Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Impressive History Of Super Nintendo Enhancement Chips

The Super Nintendo is considered one of the best game consoles ever made and much of that legacy can be attributed to the impressive array of chips which enhanced the systems capabilities. Impressively, these expansions where built right into the cartridge eliminating the need for expensive add-on's like Sega's ill-fated 32X. The most famous of these enhancement chips is the Super FX which gave a sneak peak of the 3D generation to follow but many Gamers probably aren't aware of the other expansions that powered many of their favorite games (such as the the SA1 and Capcom's CX4). These chips allowed the 16-Bit SNES to compete with more powerful consoles such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn until the arrival of the Nintendo 64 in 1996. Did You Know Gaming has just released an interesting video which explores the history of the many SNES expansion chips and their ability to give us some of the greatest games ever made. Enjoy!


Twisted Fusion Brings Open-World 2D Action Adventure Exclusively To The Wii U

A new open world 2D platformer has been announced exclusively for the Wii U eShop. That game is titled Twisted Fusion and it is impressively being developed by one-man studio Leuvision. The game stars Cora, a girl who is equipped with dual water pistols as her main form of attack as she explores a massive and changing game world.

Twisted Fusion will feature a day/night system as well as a weather system which will alter the games environments and enemies depending on the shifting weather and time of day. Some examples include larger enemies that appear at night and enemies who get more aggressive in rain although being easier to defeat due to their weakness to water.

According to the games creator, Lewis Pugh, the game will feature a large and connected game world without the need for level select and won't require backtracking to progress. You will even be given the ability to complete certain areas of the game out of order which is sure to add to the games replay value. Twisted Fusion is set for a late 2014 release exclusively on the Wii U eShop.

Source

Friday, March 28, 2014

Earthlock: Festival Of Magic GDC Trailer

Earthlock GDC 2014 Trailer Direct Link

Kickstarter Campaign Direct Link

Swords & Soldiers HD Slashing Its Way Onto Wii U This April

Swords & Soldiers started its life as a hit WiiWare side scrolling RTS back in 2009. Since then it has seen release on many additional platforms including PS3, 3DS & iOS. Its success prompted the games developer, Ronimo Games, to craft a newly announced sequel (Swords & Soldiers II) exclusively for Wii U which is slated to hit the eShop later this year. To help drive interested for the new game, Ronimo Games has teamed with Two Tribes to bring the original game to Wii U next month in the form of Swords & Soldiers HD. In addition to the new HD visuals, the game will feature the classic Wii controls as well as custom touch screen controls which utilize the Wii U's unique Gamepad. The most exciting new addition is the enhanced multiplayer mode which allows one player to use the TV while the opposing player can use the Gamepad allowing each player to have a complete view of their battlefield. Anyone who has utilized the feature in games like CoD: Black Ops II or LEGO Batman II knows just how cool this feature is and how it is only possible thanks to the Wii U. While a price has yet to be announced, the developers have stated that the game will launch at a reduced budget friendly price. Here is a trailer of the upcoming Sword & Soldiers II to wet your appetite. Enjoy!


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

120+ Upcoming Wii U Indie Games: Shoot-Em Ups

Direct Link

120+ Upcoming Wii U Indie Games: Shoot-Em Ups List

Source: Nintendo Enthusiast

Sonic Lost World Gets Legendary With New Zelda DLC

Nintendo and Sega have once again teamed up to add some slick new DLC to last year's Sonic Lost World (which is quickly turning into the game game that just keeps giving). Much like the Yoshi's Island DLC released in December, the new Zelda DLC (known as "The Legend of Zelda Zone") once again drops the Blue Blur in one of Nintendo's most famous game worlds, Hyrule. Some of the highlights include a special appearance by Link and Sonic gearing up in the adventurer's famous green tunic and hat. Needless to say, it will be quite surreal to explore Link's homeland with Sonic and it is sure to spawn quite a bit of fan fiction. The new zone is 100% FREE (DLC done right) and will be available for download tomorrow, March 27, through the Wii U eShop. Enjoy!


Nintendo Reveals GBA Virtual Console Release Dates & Pricing

The Wii U is adding the Game Boy Advance library to its successful Virtual Console next month with a wide selection of hit titles to kick things off. In addition to the strong lineup, it has been confirmed that the GBA Virtual Console games will be getting the same additions as its SNES & NES counterparts on the eShop. This translates to full Miiverse Communities for each title as well as the ability to fully customize your controls and save anywhere via save states. In addition to the GBA games coming to eShop, Nintendo has also given a date (4/17) for the long anticipated Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES Virtual Console on both Wii U & 3DS. Enjoy!

April 3:
  • Advance Wars ($7.99)
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga ($7.99)
  • Metroid Fusion ($7.99)

April 10:
  • Kirby & The Amazing Mirror ($6.99)
  • WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! ($6.99)

April 17:
  • Super Mario Bros. 3 ($4.99)
  • F-Zero: Maximum Velocity ($6.99)
  • Golden Sun ($7.99)

April 24:
  • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 ($7.99)

GBA VC Trailer Direct Link

Monday, March 24, 2014

Hover: Revolt Of Gamers Wall Jumps Onto Wii U!

It was recently revealed that Hover: Revolt of Gamers (developed by Fusty Game) will be making its way to Nintendo's indie friendly Wii U. The game is a futuristic parkour game which honestly looks more interesting than just about anything coming from big companies like EA or UbiSoft. Many have described it as looking like the love child of Mirror's Edge and Jet Grind Radio which has only gotten me more hyped for the game since both of those games that don't get the attention they deserve. When you consider that the Alpha version shown below was developed by 3 people in just 4 months, the mainstream industry begins to look quite pitiful and rather bloated with their 200+ person teams and tens of millions of dollars spent to create yet another sequel. Enjoy.


Follow Hover on Facebook

Follow Hover on Twitter


Friday, March 21, 2014

Mighty No. 9 GDC Video Will Make Mega Man Fans Squeal In Delight!

Mighty No. 9 GDC Video Direct Link

Keiji Inafune Still Wants To Make Mega Man Legends 3

Even though Capcom has seemingly forgotten about Mega Man Legends 3, the Blue Bomber's father has not. Speaking with with USGamer, Keiji Inafune passionately spoke about how he still wants to make the game and has clearly not forgotten the fan favorite despite his success with Mighty No. 9. He made it clear that it is still the one game he wants to create most and once again reiterated that if Capcom were to approach him, he would jump at the chance to complete the game. Mr. Inafune even said that he believes he could gather most of the original team members to finish the title. Considering the insane level of success the 3DS has achieved, the massive fanbase for the Mega Man Legends and Capcom's desperate need for successful games, the company is literally flushing money down the toilet if they don't allow Mr. Inafune to finish this highly anticipated project. Note to Capcom: Swallow your pride, get off your ass and make this happen!

Mr. Inafune's full comments on Mega Man Legends 3:
If somebody asked, even right now, what’s the game you want to create most? It’s still Legends 3. I put so much effort into that game, so much passion into that game, but it didn’t happen. It’s always a regret in my mind. Even now… 
We all know that’s not going to happen, though, as long as Capcom holds the IP. But if they asked me to make that game, I could still gather most of the original team, even right now. Some of them have quit Capcom, some of them are still at Capcom, but I believe that team would be passionate enough to come back together and create that game. So…we’ll see what’s going to happen. You never know. 
Let’s say that, if we have all seven Dragon Balls right here, right now, and Shen Long comes up and says, ‘What’s your wish?’ My wish would be, give me all the right tools, people, and environment to create Legends 3.

Source

Nintendo Shows Massive Indie Support At GDC 2014

Nintendo has made an impressive showing at this years Game Developers Conference (GDC) and it is entirely in support of the indie scene. One of their biggest areas of focus has been the Unity game engine and showcasing the many games coming to the Wii U thanks to this powerful engine. There has even been a bit of buzz surrounding how these indie developers are using the Wii U's unique GamePad (which is showcased in some of the trailers below). There is little doubt that 2014 on Wii U will be the year of the indies as the system continues to build its install base. The Big N has released a variety of new trailers which showcase some of the heavy hitters coming to the eShop over the next couple months. Enjoy!

Armillo (Fuzzy Wuzzy Games)


Ballpoint Universe: Infinite (Arachnid Games)


Cubemen 2 (Nnooo)


Ittle Dew (Ludosity)


Monkey Pirates (Henchmen Studio)


Nihilumbra (BeautiFun Games)


Stick it to the Man (Zoink & Ripstone)


Teslagrad (Rain Games)


Wooden Sen'SeY (Neko Entertainment)



Sources: Nintendo Enthusiast / Nintendo

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

The Making Of Child Of Light Part 1

Making of Child of Light Part 1 Direct Link

The Random History Of Mega Man Voice Acting

Mega Man has had a tough time when it comes to finding a voice. Capcom has never really taken the him seriously and this is painfully obvious when you hear the Blue Bomber attempt to speak. Hell, notorious games such as Mega Man 8 sound like the nails on a chalkboard which turned many fans off to the prospect of ever hearing Mega Man speak again. To be fair there were a couple voice actors who actually managed to sound acceptable despite atrocious scripts such as the awful 90's animated series. Taking inspiration from the Did You Know Gaming video series, YouTuber Christopher Niosi has published a fascinating video which looks into the history of voice acting in the Mega Man series. Voice acting and Mega Man fans will find the information quite interesting and should give a clear picture that Capcom really doesn't know what its doing when it comes to the Blue Bomber. Enjoy!



Thursday, March 13, 2014

Azure Striker Gunvolt Confirmed For North American Release

The recently revealed Azure Striker Gunvolt from Keiji Inafune has been confirmed for release this summer on the 3DS eShop in North America (a European release is expected to be announced shortly). This means that we will be seeing an English language release coming either at the same time or shortly after the Japanese launch (a clear advantage for eShop releases). Additional details have also surfaced about the upcoming game including that the game is being co-developed by Inti Creates (the company's resume includes the Mega Man Zero series as well as Mega Man 9, 10 and the upcoming Mighty No. 9). Mega Man fans should keep an eye out for this promising new action game.


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Epic Game Music Rocks Stage 1 Of Dr. Wily's Castle (Mega Man 2)!

Few soundtracks from the 8-bit gaming era are held in as high regard as Mega Man 2 and one track continues to stand out among this amazing compilation and that is Stage 1 of Dr. Wily's Castle. This track has been redone numerous times and you know what, it just doesn't get old (a true testament to how great the song is). Epic Game Music has offered up yet another take and as expected, it is just plain awesome (that extended intro does a fantastic job of building you up for the epic 3 minutes which follows). Enjoy!

EGM Mega Man 2 Dr. Wily Stage 1 Direct Link

Yoshi's New Island 3DS Commercial

Yoshi's New Island Commercial Direct Link


Monday, March 10, 2014

Club Nintendo March Rewards Update

Nintendo has updated their downloadable Club Nintendo rewards for March and for the remainder of the month they are offering 4 titles across 3 systems (Wii games can be played on Wii U)The expiration date for this offer is now April 6 and the price is between 150-250 coins for each title. Be sure to check back April 7 for the next reward update.

Yoshi - Wii U eShop
200 Coins (Available Until April 6)

Bonsai Barber - WiiWare
250 Coins (Available Until April 6)

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters - 3DS eShop
150 Coins (Available Until April 6)

Number Battle 3DS eShop
200 Coins (Available Until April 6)




120+ Upcoming Wii U Indie Games: 2D Platform

Direct Link


120+ Upcoming Wii U Indie Games: 2D Platform List


Source: Nintendo Enthusiast

Sunday, March 9, 2014

New 3DS Game From The Father Of Mega Man!

The father of Mega Man, Keiji Inafune, has announced that his company is working on a new game for the 3DS alongside their work on Mighty No. 9. That game is Azure Striker Gunvolt and it looks like a glorious return to the 2D Mega Man action and gameplay we all know and love. Much like Mighty No. 9, Azure Striker Gunvolt takes its inspiration from games like Mega Man (Zero & ZX seems to be the main inspiration) but is an entirely new IP owned and controlled solely by Mr. Inafune and their team. The game is set for a Japanese eShop release later this year (summer 2014). Fans are hoping for a potential English language release in 2015. Enjoy!

Azure Striker Gunvolt Trailer Direct Link

How Well Do You Know The Nintendo 64?

Nintendo 64 DYKG Direct Link

120+ Upcoming Wii U Indie Games: Action-Adventure

Despite a huge drop-off in traditional third party support, the Wii U still has a massive number of games on the way. In fact, there are over 120 indie games coming to the console with more being announced on a weekly basis. This means that contrary to what all the haters would have you believe, the Wii U actually has more games coming to it than either the PS4 or XBOne (they just aren't traditional retail releases). Fellow Nintendo site Nintendo Enthusiast has actually crafted an exhaustive list to showcase these many excellent games. They have even broken the titles down into categories to help you find the exact games that suit your personal tastes. In an effort to support them in getting the word out, Treon's Realm will be featuring videos from the Nintendo Enthusiast YouTube channel that focus on each category. We are kicking things off with Action-Adventure games so be sure to share this video series with your fellow Nintendo fans. Enjoy!

Direct Link


120+ Upcoming Wii U Indie Games: Action-Adventure List


Source: Nintendo Enthusiast

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Child Of Light Co-Op Trailer Shows Off The Game's 2 Player Mode!

Child of Light Co-Op Trailer Direct Link

Guacamelee!: Super Turbo Championship Edition Announced For Wii U!

One of the more unique high profile indie games in recent memory has been Guacamelee!, an action adventure title that mixes wrestling, exploration and mexican culture. While it may seem like a crazy combination, it works in a way that has only been made possible due to the indie gaming boom over the last few years. Excellent games and brilliant ideas like Guacamelee! can now be realized through the democratization of technology that has brought us classics like Cave Story, Trine 2 and Minecraft. Like many classic indie games before it, Guacamelee! is coming to Nintendo's HD console in the form of Guacamelee!: Super Turbo Championship Edition which lovingly pokes fun at the naming convention of MANY Street Fighter games.

Guacamelee! (developed by Drinkbox Studios) was a major draw to PlayStation owners when it launched as a timed exclusive on the PS3 and PS Vita early last year but there were many fans who hoped to see it on other systems. In the game, you play the role of a Mexican farmer named Juan Aguacate who becomes a heroic Luchador responsible for saving El Presidente's Daughter from an evil charro skeleton named Carlos Calaca. Your new Luchador identity also allows you to jump between both the living and dead worlds to combat the forces out to stop your heroic quest. Guacamelee! mixes Metroidvania style exploration with wrestling combat, gorgeous art and a Mexican inspired soundtrack to create an adventure that sets itself apart from its many contemporaries. The upgraded version of the game will feature all previous DLC, new abilities as well as expansion of the original story with new levels and bosses when it launches later this year. Enjoy!



Sunday, March 2, 2014

FORMA.8 Coming To Wii U eShop In 2014!

Italian indie developer MixedBag has announced that their upcoming Metroidvania inspired game titled FORMA.8 is coming to the Wii U eShop. The new game is based around exploration with everything being conveyed through images and sound (I'm guessing this means no traditional text for storytelling). Expect to explore alien planets as you attempt to locate and recover a powerful energy source deep below the surface of these mysterious worlds. Unlike some of it's more recent exploration based Metroidvania contemporaries, FORMA.8 will feature combat and a variety of enemies to battle which will surely please fans seeking some more action in their exploration. Enjoy!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

How Well Do You Know EarthBound?

EarthBound DYKG Direct Link

Affordable Space Adventures Announced As A Wii U Exclusive!

Indie developers Nifflas (Knytt Underground) and Knapnok (Spin the Bottle) have teamed up to bring a new indie game exclusively to the Wii U. This new game is Affordable Space Adventures which is a spacecraft based exploration adventure that places its emphasis on atmosphere and gameplay. The recently released teaser trailer presents a game that looks like a mix of Solar Jetman and Metroid (both are excellent NES classics). What's even more impressive is that the team has stated that the game will make extensive use of the Wii U Gamepad resulting in the game's Wii U exclusivity. Affordable Space Adventures literally came out of nowhere but Nintendo fans are already buzzing about the possibilities for this game and we can expect to hear more at this years GDC (Game Developer's Conference) in March. Enjoy!