Monthly Archives: September 2018
Nintendo Switch Online: How to Get a 12 Month and 3 Month Subscription for Less
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Out Today, Nintendo Switch Online Membership
Dark Souls Remastered Network Test Dates Announced for Switch
Bandai Namco has announced that the Dark Souls Remastered network test for Nintendo Switch will take place this weekend.
Players waiting for the game to drop on Nintendo Switch can get stuck in ahead of October's launch date with the first network test, which kicks off on September 21, 10am PDT / 1pm EDT / 6pm BST and wraps up later that day at 2pm PDT/ 5pm EDT / 10pm BST.
Two more tests will take place on September 22 and 23 and are scheduled for the same time.
The Switch network test was initially set to run alongside the PlayStation 4's and Xbox One's, but was pushed back following the news that the title's release was going to be delayed on the platform.
Do Japanese Games Now Occupy the Space Between Indie and AAA?
If you ask someone who grew up in the 90s to describe their childhood, there’s a good chance they’d begin listing the epic worlds and stories they experienced in video games and animated series from Japan.
In the era we’re talking about, you had the sprawling world and memorable dungeons of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the sudden murder of your party member and main healer Aerith in Final Fantasy VII, Psycho Mantis hauntingly reading the save data on your console in Metal Gear Solid, and encountering your first undead in the Spencer Mansion in Resident Evil. Elsewhere it was watching Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion late at night, or tuning in early before school to catch the adventures of Goku, Ash or Naruto.
PlayStation Classic Announced and Dated
Sony has announced the PlayStation Classic, which will come with 20 pre-loaded games and be released December 3 at an MSRP of $99.99 USD ($129.99 CAN, $149.99 AUD).
Sony's very own mini retro console will come with Final Fantasy VII, Tekken 3, Wild Arms, Jumping Flash, Ridge Racer Type 4, and other 'legendary titles,' which will be announced before the year's end, all in their original format.
The PlayStation Classic is approximately 45% smaller than the original PlayStation, and Sony has emulated the original packaging as much as possible. Each unit will come with an HDMI and USB cable, and two original (pre DualShock) controllers, though you will have to buy a compatible USB AC adaptor, not included, to use the console.
Nintendo Switch Online is Live Now
Nintendo Switch Online is now available for purchase following the launch of the 6.00 system update and completed maintenance of the Nintendo eShop.
Originally scheduled to be available tonight after 8pm PT/11pm ET/4am BST, the Nintendo Switch Online service has gone live early and allows subscribers to access the previously free online play, Nintendo Entertainment System games, cloud saves, access to special offers like the NES-style controllers, and more.
Forza Horizon 4’s Bond Cars Showcased
Xbox and Forza Horizon 4 developer Playground Games have unveiled a brief glimpse of Forza Horizon 4’s first batch of extra content: the Best of Bond car pack. The pack is available as part of the Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition (for those keen for early access from September 28) but it will also be available to purchase separately from the worldwide launch of the game on October 2.
The pack features 10 cars made famous by the James Bond franchise and includes vehicles driven by every actor to officially portray 007 on-screen to date. Some of these cars have been seen previously in the Forza franchise but many are making their first appearance in this pack.
Check them out in the slideshow below.
Disney Formally Announces Loki Streaming Series
Disney has formally announced their plans for a streaming series focusing on Tom Hiddleston's Marvel Cinematic Universe villain Loki.
Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger made the announcement Thursday during an earnings call with investors, during which time he also confirmed that their new streaming service will be called Disney+.
Our original report from September 18, 2018, on the Marvel streaming service shows follows.
Plans are reportedly underway for Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch to anchor their own TV shows on Disney's subscription streaming platform (which is rumored to be called Disney Play), according to a new report from Variety.
Take-Two CEO Says Consoles Won’t Have ‘Closed System Walls’ in the Future
With the discussion of PlayStation 4's lack of cross-play for games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and more bubbling up in recent months, one industry executive now says it's only a matter of time until cross-platform play is more universal.
GameSpot reports Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick recently spoke of a fully cross-platform future during last week's Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference. Zelnick stated Microsoft is "basically already there" when it comes to cross-platform, but he thinks this is just the beginning of a shift away from walled gardens.
Captain Marvel’s Cat (and Cat’s Name) Debut in New Trailer
Update: The second trailer for Captain Marvel has revealed that the titular hero's cat is indeed in the movie... but it looks like the pet has a new name that's different from the one in the comics.
In the new trailer, we see Nick Fury look at the cat's name tag, which says "Goose" -- obviously a Top Gun reference, considering Carol Danvers is an ex-fighter pilot herself.
Does Avatar: The Last Airbender Really Need the Live-Action Treatment?
Thinking about the epic scale that the original Avatar: The Last Airbender achieved via animation, two images come to mind, both from the series finale. The first is the way Fire Lord Ozai’s lightning changes the color of the sky from its moody red hue to a dark green as he battles Aang with all of his might.
The second is the clash or Azula’s blue fire versus Zuko’s red in their climactic showdown. At the peak of firebending ability, thanks to Sozin’s Comet, their vibrant blasts swirl around each other with a sort of poetry and musicality that makes the flames seem alive, mirroring the lifelong clash of the siblings to create a mood both desperate and melancholic. The emotions in both of these moments, from the fear and awe at Ozai’s power to the chill-inducing tragedy of two young warriors battling for the soul of their homeland, isn’t just derived from the story and characters (though there’s no shortage of brilliance there); it’s also the dramatic shifts in color and the fluid, melodic animation. It’s a mood live-action cannot replicate.