Joystiq Weekly: Wii U too, buddy!
Welcome to the Joystiq Weekly, our weekend recap of the previous week's columns, reviews and more features. Jump into this post for an easy to consume digest of carefully curated content links. You earned it.
The Wii U is here. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is on store shelves. It is the season for your wallet to start screaming. Jump in for a recap of this week's biggest features, including reviews for the Wii U console and its games – New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, and more!
Also explore the world of Black Ops 2, the new game in the popular shooter franchise from developer Treyarch.
Put This In Your Earholes
Super Joystiq Podcast 026: Wii U, Black Ops 2, New Super Mario Bros. U
This week Xav, Ludwig, JC, and Richard talk the good Black Ops 2 and not so good Declassified, along with reviews for New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land and GOTY contender Sing Party. There's also a new staff profile before Alex, Jess, and Jordan close the episode out with news. This week we're giving away Paper Mario: Sticker Star and The Walking Dead.
We Heard You Like Original Features
Capturing the grandeur of the hunt in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Freelancer Kat Bailey explores the first high-def Monster Hunter game slated for North America and walks away impressed.
Joystiq's Wii U Launch Guide
Read Joystiq's comprehensive coverage of Nintendo's new home console, the Wii U. Our launch guide is a one-stop hub for all of our reviews, features, screenshots, videos, and latest news on the new Nintendo system.Faceless: Slender Man stalks, blocks Greenlight's top game from Steam
Could legal issues on license ownership be the reason why Valve has yet to Greenlight Faceless, a game based on the internet-created Slender Man legend? The developer speaks to Joystiq about being passed by Valve's new service, despite being voted one of its top projects by the Steam community.
Joystiq Editorial Columns – We Have Opinions, Too!
How RPGs can avoid descending into early game hell
Columnist Kat Bailey explores the historical design direction of making RPGs extremely difficult in the beginning with things getting gradually easier over time and outlines how it could be better.The future of the Western role-playing game
Columnist Rowan Kaiser discusses what he thinks will and won't change in the next generation of western RPGs.
Wherein Joystiq Reviews All The Video Games
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 review: War on Three Fronts by Xav de Matos
Treyarch delivers a stellar overall package with some good ideas. The single-player story has narrative issues, but does a good job of branching for multiple endings. Zombies is unforgiving, which makes it less inviting for new players. Multiplayer, however, is outstanding with intelligent tweaks to create-a-class and other great feature additions, like live streaming. Read our complete review and watch the video review for more.Wii U hardware review by JC Fletcher
We examine the ins and outs of Nintendo's new hardware. Is it something you should consider purchasing? Yeah, we'd never write "U" like that. We have keyboards.New Super Mario Bros. U review: A return to form by Richard Mitchell
Mario and his friends have returned in New Super Marios Bros. U, probably the biggest title for Nintendo's new console launch. Find out if the charm and wonderment from past games have returned, or if the game is more of the same (like the last 3DS game).Nintendo Land review: Controller coaster by JC Fletcher
The Wii U's answer to Wii Sports is Nintendo Land, a collection of minigames that showcases what the new console – and its tablet controller – can do. With multiple games inspired by Nintendo classics, Nintendo Land is a treat for Nintendo fans.Karateka review: Lacks punch by Sinan Kubba
Jordan Mechner's karate classic has been re-imagined, and unfortunately the game is better served as a memory and not a modern release.Hitman: Absolution review: Murder by Numbers by Xav de Matos
IO-Interactive brings its original assassin back. Despite its flaws and ridiculous story, Hitman: Absolution is a lot of fun. Read our complete review and watch the video review for more.