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Upcoming free Peggle 2 update lets you duel your friends
EA Popcap will add a supplementary mode, called Duel mode, to Peggle 2. In a post on Facebook, producer Jared Neuss says the studio is hard at work on implementing the free multiplayer mode and will announce more details soon. Duel mode, which was included in the original Peggle, is a straight-up competitive mode for local and online play that pits two players against each other on the same board. Neuss says the addition of Duel mode is just the beginning of a series of "regular updates" the developer has planned for Peggle 2. Peggle 2 launched this week as an exclusive on Xbox One. In our review, we said it "remains a foregone conclusion for existing Pegglers and puzzle fans alike, even if it doesn't quite live up to the addiction that destroyed everyone's work ethic back in 2007." New players looking for an edge should check out our 'Stiq Tips feature, which has plenty of advice for maximizing your scores in the sequel.
'Stiq Tips: Peggle 2 Guide
Before you read this, write the following statement on a piece of paper 50 times -- "Peggle is not all luck, Peggle is not all luck, Peggle is not all luck." Ok, done? Now you're ready to understand why you'll need to saturate every bit of knowledge you can if you're going to hit an Off The Wall Extreme Slide Kick the Bucket Fever bonus. Yep, Peggle is pretty hardcore like that. It's no big deal. First, you're going to want to reacquaint yourself with the basics. To clear each board, you'll need to hit every orange peg, but to get the highest score, you'll want to go for a ton of skillshots (more on that later), and clear out as many blue pegs as possible before going for the last orange to cause a "fever" and end the level. It's a common misconception that you'll want to clear up every orange peg as fast as possible, and it's the worst way to earn a high score.
Peggle 2 review: Relapse
For many people, Peggle 2 stands as an involuntary, compulsory purchase. For others, Peggle 2 is one of the last new Xbox One games launching this year and, at $12, it's an easy recommendation amidst the rest of the fledgling console's library. When Peggle 2 inevitably spreads to other platforms, its casual puzzle game leanings will still make it a palatable choice for most players. Like its 2007 predecessor, Peggle 2 sits somewhere between carnival game and slot machine and, honestly, focusing a critical lens on it feels kind of silly. I played through all of Peggle 2's main levels, and I enjoyed doing so, but I can't help feeling a little disappointed.
Bjorn to Peggle 2: the five Master trailers
Peggle 2 will arrive next Monday on Xbox One. We hope those who plan to partake have made the proper arrangements with their work, friends and loved ones. Once you ride the Bjorn Express, it's hard to get off that delicious unicorn. The game is sure to be on all platforms, mobile devices and just about anything with a screen by the end of next year. You can take a hit of a Peggle 2 Master by watching the video above, but there's also four more shots after the break. Each layer will take you deeper into the Peggle. Once you've watched the final one, you'll be one with the Peggle, the mysteries of the PopCap will open and the universe will speak in colors. Or, so we've heard. We're scared to go that far. Hold us.
Report: Peggle 2 juggles balls on Xbox One December 9
A reported Peggle 2 release date indicates that the highly-anticipated sequel will be bouncing around your Xbox One on December 9. Both VentureBeat reports that Peggle 2 has been given a release date by developer PopCap, though the company has yet to make an official post on its own site. VentureBeat also reports several new gameplay elements, such as pinball bumpers to keep your balls on the playing field (no laughing, you) as well as new helpers like Jeffrey, the beer-drinking troll. Peggle 2 will reportedly feature 120 levels when it releases.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare sprouts this February on Xbox systems
EA is catapulting Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare onto Xbox One and Xbox 360 on February 18, 2014 in North America, and the shooter lands in Europe three days later on February 21. The third-person, multiplayer-only off-shute is also being planned for PC, but hasn't been dated for that platform yet. The publisher released a new 10 minute gameplay video to mark the announcement, in which PopCap Executive Producer Brian Lindley provides commentary on the 24-player Team Vanquish mode. It's one of three modes in the Xbox 360 game, the other two being Garden & Graveyards, also a 12 versus 12 competitive mode, and a four-player co-operative one titled Garden Ops (surely it should be Green Ops?) There are two additions in the Xbox One version: The next-gen console gets a split-screen Horde-like mode in which two players fend off zombie attacks, and Boss Mode, which lets players use Kinect or SmartGlass in an auxiliary role with other modes, where they're able to give teammates support items like health drops, or pass on intel.
Wargaming establishes new mobile-oriented studio in Seattle
World of Tanks developer Wargaming has conquered Seattle and is funding the creation of a new, yet-to-be-named studio there, GamesBeat reports. Okay, maybe they just want to make mobile games instead of capturing the city, but if they start rolling tanks toward their neighbors next year, we called it. What has been determined is that the studio will be led by David Bluhm, co-founder of the mobile-oriented developer Z2. PopCap Production Director Joe McDonagh will oversee game production, while Z2's Senior Producer Julian Chunovic will head post-production. While no announcements concerning the studio's projects have been made, Bluhm told GamesBeat that he thinks "mobile is ripe for innovative and new core game mechanics." Wargaming itself has yet to release a mobile game, but World of Tanks: Blitz will be its debut.
Peggle 2 rated for PS4, Xbox 360 in South Korea
South Korea's Game Rating Board classified Peggle 2 for PS4 and Xbox 360 this week, as well as Xbox One. The puzzler follow-up is set to arrive on Xbox One first, and there's no indication that's changed, even though it won't make the console's launch this month. However, these ratings suggest it could trickle onto other platforms in the near future. PopCap has already said Peggle 2 will, much like its predecessor, be ported to "as many other platforms as possible." PopCap's enthusiastically announced sequel is due next month on Xbox One. According to our PAX Prime preview, it doesn't ricochet too far from the tried-and-tested Peggle formula, but it still "looks like a game you'll play until your thumbs drop off."
Report: Peggle 2 missing Xbox One launch, coming in December
Peggle 2 has bounced out of the Xbox One launch lineup and will land "a few weeks later in December," according to Venturebeat's email exchange with PopCap Senior Director of PR Garth Chouteau. Chouteau describes Peggle 2 as a "launch timeframe" game, but did not offer a specific day for players to expect its arrival. Microsoft previously announced that Peggle 2 would be available during the launch of Xbox One.
Freshen up your Android with Plants vs. Zombies 2, out now
The war between the botanical and the reanimated corporeal spreads onto Android, where players can do their part by enlisting on Google Play. As our chums at Engadget note, the Android port is "virtually identical" to the iOS version released in August. EA-owned PopCap implemented a free-to-play model in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, and within weeks the game was approaching 25 million downloads on the App Store. The developer's keeping quiet about any remaining ports; it's worth remembering the original Plants. vs. Zombies was gobbled up by practically every platform, including Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Nintendo DS.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 shambles its way to Android devices worldwide
After brief test runs in Australia and New Zealand, EA and PopCap have released Plants vs. Zombies 2 for Android users worldwide. The new version is virtually identical to the iOS game released this summer, letting players fend off the undead hordes on both phones and tablets. The biggest change (apart from the platform) is a switch from Apple's Game Center to Google Play Game Services for tracking achievements and leaderboards. As before, PvZ2 is free to download -- gamers only pay if they want a fast track to victory. If you're eager to plant some Bonk Choy on your Galaxy Note, you can grab the Android port through the source link. [Thanks, Scott]
The masters come out to play in Peggle 2
Three Peggle 2 masters are the focus of a trio of new trailers from Popcap today: Master Luna, an undead girl who hangs out at the cemetery; Bjorn, the headbanging unicorn and unofficial posterhorse of the original Peggle; and Berg, a yeti who really should put on some pants.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 approaching global launch on Android
Plants vs. Zombies 2 is set to reach Android "shortly," having made a "soft" (and squishy) launch in Australia and New Zealand. The Android version launched "successfully" in China last month, and this week's Australasian arrival lets PopCap further play-test the free-to-play follow-up. PvZ 2 was shambling towards the 25 million mark for downloads at end of August.
Original Plants vs. Zombies finally gets 4-inch screen support
The original Plants vs. Zombies -- one of the most popular iOS game of the last few years-- has finally received 4-inch screen support so it runs at native resolution on the iPhone 5, 5s, 5c and newest iPod touch. As MacRumors points out, in May of this year, Apple began requiring all apps to support the 4-inch display on the iPhone 5. Any apps that did not would not be approved in their next updates. The fact that the original Plants vs. Zombies has gone without an update for so long was a source of major frustration to many users with an iPhone 5. The long delay for iPhone 5 screen support probably had something to do with Popcap working on the Plants vs. Zombies sequel. Now that it's finished, it's likely that the company had time to update the original. The original Plants vs. Zombies is available in 4-inch glory on the App Store for US$0.99.
Shambling undead invade your gaming table in Risk: Plants vs Zombies
Fertilize your pea shooters and gather as much sun as possible: Plants Vs Zombies is making the jump to a strategy boardgame in Risk: Plants Vs Zombies. Those familiar with Risk should quickly feel at home in the Plants Vs Zombies iteration of the game. Instead of human armies capturing countries of various sizes, Risk: Plants Vs Zombies pits ravenous corpses against deadly anthropomorphic plants. "This completely customized take on two-player Risk offers a double-sided gameboard and three head-to-head ways to play: Tower Defense, Mission Objective, or Total Domination," states PopCap's official description. "With a detailed map of the original town of Brainsborough on one side and the familiar Plants vs. Zombies backyard from the video game on the other, players opt to be plants or zombies and then pick their battlefield. Fighting for their very survival, players engage in skirmishes, battle for three different victory conditions, and play the classic Risk game mode, vying to take over the whole board." Risk: Plants Vs Zombies has been approved for players age 10 and up. It features a $30 price tag, and is currently available on the Plants Vs Zombies online store.
Peggle 2: Ball-bouncing, peg-clearing, unicorn-pooping goodness
Peggle is a pretty simple game. You shoot a ball at pegs, you score some points, "Ode to Joy" plays, you move on. Yet beneath that simplicity lies a challenge so deliciously addictive that Peggle became one of PopCap's biggest hits, crossing over from its intended casual audience to delight core players as well. Everyone you know has played Peggle. There's a version of Peggle for just about everything in your home that draws electrical current. A sequel was inevitable, but how do you follow up something as obscenely popular and monstrously successful as Peggle? According to producer Jared Neuss, you "make more and better Peggle." Oh. Well, that was easy.
Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare is multiplayer-only
PopCap's team-based third-person shooter Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare will not feature a single-player component when it launches early next year, Shacknews reports. Instead, PopCap will double-down on the game's multiplayer focus with a variety of modes that offer up to 24-person competitive play and 4-player co-op. Speaking to Shacknews, PopCap creative director Justin Wiebe outlined the company's plans to build a dedicated multiplayer community around Garden Warfare. "We definitely want to build on the game once it's launched," Wiebe told Shacknews. "We're definitely taking a cue from Plants vs Zombies 2. Using DLC and new content updates, we want to keep players engaged in the long haul." Garden Warfare will launch for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 in the first quarter of 2014, and a PC release will follow afterward. PopCap recently revealed that ports for other platforms are also in development.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 lines up nearly 25 million downloads
Over Nearly 25 million gardening enthusiasts have enlisted to fight the undead in Plants vs. Zombies 2 within two weeks of the game's availability, developer PopCap announced last week. The sequel has already surpassed lifetime sales of the original Plants vs. Zombies. PvZ2's free-to-play business model is the central difference between the two versions, allowing players to get hooked on the game before they spend a cent on it. Hooked is about the right way to put it, too, given that over 81 million hours have already been spent on the game's unique take on botanical warfare. PvZ2 is currently only available for iOS and will spread to other platforms "later this year and beyond." Update: The text of this article has been adjusted to more accurately reflect PopCap's announcement, which is that Plants vs. Zombies 2 has been downloaded "nearly" 25 million times, rather than exceeded that amount.
Peggle 2 gets animated masters, new abilities
During Microsoft's Xbox One event at Gamescom, EA announced Peggle 2 would come to the next-gen platform. Speaking with GameInformer, Lead Producer Jared Neuss revealed some of the changes the game will see when it arrives later this year. PopCap's pachinko-inspired game features new worlds, new masters - those amazing characters that gave players special abilities - and a different method of bringing its characters to life. They are now fully animated and react to the on-screen action, Neuss said. Showcasing a new character with the ability to hide a board's blue pegs, Neuss said the new Master powers will be very "over-the-top compared to the old Master powers." Despite changes, Peggle 2 looks a lot like Peggle. But ... Saying "Peggle 2 looks like more Peggle" is like saying, "Why do I have all this dumb blood in my body?" Well, because you need it to live. Peggle 2 will arrive on the Xbox One at the console's launch and make its way to other, unspecified platforms, at an undisclosed date.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare growing to other platforms
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare will sprout first on Xbox One and Xbox 360, as Microsoft was keen to point out at its Gamescom showcase this week. A PC version will arrive shortly after, and now we've learned from PopCap producer Brian Lindley that other platforms are also in the works. "We'll reveal more details about other platforms in the future," he tells Joystiq. Of course, we can only guess at what those platforms might be. Given the prolific nature of the original Plants vs. Zombies, and the expected outgrowth of its recently released sequel, we're going with a low-ball estimate of "all of them." Sony platforms, at the very least, seem like a shoe-in."
