Sony have finally unveiled their thinly veiled Smash Bros. clone, Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale. Many suspected this was simply a rumour but Sony have went right on ahead and confirmed that they do in fact plan on releasing a blatant copy of Nintendo’s mash up fighter, because that’s how they do things now… I guess?
The game appears to be a Smash Bros. clone with Playstation characters in place of Nintendo characters. As you would expect Sony are hyping the game up to be something big and as such an in depth trailer detailing this ‘new’ and ‘revolutionary’ fighting game has been revealed. You can check it out below.
It is currently unknown whether the game will be compatible with the Move controller, which would of course bring this clone full circle. Wii will of course find out more on this title come E3 2012 when Sony reveal more of the game’s playable characters and gives some more wiitails on this blatant wiip off. In other news, Sony have revealed that the Playstation 4 will use an iPad as a controller.
Check out the trailer for Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale below. Sound off in the comments section with your thoughts on this ‘new’ game.
The views expressed in this article do not belong to Capsule Computers. These views and opinions belong to the article’s author.
The 1911 semi-automatic pistol has been one of the deadliest and longest serving weapons in Max Payne’s arsenal. Making a welcome return in Max Payne 3, this hard-hitting, reliable handgun – a staple since Max’s NYPD days – features machine-gun like firing rates plus the ability to dual-wield.
Extremely light-weight, yet packing enough force to punch holes in any enemy brazen enough to cross Max’s path – grabbing a couple of these as you dash and Shoot-dodge through crossfire will make you a dangerous target.
Check out the video below to see the raw power, impressive range and precise accuracy of the 1911 in action, along with detailed 360-degree renders that show off all of its individually modeled components.
While Nintendo is already planning on offering full retail games through digital distribution on the Nintendo 3DS in August, the company appears to be taking an even more aggressive approach to digital distribution when it comes to the Wii U.
Satoru Iwata revealed Nintendo’s plans today to sell Wii U games both in retail stores as well as through their digital distribution service when the games are released. The plan will be the same as previously described for Nintendo 3DS games, wherein retailers will be able to sell downloadable codes for games as well as making them available for purchase on the eShop. As such, retailers will also be able to set their own prices for these digitally distributed game codes, allowing for discounts which has previously been unheard of from Nintendo’s eShop.
Sinclair ZX Spectrum 100 Greatest Hits Developer: Elite Systems Publisher: Elite Systems Platforms: iPhone (reviewed), iPod Touch, iPad Release Date: April 20, 2012 Price: $9.49 (HERE)
Overview
The Sinclair ZX Spectrum was released almost exactly thirty years ago as a home computer. Since then it has had thousands upon thousands of pieces of software created for use on the device, many of them games whose names bring back fond memories to those who had the good fortune of playing them at the time.
Well, they’re back! 100 Greatest Hits bundles one hundred games created for the ZX Spectrum and puts them all on iOS. Is this collection of games a bargain you should dive right into, or should the past have stayed in the past?
Gameplay
100 Greatest Hits has a hundred greatest hits… and so no, I did not get the chance to play through all of them for this review. I did, however, get into some of the classics, such as Barbarian, Jet Set Willy, and Manic Miner. But here is a list of what you get when you download/purchase the 100 Greatest Hits :
Elite Pack #1 – Chuckie Egg, Buggy Boy, Turbo Esprit, Saboteur!
Elite Pack #2 – Roller Coaster, Beyond Ice Palace, Saboteur II, Batty
Software Projects Pack #1 – Manic Miner, Astronut, Orion, Thrusta
Software Projects Pack #2 – Jet Set Willy, Jet Set Willy II, Push Off, Hysteria
Gremlin Pack #1 – Wanted Monty, Monty On the Run, Auf Wiedersehen Monty, Moley Christmas
Gremlin Pack #2 – Jack The Nipper, Jack The Nipper II, Avenger, Krakout
Palace Pack #1 – Barbarian, Cauldron, Crazy Cars, Secret Armor Of Antiriad
Palace Pack #2 – Barbarian II, Cauldron II, Crazy Cars II, Extreme
Alternative Software Pack #1 – Skool Daze, Hideous, Eliminator, Dead or Alive
Alternative Software Pack #2 – Back To Skool, Confuzion, Slug, Revolver
Cronosoft Pack #1 – Splattr, Stranded 2.5, W*H*B, Treasure Trove
Cronosoft Pack #2 – Gamex, SlubberDegullion, Egghead 4, Egghead 5
Hewson Pack #1 – Cybernoid, Zynaps, Uridium, Nebulus
Hewson Pack #2 – Cybernoid II, Rana Rama, Dragontorc, Avalon
Vortex Software Pack #1 – TLL, Deflektor, Highway Encounter, Android One
Vortex Software Pack #2 – Cyclone, Android II, Revolution, Alien Highway
New Generation Software Pack – Trashman, Trashman II, Genon, Escape
Mikro-Gen Pack – Pyjamarama, Everyone’s A Wally, Automania, Frost Byte
Julian Gollop Pack – Chaos, Lords of Chaos, Laser Squad, Rebelstar
Steve Crow Pack – Starquake, Firelord, Wizards lair, Laser Snaker
Odin Computer Graphics Pack – Nodes Of Yesod, Arc Of Yesod, Heartland, Robin Of The Wood
Nexus Pack – Earthlight, Micronaut One, Firestorm, Nexus
Data East Pack – Midnight Resistance, Dragon Ninja, Sly Spy, Express Raider
Audiogenic Pack – Emlyn Hughes International Soccer, Exterminator, Helter Skelter, Impact
Durrel Pack – Critical Mass, Fatworm Blows A Sparky, Scuba Dive, Thanatos
Thankfully, there were quite a few attributes that were universal across the games. To begin with, we’re turning back the clock thirty years here, so the level design isn’t streamlined or console-ified. This is gameplay at its purest and most difficult. If you’re used to playing any game made in the last ten years, other than the rare exceptions like Dark Sous and The Witcher series, then be forewarned – you’ll not find the creature comforts of Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed here.
However, if you were an avid gamer back in the day, or are one of those hipster-types who was born twenty years ago but plays retro games because it’s not mainstream, then prepare to enjoy a magnificent blast from the past.
My one gripe is the controls, particularly on the iPhone, can be quite clunky. While you generally have the option of choosing between onscreen buttons or an onscreen joystick, both take up a rather large portion of the screen. Add in buttons for attacking and what-not, and you’ve got yourself a screen half covered by fingers while you try to manoeuevre through games that aren’t as forgiving as most. The controls on the iPad version are a little more acceptable due to the larger screen resolution. (see image above)
So, essentially, if you’re play this on your iPhone you’re stuck either obscuring your vision and moving about quickly, or pulling your fingers away so you can see what’s going on, but your reaction time will be much slower. This is, of course, alleviated on the bigger iPad screen, but it is an issue on the iPhone that it does severely dampen the experience.
Audio & Visual
The sounds and graphics have not received any updates beyond being displayed on the HD screens of iOS devices.
Much like the gameplay, what you get is pure, retro goodness. Eight-bit visuals greet you as you boot up a game and midi tunes blare in that obnoxious fashion that makes you glad that games have orchestral scores nowadays. The presentation will pull at every nostalgic heartstring in your body, and if retro games are your thing, you’ll be in a state of bliss.
Overall
The Sinclair ZX Spectrum 100 Greatest Hits is a blast from the past – quite literally. With the insane amount of classic titles available, anyone who was a fan of the system back in the day should definitely look into purchasing the app. And if you’re a new-generation gamer who just happens to love the old-school, there’s plenty of charm to be found amongst the hundred titles made available on the app.
The game is held back by its controls on the iPhone’s smaller screen, however, so if you have the option, go for the iPad version. And if you think retro means “too complicated”, you should probably look elsewhere.
As part of the Macross 30th Anniversary celebrations it was previously announced that the classic anime film Macross: Do You Remember Love? would be getting a special edition re-release. In order to promote the special release a new trailer has made it’s way online which can be seen below.
The special release bundle of the Macross: Do You Remember Love? film comes with a plethora of extras including over 90 minutes of extra footage, the first ever blu-ray release of Macross: Flashback 2012, a Playstation 3 game titled Macross: My Boyfriend is a Pilot 2012, a Playstation Network download of the classic PSOne side scrolling shooter based on Macross: Do You Remember Love? and many other 30th Anniversary edition bonuses. It is certainly a must have for fans of the Macross series.
Be sure to check out the Macross 30th Anniversary special trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments section.
The Kids on the Slope anime series has only just begun airing in Japan, but the manga in which the anime series adapts has reached it’s conclusion with it’s ninth and final volume now on sale in Japan.
The manga was serialized in Monthly Flowers Magazine and is published by Shogakukan under the Flowers Comics label in Japan. The series focuses on a group of teenagers in the tail end of the 60’s in Japan drawn together by a love of Jazz music. The manga and new anime adaptation have both received critical acclaim for the series’ artistry, honest portrayal of human emotion, nostalgic vibes and the refreshing setting and plot.
Kids on the Slope currently has not been published in the West, but the anime series is currently being streamed on Crunchyroll here. With the anime series picking up in popularity one of the Western manga publishers may license the manga for distribution. What do you think about Kids on the Slope coming to a conclusion? Sound off in the comments section below.
Strategy First, Inc. and indiePub have announced the release of Fireburst for PC on Steam, with a 20% discount until May 2nd. Fireburst is a arcade style racing game made with the Unreal 3 engine by developer exDream, that beyond just the release for Steam is also being planned for release on Xbox Live and Playstation Network this Summer.
Fireburst features 12 maps for single-player and 5 maps for multiplayer; multiplayer modes that allow up to 8 drivers at once; 16 different cars across 4 categories such as Buggies, Muscle Cars, Trucks and Offroaders/4x4s; Fireboost abilities like Fireball, Fire wheels, Firewall, and Fireblast; 250+ car skins and 16 characters to choose from; and 12 Steam achievements for players to earn. Be sure to check the game out before the 20% discount ends May 2nd on Steam HERE.
In what is a new twist for Nintendo, they will soon be offering full Nintendo 3DS titles for download later this year. To kick off the service, they are using their most iconic franchise, Super Mario, to lead the way. When New Super Mario Bros. 2 is released to retailers worldwide in August for the Nintendo 3DS, it will also be made available as a downloadable title.
The game will be made available for download over the eShop and Satoru Iwata revealed that gamers can expect to see nearly all of Nintendo’s first party titles available for download once the service begins. It is worth noting that the game will only be playable on the specific 3DS it was downloaded to.
The digital versions of the games can also be bought at retail stores where codes will be given upon purchase and must be entered into the Nintendo 3DS’ eShop to download the game. Also revealed was the fact that the prices for these games will vary from store to store, meaning that the price of New Super Mario Bros. 2 may differ if downloaded from the eShop digitally or from your local GameStop.
If you’ve been a good little reader, you will have played the first ninety games by now. Every single one. And I mean fully finished: every hidden collectable, every alternate path, every high score, every ending.
If so, you’ve earned my deepest respect. But before you go get those bedsores checked out and begin piecing your life back together, we have just ten more games for you to finish. And there’s some real gems in here, that’ll be sure to keep you playing until you lose all function in your legs.
So, let’s count down the last ten of our 100 Games You Must Play Before You Die.
91. Daytona USA
Platform: Arcade Genre: Racing Year: 1993 Nominated by: Ben Webb/Jahanzeb Khan
Daytona USA is the penultimate arcade racing experience that will always be the go-to game for drunken racing after a night at the pub.
Whether it was the ultra cheesy and addictive soundtrack full of Japanese Engrish goodness, or the rock solid arcade racing mechanics, Daytona USA is easily among the most entertaining racing games to have ever graced the arcades. Even with a small selection of cars and tracks, Daytona USA was an immensely re-playable and addictive racing game that continues to be a classic example of what makes a great arcade racer. Being one of the most fast-paced racing games available at its time it’s unsurprising that the game has lasted as long as it has. Even better, the game had some pretty realistic drifting mechanisms, as well as highly detailed vehicles and environments.
Strangely, some of the best moments I’ve had with the game have been on a faulty machine with a broken graphics processor, barely able to keep up with the terrain moving around it. If this was any other game, wouldn’t it just have frozen and refused to start? It just goes to show how great a game Daytona USA is.
Jump on Xbox Live Arcade for the definitive HD conversion of the game, easily the best home version you can find, complete with a Karaoke mode and network play.
Uncharted was the game on PS3 that proved Sony had made the right choice by stuffing their system with all that high priced tech. With its smooth controls, incredible graphics, and astounding plot, Uncharted was destined to be a system seller. Although it suffered from too many gun battles near the end, Uncharted laid the groundwork for a series that would go on to win many GOTY awards. If you have not experienced the beauty of Uncharted 2, you have not experienced video games.
93. Mario Kart 64 Platform: Nintendo 64 Genre: Racing Year: 1997 Nominated by: Mike Irving
After Super Mario Kart on the SNES essentially created the weapon-based kart-racing sub-genre, Mario Kart 64 expanded on the gameplay.
Judging the best entry in the series is open to personal preference, but in my experience Mario Kart 64 may be the most popular. Moving into true 3D graphics over the Super Nintendo version’s pseudo-3D, the 64 version looked fantastic. And with the console’s four-player split-screen capabilities, it was more fun than ever to race your friends. Blue-shell trolling is a lot more rewarding when your victims are in the same room.
The game improved on the drifting system, allowing players to turn sharply without losing much speed if done right. The AI, a sticking point in the first game, was also upgraded. No longer did computer-controlled racers follow a single path, only use one weapon each, dependent on their character, and only attack human players. Now racing NPCs was more dynamic, as they avoided obstacles, used most of the available weapons, and widened their attacks to other AI characters as well as players.
It was definitely one of the most fun multiplayer experiences on the Nintendo 64, and is remembered fondly by gamers of all ages.
94. Street Fighter II Platform: Arcade/Super Nintendo Genre: Fighting Year: 1991 (arcade), 1992 (SNES) Nominated by: Jahanzeb Khan
A landmark contribution to the evolution of the video game medium, as without Street Fighter II, none of the many fighting games that we cherish and enjoy today would ever have existed.
Street Fighter II is the blue print of fighting games, even till this very day, and the game itself has aged beautifully. It’s still mechanically sound and gets plenty of love in major fighting tournaments and communities all over the world. The SNES port of this arcade classic has created fond childhood memories for many of us, and is a game that is still relatively easy to find. Jump on Xbox Live Arcade now for an enhanced port with network play.
95. Kirby Super Star Platform: SNES Genre: Platformer Year: 1996 Nominated by: Dustin Spencer
These days, seeing multiple titles bundled in one release is quite common due to the constant flow of compilations for the classics. Kirby Super Star (Kirby’s Fun Pak in Europe/Australia) however gave us not only a complete remake of the original Kirby’s Dream Land, but also packed in eight other full games that were all new, and introduced mechanics to the series that can still be seen to this day in modern titles starring the beloved pink fluff.
The visuals were some of the best at the time, as the brightly-colored worlds reeked of charm and all of the 2D sprites truly brought out the likes of Waddle Dee, Whispy Woods, Knuckle Joe, DeDeDe, MetaKnight, and of course Kirby, as fully-fledged stars, all ready to give the then-dwindling system a last hoorah worth celebrating.
Go play any of the titles included on this cart and you will quickly discover one of the best video game soundtracks of all time, and some of the most polished platforming ever produced, that hasn’t aged a day. Kirby has made a career out of reinventions, but Super Star is Kirby at his all-time, enemy-swallowing finest, and there is no denying that this timeless classic is one that any fan of gaming should play before they die.
96. Castlevania Symphony of the Night
Platform: Playstation Genre:Action RPG Year: 1997 Nominated by: Jahanzeb Khan
This game was major turning point for the Castlevania franchise, introducing a Metroid style of game structure and combining it with the aesthetics and mechanics of Castlevania to create a whole new gaming experience. It was essentially the modernisation of Castlevania and it brought in a whole new legion of fans. It would coin the term ‘Metroidvania’ and change the direction and focus of the franchise. Since then, almost all 2D Castlevania games have followed this revamped formula, with each game introducing unique RPG-style customisation mechanics and systems. A fantastic adventure that can be easily be found on Xbox Live Arcade.
97. DOOM Platform: PC Genre: FPS Year: 1993 Nominated by: Mike Irving
Doom may not have been the first first-person shooter, but it was arguably the first great one. Developed by id Software, Doom expanded on the foundations laid by the company’s previous FPS, Wolfenstein 3D, and launched the genre into immense popularity that continues today.
The game casts players as the sole survivor of a catastrophe on a research station on Mars, which unleashed the worst demons Hell had to offer. Now one (pretty badass) guy is all that stands between Hell and Earth.
Understandably, Doom was terrifying for its time. I remember it as the first game that I refused to play after dark.
Its achievements may seem basic by today’s standards, but in the early 90s Doom was a technological marvel. It implemented floors at multiple heights within the same environment, textured every surface instead of using flat colours like its predecessor, and utilized variances in lighting to create atmosphere and guide the player.
It was also one of the first video games to receive mainstream attention of the moral panic variety. Before beating up hookers in Grand Theft Auto became an issue, Doom’s excessive violence and gore, as well as the satanic design influences, concerned parents, religious and political groups. It was even blamed for the Columbine High School massacre, although the links remain questionable.
For better or worse, Doom remains one of the most influential video games ever. Even after almost twenty years, its legacy can still be felt in some form in most of today’s shooters. Thanks to Doom, it’s hard to imagine a world where shooting dudes isn’t a common video game experience.
When Obsidian announced a new game in the Elder Scrolls series, the Internet went ballistic. And now, after countless perfect review scores, memes, videos and playthroughs, Skyrim has a place in the heart of many a gamer. A fantastic world full of quests, memorable characters, and FREAKIN’ DRAGONS, Skyrim is the pinnacle of RPG perfection. The best part of the game: you can’t ever fully complete it. Also, books. So many books.
I really shouldn’t have to introduce the game that brought running and gunning action to consoles, but some may need a quick reminder of why Contra is one of the most influential titles to ever hit the video game scene. Contra was challenging, but not necessarily in a bad way. This was the type of challenge that you would spend a weekend on, just trying to make it from stage to stage as your fingers began to cramp and your sugar supply wasted away. Every bullet mattered, and there was nothing more exciting than dodging an insane amount of enemies as you tried to protect that last bit of HP remaining.
Since first releasing for the NES in 1988 (Arcades in ’87), we have seen sequels and a mass amount of clones, but honestly, nothing can beat the original experience. Contra could have been just another 8-bit title when it was birthed years ago, but thanks to a hardcore following of fans who have spent hours creating speedrun videos, remixed soundtracks, and other tributes, Contra’s legacy lives on for future generations.
100. Super Mario 64 Platform: Nintendo 64 Genre: Platformer Year: 1996 Nominated by: Mike Irving
The industry’s transition to 3D with the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation era had an effect not unlike an asteroid: it created an extinction event, through which only the strongest franchises could survive.
In this strange new world, some franchises thrived, some faltered, some died off and some new ones emerged. But if anyone could successfully adapt a classic formula to incorporate the mind-bending properties of an extra dimension, it would be Nintendo.
Mario’s first venture into 3D achieved the impossible: it was faithful to the series, while adapting the core gameplay into something truly revolutionary. Instead of running left to right, jumping your way to a set goal, the developers made use of the free-roaming environments to encourage exploration. Shiggy Miyamoto always touted exploration as a core principle of Mario games, but it was somewhat hard to achieve in a strictly linear, 2D format. Now, the goal wasn’t a specific location, but stars that could be obtained by performing specific tasks within the environment: you might have to help a character, defeat a tough enemy or use your climbing and jumping prowess to reach a difficult area. Exploration was the whole game, and it was beautiful.
Super Mario 64 nailed 3D platforming so well it is often cited as creating a brand new genre. It was a damn good example of how it should be done, and was subsequently aped by every other developer trying to bring their platformer franchises into the third dimension.
Hardly a list of Best or Most Influential Games goes by without an appearance by Super Mario 64, and it isn’t hard to see why. Few games are responsible for so many innovations at once. Critically, it was unanimously praised, including the honour of being the first game to receive a perfect score in Edge magazine, and deserved the accolade of #1 best selling game on the Nintendo 64.
The Walking Dead: Episode 1 from Telltale Games may be out on PC, Mac and PS3 already but perhaps you should take a look at the below trailer before getting too far into the game. Those who are eager to play the Xbox 360 version can also sate their appetite for zombies momentarily until the game is released tomorrow on the XBLA.
In the below trailer Harrison G. Pink, one of Telltale Games’ designers, talks about how the various choices you make in the first episode will affect how certain things play out in the rest of the episodes which will be released throughout the summer.
The Kids on the Slope anime series has only just begun airing in Japan, but the manga in which the anime series adapts has reached it’s conclusion with it’s ninth and final volume now on sale in Japan.
