Back to Mobile View
| Mail |
You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more
Top stories

Dino Run 2 Kickstarter couldn't outrun extinction

Dino Run 2, the sequel to Pixeljam Games' side-scrolling extinction platformer, Dino Run, failed to meet its goal on Kickstarter, raising $83,476 of a requested $175,000. Dino Run 2 was slated to be an upgraded, fresh game for the Dino Run franchise, with randomly generated levels, multiple dino characters to choose from and multiplayer options, set to launch in January for PC, Mac, Linux and Ouya.

We spoke with Pixeljam co-founder Miles Tilmann in the hours before his Kickstarter ended, and he said that if the campaign failed, Dino Run 2 might never see the light of day.

"Maybe yes and maybe no," he said. "If it is, it will probably take a lot longer than it would if we got funded. We've been doing this for almost eight years though – we've learned the value of patience and careful planning. There are multiple ways to arrive at a goal."

As a team, the plan now is to "mourn a little bit, take a deep breath and carry on," Tilmann said. Here's hoping that wherever Pixeljam is carried, it's on the wings of a giant, majestic pterodactyl.

Ultra Street Fighter 4 introduces new challengers this summer

Ultra Street Fighter 4, the new wing of Capcom's palatial Street Fighter estate, is coming to consoles in early June.

In a post over on the Capcom-Unity blog, it's revealed the add-on for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Super Street Fighter 4 will arrive in early June for $15, while the PC update will arrive two months later in August. The full digital bundle and retail versions – which include all of the released costumes and the base Super Street Fighter 4 game – will also come to consoles in August for $40, while Capcom is giving PC players the digital bundle for $30 in August since they have to wait longer for the new challengers.

Capcom announced Ultra Street Fighter 4 at this year's EVO fighting game tournament. Ultra Street Fighter 4 introduces five new characters: Rolento, Poison, Hugo, Elena and one character that has yet to be revealed. Capcom has no plans to release Ultra Street Fighter 4 on PS4 and Xbox One.

Bayonetta creator: Building new game worlds is 'my purpose'

Hideki Kamiya is one of the most original, creative game directors in the industry today, yet fans are constantly infuriated by his general refusal to lead sequels to his earlier efforts. He realizes this of course, but as a new interview reveals, Kamiya feels his talents could be better used in building new worlds, rather than revisiting his old ones.

"It's not that I don't want to make sequels - I really do! But considering the nature of my position, I don't really get a chance to," Kamiya told Famitsu (translated by Kotaku). "Somebody needs to offer new entertainment to gamers and do the work of sowing seeds that can later grow to be strong pillars.

"It sounds a little overblown, but I've come to believe that is my purpose. If I had been involved with
Devil May Cry 2, then Viewtiful Joe and Okami might never have been made. If I was directing Bayonetta 2, then I wouldn't have been able to make The Wonderful 101," he added.

As Kamiya points out, he is currently working on a new project that has yet to be revealed to the public. If history is any indicator, expect it to be great fun, generate enough money to spawn a sequel, then be unceremoniously handed off to whichever development studio happens to be available.

4X strategy game Star Lords available now on Early Access


Iceberg Interactive launched its 4X strategy game Star Lords on Steam via Early Access. Star Lords promises "deep and complex gameplay" set in a large universe, in which players take part in turn-based space battles involving eight separate races.

The studio behind Star Lords is Portuguese developer Arkavi Studios, who created diplomacy, trade and intelligence tools that players use to weaken enemies and build an empire. Players can colonize worlds in the game, which includes a "randomly generated universe, tech tree and units." The alpha version of Star Lords costs $19.99 for PC players to check out, and does not include features like "multiplayer, huge galaxies and domestic policies" at the moment.

Continue Reading

Steam sale serves up VGX nominees for cheap

Tomorrow is Spike's annual video game awards, dubbed VGX this year. In celebration of the various nominees, Steam is running a special promotion full of tempting deals.

You can snag BioShock Infinite for $10, Divekick for $5, Rayman Legends for $20 and Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider reboot for $10. On top of that, there's the oddly-priced Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon for $5.09 and Metro: Last Light for $13.59. You can skim through the rest of the deals over on Steam's sale page.

The VGX live show kicks off tomorrow at 6pm ET (3pm PT, 11pm British) on Spike TV and via online streaming. We've already stocked up on Doritos and Mountain Dew in preparation for the show, and will be covering it in full through a live blog and posts surrounding the major announcements. Feel free to join us for the festivities!

Sega's 3D Classics: making old games stand out

I never really thought much about Space Harrier. I like vintage Sega just fine, I just never spent much time with that particular game for whatever reason. Then I read this interview with M2, who ported it and the rest of the Sega 3D Classics line to 3DS, and I resolved to buy 3D Space Harrier as soon as it was released.

M2's obsessive love of Space Harrier, evident in the overwhelming, comical level of detail applied to the port, was the most ringing endorsement possible. The care put into the port made me care more about the game, showing the persuasive power of a truly bespoke adaptation. And by giving me cause to reevaluate Space Harrier, Sega's 3D Classics line allowed me to see just how well it holds up.

Continue Reading

Indie survival sim Dyscourse secures funding in final hours on Kickstarter

Dyscourse, the desert-island survival sim from Snuggle Truck developer Owlchemy Labs, has met its goal in the final few hours of its Kickstarter campaign, securing funding for development on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Owlchemy faced an uphill battle in the final week of its campaign, but crested its $40,000 funding goal with 36 hours to spare. Funding picked up steam following a barrage of updates from Owlchemy, during which the studio produced a mini-documentary and announced a bonus Dyscourse scenario that pits real-world indies against one another in a no-holds-barred struggle for survival.

Dyscourse is due for release in September next year via Steam.

Starwhal: Just the Tip is a narwhal fencing game in space



Starwhal: Just the Tip has been incessantly poking at us for about a week now, popping up on our radar again and again, and we're finally giving in. This game is weird in the coolest way: It's a "retro, epic narwhal battle in space," as Canadian developer Breakfall describes it. If ever there were a game for the internet, this is it.

Starwhal: Just the Tip is looking for CAD $15,000 on Kickstarter and has so far raised CAD $6,850. The game is already out in the wild and there's a multiplayer demo available on the Kickstarter page, but Breakfall wants to make it bigger and better. It'll be available on PC, Mac and Linux, and it's pre-approved to hit Steam. Starwhal is already on its way to PS4 and Wii U, and Breakfall is looking into Xbox One and Ouya launches.

Check out the space-based narwhal jousting right here.

Double Dragon Trilogy takes the fight to iOS, Android


Mobile retrogaming specialist DotEmu has released its arcade beat-'em-up compilation Double Dragon Trilogy for iOS and Android devices, following up on its previous mobile ports of R-Type and Out of This World.

The collection includes the original arcade version of Double Dragon, along with its coin-op sequels Double Dragon 2: The Revenge and Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone. All games offer optional remixed soundtracks, Bluetooth-enabled co-op and controller support, and a new "mobile" difficulty mode that tones down the quarter-munching challenge of the arcade originals.

Bear in mind that the arcade version of Double Dragon 3 is completely different from the widely hated NES version, but it's arguably just as bad; among other things, it served as an early progenitor of paid DLC, requiring players to insert additional quarters for weapons and other in-game bonuses. Fortunately, the mobile version lets you feed its virtual arcade machine with as many credits as you want, making the game a breeze.

Super Joystiq Podcast 076: Super Mario 3D World, Zelda 3DS, Need for Speed Rivals

Image
This week's Super Joystiq Podcast is only into games with the roundest of (clear) pipes.

The next-gen launch festivities may be over, but the past month of releases will be on rotation for some time to come. Ludwig, Susan, and Richard are in a Nintendo state of mind this week, and have plenty to say about Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds-- two of the biggest Nintendo franchises with amazing new entries.

Ludwig hits Need For Speed: Rivals [Because extreme situations call for extreme action, and only one man can push it to the limit and bring the true word to those who need it the most]. The mailbag also makes a triumphant return, and results in a lengthy discussion of games based on movies.

Listen to the Super Joystiq Podcast: Podcast timestamps and relevant links are available after the break.

Continue Reading

Strider is a re-imagining with that classic feel

Most ninjas tend to enjoy the stealth approach, but the offensive powerhouse Strider Hiryu, star of Capcom's side-scrolling series, takes everything head-on. In the upcoming Strider revival from developer Double Helix, Hiryu will once again lay waste to adversaries with his fusion of devastating technology and ninja grace.

"It's a re-imagining, so it's sort of its own separate canon, but it definitely draws from those previous titles. There are easter egg-type stuff that you'll see, like enemies that look familiar and, beyond that, the overall story setup is similar," Capcom's Tristan Corbett, product manager on Strider, told Joystiq.

The league of Striders – a league of assassins – have been hired to infiltrate Neo-Kazakh and once again take down series antagonist Grandmaster Meio. During my brief demo of the PS4 version, I navigated Strider through a robot assembly facility chock full of lasers and precision-based platforming segments – and, once again, I was thankful to have Strider back in my life.

Continue Reading

Episodic XBLIG platformer Oozi: Earth Adventure collected on Steam

2D platformer Oozi: Earth Adventure has made the leap from XBLIG to Steam, available now for PC at a discounted price of $8. The sale runs through December 12, when the game jumps back to $10.

Oozi: Earth Adventure was released episodically on XBLIG, but is now gathered in full on Steam. It follows the alien Oozi, who crash lands on Earth, loses his space suit and has to find his way home. Oozi is a straight-up platformer, without any distracting puzzles or punishment, developer Awesome Games says. It features difficulty settings spanning "Kid" to "Hardcore."

Rockstar Warehouse offers up plush version of GTA5's Chop for adoption

Did you find yourself falling in love with Franklin's misbehaving Rottweiler in between heists in Grand Theft Auto 5? The Rockstar Warehouse is now offering a cuddly Chop plush toy for $30, complete with a bullet-shaped dog whistle.

Chop comes equipped with a removable leather collar, along with "a secret stash pocket - conveniently located in his undercarriage." The Rockstar Store added a selection of other merchandise as part of its GTA5 Collection this week, including a logo-emblazoned hoodie, a black cotton beach towel, and a leash and collar for real-world Rottweilers.

Relive the games of 2013 in just two minutes


We are swiftly approaching the closing of the year, which means you should be stocking up on chocolate orange (they make nice last-minute gifts) and it's time to look back on the year in gaming.

Malcolm Klock has boiled the entire year's worth of digital entertainment down to a mere two minutes. BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth and Tomb Raider's Lara Croft are pretty easy to spot, as are Ellie from The Last of Us and Jodie from Beyond: Two Souls, but not every entry is quite so obvious. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to name every game Klock highlights - and then for bonus points, tell us how many of them you've played.

[Thanks, Malcolm!]

Rise of the Triad dev working on next-gen 'Project Ascender'

Interceptor Entertainment, Aalborg, Denmark-based developers of Rise of the Triad and iOS ports of Duke Nukem and its sequel, are currently working on a game known as "Project Ascender." The game is in development for PS4 and PC, and has been in the works since September.

The project's existence is made known through two Interceptor developer LinkedIn profiles, namely that of CEO Frederik Schreiber. The other LinkedIn profile in question, for Executive Producer Khaled Ibrahimi, lists a 2014 release window for the project. The project linked in Schreiber's profile lists 19 team members on the project, including IP Creator Scott Miller, co-founder and CEO of 3D Realms.

FFXIV's A Realm Awoken patch sports new website, trailer

FFXIV's A Realm Awoken patch sports new website, trailer
Why wait for the Producers Letter Live in just a little over a week to get a preview of Final Fantasy XIV's big A Realm Awoken patch? Square Enix has released a new action-packed 10-minute trailer touring 2.1. Along with the video, the studio has launched a new site dedicated to A Realm Awoken that includes details about the upcoming content, such as new bosses and lore, along with a host of new screenshots. Get a look at the action-packed adventures that await in The Wolf's Den, The Crystal Tower: Labyrinth of the Ancients, and Thornmatch as well as the new quests, housing, and much more in the video below.

Continue Reading

Some Assembly Required: How EverQuest Next Landmark could redefine PGC

PGC means Players Got Creativity! OK, no it doesn't really, but it could (and it's better than Pungent Goat Cheese!). As you know, in our MMOverse, the acronym stands for Player-Generated Content, which is not only the backbone of Some Assembly Required but easily my favorite part of gaming. And what is player-generated content if not a demonstration of player creativity? Unfortunately, for several years, my favorite part of games seemed to be the least important focus for MMO developers. PGC, if it is brought in at all, is relegated to the back seat (or locked away in the trunk). Luckily, times are a-changing.

Just a glance over the past year shows that the aversion-to-PGC attitude is shifting; more sandboxes have gone into development with more and more features than in the last few years. But one game, above them all, is going beyond adding a few features. EverQuest Next Landmark is not just letting PGC into the car; it's plunking it in the driver's seat and handing over the keys, and in doing so could potentially redefine PGC as we know it. And that's a good thing! Instead of being treated as non-essential fluff, PGC could be seen as a vital ingredient to any MMO.

Continue Reading

Steam weekend: Sonic & All-Stars, War of the Vikings free to play

Steam has a full schedule this weekend, with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and War of the Vikings playable for free through Sunday at 1PM PT, plus sales on Omerta: City of Gangsters and Killing Floor.

Omerta is 75 percent off, $10, through Monday at 10AM PT. Killing Floor has kicked off its Twisted Christmas Event, offering the game and its bundles for half off through January 2. That's $10 for the game alone, $50 for a six-pack and $25 for a 14-item DLC bundle. Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed is also 75 percent off through the weekend, going for $5.

Gun Commando, Mononoke Slashdown free on PS Mobile

Sony has committed to giving away two free PlayStation Mobile games each week throughout the rest of 2013. This week's freebies are Gun Commando and Mononoke Slashdown.

Gun Commando is a stylish first-person shooter from Ripstone Ltd. inspired by retro shoot-em-ups. As a veteran commando, you must single-handedly quell an alien invasion.

Mononoke Slashdown, from F K Digital, is a side-scrolling action game starring Kagemaru – a ninja on a quest to save innocent townspeople from monsters and demons.

If you're on PS Vita, you can grab these games from the PlayStation Mobile section of the PlayStation Store. Those on PlayStation Certified mobile devices can find these games in the PlayStation Mobile Store.

Marvel Puzzle Quest free-to-play on Steam, boosted by priced packs

D3 Publisher's Marvel Puzzle Quest: Dark Reign is now available on Steam. The free-to-play game mixes the Marvel superheroes universe with the Puzzle Quest franchise, combining match-three-style puzzle action with RPG trappings such as special abilities leveling systems.

Given that the game is free to play, D3 Publisher is also offering three premium content packs that grant players in-game points/currency to recruit new characters to their teams, train their powers and purchase health packs and other gameplay boosts. The packs are priced at $10, $40 and $100, respectively. Marvel Puzzle Quest previously launched on iOS and Android in October.

Network Status

Online

PlayStation Network

Fully armed and operational.

Online

Xbox Live

Fully armed and operational.

Online

Nintendo Network

Fully armed and operational.


What's In A Name

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/whats-in-a-name-red-barrels/

More →


The Joystiq Podcast

The Joystiq Podcast

Super Joystiq Podcast 076: Super Mario 3D World, Zelda 3DS, Need for Speed Rivals

Latest episode: Friday, December 6th, 2013

Facebook Activity

Engadget

Engadget

TUAW

TUAW

Massively

Massively

WoW

WoW