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‘Scribblenauts’ returns with a party game for consoles
Innovative wordplay-based game Scribblenauts debuted on the Nintendo DS at the end of the last decade, but we haven't heard from the franchise since it headed to mobile for a semi-sequel in 2015. But today we got news that a new entry in the series, party game Scribblenauts Showdown, is coming to PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on March 6th.
Word-puzzler 'Scribblenauts Unlimited' returns to mobile
Scribblenauts started as a handheld game, and now the adorable interactive dictionary puzzler is making its way to Android and iOS after an extended break from mobile. 2012's Scribblenauts Unlimited (which appeared on 3DS, PC and Wii U) is available right now on Google Play and as a universal app on iTunes for the cool price of $4.99. A version's heading toward the Amazon Appstore on Android as well.
Superman meets his match in Scribblenauts Unmasked launch trailer
Scribblenauts Unmasked is now available to the public and to celebrate, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has released a trailer proving that not even Superman can compete with the powers of an imaginative child.
Keyboard Cat, Nyan Cat creators file lawsuit over Scribblenauts cameos
Nyan Cat creator Christopher Orlando Torres and Keyboard Cat's owner Charles Schmidt have filed a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit against Warner Bros. and 5th Cell over their creations' appearances in the Scribblenauts series. The complaint, filed on April 22nd, alleges that developer 5th Cell did not seek permission to include either copyrighted character in their published products or in related promotional material. The original Nyan Cat and Keyboard Cat videos have each been viewed tens of millions of times on YouTube, making them "extremely valuable for commercial uses," according to the complaint. "Plaintiffs claim that Warner Bros and 5th Cell's trademark infringement was willful and intentional and are requesting an award of treble damages and requesting the case be deemed exception under 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a), thereby entitling Plaintiffs to an award of reasonable attorneys' fees," intellectual property-focused attorney blog Milord & Associates notes. Plaintiffs Schmidt and Torres additionally seek an injunction against the sale of Scribblenauts products until the matter is resolved. The Scribblenauts series allows players to summon a wide variety of memes during gameplay, for both practical purposes and comedic effect. Keyboard Cat has appeared in every series entry to date, while Nyan Cat is a more recent addition, appearing only in Scribblenauts Unlimited.
Rumor: Scribblenauts DC comics game in development
Scribblenauts Unlimited developer 5th Cell is reportedly working on a DC super hero entry in the write-em-up series, called Scribblenauts Unmasked. According to IGN sources, the game is currently mired in redesign and may even lose the Scribblenauts Unmasked moniker altogether, though the game is assuredly focused on the DC Comics license.The original design called for a game where Max would embark on adventures to help out DC super heroes, but that may not be indicative of the final product. One scenario detailed includes Max trying to bypass a hungry Killer Croc to infiltrate Wayne Manor through the sewers below. Another anecdote provided presents Max with two seemingly identical police officers, yet one is the villain Clayface and must be discovered.IGN's sources say the game announcement is due at this year's E3, with PC, Wii U and 3DS being listed as supported platforms.
'Scribblenauts Unlimited' URL registered
A company that Warner Bros. uses for anonymous web registration has purchased the domain scribblenautsunlimited.com. Superannuation picked up on the filing, speculating Scribblenauts Unlimited could be developer 5th Cell's Wii U project.This wouldn't be the first time a Scribblenauts game was unveiled in this manner. Late last year a domain registration for Scribblenauts Remix ended up being an iPhone version of the wordy puzzler.
2011 Holiday Buyers Guide: iOS
You'll forgive us, but we're banking on the concept of Aunt Eileen stuffing your stocking with iTunes gift cards rather than, say, a Zune Marketplace one. Perhaps that depends on if you've been naughty or nice? We're not quite sure how this holiday stuff works, but we're trying our best here. Anyway, below the break we've compiled another year's worth of great games on both iPhone and iPad platforms that we hope you'll love as well. Even if you don't get those gift cards, these games should still be affordable -- even after buying all those presents. Good luck with the relatives!
Weekend sale on lots of iOS games
Today is indeed Veterans Day (and we do honor all of the men and women who have served for the United States of America -- thank you!), but the sales on the App Store this weekend haven't really been labeled as such. As far as I can tell, they're on sale just because. Nothing wrong with that! First and foremost, Scribblenauts is just 99 cents for the weekend. This one's a must buy -- it's an amazing game with a terrific iOS port that you should totally check out for that price. No question. EA's having a big sale with up to 80% off titles like Need for Speed, Dead Space, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Gameloft's sale is continuing, with lots of games, including Rainbow Six, HAWX, and the great Dungeon Hunter 2 down to just a buck. Little White Bear Studios' puzzler Tanzen is free for a limited time. Spirits for both iPad and iPhone is on sale for just a dollar. Street Fighter IV Volt is on sale for just 99 cents for the first time. Digital board game New World Colony is free to download. Kairosoft's Grand Prix Story is down to 99 cents as well. Contre Jour HD is just a buck -- this one is a really amazing title as well, grab it if you haven't yet. Peggle is also a dollar, as is Madfinger's really impressive looking Shadowgun. Finally, the non-HD version of World of Goo is just a buck. Holy moly, there are some great sales in there. Scribblenauts and Contre Jour are definitely two you should grab now if you haven't, and some of those others are steals as well. Enjoy the weekend!
Scribblenauts Remix penciled in for iOS release today
5TH Cell used its magic pen and notebook (actually a bunch of professional programmers, designers, and engineers within its own team and Iron Galaxy Studios, but whatever) to create an iOS version of its innovative DS game Scribblenauts, delivering the complete product to the App Store ... right now. For 5 bucks, you can download the universal app Scribblenauts Remix (so that's what that title is!) featuring the signature gameplay -- writing words to summon objects, then using those objects to solve puzzles. The app is apparently based on Super Scribblenauts, meaning you can punch up your items with adjectives. It even has new iOS-exclusive levels. For five dollars.
'Scribblenauts Remix' domain registered by WB
WB apparently hasn't written off the Scribblenauts series, if a recent domain registration is any clue. Superannuation found a registration for the site scribblenautsremix.com. The use of the word "remix" in the potential game's title would suggest that the new game is based on material from the first two; i.e. remixed content instead of entirely original material. But we don't know more than that -- and, since that was just an extrapolation based on the title, we don't really know anything. Though we might expect more Scribblenauts, which seems like a good thing. We've typed out an email to WB to try to summon some answers.
5th Cell reveals sales for Scribblenauts, Drawn to Life
5th Cell's focus on original IP has worked out quite well for the independent developer, selling millions of copies of its innovative titles. During a DICE 2011 presentation on the studio's development strategy, general manager and COO Joseph Tringali shared that it has sold 3.5 million units in the Drawn to Life series and 2.5 million of Scribblenauts games. We'd known previously that the original Scribblenauts was the fifth best-selling DS title of 2009. The developer is currently working on Hybrid, its XBLA title expected to launch sometime this year. 5th Cell has been incredibly cagey on details, but creative director Jeremiah Slaczka told Joystiq that it'll have its big reveal at GDC next month.
Solid Snake and other Konami characters appear in Japanese Scribblenauts
In addition to the ability to buy it in Japan and play it in Japanese, there are additional benefits to Konami's Japanese localization of Scribblenauts. Specifically, you can use the power of your words to bring forth Konami characters into 5th Cell's world. In these screenshots, including one tweeted by Hideo Kojima and two from Hachimaki, you can see Scribblenized versions of Old Snake, Gradius's Vic Viper, and Love Plus's Manaka Takane. Apparently, the other two Love Plus girls were left out for some reason.
Scribblenauts headed to Japan as 'Maxwell's Peculiar Notebook'
Konami has agreed to undertake the arduous task of translating Scribblenauts into Japanese. On January 27, Konami will release 5TH Cell's DS adventure game as "Flash Puzzle: Maxwell's Peculiar Notebook." ("Fushigi" means anything from "strange" to "mysterious" -- we've gone with Andriasang's translation here.) Ironically, it seems to be a localization of the first Scribblenauts, which means it'll lack the sequel's adjective function, making it impossible to create a "mysterious" notebook in-game. But Konami already has to translate the 22,000 word dictionary for this (budget!) release, so it's understandable. It's probably been working quietly on the game since before Super Scribblenauts even came out. No screens were released, so we don't yet know if any cosmetic changes were made to the game, nor how text entry is handled.
Super Scribblenauts gets a powerful, angry, vampiric Gamescom trailer
If the expansive dictionary found at the center of Scribblenauts left you bewildered, we're curious about what you'll think of the trailer for Super Scribblenauts posted below. It the game's noun recognition was indeed powered by black magic, its adjectives must be the work of Cthulhu.
Listen to Super Scribblenauts in style with GameStop's pre-order bonus
They're "fuzzy." They're "camouflage" -- or "polka-dot" or "grey," depending on which you happen to pick up. According to WB, they're "chic," "colorful" and "plush." We would argue that they are "loud" in two different ways. And they're also "free." Appropriately, there are plenty of adjectives to describe the Super Scribblenauts pre-order bonus, the Adjectivized Headphones. Unless you pre-order your copy of the game from GameStop, they're also "inaccessible." The headphones will be handed out (in the three aforementioned color schemes, randomly selected) with pre-orders of the game on its October 12 release date. And they'll totally look "awesome" worn over a Rooster Hat.
See and save on Super Scribblenauts at Comic-Con
Comic-Con is turning out to be pretty worthwhile simply for DS-related reasons. In addition to the exclusive Dragon Quest IX content, you'll have a chance to try out Super Scribblenauts, and save $5 on the game for your trouble. Warner Bros. Interactive will have demo stations for the adjective-enhanced adventure in its booth (#4545). Those who go to check it out will get an adjective of their own, thanks to a $5 Best Buy coupon to turn their own copies of Super Scribblenauts into cheap copies. The publisher released this charming artwork today as well, depicting some adjectivized objects found within the game. A plaid kappa! A wooden cat, in a furry cup, maybe? A tiny, striped, winged elephant! These are things that you can use in a video game to solve puzzles!%Gallery-97769%
Super Scribblenauts unpacking adjectives this Fall on DS
Start flexing those ... whatever muscles you would use to exercise your imagination. Warner Bros. Interactive today announced Super Scribblenauts, the sequel to last year's similarly titled puzzle-platformer. The DS game will hit store shelves sometime this fall. Check out the first three (tiny, tiny) screenshots from the game in the gallery below. As hinted at by the April issue of Nintendo Power, players will be able to modify the game's catalog of summonable items using adjectives, leading to complex creations such as "gentlemanly, flaming, flying zombies and purple, obese, winged elephants." That sounds wonderful, but we're more excited by the announcement's surreptitious reference to "upgraded controls." Does that mean we'll actually be able to walk to said lavender pachyderm without accidentally jumping into that adjacent pit of lava? We can only hope! %Gallery-93161%
Scribblenauts on Wii up to fans
If your major issue with Scribblenauts was that typing was too easy, you may be interested to hear that 5TH Cell isn't ruling out a Wii version. Echoing previous statements about the developer's openness toward additional platforms, creative director Jeremiah Slaczka told the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine that a Wii version of the vocabuladventure is possible. All you need to do is ask for it (and buy the upcoming DS sequel)! "I think a Wii version could happen," Slaczka said. "It's all about the fans - if the fans speak up and continue to buy and play the second one like they did the first one, I don't see why we couldn't make a case for a Wii version." The DS sequel -- which is still unnamed -- will be released this fall.
Nintendo Power: Scribblenauts sequel coming this Fall
[GoNintendo] As evidenced by the image above, the latest issue of Nintendo Power reveals a sequel to 5th Cell's Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS. According to a report from GoNintendo, the magazine feature additionally details the game's release window ("fall"), that it will receive "10,000 more words" and "120 new and improved levels," and will have a focus on the use of adjectives. Thankfully, the report also notes intentions to improve the game's controls -- a major setback of the first outing. We've shot an email to the developers and will hopefully have more information on the game sometime soon. For now, you can check out the full magazine cover right here.
Scribblenauts was the #5 DS game of 2009
In its "NPD: Behind the Numbers" feature for January, Gamasutra included a chart of the top five DS games in the US for 2009. As expected, the list is dominated by Nintendo's evergreen first-party lineup; however, at number five was a third-party title, 5th Cell's Scribblenauts. WB announced earlier this month that the bizarre adventure puzzle game shipped over a million copies. It sold "over 900k for sure," 5th Cell creative director Jeremiah Slaczka told Joystiq. "The DS is a very different market than console, I think treating it as such helps," Slaczka said about cracking the DS market. "I think it's one of the toughest markets to sell on because the demographic is so broad: gamers, non-gamers, kids, adults, boys, girls. And unlike the Wii, it's even more limiting in power. Making a game that appeals to everyone is tough." And that kind of universal appeal is exactly what 5th Cell went for with Scribblenauts -- an approach that put them in some pretty exclusive company.
