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Nintendo Hosts Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018, Splatoon 2 World Championship Tournaments

Nintendo Hosts Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018, Splatoon 2 World Championship Tournaments

World-Class Players Will Compete in E3-Related Event June 11-12 in Los Angeles

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– On June 11-12 in Los Angeles, an invited group of players will gather to play Super Smash Bros., and qualified teams will compete in Splatoon 2, as Nintendo hosts an event featuring high-level gameplay on these two games for Nintendo Switch. This will be the first-ever exhibition tournament featuring the recently announced Super Smash Bros. game coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018. Additionally, this will be the first world championship for Splatoon 2 after the game’s launch. The gathering will be a celebration of fun for all ages, and will highlight Nintendo’s unique approach to competitive play. The event will be just one of Nintendo’s activities at the E3 video game trade show, which runs June 12-14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Additional details about Nintendo’s E3 plans will be announced at a later time.

On June 11-12 in Los Angeles, an invited group of players will gather to play Super Smash Bros., and qualified teams will compete in Splatoon 2, as Nintendo hosts an event featuring high-level gameplay on these two games for Nintendo Switch. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The event will showcase players from around the globe in the Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 tournament for the newly announced Super Smash Bros. game coming to Nintendo Switch this year and the Splatoon 2 World Championship. The competitions will be livestreamed.

Prior to the Splatoon 2 World Championship, Nintendo will host U.S./Canada online qualifiers. The U.S./Canada qualifier will be the Splatoon 2 U.S./Canada Inkling Open 2018 hosted by Battlefy. Open qualifiers for teams of four ages 13 and up will take place on April 21 starting at 11 a.m. PT, and finals will take place on April 28 at 8 a.m. PT. Teams will compete in Turf War during the open qualifiers and in Ranked Battle modes during the finals. Players can learn more about the qualifiers at https://e3.nintendo.com/splatoon-2-inkling-open/. Players from around the world competed in their region’s qualifying events for a spot at the Splatoon 2 World Championship, and those in Japan (Splatoon Koshien 2018), Europe (Splatoon European Championship) and Australia (AUNZ Splatoon Cup) should check information from their local regions regarding these qualifiers.

“Nintendo always takes an original approach to video game competitions, and the portability of Nintendo Switch enables unique gameplay possibilities,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re looking forward to watching some of the best players in the world test their skills against each other in these two uniquely competitive games.”

For additional details about the Nintendo Switch event, visit https://e3.nintendo.com. Visit https://battlefy.com/splatoon2 to register for the Splatoon 2 U.S./Canada qualifiers. More details about the Los Angeles event will be announced in the future.

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch system and the Nintendo 3DS family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo has sold more than 4.5 billion video games and more than 710 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS family of systems, Super NES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Wii and Wii U systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

THE LATEST NINTENDO eSHOP SALE IS SURE TO PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP, WITH DISCOUNTS ON OVER 140 TITLES

THE LATEST NINTENDO eSHOP SALE IS SURE TO PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP, WITH DISCOUNTS ON OVER 140 TITLES

There’s never been a better time to throw down with Spring Man and the rest of the gang, with 33% off ARMS on Nintendo Switch

22nd March, 2018 – The weather is cooling down but the action is heating up as Nintendo eShop holds its Action-Packed Sale, beginning on Friday 23rd March and running until Thursday 5th April. Over 140 titles will be available at discounted prices, across Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS family systems and Wii U. Visit Nintendo eShop once the sale goes live tomorrow for full information on the titles included and the discounts on offer.

For Nintendo Switch owners who have yet to make the leap into the frenetic fighting fun of ARMS, now’s the time to grab some Joy-Con and get punching, with ARMS available for 33% less than its regular Nintendo eShop price. What’s more, an ARMS Global Testpunch event will be happening from March 31st at 3:00pm AEDT to April 3rd at 1:59pm AEST, giving everyone with a Nintendo Switch the chance to download a demo version of the game and give it a go – for free!

Other highlights of the Action-Packed Sale on Nintendo Switch include heavy-hitters such as DOOM, L.A. Noire and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim®, plus multiplayer action galore with the likes of Super Bomberman R, Rocket League® and EA SPORTSTM FIFA 18 – all available at discounts of up to 50%.

Fans who have recently enjoyed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on Nintendo Switch now have the perfect opportunity to explore the history of those respective series on Nintendo 3DS, with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Xenoblade Chronicles 3D* on offer. And players hungry for yet more epic adventure on handheld can join the hunt in Monster Hunter Stories™, Monster Hunter™ 4 Ultimate and Monster HunterTM Generations – all available on Nintendo 3DS for up to 50% off their regular eShop price.

It’s also worth remembering that, since early March, Gold Points accumulated via the My Nintendo reward scheme can be spent when purchasing digital games and downloadable content for Nintendo Switch. This applies to games that are on sale too, so for those who already have a stockpile of Gold Points, the Nintendo eShop Action-Packed Sale is a great opportunity to redeem them on them some exciting digital titles.

Spring into action and check out the discounts on offer on a wide range of digital games for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, in the Nintendo eShop Action-Packed Sale, which starts on Friday 23rd March and runs until Thursday 5th April.

 

Summary of Referenced Highlights:

 

Title

 

Platform

 

Publisher

Regular price on Nintendo eShop 

Action-Packed Sale Price

ARMSNintendo SwitchNintendoAU$79.95 / NZ$89.95AU$53.30 / NZ$59.95
DOOMNintendo SwitchBethesda SoftworksAU$79.95 / NZ$89.95AU$53.30 / NZ$59.95
L.A. NoireNintendo SwitchROCKSTAR GAMESAU$89.95 / NZ$99.95AU$67.46 / NZ$74.96
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim®Nintendo SwitchBethesda SoftworksAU$79.95 / NZ$89.95AU$53.30 / NZ$59.95
Super Bomberman RNintendo SwitchKonami Digital Entertainment GmbHAU$89.95 / NZ$109.95AU$44.97 / NZ$54.97
Rocket League®Nintendo SwitchPsyonixAU$25.34 / NZ$27.80AU$19.00 / NZ$20.85
FIFA 18Nintendo SwitchElectronic ArtsAU$89.99 / NZ$99.99AU$44.99 / NZ$49.99
Xenoblade Chronicles 3DNew Nintendo 3DSNintendoAU$59.95 / NZ$79.95AU$35.95 / NZ$47.95
The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time 3DNintendo 3DSNintendoAU$59.95 / NZ$79.95AU$35.95 / NZ$47.95
Monster Hunter Stories™Nintendo 3DSNintendoAU$59.95 / NZ$69.95AU$35.95 / NZ$41.95
Monster Hunter™ 4 UltimateNintendo 3DSCAPCOMAU$59.95 / NZ$79.95AU$29.95 / NZ$39.95
Monster HunterTM GenerationsNintendo 3DSCAPCOMAU$59.95 / NZ$79.95AU$29.95 / NZ$39.95

 

Additional Links:
Nintendo Australia website: http://www.nintendo.com.au/
Nintendo Australia Twitter: https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo Australia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo AU on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nintendoau

The PlayStation Store Easter sale begins today

Sony Interactive Entertainment Australia is today excited to announce the launch of the Easter Sale on PlayStation Store, offering players savings of up to 60% on some of the biggest PS4, PS3 and PS Vita titles.

There’s an amazing selection of blockbuster titles on sale, including FIFA 18, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Call of Duty: WWII, Grand Theft Auto V and many more.

For PlayStation VR, there are discounts for top PS VR titles such as Robinson: The Journey, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR and Raw Data.

Head to PlayStation Store to view the complete list of titles on sale.

To give you taste of what’s on offer, please see below:

Head to the PlayStation Blog for more information.

For all the latest PlayStation news, follow PlayStation Australia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

NI NO KUNIÔ II: REVENANT KINGDOM AVAILABLE TOMORROW

NI NO KUNIÔ II: REVENANT KINGDOM AVAILABLE TOMORROW

Regain Your Throne and Unite the World

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe announced today that Ni no KuniÔ II: REVENANT KINGDOM will be available tomorrow for PlayStation®4 and PC (digital). Developed by world-renowned video game studio LEVEL-5 Inc., with participation from former Studio Ghibli animator Yoshiyuki Momose and music composed by Joe Hisaishi, Ni no Kuni II: REVENANT KINGDOM is ready to enchant gamers across the world in an epic role-playing game.

A treacherous coup has dethroned Evan Pettywhisker Tildrum, the young ruler of Ding Dong Dell. Evan – along with the help of his friends; Roland, Tani, Batu, Lofty, and many others they’ll meet along their journey – will build a new kingdom free of strife while uniting the whole world of Ni no Kuni. Across Evan’s grand adventure, players can explore a beautifully crafted world filled with exotic locations, a wide cast of characters to encounter, dangerous foes, and plenty of allies eager to help. Supporting Evan on his adventure will be natural phenomena known as Higgledies. The Higgledies will provide invaluable support during battles including offensive and defensive buffs, increasing special attack power for Evan and his friends, and assist in attacking enemies. There are 100 unique Higgledies to collect, each with its own special powers. Mix and match different combinations of Higgledies during combat to strategically secure the upper hand in battles.

Ni no Kuni II: REVENENT KINGDOM provides two additional game modes for players to engage in as they progress through the game’s main story. As Evan reclaims his crown in the newly formed kingdom of Evermore, he must manage all aspects of daily life within its borders. Players will erect shops, farms, barracks, and a host of other facilities to increase the economy of Evermore and provide new equipment for Evan and his allies as they venture further into the world. Hire residents to staff these shops and research new items and abilities to increase Evermore’s influence across the land. Evan will also lead an army into skirmish battles. These large-scale battles against other armies will test the resolve of Evan’s military might.  Recruit new generals with special abilities to take down the opposing forces and claim victory!

Ni no Kuni II: REVENANT KINGDOM is available on the 23rd of March on PlayStation 4 and PC (digital) with a OFLC PG rating. For more information regarding Ni no Kuni II: REVENANT KINGDOM or other titles from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe, please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.com, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU, or join the conversation at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoEU.

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About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S.

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S. part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc. is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive content for platforms including all major video game consoles, PC and mobile.  The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TEKKEN™, SOULCALIBUR™, DARK SOULS™, NARUTO™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, Dragon Ball, GALAGA™, RIDGE RACER™ and ACE COMBAT™. For more information please visit www.bandainamcoent.eu

CARTOON NETWORK MATCH LAND LAUNCHES ON iOS AND ANDROID

CARTOON NETWORK MATCH LAND LAUNCHES ON iOS AND ANDROID

Original Match Land Developer Race Cat Returns With a New Spin on the Hit Match-3 Puzzle Game Featuring Fan-Favorite Cartoon Network Characters

ATLANTA March 21, 2018 – Cartoon Network has released Cartoon Network Match Land, a new match-3 puzzle game for iOS and Android devices starring your favorite Cartoon Network characters from independent developer Race Cat, creators of the original hit Match Land.

Cartoon Network Match Land’s special twist on puzzle action lets players make multiple matches per turn until the timer runs out, allowing for diagonal movement and mega matching combos. Battle hordes of adorable food enemies to keep the Cartoon Network Food Festival running. The more food shops you open and upgrade, the more resources you’ll earn to level up your heroes and take on even bigger challenges.

Build your team of heroes with 20 different characters from beloved Cartoon Network series like Steven Universe, Adventure Time and We Bare Bears, each brought to life in charming 8-bit visuals. And keep your eyes peeled for surprise cameos from other Cartoon Network worlds among the customers and shop owners!

Cartoon Network Match Land is free to download with in-app purchases on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets via the App Store and Google Play, respectively.

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About Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network is Turner’s global entertainment brand and the # 1 animation network in the U.S., offering the best in original content for kids and families with such hits as Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears and The Amazing World of Gumball. Seen in 192 countries and over 400 million homes, Cartoon Network inspires the next generation of creators and innovators by engaging its audience at the intersection of creativity and technology. Its award-winning pro-social initiative, Stop Bullying: Speak Up, is an acknowledged and often-used resource for kids and adults looking for tools that can assist in dealing with the ongoing issue of bullying.

Cartoon Network is part of Turner, a Time Warner company and global entertainment, sports and news company that creates premium content and delivers exceptional experiences to fans whenever and wherever they consume content. These efforts are fueled by data-driven insights and industry-leading technology. Turner owns and operates some of the most valuable brands in the world, including Adult Swim, Bleacher Report, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, ELEAGUE, FilmStruck, Great Big Story, HLN, iStreamPlanet, Super Deluxe, TBS, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), TNT, truTV and Turner Sports.

ARK: Survival Evolved, the Massive Prehistoric Survival Adventure Experience, to Bring Gigantic Dinos and Cretaceous Creatures to the Nintendo Switch™

ARK: Survival Evolved, the Massive Prehistoric Survival Adventure Experience, to Bring Gigantic Dinos and Cretaceous Creatures to the Nintendo Switch™

San Francisco, CA – March 21, 2018 – During the Epic Games’ “State of Unreal” keynote at GDC 2018, Studio Wildcard announced that ARK: Survival Evolved is coming to Nintendo Switch™, launching to digital and retail in Fall 2018, and gave the audience its first look at the game running live on the Switch. Created in conjunction with co-development studio Abstraction Games, the award-winning open-world survival adventure where you can tame dinosaurs, conquer enemies and create enormous structures, now allows you to take your tribe anywhere – at home or on the go.

ARK: Survival Evolved on Switch includes the complete contents and features of the original game; from the massive and mysterious ARK island, to the more than 100 prehistoric- and fantasy-inspired creatures such as the T-Rex, Giganotosaurus, Rock Drake and Reaper. Hundreds of hours of exploring, crafting, survival and combat await players as they go it alone, or group up with thousands of other Survivors to explore the island and solve the mysteries of the ARK.

“The Switch’s handheld mode provides a fantastic new capability for survivors who want to fully immerse themselves in the vast worlds of ARK,” said Jeremy Stieglitz, Studio Wildcard’s Lead Designer, Lead Programmer, Development Director, and Co-Creative Director. “With this new version, Switch players can go directly from hunting and taming while sitting on the couch, to forming online tribes and searching out new conquests when on the bus, waiting in line, or wherever they happen to be.”

Studio Wildcard also announced that its partner, War Drum Studios, creators of the ARK: Survival Evolved mobile experience, sent out its first wave of invitations to the Closed Beta for iOS players. GDC 2018 attendees can play ARK mobile in the Epic Games booth #801.

Prepare for the ultimate dinosaur-themed adventure! Stranded on a mysterious prehistoric island, you must explore its vast biomes as you begin to hunt, harvest, craft tools, grow crops and build shelters to survive. Use cunning and skill to kill, tame, breed, and even ride Dinosaurs and other primitive beasts living on The ARK. Advance your technology from primitive stone tools to T-Rex-mounted laser cannons, as you team up with hundreds of players online or enjoy a solo Jurassic experience.

Since ARK: Survival Evolved‘s launch into Steam’s early access program in June 2015, over 13 Million survivors have been stranded on the ARK island, wandering into an incredible land to discover how to tame, train, ride, and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and primeval creatures roaming the land.

ARK: Survival Evolved is rated “T” for Teen (Violence, Blood, Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol) by the ESRB.

Feel like riding a dinosaur? Join the ARK growing band of survivors in the community forums HERE: survivetheark.com/forums/

For the latest updates follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, visit the Website at playark.com and watch us tame and train leviathan dinosaurs on Twitch.TV.
# # #

ABOUT STUDIO WILDCARD
Studio Wildcard was co-founded in 2014 by industry veteran Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak, former Technical Art Director at Microsoft Game Studios, with the mission of bringing AAA quality to ambitious indie productions that are designed for core gamers. With combined 25 years of industry experience across multiple independent and studio-backed titles, Jeremy and Jesse have teamed up with other veteran developers for Seattle, WA-based and Gainesville, FL-based development studios that also include distributed team members across multiple continents. Wherever talented, driven developers may reside, Studio Wildcard intends to seek out and work with them!

ABOUT ABSTRACTION GAMES
Abstraction successfully bridges the gap between the major AAA publishers and the small, bootstrapped independent development teams. As it is essentially an independent development studio, Abstraction is plugged into the indie scene and knows which games and developers are worth paying attention to. Abstraction has strong publisher and first party relationships from its history of working on large adaptations, such as Angry Birds and Hotline Miami. With several major adaptations under its belt, Abstraction Games looks to continue to establish itself as a leader in the space, while also working on their own projects and games in the near future. For more information, please visit abstractiongames.com and follow us at @AbstractionGame.

PSYONIX REVEALS ROCKET LEAGUE® SPRING FEATURE UPDATE – AKA TOURNAMENTS UPDATE

PSYONIX REVEALS ROCKET LEAGUE® SPRING FEATURE UPDATE – AKA TOURNAMENTS UPDATE

Arriving April 3 on All Platforms, Update Includes Tournaments, Quality of Life Improvements and More

SAN DIEGO, CA – March 21, 2018 – Independent video game developer and publisher, Psyonix, has announced that the Tournaments Update for Rocket League will officially go live on April 3 on all platforms (pending first party certifications). Besides the much-anticipated addition of the Tournaments feature, which allows players to create tournaments without leaving the game, the update will also introduce a number of quality of life improvements including Nintendo Switch™ performance and visual quality updates. For a closer look at Tournaments, Psyonix also revealed a brand new Tournaments Inside Look video today.

Other notable content in the Tournaments Update includes:

  • Connection Quality Information – New notification icons that will signal the types of online connection issues during online matches to better troubleshoot issues
  • Enhanced Garage Options – New item stacking, filtering, searching, and sorting options
  • Expanded Team Customization – More shades have been added to the primary color palette for Battle-Cars and players will now have the choice to “Equip to Blue” and “Equip to Orange” for painted car bodies
  • Audio Improvements – Crowd audio has been tweaked to better react to saves, goals, and important plays, and the soundtrack will now be available to play during online and offline matches
  • Samurai Battle-Car – New Import Battle-Car available as a limited-drop inside the new Triumph Crate

ABOUT ROCKET LEAGUE®
Winner or nominee of more than 150 “Game of the Year” awards, Rocket League is one of the most critically-acclaimed sports games of our generation. Boasting a community of more than 43 million players, Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Available on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, Windows PC, Mac, and SteamOS via Steam, Rocket League includes more than 100 billion possible customization combinations, a fully-featured offline season mode, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely.

To learn more about Rocket League, please visit www.RocketLeague.com, “Like” it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter @RocketLeague for all the latest developer updates and news.

ABOUT PSYONIX
Based in San Diego, CA, Psyonix is a critically-acclaimed independent video game developer and leading experts in Unreal Engine technology. For more than 15 years, the studio has been a driving force behind some of the most successful games in the industry, including Gears of War, Mass Effect 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Bulletstorm, Unreal Tournament III, Unreal Tournament 2004, and the award-winning Sports-Action hit, Rocket League®.

Rocket League, Psyonix, and all related marks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Psyonix Inc.© 2015-2018 Psyonix Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

THQ Nordic and Nickelodeon bring back selected game titles from the past

THQ Nordic and Nickelodeon bring back selected game titles from the past

SpongeBob SquarePants, Tak and many other gaming hits will celebrate their comeback in 2018 and beyond

NEW YORK / VIENNAMarch 21 2018 – THQ Nordic and Nickelodeon today announced the global revival of several game titles connected with Nickelodeon properties.

The full list of game titles are:

  • Avatar: The Last Airbender
  • Back At The Barnyard
  • Catscratch
  • Danny Phantom
  • El Tigre
  • Invader Zim
  • Jimmy Neutron
  • My Life As A Teenage Robot
  • Rocket Power
  • Rocko’s Modern Life
  • Rugrats
  • SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Tak And The Power Of JUJU
  • The Fairly OddParents (US only)
  • The Ren & Stimpy Show
  • The Wild Thornberrys

On-shelf availability will be announced in the coming months.

“The appetite for Nickelodeon content old and new continues to grow and it’s exciting to bring our beloved content to new audiences through this partnership with THQ Nordic,” said Jon Roman, Senior Vice President, Toys, Nickelodeon. “These titles were popular when they were first released and we can’t wait for fans around the world to rediscover their favorites.”

“This one hits close to home! We are very proud of signing this agreement, which was originally executed by the “former” THQ Inc,” comments Adrienne Lauer, VP Digital Sales & Business Development Americas at THQ Nordic. “We believe the combination of strong licenses and solid, crisp gameplay was one of THQ Inc’s trademark strategies, and we intend to continue this tradition. I am confident we chose one of the strongest partners for doing just that. It is a perfect fit for our “asset care” strategy: bringing back fan-favorites, continuing to support legacy games and make them available on current and even next-gen platforms.”
About THQ Nordic
Founded in 2011, THQ Nordic is a global video game publisher and developer. Based in Vienna (Austria) and Karlstad (Sweden), with subsidiaries in Germany, Sweden, and the USA. THQ Nordic brands include Darksiders, MX vs. ATV, Red Faction, Titan Quest, Biomutant, and many more.
THQ Nordic is meant to represent a core approach of doing much more than “owning” a highly competitive portfolio of IPs. It revolves around cherishing them, and aligning them with the very best development resources to expand upon them with the level of experience that communities and established fan bases expect and deserve.

The company’s internal development studios are:

  • Grimlore Games GmbH based in Munich (Germany)
  • Rainbow Studios Inc. based in Phoenix, Arizona (United States of America)
  • Mirage Game Studios AB based in Karlstad (Sweden)
  • Foxglove Studios AB based in Stockholm (Sweden)
  • Black Forest Games GmbH based in Offenburg (Germany)
  • Pieces Interactive AB based in Skoevde (Sweden)
  • Experiment 101 AB based in Stockholm (Sweden)

THQ Nordic shares are publicly listed on Nasdaq First North Stockholm under the ticker THQNB:SS with FNCA Sweden AB as its Certified Adviser. For more investor-related information, please visit: http://www.thqnordic-investors.com/en/

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 38th year globally, has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus special events, consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon is one of the most globally recognized and widely distributed multimedia entertainment brands for kids and family, with 1.2 billion cumulative subscriptions in more than 500 million households across 170+ countries and territories, via more than 100+ locally programmed channels and branded blocks. Outside of the United States, Nickelodeon is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc.
www.nickpress.com

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Review

 

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Developer: Level-5
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platform: PlayStation 4, Windows (Reviewed)
Release Date: 23 March 2018
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here / $99.95 AUD – Available Here

Video Review

Overview

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is set centuries after the events of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. The new game stars the recently deposed King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum who is on a coming of age quest to bring peace to the world. Filled with youthful optimism, King Evan will build his new kingdom with the help of new friends from far and wide.

Story

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom kicks off with a violent coup at Ding Dong Dell that sends King Evan fleeing into the countryside. Now homeless, young Evan chooses to grieve the loss of his family by building a new kingdom founded on everlasting peace. Although his unlikely quest soon finds success, a new threat is emerging from the shadows that will only be stopped by a united front led by Evan.

Like many animated children films, Ni no Kuni II plot is unrealistic and a bit straight forward. Most villains are never truly evil, but only good people who have lost their way. Evan himself is so sweet and naïve that he can give anyone a cavity. Yet Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a refreshing change. Game plots have matured along with the generation of gamers who grew up playing video games. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom bucks the trend with Disney-like storytelling that will warm the heart. Even the most challenging of themes like death are handled with a light touch and a hopeful, positive message. Although the violence in the game may be a bit much for young kids, the Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom will make gamers feel young again.

Gameplay

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is an action RPG at its core. Players choose three characters and four Higgledies to take into combat. Although players control one character at a time, players can cycle between all three in the course of combat. Each character can equip three melee weapons and one ranged weapon. Melee weapons can chain combo attacks using a mix of light and heavy attacks. Mana regenerates with every melee strike and can be expended on spells or ranged attacks. Incoming damage is either completely negated by dodging out of the way or partially negated by blocking. As combat progresses, Higgledies can be activated to trigger a variety of special abilities.

Combat generally feels fluid and responsive for the most part. Dodging and attacking feel great, but the block mechanic is a bit too strict. A successful block requires players to react quite early in the telegraphed animation and for the character to be facing the incoming attack. As such, dodging tends to be more effective as it negates all damage and is more forgiving. The AI can’t be issued commands, but they generally perform well enough to be left to their own devices. Certain boss fights requiring dodging mechanics or specific targeting can sometimes be a little more than the AI can handle, but these fights tend to be rare enough to not cause an issue. The wide range of spells and character types means players can choose a playstyle they like then fill out their party with AI characters to cover their weaknesses. The mana regeneration system is goes a long way in giving the spells some meat, as players can use spells to their hearts content instead of hording skills for the dreaded boss fight. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom also offers a tactics tweaker that lets players boost certain elements, stats, and enemy weaknesses. I found that the tweaks that gave flat boosts were more effective than those that favoured certain enemies or elements at the cost of penalties against others, as the latter often requires tweaking between zones.

Outside of combat is a large world to explore. The level design is solid, with plenty of areas off the beaten path filled with rewards for explorers. The game has plenty of side quests to complete. For the most part, there are enough side activities to keep players from having to grind monsters to hit the recommended level for the story missions. There is a short period between Hydropolis and Broadleaf where the side quests dried up a little, making it harder to keep the pace without a bit of a grind. Once that hump was passed, I found the game was back to its usual pacing.

The kingdom management side activity is similar to city sims found on mobile games. Players who put in the effort of tracking down every citizen for their kingdom will be given access to research that will provide new items and quality of life services. Luckily for those who are not interested, the kingdom management is mostly optional save for a few parts on the story mission.

The strategic battle mini-game is probably the weaker of the two mini-games. Players take four units into a rock-paper-scissors strategy game. The four units will encircle Evan, and players need to rotate the units around to ensure they battle an enemy unit that is at a disadvantage. Players have amount of resources to call in reinforcements and use special abilities, which adds another strategic layer to the game. While the mini-game itself is an entertaining distraction, players do need to do a little bit of grinding to keep the army leveled up for story missions. Finding these missions can be a bit of a pain and require some exploration. I think having all the battles accessible from the kingdom management menu would have been a better solution.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom’s PC port is decent. While the controller is spot on, the mouse and keyboard controls are no slouch either. It’s refreshing to see a JRPG PC port that actually supports the mouse cursor, even if the actual application is a bit off due to the cursor having  a sticking effect on buttons. On the graphics side of things, Ni no Kuni II’s manages to offer much needed PC oriented options like borderless window mode, FPS caps, and plenty of visual settings.

Visuals

Unfortunately, Level-5 opted to not renew their partnership with the legendary Studio Ghibli for the Ni no Kuni sequel. However, they have done a fine job on their own. The art style is gorgeous. Each kingdom has a distinct look that leans heavily on real life inspirations. Coming upon a new kingdom is always a treat as taking my first steps in a new city never fails to fill me with awe and wonder. The chibi-style overworld screen is adorable and emphasizes the game’s light-hearted nature. Caves are the game’s one weak point, they all use the same set of assets.

Audio

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom’s audio experience is very good, but a little lacking in quantity. The sound effects are enjoyable.  The game is partially voice acted in Japanese and English, with major plot points and cutscenes having full voice acting. The rest of the game’s dialogue will have a few simple lines like “hello” or “hmm” for each character’s written dialogue. These filler lines to be a bit out of place, and I would have preferred full voice acting or none at all. The English voice acting is fantastic, with plenty of care paid to characters big and small. The soundtrack is excellent, but when songs are played need to be tweaked. There are some areas where the game constantly plays very tense, horror-style music normally used when an enemy is nearby. Some lower key music would be helpful for dialing down the tension in these areas.

Overall

It is not often I can say that a playing a video game is good for the soul, but Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is one of those games that always leaves me feeling happier after a gameplay session. It’s lighthearted, Disney-like atmosphere is a joy to experience. While there are some small issues that could use ironing out, the gameplay is well executed overall. The audio/visual experience is solid, though there are some areas that need a little more variety. But don’t let these small issues distract from the fact that Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a much-needed breath of fresh air.

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SOUTH PARK™: THE FRACTURED BUT WHOLE™ FROM DUSK TILL CASA BONITA DLC AVAILABLE NOW

SOUTH PARK™: THE FRACTURED BUT WHOLE™ FROM DUSK TILL CASA BONITA DLC AVAILABLE NOW

SYDNEY, Australia – Ubisoft® and South Park Digital Studios have announced that South Park™: The Fractured But Whole™ From Dusk Till Casa Bonita DLC is now available on PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and PC. From the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and developed by Ubisoft San Francisco, From Dusk Till Casa Bonita DLC adds an all-new story campaign and superhero class to South Park: The Fractured But Whole.

Mysterion’s sister is in trouble. She’s fallen in with the Vamp Kids of South Park, who have descended upon Cartman’s favourite restaurant, Casa Bonita. Visit the famous family eatery and explore Black Bart’s Cave, watch the cliff divers, taste the magic of Mexico and defeat the brood of Vampires.

Fight darkness with darkness and embrace the new Netherborn class, which features four new occult powers. Dress the part in new Goth costumes and gain some sweet loot. Enter the battle alongside Henrietta, the Goth: a powerful support Witch, and bring your new powers and buddy to the rest of your superhero adventure.

For more information about South Park: The Fractured But Whole, please visit southparkgame.com, and for the latest on all Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

ABOUT SOUTH PARK DIGITAL STUDIOS

South Park Digital Studios is a joint venture between Viacom and Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of the Emmy and Peabody Award–winning series South Park. South Park Digital Studios is a digital animation and development studio dedicated to creating mobile and digital applications, digital goods and video gaming products, as well as overseeing social networking and digital syndication for South Park. South Park Digital Studios owns and operates the website southpark.cc.com and three international versions of the site. South Park is a registered trademark of Comedy Partners, a wholly owned unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIAB). 

ABOUT UBISOFT

Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2016–17 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,460 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoft.com.

2018 South Park Digital Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved. South Park and all elements thereof © 2018 Comedy Partners. All Rights Reserved. Comedy Central, South Park and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Comedy Partners. Game software © 2018 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.