Nintendo was quick to acknowledge that they had a potentially game ending bug in their headline Wii title this year, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The good thing is, they have also been quick to work on fixing it for people. While this is currently only available to those in Japan, it is a sign of good things to come, especially for those in North America suffering from glitched saves.
Nintendo’s fix will be a bit different from what 360 and PS3 users are used to. Instead the fix will be a Wii Channel download that will patch and repair save files affected by the glitch. The channel is called the “Zelda Data Restoration Channel.” Expect to see something similar to this from Nintendo of America soon.
You may recall that Madman Entertainment made several acquisition announcements earlier this year. As part of that announcement they confirmed that some of the titles licensed would eventually be given Madman Screening Room treatment.
Starting this week, three new titles have begun weekly streaming in the Madman Screening Room. These three new titles will be joining the already streaming; GOSICK and Last Exile – Fam, The Silver Wing, which update on Mondays and Tuesdays respectively.
You will be able to view these titles over at Madman’s official website now. As for the titles release on physical media, it is currently up in the air. It has also been confirmed that Persona 4 and Future Diary will begin streaming at some point in 2012. Be sure to stay tuned for more Madman Screening Room updates.
Sony recently released a software update that fixes technical issues confronting the PlayStation Vita. The Vita, PlayStation Portable’s successor, sold over 300,000 units in over two days in Japan, currently the only country where the portable gaming device is available. Soon after its successful release, glitches ranging from freezes, crashes, and unresponsive touch screens have been popping up on Youtube and Twitter.
Along with the software update was a firmware upgrade that owners need to install to be able to continue going online using their Vitas. Sony issued a statement regarding the matter, apologizing for the mishap and advising users on how to handle technical glitches. Complaints from new Vita owners added controversy to Sony’s release, which is already estimated to be about 50,000 units short of Nintendo 3DS’s 371,000 tally last February (when it launched on a weekend).
However, Sony is looking to beef up the Playstation Vita releases with a lineup of 24 games, including a new LittleBigPlanet version and the latest Uncharted title, to stave off further potential sales slumps in the coming weeks. In February, two models of the gaming device will launch in the UK, and by then the lineup will include 33 titles. Gamers in the UK and Europe will also be pleased to know that existing glitches and technical issues have already been resolved.
The new Playstation handheld bests its predecessor with a system that makes use of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and even an electronic compass under the 5inch OLED screen. It also sports front and rear cameras. The Vita models to be released in the UK will be able to connect to the Internet via 3G and Wi-Fi, or via Wi-Fi alone.
Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights has now been released on the Nintendo 3DS by Konami Digital Entertainment. A great idea for a stocking stuffer, Doctor Lautrec is an awesome puzzle solving adventure game that combines challenging riddles, exploration, imminent danger and history to create an exciting narrative.
Doctor Lautrec is set in 19th Century Paris, on a mission to uncover the hidden treasures of Louis XIV. You assume the identity of Doctor Lautrec, a curious archaeologist with a penchant for adventure. Trying to get past all the puzzles to get down to the truth and uncover the mystery of this infamous King.
Doctor Lautrec utilizes the Nintendo 3DS to the full extent of all the 3DS features. Use your memory and skills to beat the puzzles and solve the mystery!
Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights is available on Nintendo 3DS for $29.96. Grab it HERE.
Gameloft have announced their partnership with Google to bring GT Racing: Motor Academy to Google+. With this new partnership, GT Racing is now available to all the Google+ users, so more than 40 million people. It is the first 3D HTML5 racing title to be offered on this platform.
With over 26 manufacturers and 111 licensed cars to buy, drive and upgrade including the Nissan GT-R, Audi R8 as well as some of the kick ass Ferarri models. Google+ users will be able to pass driving tests, participate in racing events and play against drivers from all over the world.
Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead has been given a bunch of holiday evenst from the game’s developer and publisher Joymax. Developed by Dragonfly, the creators of Quake Wars Online and Soldier of Fortune Online, players have the chance to sign up for the brand new Clan Champions League, as well as a variety of special Christmas bonuses.
The first of the Christmas KARMA events gives the top user from each country who spends the most KP now until January 3rd a Drive reward. One winner from each country will receive a 7-day Weight +100 boost, so they can carry a huge amount of armour and weapons into battle.
If you’re new to KARMA you can join in the Rookie Challenge, so if you’ve joined between December 20 and January 3, you receive four special guns (the Gold SVT-40 Bayonet, PIAT, CAMO PPSh41, a Luger) and a silver and bronze bullet.
You can also jump into a GM-sponsored contest and be the winner of a sniper match. Everyone who participates automatically gets 3-day EXP of +50% and the top sniper is granted an AWP.
Every Thursday you jump into Prison Break, with 4v4 action on all three Prisoner maps. If you’ve got what it takes to edge out the GM team in two out of three rounds, you and your mates will receive a silver bullet as well as five bronze bullets.
Head over to the KARMA site for more information on the game
Christmas is almost here, but the guys at EA Mobile aren’t giving their steady flow of deals and games a holiday.
The EA Daily Deals today see the prices of the popular FIFA 12 and the newly released Spy Mouse HD shoot down to a mere 99 cents on the iTunes App Store. Android users can also enjoy some limited time special offers with many EA Mobile games as low as $0.99 on the Android Market.
Android fans are in for another holiday treat, as several games, previously available only on iOS devices, have now been made available on the Android Market. Dead Space (Apple’s newly crowned iPad Game of the Year), Plants vs Zombies, Peggle, and Monopoly. Spy Mouse and Real Racing 2 are also coming to the Market in the near future.
iPhone fans aren’t being left by the wayside however, as EA has released a free version of BOGGLE on the App Store. Players can play the classic word game, as well as create their own custom-rules versions of word-play in Advanced modes. BOGGLE also includes achievements, challenging scenarios, and connectivity with Dictionary.com and EA’s Origin service.
Finally, EA Mobile is making its grand entrance on the Mac App store by releasing some of its bigger games onto the service. Mac users can log on now to purchase both NBA Jam and Monopoly, and soon Real Racing 2 and The Game of Life will also soon be made available.
All in all, sounds like EA Mobile has gone bonkers for the holiday season, to the benefit of anyone looking for a bargain.
Looking for a new adventure game revolving around some pirates? Or just think that sounds as cool as I think it does? Well then, you’re in luck because Wizarbox and Reef Entertainment are releasing Captain Morgane and the Golden Turtle, where you play as a feisty female pirate captain in search of the treasure of the Golden Turtle.
You have to solve clues left by Buckleberry Tanner, navigating the dangerous waters of the 17th century Carribean as you try and locate Turtle Island. You have to take on fast-paced mini games, meet over 40 unique characters and try and decipher if they are your firend or not. With over 50 environments on 5 islands, awesome HD graphics, Move capability, and over 20 hours of gameplay, this game is sure to be a hit.
Captain Morgane and the Golden Turtle is available on February 24 2012 on PS3, PC, Wii and DS. For more information on the game head over to the SITE or join the Facebook Page
Carnival Island Developer: Magic Pixel Games Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Platform: Playstation 3 / Move (reviewed) Release Date: Out Now Price: $48.66 (Available Here)
Overview
The Playstation Move is quite impressive as a piece of technology. The major problem is that, despite it being somewhat referred as the core gamer’s motion controller (despite the constant Middle Age mobbing of motion control by this crowd), it has recently seem a plethora of games targeting a more casual audience. Carnival Island is one of those games. It is essentially a collection of carnival based mini games circling around the survival of a carnival. The player will play as one of two children tasked to save this particular carnival from black and white doom. So, can Carnival Island sway the casual crowd? This reviewer questions whether it can achieve such a feat.
Story
There is a story attached to Carnival Island. One sunny day, two children (one male and the other female) are playing on a wharf. Suddenly, two tickets drop from the sky. The children pick them up and travel to the local carnival. Sadly, when they arrive, it lacks colour and the ticket vendor is asleep, probably dreaming of better times. Upon awakening, the ticket vendor notices the tickets. There, the carnival comes to life in full colour glory. Also, the children are introduced to a panda, who will be cheering them on. Upon entering the carnival, those magical tickets re-colour the carnival. It is up to the children to bring the carnival from the darkness and bring back the colour of Carnival Island.
There are no words to express the amazement at the fact that there seems to be some form of story in a game like Carnival Island. With that being said, it is quite shallow and basic. However, does the story of Carnival Island have to be a masterpiece? No. It does its job well in introducing the setting and characters (to an extent). Speaking of characters, our main protagonists do not speak a single word, despite being at that age where they surely can put a complex sentence together. But the idea is a little interesting and it does appeal to a younger audience. In that light, then, one can say the story is alright. Not a masterpiece of video game storytelling, but alright.
Gameplay
Carnival Island is the average collection of mini games which have flooded the motion control market this generation. Since it is set in a carnival, games such as ring toss, hoops and mini-bowl are all featured. Each mini game is accompanied by a set of nine challenges for the player to complete. Completing these challenges is the mark of progress in the game as it unlocks both cuddly zoo creatures to cheer you on and different variations of the basic form of the mini-game. Ring Toss, for example, has a variation where the player must throw rings into rockets to score points. Usually one challenge is needed to unlock a cheerleading creature and two challenges are all that needs to be done to access the different variations of that particular mini game. There are 35 different games in the compilation, so there is no shortage there.
What seems to be the problem is that this is what the game is basically. It is quite formulaic, despite adding variations that are quite interesting and creative. It becomes really mundane and tiring to play, which is unfortunate. Of course, the intended target for this game is young children. They might find the variations quite entertaining, but the problem is that it might not last. This brings this reviewer to the actual responsiveness of the Move in Carnival Island. It can be said that the motion control is done very well. It is quite responsive and very accurate. There was not a frustrating shout within earshot of anybody, only because no frustrating shout was required. It does not screw up in any way, which is great for anyone.
Outside of the mini-games, there are extras to collect. The most prominent extra exist at real carnivals and are rewarded for the effort one gives in these type of games, whether it is at a carnival, an arcade or somewhere similar. These are, of course, tickets. Not only does the player receive a zoo animal and a variation to the mini-game, but also they receive tickets. Unlike the former two, tickets are rewarded based on the player’s score with that particular playthrough. With these tickets, the player can purchase an animal balloon or some sort of item sold by an old lady, which can be used to dress up the player’s chosen character. Here is some advice, though: the latter is a complete waste, since the character is barely seen in the game. The Playstation Eye does not miss out of the action either. There is a distorted mirror attraction, similar to those “hall of mirror” attractions. However, it is very shallow, only offering three very basic effects to the picture.
Of course, compilations of mini games always feature some form of multiplayer. Carnival Island does not disappoint at that end of the gameplay spectrum. Using single or multiple Move controllers, players will go through the same mini games present in the single player mode. Really, there is not much that can be said with multiplayer expect for that. Is it fun with others? Depends on the crowd the player usually hangs out with. Basically, a family with young children might find it as exciting as the Wiggles live, but the rest would probably ignore this game altogether.
All in all, despite how well the motion controls are, the gameplay is basically falling into the formulaic mini game compilation that seems to imbed the motion control market. Despite variations of games, the process to progress will be the same every time, which boils down to completing challenges here and there. Multiplayer offers some respite but it does use the same games. With a mundane process, Carnival Island’s gameplay offers a shallow experience that could have been something more.
Visuals and Audio
The visuals and the audio are not elements of the game to sing high to the heavens. This does not mean that they are not terrible either. They do look quite good. The models and animations are smooth and well designed. The environments (post colour) are bright and vibrant, bringing to life the setting of the carnival. The strongest point, however, has to be that animation in the cutscenes. The hand drawn animations are bright and full of life, given the right amount of detail. The audio also fits the bill with tunes to fit the carnival scene.
Overall
Despite good visuals and audio and a very responsive control system, Carnival Island seems to bring another formulaic mini game compilation that can become very mundane and boring very quickly. The extras, such as the use of tickets, offer no real reward, something that is achieved at real carnivals. Multiplayer is only fun with the right people. The story is quite basic but the younger members of the family will enjoy it. Despite it being somewhat of a solid game, Move owners with other intentions in mind shouldn’t run away to Carnival Island.
Who doesn’t love a good exorcist movie? There’s nothing quite like going to see a movie and getting completely freaked out by people’s limbs going crazy and, of course, the devil voice coming out of a woman’s mouth.
After the original, and classic, The Exorcist, came out in 1973 it just seems like each movie seems to top that one. Whether or not they have succeeded in that respect varies from movie to movie, however I am someone who loves my classics and I still think that nothing quite lives up to the awesome atmosphere that the first movie achieved.
Here we have the latest film to take a running attack at the exorcist genre, The Devil Inside. And, not to speak ahead of time or anything, but it looks pretty damn sweet. The Devil Inside is coming in February 16 for Australia, and is sure to draw the crowds of masochistic people who love to give themselves an adrenaline rush. With the idea of mixing religion and science to bring exorcism into the modern world, the story seems pretty intriguing, with another layer to it that hasn’t been explored too much.
Check out the trailer below and let us know if it seems like something you’d be interested in seeing and why!
