Monthly Archives: June 2015
Nintendo’s President on Yo-Kai Watch, Amiibo, and the Future
IGN spoke with Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime at E3 2015. Truthfully, Nintendo appears to have a lot on its plate in 2015. The company has to publish games for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U while secretly tinkering on new initiatives behind closed doors. In 2015, Nintendo will launch Yo-Kai in the West and attempt to build it up to Pokemon-levels of success. It will also make smartphone games while continuing to push software integration with amiibo, Nintendo’s successful toys-to-life entry. And then there’s codename NX, a new dedicated gaming platform that the company is trying to keep under wraps until 2016.
Big Game: Samuel L. Jackson on Playing POTUS
We recently got to speak with Samuel L. Jackson about his new action-adventure movie Big Game, in which he plays the President of the United States -- a first for the actor -- but not in the way you might expect...
Set in the wilderness of Finland, the film (directed by Jalmari Helander) follows a 13-year-old boy named Oskari (Onni Tommila), who's tasked by his village to go on a solo hunting trip as rite of passage. But when Air Force One is shot down by terrorists, Oskari discovers the wounded President (Jackson) in an escape pod near his campsite and helps rescue him from the bad guys.
Hannibal: What Characters Are Returning in the Remaining Episodes?
It's scary times for us Hannibal fans, as the show has been cancelled by NBC and its future is uncertain, as producers look to find a new home for the acclaimed series. But NBC’s decision has come very early in the airing of Season 3, with ten additional episodes still left to air this summer – and yes, the network will air them all.
At the beginning of the season (before NBC’s decision was made), I spoke to executive producer Bryan Fuller about what was in store for this season. Having seen the first three episodes before our conversation, some of that interview included content I've been saving until now. Obviously, the cancellation news now colors this conversation, though Fuller clearly wasn’t taking the future for granted – as even then, he used the term “if” when discussing Season 4 possibilities.
Super Mario Maker Comes With 100 Courses
Super Mario Maker will offer 100 courses upfront, without needing to download any stages.
The Nintendo UK listing for Super Mario Maker revealed the stage tally. The description states: "There are also 100 courses included that you can play without an internet connection."
Along with the pre-made courses, Super Mario Maker lets player build their own stages and share them with the world. Once uploaded, other people can download the levels and try them out, with Nintendo even curating certain stages.
Super Mario Maker is set to release September 11 on Wii U. For more on the game, be sure to check out IGN's E3 preview of Super Mario Maker.
App Store Update: June 25
Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
Fairystone – ($2.99 Launch Sale, Normally to be $5.99)
Minecraft's seen plenty of competitors in the "build whatever you want" open sandbox genre it founded, but Fairystone looks like the most serious contender to the throne yet. The combat and tension of battling enemies is taken out, replaced by more whimsy, elegance and magic – and lots of fairy friends to invite to populate your world whenever you like. Free flight at any time, and inventive new rolling block cursor to build and erase and easy musical composition as well . . . seriously, don't miss this one from Sweden's talented Odenis Studio.
Aquarius Renewed for Season 2
NBC has given a second-season renewal to its 1960’s-themed drama Aquarius, starring David Duchovny as an LAPD cop on the hunt for Charles Manson.
The summertime series made the news rounds in May as the first broadcast series to be streamed in its entirety following its debut, with NBC having made all 12 Aquarius episodes available online for the four weeks following its intial NBC telecast.
In fact, you can read our full review of Season 1, including the individual episode breakdowns, right here.
David Duchovny as Detective Sam Hodiak in Aquarius.
Heroes Reborn Trailer
NBC has finally pulled back the curtain on the first official trailer for its upcoming sci-fi drama Heroes Reborn.
The trailer, titled "The Extraordinary Among Us," comes hot off the heels of a teaser which surfaced earlier this week. In this new trailer we get a sneak peek at the show's cast, including the return of Masi Oka's Hiro. Give it a look below.
It's important to note that this still isn't all of the footage NBC has teased, as IGN's Eric Goldman got a chance to see an even longer trailer for Heroes Reborn several weeks ago at Upfronts, which included a lot of footage that still hasn't been released publicly.
Over 750,000 Played the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Beta
The Coalition has revealed that 786,415 people played the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition beta.
There also were 41.2 million kills in the Gears of War: Ultimate Edition beta, which started June 15 and lasted eight days on Xbox One.
from the multiplayer sessions, which added up to over 120 total years played.
Other notable beta figures for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition include over 1.6 million chainsaw kills, more than 1.7 million curbstomps performed and almost 6 million executions.
Microsoft officially unveiled Gears of War: Ultimate Edition last week at E3 2015. For more on the remastered shooter, be sure to check out IGN's preview of the game.
Daily Deals: Dragon Age: Inquisition, $5 Off PlayStation Gift Card, Xbox One With A Free
IGN's Game of the Year is back down to its low price, $30 on all platforms. This is a great price for a big, meaty RPG.
Update: That didn't last long. The price must have been a mistake and Amazon found it fast.
Fantastic Bluetooth Speaker For $50
This is a great wireless speaker that usually retails for $90, but you can often find for $65. Right now though Best Buy has it for an all time low of $50. Amazon is currently selling it for $100, but I'm watching to see if they match the price.
Fear the Walking Dead Clip Details Undead Virus Spreading
In this new TV spot/clip for AMC's Fear the Walking Dead, which premieres this August, Kim Dickens' high school guidance counselor, Madison, listens to the paranoid ramblings of one of the school's students.
Fear the Walking Dead Promo Shows Man Running for His Life
Unfortunately, the kid's right to worry as there are reports of a mysterious virus spreading though five states. Check it out...
Fear the Walking Dead premieres August 2015 on AMC.
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/Showrenity.