Star Wars: Republic Commando for Switch pops up on Nintendo eShop server
Star Wars: Republic Commando could be the next classic Star Wars title in line for a Nintendo Switch re-release, following the discovery of an update for the 2005 title by NWPlayer123.
The dataminer noticed a patch for the unannounced title has been released on the eShop servers, suggesting that the squad-based shooter will be hitting the digital storefront in the very near-future. The patch is attributable to publisher Aspyr, who are previously responsible for Star Wars re-releases such as Star Wars: Episode I Racer, Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy, and Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast.
Originally released on PC and Xbox, Star Wars: Republic Commando blended typical first-person shooter action, with tactical commands and squad-based teamwork. Released to mostly positive reviews, the title was intended to kick off a franchise, but ultimately spawned no sequels, though it did receive a number of spin-off novels.
Star Wars: Republic Commando appears to be on the way to Switch [NintendoLife]
PS5 DualSense drift issue could be leading to class action lawsuit
There have been recent reports of a manufacturing fault in regards to Sony's new PlayStation 5 hardware, specifically its sleek DualSense controller. Multiple players have been reporting cases of the notorious "drift" issue - whereby the controller's thumbsticks register movement whilst remaining sat in a neutral position - with some PS5 owners telling Kotaku that the problem arose mere days after purchasing the new console.
U.S. law firm Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith (CSK&D) has stepped into the situation, announcing that it is beginning an investigation of the complaints, with an eye to filing a class action lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment.
"CSK&D is investigating a potential class action based upon reports that Sony PS5 DualSense controllers for the PlayStation 5 console can experience drift issues and/or fail prematurely," said the law firm in a statement. "Specifically, it is reported that the joystick on certain PS5 DualSense controllers will automatically register movement when the joystick is not being controlled and interfere with gameplay."
This is not CSK&D's first rodeo, as it is one of a number of firms that has previously launched a class action suit against Nintendo when the troublesome controller fault affected a myriad Switch owners. CSK&D's 2019 suit was ultimately compelled to arbitration, (essentially asking the plaintiff and the defendant to come to private resolution), after the presiding judge refused to dismiss the case.
While "drift" and its related lawsuits was not as prominent and outcome in the earlier years of analogue controls, the courtroom route has become increasingly popular in recent generations, with Nintendo, Xbox, and now Sony all feeling the sting of legal action of wandering thumbsticks. CSK&D has asked PS5 owners with experience of DualSense drift to contact the firm via an online form.
Sakuna from Of Rice and Ruin is getting her own adorable Nendoroid
In news to brighten many mornings, Good Smile Company has announced that it will be adding Princess Sakuna from Xseed Games' Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin to its burgeoning Nendoroid range. The mischievous farmer was announced as part of the "WonHobby32" showcase, which revealed a selection of cute toys and collectibles for a variety of gaming and anime IPs. Has there ever been a character so suited to the cute toy brand?
Unfortunately, it seems like the Harvest Goddess is still a long way out, as Good Smile only has a single piece of concept art to show her fans, but it appears that Sakuna will be fashioned in her lavish work garb, and will be accessorized with numerous tools and her trusty conical hat. We can likely expect the finished design to feature an alternate faceplate.
Released in November for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin sees the tearaway goddess sent to a remote island in order to help the local community rebuild and farm their crops. Once there, however, Sakuna becomes embroiled in a battle between the ramshackle village and an army of monsters that roam the land. While Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin did not exactly light up the score board, developer Edelweiss has noted it is pleased with the product and would like to see Sakuna's adventures continue in a possible sequel.
HBO rummages through the many corpses of Game of Thrones to cast Joel and Ellie for The Last of Us
While many film and television adaptations of video games have struggled to get off the ground over the years, HBO is having no trouble getting The Last of Us into production. The series got the green light late last year with an incredibly talented group behind the camera. Chernobyl's Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann are producing and writing the show, with Cannes award winner Kantemir Balagov directing the pilot.
There's been speculation about who'd land the coveted roles of Joel and Ellie, but we need not speculate anymore. As confirmed late last night, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will play Joel and Ellie, respectively. Pascal is known most recently for his work in The Mandalorian and chewing up the scenery in Wonder Woman 1984. It's also recently come to light that he's one incredibly dope big brother.
As for Ramsey, she's perhaps best recognized for her few outstanding episodes of Game of Thrones. Her Last of Us co-star also appeared in that series back in season four, and they both met incredibly tragic but memorable deaths.
NieR Automata's 9S is getting his own Nendoroid figurine
PlatinumGames' NieR: Automata continues on its relentless quest to become one of the most merchandised titles in gaming history. The latest addition to the dystopian sci-fi series premium range of toys, figures, and models is this sweet replication (no pun intended) of android boy 9S, stylized in Nendoroid form.
The prototype Nendo was revealed by manufacturer Good Smile Company as part of the week's "WonHobby 32" showcase, which is debuting a range of toys and merchandise related to various Japanese properties. Nendoroid 9S is depicted in super-serious form, equipped with his trusty katana and accompanied by robo-pal Bot 153. In true Nendo fashion, we can expect the final model to feature several accessories and possibly an alternate faceplate.
As this is merely the first painted prototype, 9S is still some way out from release, and is not yet available for pre-order from Good Smile Co. But we'll be sure to let you now when he hits the market. In the meantime, 2B owners might want to clear out a little space beside her... Now, if we can just get A2...
Tales from the Borderlands is getting a re-release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One
We were just talking about the prospect of Tales from the Borderlands making a resurgence in 2021, and hey, it's happening – kind of. After being unavailable on digital stores, Telltale's super-funny adventure game is returning to PC (Steam and the Epic Store), PS4, and Xbox One on February 17, 2021.
I know people who consider this the best of the best for Telltale, and I also know people who loved Tales from the Borderlands despite not caring for – or in some cases not even playing – the main series. I'm somewhere in the former camp depending on the day. It's certainly at or near the top of my list.
The original version was released episodically (remember when adventure fans had to constantly keep tabs on content schedules that may or may not spiral out of control?), but this time, all five "episodes" will be packaged together. There won't be an option to buy them one-by-one. It's all or nothing.
According to the developers, if you have an old save file, "you can pick up where you left off on the same platform." There's also PS5 and Xbox Series X/S support via backward compatibility, as you'd expect.
This isn't the Redux release I was hoping to see, but it's good to have this game open to new players. It would be interesting to go from Borderlands 3 back to Tales from the Borderlands given Rhys' trajectory.
Valheim is a survival sensation on Steam with a million sales one week into Early Access
Valheim has struck a chord with Steam players who are always looking for the next great survival game to play alone and with friends. After seeing the Viking survival game on the top-sellers list all week and thinking "Hey, I gotta try that," it's official: Valheim sold over a million copies during its launch week.
Here's the Steam Early Access launch trailer to try and bring you up to speed in a hurry:
If you were caught off guard by the old-meets-new aesthetic, Iron Gate says it was "inspired by the early days of 3D graphics, like the style seen in PS1 titles and old DOS-era 3D games (before hardware acceleration and texture filtering was a thing)." I'm still getting used to it if I'm being honest.
As someone who hasn't played Valheim yet but wants to – potentially even while it's still coalescing in Early Access – I like the idea of setting off with my rinky-dink boat in a procedurally-generated purgatory, hunting down bosses I have no business facing so ill-equipped, and sulking in a sad little hut.
A few make-or-break gameplay details worth pointing out: you can play Valheim alone and carry your character progression over when grouping up (with a max of nine other players on a server), you don't have to worry about PvP or starvation (though food will boost your health/stamina), and the basic flow involves killing a biome's boss to get the items or skills you'll need to explore more of the world.
"Our inboxes are filled to the brims with fantastic feedback and suggestions and we are overjoyed to see how engaged our community is in Valheim's development," Iron Gate said in response to the strong first-week sales. "We are currently hard at work addressing issues some of our players have reported to maximize the game experience for more Vikings!"
Assuming the lightning in a bottle doesn't escape, the 2021 roadmap could only be the beginning. Right now, "feature-wise, the game is about 75% complete, and content-wise it is about 50% complete."
Focus Home Interactive expanding into Canada with new Deck13 studio
Following a quietly successful few years, French publisher Focus Home Interactive is preparing to expand its operations into Canada. A brand new studio, operating under subsidiary developer Deck13 (The Surge), will be established in the popular dev locale of Montreal in the immediate future.
"Opening a subsidiary in Canada is a logical continuation in the history and internal development of our studio," said Deck13 MD Mathias Reicher in a press release. "Deck13 Studio Montreal will allow us to strengthen our knowledge and integrate new visions, cultures and know-how that will undoubtedly take the studio to the next level."
"The creation of a Focus Home Interactive Group studio in Canada is a key step in our desire to develop the Focus brand while supporting our studios and partners in their growth and ambitions," agreed Focus Home chairman Christophe Nobileau. "We are delighted that this step has been taken via the Deck13 studio, a historical partner and now an integral part of our ambitious project."
Focus Home purchased German developer Deck13 in an $8.6 million deal back in June of 2020. The new Montreal studio will work in conjunction with Germany's original Deck13 team on an as-yet-unannounced project, which is scheduled for release in 2022. Focus Home has continued to enjoy comfortable, mid-tier success with a range of solid AA titles such as World War Z, GreedFall, Vampyr, and A Plague Tale: Innocence.
Review: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Super Mario 3D World holds a special place in my heart for several reasons; but chiefly, it was the first game I covered as the head of reviews at Destructoid. That was nearly eight years ago.
As I stated with many, many words, it quickly cemented itself as one of the best modern Mario games ever made, but a lot of folks were quick to mention that they had no intention of owning a Wii U.
Well, now you have no excuse!
Borderlands 3 Director's Cut DLC includes an 'invincible' raid boss, story missions, and Vault Cards
Gearbox is milking Borderlands 3 for everything it's worth, and the next major stop on the DLC plan is the Director's Cut on March 18, 2021. Along with the release date, we now know what's included.
The DLC is adding a Varkid raid boss named Hemovorous the Invincible (who's waiting behind the locked door in Ascension Bluff), podcast-inspired "murder mystery missions" centered around Ava, behind-the-scenes developer footage, and three battle-pass-like Vault Cards, with one to start.
You can think of Vault Cards as "progression tracks" that you can manage in a new menu tab. Gearbox says there are 100-plus "unique challenges" to face in pursuit of cosmetics and level-scaled loot – you'll get three dailies and one "multi-tiered" weekly challenge, all of which grant a "sizable chunk of XP."
At launch on March 18, there will just be the lone Vault Card ("featuring items that honor some of the franchise's most beloved fallen heroes"), but two more Vault Cards will join the Director's Cut "by the end of 2021." When that time comes, you'll be able to flip between your active card as needed.
The Director's Cut DLC is the second chunk of Borderlands 3's Season Pass 2, though you'll also be able to pick it up separately for $15 if you'd rather avoid the "hodgepodge" Designer's Cut altogether.
Borderlands 3 Season Pass 2 owners are also getting Multiverse Disciples of the Vault outfits: "Second Sister" Amara, "THE H4RBINGER" FL4K, "Saint of Iron" Moze, and "Bane Flynt" Zane.
As someone who fairly recently got into Borderlands 3 while it was heavily discounted, I'm still weighing when – or even if – I should jump into any DLC. I can't say I'm feeling particularly inspired yet.
Bare minimum, I'll probably poke around a bit this weekend for the return of Broken Hearts Day. If you missed the event last year, this time, you'll have from February 11–25 to show up and try to shoot enough floating hearts to earn unlocks: three cosmetics (they're recolors), and two legendary guns.
Tencent purchases minority stake in DayZ's Bohemia Interactive
The money continues to flow in a fortnight that has seen seemingly endless mergers and acquisitions, as Tencent has invested a minority stake in Bohemia Interactive, the Czech developer behind Arma, Ylands, and MMO survival adventure DayZ.
Bohemia is the third studio to sell stakes to Tencent in recent months, following on from the Chinese conglomerate's recent investments in Don't Starve's Klei Entertainment and Life is Strange developer Dontnod. All of these purchases were made in part to facilitate Tencent's distribution of the respective studios' wares in China.
"We are pleased to deepen our relationship with Tencent, one of the most significant internet companies in the world," said Bohemia CEO Marek Spanel. "We look forward to working on our current and future generations of games with the support of a strong partner that has known us for many years and understands our unique approach to online games."
Going forward, Bohemia will retain its management team and will continue to operate as an independent studio. Back in 2020, Bohemia closed one of its formative studios in Bratislava, in what was noted as a "mutual decision". No doubt the cash injection from one of the biggest companies on the planet will provide the DayZ developer with a little more security for the coming years.
R-Type Final 2 is on its way and it's looking mighty funky
It feels like we've been talking about it forever, but Granzella's love letter to one of the most inspiring shmups of all-time is nearly cleared for take-off. Publisher NIS America has released a new gameplay trailer, ahead of R-Type Final 2's April 30 launch on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.
R-Type Final 2 is a celebration of Irem's iconic interstellar arcade blaster - a re-imagined compendium of vessels, mechanics, bosses, and stages, (not to mention its arsenal of impressive weaponry), cherry-picked from the series' storied history. As showcased in the video below, players will be able to choose from one of a selection of R-9 fighters, before blasting into battle with the Bydo Empire, upgrading and tweaking the ship en route into a devastating intergalactic fighter. Even the pilot will have customization options!
The new sequel will marry impressive contemporary visuals and effects to the classic R-Type gameplay that has proven such a hit with shmup fans over the decades, with adaptive difficulty keeping the challenge in each player's respective sweet spot. Additional gameplay modes and online leaderboards will ensure the R-Type faithful will have plenty of reason to keep taking to the stars for another round of galactic mayhem. It's looking pretty slick, that's for sure, and I can't wait to try it out.
Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed wants you to show some skin this summer
High-definition remasters of 10-year-old niche Japanese games seem to be a trend this year. This week we're getting Gal*Gun Returns on Switch and PC, which is the first time the original game in that series has left Japan. This summer, another naughty game is coming to North America for the first time from Xseed Games.
Akiba's Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed is a remaster of Akiba's Trip Plus, which was an updated version of the original Akiba's Trip that launched on the PSP back in 2011. The game puts players in the shoes of the Akiba Freedom Fighters as they hunt vampires and strip them down to their skivvies.
Pokemon World Championships cancelled for the second year running
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues into its second year, we are already starting to see the rescheduling of multiple events previously postponed in 2020. Among these are the Pokémon World Championships, which for a second year in a row will not be taking place this summer.
Originally scheduled to take place in London in August of 2020, The Pokémon Company decided to push the event back to August 2021 as the UK remained in the grip of the coronavirus. But in February 2021, with the pandemic continuing to severely impact worldwide industry and travel, the decision has been made to further reschedule the championships to August 2022. Sorry, Pokémon players.
While all Play! Pokémon events for the foreseeable future are all currently on hold, online tournaments such as the Pokémon Players Cup and Play! Pokémon Team Challenge will continue as scheduled, so competitive players will still have some arenas with which to test their skills. A run of "League at Home" events are also in the works, so 2021 is not going to be a completely Pokémon-free year.
2021 has already seen the Rainbow Six Siege Invitational tournament held up, while the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) recently announced that it is making plans to host E3 2021 as a series of online events. In the coming months, it seems likely that regular gaming get-togethers such as EVO, gamescom, PAX, and other gatherings will struggle to return in 2021 in their recognized form.
BlizzConline begins February 19 and here's the schedule
[Update: Blizzard has posted the full BlizzConline schedule for February 19–20.
The opening ceremony will be just over an hour long, and most of the notable talks will be held on the first day of the show. "Behind the Scenes of Overwatch 2," "Diablo: What's Next," "World of Warcraft: What's Next," and a "Hearthstone Deep Dive" all start at 3:10 pm Pacific (on different streaming channels). There's also a "Diablo Developer Roundtable" at 4:00 pm and a Deep Dive at 5:00 pm.
I feel like my expectations for the show are in check now.]
BlizzCon was called off in favor of the online-only BlizzConline, and the replacement show is nearly ready for our prying eyes. Today, Blizzard shared the dates and stream start times for the event.
Day 1 (February 19) begins at 2:00 pm Pacific with a "first look" preview of the "latest game content the development teams have been working on." It's safe to expect updates on Overwatch 2, Diablo 4, and World of Warcraft, among others. After the main opening segment, BlizzConline will have "three-plus hours" of deep-dive streaming content divvied up between "six different themed channels."
Day 2 (February 20) starts at 12:00 pm Pacific with more of the choose-your-channel approach and Q&As. "Throughout this second day, we'll be shining a spotlight on the global Blizzard community, including the winners and outstanding entries in the Community Showcase contests and exhibitions."
Everything will be streamed through Twitch and YouTube – no ticket necessary. It's free. "Most everything will be available by VOD after it's aired," according to executive producer Saralyn Smith.
I'm holding out for official news on that rumored Diablo II remake – or even just a mention of Vicarious Visions, in general. The company was recently reassigned from the Activision side over to Blizzard.
Get Ready for BlizzConline February 19–20 [BlizzCon]
Minecraft Dungeons just hit 10 million players, and it's getting new DLC
Minecraft Dungeons has a lot to celebrate.
Although Minecraft is still a huge IP, there was always a risk trying to get people involved in a spinoff, as a lot of folks generally will just keep playing the game they already know. Although it is available for non-Microsoft platforms, Game Pass significantly helped mitigate that risk.
Microsoft has confirmed that the game just hit "10 million players." Note that they didn't break down individual sales, or how much of that was Game Pass, or the standard edition of the release. As a result, they're giving away a special cape and pet for "all players," which will be added on February 24 for free as DLC.
The publisher touts that there have been 103 million multiplayer sessions across Xbox Game Pass, which were "80% couch co-op-based." People still play couch co-op?! You don't say! It's almost like a huge portion of every console playerbase has been asking for more couch experiences for years.
They also remind us that more big DLC, including the Flames of the Nether pack, is on the way. That will hit on the same day on February 24 on "all platforms," all of which have cross-play, by the way. That's a feat!
Minecraft Dungeons [Twitter]
My Nintendo reveals a new Bravely Default II reversible poster reward
Bravely Default II is coming very soon on Switch (February 26), but before then, you'll be able to pick up a new My Nintendo reward for it.
Now this isn't completely new news here, as Nintendo did vaguely tease a reward roughly a month ago when it unveiled its first demo session. But in a My Nintendo post today, the publisher has given us a full reveal of what that reward actually is: a poster.
The art features a character from the game's key art (Gloria), as well as a look at a kingdom locale (Halcyonia). It's 18" x 24" dimensions-wise, and it is reversible. There is no point count yet or a date ("coming soon" is the only hint), but expect it to be far less than 1000 Platinum Points.
After all, a set of three Mario posters clocked in at 800 points.
Get ready for the Bravely Default II launch—try the free demo now [My Nintendo]
New Game+ Expo set to return on March 4, 2021
You might remember that during the months and months of E3's 2020 live stream showcases, (which I dubbed "Endless3" because I'm a talented man), the New Game+ Expo made its debut presentation - a special stream featuring a glut of news and reveals from Japanese-centric publishers such as Arc System Works, NIS, Aksys, Natsume, and others.
And it looks like the show is set to return, although this time you won't have to wait until the summer, as New Game+ Expo 2021 will be taking place as soon as next month, March 4 to be exact. Not all of the previously featured studios are returning, (SNK, Spike Chunsoft, and WayForward are among the missing names), but 10 studios will be on-hand to showcase some of their 2021 wares.
Tune in to the official Twitch channel on Thursday, March 4 at 08:00 PT / 11:00 ET / 17:00 BST and check out some of the colorful titles gracing PC and console platforms later this year. The full list of attendees for New Game+ Expo 2021 is as follows:
The Switch Online NES and SNES suites are at it again, as there's four new games that are now available, spread across both services.
We have Doomsday Warrior, Psycho Dream, Prehistorik Man, and Fire 'n Ice, also known as "Solomon's Key 2." I have a lot of experience with the latter puzzler, having renting it several times and being mostly satisfied! Eventually I'd come across the similar Lode Runner, which would cement my love for 2D puzzle platformers.
Nintendo has also announced that Japan, always the one to one-up our offerings, is getting two different games: Shin Megami Tensei II and Mario's Super Picross. These are instead of Doomsday Warrior and Prehistorik Man.
I realize that translating old JRPGs probably isn't a huge priority for Atlus or Nintendo, but if Nintendo actually added value to Switch Online, more people would probably pull the trigger. When Nintendo says they have "perks" in mind for Switch Online and they stealth-drop a few obscure retro games on their service every now and then: it isn't exactly screaming value.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie is titled Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Paramount has released a "teaser" for the sequel to 2020's smash hit movie Sonic the Hedgehog. The brief clip is certainly a teaser in as much as it is just an animated logo, but it does give us our first look at said logo, as well as the confirmation that the sequel is titled Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Naturally. (Also of note: Two Tails).
Scheduled to premiere in theaters on April 8, 2022, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 sees the return of the blue blur - in his redesigned form, hopefully - once again voiced by Ben Schwartz. While the full plot and cast list are yet to be unveiled, Jim Carrey is expected to return as nemesis Dr. Robotnik. Writers Pat Case and Josh Miller return to pen the hyped sequel, while Jeff Fowler will once again be seated behind the lens. If it ain't broke, right?
The original Sonic the Hedgehog movie launched in February 2020 to a hugely positive reception from critics and fans, scoring an incredible $300 million USD opening against a $90 million budget. A further $150 million was then made on the domestic market. Given the original film's success, it would not be surprising if Paramount will likely add another zero or two to the sequel's production costs. Recent rumors abound that Aquaman's Jason Momoa might be in-line for a turn on the new picture, but these remain nothing more than unsubstantiated internet whispers at present.
Before Mario 35 is allegedly nuked from existence, it's getting another limited event
Super Mario Bros 35 just got an event that involved murdering Bowser millions of times, and now it's getting something else.
The 35th anniversary Twitter account has confirmed the existence of a coin-based event, which involves a "fixed course order," from W1-1 to W8-4, which will also involve the same warp pipes as the classic version. The contest will run from February 12 through February 15.
Also don't forget that the game is set to be nuked from existence on March 31, 2021, along with a few other Mario titles. Will Nintendo have a Jump Rope Challenge-esque change of heart? Well, it depends on what the bean counters say!
I do know that if they keep crying wolf like this on "limited time" digital games (ha, what a concept) and keep pulling the rug out, it probably won't look great the next time they announce an initiative like this.
Super Mario 35th [Twitter]
Bravely Default II battle trailer suggests you find perfect balance
In a little over a fortnight's time, budding adventurers will be on their way to the high-fantasy world of Excillant, with the release of the highly anticipated Switch sequel Bravely Default II. Publishers Nintendo and Square Enix have released a new trailer focusing on the JRPGs battle systems, giving players a chance to check out the hazardous encounters that lie ahead.
Bravely Default II walks the well-trodden path of party-based combat, with a selection of independently skilled allies taking on a host of beasties and bosses in turn-based action. The video focuses on the crux of Bravely Default II's combat system - smart balance between "Default" and "Brave" attacks. Players must use the former in order to acquire points to activate the latter, which will allow for numerous actions in a single turn.
Mastering Bravely Default II's battle balance will be a key component of the player's journey through the five kingdoms as Excillant, as those who have played the recent demo have found out. There are many battles waiting for heroes Seth, Adelle, Gloria, and Elvis, so be sure to check out the action for yourself and ensure that you're prepared for the challenge.
Guilty Gear Strive's Starter Guides return with Millia Rage
Arc System Works is firing up the engines once again on Guilty Gear Strive's "Starter Guide" series, giving players an opportunity to check out the skills and special abilities afforded the sexy GG Strive roster. The publisher will release a new video daily in the lead-up to the new open beta, which takes place on PS4 and PS5 the weekend of February 18.
The first video takes a look at the beautiful ex-assassin Millia Rage, who steps back into the GG ring armed with her Angra-enchanted hair. Millia's flowing up-do can not only form itself into a variety of razor-sharp blades, but is also capable of launching a series of wide projectiles, allowing Millia to control space with ease. Millia's battle plan can start high or low, courtesy of her relatively safe slide "Iron Savior" and a variety of both aerial attacks and anti-air baiting maneuvers.
The Guilty Gear Strive beta beings February 18 for all PS4 and PS5 players - regardless of PlayStation Plus status. Pre-order customers can jump in on the action a day earlier on February 17. Guilty Gear Strive launches April 9 on PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam. As a refresher course, check out the previous Starter Guides for May & Axl Low, Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske, Chip Zanuff & Potemkin, and Faust.
Rainbow Six Quarantine still slated for 2021, might be renamed due to COVID-19 pandemic
In 2020, Ubisoft announced that it would be delaying practically its entire slate of upcoming releases, pushing back Watch Dogs: Legion, Immortals: Fenix Rising, and the newest entry in the Rainbow Six series, Quarantine. While the two former titles have long since hit the market, Team Rainbow is yet to see a second trailer, let alone any gameplay footage.
But speaking in an earnings conference call this week, Ubisoft CFO Frédérick Duguet confirmed that the publisher is confident that it will have Rainbow Six Quarantine on the market by the end of September 2021, where it will join the similarly delayed Far Cry 6 as two of Ubisoft's major releases for the 2021 Holiday season.
You can get even more mileage out of Bloodstained with the 1986 variant of Classic Mode
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night debuted its Castlevania-inspired stage-based Classic Mode last month, and if you were up to the task, there's another challenge to face: 1986 Mode. It's even stricter.
To unlock 1986 Mode, just start up Classic Mode and, while you're still on the title menu, enter these button inputs: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, Square, Circle. You'll see "1986 Mode" appear.
(If you aren't playing Bloodstained on PlayStation, substitute Square for the left face button and swap Circle for the right face button. For instance, on Xbox, you'd end the code with the X and B buttons.)
From there, you can hit "Start Game" and you should see an "86" icon when you select your difficulty.
From what I've played, 1986 Mode is more of a control-restricting variant of Classic Mode than anything else – but it's surprisingly cool in practice. It feels much more fitting. IGN was able to confirm some of the changes, most of which have to do with Miriam's movement. She can't backflip, slide, readjust her jump mid-air, or leap onto staircases. You'll need to be precise with the whip, too.
The timing on this news is uncanny, as I just picked up the Castlevania Anniversary Collection on sale and started bouncing around the series this past weekend – so far I've made it through Castlevania and Super Castlevania IV, and I left off with Kid Dracula. I'll admit: I've been save scumming like a maniac.
After I finish my full playthrough of the compilation, I'll circle back to Bloodstained's 1986 Mode once I'm (hopefully) in tip-top shape. It's been a blast reliving these memories. Bury me with my Holy Water.
@SwordOrWhip [Twitter]
Nintendo Switch Online has an Overcooked 2 trial ready for Valentine's Day
I don't always make the most of my Nintendo Switch Online membership, but it's cheap enough annually that I'm not too bothered, and lately, I've enjoyed seeing more limited-time game trials pop up.
The next Switch Online trial is for Overcooked 2, a game that doesn't need an introduction other than to say it's a fantastic local co-op game that speaks to a wide range of players. I personally adore this frantic cooking series. I honestly couldn't tell you how many hours I've spent replaying it. Too many.
If you have a Nintendo Switch Online account, you'll be able to go to town with the full version of Overcooked 2 from February 10 at 9:00 am Pacific until Feb. 16 at 11:59 pm Pacific. Download it here.
Should you want to keep playing after the trial, the full game is down to $12.49 and the Overcooked 2 Season Pass is down to $9.99 right now – that's half price in both cases. The DLC is worth it!
Maybe, uh... maybe save this game for any day other than Valentine's. You've been warned!
Little Nightmares II has this entertaining intensity to it that's as fun to watch as it is to play.
The formula is no secret, but that doesn't make it any less successful. Time and time again, you're going to slowly, safely get a lay of the land – and a few impossible-to-ignore glimpses of some big nasty brute in charge – before needing to fetch a key in plain sight or otherwise cause some racket to progress. There's no other way. You've gotta face your fears. And when you do, the chase is on. It's a mad dash to carve your way through an obstacle course with a boogeyman breathing down your neck.
In the wrong hands, when things aren't tuned just so, this can prove frustrating. You can hit the point of "too many deaths" and, despite knowing what you need to do, still fail to pull it off, shattering the atmosphere. It can feel like the scales have tipped – like you're no longer at fault. I struggled with this feeling in Little Nightmares, but I avoided it in Little Nightmares II. I died loads, yet I never felt cheated.
The sequel is bigger, more elaborate, and better balanced – everything I was hoping to see.
Windjammers 2 confirms Arcade Mode and rollback netcode
While it's fair to say it's been taking its time to reach us, DotEmu's retro sequel Windjammers 2 still looks pretty dang fab. The developer continues to tease fans in anticipation of the Frisbee-fest, with a brand new trailer showing off the game's overhauled Arcade Mode.
The new video gives us a look at another returning character, superstar Steve Miller, (not the musician), who joins the roster alongside Windjammers veterans such as Loris Biaggi and all-new contenders like Brazilian Jao Raposa. Miller and Co. can jump into single-player action with Windjammers 2's arcade mode, which will show newcomers the ropes as they fling 'n' fly their way through a host of opponents and even a few gauntlet battles, culminating in a custom ending for each character. Old school.
Review in Progress: Persona 5 Strikers
At this point, Atlus kind of can't do wrong when it comes to the Persona series.
Now, everyone has their favorite recent Persona (3-5), and to create some suspense, I won't tell you that 4 is mine. Wait, I think I messed up there.
Persona 5 slaps too. And it's still fun as a beat 'em up.
(Update) Silent Hill's next DLC team-up is with Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals
[Update: The Silent Hill chapter for Monsters & Mortals will be out on February 24, and the DLC includes several familiar faces: Heather, Cybil, Robbie the Rabbit, the Nurse, and of course, Pyramid Head.]
Silent Hill is reaching new audiences with crossover DLC in multiplayer horror games, and the longer this goes on, the more impatient fans will become. I hope it's all building to something more substantial.
Konami's next cross-game collaboration for Silent Hill is with Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals, a maze-chase horror game on Steam that's popular in the Let's Play circuit. This afternoon, Glowstick Entertainment shared a teaser video with audio and visuals plucked from the hibernating horror giant.
"The new Silent Hill guest DLC will arrive in February 2021," according to the developer. Funny enough, the just-delayed Dark Deception Chapter 4 will feature "Lucky the Rabbit" and "Reaper Nurses." Fitting.
Dead by Daylight's tie-in with Pyramid Head made a certain sense to me – that game has a widely-established reputation for partnering with horror icons – but I'll admit it, this one feels out of left field. On that note, Glowstick has "more big mystery additions coming to Monsters & Mortals after Silent Hill."
It's a mega-weird time to be into this series. We might need to hug it out with Splinter Cell fans.
NieR Reincarnation will have a Western release date once the localization is further along
I don't fully know what to expect from NieR Reincarnation, and I'm fine keeping it that way – but I have wondered about the current state of the western release. In a letter shared on Twitter, I got my answer: the iOS and Android game is still coming to North America and Europe, it's just been quiet lately.
A letter from Director Daichi Matsukawa regarding the development status of the English version of NieR Re[in]carnation.#NieR #NieRReincarnation #NieRReinEN pic.twitter.com/lfkz0eEKNM
— NieR Reï¼»inï¼½carnation EN (@NieRReinEN) February 9, 2021
In the message, game director Daichi Matsukawa apologized for a "lack of updates" about NieR Reincarnation. When the time is right, there will be news on the preregistration and launch timing.
He noted that the team is "currently in the process of localizing the English version and recording all character voices in English," and that they're planning to address bugs from the Japanese launch.
In terms of a potential timeline, Japan is getting NieR Reincarnation on February 18, so I hope you weren't counting on a simultaneous launch (or planning to dig into this mobile game anytime soon). I'm expecting to play through all of NieR Replicant beforehand given that it's still on target for April 23.
I've avoided gacha for most of my life, but when NieR music is in the picture, I can't turn away.
The excellent King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match now available on PS4
SNK has released one of the finest fighting games ever made, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, on PS4 via the PlayStation Store. A global physical release will follow later in Spring.
Originally released in 2009 on PS2 (before later being ported to Xbox 360 and PC via Steam), KoF 2002 UM is a remake of the ninth entry in the crossover fighting franchise, released in arcades and on consoles in 2002, naturally. Unlimited Match features what stands to date as the largest roster in KoF history, with an amazing 66 characters taken from the series' previous entries, as well as exclusive character "Nameless" - a replacement for the lawsuit-baiting K9999.
I'm already down for Black Myth: Wukong, but this Year of the Ox video looks slick all the same
Game Science whipped up a video for its attention-grabbing action-RPG Black Myth: Wukong. It's intended as a Chinese New Year celebration, not a preview of the "plot," so it's more of a visual piece.
I continue to like the way combat is shaping up, and it's easy to imagine what it could be like to play the full version, even as we're mostly left to piece together mythology-infused snippets and imagine the big picture. Yes, I would like to spar with a muscular two-headed rat man and zap fiends with electricity.
If it's been a while since you've checked in on Black Myth: Wukong – or this is your first time hearing about it – the game's website has quite a few eye-catching images. I hadn't seen them before!
Assuming this studio can continue to staff up and hit the notes it's hitting in pre-release footage, this journey will go to far-off places. There's no hint of a release date, but PC and consoles are still the plan.
Electronic Arts purchases Glu Mobile in staggering $2.1 billion deal
Electronic Arts continues to open its seemingly bottomless wallet as its shopping spree continues across the industry. Having just put the final touches on its acquisition of Codemasters, EA has now purchased mobile game maker Glu Mobile Inc. in a deal worth an astounding $2.1 billion - one of the priciest acquisitions in the industry's history.
Glu was founded in San Francisco in 2005, though it has expanded operations within Canada and India. In its 15-plus years of operation, Glu is responsible for the production of hundreds of licensed and original IP mobile titles. While Glu has handled major brands such as Call of Duty, DIRT, and Diner Dash, the majority of the companies' releases focus on the part-time player, with a raft of titles based on TV shows such as Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Ren & Stimpy; celebrities such as Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, and Kim Kardashian; and classic tabletop card and puzzle games.
"Our acquisition of Glu combines amazing teams and deeply-engaging products to create a mobile games leader with proven expertise across many fast-growing genres," said EA CEO Andrew Wilson of the acquisition. "Mobile continues to grow as the biggest gaming platform in the world, and with the addition of Glu's games and talent, we're doubling the size of our mobile business."
EA sees the products it produces being "complimentary" with Glu's output, noting the opportunity to combine Glu's experience with monetizing and marketing sports titles and other popular brands to the mobile mass-market with EA's extensive portfolio of best-selling and established sports IPs. The deal is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2021.
Hey, remember power up bands? Well the bands are back! In scalped form!
Yes, despite the fact that Super Nintendo World in Japan isn't even open yet due to another delay, folks are getting their hands on bands due to press and preview events. And they're selling them en masse on storefronts like eBay.
Right now the going rate is roughly $75 per band: and to finish a complete set, you'll need Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi bands. As a reminder, all of them have corresponding amiibo, and will have special functionality within the park itself for various "activities."
Naturally, once the park actually opens to the public and the bands flood the market, the prices will go down. But if you're a hardcore collector and want to mess with one now, it's a little pricey.
I'm definitely going to get all of these bands eventually to round out my amiibo collection. But I can wait!
[Update: Lance McDonald has publicly released his "60FPS homebrew patch" for Bloodborne, though he has (understandably) avoided "providing instructions for how to make backup copies of Bloodborne, or how to run a backup copy of your game on your console." If you're already in a position to do that with your PS4 Pro, you can apply his patch to the most recent official version of Bloodborne, v1.09.]
Over the weekend, modder Lance McDonald showed Bloodborne running at 60 frames per second on a PlayStation 4 Pro – the culmination of lots and lots of tinkering. It's as beautiful as we all imagined.
Before you get any funny ideas, McDonald says that "out of respect," he won't release his unofficial high-frame-rate patch until after the PS5 is out in November and Sony has "made it clear whether or not Bloodborne will be enhanced on that system in any way." If an official patch never comes, "you'll need a way to run unsigned code on a PlayStation console to use the utility once it's released."
As for how any of this is possible, well, his 15-minute video is a great showcase.
This modification was far from a simple flip of a switch with debug tools to uncap the 30FPS limit. "A vast array of features such as cloth physics, particle and special effects, environmental wind, enemy patrol pathing, motion blur, sampling rate, and elevator movement speed" needed "manual patching."
McDonald was able to fine-tune everything by studying From Software's PS4 Pro patch for Dark Souls III and applying his own "performance-focused optimizations" that weren't in that game or Sekiro.
As a trade-off, the rendering resolution was dropped from a native 1080p to 720p. "The engine still scales this to 1080p for the final video output" but it has an impact on "the in-game visuals and UI."
For a full technical rundown, check out Digital Foundry's analysis from May. "A lot of you might have already seen me discussing this with Digital Foundry some time ago," he said this weekend on Reddit, "but I finally spent time to test the entire game a few times through and filmed a ton of footage."
The 60FPS footage was captured in a bunch of areas. According to McDonald, the frame rate holds up consistently "across the majority of the game's campaign, including The Old Hunters expansion."
Pressed for time, I'd suggest skipping to the 5:30 mark to see a boss montage (with major spoilers) that really highlights the patch's dramatic improvement. These scenes – combined with the best-in-class soundtrack – make me want to drop what I'm doing and start a Bloodborne replay right this second.
I truly hope we can get an official PS5 patch. This game-of-a-generation deserves it.
Lance McDonald [Twitter]
‘Kiss Confirmed’ brings Valentine's Day to... Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War?
With February 14 just around the corner, various video games are receiving lovey-dovey updates to celebrate Valentine's Day. And perhaps no one gaming brand truly embraces the themes of love, romance, and togetherness than Activision's billion-dollar military shooter series Call of Duty.
Yes, love is in the air, even in the rat-a-tat-tat world of Black Ops Cold War, and from February 11 to February 18, players will be able to enjoy a special re-themed version of multiplayer mode Kill Confirmed titled Kiss Confirmed. In this variant, each time you pump your hapless mark full of lead, their twitching corpse will leave behind a candy-style Love Heart in place of their standard dog tags. D'aww. Helen Park is my Valentine...sigh
We could see some news for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 this week
If you could measure thirst, the wait for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 would be an ocean.
It's in a very unique position, to be sure. If the first Final Fantasy VII Remake bit bombed in every way, there probably wouldn't even be a follow-up. But it was good! And it sold! So everyone is anxiously awaiting Part 2 for any number of reasons, which is definitely happening.
A lot of us are curious as to how the team could possibly adapt the open world structure; a stark contrast to the more linear, yet personal Midgar setting. But for now, we can only speculate, as Square Enix hasn't given us one iota of real info on Part 2. That could change soon.
Tweeting out hype for the Final Fantasy VII Remake Orchestra World Tour this week, Square Enix confirmed that co-director Motomu Toriyama (who worked on the game with Nomura and Hamaguchi) will be holding an "extra broadcast" before the event. That's on February 13 right before 17:00 JST, which is 3AM ET Saturday morning.
There's actually a February 12 event too, but the tweet notes that it's the February 13 event that will give us the goods.
Square Enix Music [Twitter]
Jamie Lee Curtis on board for Borderlands movie
Hollywood legend and long-time video game lover Jamie Lee Curtis is the latest superstar to join the cast of Lionsgate's Borderlands movie, based on the explosive shooter series from Gearbox. The Halloween and Knives Out star took to Twitter to candidly express her excitement at the new role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Curtis has signed on to play Dr. Patricia Tannis, a Pandoran archaeologist who features as an important NPC in all three mainline Borderlands titles, spin-off Tales From the Borderlands, and even received her own spin-off comic book. Curtis joins fellow cast members Cate Blanchett, cast as the mystical siren Lillith, and Kevin Hart, who will pick up the heavy artillery of Promethean solider Roland. That's a more impressive cast than one might expect from a video game adaptation.
The Borderlands adaptation has been bandied about for many years, with multiple false starts. But with a star-studded cast and gore hound Eli Roth in the director's chair, it looks almost certain that this project is very likely to see its day on the marquee. Borderlands is still currently in its pre-production stages, however, so it will be sometime before we get to visit the vast, secretive, and dangerous planet of Pandora.
I guess we've always got Dune to tide us over until then...
A Mario 64 ray tracing mod? Sure
I don't think I can accurately assess how many times I've played Mario 64. Whether it's on the original hardware, the DS, or various collection/Virtual Console means, every level is burned in my brain. But not quite like this.
In the provocatively named video "I bought a $1500 GPU (an RTX 3090) to play Super Mario 64 with RTX," YouTuber Dario showcases Mario 64 with ray tracing. Now this video showing off Wet-Dry World is a tad old, but it represents a project in progress, which could eventually see the light of day.
No matter how much time tries to keep the classics down, it's a losing battle. People will hold water for these types of games forever, and I have to say it's a blast to see the game's wonderful level designs preserved like this a million times over.
Of course, the community is very polarized in terms of how much the ray tracing effects actually add to the game. It's a tad more advanced than a lot of other mod projects over the years (that "enhance" the look of Mario 64), but it looks great to me. A diverse array of projects is never a bad thing.
Well, Crash 4 is absolutely coming to Switch and current-gen consoles pretty soon
I don't get that many physical packages these days, but when I do, they're usually pretty fun.
Activision has been very cheeky with its marketing of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, which ended up being pretty good! The bad news was that it only launched on two platforms (PS4 and Xbox One), but that's changing very soon.
In this very obvious press package that we received this week, Activision outright tells us that Crash 4 is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch, on March 12. There's also a confirmation of a PC version, noting "not to forget" about the platform.
To herald in this announcement, they provided us with five cookies: one of Crash's head, and the other of PS5, Switch, and Xbox logos. But the PC cookie has an ominous Battle.net image, hinting at where Crash 4 could actually end up. Just in time for the Battle.net redesign, it seems, which could usher in more non-Blizzard games and become the de facto launcher for Activision as a whole.
To further clarify, Activision has since informed Destructoid, post-cookie-delivery, that the game will indeed come to Battle.net "later this year," and that the current-gen versions (PS5/Series X/S) will sport 4K and 60FPS visuals, as well as the obvious faster load times. Upgrades will be at "no cost" (except for Japan, weirdly) "within the same console family," and save transfer is confirmed.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are priced at $59.99, while the Switch and PC editions are $39.99.
CDPR ransacked by hackers in 'targeted cyber attack'
CD Projekt RED has announced that it has become the victim of a serious "targeted cyber attack," with an unknown person or persons having stolen private data from the Polish developer's servers.
CDPR has noted that it has full backups of all of the stolen data, which is believed to include the source code to the studio's recent release Cyberpunk 2077, code for an unreleased edition of Witcher 3, as well as "documents relating to accounting, administration, legal, HR, investor relations and more." CDPR has said that - to the best of its knowledge - no data involving players' personal information is at risk.
In a surprising move, CDPR also released a copy of the "ransom note" it received from the hacker(s), requesting that CDPR contact the individual(s) responsible or face public release of the hacked documents, source code, and other data files. CDPR has said it will "not give in to the demands nor negotiate with the actor, being aware that this may eventually lead to the release of the compromised data."
The studio is currently investigating the security breach with the help of its IT analysts, law enforcement officials, and the President of the Personal Data Protection Office.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night mobile updates bring new modes and IGA boss
NetEase Games, in association with ArtPlay, has announced that new updates are now available for the iOS and Android editions of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, adding new modes and challenges to the Castlevania-like Gothic platformer.
A free update for all players adds three additional modes previously made available to Bloodstained on PC and console. Speed demons might want to try their hand at the clock-busting Speed Run mode, while fight fans can take on challenging back-to-back battles in the new Boss Rush mode. Finally, Sound Mode allows players to take a break from all the sword-swinging action, sit back, and bask in Bloodstained's wonderful soundtrack.
Additionally, a new paid update sees the arrival of the "IGA's Back Pack" DLC, adding powerful boss character "IGA" - a thinly veiled representation of Bloodstained head honcho and Castlevania creator Koji Igarashi. Defeating yer boy IGA will award Miriam with the "Insatiable" shard and a Belmont-like whip sword. The IGA's Back Pack DLC is available to purchase now at the cost of a single dollar.
Maquette, a tiny-huge puzzle adventure game from Annapurna, is out in March
Annapurna Interactive has proven itself enough to land a permanent spot on my radar, and while certain games stand out more than others, I'm willing to give them all a look. Next on the roster is Maquette – a "recursive" puzzle-adventure that plays with scale and tells a personal story built around the highs and lows of a relationship. There's a brain-breaking "zoom-out" gif on Steam to help sell the premise.
As it turns out, Twelve Minutes isn't the only Annapurna game turning to Hollywood talent. Maquette will star Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World, Rocketman) and Seth Gabel (Fringe, Genius). While other games have explored similar world-shifting mechanics, I haven't seen them married to a story like this.
It's trippy going back to watch the original "Reveal" trailer for Maquette from about a year ago. It's fundamentally the same trailer concept, albeit with different readings and further-along game footage.
If you feel like you could get into this sort of mind-bending headspace, you won't have to keep tabs on the game for too much longer – it's releasing for PC (Steam), PS4, and PS5 on March 2, 2021.
Yooka-Laylee's Playtonic says it will reveal 'something' soon
Playtonic Games has tried to capture the essence of some of our favorite 3D and 2.5D platformers with its own twist, and I can't wait to see what's next after 2017's Yooka-Laylee and 2019's Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair. This morning on Twitter, the studio teased the imminent reveal of "something" new.
We'd like to give our community, our friends, a giant hug ðŸ'šðŸ'œ
— Playtonic (@PlaytonicGames) February 8, 2021
We know you're all wondering what we have cooking, and although we can't say just yet, something will be revealed SOON.
Thank you for being patient with us 🙂
That's it – that's the post! – but I'm so curious to see which direction this team is taking. For what it's worth, a recent note to Yooka-Laylee Kickstarter backers referenced a secret "rebrand" at Playtonic.
I feel like the future could easily hold a different genre set in the wider Yooka-Laylee universe (it's fun to picture these characters in other Playtonic takes on Rare classics), or yeah, a more straightforward sequel could work. Just as well, it could be all-new. Nothing says it has to involve the dynamic duo.
What are you hoping to see? As popular as this series is, many of us seem to latch onto something slightly different and don't have the same priorities. I'm pretty adamant that Impossible Lair is much better-designed, but... I still want another Banjo-Kazooie-like 3D romp from this team. I'm easy like that.
At any rate, it feels like Playtonic is built to last. There's so much potential.
The Epic Games Store is leaning even more into exclusives and there's a Spring Showcase this week
The Epic Games Store is securing even more exclusives over the next two years, and later this week, it's streaming a Spring Showcase event with game announcements (and hosting a corresponding sale).
That first bit is crucial and lays the foundation for Epic's ongoing strategy. In a statement to PC Gamer, a rep said the store has "more exclusives coming in the next two years than we have published to date."
The list includes titles we know about, like this year's Darkest Dungeon 2, and presumably many we don't. There's also the matter of genDesign, PlayDead, and Remedy's publishing deals with Epic Games.
Later this week, we're going to see "a curated collection of new announcements, gameplay, and extended looks presented by the developers creating the games we all love" in a live-streamed event. The Epic Games Store Spring Showcase will air on Twitch at 11:00 am Pacific on Thursday, February 11.
At this point, there's no telling what Epic could have up its sleeve – established IPs, fresh indies, and everything in between. As long as these deals are being offered and the terms are appealing, we're going to see a lot more promising games tied down to the Epic Store for at least a year after launch.
It genuinely feels like this plan of attack could carry on uninterrupted for a long, long time.
What limited edition console or handheld do you regret missing out on?
Super Mario 3D World launches this Friday, and I am quite excited to get this on my Switch. The Wii U version is easily near the top of my personal "Best Game Ever" list, and while I'm not sure if Bowser's Fury will fit in with the rest of the game -- or if it will be a loose appendage that's still a joy to play -- you can bet your #dogecoins I'll be adding it to my collection posthaste.
Launching the same day is the Mario Red & Blue Edition Switch, a new limited edition version of the console that's decked out in Mario's trademark colors. Opinions have been split on it for the most part. I personally like the look of it all, dull gray kickstand aside, but I don't think it's special enough to push me to move away from my OG Switch. If I'm going to upgrade, it's going to be for something really dynamo.
I've been thinking a lot about special edition consoles and handhelds in the lead up to the release of the Red & Blue Switch. This week, I spent an unfortunate amount of time scouring the internet, looking for all those limited edition units that passed me by. That Pikachu Yellow Edition 3DS in the headline photo is one I didn't even realize existed until it popped up in my Google search.
I never really got into special edition console collecting until Nintendo started dropping limited edition 3DSs like it was having a fire sale on them. That's when I realized for basically the same price as an ordinary console, I could get an extraordinary one. When the New Nintendo 3DS was announced, I traded up to the beautiful Majora's Mask edition of the handheld. As stunning as it was, it was horribly designed, and eventually, I switched over to my current Poké Ball New Nintendo 2DS.
I do wish I had started going for these limited edition consoles earlier because there are two from more than a decade ago that I can't help but kick myself over not picking them up. And they're both retro variations of the Game Boy Advance. One is the NES Edition GBA SP, and the other is the Famicom Game Boy Micro. God, if only I had the sense back then to pick up these consoles when you could get them for relatively cheap.
I'm a huge fan of retro aesthetics, which is why both of those limited edition handhelds are right in my wheelhouse. They're so goddamn sleek, and if Nintendo could find a way to recreate the look of either of those on the Switch or Switch Lite, I'd switch my Switch in a heartbeat.
This Russian doll style Switch cart holder is incredible
3D-printing is incredible.
It feels like nearly every day, as a board and video game player, that I see something that's not only useful, but something I never even would have thought of. That includes this Switch cart holder shaped like a warp pipe that came across my desk this morning.
Crafted by whopperlover17 and shared on Reddit, the pipe actually opens up into a smaller cart holder. It's a simple, elegant, and effective design that is also functional. The version pictured in the header holds 14 carts in total. It also has a "locking mechanism" to avoid loose carts flying around.
Although they couldn't share the direct link on the subreddit, we tracked down their Etsy store where you can grab one for yourself if you want. The creator says that "since this has gone viral," they have "quite a backlog of orders to fill." They are "also looking to make a DS version."
Get a look at how the smaller version works below!
Look at these Nintendo Switch game cases I made [Reddit]
Birdie Crush really has me jonesing for a new Mario Golf
It's a great tragedy that with the unstoppable success of the Nintendo Switch, we haven't seen hide nor hair of Mario Golf on the hardware. Mario Tennis made a decent enough comeback following its severe stumble on the Wii U, but there hasn't been a peep out of Nintendo or Camelot Software about Mario's return to the links.
Its absence has been noticed throughout the pandemic. Since I went into work-from-home mode -- or as it's better known, trapped-at-home mode -- I've been putting in some time on the greens with my 3DS and Mario Gold: World Tour. But even with all the purchased DLC, I've been feeling the urge to move onto something new. Maybe that's why I fell so hard for Birdie Crush this past week.
Forza Horizon 4 comes to Steam in March and there's cross-play
Playground Games' crowd-favorite racing series Forza Horizon is coming to Steam. The studio is collaborating with Sumo Digital to bring the latest entry, Forza Horizon 4, to Steam on March 9, 2021.
If you've held off with the Windows 10 version, there you go. The Steam edition of Forza Horizon 4 will have cross-play, so Xbox One, Windows 10, and even Android players (using the cloud) can compete.
For those of you who don't closely follow the series but might be inclined to change your ways with this news, Forza Horizon 4 is the one in Britain that leans into shifting seasons. As our dear friend Brett said in his review at the time, "winter can be a pain in the ass and not nearly as enjoyable as the other three seasons," but it's the "only season that feels truly unique and actually affects the way driving works."
DLC like the Hot Wheels Legends Car Pack and expansions like Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions will be sold separately on Steam, but that's business as usual. I wasn't expecting otherwise.
Coming soon - the #HotWheels Legends Car Pack.
— Forza Horizon (@ForzaHorizon) February 8, 2021
1:64 just wasn't enough for these Legends. @Hot_Wheels pic.twitter.com/tFthgvaNzx
Here are the PC system requirements if you need them.
Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 version 15063.0 or higher
- Processor: Intel i3-4170 @ 3.7Ghz OR Intel i5 750 @ 2.67Ghz
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVidia 650TI OR AMD R7 250x
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 80 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 version 15063.0 or higher
- Processor: Intel i7-3820 @ 3.6Ghz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVidia GTX 970 OR NVidia GTX 1060 3GB OR AMD R9 290x OR AMD RX 470
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 100 GB available space
It's easy to underestimate Xbox Game Studios' involvement with Steam without thinking about it, but when take stock on the XGS landing page, there are some fantastic games. The list keeps growing.
