http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 15 May 2014 07:33:56 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/7-kirby-facts-you-might-have-missed-over-the-years/1100-6419579/ <p style="">There's just something about Kirby that makes me like him. Maybe it's his slightly dumpy body--he's probably the most powerful chubby character in gaming--and his relatively blank face, save for some peppy eyes and a winning smile. Heck, he's amassed a cult following based on the fact that he's adorable. How can you not love him? If I had a spirit animal, I'd want it to be Kirby.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">My trendiest of colleagues, Mark Walton, had a blast playing through the latest Kirby platformer on 3DS, Kirby Triple Deluxe, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kirby-triple-deluxe-review/1900-6415743/">awarding the game a score of 8/10 in his review</a>. The latest Kirby is already out in North America, and will hit European shores this week. But given his 20 years of history, there might be a few things about Kirby that you've missed over the years. Here's some interesting facts about about the best bright pink character in gaming.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Miyamoto wanted him to be yellow</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527773-kirby+white+dream+land.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527773" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527773-kirby+white+dream+land.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527773"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527773-kirby+white+dream+land.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Kirby is occasionally shown in yellow; you might have seen him this way in <a href="/super-smash-bros-brawl/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros.</a>, or perhaps in <a href="/kirby-air-ride/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby Air Ride</a>. This yellow Kirby is often said to be a reference to the fact that legendary game developer Shigeru Miyamoto originally wanted Kirby to be yellow. Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai, however, wanted him to be pink.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The argument between yellow and pink must have raged on for quite some time. Nintendo of America, apparently ignorant to Kirby's true colour, opted to make Kirby white on the box of his first game, the monochromatic <a href="/kirbys-dream-land/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Dream Land</a> on the Game Boy. He was pink by the time <a href="/kirbys-dream-land-2/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Dream Land 2</a> rolled around, however, where Kirby was shown on the cover riding a giant hamster. So awesome.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Thinking about it, a yellow Kirby would probably end up looking just a little bit like Pikachu…</p><h3 dir="ltr">Meta Knight has Kirby's face</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527766-meta+knight.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527766" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527766-meta+knight.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527766"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527766-meta+knight.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Is he a goodie? Is he a baddie? He might not make an appearance in Triple Deluxe, but Meta Knight often pops up in Kirby titles as both help and hindrance. He's dark (because of nightmares), carries a sword, and covers his face with a mask, which occasionally shatters to reveal that he looks identical to Kirby, only blue. Are they the same race? Is Meta Knight just Kirby from another timeline? Was it a food colouring accident gone horribly wrong? I have no idea, because they're not that chatty in the games. He looks cool, though.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For the record, Meta Knight is such a winner that he's even been banned from Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournaments on account of being too good at everything. But will he make a reappearance in <a href="/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros. for 3DS</a> and Wii U?</p><h3 dir="ltr">Kirby couldn't copy abilities at the start</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527754-kirby+copy+get+on+the+mic.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527754" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527754-kirby+copy+get+on+the+mic.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527754"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527754-kirby+copy+get+on+the+mic.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Other than being pink and adorable and probably squidgy, Kirby's also famous for being able to copy the abilities of the creatures he absorbs. The little guy has employed over 90 different copy abilities in his two decades of existence, although to be fair, a good chunk of those come from <a href="/kirby-64-the-crystal-shards/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards</a>. But Kirby couldn't even copy abilities at all in his debut title, <a href="/kirbys-dream-land/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Dream Land</a>; his famous ability wasn't introduced until <a href="/kirbys-adventure/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Adventure</a> on the NES.</p><h3 dir="ltr">He was never even meant to be a pink blob</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Kirby wasn't originally meant to be so puffy, but creator Masahiro Sakurai became increasingly enamoured with his placeholder sprite as development progressed. He wasn't even called Kirby back then either, and instead went by the name of Twinkle Popopo. In an alternate reality, a marketing team in the US is having nightmares at the mere thought of creating advertisements for Twinkle Popopo Triple Deluxe right now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As it happens, the simplicity of Kirby is now one of the main reasons the character has endured for more than two decades. Triple Deluxe director Shinya Kumazaki tells us that "he's appealing in such a way that he's timeless--he's not trendy now, and he's not trendy tomorrow. That's why people have continued to love Kirby for such a long time."</p><h3 dir="ltr">Kirby often looks cross in the US</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527758-kirby+bad+boy.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527758" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527758-kirby+bad+boy.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527758"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527758-kirby+bad+boy.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Over the years, Kirby has picked up a bit of a reputation for developing an angry expression on the front cover of his games in the US--a very different look to the chipper Kirby in Japan. Kumazaki <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-kirby-always-angry-in-the-us-nintendo-explains/1100-6419263/">recently explained to GameSpot</a> that the difference is down to regional marketing. "For the Japanese versions we are, at [Kirby series developer] HAL, involved in everything throughout development, including the package design. The most powerful image of Kirby is that cute image, we think that's the one that appeals to the widest audience." That explains the Japanese Kirby, then, but Kumazaki adds that Nintendo of America thinks a "tough" Kirby is more appealing to a Western audience. Now you know.</p><h3 dir="ltr">His home planet is called Pop Star</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527757-kirby+pop+star.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527757" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527757-kirby+pop+star.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527757"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527757-kirby+pop+star.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">One of my favourite things about Kirby games is that, once I play them for over an hour, they trigger a psychedelic effect in my consciousness. And it's not just the character, but the environments and levels. Rolling Kirby up and down magic rainbow paths in the underappreciated <a href="/kirby-canvas-curse/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby: Canvas Curse</a> is a particularly bizarre highlight. Kirby games most commonly take place on his home planet--Planet Pop Star--a pointed golden star that, according to the game's lore, is so far away from Earth in the universe that it's completely invisible to humans. It's also situated next to another planet that is orbited by bows, because why not? </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Kirby's particular area of residence on this funky planet is a little place called Dream Land, just in case you want to narrow it down a little further. Dream Land? Mission district, eat your heart out.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Kirby fans love bubble gum</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527755-kirby+fans+love+gum+world+record.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527755" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527755-kirby+fans+love+gum+world+record.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527755"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527755-kirby+fans+love+gum+world+record.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of Kirby's 20th anniversary, a group of 536 Kirby fans assembled in Seattle for PAX Prime back in 2012. Their objective? To claim the Guinness World Record for blowing bubble gum, which required the group to hold the bubbles for over thirty seconds. Nintendo organised the event, and even went to the trouble of <a href="http://youtu.be/64cEde5UFjI" rel="nofollow">printing Kirby-themed instructions</a> on how to correctly chew and blow bubble gum. Their attempt was a success. The only logical next step, then, is for a gathering of Duke Nukem fans to have a go at claiming the record.</p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 15 May 2014 07:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/7-kirby-facts-you-might-have-missed-over-the-years/1100-6419579/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-house-of-the-rising-sun-/2300-6418807/ In this trailer for Wolfenstein: The New Order, B.J. Blazkowicz and his group of resistance fighters unite to take on the powerful Nazi legions, and rewrite history. Thu, 15 May 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-house-of-the-rising-sun-/2300-6418807/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-the-new-order-launch-trailer-is-here-game-arrives-next-week/1100-6419655/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418807" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418807/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bethesda today released the launch trailer for MachineGames' upcoming first-person shooter <a href="/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">Wolfenstein: The New Order</a>, which launches May 20 across consoles and PC. Titled "House of the Rising Sun," the launch trailer sets up the story of protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz and the challenge he faces in bringing down the all-powerful Nazi regime.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wolfenstein: The New Order is set in an alternate 1960s after the Nazis, thanks to mysterious advanced technology, were able to win World War II. They dominate the world, but as B.J. Blazkowicz, you must band together with other resistance fighters to take them down.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game launches May 20 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. If you preorder, you'll receive guaranteed access to an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-beta-will-only-be-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418777/" data-ref-id="1100-6418777">upcoming beta for a new Doom game</a>. The beta will be held <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-beta-will-only-be-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418777/" data-ref-id="1100-6418777">only on Xbox One, PS4, and PC</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wolfenstein: The New Order could get a sequel, as creative director Jens Matthies said earlier this week that MachineGames has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-wolfenstein-is-around-20-hours-long-if-you-collect-everything/1100-6419531/" data-ref-id="1100-6419531">plenty of ideas for a second title</a>. Whether or not his studio will get a chance to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-wolfenstein-is-around-20-hours-long-if-you-collect-everything/1100-6419531/" data-ref-id="1100-6419531">comes down to how well the first game sells</a>, he says.</p><p style="">For more on Wolfenstein: The New Order, which features <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/guitarist-from-swedish-metal-band-meshuggah-working-on-wolfenstein-the-new-order/1100-6419582/" data-ref-id="1100-6419582">music from Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal</a> and is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-wolfenstein-is-around-20-hours-long-if-you-collect-everything/1100-6419531/" data-ref-id="1100-6419531">about 20 hours long if you collect everything</a>, be sure to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">read GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-the-new-order-launch-trailer-is-here-game-arrives-next-week/1100-6419655/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-you-have-to-take-risks/1100-6419653/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530582-deu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530582" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530582-deu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530582"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2530582-deu.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of Square Enix's latest financial report this week, the company said "<a href="http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/14q4slides.pdf" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">large-scale online titles</a>" would be a focus for the coming fiscal year. Such games require significant investment and might be deemed high-risk, but for Square Enix Western executive Phil Rogers, risk is the name of the business.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You have to take risks to innovate and create great new gaming experiences. What we won't do is stand still," Rogers told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-05-15-square-roots-the-man-in-charge-of-square-enixs-western-future" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-05">GameIndustry International</a>. "Online games are a way to facilitate that ongoing relationship with the player within our game worlds, where we can provide regular content updates, engaging gameplay mechanics, and a deep sense of community."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Rogers singled out Square Enix's upcoming PC multiplayer game <a href="/nosgoth/" data-ref-id="false">Nosgoth</a>, currently in closed beta, as an example of an online-focused game that has "great potential."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's early days, but we have a dedicated Live team every day reviewing the data and looking at how they can refine and improve that gameplay experience before it goes wider," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another large-scale online-focused game Square Enix has in development is Deus Ex Universe, which was <a href="http://community.eidosmontreal.com/blogs/Future-Vision-for-Deus-Ex" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced in October</a> for "next-gen" consoles, presumably the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. This game promises to offer an ongoing, expanding, and connected game world with a "persistent experience," but not like an MMO, Rogers says.</p><p style="">"It's an exciting project, potentially the most ambitious game we're working on across the western studios and we're looking forward to sharing more information about it later this year," Rogers said.</p><p style="">For the fiscal year ended March 31, Square Enix <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-posts-65m-profit-as-thief-tomb-raider-xbox-one-ps4-sales-favorable/1100-6419575/" data-ref-id="1100-6419575">posted a profit of $65 million</a>, thanks in part to games like <a href="/thief/" data-ref-id="false">Thief</a>, <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition</a>, and <a href="/videos/final-fantasy-xiv-a-realm-reborn-video-review/2300-6414801/" data-ref-id="2300-6414801">Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn</a>. </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 06:20:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-you-have-to-take-risks/1100-6419653/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/atari-resurrecting-1982-game-haunted-house-for-ios-devices/1100-6419652/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530577-haunted1.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2530577" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530577-haunted1.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2530577"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2530577-haunted1.jpeg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">1982's Atari 2600 game <a href="/haunted-house/" data-ref-id="false">Haunted House</a> is making comeback. Atari announced today that a new version of the game is available now for iOS devices through iTunes. You can <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/haunted-house/id849400976?mt=8" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">download the game right now</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Atari has resurrected Haunted House as a free-to-play endless runner. As the story goes, you play a boy lost in a scary house who must find his way home by running and jumping. You'll also need to trigger springs and build bridges to stop the advances of the monsters that pursue you. Along the way you'll unlock new levels and obtain new power-ups, Atari says.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The new Haunted House for iOS devices was developed by <a href="http://www.kungfufactory.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kung Fu Factory</a>, the studio behind a host of mobile games, including <a href="http://www.kungfufactory.com/?page_id=680" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Rooftop Run</a>. There's no word yet on an Android version of the new Haunted House.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the original Haunted House, you played as a pair of eyes, navigating through a haunted mansion. A new, 3D version of the game arrived on Xbox 360, Wii, and PC in 2010, though it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/haunted-house-review/1900-6283386/" data-ref-id="1900-6283386">wasn't very well-received</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 15 May 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/atari-resurrecting-1982-game-haunted-house-for-ios-devices/1100-6419652/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-pc-action-rpg-bombshell-revealed-runs-on-unreal-engine/1100-6419651/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjsyXnqHOhA" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FUjsyXnqHOhA%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUjsyXnqHOhA&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FUjsyXnqHOhA%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">3D Realms and Interceptor Entertainment today announced Bombshell, an upcoming top-down action role-playing game in development for PC and PlayStation 4. In the game, you play as Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison, who "strong-arms her way across four planets in an Unreal Engine-powered galactic adventure to save the U.S. president from an apocalyptic alien threat."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bombshell promises "out-of-this-world" alien enemies, "devastating" weaponry, and various genre-blending game mechanics. The game arrives sometime in 2015, but there's no explanation as to why Bombshell is skipping the Xbox One and Wii U.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530548-bombshell1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530548" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530548-bombshell1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530548"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1179/11799911/2530548-bombshell1.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the trailer above, Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison has a bionic right arm and rides a motorcycle. The PC version of the game will support mods, Interceptor <a href="http://alloutofgum.herokuapp.com/#" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">writes on its website</a>. "We are big supporters of modding tools and we strive to release them for every game we make."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Interceptor Entertainment developed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rise-of-the-triad-review/1900-6412408/" data-ref-id="1900-6412408">2013's Rise of the Triad</a>, and most recently was revealed as the developer of a<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-duke-nukem-game-teased-for-playstation-and-pc/1100-6417484/" data-ref-id="1100-6417484"> new Duke Nukem game</a>. However, a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-gearbox-3d-realms-legal-battle-over-duke-nukem-is-heating-up/1100-6418586/" data-ref-id="1100-6418586">lawsuit from Gearbox Software</a> is keeping that game on the shelf, at least for now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Lawsuits take time, and are often a long, drawn-out process. Meanwhile, we wanted to be productive--our creative team couldn't wait around for the issue to be resolved," Interceptor Entertainment says. "Ultimately, we saw it as the opportunity to create our own intellectual property, and Bombshell was born. So far, it's been a blast."</p><p style="">"It's impossible to say what will happen in regards to our previous project. It might return, it might not. We want to make great games without sacrificing our integrity, and Bombshell allows us to do that beautifully," the studio added.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 05:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-pc-action-rpg-bombshell-revealed-runs-on-unreal-engine/1100-6419651/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-hacked-but-no-user-data-compromised/1100-6419649/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417447" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417447/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The servers for in-development PC zombie game<a href="/dayz/" data-ref-id="false"> DayZ </a>have been hacked, developer Bohemia Interactive has confirmed. That's the bad news. The better news is that no user data has been compromised and development on the game continues unabated.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have recently detected an attack on some of our servers, the precise nature and scope of this attack is currently being extensively investigated," a representative told <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/05/15/dayz-source-code-hack/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Rock Paper Shotgun</a>. "There were no user data on any of the servers. Current development goals and schedules for our games will not be affected by this attack. More information will follow as our investigation continues."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier reports claimed hackers were able to obtain the DayZ source code, but this is unconfirmed, and Bohemia made no mention of this in its statement today.</p><p style="">DayZ was originally released through Steam Early Access in December 2013. The standalone version has since shifted <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-standalone-has-now-shifted-over-2-million-copies/1100-6419372/" data-ref-id="1100-6419372">more than 2 million copies</a>. For more on the game, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-early-access-review/1100-6417979/" data-ref-id="1100-6417979">GameSpot's Early Access review of DayZ</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-hacked-but-no-user-data-compromised/1100-6419649/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-no-more-delays-dev-promises/1100-6419648/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2427512-_bmuploads_2014-01-29_8611_online_screenshot_%283%29.png" data-ref-id="1300-2427512" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2427512-_bmuploads_2014-01-29_8611_online_screenshot_%283%29.png" data-ref-id="1300-2427512"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/536/5360430/2427512-_bmuploads_2014-01-29_8611_online_screenshot_%283%29.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt</a> has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-delayed-to-february-2015-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418237/" data-ref-id="1100-6418237">already been delayed once</a>, but don't expect the upcoming role-playing game to miss its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-delayed-to-february-2015-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418237/" data-ref-id="1100-6418237">new February 2015 date</a> as well. Developer CD Projekt Red says the game's delay from fall 2014 to early 2015 is the only setback the game will see.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This is not our first game; we are not newbies," CD Projekt Red cofounder Marcin Iwinski told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-14-cd-projekt-red-promises-no-more-delays-for-the-witcher-3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-05">Eurogamer</a>. "It's not like 'hey we are delaying and we'll keep on delaying'. If we would think we need more time we would say 'hey we'll release it not in February but, I don't know, June'. We made the decision at the moment we were able to judge how much time we needed, and we planned it well and it works well for us. So, no more delays."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Iwinski went on to say that he was surprised--in a good way--about the fan reaction to CD Projekt Red's decision to delay The Witcher 3.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We were really positively surprised with the response," he said. "It was 'hey guys, great that you have the balls to say that you take your time and you spend money on it'. Because it's not happening for free. That's a really important thing to mention."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Delaying The Witcher 3 involved justifying the cost of the extra months of development to the CD Projekt Red shareholders. Iwinski said this created "an additional load of pressure." But it's all in the name of quality, something Iwanski said CD Projekt Red takes seriously, and he's open to admitting issues from the past.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Iwinski acknowledged that <a href="/the-witcher-2-assassins-of-kings/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings</a> might have been better served with a longer development cycle. "We could have done a better job for The Witcher 2 when we released it," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You can always take more time on a game, especially with huge games," he added. "You're never able to plan perfectly, and then the closer you get to shipping, the more you see 'oh I could use these [extra] two-three months...'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, Iwinski stressed that delaying The Witcher 3 to February 2015 had nothing to do with another major role-playing game--BioWare's <a href="/dragon-age-inquisition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Inquisition</a>--which is currently <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dragon-age-inquisition-release-date-announced-new-gameplay-trailer-sets-up-the-story/1100-6419128/" data-ref-id="1100-6419128">scheduled to launch this fall</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"No, not at all," Iwinski said. "Having said that, if they were shipping on October 8 and they would announce it before us, then we would look, I don't know, for November or something. Because there are so few RPGs that it's really a very stupid idea to ship them at the same time."</p><p style="">Earlier this week, CD Projekt Red unveiled <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/official-witcher-3-logo-revealed-what-do-you-think/1100-6419632/" data-ref-id="1100-6419632">new logos for The Witcher 3 and for the studio itself</a>. The Witcher 3 launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-delayed-to-february-2015-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418237/" data-ref-id="1100-6418237">February 2015</a> for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-witcher-3-could-run-slightly-better-on-ps4-than-xbox-one/1100-6419592/" data-ref-id="1100-6419592">PS4 version may run better than the Xbox One version</a>, according to CD Projekt Red.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:39:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-no-more-delays-dev-promises/1100-6419648/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-returning-in-august-with-multiplayer-will-be-less-addictive/1100-6419647/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530509-flappybird1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530509" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530509-flappybird1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530509"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2530509-flappybird1.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Flappy Bird is coming back. Creator Dong Nguyen told <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101673850" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CNBC's Kelly Evans</a> (via <a href="http://kotaku.com/flappy-bird-is-coming-back-in-august-1576520177" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kotaku</a>) that the uber-difficult mobile game, which was downloaded more than 50 million times before <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-creator-explains-why-he-killed-the-world-s-most-popular-app/1100-6417651/" data-ref-id="1100-6417651">Nguyen removed the game in February</a>, will return to app stores in August.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The new version of Flappy Bird will have a multiplayer mode, and Nguyen says the game overall will be "less addictive," though he didn't say more about what that means. It's unclear if the new version of Flappy Bird will be free (like the original) or a paid download.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The return of Flappy Bird could mean a big payday for Nguyen, as the original game netted him some <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/painfully-difficult-flappy-bird-generates-50-000-per-day-in-ad-revenue/1100-6417569/" data-ref-id="1100-6417569">$50,000 per day</a> thanks to in-game ads.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to the new version of Flappy Bird, Nguyen said he's working on "a lot of games" for the future, including one that features a character jumping from building to building.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Though Flappy Bird has been gone for months, if you downloaded the original, you can still play it on your phone. In addition, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/7-alternatives-now-that-you-can-t-download-flappy-bird/1100-6417631/" data-ref-id="1100-6417631">dozens and dozens of clones </a>have appeared since it was originally removed, including versions of the game made by popular groups like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sesame-street-takes-on-flappy-bird-with-flappy-bert/1100-6417699/" data-ref-id="1100-6417699">Sesame Street </a>and the band <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fall-out-boy-to-release-their-own-flappy-bird-game/1100-6417680/" data-ref-id="1100-6417680">Fall Out Boy</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Flappy Bird's premise is simple: you tap the screen anywhere to make a pixelated bird move upwards. Hitting any of the green pipes on your path means game over. The game's only goal is to get the highest score possible.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-returning-in-august-with-multiplayer-will-be-less-addictive/1100-6419647/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/philips-seeks-wii-u-ban-after-it-claims-nintendo-copied-patents/1100-6419650/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530533-8004053933-mario.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530533" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530533-8004053933-mario.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530533"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2530533-8004053933-mario.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Philips has launched a lawsuit against Nintendo in the US, and is asking for the Wii U to be removed from sale.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The electronics giant alleges that the Mario maker copied two of its technology patents. The first bit of code can mirror a user's real-life actions inside a game, with the second parent revolving around an input system featuring a pointing device.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Philips has engaged in the field of applied electronics and has conducted research in areas relating to visual representation of spatial processes and to automatic processes," reads the claims <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/224095177/Koninklijke-Philips-N-V-et-al-v-Nintendo-et-al" rel="nofollow">of the legalese-heavy lawsuit</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The present patents-in-suit stem from these fields of research and development and claims protection for an interactive system for which a user can remotely control devices in an intuitive manner. Such intuitive remote control mechanisms are used in present-day home video game consoles."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Philips says it has contacted Nintendo as far back as 2011 about the first patent, and that the company is aware of its second alleged infringement.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Philips is asking for a block on all sales of the Wii U and other allegedly infringing Nintendo hardware, (likely substantial) damages, and for everything to be decided with a trial by jury.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot has contacted Nintendo for comment. </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/philips-seeks-wii-u-ban-after-it-claims-nintendo-copied-patents/1100-6419650/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-anniversary-event-will-make-it-easier-for-you-to-get-legendaries/1100-6419646/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530480-diablo+3+leg+event.png" data-ref-id="1300-2530480" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530480-diablo+3+leg+event.png" data-ref-id="1300-2530480"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2530480-diablo+3+leg+event.png"></a></figure><p style="">Blizzard is going to make it rain legendary items in <a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo III</a> as a way of celebrating its second anniversary.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The event will begin on Thursday, May 15 at 12:00 PT and run for a whole week, ending on Thursday, May 22 at 05:00 PT, in which the latest community buff will be running on the PC and Mac servers. Legendary drop rates will be doubled during the event, and players will also receive twice as many Rift Fragments so it's even easier to hop into a Nephalem Rift. And, yes, the bonuses will stack.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier this week, Blizzard announced that Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition will be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-ultimate-evil-edition-confirmed-for-both-xbox-one-and-ps4-coming-this-august/1100-6419572/">making its way to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on August</a>. It also launched the 2.0.5 patch for Diablo III, so this might be the perfect chance to jump back in and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-s-latest-patch-toughens-up-crusaders-hands-out-more-gold/1100-6419612/" data-ref-id="1100-6419612">see what the latest balance tweaks have done to your favourite build</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Diablo III: Reaper of Souls was released for PC and Mac back in March. You can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-review/1900-6415713/">read what GameSpot's own Carolyn Petit made of the expansion in her review</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 00:14:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-anniversary-event-will-make-it-easier-for-you-to-get-legendaries/1100-6419646/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-kart-8/1900-6415760/ <p style="">What's your favorite Mario Kart item? It's a personality test that has revealed a person's inner thoughts ever since <a href="/super-mario-kart/" data-ref-id="false">Super Mario Kart</a> gave Koopa Troopa a license to drive. If, for instance, you're fond of the lightning bolt, my handy reference sheet says that you have "schadenfreude" tattooed on your lower back. Or maybe across your knuckles. Either way, you're a connoisseur of chaos. For anyone who adores banana peels, I know that you're a guarded individual, more concerned with protecting your backside than rocking the boat. Shocked at my uncanny insight? My love is poured upon the infinite mushroom. I would much rather take a shortcut than fight for success the old-fashioned way.</p><p style="">I made such hypotheses naturally in recent Mario Kart games. Items were so important, and so ubiquitous, that it was hard to think of anything but the red turtle shells streaming toward you. What else can you do after being struck for the umpteenth time other than contemplate your very existence? In Mario Kart 8, the circumstances that encouraged such philosophizing have changed. Success comes from your racing prowess now, so though you will still curse at the occasional usurper making your life hell on wheels, victory is in your hands. There are no excuses anymore; Mario Kart 8 focuses on its excellent racing, and the experience is stronger for it.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6418785" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418785/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">You feel the weight of your driver as you try to hang a tight left while centrifugal forces push you away. Slam into another racer, and you feel the impact; the heavier body cruises onward while the lighter competitor, battered and bruised, tries to regain his or her composure. Speed bursts are everywhere in Mario Kart 8. Turns beckon you to powerslide, ramps urge you to boost, and you're continually seeking new ways to keep your kart speeding along. Unlike in <a href="/mario-kart-wii/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Kart Wii</a>, where you were compelled to drive up out-of-the-way ramps to get speed bursts, opportunities for a rush exist organically within the racing path. So you're continually gunning ahead, desperately motoring toward every ramp while exacting every drop of energy from turns to stave off the fierce competitors nipping at your tailpipe.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">There are no excuses anymore; Mario Kart 8 focuses on its excellent racing, and the experience is stronger for it.</p></blockquote><p style="">All of your hard work is rewarded in Mario Kart 8. Once you leave your competitors in the dust, you can stay in first place. It's a strange feeling driving all alone, without anyone else nearby. In most other Mario Kart games, staying in front of the pack would have been impossible. The computer was never far behind, often passing you even when you were performing flawlessly. Or else you would be pelted by so many items that you wouldn't even know in which direction you were supposed to travel. That constant fight was maddening for me, so I welcome the loneliness of Mario Kart 8. If I stay in top form, I don't have to worry that four blue shells are going to end my fun in a hurry, or that Donkey Kong is going to breeze past me even though he should have been half a lap behind. My skill is all that matters. And I was more than happy to stay in first while everyone else battled for second place.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2529080" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529080-mario+kart+8+-+last+two+cups+in+50cc09.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529080-mario+kart+8+-+last+two+cups+in+50cc09.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2529080"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2529080-mario+kart+8+-+last+two+cups+in+50cc09.jpg"></a><figcaption>Hope that ink doesn't stink.</figcaption></figure><p style="">That's not to say that items aren't a part of the action. There are still blue shells--although they appeared so seldom that they rarely affected my positioning--and there were times when I was hit by three items in rapid succession and invented a curse that would have brought tears to my mother's eyes. But those are the exceptions rather than the rule. Items are just a complement to your racing now. Use a piranha plant to clear out hazards in your path, or fling a boomerang to bring your competitor to a stop. It's all in good fun. If you're a skilled-enough driver, being slammed by a shell is no more than a slight speed bump. So think up some horrific obscenity for when your shining moment is ripped away from you at the last second, and don't forget it; it may be a while before you can use it.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">I was more than happy to stay in first while everyone else battled for second place.</p></blockquote><p style="">Racing skill determines who wins and who loses. That's true if you're competing with a group of friends (local splitscreen supports up to four players, and you can play against 11 people in the game's smooth online races) or striving for gold medals against the computer (50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and Mirror Mode are all here). And by having the importance of weapons significantly reduced, it's now much harder to make up ground once you're stuck in the middle of the pack. There's no instant-win item to come in and save you, so you have to climb back slowly and surely by maximizing your speed and finding the best racing lines while hoping those in the lead make a mistake. Defense has become more important than in previous games. With the introduction of the super horn, you can repel any item flung at you, and simply keeping a shell or banana trailing behind your kart blocks almost any attack mounted against you. Even the star has been toned down. It still grants you invulnerability, but you're no longer infused with super speedy gasoline, which lessens the impact it has. It's fascinating just how different Mario Kart 8 is from, say, its Wii counterpart. It's so much less chaotic and so much more focused that their similarities are largely cosmetic.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2529081" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529081-mario+kart+8+-+ta2+-+2014-05-14+10-47-2307.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529081-mario+kart+8+-+ta2+-+2014-05-14+10-47-2307.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2529081"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2529081-mario+kart+8+-+ta2+-+2014-05-14+10-47-2307.jpg"></a><figcaption>Little known fact: Ludwig is named after the lead singer of U2.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's easy to rave about Mario Kart 8 because its core racing is so well executed. But there are a few head-scratching features that stand out like thumbs on a goomba. Why, for instance, isn't there a clock in Grand Prix? I love knowing exactly how much I won (or lost) by, so I cannot understand what is gained by stripping that away. Also, you earn parts to modify your vehicles by collecting coins, though all that tinkering just distracts from the action. Just give me a smart balance of weight, acceleration, and handling, and cut out the unnecessary collectibles. Then there's the default option after a race. For some reason, your cursor starts on View Highlight Reel instead of Next Race, which is just silly. Oh, how many times I mistakenly viewed highlight because I was anxious to race again. Trust me, this will annoy you, too. Plus, the character roster is quite lame. Yeah, there are 30 drivers, but two of them are palette swaps, five are babies, and seven are koopa kids. That's a boring selection.</p><p style="">One last complaint before I move on: Battle mode was intense in Super Mario Kart, was ridiculous in <a href="/mario-kart-64/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Kart 64</a>, and has slowly lost relevance ever since those high-water marks. Instead of reinventing Battle mode for the better in Mario Kart 8, Nintendo has reduced it to a lifeless husk of what it once was. There are no arenas built specifically for battling. Rather, you choose one of eight tracks and drive around aimlessly looking for people (either friends, the computer, or a mix) to toss shells at. That is the exact opposite of fun, no matter how many people you're playing against or how you've tweaked the item assortment. Because the tracks were designed for racing, there's no choke points to force people to fight, so you spend more time searching than attacking. Nintendo needed to go back to the drawing board for Battle mode and this tweak only made things worse.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2529082" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529082-mario+kart+8+-+love+that+150cc+-+2014-05-08+09-40-3302.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529082-mario+kart+8+-+love+that+150cc+-+2014-05-08+09-40-3302.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2529082"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2529082-mario+kart+8+-+love+that+150cc+-+2014-05-08+09-40-3302.jpg"></a><figcaption>Losing drivers get skinned, their pelts used as hang gliders for the victor.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Even though Mario Kart 8 does have a few problems, they're small enough that they don't detract much from the racing excellence. The greatest achievement of Mario Kart 8 is that it's as warm and welcoming as we expect, but doesn't cater to those who demand a helping hand. Instead, it strikes a balance, offering accessibility while demanding skill. It's easy enough for anyone to take a spin around Moo Moo Meadows, but the most determined drivers should come out on top. And, as someone who was annoyed by previous attempts to even the playing field, I really appreciate this change.</p><p style="">There's also a great assortment of tracks to hone your abilities on. The 16 new ones are as preposterous and demanding as you would expect, with a race down the snowy Mount Wario being the highlight, and the 16 retro tracks have been smartly remade to fit within this world. The gophers from Donut Planes 3 (originally in Super Mario Kart) create dirt tunnels that you can boost off, and there's an underwater portion when a bridge fails to reach the other shore. Certain courses let you race along the wall, giving you a new perspective on the beautiful worlds. Such a shift doesn't change the feel of racing, but it does add another layer of strategy. Should you ride on the wall in Toad's Turnpike? Or take the shorter route on the ground? And if you're particularly happy with your run, you can cut up a highlight reel of your efforts and upload it for everyone to see.</p><p style="">Nintendo has done an admirable job of keeping Mario Kart relevant. How many franchises can you think of that have remained in top form for more than two decades? Not too many. I do admit that my first impression of Mario Kart 8 was pretty close to a yawn. Mario Kart is one of my favorite franchises, but it's hard to get excited for the same old thing. But the more I played, the more I appreciated the many small changes, and grew to love my time in the Mushroom Kingdom. And now that yawn has changed to a shout of joy. It's more Mario Kart! I'm happy Nintendo still understands what makes this series so darn fun.</p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 15 May 2014 00:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-kart-8/1900-6415760/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-sims-2-gameplay-the-shaun-method-highlights/2300-6418809/ Chris and Benito celebrate history month by recreating the Mushroom Kingdom in The Sims 2 and things get... very dark. Hug your loved ones. Wed, 14 May 2014 16:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-sims-2-gameplay-the-shaun-method-highlights/2300-6418809/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-ps4-watch-dogs-isn-t-1080p-microsoft-expla/2300-6418808/ Microsoft says more Kinects will sell with Kinect-less Xbox One, Watch Dogs won't be 1080p on PS4, and Microsoft details why the PS4 is beating the Xbox One! Wed, 14 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-ps4-watch-dogs-isn-t-1080p-microsoft-expla/2300-6418808/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-update-why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-/2300-6418804/ Yusuf Mehdi claims Xbox 360 owners are enjoying the systems so much they are less inclined to upgrade. Wed, 14 May 2014 14:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-update-why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-/2300-6418804/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 15 May 2014 07:33:56 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/7-kirby-facts-you-might-have-missed-over-the-years/1100-6419579/ <p style="">There's just something about Kirby that makes me like him. Maybe it's his slightly dumpy body--he's probably the most powerful chubby character in gaming--and his relatively blank face, save for some peppy eyes and a winning smile. Heck, he's amassed a cult following based on the fact that he's adorable. How can you not love him? If I had a spirit animal, I'd want it to be Kirby.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">My trendiest of colleagues, Mark Walton, had a blast playing through the latest Kirby platformer on 3DS, Kirby Triple Deluxe, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kirby-triple-deluxe-review/1900-6415743/">awarding the game a score of 8/10 in his review</a>. The latest Kirby is already out in North America, and will hit European shores this week. But given his 20 years of history, there might be a few things about Kirby that you've missed over the years. Here's some interesting facts about about the best bright pink character in gaming.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Miyamoto wanted him to be yellow</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527773-kirby+white+dream+land.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527773" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527773-kirby+white+dream+land.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2527773"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527773-kirby+white+dream+land.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Kirby is occasionally shown in yellow; you might have seen him this way in <a href="/super-smash-bros-brawl/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros.</a>, or perhaps in <a href="/kirby-air-ride/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby Air Ride</a>. This yellow Kirby is often said to be a reference to the fact that legendary game developer Shigeru Miyamoto originally wanted Kirby to be yellow. Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai, however, wanted him to be pink.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The argument between yellow and pink must have raged on for quite some time. Nintendo of America, apparently ignorant to Kirby's true colour, opted to make Kirby white on the box of his first game, the monochromatic <a href="/kirbys-dream-land/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Dream Land</a> on the Game Boy. He was pink by the time <a href="/kirbys-dream-land-2/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Dream Land 2</a> rolled around, however, where Kirby was shown on the cover riding a giant hamster. So awesome.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Thinking about it, a yellow Kirby would probably end up looking just a little bit like Pikachu…</p><h3 dir="ltr">Meta Knight has Kirby's face</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527766-meta+knight.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527766" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527766-meta+knight.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527766"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527766-meta+knight.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Is he a goodie? Is he a baddie? He might not make an appearance in Triple Deluxe, but Meta Knight often pops up in Kirby titles as both help and hindrance. He's dark (because of nightmares), carries a sword, and covers his face with a mask, which occasionally shatters to reveal that he looks identical to Kirby, only blue. Are they the same race? Is Meta Knight just Kirby from another timeline? Was it a food colouring accident gone horribly wrong? I have no idea, because they're not that chatty in the games. He looks cool, though.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For the record, Meta Knight is such a winner that he's even been banned from Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournaments on account of being too good at everything. But will he make a reappearance in <a href="/super-smash-bros-for-nintendo-3ds/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros. for 3DS</a> and Wii U?</p><h3 dir="ltr">Kirby couldn't copy abilities at the start</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527754-kirby+copy+get+on+the+mic.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527754" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527754-kirby+copy+get+on+the+mic.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527754"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527754-kirby+copy+get+on+the+mic.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Other than being pink and adorable and probably squidgy, Kirby's also famous for being able to copy the abilities of the creatures he absorbs. The little guy has employed over 90 different copy abilities in his two decades of existence, although to be fair, a good chunk of those come from <a href="/kirby-64-the-crystal-shards/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards</a>. But Kirby couldn't even copy abilities at all in his debut title, <a href="/kirbys-dream-land/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Dream Land</a>; his famous ability wasn't introduced until <a href="/kirbys-adventure/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby's Adventure</a> on the NES.</p><h3 dir="ltr">He was never even meant to be a pink blob</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Kirby wasn't originally meant to be so puffy, but creator Masahiro Sakurai became increasingly enamoured with his placeholder sprite as development progressed. He wasn't even called Kirby back then either, and instead went by the name of Twinkle Popopo. In an alternate reality, a marketing team in the US is having nightmares at the mere thought of creating advertisements for Twinkle Popopo Triple Deluxe right now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As it happens, the simplicity of Kirby is now one of the main reasons the character has endured for more than two decades. Triple Deluxe director Shinya Kumazaki tells us that "he's appealing in such a way that he's timeless--he's not trendy now, and he's not trendy tomorrow. That's why people have continued to love Kirby for such a long time."</p><h3 dir="ltr">Kirby often looks cross in the US</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527758-kirby+bad+boy.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527758" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527758-kirby+bad+boy.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527758"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527758-kirby+bad+boy.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Over the years, Kirby has picked up a bit of a reputation for developing an angry expression on the front cover of his games in the US--a very different look to the chipper Kirby in Japan. Kumazaki <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-kirby-always-angry-in-the-us-nintendo-explains/1100-6419263/">recently explained to GameSpot</a> that the difference is down to regional marketing. "For the Japanese versions we are, at [Kirby series developer] HAL, involved in everything throughout development, including the package design. The most powerful image of Kirby is that cute image, we think that's the one that appeals to the widest audience." That explains the Japanese Kirby, then, but Kumazaki adds that Nintendo of America thinks a "tough" Kirby is more appealing to a Western audience. Now you know.</p><h3 dir="ltr">His home planet is called Pop Star</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527757-kirby+pop+star.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527757" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527757-kirby+pop+star.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527757"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527757-kirby+pop+star.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">One of my favourite things about Kirby games is that, once I play them for over an hour, they trigger a psychedelic effect in my consciousness. And it's not just the character, but the environments and levels. Rolling Kirby up and down magic rainbow paths in the underappreciated <a href="/kirby-canvas-curse/" data-ref-id="false">Kirby: Canvas Curse</a> is a particularly bizarre highlight. Kirby games most commonly take place on his home planet--Planet Pop Star--a pointed golden star that, according to the game's lore, is so far away from Earth in the universe that it's completely invisible to humans. It's also situated next to another planet that is orbited by bows, because why not? </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Kirby's particular area of residence on this funky planet is a little place called Dream Land, just in case you want to narrow it down a little further. Dream Land? Mission district, eat your heart out.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Kirby fans love bubble gum</h3><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527755-kirby+fans+love+gum+world+record.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527755" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2527755-kirby+fans+love+gum+world+record.png" data-ref-id="1300-2527755"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2527755-kirby+fans+love+gum+world+record.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of Kirby's 20th anniversary, a group of 536 Kirby fans assembled in Seattle for PAX Prime back in 2012. Their objective? To claim the Guinness World Record for blowing bubble gum, which required the group to hold the bubbles for over thirty seconds. Nintendo organised the event, and even went to the trouble of <a href="http://youtu.be/64cEde5UFjI" rel="nofollow">printing Kirby-themed instructions</a> on how to correctly chew and blow bubble gum. Their attempt was a success. The only logical next step, then, is for a gathering of Duke Nukem fans to have a go at claiming the record.</p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 15 May 2014 07:19:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/7-kirby-facts-you-might-have-missed-over-the-years/1100-6419579/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-house-of-the-rising-sun-/2300-6418807/ In this trailer for Wolfenstein: The New Order, B.J. Blazkowicz and his group of resistance fighters unite to take on the powerful Nazi legions, and rewrite history. Thu, 15 May 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wolfenstein-the-new-order-house-of-the-rising-sun-/2300-6418807/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-the-new-order-launch-trailer-is-here-game-arrives-next-week/1100-6419655/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418807" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418807/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bethesda today released the launch trailer for MachineGames' upcoming first-person shooter <a href="/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">Wolfenstein: The New Order</a>, which launches May 20 across consoles and PC. Titled "House of the Rising Sun," the launch trailer sets up the story of protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz and the challenge he faces in bringing down the all-powerful Nazi regime.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wolfenstein: The New Order is set in an alternate 1960s after the Nazis, thanks to mysterious advanced technology, were able to win World War II. They dominate the world, but as B.J. Blazkowicz, you must band together with other resistance fighters to take them down.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game launches May 20 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. If you preorder, you'll receive guaranteed access to an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-beta-will-only-be-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418777/" data-ref-id="1100-6418777">upcoming beta for a new Doom game</a>. The beta will be held <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/doom-beta-will-only-be-coming-to-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418777/" data-ref-id="1100-6418777">only on Xbox One, PS4, and PC</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Wolfenstein: The New Order could get a sequel, as creative director Jens Matthies said earlier this week that MachineGames has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-wolfenstein-is-around-20-hours-long-if-you-collect-everything/1100-6419531/" data-ref-id="1100-6419531">plenty of ideas for a second title</a>. Whether or not his studio will get a chance to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-wolfenstein-is-around-20-hours-long-if-you-collect-everything/1100-6419531/" data-ref-id="1100-6419531">comes down to how well the first game sells</a>, he says.</p><p style="">For more on Wolfenstein: The New Order, which features <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/guitarist-from-swedish-metal-band-meshuggah-working-on-wolfenstein-the-new-order/1100-6419582/" data-ref-id="1100-6419582">music from Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal</a> and is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-wolfenstein-is-around-20-hours-long-if-you-collect-everything/1100-6419531/" data-ref-id="1100-6419531">about 20 hours long if you collect everything</a>, be sure to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">read GameSpot's previous coverage</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wolfenstein-the-new-order-launch-trailer-is-here-game-arrives-next-week/1100-6419655/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-you-have-to-take-risks/1100-6419653/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530582-deu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530582" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530582-deu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530582"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2530582-deu.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">As part of Square Enix's latest financial report this week, the company said "<a href="http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/14q4slides.pdf" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">large-scale online titles</a>" would be a focus for the coming fiscal year. Such games require significant investment and might be deemed high-risk, but for Square Enix Western executive Phil Rogers, risk is the name of the business.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You have to take risks to innovate and create great new gaming experiences. What we won't do is stand still," Rogers told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-05-15-square-roots-the-man-in-charge-of-square-enixs-western-future" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-05">GameIndustry International</a>. "Online games are a way to facilitate that ongoing relationship with the player within our game worlds, where we can provide regular content updates, engaging gameplay mechanics, and a deep sense of community."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Rogers singled out Square Enix's upcoming PC multiplayer game <a href="/nosgoth/" data-ref-id="false">Nosgoth</a>, currently in closed beta, as an example of an online-focused game that has "great potential."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's early days, but we have a dedicated Live team every day reviewing the data and looking at how they can refine and improve that gameplay experience before it goes wider," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another large-scale online-focused game Square Enix has in development is Deus Ex Universe, which was <a href="http://community.eidosmontreal.com/blogs/Future-Vision-for-Deus-Ex" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced in October</a> for "next-gen" consoles, presumably the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. This game promises to offer an ongoing, expanding, and connected game world with a "persistent experience," but not like an MMO, Rogers says.</p><p style="">"It's an exciting project, potentially the most ambitious game we're working on across the western studios and we're looking forward to sharing more information about it later this year," Rogers said.</p><p style="">For the fiscal year ended March 31, Square Enix <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-posts-65m-profit-as-thief-tomb-raider-xbox-one-ps4-sales-favorable/1100-6419575/" data-ref-id="1100-6419575">posted a profit of $65 million</a>, thanks in part to games like <a href="/thief/" data-ref-id="false">Thief</a>, <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition</a>, and <a href="/videos/final-fantasy-xiv-a-realm-reborn-video-review/2300-6414801/" data-ref-id="2300-6414801">Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn</a>. </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 06:20:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-you-have-to-take-risks/1100-6419653/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/atari-resurrecting-1982-game-haunted-house-for-ios-devices/1100-6419652/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530577-haunted1.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2530577" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530577-haunted1.jpeg" data-ref-id="1300-2530577"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2530577-haunted1.jpeg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">1982's Atari 2600 game <a href="/haunted-house/" data-ref-id="false">Haunted House</a> is making comeback. Atari announced today that a new version of the game is available now for iOS devices through iTunes. You can <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/haunted-house/id849400976?mt=8" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">download the game right now</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Atari has resurrected Haunted House as a free-to-play endless runner. As the story goes, you play a boy lost in a scary house who must find his way home by running and jumping. You'll also need to trigger springs and build bridges to stop the advances of the monsters that pursue you. Along the way you'll unlock new levels and obtain new power-ups, Atari says.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The new Haunted House for iOS devices was developed by <a href="http://www.kungfufactory.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kung Fu Factory</a>, the studio behind a host of mobile games, including <a href="http://www.kungfufactory.com/?page_id=680" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Rooftop Run</a>. There's no word yet on an Android version of the new Haunted House.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the original Haunted House, you played as a pair of eyes, navigating through a haunted mansion. A new, 3D version of the game arrived on Xbox 360, Wii, and PC in 2010, though it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/haunted-house-review/1900-6283386/" data-ref-id="1900-6283386">wasn't very well-received</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 15 May 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/atari-resurrecting-1982-game-haunted-house-for-ios-devices/1100-6419652/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-pc-action-rpg-bombshell-revealed-runs-on-unreal-engine/1100-6419651/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjsyXnqHOhA" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FUjsyXnqHOhA%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUjsyXnqHOhA&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FUjsyXnqHOhA%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">3D Realms and Interceptor Entertainment today announced Bombshell, an upcoming top-down action role-playing game in development for PC and PlayStation 4. In the game, you play as Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison, who "strong-arms her way across four planets in an Unreal Engine-powered galactic adventure to save the U.S. president from an apocalyptic alien threat."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bombshell promises "out-of-this-world" alien enemies, "devastating" weaponry, and various genre-blending game mechanics. The game arrives sometime in 2015, but there's no explanation as to why Bombshell is skipping the Xbox One and Wii U.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530548-bombshell1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530548" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530548-bombshell1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530548"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1179/11799911/2530548-bombshell1.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">As you can see in the trailer above, Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison has a bionic right arm and rides a motorcycle. The PC version of the game will support mods, Interceptor <a href="http://alloutofgum.herokuapp.com/#" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">writes on its website</a>. "We are big supporters of modding tools and we strive to release them for every game we make."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Interceptor Entertainment developed <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rise-of-the-triad-review/1900-6412408/" data-ref-id="1900-6412408">2013's Rise of the Triad</a>, and most recently was revealed as the developer of a<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-duke-nukem-game-teased-for-playstation-and-pc/1100-6417484/" data-ref-id="1100-6417484"> new Duke Nukem game</a>. However, a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-gearbox-3d-realms-legal-battle-over-duke-nukem-is-heating-up/1100-6418586/" data-ref-id="1100-6418586">lawsuit from Gearbox Software</a> is keeping that game on the shelf, at least for now.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Lawsuits take time, and are often a long, drawn-out process. Meanwhile, we wanted to be productive--our creative team couldn't wait around for the issue to be resolved," Interceptor Entertainment says. "Ultimately, we saw it as the opportunity to create our own intellectual property, and Bombshell was born. So far, it's been a blast."</p><p style="">"It's impossible to say what will happen in regards to our previous project. It might return, it might not. We want to make great games without sacrificing our integrity, and Bombshell allows us to do that beautifully," the studio added.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 05:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-pc-action-rpg-bombshell-revealed-runs-on-unreal-engine/1100-6419651/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-hacked-but-no-user-data-compromised/1100-6419649/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417447" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417447/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The servers for in-development PC zombie game<a href="/dayz/" data-ref-id="false"> DayZ </a>have been hacked, developer Bohemia Interactive has confirmed. That's the bad news. The better news is that no user data has been compromised and development on the game continues unabated.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We have recently detected an attack on some of our servers, the precise nature and scope of this attack is currently being extensively investigated," a representative told <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/05/15/dayz-source-code-hack/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Rock Paper Shotgun</a>. "There were no user data on any of the servers. Current development goals and schedules for our games will not be affected by this attack. More information will follow as our investigation continues."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier reports claimed hackers were able to obtain the DayZ source code, but this is unconfirmed, and Bohemia made no mention of this in its statement today.</p><p style="">DayZ was originally released through Steam Early Access in December 2013. The standalone version has since shifted <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-standalone-has-now-shifted-over-2-million-copies/1100-6419372/" data-ref-id="1100-6419372">more than 2 million copies</a>. For more on the game, be sure to read <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-early-access-review/1100-6417979/" data-ref-id="1100-6417979">GameSpot's Early Access review of DayZ</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dayz-hacked-but-no-user-data-compromised/1100-6419649/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-no-more-delays-dev-promises/1100-6419648/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2427512-_bmuploads_2014-01-29_8611_online_screenshot_%283%29.png" data-ref-id="1300-2427512" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2427512-_bmuploads_2014-01-29_8611_online_screenshot_%283%29.png" data-ref-id="1300-2427512"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/536/5360430/2427512-_bmuploads_2014-01-29_8611_online_screenshot_%283%29.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt</a> has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-delayed-to-february-2015-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418237/" data-ref-id="1100-6418237">already been delayed once</a>, but don't expect the upcoming role-playing game to miss its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-delayed-to-february-2015-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418237/" data-ref-id="1100-6418237">new February 2015 date</a> as well. Developer CD Projekt Red says the game's delay from fall 2014 to early 2015 is the only setback the game will see.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This is not our first game; we are not newbies," CD Projekt Red cofounder Marcin Iwinski told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-14-cd-projekt-red-promises-no-more-delays-for-the-witcher-3" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-05">Eurogamer</a>. "It's not like 'hey we are delaying and we'll keep on delaying'. If we would think we need more time we would say 'hey we'll release it not in February but, I don't know, June'. We made the decision at the moment we were able to judge how much time we needed, and we planned it well and it works well for us. So, no more delays."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Iwinski went on to say that he was surprised--in a good way--about the fan reaction to CD Projekt Red's decision to delay The Witcher 3.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We were really positively surprised with the response," he said. "It was 'hey guys, great that you have the balls to say that you take your time and you spend money on it'. Because it's not happening for free. That's a really important thing to mention."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Delaying The Witcher 3 involved justifying the cost of the extra months of development to the CD Projekt Red shareholders. Iwinski said this created "an additional load of pressure." But it's all in the name of quality, something Iwanski said CD Projekt Red takes seriously, and he's open to admitting issues from the past.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Iwinski acknowledged that <a href="/the-witcher-2-assassins-of-kings/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings</a> might have been better served with a longer development cycle. "We could have done a better job for The Witcher 2 when we released it," he said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"You can always take more time on a game, especially with huge games," he added. "You're never able to plan perfectly, and then the closer you get to shipping, the more you see 'oh I could use these [extra] two-three months...'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, Iwinski stressed that delaying The Witcher 3 to February 2015 had nothing to do with another major role-playing game--BioWare's <a href="/dragon-age-inquisition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Inquisition</a>--which is currently <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dragon-age-inquisition-release-date-announced-new-gameplay-trailer-sets-up-the-story/1100-6419128/" data-ref-id="1100-6419128">scheduled to launch this fall</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"No, not at all," Iwinski said. "Having said that, if they were shipping on October 8 and they would announce it before us, then we would look, I don't know, for November or something. Because there are so few RPGs that it's really a very stupid idea to ship them at the same time."</p><p style="">Earlier this week, CD Projekt Red unveiled <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/official-witcher-3-logo-revealed-what-do-you-think/1100-6419632/" data-ref-id="1100-6419632">new logos for The Witcher 3 and for the studio itself</a>. The Witcher 3 launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-delayed-to-february-2015-for-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc/1100-6418237/" data-ref-id="1100-6418237">February 2015</a> for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-witcher-3-could-run-slightly-better-on-ps4-than-xbox-one/1100-6419592/" data-ref-id="1100-6419592">PS4 version may run better than the Xbox One version</a>, according to CD Projekt Red.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:39:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-no-more-delays-dev-promises/1100-6419648/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-returning-in-august-with-multiplayer-will-be-less-addictive/1100-6419647/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530509-flappybird1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530509" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2530509-flappybird1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530509"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2530509-flappybird1.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Flappy Bird is coming back. Creator Dong Nguyen told <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101673850" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CNBC's Kelly Evans</a> (via <a href="http://kotaku.com/flappy-bird-is-coming-back-in-august-1576520177" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kotaku</a>) that the uber-difficult mobile game, which was downloaded more than 50 million times before <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-creator-explains-why-he-killed-the-world-s-most-popular-app/1100-6417651/" data-ref-id="1100-6417651">Nguyen removed the game in February</a>, will return to app stores in August.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The new version of Flappy Bird will have a multiplayer mode, and Nguyen says the game overall will be "less addictive," though he didn't say more about what that means. It's unclear if the new version of Flappy Bird will be free (like the original) or a paid download.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The return of Flappy Bird could mean a big payday for Nguyen, as the original game netted him some <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/painfully-difficult-flappy-bird-generates-50-000-per-day-in-ad-revenue/1100-6417569/" data-ref-id="1100-6417569">$50,000 per day</a> thanks to in-game ads.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to the new version of Flappy Bird, Nguyen said he's working on "a lot of games" for the future, including one that features a character jumping from building to building.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Though Flappy Bird has been gone for months, if you downloaded the original, you can still play it on your phone. In addition, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/7-alternatives-now-that-you-can-t-download-flappy-bird/1100-6417631/" data-ref-id="1100-6417631">dozens and dozens of clones </a>have appeared since it was originally removed, including versions of the game made by popular groups like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sesame-street-takes-on-flappy-bird-with-flappy-bert/1100-6417699/" data-ref-id="1100-6417699">Sesame Street </a>and the band <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fall-out-boy-to-release-their-own-flappy-bird-game/1100-6417680/" data-ref-id="1100-6417680">Fall Out Boy</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Flappy Bird's premise is simple: you tap the screen anywhere to make a pixelated bird move upwards. Hitting any of the green pipes on your path means game over. The game's only goal is to get the highest score possible.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:13:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/flappy-bird-returning-in-august-with-multiplayer-will-be-less-addictive/1100-6419647/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/philips-seeks-wii-u-ban-after-it-claims-nintendo-copied-patents/1100-6419650/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530533-8004053933-mario.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530533" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530533-8004053933-mario.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2530533"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2530533-8004053933-mario.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Philips has launched a lawsuit against Nintendo in the US, and is asking for the Wii U to be removed from sale.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The electronics giant alleges that the Mario maker copied two of its technology patents. The first bit of code can mirror a user's real-life actions inside a game, with the second parent revolving around an input system featuring a pointing device.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Philips has engaged in the field of applied electronics and has conducted research in areas relating to visual representation of spatial processes and to automatic processes," reads the claims <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/224095177/Koninklijke-Philips-N-V-et-al-v-Nintendo-et-al" rel="nofollow">of the legalese-heavy lawsuit</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The present patents-in-suit stem from these fields of research and development and claims protection for an interactive system for which a user can remotely control devices in an intuitive manner. Such intuitive remote control mechanisms are used in present-day home video game consoles."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Philips says it has contacted Nintendo as far back as 2011 about the first patent, and that the company is aware of its second alleged infringement.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Philips is asking for a block on all sales of the Wii U and other allegedly infringing Nintendo hardware, (likely substantial) damages, and for everything to be decided with a trial by jury.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot has contacted Nintendo for comment. </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 04:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/philips-seeks-wii-u-ban-after-it-claims-nintendo-copied-patents/1100-6419650/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-anniversary-event-will-make-it-easier-for-you-to-get-legendaries/1100-6419646/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530480-diablo+3+leg+event.png" data-ref-id="1300-2530480" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2530480-diablo+3+leg+event.png" data-ref-id="1300-2530480"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2530480-diablo+3+leg+event.png"></a></figure><p style="">Blizzard is going to make it rain legendary items in <a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo III</a> as a way of celebrating its second anniversary.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The event will begin on Thursday, May 15 at 12:00 PT and run for a whole week, ending on Thursday, May 22 at 05:00 PT, in which the latest community buff will be running on the PC and Mac servers. Legendary drop rates will be doubled during the event, and players will also receive twice as many Rift Fragments so it's even easier to hop into a Nephalem Rift. And, yes, the bonuses will stack.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier this week, Blizzard announced that Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition will be <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-ultimate-evil-edition-confirmed-for-both-xbox-one-and-ps4-coming-this-august/1100-6419572/">making its way to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on August</a>. It also launched the 2.0.5 patch for Diablo III, so this might be the perfect chance to jump back in and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-s-latest-patch-toughens-up-crusaders-hands-out-more-gold/1100-6419612/" data-ref-id="1100-6419612">see what the latest balance tweaks have done to your favourite build</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Diablo III: Reaper of Souls was released for PC and Mac back in March. You can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-review/1900-6415713/">read what GameSpot's own Carolyn Petit made of the expansion in her review</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Thu, 15 May 2014 00:14:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-3-anniversary-event-will-make-it-easier-for-you-to-get-legendaries/1100-6419646/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-kart-8/1900-6415760/ <p style="">What's your favorite Mario Kart item? It's a personality test that has revealed a person's inner thoughts ever since <a href="/super-mario-kart/" data-ref-id="false">Super Mario Kart</a> gave Koopa Troopa a license to drive. If, for instance, you're fond of the lightning bolt, my handy reference sheet says that you have "schadenfreude" tattooed on your lower back. Or maybe across your knuckles. Either way, you're a connoisseur of chaos. For anyone who adores banana peels, I know that you're a guarded individual, more concerned with protecting your backside than rocking the boat. Shocked at my uncanny insight? My love is poured upon the infinite mushroom. I would much rather take a shortcut than fight for success the old-fashioned way.</p><p style="">I made such hypotheses naturally in recent Mario Kart games. Items were so important, and so ubiquitous, that it was hard to think of anything but the red turtle shells streaming toward you. What else can you do after being struck for the umpteenth time other than contemplate your very existence? In Mario Kart 8, the circumstances that encouraged such philosophizing have changed. Success comes from your racing prowess now, so though you will still curse at the occasional usurper making your life hell on wheels, victory is in your hands. There are no excuses anymore; Mario Kart 8 focuses on its excellent racing, and the experience is stronger for it.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6418785" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418785/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">You feel the weight of your driver as you try to hang a tight left while centrifugal forces push you away. Slam into another racer, and you feel the impact; the heavier body cruises onward while the lighter competitor, battered and bruised, tries to regain his or her composure. Speed bursts are everywhere in Mario Kart 8. Turns beckon you to powerslide, ramps urge you to boost, and you're continually seeking new ways to keep your kart speeding along. Unlike in <a href="/mario-kart-wii/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Kart Wii</a>, where you were compelled to drive up out-of-the-way ramps to get speed bursts, opportunities for a rush exist organically within the racing path. So you're continually gunning ahead, desperately motoring toward every ramp while exacting every drop of energy from turns to stave off the fierce competitors nipping at your tailpipe.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">There are no excuses anymore; Mario Kart 8 focuses on its excellent racing, and the experience is stronger for it.</p></blockquote><p style="">All of your hard work is rewarded in Mario Kart 8. Once you leave your competitors in the dust, you can stay in first place. It's a strange feeling driving all alone, without anyone else nearby. In most other Mario Kart games, staying in front of the pack would have been impossible. The computer was never far behind, often passing you even when you were performing flawlessly. Or else you would be pelted by so many items that you wouldn't even know in which direction you were supposed to travel. That constant fight was maddening for me, so I welcome the loneliness of Mario Kart 8. If I stay in top form, I don't have to worry that four blue shells are going to end my fun in a hurry, or that Donkey Kong is going to breeze past me even though he should have been half a lap behind. My skill is all that matters. And I was more than happy to stay in first while everyone else battled for second place.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2529080" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529080-mario+kart+8+-+last+two+cups+in+50cc09.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529080-mario+kart+8+-+last+two+cups+in+50cc09.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2529080"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2529080-mario+kart+8+-+last+two+cups+in+50cc09.jpg"></a><figcaption>Hope that ink doesn't stink.</figcaption></figure><p style="">That's not to say that items aren't a part of the action. There are still blue shells--although they appeared so seldom that they rarely affected my positioning--and there were times when I was hit by three items in rapid succession and invented a curse that would have brought tears to my mother's eyes. But those are the exceptions rather than the rule. Items are just a complement to your racing now. Use a piranha plant to clear out hazards in your path, or fling a boomerang to bring your competitor to a stop. It's all in good fun. If you're a skilled-enough driver, being slammed by a shell is no more than a slight speed bump. So think up some horrific obscenity for when your shining moment is ripped away from you at the last second, and don't forget it; it may be a while before you can use it.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">I was more than happy to stay in first while everyone else battled for second place.</p></blockquote><p style="">Racing skill determines who wins and who loses. That's true if you're competing with a group of friends (local splitscreen supports up to four players, and you can play against 11 people in the game's smooth online races) or striving for gold medals against the computer (50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and Mirror Mode are all here). And by having the importance of weapons significantly reduced, it's now much harder to make up ground once you're stuck in the middle of the pack. There's no instant-win item to come in and save you, so you have to climb back slowly and surely by maximizing your speed and finding the best racing lines while hoping those in the lead make a mistake. Defense has become more important than in previous games. With the introduction of the super horn, you can repel any item flung at you, and simply keeping a shell or banana trailing behind your kart blocks almost any attack mounted against you. Even the star has been toned down. It still grants you invulnerability, but you're no longer infused with super speedy gasoline, which lessens the impact it has. It's fascinating just how different Mario Kart 8 is from, say, its Wii counterpart. It's so much less chaotic and so much more focused that their similarities are largely cosmetic.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2529081" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529081-mario+kart+8+-+ta2+-+2014-05-14+10-47-2307.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529081-mario+kart+8+-+ta2+-+2014-05-14+10-47-2307.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2529081"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2529081-mario+kart+8+-+ta2+-+2014-05-14+10-47-2307.jpg"></a><figcaption>Little known fact: Ludwig is named after the lead singer of U2.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's easy to rave about Mario Kart 8 because its core racing is so well executed. But there are a few head-scratching features that stand out like thumbs on a goomba. Why, for instance, isn't there a clock in Grand Prix? I love knowing exactly how much I won (or lost) by, so I cannot understand what is gained by stripping that away. Also, you earn parts to modify your vehicles by collecting coins, though all that tinkering just distracts from the action. Just give me a smart balance of weight, acceleration, and handling, and cut out the unnecessary collectibles. Then there's the default option after a race. For some reason, your cursor starts on View Highlight Reel instead of Next Race, which is just silly. Oh, how many times I mistakenly viewed highlight because I was anxious to race again. Trust me, this will annoy you, too. Plus, the character roster is quite lame. Yeah, there are 30 drivers, but two of them are palette swaps, five are babies, and seven are koopa kids. That's a boring selection.</p><p style="">One last complaint before I move on: Battle mode was intense in Super Mario Kart, was ridiculous in <a href="/mario-kart-64/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Kart 64</a>, and has slowly lost relevance ever since those high-water marks. Instead of reinventing Battle mode for the better in Mario Kart 8, Nintendo has reduced it to a lifeless husk of what it once was. There are no arenas built specifically for battling. Rather, you choose one of eight tracks and drive around aimlessly looking for people (either friends, the computer, or a mix) to toss shells at. That is the exact opposite of fun, no matter how many people you're playing against or how you've tweaked the item assortment. Because the tracks were designed for racing, there's no choke points to force people to fight, so you spend more time searching than attacking. Nintendo needed to go back to the drawing board for Battle mode and this tweak only made things worse.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2529082" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529082-mario+kart+8+-+love+that+150cc+-+2014-05-08+09-40-3302.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2529082-mario+kart+8+-+love+that+150cc+-+2014-05-08+09-40-3302.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2529082"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2529082-mario+kart+8+-+love+that+150cc+-+2014-05-08+09-40-3302.jpg"></a><figcaption>Losing drivers get skinned, their pelts used as hang gliders for the victor.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Even though Mario Kart 8 does have a few problems, they're small enough that they don't detract much from the racing excellence. The greatest achievement of Mario Kart 8 is that it's as warm and welcoming as we expect, but doesn't cater to those who demand a helping hand. Instead, it strikes a balance, offering accessibility while demanding skill. It's easy enough for anyone to take a spin around Moo Moo Meadows, but the most determined drivers should come out on top. And, as someone who was annoyed by previous attempts to even the playing field, I really appreciate this change.</p><p style="">There's also a great assortment of tracks to hone your abilities on. The 16 new ones are as preposterous and demanding as you would expect, with a race down the snowy Mount Wario being the highlight, and the 16 retro tracks have been smartly remade to fit within this world. The gophers from Donut Planes 3 (originally in Super Mario Kart) create dirt tunnels that you can boost off, and there's an underwater portion when a bridge fails to reach the other shore. Certain courses let you race along the wall, giving you a new perspective on the beautiful worlds. Such a shift doesn't change the feel of racing, but it does add another layer of strategy. Should you ride on the wall in Toad's Turnpike? Or take the shorter route on the ground? And if you're particularly happy with your run, you can cut up a highlight reel of your efforts and upload it for everyone to see.</p><p style="">Nintendo has done an admirable job of keeping Mario Kart relevant. How many franchises can you think of that have remained in top form for more than two decades? Not too many. I do admit that my first impression of Mario Kart 8 was pretty close to a yawn. Mario Kart is one of my favorite franchises, but it's hard to get excited for the same old thing. But the more I played, the more I appreciated the many small changes, and grew to love my time in the Mushroom Kingdom. And now that yawn has changed to a shout of joy. It's more Mario Kart! I'm happy Nintendo still understands what makes this series so darn fun.</p><p style=""> </p> Thu, 15 May 2014 00:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-kart-8/1900-6415760/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-sims-2-gameplay-the-shaun-method-highlights/2300-6418809/ Chris and Benito celebrate history month by recreating the Mushroom Kingdom in The Sims 2 and things get... very dark. Hug your loved ones. Wed, 14 May 2014 16:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-sims-2-gameplay-the-shaun-method-highlights/2300-6418809/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-ps4-watch-dogs-isn-t-1080p-microsoft-expla/2300-6418808/ Microsoft says more Kinects will sell with Kinect-less Xbox One, Watch Dogs won't be 1080p on PS4, and Microsoft details why the PS4 is beating the Xbox One! Wed, 14 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-ps4-watch-dogs-isn-t-1080p-microsoft-expla/2300-6418808/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-update-why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-/2300-6418804/ Yusuf Mehdi claims Xbox 360 owners are enjoying the systems so much they are less inclined to upgrade. Wed, 14 May 2014 14:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-update-why-is-the-ps4-outselling-the-xbox-/2300-6418804/
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Gamespot's Site Mashup
Dengan url
http://sehatbergayaraya.blogspot.com/2014/05/gamespots-site-mashup_15.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Gamespot's Site Mashup
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar