have been made a reality thanks to West Coast Customs and Nintendo as a promotional activity to launch Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS.


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PETA Upset Again, This Time Over Mario

Posted Nov 14, 2011 at 4:24PM EST by Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: battlefield 3, super mario 3d land

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Surprise! PETA is upset about something. Something incredibly stupid.

I support PETA as a concept – who wouldn’t get behind an organization that works to make sure animals aren’t abused? But sometimes they take themselves a little too seriously. Last week we talked about their hilarious response to a scene in Battlefield 3 that involves killing a rat (don’t tell them about all the critters in WoW), but this week’s scandal comes from a much more innocent item: the Super Mario 3D Land Tanooki suit.

If you played Mario 3, you probably remember the Tanooki suit. It’s the one that turned you into a fuzzy, raccoon-like creature with the ability to turn into stone. It was, by far, the best item in the game, as it protected you in emergencies and allowed you to fly. The suit has made a comeback in Super Mario 3D Land, but PETA is apparently not onboard.

PETA’s site is absolutely hilarious, showcasing a bloody Mario wielding the severed head of a raccoon. Here’s the problem with this misplaced ire – has anyone ever seen a raccoon in a Mario game? Or any evidence that Mario slays animals? Where exactly is the Tanooki, anyway? I always assumed everything in the Mario world was made of magic, but I guess there’s a brutal black market I’m unaware of.

PETA claims that the Tanooki suit sends the message that it’s okay to wear fur, but I’m having a hard time buying that line. They’ve even made a game where you play as the skinless Tanooki, trying to recover your fur. I’m not sure how that’s any better, given that players have to kill dozens of Tanookis in order to pass a level.

I guess the main point is that PETA will do anything for a little publicity, and this approach certainly seems to be working. We’re talking about it, after all.

What do you think of the Tanooki suit fiasco?

Via GamePro

Surprise! PETA is upset about something. Something incredibly stupid.


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On Shelves This Week: November 13 – November 19, 2011

Posted Nov 10, 2011 at 12:17PM EST by Listed in: PS3 Tags: on shelves, saints row, skyrim

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The fall/winter barrage of games continues at full speed. What game are you picking up next week?

Well, Modern Warfare 3 is out, Skyrim launches tomorrow and plenty of people have picked up Uncharted 3 and Battlefield 3. But before you get too comfortable, it’s time to take note of even more games heading your way in this ridiculous 2011 holiday season. Next week we’ll visit a few old friends, including a sneaky assassin and plucky plumber. Also, you’ll get to hit people with a dildo.

Without further ado, here’s what’s on shelves this week:

Saints Row: The Third

Xbox 360, PS3, PC

ESRB Mature

THQ

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations

Xbox 360, PS3, PC

ESRB Mature

Ubisoft

Need for Speed: The Run

Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, PS3, pc

ESRB Teen

EA

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Xbox 360

ESRB Mature

343 Industries

Super Mario 3D Land

Nintendo 3DS

ESRB Everyone

Nintendo

Dawn of Fantasy

PC

ESRB Teen

Reverie World Studios

Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3

PS3, Xbox 360

ESRB Teen

Capcom

Jurassic Park: The Game

Xbox 360, PC, PS3

ESRB Teen

Telltale Games

Pro Evolution Soccer 2012

PSP, Wii, PS2, 3DS, Xbox 360, PC

ESRB Everyone

Konami

Kinect: Disneyland Adventures

Xbox 360

ESRB Everyone 10+

Microsoft

Dynasty Warriors 7: Xrteme Legends

PS3

ESRB Teen

Koei Tecmo

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Wii

ESRB Everyone

Sega

Rayman Origins

Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, 3DS

ESRB Everyone

Ubisoft

Did I see a PS2 game in there? I guess people still have those, but I didn’t think game developers were spending any time on the platform.

So what’s your poison this week? I’m not buying anything, since I’ll be buried in Skyrim. But, if I had to choose, I think I’d go with Assassin’s Creed.

The fall/winter barrage of games continues at full speed. What game are you picking up next week?


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Interview: Simon Viklund, Creative Director of PayDay: The Heist

Posted Nov 9, 2011 at 7:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PS3 Tags: overkill software, payday the heist on psn, payday the heist on steam, payday: the heist, simon viklund interview, valve

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Recently released PayDay: The Heist has gotten amazing reviews and Harrison E sits down with it's Creative Director to discuss the multiplayer game.


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What in the World is Nintendo Patenting?

Posted Nov 4, 2011 at 5:19PM EST by Listed in: Wii U Tags: nintendo patents, wii u, Wiimote

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The Japanese games developer has filed a new patent for a Wiimote touchpad accessory, but it’s not exactly clear what they’re planning on doing with it.

Nintendo is the champion of accessories. From the Zapper to the Wii wheel, nearly every Nintendo console generation has been marked with some sort of game-specific add-on. Just look at the Wii controller section of your favorite big-box retailer if you want to see this in action.

Now, it looks like Nintendo is plotting yet another add-on for the Wiimote, likely aimed at its upcoming Wii U device.

Essentially, you slide this thingamajig onto the Wiimote, and then use it as a touchpad. The device apparently functions through clever manipulation of mirrors, but I’m not a very smart person so I’m having a hard time following the description. Basically, when you touch the pad, the device works, and when you leave it alone it functions like a normal Wiimote.

Nintendo has noted that possible applications include drawing pads or mouse pointers, but I’m still having a hard time wrapping my mind around what exactly their intent could be. As we know, many patents never see the light of day, so this could be one more odd Nintendo technology that doesn’t quite make it to shelves.

What do you think of a Wiimote touchpad? Also, can you make any sense of the diagram?

Via Siliconera

The Japanese games developer has filed a new patent for a Wiimote touchpad accessory, but it’s not exactly clear what they’re planning on doing with it.


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Interview with Matti Larsson on style and indie games

Posted Oct 27, 2011 at 3:10PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Nintendo DS, iPhone Tags: dsiware, matti larsen, valet parking 1989, zordix

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From the creators of the retro styled Valet Parking 1989, QJ.net talks to the creators about their new game, 1950's Lawn Mower Kids and their hopes for the future.


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MW3 Dev: Call of Duty engine is a Porsche

Posted Oct 23, 2011 at 6:49AM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360, PS3 Tags: Activision, Activision Blizzard, battlefield 3, bf3, ea games, Electronic Arts, modern warfare 3, mw3

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....and Super Mario Galaxies engine is a...Go Kart Engine?


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Nintendo 3DS Online Presentation this Friday

Posted Oct 19, 2011 at 3:00PM EST by Listed in: Nintendo DS Tags: Satoru Iwata

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Nintendo plans a live, online presentation to talk to fans about the future of their 3D handheld system.

The Nintendo 3DS got off to a rocky start, with far less demand from players than the company expected. After a pretty big price drop (and a few good title releases), the console finally started to get a little traction from the industry – but not much. The 3DS still sits on the edge of failure, with the upcoming holiday season likely deciding the fate of the system.

Hoping to build buzz for the system and address player concerns, Nintendo has scheduled a live online presentation for Friday, October 21st. It will occur at 8pm Japan time – 12-14 hours ahead of North America, depending on your time zone (7am Eastern time).

Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, is currently slated to host the event and viewers can expect to learn about the new 3DS firmware. Also on the table is the upcoming Mario Kart 7, though it’s unclear exactly what will or won’t be discussed. While you can certainly watch clips from the presentation later in the day (while you’re pretending to work), if you want to stream it live you’ll be able to pick it up on Ustream and Nico Nico Live.

The new 3DS firmware update is supposed to feature an updated version of the handheld’s Mii Plaza function in addition to giving gamers access to the 3DS’s 3D camera so they can make their own 3D videos. There will also be some minor tweaks and fixes to the system, but nothing major as the 3DS hasn’t really suffered from hacks and exploits. As always, think twice before upgrading your system if you use a flash card or homebrew software – you never know when it might get patched up.

It’s currently scheduled for November, but we may get an official date this Friday.

Are you still on the fence about the 3DS, or are you ready to take the 3D plunge?

Via Nintendo World Report

Nintendo plans a live, online presentation to talk to fans about the future of their 3D handheld system.


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Nordic Game Chart: Week 39

Posted Oct 6, 2011 at 3:40PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS3 Tags: Europe, fifa 12, nordic game chart

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The latest Nordic Game Chart has been released. Is there a new game on top?


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Skyward Sword to have full orchestral soundtrack

Posted Oct 4, 2011 at 8:59PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Wii Tags: Nintendo, skyward sword, wii u, Zelda

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Nintendo has the big money for a big orchestra and it's gonna be awesome


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The Art of Video Games 2012 Exhibition

Posted Oct 4, 2011 at 8:00AM EST by Tim Curtin Listed in: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: art of video games, smithsonian video games exhibition, video game art

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[Aovglogo]Beginning on March 16th 2012 and running until September 30,2012 the Art of Video Games exhibition will be held at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

The exhibition will explore the first forty-years of evolution of video games as an art, primarily focusing on the development of visual effects and use of new technologies.

Via [Smithsonian Website]

The museum invited the public to help select the video games to be included in the exhibition. The 240 games on the ballot were selected by Chris Melissinos, who worked with the museum and an advisory group consisting of game developers, designers, industry pioneers, and journalists.

The games were selected based on a variety of criteria, including visual effects, creative use of new technologies, how the game fit into the narrative of the exhibition, and how world events and popular culture influenced the message of the game.

Voting took place between February 14 and April 17, 2011. More than 3.7 million votes were cast by 119,000 people in 175 countries!

[Old school games pic?]

There were 80 games selected for the exhibition, they include titles such as:

Diablo II

Donkey Kong

DOOM II

Fallout

Final Fantasy VII

Goldeneye 007

Halo 2

Metal Gear Solid

Minecraft

SimCity

Star Fox

Super Mario 64

Super Mario World

The Legend of Zelda (including Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, & Twilight Princess)

Tomb Raider

Worms Armageddon

The full list can be found over at the Smithsonian Website [http://www.americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/#games]

Donations to the exhibition can be made via this link [http://www.americanart.si.edu/support/credits/index.cfm]

Beginning on March 16th 2012 and running until September 30,2012 the Art of Video Games exhibition will be held at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.


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Happy Birthday to Ultima Online

Posted Sep 30, 2011 at 1:55PM EST by Listed in: MMORPG Tags: clean up britannia, Mythic Entertainment, ua patches, ultima online

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Mythic Entertainment’s classic MMO celebrates 14 years of raiding, grinding and questing with a new patch and promises for changes to come.


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Burnout Crash and The Gaming Identity Crisis

Posted Sep 29, 2011 at 4:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: PC Gaming Tags: burnout, burnout 3: takedown, burnout crash, ea games, music in games, PS2, psn, xbla

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The Burnout series is synonymous with fun for me. Being a PS2 owner from way back when I was a cursey teen instead of a cursey adult (or someone in their early 20's) as I am now, it's like a Pokémon evolution except not cool and really just learning about controlling my emotions and maturity and all that lame stuff. Included in that evolution was getting a PS3, and eventually being excited about the release of Burnout Paradise. I actually owned a PSP at one point and playing Burnout Dominator was bliss for me. Long bus rides filled with angsty or beat-punching music as I swerved corners and took badasses down whilst everyone just kinda looked at the weird fat kid and wondered where his guardian was.

Burnout Paradise was a personal low in the series. Despite, friends having the initially pre-release, I convinced myself that a free-roaming city was actually "really cool" and that it totally wouldn't be "lame" and you'd have a lot more freedom. I was wrong. Really wrong. I don't know about you but being in a free-roaming cityscape and having no sense of direction, as well as a poorly intuitative, linear map design really doesn't bode well with someone thinking in free-roaming mode. So burned by that Burnout experience, the announcement of another Burnout game spurred the pessimist in me and I was excited once again, but when I saw the first video's for it, I wasn't too pleased. I was less than pleased and the optimist inside me died...just a little...not too much, I hope.

I did go into Burnout Crash with less than a positive aspiration for what the game actually might be. I know people don't like people who waffle on, so let's just say Burnout Crash is good and there is a demo you can play, it's free, it'll give you a good indication of what it's like except for some modes but let's also say that Burnout Crash is initially underwhelming.

The 2D opening is cutesy to say the least but so mediocre it doesn't really register on my mental spectrum as being a video game. It reminds me of the animated sequence in Catch Me If You Can and I'm half expecting the little ute (or pick up truck for our US readers) to hit a tiny Leonardo DiCaprio and send him flying against a 2D wall...but yes, it's underwhelming and my memories of Burnout begin to fade, like the opening screen does. I left the opening on too long to start writing the opening paragraph, the visuals humming away in the background with my PS3 and then a song begins.

This is where my opinions change by a simple video and musical manipulation. The song by The Primitives, aptly titled - at least for this game - Crash and I'm brought back to a simpler time in my childhood called the 90's, when this song was not written. It's an 80's New Wave pop song and whilst I became a fan of New Wave some time in my late teens, the song still resonates and I'm back to apart of what makes the Burnout series amazing, the mind numbing, heart racing music. When I say mind numbing, I don't necessarily mean it in a bad way, it's just beautiful background fodder. Much like the Clair De Lune in Burnout Paradise or Shotgun by The Outline in Burnout Revenge, it brings you into a different element when it comes to the game.

One of my fondest memories of Burnout Paradise is watching the sun slowly set just as Clair De Lune began and I started a Takedown Race and watched the shadows stretch and pull the landscape of the city as I raced from night into day and won with 12 Takedowns when I only needed 5. I get weird when it comes to games and music. Most pieces just wash over me and I just shrug my shoulders, but when there's a piece that's memorable, it really sticks. Whether it's the beautifully whimsical music from Legend of Zelda, a series I've barely played or the block rocking minimal piano and beats of Minecraft - it all sticks in my mind like Tetris tessalated musical blocks.

PICTURE OF MARIO MUSICAL BLOCK

Of course, the Burnout series is just more than music and so I actually start playing Burnout Crash and stop listening to the Primitives for the 12th time....and I press start and the song actually starts to play in full, kicking off with a lovely little animated explosion of the pick-up. The menu kicks in after a failur to login to the PSN/Autolog network and a voice gives me a warm douchey welcome, sadly often associated with Burnout games. No one I really know is a frat kind of person and I feel EA keeps those voice over guys for that reason, I kinda liked it when it was the chick running Crash FM, but meh, that was then, this is now.

So far, the visual design is nothing like the little opening animated feature, with a nice little neon sign design floating as the menu and I kick off the game itself (after adjusting the sound settings, music up, voice over off). So after I'm told I'll be on the wildest ride of my life I choose the first mission and go on a bit of a rampage and you know what, it's fun. It's consistently fun, it's a whole lot of fun. Seeing those little cars coming, which is indicated in-game by a yellow arrow, and noticing all the little details on the houses and cars and just everything, I want to look at it closer but also destroy it at the same time. It's like being Clockwork God with a magnifying glass, but alas, my creations are not my own, only the destruction. But alas, before all the destruction there's a tutorial and it's a bit annoying.

Last time I was in a gaming DMV I decided not to play the game, that game was Driver, I was 8, things were different. Here it's nice little tutorial that tells you about all the great things including the "Crazy Special Feature", which didn't exactly hype me up despite the vocal inflection and after playing Bastion last week I feel all voice overs need better voice actors or better writers, seriously. There could have been a lot more to do with the wacky voice-over, there are a few amusing lines here and there such as the description of the area being remembered as "all field" and the voice over actor pausing and being like "oh...it still is", I laughed at that, but the humour was far and few between and like Dreamworks movies, relied too much on pop culture than raw wit.

Old system of "More stars to unlock more cars" gives you a good old sense and even with the top-down look, Burnout Crash becomes a lot less like the Burnout series minute by minute. What I feel is Criterion should have just called it Crash. I understand that they may have possibly been sued by Universal for use of the fluffy Bandicoot character, but using the brand recognition of Burnout really doesn't work here. It's a real identity crisis where it's clear they want to re-establish their brand for whatever reason. I remember Burnout selling like hotcakes, with every iteration since the 3rd one, and personal favourite, Takedown. The actual game itself does get a big hand from musical and sound cues, but a better focus on gameplay and making the game a lot more interesting, in regards to the voice work and writing, would have been better. For example, whilst the game out and out visually wants to have a rough design, it wants new players to the franchise to remember "to use that Crashbreaker" in an overly excited tone as if the big flashing x button on screen and the fact that other than kinda moving/sliding around the map, there isn't much else to do in-game, other than be amused and giggle when a bank truck comes along and the bombastic voice of Shirley Bassey claims "HEY, BIG SPENDER"...I giggled...like a girl.

Despite my girl giggling, there will be a lot of references young player - new players - won't get and will be baffled why they're in the game at all. Hearing Spandau Ballet's Gold when I blew up a golden truck was amusing for me but may only reach 5% of the people who play the game, seriously after reading the above paragraph, who knew 1. Who Spandau Ballet was/is? and 2. Who Shirley Bassey was? The identity crisis Criterion creates is more of a cultural problem than a gaming problem. Licensing those tracks would have cost them/EA millions, literally, and if it was worth it, I feel like we're on the inside of an in-joke, but everyone keeps beating the outside of it and it just keeps making a hollow thud.

I do want to give a handshake this week to two people, the guys who chose the music and the visual designers. As much as I've bitched about the visuals in the game, I do have to say the mix of eclectic styles of Neon-signed - almost Las Vegas in tone - and the cute top down car creations, it all works. It melds into this odd piece of automotive Americana, filled with the right colours here and there to look it mildly entertaining as well as watchable. When almost every week there's a lot of grey and brown being sloshed around, it's good to see emerald, aqua and crimson red to be thrown into the mix. Sure, the game does have a fairly consistent use of black on the menus, but it adds to the steel and burning rubber style Burnout is known for, and that's where it really takes a different side to the Burnout series.

However, it being a top-down game, it does have it's visual misdemeanours, such as the

The game's reward system is quite classic too. The star system is something I've always favoured in the series, with the whizzing or rushing of the flaming stars to come crashing into my self-gratification coz I pressed da buttons and dey do da ting dat it was programmed to do. The actual gameplay itself is quite simple, you're in a runaway car and you're going to crash. It's a lot more interesting to imagine you're a man who recently just went through the worst day in the world and intend to have the most creative day in the world, which includes ending with a multiple car pile-up, however, he keeps having a Groundhog Day-Quantum Leap scenario where he wakes up in a new car and new body everyday and ends it all the same...or I might be insane.

A few minor gripes about the game itself as there were a few framerate issues, even playing on the first level, but nothing to noticable as the game went on. The gameplay element of The Good Cops was a bit weird and has never really come up in previous parts of the Burnout canon...I guess, there really isn't a canon to a series about cars that gone and done smashed demselves up. However, the game does require a bit of strategy and it would have been interesting, if a bit farfetched, if you could place the cops at an entering intersection of yout choice.

See putting in extra obstacles such as The Ambulance, sometimes makes me feel as though they're dragging out the level, but then again hearing the words "Paging Dr. Beat" followed by the song by Miami Sound Machine, just makes me want to throw on some more 80's tracks and start dancing...nobody wants that. But it is a nice touch, if a bit cheap, I say cheap but honestly it resonates with my pop culture brain like a meth addict and I can't wait for that siren blaring bohemoth to come screaming through the streets again.

Having elements such as Tornados and Magnets are incredibly fun and don't outstay their welcome, the actual gameplay does begin to get stale in the other modes, but it's really just a personal preference and I think you should try out the other modes such as Rush Hour and Pile Up, I highly recommend them but they're not particularly my thing.

Rush Hour is a personal pain as I hate almost all timed missions in games and it just frustrates me. It almost seems like it'd be a lot interesting if it was an extra option that you could turn on or off, even have it as a version of the game like a Quick Match section of the game. Meanwhile, Pile Up is just cause as much destruction as possible, it's fun if a bit boring after a while, all the same gameplay elements are there. A co-op implementation would have been freaking amazing with you having to smash into a friend's car on the same interesection and see who could do the most amount of damage on a stretch of road, like a drag-race + Burnout...just an idea, Criterion.

Other than the music, which turns a bit generic but fun after Crash plays, the sound design is phenomanal with firey auto crashes sifting through my ears and the sound of poker machine winnings as points rack higher and higher like the possible animated body count, if the game was any ballsier...coz that's totally a word. The random sound effects add to the crazy style The money has always been an interesting thing to me, not just money in general, God knows how the economy works, but the actual pricing of each car and the potential for costs and multipliers is just something I've wanted to calculate, make a big chart of, actually do math...yep, definitely insane.

In the corner I'm informed I'm a Wannabe, which gives me the assumption that the writers or designers of the game, and a lot of game worlds for that matter, really have this disdain towards players from the get go, but then again I'm a bit of a wuss who can't take any form of criticism whatsoeverpleaseloveme. But the actual gameplay elements are never really against the player, there is a balanced sense of both challenges and even with a plot-less game, there is a drive - whoa, pardon the pun there, been left over for weeks - to actually see the next intersection, the next car and the insanity that will ensue. For example, really how determined are these drivers, logic is best not put in the way of the Burnout series...especially when car magnets are concerned.

Burnout Crash is not a bad game, it's just not a Burnout game. It does take the basic game mechanics of Crash, my honest to God, favourite part of the series, something I always look forward to and just made it a Downloadable Title. I'm looking forward to the good old days of burning through a city doing challenges and having some real fun, but for now, I guess this will tire me over. It's not expensive, it's a lot of fun, it's great to listen to and look at, it's like the

perfect girlfriend...there's your selling caption for Burnout Crash - Burnout Crash: The Perfect Girlfriend.

So Burnout Crash is out, but is it really a Burnout game?


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Super Mario 3D Land confirmed to get Street Pass

Posted Sep 25, 2011 at 4:32AM EST by Mabie A. Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: Nintendo, super mario 3d land

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The official display boxes for Super Mario 3D land is pointing out a pertinent information about the game.

Apparently, it will be making use of the StreetPass feature, as well as Super Guide features. The StreetPass feature basically lets players "passing" each other by to trade in-game items. It's still not particularly clear, though, which specific items can be traded among players. At least not for now.

Meanwhile, the Super Guide or the P-Winged Assist Blocks should work at guiding players with special items that can help them perform better.

We've still got time anyway since Super Mario 3D Land won't be releasing till November 3rd in Japan, and 13th for North America.

Nintendo also previously dished out more information on the game, specifically on the adventures awaiting us in each particular World.

Via [Nintendo World Report]

The official display boxes for Super Mario 3D land is pointing out a pertinent information about the game.


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Nordic Game Chart: Week 37

Posted Sep 23, 2011 at 4:00PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS3 Tags: EA Sports, nhl 12, nordic game chart

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The latest Nordic Game Chart has been revealed. Is there a new game on top?


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Bastion and the Big Company

Posted Sep 21, 2011 at 4:00PM EST by Harrison E Listed in: Xbox 360, PC Gaming Tags: bastion, reviews, warner bros

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Bastion and Big Companies

I was gonna play From Dust this week but sadly my router screwed me and I was left almost gameless for a good two hours. So instead I called up my bro from last week and asked if he'd gotten anything new. Bastion lept forth from his mouth and I was in my car and over in minutes. My mate was busy with a coding assignment and I was reserved to being quiet and to only have the sound of the music up a little bit. As a writer, the conditions were not uncommon, but still I decided to write something good this week...well, objectively good.

The game starts off and the loading screen looks like someone trying to uncover elvish ruins and then the narrator speaks and it is glorious. I want to fall asleep to this man's voice cradling me and telling me every story known to man and I want to serve under his every golden voiced whim...but I keep playing the game and it is incredible in every way imaginable, without him holding me.

I start off with a gigantic hammer, which in the book of gaming, almost all great characters have gigantic hammers. Super Mario, Ramona Flowers, Tomba and now Bastion, and you can destroy everything in your path. Blocks just crumple under the weight of mighty hammer. You are Thor's tiny narrated brother and your whim is the world's way. So yeah, the game is a highly stylised, beautifully narrated and cleverly designed hack and slash.

The narration is not only soothing but it's helpful. In a comparative note, you would have Portal's GlaDOS, a mean-spirited but contextually justified character voice, whilst Bastion's narrator is calming but casually reassuring as the game's linear world forms around you, so does his words, creating an audible scenery to match the colourful block-filled world.

The collectables in the game, other than your weaponry, are tiny little crystals, which at first seem fairly arbitrary, but become incredibly useful regarding the RPG elements later on and even finding them is half the fun. The landscape forms beneath your feet and as such, secret areas will pop up by just wondering around and leading you in a path of danger or delight. Also destroying blocks around you, free-form GTA style will find a few more bits of fun and a lovely bit of narration, such as "The Kids just rages for a while...", I smile with delight and continue to punch the B button.

The difficulty curve of the game is interesting to say the least, but using the right weapons, skills and heals you can get yourself through any battle with the salty voice of the narrator peppering you through the worlds.

The RPG elements of the game really help with adding a bit of flavour to the game. The elements range from little things such as levelling up to building brand new places on the Bastion such as a forgery and distillery. The distillery promotes some minor underage drinking musings but nothing harmful...as long as a kid doesn't know what a distillery is. The forgery brings you new weapons so you can kick more arse and before you know it, you're hacking and slashing like never before unless you fall off the edge of the floating world...which happens a lot.

When you die, you fall into the Bastion. It's a beautifully green landscape. The call of a crow, the hum of the cicadas i nwhat looks like the freshest brightest spring day you've ever seen and somewhere standing on a golden and freshly cut pasture...is someone simply called Stranger...the narrator calls, he finds "another...he finds me", you can actually talk to the narrator and a beautiful guitar melody begins to play. Something akin to Neil Young or early Willie Nelson and I just want to sit here and turn up the soundtrack. It's monumental and oddly moving, but I must continue my quest. But actually it's here where the greatest plot element is revealed. It's a bit of a spoiler so if you want you can just play the first 30 minutes of the game or the demo and just wait for the words "subtlety is key".

Upon plot-assisted-death or what anyone who played the first Silent Hill and understood the opening without going, "Dude, wtf do I have to die, srsly, lame?!" the Bastion is essentially an overworld that actually helps you to different parts of the game world. The world itself acts as a land slowly growing and renewing, much like the game's landscapes during the gameplay. It's a beautiful landscape in a beautifully constructed game.

Subtlety is key here...with people who are made of ash, who when you smash to pieces the narrator gives a minor backstory to them and you either go "Sorry, my fault", or you chuckle unevenly. The game's key is playing with established video game and narration tropes and playing them with and against the player. Whilst some bits of narration and gameplay are expected, they're played into the story and atmospheric strengths, except for a few minor naming issues...such as "Something Heavy" and "Something Stringy", which I find lacking in creativity rather than subtley humourous, but I'll get to my gripes later.

Healing in the game is represented by fountains and tonics and the first time you hear the narrator talk about it, it seems real and almost like an advertisement for a fictional drink with the tagline "Sometimes you need a drink"...take all my money, now, magical narrator man.

"And then he falls to his death...I'm just foolin'" had me laughing so hard I annoyed my friend anough to throw a wireless mouse at me. I returned it sullenly and was told to keep writing or otherwise he'd not take my job as seriously. My friend is a coder and his work is serious business, whilst I takka takka away.

Some of the story elements, whilst almost non-sequitor like adds to the feel of the world. I'd use the word atmosphere a lot, but I did last week so I'm just gonna write the words Shabadoo instead. The Shabadoo works so well in this game that the little embers that burn in the opening world and the creatures you encounter seem to just add so much more to the game than just the narrator's voice. The crafting of the character and the narrative elements and how they seem to drip slowly and poignantly like water from a tap into a long deep echoing well makes for one hell of a Shabadoo-ic experience.

Weaponry such as The Fang Repeater, a shark-looking weapon - that's right SHARK-LOOKING - and the Breaker Bow - which the narrator tells you after you fall on it - "it breaks his fall, but it ain't broken - is given to you and the narrator professes delicately how they should be used. Not mockingly, not annoyingly, just subtlely with a bit of an onscreen flash of a button tutorial. This is barely half an hour in to the game and you're just riding the wave and the Shabadoo of the experience - that'll become clearer later on . You're just into the narrator's voice and the mood of the game; you just feel like it's right, that the gun or the voice will never steer you wrong...and this is where my first problem comes into the game. Nothing to with the gameplay or the game itself, this is where I'll become mildly analytical and you can tune out till I write the words, 'so the game'.

The tone of the game is strictly, speaking all over the place. Whilst thematically, there is little to draw on from the get-go, the game's style and over-arching story-based narrator-heavy theme leaves me high and dry sometimes, but the gameplay and humour just slides me back into a forgiving mode. I'm not sure what Bastion wants to say about games or narrative or characters or if they creators wanna say anything at all...all I want to say is that the game is amazing looking, great to play and also structurally beautiful...literally.

So the game does a lot of things amazingly and I've found the testament of a true game is that it keeps me wanting more of it. Resident Evil 4, LA Noire, Plants vs. Zombies and Half Life 2 all have kept me - and a million other gamers like me - wanting more and more like a battered lover. The look of the game just is amazing from the character design, overworld and parchment style menu design, the game has a very distinct style like a mix between nature-based artwork and naturalistic writing.

Like last week's Audio Team for Dead Island, this week's Handshake Award goes to the Design team for Bastion as they have created stunning architecture which is both eye-catching and never boring, some points in the game I feel bad for a micro-second for destroying things with a gigantic hammer.

A repetitious soundtrack - which isn't annoying - pumps in a lovely low bass as I pause the game, continue to type and it doesn't annoy my mate. The game has heaps of tracks and they all do follow a fairly similar progression but it never gets on your nerves. My mate was trying to code quietly and calmly, but when I pause so he can focus, he just grooves and hums along with it. We smile and clink our drinks together and go back to our prospective mediums, his "real work", my....uh...this. The slow strings of a guitar whine in as I enter a saloon, the narration is slow, perfect and much like this sentence ends on a sarcastic but humourous note, damn.

Falling off is an inconvenience, but is even greater so when dodging an enemies attack. The game treats death like "it ain't no thang", but really that "thang" does become quite annoying after a while when you wish you hadn't destroyed the barrier around the land looking for more crystals to level up your stuff. Aiming can also be a serious pain in the arse. You may be a fraction of a degree off and end up wasting a Fang shot or two or just simply miss a crucial shot instead of healing and it's Game Minor Inconvenience for you, buddy.

Whilst the enemies are fairly varied, they all have two or three attacks and one of them is a strictly "Come at me bro" strategy, to just run directly at you, you can usually expect it, but it does become mildly annoying.

The voice for The Kid is mildly unfitting, I imagine more of a young Link voice, but he sounds like a whiny 20 year old who just found out he's got a term paper due in a fortnight. There are more unexplained things such as where do my weapons go when I obtain new ones and why couldn't I switch them out with the D-Pad and when I defeat the big Gas guy in the second area how all those guy love me and then disappear...I want them to be my slaves and to build a posse rather than turning up randomly...well I did free them...maybe I shouldn't have slaves...slaves are bad.

Picture of THE MORE YOU KNOW (with Kirby)

The life point system for enemies is a intriguingly redesigned circle beneath the NPC and disappears with every swift ring of the hammer towards it. Bastion is not a perfect game and whilst the experience is enjoyable some minor things like the AI being too easy, a lack of co-op, a slightly meh RPG, XP system and a leaderboard system (something I've personally never cared for) do not keep this game from being perfect, but just feeling a bit undercooked. I wish the game was a bit more creative or exciting in those elements.

I know I spent a good 90% of this article praising the heavenly voiced angel which descends into our mortal audio realm, but maybe having a secondary voice or another voice to play off would have been interesting. A finely-tuned weapons upgrade system, rather than just pictures and purchasing. Buying stuff in-game almost always makes me feel cheap. Oh and according to the game, you fly to each of the Skyway levels...I would have loved to have seen a bit of that, even in an opening cut scene.

Actually that being said I'm glad there are no cut-scenes in this game, it would have ruined the flow and fun...but flying would have been nice and interesting, but maybe a bit too much. To be honest, when I find flaws in a game I know it's just apart of me, not as a reviewer, but just knowing my tastes vs. knowing my standards as a gamer. I feel at a loss when I see potential and finances wasted on mediocrity.

And Bastion is not mediocre, it could be better, everything could be better, I could be a hell of a lot better...what I'm saying is...I just want a Bastion 2, I want to meet the developers and thank them and I wanna work on anything they make in the future, if they'll have me...and I know that's asking a lot. It's like asking for a shark to borrow it's gills and to be bros or for a volcano to not erupt and to be quiet, but I do love this game and I expect more amazing things from these guys.

Games like Bastion rarely get everything right and I do have to commend Warner Brothers for publishing a title, letting it be made and it being amazing in almost every domain. It's rare that a game will inspire me or at least enlighten me, entertain me and brighten up my day like Bastion does, the only other games I can think of similarly is the visual poetry of Flower or the blocky-creativity of Minecraft. The narrative, gameplay and music fit so perfectly together, you'd think three pieces had been scattered across the globe and the developers had put them together perfectly. So I do implore you, nay, beg of you to get this game on XBLA or Steam, it's worth every single dollar as I want these guys to make another game or for the narrator to come to my house and give me a lecture about quantum mechanics and their relation to the Futurama Universe.

Why you should play Bastion and why Warner Bros. publishing may be the next big thing.


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Zen Pinball goes 3D

Posted Sep 21, 2011 at 7:22AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: zen pinball 3d, Zen Studios

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Zen Studios' hit pinball series is heading to a new dimension with the upcoming release of Zen Pinball 3D on the Nintendo 3DS.


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Nordic Game Chart: Week 36

Posted Sep 15, 2011 at 5:00PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS3 Tags: EA, nhl 12, nordic game chart

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The latest Nordic Game Chart has been revealed. Is there a new game on top?


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Super Mario 3D Land: new world details

Posted Sep 15, 2011 at 3:01PM EST by Carl B Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: 3D, details, Nintendo, super mario 3d land

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New details you can't miss have emerged for Super Mario 3D Land.


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Nordic Game Chart: Week 35

Posted Sep 9, 2011 at 2:05PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS3 Tags: deus ex, human revolution, nordic game chart

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The latest Nordic Game Chart has been revealed. Is there a new game on top?


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Nintendo 3DS ambassador titles go live

Posted Sep 1, 2011 at 2:35PM EST by Carl B Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: mario, Metroid, Nintendo, Zelda

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The first round of Nintendo 3DS ambassador titles have released in all regions.


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Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure announced for the 3DS

Posted Aug 31, 2011 at 5:38AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: rhythm thief & the emperorâ��s treasure, Sega

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Sega has announced a mysterious musical adventure game for the Nintendo 3DS titled Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure.


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Tetris: Axis announced

Posted Aug 30, 2011 at 2:35AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Nintendo 3DS Tags: Hudson, Nintendo, tetris: axis

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An all new Tetris game is heading to the Nintendo 3DS this Fall.


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Nordic Game Chart: Week 33

Posted Aug 26, 2011 at 3:32PM EST by Carl B Listed in: PS3 Tags: cars 2, nordic game chart

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The latest Nordic Game Chart has been revealed. Is there a new game on top?


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Super Mario Galaxy coming to Nintendo Selects collection

Posted Aug 17, 2011 at 1:47AM EST by Ryan F. Listed in: Wii Tags: mario strikers charged, Nintendo, nintendo selects, super mario galaxy, super paper mario

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