As part of tonight’s Nintendo Direct Presentation, we got to see some brand new footage from the upcoming Wii U title: Super Mario 3D World. Previous footage has emphasized heavily the multiplayer aspect of the game, showing 4 players using Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad simultaneously. Today’s trailer however takes a departure from that, and shows us how the game will play as a single player experience.
Aside from seeing how the game will play out as a solo experience, we also got to see the return of many series-staple items, and a few new comers as well. The long-time favourite Fire Flower and Tanookie Suit are being joined by a Goomba costume, as well as various Boxes that Mario and gang can wear, and of course the now-infamous Cat Suit (and many more). We also get to see how a new item, the Cherry will affect gameplay. The cherry will copy your character – allowing for multiple Mario’s on the screen at any given time, which I’m sure will lead to a whole load of chaotic fun.
You can check out the trailer below, and let us know in the comments what you think. Honestly, as a fan of the Mario franchise, the thing that got me most excited was seeing Princess Peach wielding fire powers for the first time.
Super Mario 3D World will be released on November 29th exclusively on Nintendo Wii U, so if you have been looking for an excuse to get one, this might be it. For all the Mario news as it becomes available, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
As part of tonight’s Nintendo Direct Presentation, a piece of news was delivered that was shocking, and also very intriguing. It seems that Nintendo are doing away with a typical Zelda gameplay convention. (shock and horror, I know!)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds will do away with the time honored tradition of receiving new items within the game dungeons, and using them to solve the puzzles of that dungeons. At the same time, the linearity of Zelda games is also being abolished, giving players the ability to tackle the game however they choose.
Now, before we all get our torches and pitchforks, hear me out. The way this will work is through a new store in the game called Ravio’s Shop. The store’s owner; Ravio will loan players items that they typically find in dungeons (bows/boomerangs/hammers etc) for a price. This allows players to pick and choose where and how they approach the game, providing a new sense of freedom that usually isn’t seen in the series.
What do you think? Are you for or against this new implementation? I personally think that it is an interesting way to go, and I hope it doesn’t alienate any fans. Let us know in the comments below what you think, and remember that The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is available on Nintendo 3DS on November 22nd. So for all the Legend of Zelda News as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Have you finished Pikmin 3 yet? Are you one of the players who has gone through and seen it all, done it all and collected it all? Well starting from today, there is even more to do! During tonight’s Nintendo Direct Presentation, we learned that Pikmin 3 will be receiving a title update today. The update will be available by the time you read this, and will add the ability to see global high scores in the game’s Mission Mode. In addition, players will get one additional mission to play, completely free.
However, if one more mission isn’t enough for you, and you need MORE Pikmin in your life, then Nintendo have got you covered there too. Starting today (much like the title update) players can purchase additional DLC for the game’s mission mode. The first DLC pack is available right now for a nice and cheap $1.99 and will contain 4 additional stages.
Will you be downloading the DLC pack, or are you still chugging your way through Pikmin 3’s campaign? Let us know in the comments below and remember that for all the Pikmin news as it becomes available, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
The game, which was announced earlier this year was originally supposed to drop this December (just in time for Christmas) but Nintendo and Retro are not ones to deliver half-assed games, so for the sake of the product quality have pushed the game back to an unspecified time. While this is disappointing, I for one am happy that Nintendo were willing to put in the extra effort to make sure the game was the best it could be.
What are your thoughts? Sad that Donkey Kong wont be under your Christmas tree, or happy that pushing it back leads to a better product? Let us know in the comments below, and remember that for all the Donkey Kong news as it becomes available, to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
505 Games and Rebellion have just released the very first trailer for the next game in the Sniper Elite series. Set this time in the African campaign of World War II, players will be setting their eyes on targets a little bit bigger than the human enemies and zombies they’ve faced before.
Just what are these bigger targets in Sniper Elite 3? Why the answer is in the trailer itself, which those wanting to know what they can expect can watch embedded below to get an idea. Yes, the enemies’ vehicles themselves are now the targets, which will now have their own kill cams to show off their explosive destruction.
While no announcement of a release date has been revealed just yet outside of sometime next year, players can expect to battle German vehicles from jeeps to tanks in Sniper Elite 3 for Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4, and PC when it does release.
For Sonic it seems that games of his own are never enough, and after he is done battling the Deadly Six in Sonic: The Lost World, he will be making a trip back to Super Smash Bros. That’s right! Nintendo announced during tonight’s Nintendo Direct Presentation that Sonic will be speeding his way onto the Wii U and 3DS versions of Super Smash Bros when they launch next year. Nintendo have provided a brief trailer of Sonic in action, so be sure you check it out:
So it is official, we finally have a game featuring Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog and Megaman. The “Big Three” of gaming have come together at last, and it is certain that fans will be losing their minds at the prospect for days, weeks, months and even years to come.
What are your thoughts? Is Sonic’s inclusion the icing on the cake that is the next Smash Bros, or should he have just sat by the sidelines this time? Let us know in the comments below and remember that for all the Smash Bros news, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
In what was possibly the biggest news out of today’s Nintendo Direct Presentation, fans finally got what they have been demanding. That’s right, the pink puffball himself, Kirby is making his way to the Nintendo 3DS sometime next year.
Details on his 3DS debut are minimal at best; we don’t even have a title for the game yet, but Nintendo weren’t going to let us leave empty handed, and provided us with a nice trailer for the game. We have attached the trailer below, so you can check out how Kirby will look on your favourite hand-held console next year.
The game looks to take full advantage of the Nintendo 3DS hardware, letting players jump between the foreground and background to traverse the levels. Also, the ability to absorb and use enemy powers has also returned (like we were ever worried that it wouldn’t). Check out the video below, and let us know what you think about Kirby finally making his way to the 3DS. Don’t forget, we have full coverage of the Nintendo Direct, so as always, stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Kirby news as it becomes available.
A little late to the party, but Ubisoft have announced that the latest installment in their hit dance party franchise; Just Dance 2014 will be hitting store shelves across the UK this Friday. The game has a mix of old classics, and new dance tracks to keep fans of all ages entertained and shuffling their feet. Some of the tracks included in the set list are;
Get Lucky – Daft Punk Ft. Pharrell Williams
Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke Ft. Pharrell
Feel So Right – Imposs Ft. Konshens
Kiss You – One Direction
Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.
These tracks are joined by many others, for more than a staggering 45 available at launch. Also included in Just Dance 2014 is the World Dance Floor, which is the series’ first online multiplayer mode. In World Dance Floor, players can make a dance crew and compete against one another globally to see who is the best.
In celebration of Just Dance 2014’s launch, Ubisoft have also released Autodance 2014 by Just Dance on iOS and Android devices. Autodance allows players of all skill levels to record choreography for some of the game’s hottest tracks, and share them with the world. Whether you are just having fun with friends, or are looking to be the best dancer in the world, Autodance will be able to make your Just Dance dreams come true.
Just Dance 2014 will launch this Friday, October 4th in the UK and will be available on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, and Wii. Autodance 2014 by Just Dance is available NOW through the iOS App Store, and coming soon to Android. We have attached the launch trailer for the game below, so be sure to check it out and remember that for all the Just Dance news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
EA and Dice have kicked off the Battlefield 4 beta on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Currently, Battlefield 3 Premium members, those who pre-ordered Battlefield 4 Digital Deluxe Edition and registered owners of Medal of Honor Warfighter Limited Edition can jump in and play.
For the rest of you, the beta will be open to download on October 4 for all three systems. The beta features the now-familiar Siege of Shanghai map along with two game modes, Conquest and Domination. For more info, visit the official beta page.
Aside from serving as a preliminary bug and stress test, the beta familiarises players with the changes and features of a Battlefield that is fairly different from Battlefield 3. New guns, vehicles and gameplay mechanics along with a far more intimate spawning and customisation system is all there to try out.
Battlefield 4 Premium membership is already available to buy, providing access to all future expansion packs. The game is coming out on October 31 for current-gen platforms with an Xbox One and PlayStation 4 release date of November 22 and November 29, respectively.
PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ Developer: Namco Bandai Games Publisher: Namco Bandai Games Platforms: Steam (Reviewed), Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Windows Phone, Windows Runtime Release Date:September 25th 2013 Price: $9.99 – Available Here
Overview
PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ is a downloadable arcade game and the newest addition to the Pac-Man franchise developed and published by Namco Bandai and is the follow-up to the 2007 game PAC-MAN Championship Edition, but includes all of the downloadable content from Pac-Man CE for free. PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ has recently been released on Steam, as well is available for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Windows Phone, and Windows Runtime.
Gameplay
Depending on who you ask, PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ is the perfect step forward for the Pac-Man franchise, which started back in 1980. A lot has changed since 1980, but the advancements in the video game industry have given Namco the opportunity to improve on the gameplay elements seen in its original counterpart.
There are many differences, for the better, in PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ when compared to the 1980 release of Pac-Man. It’s become faster, harder, versatile, and more addicting, but like its predecessors, it all starts with the maze; Each maze is divided into two halves, the player navigates their way through the maze, eating dots, ghosts, and bonus items to gain points. When Pac-Man consumes a bonus item one one end of the map, the other half changes, causing a new path to emerge, all while evading the multitude of ghosts.
This gets more challenging and diverse with the plethora of modes and courses that ship with PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+. If the regular five minute “Score Attack” isn’t enough, each map also has various time trials, and other game modes like “Ghost Combo” or the ten minute version of score attack.
After you’ve mastered those, why not try and replay all twelve courses in the dark? “Darkness” mode is precisely that; in each pitch black maze, only Pac-Man, dots, and the ghosts are illuminated, the course itself is dark, leaving each of your moves in question with the ever changing maze.
If you’re looking to play casually, PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ has a mode for you; a ten minute “Free” mode with unlimited lives.
Another few gameplay mechanics sneaking their way into PAC-MAN Championship addition DX+, like “Cornering”. Cornering is the technique to move Pac-Man in the direction you want to turn, before the turn comes, Pac-Man will emit sparks and will turn that corner more sharply when it comes time.
Ghosts have come back with a vengeance in PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+, with the maximum ghosts on screen, going from the conventional four in Pac-Man (1980), to the seemingly infinite cluster of ghosts on your tail in DX+. This paired with the game’s speed adjustment makes for an exhilarating rush. In Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+, Pac-Man’s speed increases as you earn more points; going from 1-50 and the differences are noticeable.
Because of the faster pace and, sometimes, overwhelming amount of ghosts on the course, Pac-Man also has with him a set of bombs, which clears the maze of ghosts, forcing them to respawn in the “Ghost Hideout” located in the center of the map. This buys you time and is sometimes the difference between Pac-Man nomming on dots and fruits another day or leaving Mrs. Pac-Man an unhappy widow.
Visuals and Audio
PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ comes with a great array of visuals, character models, and audio choices. Each “skin” which comes free with the DX+ version of PAC-MAN Championship Edition, makes every playthrough unique and invigorating.
Each course can be played with twelve different visual and character choices, leading to an aray of combinations. Some of the skins include “Pack is Back”, a pack based off of the Pac-Man Television Series; “Dig Dug” and “Rally-X” also make cameos, both based off of their own games of the same name.
The sound effects in PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ are great quality and fit right in with the musical score. Along with the visuals and character skin, you can select music from a set of nine tracks, seven electronica-style tracks which fit great with pace of the game and two retro tracks for Dig Dug and Rally-x.
The fantastic Audio and Visuals mesh seamlessly together with the rest of PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ and it makes for an great and stimulating experience.
Overall
PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ is an amazingly addictive game that we here at Capsule Computers will be playing long after this review and aside from a few desired additions that would push PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ to the next level, it’s a near perfect game.
But isn’t the fact that we want more a good thing? With so much customization and a wide range of courses and game modes, the only thirst that would be left to quench is a custom level, game mode, and difficulty generator; Like the ability to take away bombs all together, grant yourself only one life per course, set the time limit to unlimited, or eat your way around a maze in the shaped of your Grandmothers face!
Maybe that will be included if they ever decide to make Super Mega Extreme PAC-MAN Ultimate Special Championship Edition Deluxe Deluxe++ 2.0.5 3D Online II: Game Of The Year Edition but until then PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ will have to do, and believe me, it’s quite the awesome consolation prize.
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