Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Perfect Dark Soundtrack Now Available From The Original Composer

The very talented Grant Kirkhope has once again released one of his excellent Rareware albums on Bandcamp. This time it's the excellent Perfect Dark which was the spiritual successor to GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64. The game was truly ahead of its time and its soundtrack is just as excellent as the game loaded with 36 tracks of sci-fi action. Like the Banjo-Kazooie soundtrack releases before it, you can pay what you want to support Mr. Kirkhope with the option of naming your price including free. This album comes highly recommended for any fan of great game music. I still have my original double CD release of this soundtrack and find myself popping it in for a listen every couple months. Enjoy!

New Splinter Cell Blacklist Trailer Reveals Wii U Exclusive Features And Release Date

When it comes to gameplay and features for a lot of multi-platform games, the Wii U has been a bit of a trojan horse in that there is so much more to the system than just HD graphics. I expected to enjoy the system but I am shocked at just how much I find myself using the system and enjoying what the Wii U Gamepad brings to my game experience. A good example of this is Batman Arkham City: Armored Edition which has changed how I look at stealth and action games and has honestly turned me off to the idea of playing this game on PS3 or XB360. I'm not saying those versions of the game are bad, simply that the added depth of control and options on display makes playing with a traditional controller very unappealing for me. It shows that when a company takes advantage of the system, an already excellent game shines all the brighter.

This brings us to Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist which will launch simultaneously on August 20, 2013 for PC, Wii U, PS3 and XB360. Developer/Publisher UbiSoft has been one of the few mainstream third party publishers to really show the Wii U the love it deserves despite a small misstep earlier this year. What's really impressive is the Wii U Gamepad integration revealed in their latest trailer for the game. Like Batman before it, the Gampad, motion control and touch screen will be used to immerse the player in the game acting as a high tech multi-tool controlling everything from marking targets to remote drone control. Many may call this gimmicky but it actually feels very natural and organic adding a layer of depth simply not possible on other systems. That is to say nothing of the Wii U's under advertised killer feature, Off-screen Play, but more on that later. Enjoy!


Monday, April 29, 2013

Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures Coming Soon To Nintendo Consoles

It was revealed earlier this year that internet celebrity and foul mouthed video gamer reviewer, The Angry Video Game Nerd, would be receiving his own retro action game. The game which is titled The Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures celebrates some of the worst games AVGN has ever reviewed and looks like a delightfully twisted romp with one hell of a difficulty curve. I am happy to announce that the game is officially set to make its debut on "modern" Nintendo consoles in addition to the PC. This means that we will likely see the devilishly difficult platform title on the Wii U and 3DS eShops. Expect the game to hit your screens this summer. Enjoy!


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Nintendo Drops Big E3 Conference In Favor Of Talking Directly To Fans


It has been revealed that Nintendo will not be doing their traditional E3 conference this year and as expected, the internet blew up with Gamer's/Press who are deeply divided over the announcement. To be clear, Nintendo will still have a major presence at E3, they are simply opting out of the rather expensive and increasingly needless big press conference. While these big shows were fun in the past and did a lot to get people hyped, their usefulness has become questionable in recent years as E3 is becoming more of a flashy joke causing many to question if the show is even needed anymore. In the past, Nintendo would withhold their big announcements for E3 which had an impact on their ability to stay in the gaming press and more importantly in the public eye. With the impact of social media, a game company is better served by staying up to date and revealing major titles throughout the year instead of "blowing their load" at one event.

This brings us to Nintendo Direct which has brought about a huge shift in the way Nintendo feeds info into the wild. While the Nintendo Direct presentations are only a couple years old, they have provided a more effective and personal delivery of Nintendo news directly to Gamer's. The Nintendo Direct videos have really flourished this year with many describing the roughly 30 minute (almost monthly) videos as mini E3's due to their game focused nature and ability to surprise and delight fans with exclusive game reveals such as the Wind Waker HD reveal in January. Nintendo has stated their intention to use this program to deliver their big game news this year instead of E3. It's a brilliant move that will keep their games fresh in the minds of Gamer's which is very important since things such as Twitter has degraded many peoples minds to that of a goldfish in terms of remembering anything. The funny thing is that some are saying that Nintendo won't be covered as much on the big sites but ironically, the Nintendo Direct presentations get more coverage than anything ever seen at past E3 due to their frequency and ability to surprise.

The mainstream gaming outlets are attempting to paint a picture of Nintendo loosing face and having an inability to compete with Sony and Microsoft. The truth is that they don't like Nintendo feeding their big news directly to fans and independent news sites because it makes them less relevant since the news no longer has to be filtered through the eyes and opinions of these "professional journalists". We are in the middle of a major shift for the Big N that will completely change how Nintendo interacts with its fans as well as developers. We will likely see a more progressive company that embraces its online interaction with Gamer's through things such as Miiverse and their Nintendo Direct videos. With the major shifts in the company such as Mr. Iwata becoming President of both NoA and NoJ, their welcoming attitude towards indie developers and news delivery through Nintendo Direct, we are witnessing what I would refer to as "Nintendo 2.0". It's going to be an exciting ride so stay tuned.

How Well Do You Know Super Smash Bros.?...Part 2


The Legend Of Zelda: Heavy Metal Version Album

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Rayman Legends Challenge App Now Available For Wii U Plus Release Date Revealed

Rayman Legends has had a rocky ride this year, most notably for Nintendo Fans. The game started as a major Wii U exclusive and launch title for the system in November 2012. The highly anticipated game was later bumped to Christmas 2012 and then February 26, 2013 before ultimately loosing its exclusivity and getting delayed (a mere 20 days before its February date) over 6 months in favor of a simultaneous launch on all current consoles. To say Nintendo fans and even the development team were upset was an understatement with many still holding a serious grudge towards UbiSoft.

UbiSoft has thrown Wii U owners a bone with the release of the Rayman Legends Challenge App which is available to download on the eShop today for free. The app is a surprisingly robust piece of software that feels like a demo on steroids complete with online leaderboards and daily/weekly updated challenges through random levels based on four levels from the retail game (one of which is Wii U exclusive). You are now tasked with earning trophies, collecting Lums and raising your "Awesomeness Level" which gives you access to new levels and challenges as well as new playable characters. Everything can be played with multiple players which is absolutely hilarious when everyone is frantically rushing through the crazy levels.

I could see a company such as Capcom charging for this considering the depth and support on display but UbiSoft opted for the free route as a bit of an apology to Nintendo fans. Honestly, while I'm not happy about the delay of the main game, this app combined with the additional boss/levels the development team is adding to the retail release does a great job of showing that UbiSoft isn't as bad as everyone is making them out to be. Enjoy your free game and be sure to grab your copy of the main game which is set to hit either August 27th or September 3rd (UbiSoft is being a bit murky on the actual US date) in North America and August 30th in Europe.

Web Browser Miiverse Is Now Live

Nintendo has officially released their popular Miiverse community to web browsers. As I have mentioned before, Miiverse is a great social network community which surprisingly manages to keep the majority of trolls and negativity out of the mix and delivers a largely positive experience for fans. The browser version of the app has some limits imposed in terms of new posts and interactivity which seems to be in favor of keeping things enjoyable and focused for the people who use the app on Wii U (its primary user base). Nintendo is planning to release a version of the popular app for the 3DS later this year which will likely have a similar level of usability to the Wii U. For my Wii U users, I have posted a direct link to Miiverse just below the Treon's Realm banner for quick and easy access. Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Worldwide EarthBound Fans Use Miiverse To Thank Series Creator Shigesato Itoi


Simply Amazing!

Indie Horror Title "Forgotten Memories" Officially Coming To Wii U This Year

Georges Paz of Psychoz Interactive has officially announced today that the company is now officially licensed as a Wii U developer and their indie survival horror title Forgotten Memories is coming to the system later this year. Psychoz Interactive has also had some very positive comments for the Wii U hardware and its power which is a nice turn from the constant bitching about hardware specs among the "hardcore". The best news is that the game is almost finished and should see release on the Wii U eShop later this summer.
As stated before, Nintendo has made the Wii U incredibly inviting to indie developers and it seems that as quickly as traditional third party developers cancel/ignore games for the system, 2-3 indie games are announced to take their place. Expect to see many more indie games hitting the system this fall as Nintendo continues its push to be the home for console indie games.

New 3D Mario And Mario Kart For Wii U This Fall?

It looks as if the Wii U is about to get an adrenaline shot of new and really big software this year. Nintendo has recently stated their intent to release not one but two brand new Mario titles for the Wii U this year in the form of the latest 3D Mario game and Mario Kart Wii U. This is in addition to Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101 and Wind Waker HD. If they can stay the course, the struggling system will have one of the biggest comebacks in recent memory.  Here is Nintendo's PR statement from this morning:
"Based on the strong lineup of upcoming software titles for both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems, Nintendo expects to return to Operating Income profitability by the end of the current fiscal year. During the next several months, Nintendo expects to launch new titles in the Mario Kart (Wii U), Super Mario Bros. (Wii U), Wii Fit (Wii U), Pikmin (Wii U), The Legend of Zelda (Wii U and Nintendo 3DS), Mario & Luigi (Nintendo 3DS) and Pokémon (Nintendo 3DS) franchises. These games, along with titles from Nintendo's third-party publishing partners, will help drive hardware momentum and introduce new audiences to the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS platforms."
This strategy also includes an absolute flood of indie games set to hit the system this summer and continuing well into the console's future. While big third party companies such as EA continue to bail on the Wii U, others who have shown continued support such as UbiSoft will reap the benefits of sticking with the Big N as their new strategy should drive the console into the hands of many eager Gamer's.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

8GB Wii U (White) Getting A New Bundle This Fall?

Summer/Fall 2013 may see the same kind of turnaround experienced by the 3DS a few years ago. Despite the constant negativity surrounding the console, Nintendo is aware of the Wii U issues and I would not be surprised to see the Big N come out swinging at this year's E3 which is just over a month away. Rumor's are now beginning to spread that Nintendo will restructure the hardware bundles this fall to make the system more attractive as they begin to roll out some heavy hitters in the software department. It seems as if Nintendo will start bundling Nintendo Land with the white basic model of the Wii U and keep the price at $299 while providing a slight price drop to the black pro set (Likely $320 - $330). This is firmly in the realm of rumor right now but is a very possible scenario that, when combined with a flood of big name exclusive software this fall, could give the Wii U one of the biggest console turnarounds in history. Please share your thoughts below.

New Fan Documentary Explores Cultural Impact Of The Legend Of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most memorable and universally loved video game series of all time. While the idea of a feature film based on the series is deeply divisive among fans, filmmaker Joe Granato is approaching it from a different angle with his documentary "It's Dangerous To Go Alone...The Movie". The film seeks to explore the legendary series and all that it has inspired among its millions of fans as well as the nostalgic place it holds in our hearts. To assist in getting the film made, the director has turned to Kickstarter to request the $50,000 needed to complete his vision. Since The Legend of Zelda is my favorite game series and the primary reason behind my love of video games and this site, it is only fitting to feature this project to help in seeing this film come to life. I urge any fan of this groundbreaking series to check out the trailer and show your support. Enjoy!



Monday, April 22, 2013

EarthBound Sequel Fan Translation Offered To Nintendo For Free!

Anyone who has followed EarthBound and the Japanese series it originated from (Mother) knows that few games have a following quite like this epic RPG series. EarthBound/Mother fans are an incredibly dedicated crew who have done everything from creating professional quality reproduction carts for the unreleased NES version of the original Mother to translating the entire third game in the series for free. The team responsible for translating Mother 3 (GBA) for the rabid English speaking fanbase has just offered up all of their hard work to Nintendo for free. They have even gone as far as offering their services in altering any of the code or files to make them fit within Nintendo's standards once again 100% free of charge. This is an impressive gesture that shows just how much fans want this series to not only come to English speaking fans but also how much they also want it to succeed outside of Japan.

For fans and newcomers alike, Treon's Realm has put together a quick set of links to bring everyone up to speed and get prepared for the release of EarthBound on the Wii U Virtual Console. Enjoy and please share with anyone you know who may enjoy this game.

Starmen.net - The ultimate resource for all things EarthBound and Mother. Anything you want to know about this series has been lovingly detailed on this excellent and long running fan site.

Fangamer.net - Video game apparel site that sells beautiful merchandise based on classic video games (Primarily Nintendo themed). The site got its start through Starmen.net and began by selling EarthBound merchandise.

The Mother 3 Fan Translation - Full professional translation for the ROM of the Game Boy Advance that never made it stateside despite a fanbase that literally begged for it.

16 Bit Gems - Video series by the ever knowledgeable Roo (Clan of the Gray Wolf) provides both an exhaustive history and in-depth review of this legendary game and is a must watch for anyone interested in the game.
    16-Bit Gems #10: EarthBound A History - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
    16-Bit Gems #11: EarthBound Review - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Happy Video Game Nerd: EarthBound - An excellent review that shows much love for this underrated game. This version is the 2012 Expanded and Reedited review.


Source

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Happy 420: Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie Opening Credits


Happy 420: Pot Shop (Macklemore Thrift Shop Parody)


Happy 420: Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie Trailer

Kevin Smith is one of my favorite Director's, everything from his personality to his storytelling has a genuine honesty that just doesn't exist in mainstream Hollywood. His independent spirit and appreciation for his fans is inspiring and shows that he truly cares and simply wants to entertain. I felt that with today being 420, it would be fitting to kick things off with a trailer for his latest movie, Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie which officially kicks off its theater tour today. Fans of Kevin's work will love the fan service sprinkled throughout and appreciate what his crew has accomplished on the meager $69,000 budget. Much like his brilliant film Red State, this is 100% independent meaning complete creative control and no censoring so please show your support if you like what you see. Enjoy!


Pandora's Tower Game Freezing Bug And Solution


Now that Pandora's Tower has finally been released, a potential game freezing bug has been discovered by Tony Ponce at Destructoid.com. I doubt that XSEED will be able to patch the game at this point given its limited release and the Wii's current status as a "last generation" console. Tony has tested the bug and put together spoiler free instructions on how to avoid the potential issue of freezing your console and game. As stated in his article, this may not happen to every player and he could only test it on a 2006 launch model of the Wii so later models of the Wii and the Wii U may not have this issue. With that being said, it's better to be prepared and avoid the problem as opposed to having your experience ruined. Below are the direct instructions from the article but please read the full article here for complete details.

THE BUG:

After Tower 13 opens, you'll be unable to return to Towers 11 or 12. When you choose either level from the stage select menu, the game will lock up at the loading screen and you will have to hold the power button on the console to force shutdown. The game will also freeze if you try to enter 11 or 12 from the side doors at the base of Tower 13 rather than from the stage select menu.

THE SOLUTION:

The game will refuse to load Towers 11 or 12 until you visit Tower 13 at least once, but as I said above, simply entering 11 or 12 via the Tower 13 base is not enough. You have to step through one of the doors leading to the Tower 13 outer wall staircase first; once outside, you can use the Shard of Divinity item to teleport back to the Observatory. Now you should be able to enter 11 or 12 from the stage select menu without locking the game.

To confirm if your visit to Tower 13 was registered, highlight its entry on the stage select menu. If a preview image of the Tower 13 environment appears, it means you've been there at least once. Conversely, if no preview image appears, it means you have not.

Again, here are the steps:
  1. Choose Tower 13 from the stage select menu.
  2. Enter one of the doors leading to the Tower 13 outer wall staircase.
  3. Use a Shard of Divinity to teleport back to the Observatory.
  4. Towers 11 and 12 should be accessible from the stage select menu now.
Source

Thursday, April 18, 2013

How Well Do You Know Super Smash Bros.?


Banjo-Tooie Soundtrack Now Available From The Original Composer

3DS Circle Pad Pro XL Now Available For Purchase On NOA Website


Nintendo has finally decided to release the long overdue Circle Pad Pro XL in the US. Unlike the Circle Pad Pro for the original 3DS model which was available exclusively through GameStop, Nintendo of America has taken it upon themselves to distribute the new model for their 3DS XL through their online store. The add-on is currently available for purchase with the units set to begin shipping the Friday (4/19/13). Pricing of the 3DS XL Circle Pad Pro is set at $19.99 with an additional $5 for shipping.

  3DS Games with Circle Pad Pro Support
    Cult County (Due 2014)
    Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
    Kid Icarus: Uprising
    Resident Evil Revelations
    Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
    Nano Assault
    Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D
    Samurai Warriors Chronicles


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Bravely Default Coming To US In 2014!

Once again, Nintendo has answered fan requests with their announcement of an English language version of Bravely Default for the Nintendo 3DS. Hardcore RPG fans have been begging Square Enix to release the game outside of Japan but the situation was looking a bit bleak for a while until this mornings announcement that Nintendo would handle the games US release. The uniquely titled Bravely Default: Flying Fairy was released in Japan last year to much acclaim and is a spiritual successor to the 2010 Nintendo DS RPG, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light. The game employs a job system similar to Final Fantasy V along with a traditional turn-based combat system featuring multi-hit combo moves. The title is set to hit US shores in 2014 with Nintendo handling the publishing duties for Square Enix which is becoming more common for their handheld RPG titles.


Major Wii U System Update Coming Next Week

The Wii U interface is a wonderful hybrid of the 3DS and original Wii but there is no denying some of its shortcomings. The biggest issue for many fans has been the loading times and while some companies would just ignore the issue, Nintendo has taken ownership and is doing something about it. It turns out that Nintendo is not only fixing this with a system update next week but they are also adding some excellent new features to the interface to create a better experience overall.
  • Update will shorten loading times between applications or returning to Wii U Menu.
  • You will now be able to copy or move data from one USB hard drive to another.
  • Your system will automatically install new software you've downloaded in the background and receive updates for games immediately (instead of having to load the game to trigger the download).
  • You'll be able to boot the console into Wii mode by holding the B button when you switch it on which will drastically streamline playing your classic Wii library.
  • Other improvements are also promised
The day after this update, a new application known as Wii U Panorama View will be available for download. This software looks really impressive and will essentially act as an interactive travel channel where you can look anywhere with the Wii U Gamepad during a full motion tour of a specific world location. You will be able to test drive this innovative new software with a free demo with the option of purchasing modules for locations you wish to visit. The Wii U Virtual Console will also be launching on the same day which is one of the best and most option rich ways to officially play classic retro titles.

Mario And Luigi Storm The 3DS With 5 New Games In 2013!

Nintendo has deemed 2013 "The Year of Luigi" and this is being illustrated in the flood of new 3DS games which star the Mario Brothers. While some would cry foul on Nintendo's use of the famous brothers, the game variety on display is astounding and the new focus on other characters in the Mario universe is a welcome change of pace that allows for a return to some true classics (aka Yoshi's Island).

Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move
Summary: This exclusive downloadable title on 3DS eShop will continue the fun puzzle gameplay of the original Nintendo DS series. Features 180 new stages spread across 4 different modes. Once again, you will be able to design your own stages and share with other players around the world.
Release Date: May 9

Mario Golf: World Tour
Summary: Mario Golf brings the popular sports series to the 3DS with a massive focus on online gameplay spanning the globe. You will be able to golf in real time with players around the world by using the games new community feature. Expect an experience on par with some of Nintendo's greatest online successes like Mario Kart Wii.
Release Date: Summer 2013

Mario Party 3DS (Official title unknown)
Summary: New portable focused version of the fan favorite series features 81 new mini-games spread across 7 Game boards each with their own rules. The game will also break out of its traditional board game format and offer the ability to play mini-games exclusively as well as a 30 floor tower climb, StreetPass Battles and AR Card games.
Release Date: Winter 2013

Yoshi's Island 3DS (Official title unknown)
Summary: This brand new Yoshi game will mark the third installment in the often ignored but much loved series. New power-ups include a massive screen sized egg that literally destroys everything in its path. Visually, the game looks like a blend of the SNES original and the N64 classic, Yoshi's Story.
Release Date: Unknown (Late 2013/Early 2014)

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Summary: Latest game in the Mario & Luigi RPG series will be centered around entering a dream world in Luigi's mind to rescue the always in distress Princess Peach. Gameplay variety is amped up through a greater focus on platforming and action elements in addition to its RPG roots (think Super Paper Mario).
Release Date: August 11



Zelda: A Link to the Past 2 Announced For 3DS!

Nintendo just announced a brand new Zelda game for the Nintendo 3DS which is scheduled to hit during Holiday 2013. The game is currently without an official title/subtitle but it has been revealed that the game will take place within the same world as the Super Nintendo classic, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The new game will use the 3D display to accent the multi-level 2D dungeon gameplay which seems like an excellent fit for Nintendo's powerful little handheld. The new game also introduces a new ability for Link to change into a 2D "drawing" to move onto the walls of the dungeons and access new areas. Fans of the classic 2D style of Zelda will be delighted by the return to classic overhead gameplay that made the series so famous in the 80's and 90's. Zelda Timeline fans will also be thrilled to see a return to the "Hero is defeated" timeline which hasn't had a new game since 2001 with the release of the Oracle games on Game Boy Color. Between this and Wind Waker HD, Nintendo is showing a lot of love for our hero in green.



EarthBound Coming To North American Wii U Virtual Console!

EarthBound finally getting a North American (and European) release for the Wii U Virtual Console, RPG fans rejoice! Set to release by the end of the year (Fall 2013), the game will feature off-screen play, save states and full Miiverse integration. With any luck, sales of this insanely unique RPG will show Nintendo that the other games in the series deserve English language releases as well. Nintendo also announced that the Wii U Virtual Console will support Game Boy Advance games which opens the possibility for Mother 3's possible release. Be sure to support this title when it launches later this year.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Shovel Knight Digs Up Some Serious Support Through Kickstarter

The highly anticipated Shovel Knight has ended its Kickstarter run with an impressive $311,502 from over 14,000 Backers! The game has grown quite a following due to its developer pedigree and the gaming community gushing over the playable GDC demo. Fans of Mega Man, Castlevania, Zelda II and Duck Tales will fall on love with this game which developer Yacht Club Games has described as "Next Gen 8-Bit". This means that the game retains the look and feel of the NES classics it's modeled after while the gameplay and progression feels like a current action adventure game. While the game blasted past its primary goal of $75,000 halfway through the campaign, the excellent stretch goals listed below are what really pushed the game over the top.
  • Music Player + Extras
  • Achievements
  • New Game +
  • Playable Boss Knight
  • Linux/Mac Version
  • Playable Boss Knight 2
  • Gender Swap Mode
  • Challenge Mode
  • 4 Player Battle Mode
  • Real, Physical Box (For Backer's who pledged $50 or more)
  • Playable Boss Knight 3
  • All Bosses in Battle Mode
The developers even managed to get composer Manami Matsumae to contribute 2 original songs for the game. Capcom fans will know her amazing music from titles such as the original Mega Man, Mega Man 10 and the SNES classic, U.N. Squadron. With the loss of Mega Man, Shovel Knight is sure to fill the void left by the Blue Bomber while blazing its own path and giving us a fresh new franchise driven by the fans. Congratulations to Yacht Club Games on their success!

For those who missed out on the Kickstarter campaign, Yacht Club Games is offering gamer's the chance to grab a copy through Paypal until April 30th. What are your thoughts on Shovel Knight? Comment below and be sure to follow Treon's Realm on Twitter.


The Mega Man FPS That Never Was

News has recently surfaced from Polygon that in 2010, a Mega Man FPS was in development by Armature Studios. For those who don't know, Armature Studios was founded by a group of developers from the Metroid Prime series and early footage of the game showed an amazing blend of gameplay from both the Blue Bomber and Samus Aran's massive 3D adventure series. The title was known as Maverick Hunter and took place within the Mega Man X series to fit the darker tone and gameplay style. While the game was in a very early state with with only a few months of development, the results show a game that would have taken the series in a bold and exciting new direction. At the time, series godfather Keiji Inafune was consulting and scripting the new project ensuring the game would fit within the series cannon. What is sure to piss off Mega Man fans is that this marks the FOURTH Mega Man game canceled by Capcom since 2010! It has become very obvious that Capcom is holding quite a grudge towards Mega Man since Keiji Inafune left the company. Some fans have even suggested that Capcom sell the Mega Man franchise to Nintendo so he could be brought back properly. If you want to get the full breakdown on this amazing looking game, I recommend reading the entire article over at Polygon and feel free to share your thoughts on this lost Mega Man game below. Enjoy!



Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Project X Zone Gets Release Date, Pre-Orders Are Live

Project X Zone, the Namco/Sega/Capcom crossover that seemed like it had no chance of hitting the states has officially been given a US release date of June 25, 2013. Namco Bandai has posted a splash page on their site for the game which links out to pre-orders from both Amazon and GameStop. This highly anticipated strategy RPG is loaded with fan service and perfect for 3DS fans coming off of Fire Emblem. Be sure to grab your copy as this is sure to become a cult hit.

Project X Zone
Developer: Monolith Soft
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Pre-order Project X Zone Here

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Gameplay Trailer


New Batman Arkham Games Hit Wii U & 3DS This Fall

Warner Bros. Interactive and DC Entertainment have officially unveiled the latest games in the Batman Arkham series. This October will see the release of Batman: Arkham Origins for home consoles and its portable sequel, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. The story for Arkham Origins is set several years before the previous Arkham games and will introduce a younger Batman to some of his bigger foes for the first time. In an interesting spin, Batman will find himself hunted by eight assassins who have traveled to Gotham City on Christmas Eve with the intention of killing the caped crusader. Blackgate will be a "2.5D Metroidvania game" and will take place shortly after the home console game likely dealing with the fallout of that story. The 3DS & PS Vita title is being developed by Armature Studios which was formed by a lot of the key people who worked on the Metroid Prime series which is pretty exciting.

Batman: Arkham Origins
Platforms: Wii U, XB360, PS3 & PC
Release Date: October 25, 2013
Developer: WB Games Montreal (Developer of Wii U version of Batman: Arkham City Amored Edition)
Gameplay Details and Screenshots

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita
Release Date: October 25, 2013
Developer: Armature Studios (Studio comprised of former Metroid Prime developers)
Gameplay Details and Screenshots

Are you excited for these two games? Please share in the comments below. While no footage has been shown for either game, Game Informer has posted an interview with the developer discussing the home console version and its story. Enjoy!



Monday, April 8, 2013

Club Nintendo April Rewards Update

Nintendo has updated their downloadable Club Nintendo rewards for April and for the remainder of the month they are offering 4 titles across 2 systemsThe expiration date for this offer is now May 5 and the price is between 150-200 coins for each title. Be sure to check back May 6 for the next reward update.

Super Mario 64 - Wii Virtual Console
200 Coins (Available Until May 5)

Super Metroid - Wii Virtual Console
150 Coins (Available Until May 5)

Kirby's Pinball Land - 3DS eShop
150 Coins (Available Until May 5)

3D Classics: Urban Champion 3DS eShop
150 Coins (Available Until May 5)


Click here to see rewards 

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Forgotten Memories Looking To Haunt The Wii U

Forgotten Memories: Sixth Sense is an indie developed survival horror title built in Unity (which is being supported heavily by Nintendo) and currently set to hit mobile platforms. The game looks promising enough with its creepy visuals and menacing phantom enemies. Forgotten Memories also shows that it wants to feature the HD visuals of newer horror titles while retaining more of the classic gameplay the genre has sorely been missing since the horror action titles of the last 5 years. The games developer, Psychoz Interactive, has stated that they want to bring the game to the Wii U eShop which is excellent news for survival horror fans such as myself. The original Wii had a surprisingly varied and robust library or horror games and Forgotten Memories should help in showing that there is a market for such games on the Wii U.

While past remarks from mainstream developers about new games would have been met with skepticism by Nintendo fans, we are seeing a new Nintendo that has made the Wii U almost as open to indie developers as the OUYA! Seriously, with the exception of a development kit and the requirement of being licensed with Nintendo, ANYONE can put their game on the Wii U and they are given complete control without any of the corporate strings normally attached to Sony or Microsoft's systems. This is a shocking turnaround for a company previously known for being so closed off. It's a refreshing new approach and will likely give the Wii U a lot of indie cred as well as a strong library of unique and original games.

This years GDC (Game Developers Conference) has shown this new Nintendo and the results are excellent with an amazing number of indie developers announcing support for the Wii U as well as a ton of Kickstarter projects featuring support for the unique console. I would go as far as saying that Nintendo's apathetic attitude towards bigger third party companies is because their new focus is on the indie market and I can't help but be excited for the possibilities this brings. Enjoy the trailer for this new survival horror title and be sure to let the developer know you would like to see this game on Wii U.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

New Pandora's Tower Trailer, Website and Final Release Date

Operation Rainfall will see its third and final triumph on April 16th as Pandora's Tower finally makes its US debut. While not the biggest release on the Nintendo Wii, it is easily one of the most important for hardcore fans alongside Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story. It shows that despite what the mainstream gaming press says, fans can use the internet to make their voice heard to gaming companies who actually care.

XSEED Games has put up the official US website for the game at pandorastowerwii.com which features some gorgeous wallpapers for your computer as well as some additional insight into the story, gameplay and characters. I've said it before and I'll say it again, be sure to pre-order your copy as this will be a limited run which will make this a prized piece for your Nintendo collection. As a side note, Wii U owners should grab this up as well because I have found that the HDMI video connection really makes the colors and visuals "pop" with Nintendo Wii titles. To celebrate the upcoming release, XSEED has released an extended and far more epic second US trailer for Pandora's Tower. Enjoy and I would once again like to thank XSEED for putting the fans first!


How Well Do You Know GoldenEye 007?


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

LucasArts Is No More

Disney has announced that LucasArts is being shut down. The software division of George Lucas' empire has been around since 1982 and has largely been responsible for almost every video game based on a Lucas franchise which includes Star Wars and Indiana Jones. The 30 year old company also brought us some of the most memorable point and click adventure games ever produced such as Maniac Mansion, Loom and Monkey Island. The closure of the developer brings with it the cancellation of the highly anticipated Star Wars 1313 as well as Star Wars: First Assault. This is an odd move considering how much money Disney put out to get everything from George Lucas but it definitely shows that nothing is off limits and the future of the Lucas legacy is "purely business". Disney will keep the LucasArts name for any future products that get farmed out to other studios but the roughly 150 person team that formed the studio are now laid off.

While this is sad, it is the growing norm for an industry that has become too bloated and largely lost sight of the core of video games as an entertainment medium. Budgets on many big games now exceed some of the biggest movies in Hollywood and selling "only 2-3 million copies" can result in the closure of a major developer. This is why indie developers and companies such as Nintendo continue to thrive, they have kept things in check and focused on great gameplay experiences while not hemorrhaging money on individual games chasing graphics or pure profit. As companies such as EA continue to "chase the dragon" in terms of graphical fidelity, they set themselves up for failure in an economy that can't support the inflated budgets needed to create such games. On the flip side, the purely "casual" budget titles overflowing from your app store of choice are the digital equivalent of a massive garbage dump. You may find a gem or two but you have to wade through a mountain of shit to find it. Unfortunately, the bulk of the industry finds itself stuck in one of these 2 categories.

Balance is the key to the industry surviving into the future. Video games are a creative medium that should focus on fun and engaging experiences over technical performance or a quick buck. Take heart in the knowledge that as long as some developers keep this in mind, the industry will thrive despite the inevitable "crash" we are building to. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Banjo-Kazooie Soundtrack Now Available From The Original Composer

Hardcore Nintendo fans have a soft spot in their hearts for RARE (The classic Nintendo RARE before Microsoft caused everyone to jump ship). This love comes from their great library of games and Nintendo-like commitment to quality. One of RARE's biggest and best N64 games was the amazing Banjo Kazooie (originally Project Dream on the SNES). This game took what was great about Mario 64 and perfected it by incorporating adventure elements with permanent ability upgrades and a more persistent game world. The games soundtrack in particular stood out and brought a level of character to the game world not present in a lot of games, even today. Grant Kirkhope was responsible for the aural masterpiece (as well as MANY other RARE hits) and his talent oozes from every track. He recently posted the entire Banjo Kazooie soundtrack on Bandcamp which currently allows you to set your own price including free. Enjoy!


As you can hear, Mr. Kirkhope has a true passion for his work as well as Banjo Kazooie recently stating:

"I keep wishing that all the ex-Rare staff, there’s lots of them about now, would just get together and form a company, and go to Nintendo and say “give us the money. We’ll make you Banjo 3 for the Wii U or whatever.
Just make Banjo 3 like it should have been made back then and it would be great, and it would be great on the Wii U."
While the logistics of this would be quite complicated, I could see quite a few people buying a Wii U for a proper "Banjo Threeie". What are your thoughts on this and the Banjo series? Comment below and be sure to follow Treon's Realm on Twitter.

Fountainhead - NES Soundtrack Tribute Album

One of the major advantages of the classic NES was its ability to be upgraded through chips that were built directly into the game cartridges. This was largely responsible for the systems wide range of software that continued to impress well after the systems prime. Without the assistance of chips such as the many MMC (Memory Management Controllers) chips, we wouldn't have had classics such as Castlevania 3 or Super Mario Bros. 3. Sound was yet another area that benefited greatly from these expansion chips allowing Nintendo's first home console to pump out some of the greatest video game music ever. Musical group Xenon Odyssey has put together an album titled Fountainhead which uses almost every sound chip that was available for the system to create a wonderful 8 bit tribute to the classic NES. The album is available at Bandcamp where you can name your own price including FREE. Enjoy!


Monday, April 1, 2013

Batman Arkham Origins Coming Late 2013?

Batman has certainly had his ups and downs with video games but few can deny how fantastic the Arkham series has been. Both games wisely borrow elements from the stealth and sandbox genres with some Metroid sprinkled throughout for good measure resulting in some of the best games of the last 5 years. Arkham City was an excellent game that built on the already great Arkham Asylum with an amazing story but unfortunately worked its way into a dead end in terms of a potential sequel. While I won't spoil the story for anyone, those who have beaten the game know what I am talking about. This brings us to the recent rumors that have surfaced concerning the future of the series.

While not yet given a full reveal, enough information has leaked to give fans hope that the next Batman game is coming this year and it will be titled Batman Arkham Origins. The game is rumored to be a Silver Age-inspired prequel and could be revealed at this years E3. Being a prequel, Origins is set to have a story linked to the Batman comics of the 1950s and '60s which will be quite interesting and opens the possibility of exploring how Arkham Asylum (the location) came to be. Series developer Rocksteady is said to be working on the game once again and rumors also suggest the appearance of fellow Justice League members Superman and Green Lantern in this latest game. If the rumors are true, Batman Arkham Origins will likely be powered by the Unreal Engine 3 allowing it to appear on both current and next generation consoles (Wii U, PS3, PS4, XB360, XB720?). While we wait for possible confirmation of this rumor, check out the excellent Arkham Retrospective that Gametrailers put out for the release of the first game in the series. Enjoy!


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