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'Mortal Kombat X' ups the fright factor with Jason Voorhees
Round 1, FRIGHT! Jason Voorhees, the hockey-masked murderer from the classic Friday the 13th horror films, will be a playable character in Mortal Kombat X. Jason joins the fight as part of the Kombat Pack DLC pass, which includes four playable characters (including Jason), plus the Samurai Pack with three character skins: Ronin Kenshi, Samurai Shinnok and Jingu Kitana. The Kombat Pack is $30, though in the Americas it comes packed in with more expensive, special editions of the game -- The Kollector's Edition is $150, the Limited Edition is $100 and Premium is $90. Mortal Kombat X launches on April 14 for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4; the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions have been delayed until summer. Sharpen your fighting skills (and your machete collection), and check out the Mortal Kombat X Jason teaser below.
Adult Swim's Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe hitting Steam soon
Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe, a crazy mix of Tetris and Mega Man created by developer Andrew Morrish and published by Adult Swim, comes to Steam later today. The project started as a Flash game (playable for free) in which you shoot groups of blocks that fall from above. The "Deluxe" part is new, with the game having evolved to include eight different characters, six worlds, and local head-to-head multiplayer. Full controller support is also included, so you can play SPPD through Steam's Big Picture mode. Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is regularly priced at $7.99, though it'll be 25 percent off at launch. To celebrate, Adult Swim's also having a half-off sale on its first Steam release, Super House of Dead Ninjas, next Tuesday, May 28.
Free for All: Is a subscription the new sign of trouble?
I hate to continually harp on the payment model as a source for material, but let's be honest: How a player pays for a game does affect how and whether he will play. Heck, it's obvious through my comments and emails that some people will literally avoid the coolest-looking game they have ever seen if it has a cash shop tacked on or it is using a free-to-play business model. Oddly enough -- and this is an honest observation -- I rarely hear a free-to-play fan say that he will avoid a game just because of its payment model. Perhaps the long hair and free-loving ways of the free-to-player helps to keep his mind open to payment models from all walks of life? Damn frippies. Another common conversational theme that shows up almost every time we have this discussion is that free-to-play has done something wrong. Some seem to think that the free-to-play "movement" is equal to Walmart moving into their hometown, bringing lower-quality products and slower customer service with it. Of course, those same people might not admit to visiting Walmart for all of their needs and grabbing some batteries and chapstick from the impulse-buy section. It is often said that free-to-play is reserved for games that were in trouble, as if it were some sort of last-minute life preserver. Even in this scenario of free-to-play as the hero, the term becomes twisted into a shady businessman, swooping in on the elderly section of town after a tornado. Now, I've covered the possible racial and xenophobic connections to this hate for games and payment models from "Asia," and I would rather not rehash it now. I'm beginning to think the real explanation might be much simpler. Click past the cut and let's discuss.
Tuesday (is Raid Night)
I'm not gonna lie -- I've had a crush on dear Francis since his rant on Icecrown Citadel and Star Trek Online. The man (or the persona, rather -- Francis is a comedic parody) has only solidified that crush since, especially now that he's released his hit single Tuesday. Francis, you keep on shining, you crazy diamond. Oh, and ladies? My sources say he's a fantastic Magic player. I know, I know, calm down -- the queue starts behind me. You'll all get your turn. Be warned, the tail end of the video has mildly NSFW language.
Watch a Max Adventure level get created in three minutes
The good folks at Imangi Studios (husband-and-wife team Natalia and Keith) are hard at work on their latest iPhone game Max Adventure, and they've been sharing updates from the trials and tribulations of making a big iPhone game via their twitter accounts. Among those updates today was this little gem above -- Keith Shepherd hammering out a Max Adventure level over a time-lapse video. It's pretty cool to see, not only for how he builds the level block-by-block, but to see what changes as he goes along versus what apparently was the original plan. The whole time lapse plays out from a four hour period of real time, and considering how big the game will eventually be, this is probably a drop in the bucket. Shepherd also says the level editor is one that Imangi actually built for themselves, alongside Max Adventure (though presumably they'd be able to use it for other apps as well). Fun little behind-the-scenes of an iPhone game on this Saturday afternoon.
New Courier Mac app from RealMac teased
Usually, I'm not so hot on the vague teasers, especially for Mac software. If you want me to be interested in your movie or your game or your software, just let me know what it does and how, and I'll decide if I want it or not. But what the heck, it's the freakin' weekend, so here's a teaser short for a new RealMac app coming soon called Courier -- not to be confused with the Microsoft tablet. Frederico at MacStories says it might be one of the best apps of the year, and why not -- we'll take his word for it (at least until we can try it out ourselves). Plus, the teaser has a nice cover of Stand and Deliver, and I can't really argue with that. From the look of it, the app will allow you to collect and send whatever you want around the world, from music and movies to pictures, and ... toy horses? We'll keep an eye out for Courier when it releases sometime next week.
European Nintendo downloads: Kirby's Fun Pak, Art Style: Penta Tentacles
This week in North America, Art Style: Light Trax was released on WiiWare. In Europe, the other new Art Style game has been released. It appears alongside one of the most beloved Kirby games ever! DSiWare in Europe this week is ... eclectic, featuring, among other things, a picross game about animal pictures, and a national anthem karaoke game. The Nintendo page says that "All eyes are on South Africa, all EARS are on you - in the karaoke game of the year!" Which is odd, considering the lack of the South African national anthem in this game. Kirby's Fun Pak (SNES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Lead the Meerkats (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) Art Style: Penta Tentacles (WiiWare, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) Voodoo Dice (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Hero of Sparta (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Animal Color Cross (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Bloons (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Just Sing! National Anthems (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) %Gallery-86441%
European Nintendo downloads: Phoenix Wright, Discolight
European DS owners had to wait a long time for Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations. In fact, it was released after its sequel, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. The wait wasn't nearly as painful for the WiiWare port of Trials and Tribulations. It's out today, three months after the release of Justice for All. How to celebrate this release? Why not turn your DSi into a virtual disco light show? Because there is an app designed to do precisely that. Why, yes, it is from the same developer as Flashlight! Here's the full rundown of downloadable release this week: Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) Robin Hood: The Return of Richard (WiiWare, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Ferrari GT Evolution (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 800 DSi Points) Discolight (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Flips: More Bloody Horowitz (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Telegraph Crosswords (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Bit.Trip Runner, Ghoul Patrol
The fourth game in Gaijin Games' retro-esque, musical Bit.Trip series arrives in Europe today, three days before Commander Video runs across the Atlantic Ocean. Should your tastes run more toward shooting than running, you can play Ghoul Patrol, the second game about zombies having eaten someone's neighbors. DSiWare is packed with stuff, including EnjoyUp's original DS version of Chronos Twins and a time-management game about fire trucks. Ghoul Patrol (SNES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Bit.Trip Runner (WiiWare, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) AiRace (DSiWare, 1-6 players, 500 DSi Points) Brain Drain (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Chronos Twins (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Fire Panic (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Sudoku Challenge! (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Final Fantasy, Rytmik, Metal Torrent
If you're in Europe and can somehow tear yourself away from Sin & Punishment: Successor of the Skies today (we're very jealous) you can play the very first Final Fantasy on Virtual Console. And ... Pub Darts! On DSiWare, the standout title is Rytmik, a music creation utility sort of like Korg DS-10, but downloadable. It's joined by another Breakout-style game (with a zen theme!), Nintendo/Arika's shmup Metal Torrent, and another Flips e-book. Final Fantasy (NES, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) Pub Darts (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) Rytmik (DSiWare, players, 800 DSi Points) Metal Torrent (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Bounce & Break (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Flips: Silent but Deadly (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase, KOF '95
WarioWare D.I.Y. has launched in Europe (under the slightly more straightforward title WarioWare Do It Yourself). Concurrently, for those who want to extend the experience to the Wii, or just play and share microgames without buying the full game, the downloadable WiIWare WarioWare Do It Yourself Showcase has also been made available. In addition, the Virtual Console adds the vintage Neo Geo fighter The King of Fighters '95. The King of Fighters '95 (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points) 5 Arcade Gems (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 700 Wii Points) WarioWare: Do It Yourself Showcase (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 800 Wii Points) Surviving High School (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Simply Solitaire (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) DodoGo! (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) VT Tennis (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Save the Turtles (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) %Gallery-86452%
European Nintendo downloads: Blaster Master, Zombie Panic in Wonderland, Game & Watch
This week's releases largely belong to DSiWare, at least in terms of volume. Three Game & Watch simulators are joined by a downloadable version of The Price is Right, the surprise hit Faceez and Alphabounce, a Breakout clone with ... RPG elements? But in terms of quality, the Wii has the advantage, with both the NES version of Blaster Master and Akaoni Studio's WiiWare shooting game Zombie Panic in Wonderland, which combines fairy tale characters and firing guns at zombies. The complete list of releases for the week follows: Blaster Master (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Zombie Panic in Wonderland (WiiWare, 1-2 players, 1000 Wii Points) Learning with the PooYoos - Episode 2 (WiiWare, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Game & Watch: Helmet (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Game & Watch: Manhole (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Game & Watch: Vermin (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Faceez (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) The Price is Right (DSiWare, 1-4 players, 800 DSi Points) Alphabounce (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Super Mario Kart, Chronos Twins DX
We don't even have to try to explain the significance of today's Virtual Console game. It's Super Mario Kart. Well, okay, for our younger audience members: Super Mario Kart is like Mario Kart Wii, but older. Europe's been on a roll recently, first with the Hanabi Festival granting Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and others, and now Super Mario Kart! DSiWare has four games this week, including the remake of the Amiga Oscar in Movieland and Puzzle to Go Diddl, a jigsaw puzzle game whose title we're doing our very best not to giggle about. Super Mario Kart (SNES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Family Mini Golf (WiiWare, 1-8 players, 500 Wii Points) Chronos Twins DX (WiiWare, 1 player, 700 Wii Points) AiRace: Tunnel (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Oscar in Movieland (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Puzzle to Go Diddl (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Spaceball Revolution (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Ogre Battle 64, Diner Dash, Art of Balance
The latest Hanabi Festival has deposited another high-quality import into the European Wii Shop: Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber. Should you be less enthused by strategy and more into reflexes, you can get your fight on in Fatal Fury Special, also available on Virtual Console this week. On DSiWare, you're treated to a trio of Game & Watch games from Nintendo, along with yet another GTA-type game. Ogre Battle 64 (Nintendo 64, 1 player, 1,200 Wii Points) Fatal Fury Special (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points) Art of Balance (WiiWare, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Diner Dash (WiiWare, 1-8 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Game & Watch: Chef (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 Wii Points) Game & Watch: Judge (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 Wii Points) Game & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 Wii Points) Super Yum Yum: Puzzle Adventures (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Gangstar 2: Kings of LA (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, Muscle March ... Flashlight
All right, we didn't think there would be anything that could distract us from the release of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood -- but here we are, on the day of its European release, with pretty much all our focus elsewhere. And no, the object of our gaze isn't Muscle March, as amusing as that is. It's ... Flashlight for DSiWare. It's ... a flashlight. You pay 200 DSi Points for something that displays a solid color on your screens. We kind of knew it would arrive someday, since there are a million of these on the iPhone, but still. A flashlight. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Turbografx CD-ROM, 1 player, 900 Wii Points) Milon's Secret Castle (NES, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) Muscle March (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 500 Wii Points) Car Jack Streets (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Flashlight (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Flips: The Enchanted Wood (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Libera Wing (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Photo Dojo (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 200 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Ironclad, Nectaris
Okay, so it isn't Rondo of Blood this week in Europe. Nintendo instead chose to inaugurate the latest Hanabi Festival with the pre-rendered Neo Geo shooter Ironclad and Lode Runner for NES. It's pretty novel in and of itself to have two Virtual Console games in a single week, not to mention a Neo Geo game! They're joined on Wii by the WiiWare version of Military Madness. Lode Runner (NES, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points) Ironclad (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Nectaris: Military Madness (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Elemental Masters (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 800 DSi Points) Pop Island (DSiWare, 1-8 players, 500 DSi Points) Simply Sudoku (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Simply Mahjong (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) 4 Travellers Play Spanish (DSiWare, 1-4 players, 800 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Mega Man 10, Bit.Trip Void, Dark Void Zero
It's a fantastic day to be in Europe like retro and retro-style downloadable games. Coinciding with that amazing Bit.Trip Runner trailer, its predecessor Bit.Trip Void is now avaiable on WiiWare, along with the authentically NES-style Mega Man 10! There's even a real retro game available on Virtual Console -- a pretty good one, at that. The theme even extends to DSiWare, where you can get Dark Void Zero, a promotional game that outshines the game it was meant to promote. You can play it on the DSi XL, which was released in Europe today! Zaxxon (Arcade, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Bit.Trip Void (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) Mega Man 10 (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) Dark Void Zero (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Flips: The Bubonic Boulders (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Globulos Party (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 500 DSi Points) Pinball Pulse: The Ancients Beckon (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Real Football 2010 (DSiWare, 1-4 players, 800 DSi Points) New English Training: Learn with Tempo - Advanced Edition (not available in the UK) (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, Dracula: Undead Awakening
This week, European Wii and DSi owners can download the same game on either system: a ported version of Chillingo's iPhone shooter iDracula: Undead Awakening. Unfortunately, it's hitting on the absolute worst day ever to release a WiiWare game about fighting Dracula. Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) Reel Fishing Challenge (WiiWare, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Dracula: Undead Awakening (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) Bird & Bombs (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Dracula: Undead Awakening (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Electroplankton: Marine-Crystals (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Electroplankton: Varvoice (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Zoo Frenzy (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Sonic & Knuckles, Frogger Returns, Overturn
It's a return of two classic mascots on the Wii this week, sort of. A good Sonic the Hedgehog game -- and, in fact, one that is kind of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 -- is up on the Virtual Console, with Lock-On tech intact; and Konami's Frogger is doing what he does best (almost dying in traffic). And also there's a game about robots shooting each other, but that doesn't really fit into the theme. Sonic & Knuckles (Mega Drive, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Frogger Returns (WiiWare, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Overturn: Mecha Wars (WiiWare, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Electroplankton: Rec-Rec (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Electroplankton: Lumiloop (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Sudoku 4Pockets (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Let's Golf (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 800 DSi Points)
European Nintendo downloads: Excitebike World Challenge, Final Fight 3
Excitebike World Rally, having just been released in Japan this week, is now available in Europe, ready to delight players with online, tilt-controlled classic motorcycle racing. Final Fight 3 is also out in Europe this week, with classic dude-punching. We're starting to wonder -- is the worldwide Virtual Console release of Final Fight 3 some kind of abstract promotion for Super Street Fighter IV, which features characters and locales that originated in the Final Fight series? Or is it the Wii's equivalent of Final Fight Double Impact? Final Fight 3 (Virtual Console: SNES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) "Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 500 Wii Points) Excitebike World Challenge (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points) Snakenoid (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
