Monthly Archives: May 2021
Starfield Won’t Be Coming to PS5, According to New Report
First announced at E3 2018, Starfield is the anticipated sci-fi successor to popular Bethesda RPGs Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. Little is known about the game itself at this point. The Bethesda Engine was also confirmed to be getting its largest ever upgrade late last year.
Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda in September 2020 raised questions about whether Starfield would remain multi-platform or would become an exclusive. Deathloop, which was announced before the acquisition, remains a timed exclusive for PS5. Xbox has a history of being more open to releasing its first-party titles on other platforms, with Ori and Minecraft Dungeons both releasing on Nintendo Switch. Questions remain, but if these reports are accurate, we have a much better sense of Xbox's intentions for Bethesda and its other major acquisitions going forward. Starfield does not have a release date yet.Starfield Won’t Be Coming to PS5, According to New Report
First announced at E3 2018, Starfield is the anticipated sci-fi successor to popular Bethesda RPGs Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. Little is known about the game itself at this point. The Bethesda Engine was also confirmed to be getting its largest ever upgrade late last year.
Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda in September 2020 raised questions about whether Starfield would remain multi-platform or would become an exclusive. Deathloop, which was announced before the acquisition, remains a timed exclusive for PS5. Xbox has a history of being more open to releasing its first-party titles on other platforms, with Ori and Minecraft Dungeons both releasing on Nintendo Switch. Questions remain, but if these reports are accurate, we have a much better sense of Xbox's intentions for Bethesda and its other major acquisitions going forward. Starfield does not have a release date yet.What Does the WarnerMedia Deal Mean for HBO Max Customers?
WarnerMedia and Discovery are joining forces in a $43 billion deal that executives hope will make their new offering more powerful than Disney and Netflix combined.
The basic idea is that Discovery, one of the largest cable conglomerates in the world, will combine its content with WarnerMedia, another massive entertainment company. It makes a lot of strategic sense on the surface. Discovery hyper-specializes in unscripted programming (TLC, Food Network, Investigation Discovery, HGTV), and WarnerMedia has a treasure trove of IP (DC, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) plus news (CNN) and sports (TNT). Combined, it’s a very powerful offering.
For DC fans reading, yes, it's a new world where King Shark could host Shark Week.
That said, there are still so many aspects of this deal that we don’t know. DC’s IP is extremely important to Discovery, as noted by CEO David Zaslav on a call with journalists this morning, as he specifically called out Batman and Superman. If leadership changes, what might happen to DC's slate? Does Zaslav, as the company's new leader, want to continue investing in Warner Bros. Interactive, a video game publisher?
IGN has reached out to WarnerMedia for answers to a number of questions, but here’s what we do — and what we still don’t know — about WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/30/hbo-max-streaming-service-review"]
Can you give a quick tl;dr on this situation?
Sure. AT&T is merging WarnerMedia with Discovery. The idea is to create a massive entertainment company that can compete globally with Netflix and Disney. Discovery is one of the biggest cable networks in the world, as is WarnerMedia. Combined, the new company can profit off the 80 million or so homes in the United States that still pay for cable while also creating a direct to consumer (streaming) offering that will hopefully grow as more people do cut the cord.
Does this mean Discovery owns WarnerMedia?
No. It’s a merger, not a straight acquisition. Discovery will steer the new venture, meaning Zaslav will stay in place as CEO. Think of it like ViacomCBS. Two companies now exist as one under one leadership.Do I need to know about this?
You’re the one who asked.
Can we get to the stuff I care about?
Sure.
Is HBO Max going away?
Not right now.
Is Discovery+ going away?
Not right now.
Is HBO Max merging with Discovery+?
You’re going to hate me, but no, not right now. Zaslav told journalists today that his team is going to look at what product strategy works best for them in the coming months and years. That means Discovery+ and HBO Max could combine (Discovery Max?) to create one superstar streaming service. Zaslav also said the combined companies could offer “two products, [or] three products,” in an interview with CNBC.So is anything happening “right away?”
For us, general consumers who spend $15 a month on HBO Max and $7 a month on Discovery+, nope! You're not going to open those streaming apps tomorrow and everything will look different. HBO Max is still going to launch its cheaper, ad-supported version of the streaming service this year. Warner Bros. movies are still going to hit theaters and HBO Max at the same time throughout 2021. DC’s universe is still all go-ahead.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&captions=true"]
Okay, let’s get into the nitty gritty.
I love it.
Warner Bros. – what’s happening there?
I suspect that Warner Bros. is going to see an increase in investment. Zaslav brought up Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman — as well as all the other IP that Warner Bros. owns — multiple times in the press conference and subsequent interviews on CNBC and CNN. While Discovery has a massive cable presence, it doesn’t have a notable film side. This is a new world for Discovery, and one that it sees as crucial to both a streaming and theatrical success.
Does that mean more DC movies?
Maybe! Or, more DC content in general on HBO Max (or whatever it ends up becoming). Zaslav touted that WarnerMedia and Discovery currently spend $20 billion a year combined on content. That’s more than Netflix, which is aiming to spend about $17 billion this year. Zaslav also wants to invest even more on content, including on the streaming, linear (cable), and potentially the theatrical side.
You may not get more DC movies in theaters, but you’ll certainly get more DC content.
Is that true for HBO too?
Yes.
Here’s the simplest way to think about it — Zaslav wants to be a globally dominant entertainment company. That requires a lot of work, but it also boils down to three important factors: breadth of content, global presence, and multi-platform offerings. To hit all those points, Zaslav wants to increase investment in content spending, continue rolling out and scaling up, and using streaming services on top of linear offerings to make sure Discovery and WarnerMedia are in as many homes as possible. Driving growth relies on content that people really want. That’s a combination of prestige series and films out of HBO and continued support for unscripted projects on the Discovery side.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/08/warner-bros-will-have-theatrical-exclusives-in-2022"]
WarnerMedia owns a lot more than HBO and Warner Bros. right?
Oh, yeah. Ohhhh, yes.
Can we run through some of it?Yes!
DC Comics?
Is still part of Warner Bros., which is part of WarnerMedia.
So Discovery does not own DC Comics?
DC Comics is now part of a new company that is being run by Discovery’s CEO, and will combine WarnerMedia content with Discovery content. DC Comics is still under the Warner Bros. umbrella but there is a new CEO in charge of everything.
Wow.
I know.
Okay, what about Warner Bros. Interactive?
This one is a little more confusing. AT&T told IGN that part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) will be sold off, but not all. WBIE lists 11 different games studios. This includes everything from Warner Bros. Games (direct connection to DC) to NetherRealm studios (Mortal Kombat).[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/22/mortal-kombat-11-review"]
Does this make Discovery the owner of a game publisher?
Not really. It makes the new company owners of a game publisher.What does that mean for my favorite games?
There’s a good chance that a lot of those will continue, especially if they bleed into Warner Bros.’ top IP. Other studios might not work on games with one-to-one ties to WarnerMedia IP. For example, TT Games, works mostly on LEGO games. WarnerMedia doesn’t have close ties with LEGO, Universal does. If you’re looking to sell some studios, I imagine you start there.
So I’m a sports and news fan.
Me too!
I have a few questions there.Go for it.
Both Discovery and WarnerMedia are big deals in the world of cable TV right?
That’s right.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-dc-animated-movie-in-development&captions=true"]
Will this change how I watch NBA or MLB games?
Not right away. Again, Discovery is not taking over all of WarnerMedia. Zaslev didn’t come in and announce TNT would go away and anyone who wanted to watch basketball games would have to do so via, I don’t know, Food Network. Doesn’t make sense, right?
The bigger question is what will happen with live sports games in the next year. Discovery and WarnerMedia command a lot of attention on cable, but they also want to scale their streaming businesses. Watching how that plays out, and how they tie everything together — will everything just exist on one platform? — will be most interesting.
How about news?
This is another big question. Discovery has a big unscripted and reality programming presence, including a large news footprint in Europe. Now, Zaslav will oversee CNN, one of the biggest news networks in the world. Zaslav said he’s committed to CNN, and wants current chief Jeff Zucker to stay onboard.
Will CNN and Discovery combine some programming?
Definitely a possibility. Some of their programming exists in similar realms. Zaslav didn’t confirm that during the press conference, though. Instead, he reaffirmed his intention to grow CNN and figure out what CNN’s direct-to-consumer offering could look like.
You mean a CNN streaming service?
From the sounds of it. It’s something that WarnerMedia’s CEO Jason Kilar spoke about briefly during AT&T’s analyst day. We have no idea what it looks like, if it will work, or what it will cost, but executives seem pretty adamant about making it work.
Gotcha.
Any other questions?
Will this work?
Maybe! It seems more likely to succeed than AT&T trying to do it on its own. The future of entertainment right now is built on this idea of potential and promise, as I wrote in our initial news post. Discovery and WarnerMedia are going to see if they can fulfill the potential of their companies offerings and deliver on the promise to their investors and Wall Street that streaming can work.
Basically, they’re going to see if “go big or go home” works as a business model.
We’re in a “wait and see” moment?
Exactly.
Oh, I do have one more question.
Shoot.
You mentioned WarnerMedia’s CEO Jason Kilar earlier.
I did.
What’s up with him?
As I’m writing, the New York Times is reporting that he’s working on an exit package. Kilar is best-known to most people as the guy who came in and turned the theatrical model upside down by simultaneously releasing movies in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day. It was a costly move that made talent and exhibitors mad — WarnerMedia reportedly paid more than $200 million in backend deals to make up for it — but leaned right into the streaming-first model.
At the speed of which this story is moving, I wouldn’t be surprised if he announced his resignation the second after I hit publish.
What Does the WarnerMedia Deal Mean for HBO Max Customers?
WarnerMedia and Discovery are joining forces in a $43 billion deal that executives hope will make their new offering more powerful than Disney and Netflix combined.
The basic idea is that Discovery, one of the largest cable conglomerates in the world, will combine its content with WarnerMedia, another massive entertainment company. It makes a lot of strategic sense on the surface. Discovery hyper-specializes in unscripted programming (TLC, Food Network, Investigation Discovery, HGTV), and WarnerMedia has a treasure trove of IP (DC, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) plus news (CNN) and sports (TNT). Combined, it’s a very powerful offering.
For DC fans reading, yes, it's a new world where King Shark could host Shark Week.
That said, there are still so many aspects of this deal that we don’t know. DC’s IP is extremely important to Discovery, as noted by CEO David Zaslav on a call with journalists this morning, as he specifically called out Batman and Superman. If leadership changes, what might happen to DC's slate? Does Zaslav, as the company's new leader, want to continue investing in Warner Bros. Interactive, a video game publisher?
IGN has reached out to WarnerMedia for answers to a number of questions, but here’s what we do — and what we still don’t know — about WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/30/hbo-max-streaming-service-review"]
Can you give a quick tl;dr on this situation?
Sure. AT&T is merging WarnerMedia with Discovery. The idea is to create a massive entertainment company that can compete globally with Netflix and Disney. Discovery is one of the biggest cable networks in the world, as is WarnerMedia. Combined, the new company can profit off the 80 million or so homes in the United States that still pay for cable while also creating a direct to consumer (streaming) offering that will hopefully grow as more people do cut the cord.
Does this mean Discovery owns WarnerMedia?
No. It’s a merger, not a straight acquisition. Discovery will steer the new venture, meaning Zaslav will stay in place as CEO. Think of it like ViacomCBS. Two companies now exist as one under one leadership.Do I need to know about this?
You’re the one who asked.
Can we get to the stuff I care about?
Sure.
Is HBO Max going away?
Not right now.
Is Discovery+ going away?
Not right now.
Is HBO Max merging with Discovery+?
You’re going to hate me, but no, not right now. Zaslav told journalists today that his team is going to look at what product strategy works best for them in the coming months and years. That means Discovery+ and HBO Max could combine (Discovery Max?) to create one superstar streaming service. Zaslav also said the combined companies could offer “two products, [or] three products,” in an interview with CNBC.So is anything happening “right away?”
For us, general consumers who spend $15 a month on HBO Max and $7 a month on Discovery+, nope! You're not going to open those streaming apps tomorrow and everything will look different. HBO Max is still going to launch its cheaper, ad-supported version of the streaming service this year. Warner Bros. movies are still going to hit theaters and HBO Max at the same time throughout 2021. DC’s universe is still all go-ahead.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&captions=true"]
Okay, let’s get into the nitty gritty.
I love it.
Warner Bros. – what’s happening there?
I suspect that Warner Bros. is going to see an increase in investment. Zaslav brought up Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman — as well as all the other IP that Warner Bros. owns — multiple times in the press conference and subsequent interviews on CNBC and CNN. While Discovery has a massive cable presence, it doesn’t have a notable film side. This is a new world for Discovery, and one that it sees as crucial to both a streaming and theatrical success.
Does that mean more DC movies?
Maybe! Or, more DC content in general on HBO Max (or whatever it ends up becoming). Zaslav touted that WarnerMedia and Discovery currently spend $20 billion a year combined on content. That’s more than Netflix, which is aiming to spend about $17 billion this year. Zaslav also wants to invest even more on content, including on the streaming, linear (cable), and potentially the theatrical side.
You may not get more DC movies in theaters, but you’ll certainly get more DC content.
Is that true for HBO too?
Yes.
Here’s the simplest way to think about it — Zaslav wants to be a globally dominant entertainment company. That requires a lot of work, but it also boils down to three important factors: breadth of content, global presence, and multi-platform offerings. To hit all those points, Zaslav wants to increase investment in content spending, continue rolling out and scaling up, and using streaming services on top of linear offerings to make sure Discovery and WarnerMedia are in as many homes as possible. Driving growth relies on content that people really want. That’s a combination of prestige series and films out of HBO and continued support for unscripted projects on the Discovery side.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/08/warner-bros-will-have-theatrical-exclusives-in-2022"]
WarnerMedia owns a lot more than HBO and Warner Bros. right?
Oh, yeah. Ohhhh, yes.
Can we run through some of it?Yes!
DC Comics?
Is still part of Warner Bros., which is part of WarnerMedia.
So Discovery does not own DC Comics?
DC Comics is now part of a new company that is being run by Discovery’s CEO, and will combine WarnerMedia content with Discovery content. DC Comics is still under the Warner Bros. umbrella but there is a new CEO in charge of everything.
Wow.
I know.
Okay, what about Warner Bros. Interactive?
This one is a little more confusing. AT&T told IGN that part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) will be sold off, but not all. WBIE lists 11 different games studios. This includes everything from Warner Bros. Games (direct connection to DC) to NetherRealm studios (Mortal Kombat).[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/22/mortal-kombat-11-review"]
Does this make Discovery the owner of a game publisher?
Not really. It makes the new company owners of a game publisher.What does that mean for my favorite games?
There’s a good chance that a lot of those will continue, especially if they bleed into Warner Bros.’ top IP. Other studios might not work on games with one-to-one ties to WarnerMedia IP. For example, TT Games, works mostly on LEGO games. WarnerMedia doesn’t have close ties with LEGO, Universal does. If you’re looking to sell some studios, I imagine you start there.
So I’m a sports and news fan.
Me too!
I have a few questions there.Go for it.
Both Discovery and WarnerMedia are big deals in the world of cable TV right?
That’s right.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-dc-animated-movie-in-development&captions=true"]
Will this change how I watch NBA or MLB games?
Not right away. Again, Discovery is not taking over all of WarnerMedia. Zaslev didn’t come in and announce TNT would go away and anyone who wanted to watch basketball games would have to do so via, I don’t know, Food Network. Doesn’t make sense, right?
The bigger question is what will happen with live sports games in the next year. Discovery and WarnerMedia command a lot of attention on cable, but they also want to scale their streaming businesses. Watching how that plays out, and how they tie everything together — will everything just exist on one platform? — will be most interesting.
How about news?
This is another big question. Discovery has a big unscripted and reality programming presence, including a large news footprint in Europe. Now, Zaslav will oversee CNN, one of the biggest news networks in the world. Zaslav said he’s committed to CNN, and wants current chief Jeff Zucker to stay onboard.
Will CNN and Discovery combine some programming?
Definitely a possibility. Some of their programming exists in similar realms. Zaslav didn’t confirm that during the press conference, though. Instead, he reaffirmed his intention to grow CNN and figure out what CNN’s direct-to-consumer offering could look like.
You mean a CNN streaming service?
From the sounds of it. It’s something that WarnerMedia’s CEO Jason Kilar spoke about briefly during AT&T’s analyst day. We have no idea what it looks like, if it will work, or what it will cost, but executives seem pretty adamant about making it work.
Gotcha.
Any other questions?
Will this work?
Maybe! It seems more likely to succeed than AT&T trying to do it on its own. The future of entertainment right now is built on this idea of potential and promise, as I wrote in our initial news post. Discovery and WarnerMedia are going to see if they can fulfill the potential of their companies offerings and deliver on the promise to their investors and Wall Street that streaming can work.
Basically, they’re going to see if “go big or go home” works as a business model.
We’re in a “wait and see” moment?
Exactly.
Oh, I do have one more question.
Shoot.
You mentioned WarnerMedia’s CEO Jason Kilar earlier.
I did.
What’s up with him?
As I’m writing, the New York Times is reporting that he’s working on an exit package. Kilar is best-known to most people as the guy who came in and turned the theatrical model upside down by simultaneously releasing movies in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day. It was a costly move that made talent and exhibitors mad — WarnerMedia reportedly paid more than $200 million in backend deals to make up for it — but leaned right into the streaming-first model.
At the speed of which this story is moving, I wouldn’t be surprised if he announced his resignation the second after I hit publish.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales Gamerverse Diorama Revealed by Diamond Select Toys
A Diamond Select Toys release! Swinging out of his hit video game, Miles Morales prepares to hurl a Venom Blast at his opponent in this all-new Gallery Diorama! Based on the game’s costume design, Miles leaps over one blast as he charges up another in this sculpture made of high-grade PVC, and featuring translucent materials that catch the light. With detailed sculpting and paint applications, it comes packaged in a full-color window box. Designed by Caesar, sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios.While DST has released several Miles pieces over the past few years, this is the first to be specifically based on the Insomniac game rather than the comics. It should make for a much more wallet and space-friendly purchase compared to PCS' enormous $1050 Miles statue. Preorders for the Miles Morales diorama will open on Friday, May 21. The piece is priced at $49.99 and is expected to ship in January 2022. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/debating-game-of-the-year-spider-man-hades-half-life-alyx"] Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales clearly struck a chord with gamers, selling 4.1 million units in 2020 alone. The game currently tops IGN's Best PS5 Games list. Miles himself was recently took home the DICE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales Gamerverse Diorama Revealed by Diamond Select Toys
A Diamond Select Toys release! Swinging out of his hit video game, Miles Morales prepares to hurl a Venom Blast at his opponent in this all-new Gallery Diorama! Based on the game’s costume design, Miles leaps over one blast as he charges up another in this sculpture made of high-grade PVC, and featuring translucent materials that catch the light. With detailed sculpting and paint applications, it comes packaged in a full-color window box. Designed by Caesar, sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios.While DST has released several Miles pieces over the past few years, this is the first to be specifically based on the Insomniac game rather than the comics. It should make for a much more wallet and space-friendly purchase compared to PCS' enormous $1050 Miles statue. Preorders for the Miles Morales diorama will open on Friday, May 21. The piece is priced at $49.99 and is expected to ship in January 2022. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/debating-game-of-the-year-spider-man-hades-half-life-alyx"] Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales clearly struck a chord with gamers, selling 4.1 million units in 2020 alone. The game currently tops IGN's Best PS5 Games list. Miles himself was recently took home the DICE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Apple Announces New Pride-themed Watch Bands ahead of Pride Month
Apple Announces New Pride-themed Watch Bands ahead of Pride Month
Mario Golf: Super Rush – Full Roster and Game Modes Revealed
Super Golf: Super Rush Full Roster Revealed
At launch, Mario Golf: Super Rush will feature 16 characters that come with their own special shot, like one that lets Mario blast away balls on impact. The full list of golfers is as follows, complete with their Special Shots if it was shown in the gameplay trailer;- Mario - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Luigi - Freezes ground on impact.
- Wario - Generates lightning interference.
- Waluigi - TBA
- Princess Peach - Blasts away balls in its path.
- Daisy - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Yoshi - Turns balls into eggs on impact.
- Bowser - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Bowser Jr. - TBA
- Boo - Haunts balls on impact.
- Donkey Kong - TBA
- Rosalina - Turns balls into Star Bits on impact.
- Pauline - Blasts away balls in its path.
- Toad - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Chargin' Chuck - Blasts away balls in its path.
- King Bob-omb - Spawns bombs in landing zones.
Mario Golf: Super Rush's Game Modes Include Speed Golf, Battle Golf, and Golf Adventure
Mario Golf: Super Rush allows you to play with up to four friends locally or online on a variety of courses that range from ones with "lush, natural scenery" to those with "fantastical areas your could only find in the world of Super Mario." One of the new ways to play Mario Golf is Speed Golf. This frantic mode lets you and up to three friends tee off at once and then race to your balls after you hit them. Speed is the name of the game, and your goal is to be the first to get your ball in the hole. Along the way, players can grab items that restore their stamina, use Special Dashes to help them move forward quickly or attack opponents, or use Special Shots to help gain an advantage. Another new mode is Battle Golf, which is more or less Speed Golf with special rules. There are nine holes on one single course, and players are tasked with being the first to claim three holes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/17/mario-golf-super-rush-overview-trailer"] Mario Golf: Super Rush's single-player campaign is called Golf Adventure, and it allows you to take a created Mii through a... well... golf adventure. Level up your golfer, engage with Mushroom Kingdom locals, and much more. There are even practice areas with golf trainers to help players learn the rules of the game and practice their techniques. Throughout the adventure, there will be challenges like hitting a ball into a giant pottery bowl on top of a tower and competing in golf-based boss battles. Players will gain experience by playing through the game, and they can allocate their points to Power, Stamina, Speed, Control, and Spin to improve their Mii golfer. Theses golfers can then be played in any other mode in the game. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-2021-games-with-confirmed-release-dates&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.Mario Golf: Super Rush – Full Roster and Game Modes Revealed
Super Golf: Super Rush Full Roster Revealed
At launch, Mario Golf: Super Rush will feature 16 characters that come with their own special shot, like one that lets Mario blast away balls on impact. The full list of golfers is as follows, complete with their Special Shots if it was shown in the gameplay trailer;- Mario - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Luigi - Freezes ground on impact.
- Wario - Generates lightning interference.
- Waluigi - TBA
- Princess Peach - Blasts away balls in its path.
- Daisy - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Yoshi - Turns balls into eggs on impact.
- Bowser - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Bowser Jr. - TBA
- Boo - Haunts balls on impact.
- Donkey Kong - TBA
- Rosalina - Turns balls into Star Bits on impact.
- Pauline - Blasts away balls in its path.
- Toad - Blasts away balls on impact.
- Chargin' Chuck - Blasts away balls in its path.
- King Bob-omb - Spawns bombs in landing zones.