I like dumb things. Nay, I love dumb things. And there's nothing on Earth dumber than a game where you can surf on a banana and fight evil scientist gorillas in cardboard box suits.
I'm extremely easy to please.
Back when Humble Bundle announced that they would be moving into game publishing, they announced a handful of games, one of which was under a working title of No Truce with the Furies. Now, because I'm a perpetual man-child with the power of Photoshop GIMP 2.8, I saw the title and made a quick edit for a gag and sent it to the devs as a joke.
So original right?
This week, at its Nintendo Direct, The Big N went out in style, ending with a dramatic teaser for an upcoming title in the crazy-popular fighting series, Super Smash Bros. immediately sending the gaming internet into total meltdown.
We didn't receive confirmation of whether this new release would be a port, tweaked remake, or an original Smash title. A tweet posted by series veteran Masahiro Sakurai, announcing that he is involved with development and design of the game, has got some fans in a quiver that we may, in fact, be seeing an all new entry.
The announcement of any Smash title brings with it an abundance of wish-listing, pertaining to the game's roster. Smash has the luxury of being incredibly welcoming to crossover characters and guest stars which, in turn, allows fans to run absolutely wild with their ideas and character pitches. Hell, even if it turns out to be a port or remake, I wouldn't be surprised if it still has extra characters added to it's already huge roster.
So, although it may be the most predictable and obvious question in gaming right now, we all know the deal, so let's just get on with it. Who would you like to see throw down in an new Super Smash Bros. game? I'll get you started. Shantae. Now you go...
Oddbird Studio is a small, student-led indie developer based out of Toronto. Their first game, Arrow Heads, is already available on Steam, currently eyeing a PS4 and Xbox One release in the near future.
While the playable build of the game at EGLX is based off of the PC architecture, the game's technical designer, Josh Cappelli, provided assurance that the console build will be a direct port of the original game. As the whole affair is designed with a controller in mind anyway, building a picture-perfect port should provide little challenge to the team, who are excited to have a console build on the horizon.
In case you haven't heard, we're hosting a convention this weekend with our parent company, Enthusiast Gaming!
It's been a pretty great weekend so far and the turnout today was massive, which means a lot of cosplayers are out and about doing their thing. Get a look at some of the most impressive cosplayers in the gallery below, and if you're here, attend one of the many meet and greets the con is hosting throughout the weekend.
Compile Heart have announced that the next game in the endless Hyperdimension Neptunia series will, for the first time, be developed by a Western studio. Artisan Games, in Quebec, Canada, will head up the new title, known as Yuusha Neptune (Brave/Hero Neptune).
The announcement was accompanied by a short video featuring team Artisan Studios speaking of their pride for being asked to be the first ever Western developers to create a title in the cult, comical series. We glimpse very brief footage from the game which, interestingly enough, appears to be more of a platformer in the Rayman sense, than a typical JRPG. This brief shot, however, may not be indicative of the full game.
Either way, we'll know more on April 26 when Dengeki PlayStation magazine will be revealing more information on Brave Neptune, hopefully with confirmation of platforms and release dates. It will be exciting to see what fresh eyes can bring to the beloved series.
Oh, and be sure to check out the video's awesome "Not-Star-Wars" backing music.
Brave Neptune in development at Artisan Studios [Official site]
The cornucopia of games making up the show floor of EGLX is a mix of old and new, with arcade classic rubbing shoulders with the indie hits of tomorrow. There are a lot of inventive ideas here, but what I'm looking for are games I can play with my family and friends right on the couch. And when I get bored of beating them at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I may have to boot up Fossil Hunters.
From developer Reptoid Games, Fossil Hunters is a co-op action title that's all about assembling dinosaur bones for big profits. Up to four players can work together to unearth fossils, combine them into crazy skeletons, cash them in for money, and more. Each stage is presented as another floor in a massive cavern. The action is easy to pick up with contextual buttons. A single button chips away at the rock and sand to reveal the fossil then wipes the bones clean which helps bring in those bigger cash rewards. When a fossil is clean, all I need to do is put it in the correct position and link it up with other fossils.
While there is a specific fossil shape I have to complete on each stage to advance, it's up to the players to decide what the other assembled skeletons look like. So long as they're complete with no open joints, we can sell them for cash. The more elaborate and clean the subject, the more the game makes it rain with those sweet ass gold coins.
Veteran comedic actor Bill Hader and writer-producer Alec Berg knew they had to develop a series for HBO, but didn't know what. While bouncing ideas off of each other, Bill said, "What if I was a hitman?" Alec was skeptical. "No, it'd be me, Bill, as a hitman." "Oh," Alec responded. "Well, that's not cool at all."
Not the enthusiastic response you're expecting? Let's explain. At the SXSW 2018 Q&A, following the premiere of the first two episodes of Hader's new HBO series, Barry, the pair emphasized that this wasn't another John Wick, or some guy out there killing people in a "skinny tie." They eschewed guys with slicked back hair and fancy rides on ds. In fact, when the titular Barry's handler promises him a "dope ride" for an assignment, he gets off the plane to find a well-used station wagon complete with car seat and the high-pitched squeal of a failing belt.
I feel like we take four player co-op games for granted. I know there's a lot to choose from at this point, and there are still plenty in the pipeline, but there's something about a good old fashioned local joint that allows true drop-in, drop-out co-op that gets to me.
Riverbond, which I had a chance to play at EGLX this weekend, seems to be one of those very experiences.
Blumhouse is on a roll right now. They're making some of the biggest hits in horror, and, of course just pulled in an Academy Award nomination for Get Out. That's why I was really excited when an untitled Blumhouse horror film was going to open the midnight screeners at SXSW.
What the untitled surprise film was was a spiritual sequel to Unfriended, the horror film that took place entirely on a laptop screen. That movie turned out surprisingly well despite being based entirely on what can only be called a gimmick, but it looks like Blumhouse wants to take this gimmick and turn it into another anthology of horror films about people getting murdered while on their computers. After seeing the new film, Unfriended: Dark Web, I'm not entirely against the idea.
Of all the stupid holidays named after pop culture references -- May the Fourth, It's Gonna Be May, the day Marty McFly goes into the future that finds its way onto Twitter every couple of months even though it's complete bullshit -- Mario Day is easily the best. I don't know how it started or who created it, probably some marketing internet at Nintendo who's all hip with what the kids are into these days, but it's always a nice opportunity to honor the only plumber in the world who hasn't devastated an unsuspecting family with a horrid case of plumbers crack.
To mark the occasion, Nintendo has updated the My Nintendo rewards, you know that program you don't use, to feature a variety of Mario wallpapers, strategy guides, and 3DS themes, as well as putting several 3DS and Wii U Mario games on sale when you use your silver or gold coins. There is also the big Animal Crossing Pocket Camp crossover that is now underway.
I don't care much about any of that, but as somebody who is going to be traveling back and forth between a hotel and the EGLX event, I do want to see some Mario Kart on my Google Maps. So long as your Google Maps app is up-to-date, you too can transform your standard route marker into Mario for MAR10. Just hit the coin block at the bottom of the app before you start your trip to activate it.
It's always a nice touch when Google Maps geeks out. I still remember when the company turned the entire program into Dragon Quest for April Fools and absolutely made my year.
Celebrate MAR10 Day with My Nintendo [Nintendo]
Ready Player One imagines the year 2044 as an industrial wasteland where people escape the perils of modern life by strapping on virtual reality headsets and disappearing into a vast digital playground called the OASIS. The book, written by Ernest Cline, was published in 2011 -- a year before Palmer Luckey and Brendan Iribe founded Oculus VR. Since then, VR has become a staple of the technology and gaming spheres, with dozens of headsets on the market; everything from cheap, smartphone-powered devices, to untethered PC rigs costing upwards of $1,000 to run properly.
Ready Player One may be set in the near future, but it could have easily taken place in 2018. Nowhere is that more apparent than SXSW's Ready Player One VR event.
Kind of a big deal: We're hosting the FIRST EVER Destructoid Battle of the Bands. Please arrive early as space is limited to a couple of hundred people. If you're arriving in elaborate cosplay we'll let you skip the line, we got you!
Cost: Free with your EGLX pass or $10 at the door
Featuring: Live music from You Bred Raptors?, Arm Cannon, and Knight of the Round ... followed by a brief break... and taking you into the early hours of the morning we have two encore performances: Danimal Cannon and a deluxe set from GRIMECRAFT.
Saturday Night, March 10th
Where: The Sheraton Hotel @ Ambrosia Ballroom
When: 8pm - 3am
See you there!
Telltale's games are defined by in-the-moment choices that have far-reaching consequences, and that's never been truer than it is now. It's releasing the final episode of Batman: The Enemy Within ("Same Stitch") on March 27th, and your decisions from the previous four episodes are determining nothing less than the personality of The Joker. You could end up with an arch-nemesis similar to the classic comic book character, but you might also wind up with an "unpredictable vigilante" -- to some degree, he'd be on your side.
Source: Telltale Games
"What was that? A snowboard? A skateboard?" Jordan and I recapped our Spectrum Break demo from EGLX later while in the hotel room (truth be told, we're still in the hotel room.) Only one way to find out: Check the Spectrum Break site.
Oh, duh -- it's rainbow boarding. Whatever, Spectrum Break is one of the more pleasant surprises at EGLX.
Thanks to everyone that came out to Raiders Esports! Definitely one of the coolest gamer bars I've ever been to. They built out a massive lan area in the back, had tons of arcade machines, Street Fighter and Mega Man murals, and tons of space to lounge and dance. Highly recommended if you're ever in downtown Toronto.
Special thanks to Mike and Chris for setting everything up and Adriano for putting the thing together and bringing all the games. Let's do it bigger next year!
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
Welcome to the weekend! Check out Elon Musk's latest hyperloop concept video, plus other news highlights from the last week. Then keep an eye out for all of our updates from SXSW.
