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Cho Aniki Zero making PSP more manly in Spring 2010
Our somewhat boring day took a turn for the legendary when we received an Aksys press release informing us that the beefcake-infused side-scrolling shooter, Cho Aniki Zero, would appear on the PSP as a PSN download (exclusively) next Spring. The legendary-ness arose not as a result of our excitement for the game (which is immeasurable in its own right), but due to the content of the press release itself. The entire release can be found after the jump, but we've culled our favorite phrases, forming the following poignant, beautiful found poem: Exaltation. Oiled up and ready to thrust. Epic struggle. Muscle-bounded forces. Manliness. Another dimension of sights and sounds. Heightened experiences of rhythmic action. Man-rageous. Brotherly love. Muscle-on-muscle madness. Man-tastic voyage. Man Protein. The greatest bromances of all time. (Snaps.) %Gallery-76401%
THQ*ICE's Dragonica Online to enter open beta on August 18th
THQ*ICE's version of Dragonica Online is all set to transition into its open beta phase of testing next week, on the 18th of August. There's always been a bit of confusion regarding the different versions of this game and their various states of readiness, so we'll be very careful about explaining which one this is: THQ*ICE is responsible for the North American iteration of Dragonica Online. The three English versions have each been attempting to lock down users that try to connect to the wrong service by way of IP blocks. An easy way to see which one you should be registering for is to check the game's Wikipedia entry, which lists all of its publishers worldwide. Also, the NA version is the only one with "Online" in the name.Phew! With that red tape out of the way we can return to your scheduled programming. Those interested in joining the open beta should head to the Open Beta Countdown page and sign up. The test officially kicks off at 2PM Pacific on Tuesday -- if you're too filled with Dragonica excitement to wait that long, then consider entering the "Craft a Dragonica Online T-Shirt" contest. The winning shirt will be made official, and the contest page promises a surprise for the creator: "The winning entrant will be immortalized in Dragonica Online history. Although we can't mention more on this at the moment, it's safe to say you won't soon forget winning!"
WonderKing Online closed beta kicks off Thursday, July 16
WonderKing Online is a new 2-D sidescrolling MMORPG from NDOORS Interactive that may prove to be a hit with gamers who enjoy titles like MapleStory. We've taken a look at WonderKing in recent weeks, in fact we've given away a ton of beta keys to our readers as well. While there are some similarities between WonderKing and MapleStory, both are free-to-play side scrolling games after all, the NDOORS title seems a bit more aggressive. This was confirmed in our interview with the game's developers who told us they're working to implement large scale PvP battles (Castle Battles), where guilds will fight it out to control castles and all that come with them, such as exclusive items and dungeons. That may not be in the cards for WonderKing quite yet, but all those readers we gave beta codes to will find out soon enough -- the WonderKing closed beta kicks off tomorrow, July 16th. For those of you that got in, we hope you have a good time in there.
Dragonica's closed beta test isn't closed anymore
Europe's cute side-scrolling MMO isn't hiding behind a closed beta test anymore! Now the entire Dragonica fanbase can jump into the game with no beta key required as the game moves into stress testing until May 22nd, the original scheduled end of the beta test.To go along with the influx of community members, the game's GMs have announced that they will be hosting PvP rooms on the 19th and the 20th so they can "meet" more members of the community. Why shake hands when a lightning bolt would do instead, right?All that's now required for the Dragonica beta test is simply an account with gPotato, the overseeing game portal that is hosting Dragonica. Once you've acquired one of those, you can hop in to download the game without any difficult barriers blocking your way.Dragonica's official release is still planned for June 2009, and it looks like they're certainly going to meet their deadline with this quick shift into the next phase of beta.
NDOORS list the key features of new MMO WonderKing
NDOORS Interactive, the folks behind Atlantica Online and Luminary: Rise of the GoonZu, have chimed in with some details on their next free-to-play MMO WonderKing. They obtained the rights to bring the game to North America last year, and since we're hearing from them now, things must be on track for the intended release window of the second half of 2009. Here's a brief rundown of what WonderKing entails, from Peter Kang, CEO of NDOORS: "WonderKing is a 2D, side-scrolling MMORPG that takes players on an adventurous journey with story-by-story quests, much like a fantasy novel. Along the way, players will travel from beautiful beaches to murky marshlands and frigid snowfields as they battle to save the world." Kang also made mention of some specific game features, to highlight the fact that 2D does not necessarily mean a lack of gameplay depth. These features include a class-change system, "Castle Battles" that involve siege warfare PvP, mounts and vehicles, pets, private housing, and crafting. NDOORS confirmed that a beta is scheduled for this summer.
This Wednesday: Bust up fools in 'The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai' on XBLA
Announced via Major Nelson's podcast last night, this Wednesday's "Days of Arcade" XBLA game will be the 2D, side-scrolling, three-player co-op beat 'em up (breath), The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. Coming in at 800 ($10), you might remember Dishwasher from GDC 2008 when, among other XNA titles, it was featured as a free download, showcasing the XNA development tools. Be sure to keep a lookout for the X3F Podcast-born achievement that pays homage to Peter Moore's fake guitar playing prowess! And if you're like us and can't spare the extra spacebucks just yet, feel free to window shop in our gallery below.%Gallery-15513%[Thanks Menno!]
Outspark announces closed beta for Wind Slayer 2D MMO
Wind Slayer, not to be confused with the sexy Champions Online villain Mind Slayer, was first announced late last year from the MMO's publisher Outspark. It is described as "a 2D side-scrolling MMO that features six classes, character customization and player-versus-player modes." Did we mention it's free?Now, the closed beta for Wind Slayer has been announced for January 7th through January 14th. This short closed beta will be used for player feedback before the open beta begins in February, and an official launch is slated for later this year. Check out their website for more details on entering the closed or open beta.
Scheduling change for Swords & Soldiers
Attention, fans of de original PC de Blob project: Ronimo Games' Joost van Dongen can be heard in the (rather meandering) Hear Mii podcast, in a very long interview. Unfortunately, that lengthy discussion contains a bit of bad news: his company's fantastic-looking WiiWare RTS Swords & Soldiers will slip from its original Q4 2008 date (there aren't that many dates left in Q4 2008!) to February of next year.We don't really expect to know when any WiiWare game is going to come out anyway, so we're taking this delay announcement in stride. Mostly we're just happy to be reminded of Swords & Soldiers and to have an excuse to post this concept art from the official site.%Gallery-29716% [Via GoNintendo]
Mega-new Mega Man 9 details, screens, hands-on
Beyond some crappy scans and lots of speculation, real info on the WiiWare return of Mega Man has been scant. Well, GamesRadar just opened the flood gates with its exclusive, proper reveal of Mega Man 9, featuring a hands-on by Nintendo editor Brett Elston and an interview with series creator (and MM9 producer) Keiji Inafune. Elston reports that Mega Man 9 is ... well, it's essentially an NES game – just as difficult as the original 8-bit installments of the famed series. "Mega Man 9 is easily on par or above the hardest games in the series," Elston says, adding: "Hell, we played for two hours and only made it to three bosses, and even then only beat two." Read on after the break for more new info.
Sealed Game Boy games will make you break your piggy bank
Hey, you. Yeah, you reading this right now. Do you want River City Ransom EX sealed for $17? If you're ready to say anything but "yes," we kindly ask that you close your browser window, call your mother and apologize for being such a disappointment. If for some reason you're not keen on the game and still manage to have a working brain (or, you know, you already own it), there's plenty of other Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on offer. It's a nice mixture of great first-party and third-party titles, if we may say so. You know, in case you wanted to bulk up your GBA collection.[Via Gamesniped]
Metal Slug 7 site updates with new screens
The official site for upcoming SNK title, Metal Slug 7, has updated with some new goodies for fans. For those of you who want to know more about the cast of the game, there's an updated character profile page. Also, you'll find a boatload of screens showing off gameplay, the rankings screens and "Combat School," which looks like training missions.You can find all of the new screens in our gallery below, so head on in and check out the eye candy.%Gallery-16835%[Via Go Nintendo]
We hope Matchman matches our expectations
One of the more interesting games that's been announced recently is Matchman, which is being released for the DS, the Wii, and (oddly enough) the PS3. The developer for this one is TH-F, who normally develops Chinese games. Thanks to a partnership with Lexicon Entertainment, though, Matchman is slated for a worldwide release.Blah, blah, and so on -- not that that's out of the way, let's get into the juicy, colorless details. We're not calling the game "colorless" as an insult, mind you; it's just literally in black and white. (Hey, it worked for Echochrome). Aside from that little detail, you may also be interested to know that Matchman is a side scrolling shooter with a storyline that's based on a combination of classic fairytales.As for the enemies, don't expect to always kill them with a classic "shoot 'em up" mentality. Some bosses you might have to feed until they explode (it's just a wafer-thin mint!), while others you'll have to manipulate (we're not sure how). The game will feature a "Commuter" mode, too, designed for people who take public transportation (so that they can play with one hand and drink a cup of coffee in the other). That sounds like a funny enough idea, we only hope that the rest of the game has the same sense of humor.Check out the gallery below to see the concept art for Matchman.%Gallery-24271%
WTF?!: sidescroller WoW parody
Warning: while this review is completely Safe For Work, the subject of the review is certainly not. You should wait until you get home before trying out the game.We received quite a few tips about the new World of Warcraft homage game called WTF?! Currently offering a "demo" version, WTF?! is a side-scrolling comedy, featuring two main characters available for your control. You can play the scarlet-topped Blood Elf Priest named "Phallicity" or the rockin' Gnome Rogue named "Lumpen."The premise of the game is focused on the world of...
22 unlockable characters confirmed for Castle Crashers
You'll need more than your fingers and toes when counting up the number of playable characters in The Behemoth's upcoming (and long awaited) XBLA opus Castle Crashers, as the devs have confirmed that the game's roster will pack in "about" twenty-two unlockable slots. How exactly characters will be unlocked remains, much like the game's eventual release date, a mystery, with Behemoth blogger Emil teasing only that characters will be added "by various different means." However, given that since it was first announced some two years ago the heavily-stylized side scroller has remained near the top of a short list of titles we cannot wait to sink our thumbs into, it's just shy of hyperbole to say that we'd do anything Castle Crashers asked of us anyway. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
VC Monday Madness: Super Turrican
Well, it was a long wait. And what kind of thanks do we get for being patient little boys and girls and having to actually turn on our Wii to find out what Virtual Console games are available this week? Super Turrican. Yup, that's it, only one release this week: Super Turrican (SNES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) So, uh ... who's excited?
VC Monday Madness: Ninja Gaiden III and Phantasy Star II
Well, the Virtual Console releases have hit our inbox and we're pleased to see two fan-favorites hitting the download circuit. With one of the most beloved RPG franchises depositing an installment, as well as the third title in the Ninja Gaiden releasing, we're sure going to enjoy giving these a play later on.This week's Virtual Console releases are: Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Phantasy Star II (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) As always, be sure to stop back later for our video wrap-up of this week's content.
In Soviet Russia, Mario moves you
We're very partial to this Moving Mario art display, made by Keith Lam. We have to admit -- part of our love comes from the fact that it reminds us of The Price Is Right's "Cliff Hanger" game (you know, the one with the yodeler?). Sure, that's a far stretch, but we can't help where the synapses in our brains lead.Still, the main attraction of this display is the fact that it represents a side-scroller in its truest form. One where the player is the one moving, that is. Using a Famicom controller, the player moves the "television," and then follows along. All in all, it's a nice literal translation of "paper" Mario. Well done, Mr. Lam.*Note: This display and post has actually nothing to do with Soviet Russia. We just couldn't resist the immature use of an internet meme. Forgive us.[Via Engadget]
VC Friday: Damn, it feels good to be a scroller
What does Nintendo Europe do to follow up Ocarina of Time? Throw a few more side-scrolling titles onto the Virtual Console, of course! At this point, we're starting to think that the VC's subtitle should be something like: All the side-scrolling fun you'll ever need!If all the shooty/fighty games aren't quite your style, there's a little variety, too. Four games -- not a bad week!Available in Europe on this fine Friday: Bio-hazard Battle (Sega Mega Drive) - 800 Wii points Chew-Man-Fu (TurboGrafx) - 600 Wii points Streets of Rage (Sega Mega Drive) - 800 Wii points Sword of Vermillion (Sega Mega Drive) - 800 Wii points
New Super Mario now stomping across Europe
Not content with conquering Japan and America, the newly revamped, newly released, New Super Mario Bros. now set its non-insidious sights on Europe, land of collosseums, queens and curiously leaning constructions. Nintendo of Europe has announced that the game has shipped to stores, just in time to be snatched up over the weekend. Expect Mario to hit his presumed homeland of Italy in full force, devouring mushrooms and smashing bricks, though sadly not fixing leaky plumping. If you haven't purchased the game already, check out its updated official site and catch yourself whistling along to the music.