Monthly Archives: July 2020

Donkey Kong Country Leads July 2020’s Nintendo Switch Online Games

July 2020's Nintendo Switch Online Games are the SNES' Donkey Kong Country and Natsume Championship Wrestling, and NES' The Immortal. Announced by Nintendo, these games will be available to all Nintendo Switch Online subscribers on July 15, 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/08/nintendo-switch-online-july-2020-game-updates"] Donkey Kong Country is one of the high-profile SNES games, alongside Final Fantasy III (VI!), and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, that have appeared on other Nintendo's Virtual Console and the Super Nintendo Classic but had not yet made it to Switch Online. Originally released in 1994, Donkey Kong Country starred Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong as they worked to take down the evil King K. Rool and the Kremlings. In our review of its Wii Virtual Console port, we said that even though some of "your nostalgic feelings may take a hit" when replaying it, "DKC's gameplay is still a lot of fun." In a special "Classified Information" video by Nintendo, it reveals some secrets players can use when playing the game, including "Diddy's Extra Lives, Start with 50 Lives, Bonus Area Practice, and 101% Completion?!" [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/08/donkey-kong-country-classified-information-nintendo-switch-online"] Natsume Championship Wrestling was also released in 1994 and allows players to step into the ring with one of 12 fighters. It's not a licensed game, but features such characters as the massively powerful Asteroid, the lightning-fast Viper, and the underhanded-attacker Phantom. The Immortal was released on NES in 1991 and has you take on the role of a young wizard who is on a quest to find his missing mentor. You must head down into a labryinth and face eight levels of "deadly action, filled 50 chambers of horror, danger, and deception in the form of traps, undead monster, and other vile creatures." If you loved Donkey Kong Country, be sure to check out Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Nintendo Switch, which made it on our list of Best Switch Games. In our review, we said "the new Funky Mode for Tropical Freeze on Switch makes it more approachable without turning this amazing platformer into a cakewalk." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-25-nintendo-switch-games&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Tom Cruise Got a Stress Zit on His Nose Filming M:I 2 Scene

Tom Cruise got so stressed out during the "nightmare" filming of Mission: Impossible II that he developed a zit on his nose over the course of filming one key scene, according to his co-star Thandie Newton. In a DGAF interview with Vulture, Newton recalled she was "scared" of Cruise making the 2000 action sequel, calling him "a very dominant individual. He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done." Newton said Cruise "wasn't horrible" and that he was just "really stressed. I had the most extraordinary time." But there was one particular sequence that proved "a nightmare" to film, according to Newton. The actress recalled that during an action scene set on a balcony, Cruise was particularly unhappy with Newton's approach to it, which she attributes to her character, thief Nyah Nordoff-Hall, having "the shittiest lines" in the script. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/13/mission-impossible-in-7-minutes-2018-update] With director John Woo not on set -- Newton said he was downstairs directing from a monitor and had, as Newton puts it, decided at the beginning of the shoot "that he didn't speak English" -- Cruise rehearsed the intense scene with her repeatedly, finally deciding to swap lines and rehearse and shoot the entire scene that way. "So we filmed the entire scene with me being him — because, believe me, I knew the lines by then — and him playing me,” Newton recalled. “And it was the most unhelpful . . . I can’t think of anything less revealing. It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity.” Newton, however, also said, "bless him" because Cruise "was trying his damnedest" to make the scene work. The shooting of this scene became so stressful for Cruise that he rapidly developed a distracting pimple on his nose. [caption id="attachment_2376918" align="alignnone" width="720"]"Be honest. Is it noticeable?" "No, Tom, no one will ever nose it's there." "Be honest. Is it noticeable?" "No, Tom, no one will ever nose it's there."[/caption] “I remember at the beginning of the night, seeing this slight red mark on his nose, and by the end of the night, I kid you not — this is how his metabolism is so fierce — he had a big whitehead where that red dot was,” Newton revealed. “It would take anyone else 48 hours to manifest a zit. And it was like the zit was me, just getting bigger and bigger.” They ended up reshooting the whole scene the following week to get exactly what Cruise wanted from Newton. "He just wanted this alpha bitch,” she said. “And I did as best as I could. It’s not the best way to get the best work out of someone.” Unlike other actors in the series, Newton said she was never asked back for another Mission: Impossible sequel. Twenty years later and Tom Cruise is still playing IMF agent Ethan Hunt. Mission: Impossible 7 aims to resume production soon after production was shut down due to the pandemic.

Tom Cruise Got a Stress Zit on His Nose Filming M:I 2 Scene

Tom Cruise got so stressed out during the "nightmare" filming of Mission: Impossible II that he developed a zit on his nose over the course of filming one key scene, according to his co-star Thandie Newton. In a DGAF interview with Vulture, Newton recalled she was "scared" of Cruise making the 2000 action sequel, calling him "a very dominant individual. He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done." Newton said Cruise "wasn't horrible" and that he was just "really stressed. I had the most extraordinary time." But there was one particular sequence that proved "a nightmare" to film, according to Newton. The actress recalled that during an action scene set on a balcony, Cruise was particularly unhappy with Newton's approach to it, which she attributes to her character, thief Nyah Nordoff-Hall, having "the shittiest lines" in the script. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/13/mission-impossible-in-7-minutes-2018-update] With director John Woo not on set -- Newton said he was downstairs directing from a monitor and had, as Newton puts it, decided at the beginning of the shoot "that he didn't speak English" -- Cruise rehearsed the intense scene with her repeatedly, finally deciding to swap lines and rehearse and shoot the entire scene that way. "So we filmed the entire scene with me being him — because, believe me, I knew the lines by then — and him playing me,” Newton recalled. “And it was the most unhelpful . . . I can’t think of anything less revealing. It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity.” Newton, however, also said, "bless him" because Cruise "was trying his damnedest" to make the scene work. The shooting of this scene became so stressful for Cruise that he rapidly developed a distracting pimple on his nose. [caption id="attachment_2376918" align="alignnone" width="720"]"Be honest. Is it noticeable?" "No, Tom, no one will ever nose it's there." "Be honest. Is it noticeable?" "No, Tom, no one will ever nose it's there."[/caption] “I remember at the beginning of the night, seeing this slight red mark on his nose, and by the end of the night, I kid you not — this is how his metabolism is so fierce — he had a big whitehead where that red dot was,” Newton revealed. “It would take anyone else 48 hours to manifest a zit. And it was like the zit was me, just getting bigger and bigger.” They ended up reshooting the whole scene the following week to get exactly what Cruise wanted from Newton. "He just wanted this alpha bitch,” she said. “And I did as best as I could. It’s not the best way to get the best work out of someone.” Unlike other actors in the series, Newton said she was never asked back for another Mission: Impossible sequel. Twenty years later and Tom Cruise is still playing IMF agent Ethan Hunt. Mission: Impossible 7 aims to resume production soon after production was shut down due to the pandemic.

Roguebook Is a New Roguelike Deck-Builder From Magic Creator

Belgian game developer Abrakam announced a new roguelike deck-builder game titled Roguebook. Furthermore, it’s been designed with the help of Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield. Roguebook is a new roguelike deck-builder similar where players will progress through a dungeon and build up a deck of cards that will serve as the basis for the character’s strength and powers. Players begin with two heroes and build a deck of powers around them. If both heroes die, players must start over from the beginning. As players traverse an overworld, they'll fight more enemies, earn more cards based on their defeated foe, and eventually craft a powerful deck that suits their needs. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=roguebook-screenshots&captions=true"] Roguelikes are a new genre for Nacon, a French publisher behind titles like Werewolf: The Apocalypse Earthblood and Warhammer Chaosbane. In addition to Roguebook, Nacon announced a second roguelike called Rogue Lords developed by Cyanide and Leikir. In addition to Roguebook, Nacon revealed the first look gameplay for Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and a cinematic trailer for Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong. Note, Swansong is a separate project from Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2. For more from today’s Nacon Connect, check out IGN. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Roguebook Is a New Roguelike Deck-Builder From Magic Creator

Belgian game developer Abrakam announced a new roguelike deck-builder game titled Roguebook. Furthermore, it’s been designed with the help of Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield. Roguebook is a new roguelike deck-builder similar where players will progress through a dungeon and build up a deck of cards that will serve as the basis for the character’s strength and powers. Players begin with two heroes and build a deck of powers around them. If both heroes die, players must start over from the beginning. As players traverse an overworld, they'll fight more enemies, earn more cards based on their defeated foe, and eventually craft a powerful deck that suits their needs. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=roguebook-screenshots&captions=true"] Roguelikes are a new genre for Nacon, a French publisher behind titles like Werewolf: The Apocalypse Earthblood and Warhammer Chaosbane. In addition to Roguebook, Nacon announced a second roguelike called Rogue Lords developed by Cyanide and Leikir. In addition to Roguebook, Nacon revealed the first look gameplay for Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and a cinematic trailer for Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong. Note, Swansong is a separate project from Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2. For more from today’s Nacon Connect, check out IGN. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Mafia: Definitive Edition Delayed By a Month

Mafia: Definitive Edition has been delayed by a month, from August 28 to September 25. Developer Hangar 13 explains that the delay has been caused by difficulties caused by working amid the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement says that "finalizing everything in time for that launch date has become increasingly challenging", and "the last thing we want to do is compromise the quality of the experience." To make up somewhat for the extra wait, Hangar 13 will show an "extended look" at Mafia: Definitive Edition gameplay on July 22. Mafia: Definitive Edition is a total remake of the 2002 original, inncluding a new game engine, updated script, new cutscenes, added gameplay sequences, and more. It comes as a part of the Mafia: Trilogy collection. We've heard previously that the game will be learning from mistakes made on Mafia 3. You can check out a very short gameplay teaser below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/07/mafia-definitive-edition-gameplay-reveal-teaser"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Mafia: Definitive Edition Delayed By a Month

Mafia: Definitive Edition has been delayed by a month, from August 28 to September 25. Developer Hangar 13 explains that the delay has been caused by difficulties caused by working amid the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement says that "finalizing everything in time for that launch date has become increasingly challenging", and "the last thing we want to do is compromise the quality of the experience." To make up somewhat for the extra wait, Hangar 13 will show an "extended look" at Mafia: Definitive Edition gameplay on July 22. Mafia: Definitive Edition is a total remake of the 2002 original, inncluding a new game engine, updated script, new cutscenes, added gameplay sequences, and more. It comes as a part of the Mafia: Trilogy collection. We've heard previously that the game will be learning from mistakes made on Mafia 3. You can check out a very short gameplay teaser below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/07/mafia-definitive-edition-gameplay-reveal-teaser"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Sega Announces a Miniature Arcade Cabinet With 36 Games Included

Sega has announced a miniature arcade cabinet, scheduled for Japanese release only, which will ship with 36 games included. Sega's been celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and the celebrations continue with the announcement of the Astro City Mini. This miniature arcade cabinet - which fits in your hand - comes with 36 Sega arcade titles and is set to release later this year, according to Game Watch, as translated by Sega Driven. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=sonic-the-hedgehog-all-the-easter-eggs-and-hidden-references-from-the-movie&captions=true"] As for what games to expect on the device, Sega has announced just 10 of the three dozen expected to ship with it: Alien Syndrome, Alien Storm, Altered Beast, Columns II, Dark Edge, Fantasy Zone, Golden Axe, Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder, Tant R, and Virtua Fighter. It's unknown if more titles or the entire selection will be announced before the cabinet is released. The cabinet is an off-white color and features a bright green eight-way joystick and six arcade buttons on a black background. You can check out what the mini system looks like below. Astro City Mini Sega said that each game will be playable in its original format and can be played either on the cabinet's screen or on a TV through an HDMI hookup. The system must be connected to a micro USB electrical connection in order to turn on, and it features an additional two USB slots for those wishing to connect more joysticks to the system. When turned on, the cabinet features a mini marquee that lights up. No word has been given as to whether this cabinet is set to release outside of Japan. It will be available by the end of the year for 12,800 yen, which is currently equal to around $118. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/03/sega-announces-palm-sized-game-gear-micro-console"] Read about Sega's mini-sized Genesis release in our Sega Genesis Mini review and then check out these Arcade1Up cabinets for games like NBA Jam, Star Wars, and Burger Time. Be sure to check out Sega's palm-sized Game Gear Micro Console announced last month as well. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes