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The world of 'Guacamelee! 2'
Have you heard the legend of El águila y la serpiente? In a dream, the gods told an Aztec leader to take his people into the wilderness of Central America to look for an eagle grasping a serpent on a prickly pear tree -- one creature that could freely travel between the sky and land consuming another that represented wisdom and rebirth. They wandered, living off fleeting natural resources to survive the changing seasons. That is, until the day they saw an eagle perched on a cactus in the middle of a lake. It was eating a serpent. This was the sign they'd searched for -- the sign they'd found their true home, so the Aztec people built their nation, México-Tenochtitlán on that very lake. Today, we know it as Mexico City. This symbolic battle between eagle and serpent is embedded in the center of Mexico's flag. You can also find it at the heart of Guacamelee! 2, the 2D action-adventure platformer from DrinkBox Studios.
‘Guacamelee’ lands on the Switch today, sequel to follow in December
DrinkBox Studios, the team behind the excellent Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition and Guacamelee 2, have announced that both games will be coming to the Nintendo Switch, with the former out on the Nintendo eShop today. Guacamelee is a side-scrolling, beat-em-up platformer that doesn't only run to the right. Like the Metroid or Castlevania series that inspired it, power-ups are used to explore previously inaccessible areas giving the world a circular cohesion. This style of game design is often referred to as "metroidvania." The reason fans and critics have gravitated towards Guacamelee is not only for its excellent game design, but for its vibrant lineless art and difficult, but rewarding, melee gameplay. You can pick up Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition, which includes all previously released DLC, for $15. After you finish Guacamelee, we also suggest you pick up DrinkBox's fourth game, Severed, released earlier this year on Switch for $15. Guacamelee 2 is slated to come out on Switch this December and is already out on PlayStation 4 and PC.
'Guacamelee 2' brings mayhem to PS4 and PC on August 21st
You only have to wait a few more weeks to get another fix of Mexico-inspired Metroidvania action. DrinkBox has announced that Guacamelee 2 will reach PS4 and Steam (for Windows PCs) on August 21st for a reasonable $20. It's a refinement of the formula that made the original a cult favorite, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The sequel brings slicker graphics, new moves, an upgrade system and four-player co-op to luchador Juan Aguacate's quest to protect his homeland and the entire universe. And naturally, chickens will play an instrumental role.
'Guacamelee! 2' blends a Mexican fairytale with wild, flashy action
Good sequels are hard to make, especially if your first product was considered a hit by gamers and critics alike. That's a predicament that developer DrinkBox Studios is about to face with Guacamelee! 2, the follow-up to its beat-em-up, Mexican wrestler-themed game from 2014. But, I'm happy to report that the sequel may be even better than the original, thanks to an improved graphics engine and characters who are more robust (and powerful) than before. I played it at GDC 2018 and it didn't leave anything to be desired, at least based on the 30 minutes or so I spent with all the new features.
Play 'Guacamelee' and 'Severed' in one bundle on your PS Vita
If you scored a good deal on a PlayStation Vita and aren't sure how to get started on game shopping, Drinkbox might have the answer. The developer is launching a bundle, the simply-titled Drinkbox Vita Collection, that includes all three of its Vita games (Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, Guacamelee and Severed) plus Guacamelee's DLC add-ons. You may not be all that familiar with Mutant Blobs unless you tried it during the Vita's early days, but this is otherwise a great introduction to some classic handheld gaming -- it's hard to top Guacamelee's lucha libre-inspired 2D action, and Severed puts a very surreal twist on the concept of a first-person dungeon crawler. Drinkbox hasn't yet said how much its bundle will cost, but it'll likely be modest when it shows up on July 13th. Update 7/13: The bundle is available for $25, which isn't too shabby for three titles.
PS Vita's 'Severed' goes wild on April 26th
What do one-armed warrior ladies do best? Use a living sword to cut off the limbs of the four-armed, three-faced, four-legged monsters around them. At least that's what the latest trailer for Severed from Guacamelee! developer DrinkBox Studios would lead you to believe. The game hits the ailing PlayStation Vita, exclusively, on April 26th for $15. Dig the music in the video embedded below? Then head over to Yamantaka // Sonic Titan's Bandcamp page to either stream or buy the soundtrack for yourself.
'Guacamelee' studio's next game needs a few extra months
Before you ask: No, it doesn't have an adorably perfect food pun for a name. Severed, the next stylish game from Guacamelee studio DrinkBox, won't launch in the summer as planned. The game needs "a few additional months," though the alpha version will definitely be done in a few days. DrinkBox is taking the extra time to go all-in on "play-testing and tuning," the studio says. "We also need sufficient time to add more memes and dumb jokes." In that case, please take all the time you need, DrinkBox.
Nintendo asks you to pay what you want for indie games
Nintendo's been going through some serious growing pains on its path to the modern era of console gaming but with this latest step it's actually beating Microsoft and Sony to the punch for once. The Japanese gaming company is running a Humble Bundle. Not a Nintendo homegrown version of a Humble Bundle, but a real McCoy on Humble's website. Pretty crazy right? Especially considering these are all indies. Up for grabs are digital codes for games on the 3DS handheld and Wii U alike, including Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition for the latter and Whoah Dave! for the former.
'Severed' from Guacamelee dev reaches Vita in Spring 2015
Drinkbox Studios, the developer behind the stylish Metroidvania beat 'em up Guacamelee, has announced that its next game, Severed, will debut exclusively on the Vita handheld next Spring. "Filled with ghastly enemies, including three-headed constellations, six-armed swordmasters and beasts made of crows, Severed has players take control of a one-armed heroine wielding a living sword as she knits together pieces of her story from both the past and the future," reads the studio's brief plot description. Aside from a short trailer found beyond the break, gameplay information on Severed is lacking, but Drinkbox claims that, "[P]layers will embark on a journey through a surreal, nonlinear world by using a touch-based combat mechanic to defeat enemies in this first-person adventure." Why launch the game exclusively on the Vita, when both more powerful consoles and more successful handhelds are available? Drinkbox founder Graham Smith explains. "DrinkBox has a strong relationship working with Sony and we felt Severed's combat and exploration mechanics were a perfect match for the Vita. We hope Vita gamers will fall in love exploring Severed's uncanny world through our gameplay just like they have with our previous games." [Image: Drinkbox Studios]
Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition strikes Steam this week
Drinkbox Studios' lucha libre-themed action-platformer Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition is scheduled to hit Steam later this week, the studio announced today. Guacamelee's upgraded Super Turbo Championship Edition, which includes all previously released DLC and a batch of expanded storyline content, premiered for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U in July. The upcoming Steam port boasts Steam Workshop support and an in-game costume shop, along with other platform-specific features like trading cards. Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition will make its Steam debut on August 21 for $14.99. Players who already own a copy of the previously released Guacamelee: Gold Edition can upgrade for $4.99. [Image: Drinkbox Studios]
Joystiq Streams: Guacamelee Summer Slam '14 [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
Oh yeah, brother! Guacamelee entered the ring in 2013 to become a bonafide cham-PION of platforming. Snapping into the beefy, juicy taste of slamming exploration and macho wrestling moves, not to mention its bonafide, bodacious chicken mazes, was an unparalleled experience in excellence. That was just the beginning! Now Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition is here for a proverbial cage match on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Wii U. Who are we to resist the chance to go mano a mano with Juan now that he's chock full of new levels and moves? Randy Savage-isms aside, Guacamelee was a Joystiq favorite last year and we're excited to dig in to the new revamped version of the game. We'll be playing Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition live on Joystiq Streams starting at 4PM EST at Joystiq.com/Twitch. Swing on by to hang with us, as well as members of the Drinkbox crew. We'll also be doling out free copies of the game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as we go. Our Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition stream and giveaway starts at 4PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, the very same time Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday.
New Nintendo eShop releases: Guacamelee, Armillo
To coin Sony's term, Squids Odyssey is the first 3DS and Wii U "cross-buy" game, but it's only supported by Nintendo of Europe. Over in Europe, customers who buy the underwater RPG on 3DS can download the previously released Wii U version for free, as long as their Nintendo Network ID is linked across the two systems. However, Siliconera confirmed the promotion isn't coming to North America. We wonder if there's an element of testing the waters going on, but we'll have to wait and see. That's all very interesting, as is 3D rolling platformer Armillo (pictured above, check out its trailer below the break) and the excellent Guacamelee, both of which are now on Wii U. Yet our eyes are inexorably drawn to Bombing Bastards. Not because of the game, which has an undeniably familiar whiff about it, but the name itself, which Nintendo is apparently cool with. Remember when Stealth Bastard Deluxe became Stealth Inc on Sony platforms? Looks like Nintendo doesn't care so much, which is not the way round we pictured that. As ever, you'll find all the new eShop releases below the break. Sales-wise, Kung Fu Rabbit is half-price at $2.49 until July 10, while Just Dance 2014 is permanently down to $40. Also, you can visit the weird and wacky world of 3DS sim Tomodachi Life through a new demo.
Golden freebies: Gotham City Impostors today, Guacamelee tomorrow
If you like the idea of wearing ridiculously extravagant costumes whilst beating up people, but don't have the money, lack of moral code or WWE career to support it, we're here for you with a friendly reminder: As part of Microsoft's Games with Gold service, Gotham City Impostors is free right now for Xbox Live Gold users. So go get already. The Xbox 360 multiplayer shooter is joined tomorrow by wrestle-former Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition on Xbox One, and between those two you'll get enough masks, spandex and wacky violence to sustain you right through to winter.
Games with Gold dips into Guacamelee on Xbox One
In July, Xbox Live members across Xbox One and Xbox 360 get a round of new, free games to download: Xbox One Gold members get Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition, replacing June's Halo: Spartan Assault. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood will carry over to also be free in July on Xbox One. On Xbox 360, Golders get Gotham City Imposters from July 1 - 15. Then from July 16 - 31, Gold members can snag Battleblock Theater for free. [Image: Microsoft]
Guacamelee body-slams next-gen consoles in July
The critically acclaimed, wrestlevania-styled platformer Guacamelee! returns next month in a new version for multiple systems. DrinkBox Studios' Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition includes all the DLC from the original game, along with additional content. A new boss, new areas, new enemies, new abilities and multiple save slots enter the ring. The game will be available July 1 on PlayStation 4 and July 2 on Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One, priced at $15. The original Guacamelee! is currently available on PlayStation 3, Vita, PC, Mac and Linux.
Joystiq Discussion: Are you playing on PS Vita?
"Honestly, Vita owners are the ****ing best," said Chris McQuinn, designer at Drinkbox Studios, in an April interview with GamesIndustry International. McQuinn's team has put their impressive talents to work multiple times on PS Vita, pumping out inspired games like Mutant Blobs Attack and Guacamelee. Some might say, though, Drinkbox would have been better off bringing its vivid slapstick adventures to Steam or home consoles first rather than a handheld with such sluggish sales. McQuinn disagrees. There may not be many Vita owners out there compared to PC players or iPhone owners, but Vita owners are proven game players. "People rag on the Vita so much, and I think people who rag on the Vita don't understand, at least from a business perspective, the purchasing power of Vita owners. Vita owners are serious purchasers of games. It's an amazing system." He's not wrong. PS Vita's blend of inputs, both traditional button controls and multi-touch surfaces, has proven revelatory in myriad games, from Sony and Media Molecule's Tearaway to scrappier independent productions like Roll7's OlliOlli. Those are just two games in what's become one of modern gaming's most quietly impressive libraries. For the classically minded player, Vita's got HD remasters like Final Fantasy X HD as well as a treasure trove of PS1 and PSP games on tap. For the modernity obsessed, it hosts a who's who of independent gaming, from Hotline Miami to Luftrausers. That's not to mention its handful of big budget originals like the sublime Gravity Rush. For all its merits, though, Vita's rough reputation persists. Why? Why is there a perception that Vita doesn't have any games when it's flush with new games and classics alike? For those that have resisted its wiles, why haven't you picked one up and what would convince you to take the plunge? Take the poll and discuss in the comments. Are you playing on PS Vita? [Images: Drinkbox Studios]
Guacamelee: Super Turbo CE hitting PS4, Xbox One, 360, Wii U 'soon'
An upgraded version of Drinkbox Studios' luchador action-platformer Guacamelee! is coming soon to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Wii U, IGN reports. Guacamelee: Super Turbo Championship Edition collects all DLC from the game's previously released PSN and Steam editions, including a selection of add-on costumes and the "Diablo's Domain" level pack. The campaign has been reworked and extended with new areas and boss fights, and characters now boast new abilities not featured in Guacamelee's original release. A release date has not been announced, though developer Drinkbox notes that Super Turbo Championship Edition will hit digital platforms "soon." [Image: Drinkbox Studios / IGN]
Guacamelee is over-the-top in just the right ways
I love games that realize that they are games. What I mean by that is a game that isn't afraid to point out the fact that you are indeed doing something ridiculous, and is in on the joke. Guacamelee is one of those games, and everything from the level design to the ridiculous story seems to be made to put a smile on your face. How crazy is the story? Try this one for size: You're an agave farmer who turns into luchador (a type of traditionally over-the-top Mexican wrestler) in order to rescue the president's daughter from a hellish skeleton overlord. You regularly switch dimensions from the living world to the land of the dead in order to solve puzzles and traverse the 2D landscape. It's bonkers, but brilliant. The game is played like a traditional 2D platformer, where you'll be spending much of the game running left or right. And as the title suggests, your primary means of dispatching enemies is with hand-to-hand combat. The fighting is smooth and responsive, and avoids much of the "punch one enemy, get punched in the back by another" annoyance of similar titles. Enemies start off small, but will eventually fill the screen, requiring that you adjust your approach for each new enemy type. You gain a whole host of abilities as you progress, many of which will be familiar to gamers who cut their teeth on titles like Metroid on the original Nintendo. Only in Guacamelee, you turn into a pint-sized chicken to sneak through narrow gaps, rather than rolling into a ball. The game originally launched early last year for PlayStation systems, but the Gold Edition just launched for OS X on Steam. In addition to the full original game, the new release includes bonus costumes and new abilities, as well as Steam extras like trading cards. There's a ton of replayability here, and with the addition of 2-player co-op, you may very well find yourself tackling the game multiple times just because it's so well done. If you've not yet given Guacamelee a go -- or if you're a PlayStation 3 or Vita gamer who feels like revisiting this gem -- it's available for US$14.99 via Steam.
Humble Indie Bundle 11: Guacamelee, The Swapper, Antichamber and more
There's a very tempting collection on sale over at Humble Bundle right now. Humble Indie Bundle 11 tosses together four indie treasures: Guacamelee, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams and The Swapper. Pay more than the average and you'll also get Antichamber and Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine. Guacamelee is Drinkbox Studios' lucha libre-inspired action platformer, while Dust: An Elysian Tail is Dean Dodrill's beautifully-animated action role-playing game. Giana Sisters, from Black Forest Games, is a difficult 2D platformer, The Swapper is a lauded puzzle game built around a cloning device, Antichamber is a psychological first-person exploration game and Monaco is all about pulling off heists with up to three other buddies. This bundle will be live for the next two weeks, and the Humble Bundle folks assure us new games will be added before the sale period ends. In order to secure those additional games, you'll need to pay beyond the average – which is hovering around $4 as of right now. [Image: Drinkbox Studios]
Dip into Guacamelee on Steam for cheap this weekend
Guacamelee! Gold Edition is Steam's daily deal today. Until 10am PT on Sunday, February 2, you can grab Drinkbox Studios' charming Lucha Libre-inspired platformer for only $3.74. A bundle including the game's delightful soundtrack is available for $5. Guacamelee! Gold Edition includes the base game along with some additional costumes and The Devil's Playground DLC, which opens up an additional area called El Inferno – the Devil's Domain. Guacamelee! Gold Edition also supports Steam Trading Cards, Steam Workshop for custom skins and Steam achievements. In our review, based on the original PS3 and PS Vita version, we called Guacamelee a "luchadorable" good time. "The clumsy evolution of combat aside, I'd heartily recommend Guacamelee – once for its devilish difficulty, again for its luchadorable charm, and one last time for its even-handed treatment of the lowly video game chicken."
