Mar 11, 2018 | Game ON news

Sunday, March 11, 2018

News:: Would you buy a Switch Joy Con that has its own screen?

Nintendo has made it clear that they aren't planning to make a revised version of the Switch any time soon. That said, they still love to find new ways for people to use the console, with their Nintendo Labo initiative being a recent example. If they want literally everyone on Earth to buy a Switch, they are going to have to keep coming up with new angles to grab headlines and draw in new players.

They also have to keep old customers, which certainly hasn't been a problem for them so far, but there may come a time when Switch owners start to miss the perks of Nintendo consoles past. Many of us are already wistful for the smaller form factor of the Gameboy and DS line of handhelds, and second screen gameplay mechanics that both the Wii U and 3DS had to offer. As much as I love Splatoon 2, the loss of the option for pin-point map hopping on the Wii U Gamepad screen makes it ever so slightly inferior to the original, at least in that regard.

Artist and designer Eric Kubli has proposed a way to fix those problems.

Would you buy a Switch Joy Con that has its own screen? screenshot

News:: How to show the world you love video games and are bad with money

One of the more difficult things, for me, about being a gamer is finding ways to display my love for the medium in ways that aren't entirely tacky. Sure, I'm wearing a juvenile Mega Man 9 shirt as I write this, but I try to be fashionable. Gaming t-shirts are nice but I'm at an age where I shouldn't be wearing them to job interviews, dates, funerals, or into random houses I think are mine as I drunkenly stumble my way home at night. That's why I'm always appreciative when fashion designers try to implement my love of all things video games in stylish ways.

I'm just not $200 appreciative.

Old white lady store Bloomingdales is now selling a series of exclusive Nintendo-themed shirts from Gitman Vintage for a wallet massacring price of $199.95 each, or CAD 263.11. There are three designs available: the Donkey Kong shirt seen above, a Mario enemies shirt, and a Mario power-ups shirt. If you don't have two Benjamins to drop, there are slightly cheaper shirts, shorts, hoodies, and accessories from other designers sporting that 8-bit style.

While I'm sure they'd look terrible with my pot belly, I wouldn't mind owning all three Gitman exclusives because that is exactly my style. But I also like having food to eat and wouldn't if I splurged.

Designer Collaborations Inspired by the World of Nintendo [Bloomingdales]

How to show the world you love video games and are bad with money screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/how-to-show-the-world-you-love-video-games-and-are-bad-with-money-493848.phtml

News:: Making Mr. Dtoid: Beautiful in Bacteria

_{[Gamemaniac3434 used his profession and passion in the field of microbiology to recreate our esteemed mascot in bacteria and then described the process of how it all went down. As someone who can't draw at all I appreciate these alternative forms of fanart, now if only I could rework HAARP to make Mr. Dtoid in the clouds. ~Anthony]}

As some of you may be aware, I am a student of the school of microbiology. Currently I’m attempting to get into graduate school, that I may rain down a plague of terror not seen since the black death for the glory of mankind. In my ruminations on such things, I sometimes look back on my days of college and think on the microbiology type things I did there. And that brings us to the topic of this particular blog - the creation of Mr. Destructoid in glorious bacterial splendor. I’ve been musing on discussing how I did this for a while and finally decided to do it, with potential for an additional something I'll bring up at the end of the blog.

Making Mr. Dtoid: Beautiful in Bacteria screenshot

News:: Tennis legend Andre Agassi is building tech to help with dyslexia

Andre Agassi, the legendary American tennis player, made an appearance at SXSW 2018 to announce a partnership with Square Panda, a startup that makes educational apps for kids. Through his namesake Early Childhood Neuroscience Foundation, Agassi and Square Panda are creating Readvolution, an initiative that aims to develop the "first-ever" free dyslexia-assesment game. To make this happen, their plan is to get help from scientists in a number of universities in the US, such as the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the Weill Institute of for Neurosciences.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/03/11/andre-agassi-square-panda-readvolution-dyslexia/

News:: Community Blog: Shadow of the Colossus is not a good game

_{[We asked for Deediddle's permission before bringing this blog to the front page, because boy howdy, you know some might well want to crucify him for this opinion. Still,} _we _{can live in 2005 forever. Just remember that this was originally a blog, an opinion he's entitled to, and I at least felt like reading it was worth my time, so maybe you'll think so too.~Marcel]}

Hoo boy. Before I begin, I want to make one thing clear—there’s a lot to like about Shadow of the Colossus. I recognize the artistry that went into the game, and just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean I think other people can’t enjoy it. That would be nuts. I wanted to love Shadow of the Colossus, but in the end I had a lot of problems with it and I wanted to share them with the world. This is nothing more than my review of Shadow of the Colossus with an admittedly-kinda-inflammatory headline. Okay?.. Okay.

Some context, then: I've been a Nintendo lad since before I could multiply numbers. I've been a member of the PC Superior Ethnicity—or whatever it’s called—for the better part of a decade now, but my exposure to non-Nintendo home consoles has been limited. It’s because of this that I’d known for a while that Shadow of the Colossus must be one of the all-time greats; because even I had heard about it. So when I picked up my PS4 this past Black Friday, I had one game in mind: Bloodborne.

Community Blog: Shadow of the Colossus is not a good game screenshot

News:: The 'Westworld' mobile game is open for pre-registration

If you've been dying to be a part of the team that runs the unsettling theme park in HBO's Westworld, your wait is almost over. At SXSW today, Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment announced pre-registration for the mobile game, which will be released this year on Android and iOS. We learned earlier this year that the game is in the works, and today's announcement sheds light on the plot and timing.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/03/11/westworld-mobile-game-real-pre-registration/

News:: Chicken or Egg, which came first? Splatoon players now have the answer

Over the last couple of days, North American and European players battled it out on Nintendo's Splatoon 2 to answer one of life's oldest brainteasers, Which came first: The Chicken or The Egg. Now, we have a (scientifically-binding, I assume) answer.

Pearl's Team Chicken took the 2 - 1 victory, defeating Marina's Team Egg in both Solo and Team play. Interestingly enough, the public poll leaned heavily toward Egg, taking 59% of the vote. Things were different on the battlefield though, and Pearl now has another victory under her wing (WING! LIKE A CHICKEN!).

It should be noted that Chicken players got to use an all-new white ink, and never question the influence "something new" can have over a person's philosophical beliefs. Regardless, congratulations to Pearl's posse who this weekend -- just like the chicken -- came first.

Chicken or Egg, which came first? Splatoon players now have the answer screenshot

News:: Cuphead developers talk old games, what they learned, and what's next

Even when it was kicking my ass and pushing me close to my breaking point, Cuphead was an absolute highlight last year. After dutifully following its development for years, the run-and-gun game lived up to sky-high expectations. It was gorgeous. It sounded fantastic. It played like a dream.

This weekend at EGLX, Brett and I had the pleasure of hosting a live interview with Cuphead co-creator Chad Moldenhauer and artist and producer Maja Moldenhauer of Studio MDHR during a panel. We wanted to learn everything we could about the making of Cuphead -- and, based on how many hands shot up during the Q&A portion, so did most of the audience. It was a packed house.

We're planning to share the full recorded interview, but until then, here are some highlights.

Cuphead developers talk old games, what they learned, and what's next screenshot

News:: SXSW Review: A Vigilante

A few weeks ago I had the displeasure to sit through Eli Roth's Death Wish, a revenge thriller that sucked for many reasons, but most importantly because you didn't really care about the revenge at all. There was no emotional push to get you embedded with the character going around causing violence and mayhem, and it often didn't seem like the bad guys deserved their gruesome fate. Not to mention the fact that the lead actor didn't seem to want to be there, and the film's themes were a bit disturbing. It just fell flat.

A Vigilante is the exact opposite in almost every single way.

SXSW Review: A Vigilante screenshot

News:: MMA card game Uncaged: World Fighters makes debut at EGLX

I'm not popular enough to have any actual friends to play board or card games, which is why something like EGLX is a great opportunity to expand one's horizons and try things they might otherwise miss out on. Uncaged: World Fighters is an experience I'm glad I got to have.

Our good pal CJ and I had a chance to check out this MMA-centric card game at this weekend's show. We were sat down with an introductory round to explain the mechanics and let loose, and luckily had a good enough time to complete a single game.

MMA card game Uncaged: World Fighters makes debut at EGLX screenshot

News:: Review: SeaFall

As we move forward in board gaming's current golden age, new games are coming out at an incredible pace. Even so, many provide only new dressing on existing ideas. Once in a while, something comes along that feels so new and different, it invents a genre. We saw it in 2008 with deck-building, then again in 2011 with the legacy concept.

To be fair, legacy games haven't exploded since Risk Legacy introduced permanence and destruction to a community that values keeping its entertainment in pristine shape, able to be played as originally intended in perpetuity. It wasn't until the past couple years we saw titles like Pandemic Legacy and Gloomhaven release.

But SeaFall was the one I was most excited for. Heck, it was my most anticipated game of 2015 (never mind that it eventually released in 2016). It was going to be the first fully original legacy design (where Risk and Pandemic are already things that existed before their legacy versions) and so it would be designed from the ground up with a persistent campaign in mind.

It looked like it would meet my lofty expectations in the beginning, but holy cow did it fall apart the further in we got.

Review: SeaFall screenshot

News:: Is there an item more useless than the Twilight Princess spinner?

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is home to perhaps the greatest boss fights in all the series. Argorok, Fyrus, Blizzeta are stand-outs, but it’s the battle against Stallord that is an absolute jaw dropper. A roller-coaster ride of skeleton smashing action, the fight is one of the best examples of a boss built entirely around a single Zelda item. In this case, the spinner, which is amazing in the fight but utterly pointless for the rest of the game. It’s not the first item to have limited implementation in a Zelda game with the raft from the original being the most obvious example.

I only bring up the spinner because I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap up as much of Hyrule Warriors as I can before I finally move onto a new Musou and the spinner is the weapon I’m leveling up right now. It got me thinking of all the silly or dumb useless items that find their way into a game. Whether it’s the puny gun developers tie to an achievement so you have to use it, or some trinket you carry for no reason at all, there is a lot of impractical items in gaming and I asked the Destructoid contributors to tell us their favorites.

Is there an item more useless than the Twilight Princess spinner? screenshot

News:: Check out the hottest garbage can cosplayers at EGLX

This month will mark my fourth year writing for the main page of Destructoid. It's been an amazing ride and I've been able to have a lot of fun meeting developers and publishers from around the world to talk about a hobby we all love. But until this weekend there was one aspect of this job I'd never been able to do before. EGLX marks my first gaming convention and it's been a bit of an eye-opener. So many games, so much merch, so many different and foreign smells.

It's great to see so much passion for this industry. From developers to fans, everyone was excited about video games and nobody put their love of the medium on display more than cosplayers. There are so many cosplayers around the convention hall from all different game genres. I saw a Nathan Drake, a 2B, a Zero Suit Samus -- all exquisitely done. So many great costumes, but hands-down the most popular character to cosplay as this year was the garbage can.

Everywhere I looked around the convention hall I saw another person cosplaying as a garbage can. Big and small, there was just so much love for the refuse bin that I had to snap some photos to show you the sexiest garbage cans from EGLX.

Check out the hottest garbage can cosplayers at EGLX screenshot

News:: Review: Battlezone: Combat Commander

Detention was my favorite place to be after school. I was a bit of a smart ass back then, which I suppose hasn’t changed much, and my mouth got me into trouble more often than not. I frittered away a lot of my time goofing around, and frankly, the struggles I am having as an adult to transform myself into useful pond scum from the bottom feeder I am shifting away from reflects that. But, in my first year of high school, I didn’t mind. Because for whatever reason, they let us use the computer lab for detention in the hopes that we would get some work done. But the second no one was looking, which was most of the time, I’d be playing Battlezone.

The original Battlezone is much older than I am, originally released in 1980. It’s pseudo 3D line graphics and first person view were certainly not impressive by the time I was playing it on a computer monitor in the early 2000’s, but there is an addicting charm to the game and its simplistic abstraction that feels timeless to me. As long as the game is fun, I can get just as engaged, even moreso, than something with photorealistic graphics, and I played Battlezone a lot.

The remake of Battlezone that came out in 1998 was essentially the diametric opposite of everything I just described. In fact the only real thing it had in common with the original was the presence of tanks. Battlezone ‘98 was a real time strategy game crossed with a first person vehicle shooter, emphasis on RTS. It was quite well liked upon release, and in February 2016, was remastered for Steam as Battlezone 98 Redux. It’s sequel, the 1999 Battlezone II: Combat Commander did not garner the same praise. It was a bug-ridden affair that was too demanding for most systems at the time, although it did have its followers and the modding community behind it.

I was excited to try it after missing out on Battlezone ‘98 and its remake, despite being unfamiliar with anything past the original Battlezone. I will say this right off the bat; despite being a modernize remaster, Battlezone: Combat Commander is a game from 1999 available on Good Old Games and Steam with a bit of an up do, and all the fiddly bits that come along for the ride.

Review: Battlezone: Combat Commander screenshot

News:: The Destructoid Jumbo Games Music Playlist!

Looking for a new Spotify playlist to have on in the background while you work/play games/polish your duelling swords? The writers at Destructoid have a wonderful present for you! Don't worry, it's 100% free, with no strings (or teeth, or surprise grenades, or whoopie cushions) attached.

Here is our jumbo games music playlist, with over 10 hours of both licensed and OST tracks from a wide range of different games. That's longer than the theatrical version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or an entire season of The Simpsons, or a full workday! What a treat.

There's a full track listing below, with who requested which track, the game of origin and when the game was released. Some of the writers added the tracks themselves, while I added them to the playlist for other contributors. My personal favourites are in bold. Enjoy, subscribe and share widely on social media!

The Destructoid Jumbo Games Music Playlist! screenshot

News:: King of the Hat is my favorite game from EGLX

The best party games are the ones you're able to pick-up quickly. It's what makes Mario Party or Towerfall or WarioWare: Smooth Moves the go-to games for get-togethers with friends and drinking buddies. These are the types of games anyone can understand and can lead to hours of fun and competitiveness that run long into the night. In 2019, King of the Hat may join those title as a must-play game for parties.

I almost missed it as I walked the floor at EGLX. With the crowds on Saturday, it was easy to overlook. But I was told I had to play it. So I made my way over and watched as a group of four laughed and battled in this extremely simple looking four-player brawler. The idea is simple: jump on your opponent's hat to kill them in a Smash Bros.-like platform stage. Your hat is your lifeblood; if it gets smashed, you're dead. You can throw your hat in different directions to avoid a smash and also to knock your opponents' hat off. Those are the basics of the game, combining into a complete package that greatly rewards players who take significant risks.

It took me just a minute with the game, using knock-off GameCube controllers, to figure out what I needed to do. When I finally got three others to join me, I absolutely destroyed them through the first two-out-of-five wins before they got the hang of it. There was a handful of characters to choose from in the demo, but I went with a sentient washing machine, that can't walk for shit, but can triple-jump and has a devastating drop. After those first two wins, the other players gave me a run for my money. That's just how easy it is to pick this game up. A few rounds later, another player and I were tied up at four wins apiece, when I managed to crush her and seal my victory.

King of the Hat is my favorite game from EGLX screenshot

News:: Naughty Dog promotes Creative Director Neil Druckmann to Vice-President

Naughty Dog have announced that the company's long-time programmer and Creative Director is now the studio's Vice-President. The promotion was announced via on ND's official website.

The 39-year-old American-Israeli was responsible for designing and writing games in the highly-acclaimed Uncharted and Last of Us series, as well as performing programming duties on the Jak & Daxter titles. Despite his new role in the studio, Druckmann will still be the Creative Director for the anticipated The Last of Us Part II, scheduled for release sometime in the future.

Speaking of, Naughty Dog also took the opportunity to announce that Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau will be joint Game Directors on the survival horror sequel, while Emilia Schatz and Richard Cambier have been named Lead Designers on the project.

The Last of Us Part II is currently in development for PlayStation 4.

Naughty Dog promotes Creative Director Neil Druckmann to Vice-President screenshot

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/naughty-dog-promotes-creative-director-neil-druckmann-to-vice-president-493641.phtml

News:: Xbox One will automatically use your TV's game mode

Many TVs have a game mode that disables image processing to reduce lag, but it can be a pain if you regularly do things besides gaming. Do really want to switch the mode off every time you want to watch Netflix? You might not have to before long. Microsoft has unveiled a bevy of upcoming Xbox One updates that include support for Auto Low Latency Mode. If you have a compatible TV (some Samsung models will qualify), it'll recognize your Xbox and invoke its low-lag mode only when you're actually playing -- all your TV's processing will come back the moment you curl up with a movie. The improvement arrives later in 2018.

Source: Xbox Wire

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/03/11/xbox-one-auto-game-mode-and-freesync/

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Sunday, March 11, 2018