Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture
This week, the Xbox One’s first party titles fill store shelves, Nintendo launches two triple-A games with the release of Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Things aren’t quite as plentiful in the PlayStation camp, where a single downloadable title, Tiny Brains, hits PSN. Originally, intended as a launch title, Spearhead Game’s co-operative puzzle game is just part of a trickle of downloadable titles tasked with maintaining morale until the second wave of high-profile PS4 games arrive starting next March.
PlayStation 3
Air Conflicts: Vietnam
PlayStation 4
Tiny Brains
Wii U
Brawl Brothers (eShop, $7.99)
Coaster Crazy Deluxe (eShop, $9.99)
Edge (eShop, $1.99)
Super Mario 3D World (Also on eShop, $59.99)
The Mysterious Cities of Gold: Secret Paths (eShop, $14.99)
Xbox 360
Air Conflicts: Vietnam
Halo Origins Bundle
Xbox One
Crimson Dragon
Dead Rising 3
Fighter Within
Forza Motorsport 5
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
LocoCycle (XBL, $19.99)
Powerstar Golf (XBL, $19.99)
Ryse: Son of Rome
Xbox Fitness
Zoo Tycoon
3DS
Christmas Wonderland 3 (eShop, $7.99)
City Connection (eShop, $3.99)
Girls Fashion Shoot
Jewel Match 3 (eShop, $6.99)
Mario Party Island Tour (Also on eShop, $39.99)
Ohno Odyssey (eShop, $5.99)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies (eShop, $29.99)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Also on eShop, $39.99)
PS Vita
Tearaway
Ys: Memories of Celceta
Ys: Memories of Celceta Silver Anniversary Edition
PC
The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot
Robert’s Pick: A week week’s ago, I was invited to a holiday preview event, where I got some extended playtime with Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Both titles exhibited Nintendo’s characteristic design philosophy: rooted in tested game mechanics (Super Mario 3D Land for the former, while The Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past for the latter), each added enough nuance to make the experience seem fresh. Typical of Nintendo’s first-party titles, both Mario and Zelda seemed fastidious polished and play-tested, poised to deliver hours of Goomba-bopping, Octorok-slashing fun. I’ll be grabbing both.
Gonçalo’s Pick: I’ve started playing games with 8-bit consoles and MS-DOS computers, but if there’s one generation or time period that holds the most nostalgia for me it would definitely have to be the 32-bit generation. Back then, those crude polygons seemed like the future of something bigger and better than anything I could imagine. One of the first games to instill this sense of wonder within me was Sega’s very own Panzer Dragoon, a launch title for the often overlooked Saturn. Knowing that the original creator of the series has now developed a spiritual successor fills me with so much joy. Yes it requires Kinect, which I am not terribly fond of and generally avoid, but you know what? For Crimson Dragon, I’ll make an exception.
A Link Between Worlds for me this week.
I have no interest in the Xbone. Not hating hope it does great, but the games don’t do a thing for me.
Yeah, I might have got one, but almost every person (except for Alberto) in MS turns me off. They’re attitude is smug and nothing else. Oh, and that Kinect. Don’t want it.
Yeah, MS really needs to clear house and stop their execs from doing PR. Also, it’s time to retire the Hyrb.
Ys: Memories of Celceta.
Gawd, it’s seem like it been forever since it was announced. I guess the wait is always longer for games you actually care about.
If you’re a Vita owner, don’t forget about Tearaway. It’s Media Molecule’s new game and it’s supposed to be AMAZING.
I’ll be buying it digitally ASAP.
I was kind of hoping that Super Mario 3D World would be a $49.99 game.
It’s getting 10/10’s all over the place. I’ll gladly fork over an extra $10 for quality.
Air Conflicts: Vietnam
Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t America’s war in Vietnam mainly executed on the ground, not in the air?
There was a remarkable amount of air combat. Over 5 million sorties flown by America resulting in a loss of over 2,000 aircraft. The US reports that over almost 300 MiGs were shot down, so there’s more that enough material for a simulation.
Robert “DesertEagle” Allen. The man who has fought in every US war (virtually) and lived to teach the tale.
I’ll still waiting for that Battle of Ty-ho Bay simulation. C’mon, Koei, come through for me. 😉
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ty-ho_Bay
You’re a crazy one, Robert.
Looks at Christmas Wonderland 3.
Is Christmas NiGHTS the only Christmas themed game that doesn’t suck?
If you don’t mind the graphics and old style controls there’s also Jack in the Dark which was a demo for the then yet to be released Alone in the Dark 2
There’s also the X-mas lemmings Christmas packs for the PC.
Other than that there’s not much I can reccomend
Yeah, those Lemming packs were cool.
Bust-A-Move 2 for Saturn gets a Christmas theme when the internal system clock reaches December.
No one remembers Elf Bowling, a free-ware game?
Oh! I didn’t know Bust-A-Move 2 had a Christmas themed Easter egg, interesting.
Never played Elf Bowling, didn’t it get a Nintendo DS release?
Play the free PC one, the DS version is awful. And you have to pay for it.
There’s a free PC version? Now I HAVE to try it!
I think there was a Chirstmas Version of Lode Runner that I remember being okay,
OH, and the Christmas version of Toy Commander on the Dreamcast was pretty cool.
The Xbone launched with:
Crimson Dragon
Dead Rising 3
Fighter Within
Forza Motorsport 5
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
LocoCycle
Powerstar Golf
Ryse: Son of Rome
Xbox Fitness
Zoo Tycoon
Not a single one do I really want to play. Some are just sad. A bad Hot Shots Golf Game? Zoo Tycoon? UGH. I don’t know who they’re marketing toward, but it sure isn’t my friends or me.
So much crazy Xbox hate here?
Is that a Sony/Nintendo fan site or what?
Id like to think most people here would love a good game regardless of platform. But It’s just the the Xbox seems to be surrounded by brah appeal and dub step. I’m sure if they announced 3 exclusive JRPGs, people who say “Sony sux” and “they’re doomed.”
I’m a big Microsoft fan. Day one Xbox, 360, and One owner.
Of course, I’m not playing my One because the Ryse install has been going on for more than an hour. :{
People aren’t fans of 10fps next-gen games and tv, tv, tv, I guess.
Supper Mario 3D World looks fun as hell. I’m watching a twitch right now.
Just Zelda. Next gen overhyped and under-delivered. I’ll wait until there are sales.
Shame about Crimson Dragon. That’s the one game I was excited for.
Goncalo: I’m curious if you’ve been dissuaded by the almost unanimous negative reviews on Crimson Dragon.
To me, the big turn off with this game and most of The Xbone’s lineup is DLC andseason passes.
I like the game sells for $20, but I don’t want to pay for content that to eliminate grinding. I worry that MS games are going to be annoying because of this.
It’s not just the microtransactions, it’s the “Season Passes” for $60 games.
Forza 5, Dead Rising 3, Ryse, they all have season passes.
Not only is the Xbox $100 more, the game’s nickel and dime you.
Welcome to the next-gen.
So far I’ve only read Gamespot’s review, they gave the game a 5/10 citing the difficulty, camera issues and the Dragon’s Growth system as unrewarding.
A game being difficult doesn’t bother me too much as one of my gripes with the original Panzer Dragoon games was exactly the opposite, they were too easy. As for the unrewarding growth system I’m still on the fence. A similar argument could be made for Panzer Dragoon Zwei’s growth system but I still enjoyed that title.
Camera control problems however are an entirely different matter. Again, comparing it to Sega’s franchise, the camera controls there were perfect and would easily rescue you from a tight situation. Here I’m guessing Kinect 2.0 might be the issue which revives old fears for me of any game that’s “better” with Kinect.
TL:DR
Not dissuaded yet, but the fact it uses Kinect isn’t doing my optimism any favors.
I really wish MS would ditch Kinect. Its a faulty product no ones asking for.
Man, I have zero interest in either console right now. Xbone lineup looks pathetic.
IT’S FINALLY YS WEEK! BLUES CLUES, I’M SO EXCITED!
Are you reviewing it? Can we trust you you to check your fanboy enthusiasm?
I am not. I don’t really have time to write anymore. I had an idea to write an intro-to-Ys article for people new to the series, but I couldn’t get my shit together enough to sit down and put words on digital paper. I’m just waiting for my copy to show up in the mail like everybody else.
You need to drink whatever Robert is drinking to turn out 2-3 reviews a week. It might be loli blood, I dunno.
Also, that Cities of Gold game looks pretty cool. I’m only tangentially familiar with the cartoon, but if you’re a fan, they’ve gone to pain-staking measures to make sure it’s true to the show. It’s being billed as the un-released second season.
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