Category Archives: Gaming News

Skullgirls 1.01 Update Is Live, Massive Changes And Improvements Made

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Finally!

Earlier this year marked the release of Skullgirls, a game made by pro-tournament player MikeZ and his team as Reverge Labs. It was an all-girl (for now) fighting game that was rife with references and was a love-letter to fighting games. While critical and fan reaction was mostly positive, there were still lots of things to be addressed. Shortly after release, Reverge said that they’ll ready a big patch to release later on, and that later on is now. And since patches cost money to go online, the team at Reverge Labs wanted to make this patch count and fix a multitude of things all at once. Since this is a small dev team, they don’t have the resources to make constant patches and put them online. Highly understandable, and preferable (PS3 guys, you’ll understand. I sure do). The fix list is massive. Really massive. Summarized list after the break.

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Mighty Switch Force Hyper Drive Editon Trailer

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WayForward startin’ early on the Wii U, and they’re startin’ with Mighty Switch Force Hyper Drive Edition. This prison-girl catching puzzle platformer comes to the Wii U with cleaner redrawn sprites, bringing the in-game art closer to the concept and packaging art from many of WayForward’s games. It also comes with all the 3DS stages reimagined in HD and 21 more stages for Hyper Mode. I tried this out on James’ 3DS before one of of the podcast tapings a while back, and I got pretty damned hooked. I had to stop though since I didn’t want to get beyond where James was.

Mighty Switch Force Hyper Drive Edition is currently available on Nintendo’s shop on the Wii U.

Original Donkey Kong Country Trilogy Games To Be Removed From Virtual Console After Thanksgiving

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In the midst of all the hoopla surrounding the launch of the Wii U comes a silent announcement that starting on November 25th, 2012, Donkey Kong Country 1, 2, and 3 will be removed from the Wii’s Virtual Console. News of this came first from Nintendo Life from Twitter user NintenDaan who received a notice on the Wii Shop Channel. It states, “Hello, We would like to let you know you that the following titles will become unavailable for purchase on 25/11/12: Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2, Donkey Kong Country 3.” There was no prior warning as to why these titles were being pulled. Initially it seemed to only affect Europe. But it’s been confirmed that NA’s Virtual Console will also be lacking the Kongs.

There are already questions swirling if it has something to do with Rare being the original developers of these games. For those people who believe this, go here. It’s kinda sad to see these apes go. Without ’em on the VC, I wouldn’t have been able to play DKC 1 again after it bit the dust in my childhood. Or play DKC 2, the one game that’s eluded me for an extremely long time. Yeah yeah there’s emulators, but it’s nothing compared to actually playing these on a TV screen. If you haven’t played these games yet and have no plans to get the original carts, buy these three now before November 25th. If you have them still, hold on tight to them. And be sure your little Pikmin friends transfer those games safely to your shiny new Wii U if you get one!

Donkey Kong Country Games To Be Removed From Wii Virtual Console [gamrConnect]

Donkey Kong Country Trilogy To Be Pulled From Wii Virtual Console [Nintendo Life]

Little Inferno Gets A Second Trailer

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The World of Goo guys are back at it, and this time the world is a darker place in Little Inferno. The second trailer gives us a better idea of what the game is about. You get money which you use in a shop to buy stuff to put in a fireplace. Aaaand then you watch them burn. However, further into the trailer seems to suggests that some of these toys are sentient and are curious about what’s further up the chimney. It’s also great to see Kyle Gabler making more music, and it still just as sweeping as it was in World of Goo.

Little Inferno is expected to release around Winter of this year for Wii U, PC, Mac, and Linux.

Little Inferno – Trailer 2 [Youtube]

Magical Drop V Launched Yesterday

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UTV Ignition once again shows the world that they’re still alive, and made good on their word that Magical Drop V would be released in the U.S. They released a trailer last week and hooooly crap that music is awesome! What was I going to s—oh yeah, Magical Drop V releasing packed to the brim with modes. It’s got the usual story more (now different for each character), and competitive multiplayer modes. But now there’s more added on the multiplayer side. Teams Battles is a new mode where two people play cooperatively in one playfield versus another team. This raises the possibility of some massive screen-clearing chains. King of the Hill is also added into the mix. This release also comes with Ghostlop, which looks to be a mix of Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble and Arkanoid. This playstyle can also be mixed into a match, so you can have a Magical Drop vs. Ghostlop style matchup.

Magical Drop is currently available on Steam for $10. Golgoth Studio was also nice enough to offer the soundtrack free to download on their website. A box of some f-ing Kleenex for The Fool is also available at your local store.

Capcom Can’t Re-Release Tatsunoko vs. Capcom On Wii U, Can’t Even Sell The Current Version

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All you rare game collectors, listen up! Over at Capcom-Unity, user Versus Omnibus had inquired if it was possible to play Tatsunoko vs. Capcom on the Wii U. Two users, one of them a moderator, told Omnibus that the Wii U will be backwards compatible with all Wii games, accessories, and peripherals. Then Capcom exec Christian Svensson stepped in and kinda misunderstood the question and though it was about a re-release. He states “Our rights with Tatsunoko have lapsed fairly recently (so we’re no longer allowed to sell the title physically or digitally). Unless Japan were to strike a new deal, I’d say the chances of this happening are slim.”

So not only can Capcom not make a Wii U re-release in HD, they can’t even sell the current Wii game now due to rights issues. So if you haven’t gotten the game yet, it’s best to do it now since the prices might rise up. And to those that have it already, hold on tight to it ’cause you ain’t seeing a “new” copy anytime soon. They’re not expensive now, but they will be, just like Metroid Prime Trilogy.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom on the Wii U? [Capcom-Unity, via Kotaku]

Mass Effect 3 On Wii U To Get Interactive Comic For First Two Games, All DLC Included

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Ever since the reveal of Mass Effect 3 for the Wii U, one thing that bugged me was how exactly anyone playing the Wii U version would be able to make any previous decisions really matter. The Mass Effect games are well known for having the choices you made in the previous incarnations carry over to the next game, whether by making something different or your choices being referenced by the characters. Well, EA is looking to alleviate the omission of the first two ME games by giving you an interactive comic, Mass Effect Genesis. This time it will detail the events of the first two games, similar to how the PS3 version of Mass Effect 2 handled the first game. Still, would it kill EA to just release that newly announced Mass Effect Trilogy compilation on the Wii U and be done with it.

Along with this, the Wii U version of Mass Effect 3 will come with all the released so far for the game already included and ready to play. This includes From Ashes, the Extended Cut, all the multiplayer packs (Rebellion, Resurgence, and Earth). No word on the Leviathan chapter, but since it just came out, it’s probably not getting included. So far this looks like a good deal if you’re planning on getting a Wii U but haven’t played Mass Effect 3 yet.

BioWare Details Mass Effect 3 For The Wii U [WebProNews Gaming]

Final Fantasy Type-0 Western Localization Teased By Scenario Director

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While I prepared to resume operations after Hurricane Sandy forced me to go offline for safety reasons, Gamespot was conducting an interview faaaaar from the mess with Final Fantasy Type-0 scenario director Hajime Tabata. Much of the interview focused on his efforts with Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Type-0. Near the tail-end of the interview, editor Jonathan Toyad asked Tabata if there were still any plans to release Type-0, a PSP game. Tabata replied:
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Rent Dishonored From RedBox, Get A Photocopied Disc Instead

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Click for full image.

“That’s some bullshit!” is something I would exclaim if I were the victim of a RedBox disc-swap scam. This past Sunday I was sent a message via Facebook. The person, we’ll call her Lily, told me, “Earlier this week [note: October 24th], my dad and I passed by a Redbox vending machine when we went grocery shopping and decided to rent a game.”  So they went and rented Dishonored for the PS3. But upon coming home, she realized “…that the game had been replaced by a photocopy of the CD itself with the barcode positioned for the machine to scan.” I requested a photo of it, and she delivered with the image you see up there. By the looks of it, it was also taped down to keep the piece of paper from moving.

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X-Play And AOTS Cancellation Marks The Beginning Of The End For G4

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Late this summer came reports that G4 as we knew it would cease to exist and become like a sort of GQ version of SpikeTV. I speculated near the end that G4 mainstays X-Play and Attack of the Show would probably be maintained if they were to still have some tech-y programming airing at some point. Well, that speculation is no more as now comes news that X-Play and Attack of the Show will not be retained for the rebranding and will be cancelled. Former employees Adam Sessler and Kevin Pereira sent their farewells via Twitter, with G4 sending out newsletter thanking fans of the two shows. Some might not see this as a surprise considering where this network was going and what it will become next year. But seeing “X-Play” and “Cancelled” in the same sentence does sort of hurt a bit, especially when you take into account how long it’s been around. Same goes for anyone who liked Attack of the Show. To quote my colleague Hachi76, “It’s like seeing an old friend move away”. But deed is now done with all gaming content on G4 ceasing to exist.

Both shows will have their final episodes air and end this December.

G4 Canceling X-Play, Attack of the Show. Gaming Programming Nixed [Update] [Kotaku]

Capcom Vs Capcom Pitched Once, Didn’t Quite Fly

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Given Capcom’s propensity to crossover with many franchises (it even has its own Trope page), a Capcom crossover game where Capcom characters fight themselves wouldn’t seem too far off. Hell, Nintendo’s done it. Even Capcom had something like this with Capcom Fighting Evolution, though many agree that game was an absolute mess. But Capcom’s a bit wiser on the fighting games (though most lack content lately), so maybe now’s their chance to try that route again? Well, Christian Svensson tried pitching it, and it wasn’t swaying any execs. “I’ve pitched Capcom vs. Capcom a few times internally” said Svensson in an interview with Rohan Mayers of Capcom Unity. “It’s never really found traction though among the producers or with marketing.” Svensson does stress that either way their”…fighting resources are being utilized on other projects right now so it’ll be some time before such a thing could really be considered for greenlight.”

Well, that’s nice to hear. At least we know those producers and marketers don’t see much happening with a fighting game, yet think a smartphone Capcom crossover game will win over fans.

Svensson pitched Capcom vs. Capcom game internally, hasn’t found traction – fighting game resources currently occupied [EventHubs]

How Ironic, PETA’s Now Picking On Pokemon

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Team Plasma–er, PETA, being the saints they are, have made a new game with Pokemon as the main stars. This isn’t the first time they’ve castigated a videogame for depicting the “wrong message” to kids. Before this they did Mario Kills A Tanooki, and also picked on poor Cooking Mama for daring to cook a turkey. In their press release, they compare Pokemon being in Pokeballs to elephants being “…chained up in train carts, waiting to be let out to ‘perform’ in circuses” PETA’s Marketing director states that games like Pokemon “…send kids the wrong message that exploiting and abusing those who are defenseless is acceptable when it’s not.”

Maybe they forgot the part that there’s a Team in the game that act just like them. I will admit though that the title screen they made looks pretty badass (uh, save for that one Pokemon with the syringe in its head. That’s really pushing it guys. Stop that). So now that they got the attention of the gaming community again, I suggest checking out this video that reveals some pretty nasty things PETA has done in the past.

[via TinyCartridge]

Resident Evil 6 Has On-Disc DLC

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After being critically hammered, the last thing Capcom wants to do is make Resident Evil 6 less enticing. But in comes word that Resident Evil 6 has on-disc DLC, a practice that has proved very controversial this year after Street Fighter X Tekken was revealed to have over 12 characters locked behind a pay-gate. YouTube user FluffyQuack was modding his disc when he uncovered several bits of content already on the disc. The only full piece of content on the disc is a new difficulty mode called No Hope, which is harder than Professional. The rest is partially on the disc. These include 2 map packs, 4 new multiplayer modes, and an a Co-op mode for Ada’s campaign. The Multiplayer modes are called Onslaught, Survivors, Predator, and Siege. You can read up on what each mode is on Fluffly’s video description.

Fluffy points out that some of the info other sites are reporting are wrong, like costumes and taunts. He sates that some of these, while on the disc, don’t seem to be locked behind a pay-gate but through normal gameplay (A and S Ranking Mercenary maps with each character) and unlocked via RE.net. The only items players may have to pay for is what’s mentioned in the previous paragraph. Capcom reached out to Eurogamer to clarify that some of the data is on the disc to ensure compatibility and that “there will be one piece of content, that for technical reasons, requires the use of a combination of newly downloaded data and data that is included on the retail game disc.” If that’s the case, then maybe they should’ve stuck to that original release date in November to, y’know, finish it. You can see all of Quacky’s Mod videos after the break.

Capcom responds to Resident Evil 6 on-disc DLC revelation [Eurogamer, via Kotaku]

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Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, And Halo Represented In College Marching Band Tribute

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I’ve seen routines like this, but not at the level of finesse these guys at Ohio State University do it. They kick it off with Space Invaders, but surprised me when they decided to do Pokemon and the Red/Blue battle theme. You can hear someone near the camera guy question why the hell they’re doing Pokemon. I’m guessing his knowledge of the videogame franchise only went as far as the anime or trading cards. Good game OSU, good game.

Big ups to our podcast cameraman Gesfrid P. for the tip.

The Ohio State University Marching Band – TBDBITL Halftime 10-6-12 Video games Nebraska [Youtube, via MSN Now]

Kevin Butler Actor Was Sued By Sony

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Of the many titles Kevin Butler has donned during his tenure at Sony, VP of Lawsuit Defendant would probably be the last thing on his mind. The lawsuit was sparked after Jerry Lambert, who plays Kevin Butler in Sony’s Playstation 3 ads, appeared in a Bridgestone commercial as one of the scientists testing out tires. The ad was part of Bridgestone’s GameOn campaign where a tire purchase could net you a free Nintendo Wii. In the commercial itself, the scientists, including Lambert, are seen playing Mario Kart Wii. Sony wasn’t too fond of the man playing and advertising a competitor’s game and console, and on September 11th they filed a lawsuit against him citing IP violation. Bridgestone proceeded to remove Lambert’s image from all of their ads for the remainder of their campaign. This begs the question though: are they suing him for portraying a very similar character, or are they suing him for that plus associating himself with a competitor. I have a feeling that they would’ve let him be if he was doing something else as the character. But since he was playing a Wii, that probably wasn’t flying with Sony.

Either way, it looks like both parties might be coming to an out-of-court settlement. In a filing, the lawyer representing Sony called the courtroom deputy and said that they were coming to an agreement. The court then ordered Sony, “by October 12, 2012, to either: (1) withdraw the ex parte motion; or (2) file a status update describing the current status of the dispute and whether a ruling on the motion will be necessary.” So currently the case is still ongoing, but it looks like it’ll all come to an end soon. I guess we can rule out Kevin Butler being in Playstation All-Stars then huh?

SCEA sues Bridgestone and Jerry Lambert (Kevin Butler actor) over Game On promotion [NeoGAF, via VentureBeat]