Xbox 180 eh!
If you haven’t heard, #nodrm #consumerwins #xboxone is the new rage on the Internet, as Microsoft confirmed that an Internet check is no longer required to play XboxOne games offline and lending, borrowing, renting and trading hardcopy games is fully supported.
This after the huge backlash that Microsoft has received in the wake of the new XboxOne system’s announcement.
Now we’ll see how long the XB180 moniker sticks. :P
#Xbox180
Now however, the playing field between the PS4 vs XboxOne has been drastically leveled, as many of the core issues keeping people from buying the XboxOne have now been scrapped.
But has the damage already been done? Has Microsoft’s reputation already been tarnished?
The XboxOne will NO LONGER require a 24-hour Internet check. In fact, no online checks period are required on XboxOne. The only time you are required to be online is during the initial system set-up. So you will still require an Internet connection to verify your system when you first purchase it. Still, this is a huge change from before.
All games can be played offline forever, no online requirement. You can play offline games without an Internet connection and it won’t ever interfere with your offline game.
You can now lend, borrow, rent, trade, etc. XboxOne games just like you can do on current-gen systems. This is HUGE news, as it means Microsoft has completely abandoned their “verified retailers only” trade-in and used games policies. #consumerwinsbig
Not only that, but XboxOne will be REGION-FREE. Which is huge.
Last but definitely not least, some of the cool XboxOne features previously announced appear to have been scrapped due to these changes. It sounds like you can no longer share your entire game library with up to 10 friends or family from any XboxOne. Although no confirmed, Microsoft simply said some of the cool features previously announced have been altered due to these changes. I’ll bet that is one of them.
All in all, the consumer backlash against Microsoft and towards Sony has forced the American giant’s hand in reversing their strict DRM policies and their draconian control of the Used Games market. This means very good things for GameStop, Blockbuster, Redbox, GameFly, and your ability to trade, borrow and lend games to your friends and family. However it also means that developers will not be getting additional revenue from selling used games. Which means they may have to make cuts elsewhere.
But let’s all be glad that Microsoft listened to fans and changed course. It is proof positive that a big enough outcry from consumers, and voting with the almighty dollar, can indeed move mountains.
Here is the official press release from Microsoft and President of Interactive Businesss for MS, Don Mattrick:
Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.
For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.
Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.
You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.
So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:
An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console — there will be no regional restrictions.
These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.
We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.
Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.
SystemWars Resetted
Superman in Scribblenauts? AWESOME!
In the game players will take control of these heroes (Batman, Superman) and villains (Lex, Darkseid) to accomplish various objectives in the game’s new single-player story mode, or can summon these heroes and villains into the game at any point.
Every single version from that characters past is also in the game (including a whopping 130 different Green Lantern characters!), and players can even mix-and-match pieces of each Superhero to create their own custom heroes!
Want to make “Super-Batman” by mixing Superman and Batman into one? GO FOR IT! What about “Super Doomsday?” How about “Lantern Wonder Woman”?. All of it is possible.
So. Awesome!
Like in previous games, any words you type come to life in the game world, and not only are hundreds of thousands of objects covered via the game’s dictionary, but so are a number of objectives and action words. Ever wanted to see a Zombified Mummy Highspeed Batman? Then this is the game you need! If you were to type those words, a Zombified Mummied, fast-moving Batman would appear next to you! You must use this dictionary, which now includes an insane amount of words (exact amount coming soon), to come up with your own solution to solving puzzles. Not only that, but now you can actually view the dictionary itself, so you can see words that may be missing.
You’ll need to use these words to solve puzzles, and solve them in any way you see fit. Need to burn a tree down? Use Superman’s Heat Vision. Or use Wonder Woman to pull it up from the roots. Or you can simply summon fire to burn it to the ground. Summon rot to eat it from the inside. Or create a beaver to munch the tree down. Maybe use a tornado to blow the tree away. Or use a Rhino to ram it to bits! The choice is your’s!
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure also features the Bat Computer, which allows you to view profiles and detailed description on all of the DC Comics Heroes, Villains, Items, Vehicles, etc. that appear in the game! Awesome!
This game looks like another huge hit for developer 5th Cell, who previous brought us the original Scribblenauts for DS in 2009.
Here are the list of Scribblenauts games for the uninitiated.
The sequel Super Scribblenauts for DS was released in 2010. The mobile version, Scribblenauts Remix hit iOS in 2011. The first console version, Scribblenauts Unlimited, was released for WiiU’s launch in 2012 as well as on PC via Steam and for 3DS. A 2-in-1 DS combo pack containing Scribblenauts and Super Scribblenauts was also released. Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure marks the 4th game in the series. 5th Cell also made a similar series for DS called “Drawn to Life”, which featured players using drawings instead of typing words. That game got a spin-off called Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition in 2008, also for DS. As well as a Wii and DS sequel called “Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter” in 2009.
Love seeing villains with this artstyle!
Official Synopsis
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure is a new game that melds the boundless creativity of the award-winning video game franchise with thousands of DC Comics characters and objects across DC Comics worlds – all drawn in the classic Scribblenauts art style.
The game features a story where players embark as protagonist Maxwell on an imaginative and comical quest, taking them through Gotham City, Metropolis, Atlantis and other iconic locales from the DC Comics universe. Fueled by the player’s imagination, Maxwell must use his magic notebook to put a stop to the villains’ evil schemes and save the day!
Key Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure Features For WiiU:
* Vast DC Comics Universe – Summon thousands of DC Comics characters and objects – all drawn in the unique Scribblenauts art style!
* Extensive Replayability – Dynamically created puzzles called Heroic Feats increase the game’s replayability by continuously generating original scenarios requiring different solutions with each visit.
* Hero Creator – On WiiU and PC, players can create their own Super Hero or Super Villain using any item from the DC Universe and then setting properties for how it behaves, changing its appearance and powers. Players can then share their creations with the community and download others.
* Deep DC Comics Object Database – Players wanting help can reference The Batcomputer, an in-game encyclopedia that lists the names and descriptions of objects from the DC Comics Universe.
* Sidekick Mode – Friends and family can drop in using a Wii Remote and take control of any object in game in the WiiU version!
Looks sooo good!
Two new features were revealed for The Wind Waker HD. First of all, making use of Miiverse, players can visually send messages to other online players in a super unique way via a new “Message In A Bottle” system called the “Tingle Bottle”. Literally, you write or draw a message, Link puts it in a bottle, and then throws it into the ocean. That Message In A Bottle will then wash up ashore on the islands as other players are playing the game, if they are connected online to MiiVerse. Once they pick up the bottle they can see the message, picture, artwork, hint, etc. that you left! You can even attach an in-game screenshot using the Pictograph and can finally share these shots online with other players via MiiVerse, even putting the photo in the bottle as part of your message!
Send messages in a bottle with the new Tingle Bottle item!
This is an ingenious way to do MiiVerse! Instead of simply sharing messages on the MiiVerse “message board” or seeing the messages pop up on the overworld like speech bubbles, you actually get them delivered as a “Message In A Bottle”. Considering the seafaring adventure that is Wind Waker, this makes perfect sense and fits into the world like a glove! Very awesome!
Nintendo also revealed that they have upgraded the Tingle Tuner item. The original game used the Game Boy Advance GameCube Link cable and a second player could help out the first player by using the second screen on the GBA and controlling Tingle. This allowed them to sell items to Link, give Link the ability to float for a brief period of time, destroy enemies by dropping Tingle Bombs and purchasing items and healing potions for Link with Rupees. Tingle could also see a full map and reveal secrets otherwise inaccessible. Naturally, as one would expect, all of those features return in the new game but are now pulled off by using the WiiU GamePad instead. It sounds like new features or expanded features may have also been added. Exactly how different it has been changed though will have to wait until the game’s release.
Satoru Iwata also revealed that The Wind Waker HD has made a number of tweaks to the gameplay to make this the definitive Wind Waker experience. For example, players can now speed up time as they are sailing, allowing you to get across the ocean much quicker. The slow pace of the Ocean Sailing, especially early on in the game, was one of the chief complaints of Wind Waker (as well as the long drawn out fetch quest towards the end), and it seems like Nintendo is doing what it can to clean it up and making this section less of a chore. Good news!
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the GameCube was one of my favorite games of all time. So I can’t wait to play this new prettied up version!
Synopsis
One of the Greatest Adventures of All Time Returns in HD
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker makes its glorious return on the WiiU console with gorgeous HD graphics and enhanced game features. In this timeless classic with a unique and colorful “toon-shaded” art style, players guide Link as he sets out on the massive Great Sea to find his kidnapped sister. Players will sail the seas in search of lost islands, fight fearsome enemies, take on mighty bosses and seek out the legendary Triforce.
Key Zelda: Wind Waker HD Features:
* The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD features 1080p visuals that will immerse players in the game like never before.
* With the WiiU GamePad controller, it’s easy to manage your inventory and view maps.
* Players will enjoy cruising the open sea with a new sail that gives them 50 percent more speed, bringing them to their next destination and action-packed adventure that much faster.
* Once players receive the “Tingle Bottle” item, they can connect with others by posting comments to Miiverse. Through this new feature, comments or screenshots posted on Miiverse will wash up on the shores of other players’ games. It’s like finding a message in a bottle.
* Players can also take and store more pictures with an improved Pictograph and then post them on Miiverse.
* If the television is already in use, this game can been played off-TV on the Wii U GamePad.
Freakin’ awesome artwork!
GIANT LUIGI!!!!!!!
I can’t wait for this game!
The best thing about this game is simply how innovative, unique, and fun it looks. These games are always AAA and as good as Action RPGs come, and this one looks to 1Up the outstanding Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (the third game in the series. Second was Partners in Time on DS, first was Superstar Saga for GBA).
They do that by making the game even weirder and crazier, with Mario entering the psychedelic dreams of the oddball bro Luigi, and messing with the sleeping Luigi to effect the game world as you explore it. You’ll not only see a giant Luigi, you’ll ride a ball of thousands of Luigis, ride a hundreds of Luigi’s tall “Luigi-Tower”, and pull Luigi’s mustache to effect the location you’re exploring! Absolutely GENIUS.
Love the artwork.
Synopsis:
Sweet Dreams, Luigi
Mario and Luigi embark on the adventure of their dreams in a hilarious action RPG that combines the resort world of Pi’illo Island with the wild landscapes of Luigi’s imagination, where anything can happen. Meet a host of hilarious characters as you strive to rescue Princess Peach and help Prince Dreambert free his petrified Pi’illo people from the bat-king Antasma’s curse.
Key Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Features:
* Spawn hundreds of Luigi’s that mold into different forms like bouncy towers, wrecking balls and giant hammers for special attacks or to pass obstacles.
Poke, tickle and move a sleeping Luigi on the lower touch screen to alter the dream world on the upper screen.
* Master two worlds by switching between controlling both brothers when battling in the real world and controlling Mario and an army of Luigi’s in dream-world battles.
* With the Nintendo 3DS system turned sideways like a book, experience larger-than-life Giant Battles with a gargantuan-size Luigi on one screen and the enemy on the other screen.
* Find new items and gear to customize Mario & Luigi to fit your play style.
* To help players through the adventure, the game offers various support features, like a Hint System that offers tips on surviving a particular engagement, or an Easy Mode to make a particular battle easier.
Such awesome art!
The game is made by the same developers who brought you games like Viewtiful Joe, Okami, God Hand and Bayonetta, and looks mightily impressive and awesome.
It’s somewhat similar to Pikmin, but you control superheroes who, much like Captain Planet, combine their powers to summon new attacks and devastate foes. It makes heavy use of the WiiU GamePad and is a definite core game that hardcore gamers will love.
Pikmin with superheroes!
Official Synopsis
Strength in Numbers
As Wonder Red, leader of the Wonderful 100, you must unite your mob of heroes to morph into powerful transformations such as a fist, sword, glider or gun to battle aliens throughout Blossom City. It’s up to you and your team of superheroes to take on colossal robots and alien masterminds bent on obliterating everything in their path.
The superhero powers in action!
The Wonderful 101 Key Features:
* Unite your horde of heroes to morph into powerful weapons to crush the invaders or to synthesize into bridges, chains and other objects that help you make it through the world’s different environments.
* Clobber bad guys with deep and engaging combat. String together combos, dynamically switch between Unite Morphs, defend and evade alien attacks and rack up points to earn the best grades and rewards.
* Explore each stage to find helpless citizens and recruit them to join your army of heroes. The more heroes you gather, the more powerful your Unite transformations will become.
* Fight alongside friends in five-player local co-op multiplayer. Each player controls a Wonder One character and pummels enemies with a unique Unite transformation.
* At the in-game shop, you can spend the valuable O Parts you earn fighting aliens to upgrade or buy entirely new Unite Morphs.
All-new Fairy type!
New Pokemon games are coming soon, and this is the first Pokemon game to be rendered in polygonal 3D (with stereoscopic 3D graphics) and the first core game in the series to appear on the Nintendo 3DS.
I don’t really have much to say having not played a core Pokemon game since Pokemon Yellow, but fans definitely love the series and will certainly want to get their grubby hands on this latest version.
All-new Pokemon creatures!
Many new features and updates have been added, among the most important including an all-new Fairy Type of Pokemon and the ability to pet your Pokemon much like in Nintendogs to further bond with them.
Here is some awesome Pokemon XY Wallpaper!
Legendaries wallpaper!
Please, please put Wart in Smash Bros. WiiU & Super Mario 3D World!
Wart is one of the greatest Nintendo villains ever conceived, and served as the end-boss of Super Mario Bros. 2 for NES (originally a non-Mario game called Doki Doki Panic in Japan, but let’s ignore that fact).
Beautiful artwork of King Wart!
Sadly the hulking green frog who despises veggies and desires Mario’s flesh, has not been seen in a single game SINCE Super Mario Bros. 2 for NES, released in 1988! However an updated version of Wart appeared again for the first time as a Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee or Brawl (…. WAIT! Or am I mistaken? After googling I could not find an image of a Wart Trophy…. I could have sworn he appeared as a Trophy in one of those games though, but maybe I’m getting him confused with King K. Rool) that you could collect and see what he’d look like today with modern graphics. He also made a brief appearence in The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening as the giant frog “King Mondo Mondo”, who teaches you one of the three Ocarina songs.
Now, however, we have a game in which Princess Peach is a PLAYABLE CHARACTER. This means that Bowser cannot kidnap her for the story line. Bowser has not been mentioned… So, this would be the PERFECT time to REVIVE WART as the end boss of Super Mario 3D World, AND follow that up by making Wart a playable character in Super Smash Bros. WiiU/3DS!
COME ON NINTENDO! This is the perfect opportunity to revive an absolutely badass character in King Wart! DOOO IT!
Sooo awesome! I love this character!
Here is the trailer for Super Mario 3D World for WiiU, with Princess Peach playable. Naturally no mention of Wart…
Here is the trailer for Super Smash Bros. WiiU/3DS! Again, no mention of Wart…. *sadness*
Last but definitely not least, here is the Super Mario Bros. 2 End Boss Wart Fight!
Beautiful!
If you missed out on this absolute gem of a remake, now is a great time to hop in and play it on your cellphone or tablet. This version will cost $16 and is compatible with Android 2.3 and after. There are no new features, but there doesn’t need to be! The game is great as is.
The 2008 polygonal 3D remake of Final Fantasy IV set the standard for role-playing games with its diverse cast of characters, deep plot and real-time Active Time Battle (ATB) system. Players will now be able to relive this seminal title in the Final Fantasy series and enjoy the best role-playing game experience available on mobile devices.
Key features of Final Fantasy IV for Anroid:
* Witness the dramatic and thrilling story of this mythical game world brought to life through astounding 3D graphics, gorgeous CG cutscenes and top-notch voice acting.
* Create a versatile party using the all-new Augment System – a dynamic system that allows the player to assign special abilities to characters.
* Dive into the first RPG to incorporate the innovative Active Time Battle system, now further enhanced and refined for mobile devices.
* Listen to a beautifully remixed score by world-renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu that breathes new life into some of the most beloved Final Fantasy themes.
STORY
Four elemental Crystals, each possessing awesome power, lie scattered throughout the realm. However, men are quick to covet things which offer such strength, and they are easily corrupted by the might which they possess…
Seduced by the promised power of the Crystals, the kingdom of Baron begins employing unprovoked force to seize them from peaceful nations. The dark knight Cecil – Lord Captain of Baron’s elite force, the Red Wings – is ordered by his king to obtain the Crystals, but soon begins to question the monarch’s motives. Stricken with grief at his own actions, yet burdened by his loyalty to his country and his personal sense of honor, Cecil at last decides to turn from the path of darkness and destruction.
Enraged, the king accuses him of disloyalty, strips Cecil of his command, and sends him off to slay a mysterious beast that lurks in the nearby Valley of Mist. Cecil embarks on a fateful journey that will bring trials, betrayals, friendship, loss and self-discovery. Can Cecil open his eyes and become the man of honor that he must be?
I’ve still yet to play through the enhanced original version from Final Fantasy IV Advance, much less this 3D remake. But it’s great that the game is available in all kinds of forms now, from the iOS and Android versions to versions for the PSP, WiiWare and elsewhere. I for one am glad to see so many gaming classics easily available legitimately for so many devices, so kudos to Square Enix for bringing this gem out for Android. Boo for them charging $15 for it! It’s still worth it, but I think it should be cheaper.
Absolutely awesome.
“Stealing is my way of life; it sets me free in the night.
Every rivet and stitch lets me find what I desire.
The cloth that hides me, the tools that arm me…
All lead to that priceless moment.”
Some steal to survive; Garrett survives to steal…
Thief will be released for XboxOne, PS4 and PC in 2014, as one of the first major AAA next-gen titles. It will likely be playable at E3 2013 when the show kicks off two days from now!
I never got to play the Thief games, as I was always a console gamer and not a PC gamer… So can’t wait to see how this new game holds up. I have very high expectations considering how awesome Deus Ex: Human Revolution was. You can’t reboot a game any better than Eidos Montreal did with that game, so if they can 1up it that’d be a huge feat.
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