From the Source: Square-Enix... GDC 2016 Action!

Enjoy the GDC 2016 action... and if you get to go, take advantage and have a great time!

[PRESS RELEASE]

Square Enix Announces Panels and Talks for GDC 2016  Sessions with Top Developers on HITMAN, Tomb Raider and More

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 9, 2016) - Square Enix® today announced its panel lineup for GDC (Games Developers Conference) 2016, taking place in San Francisco, March 14-18, 2016. This year, featured talks from the company’s world class list of developers will provide in-depth discussions on game development from critically acclaimed titles, such as Hitman™, Life is Strange™, Just Cause® 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider® and more. Continuing the company’s award-winning trends, multiple Square Enix titles represented in GDC talks have also been nominated for 2016 Game Developers Choice Awards, including Lara Croft® GO for Best Handheld/Mobile Game and Just Cause 3 for Best Technology. The full list of Square Enix GDC 2016 panels and talks, in chronological order, includes: Advanced Graphics Techniques Tutorial Day: Rendering Hitman with DirectX 12 Jonas Meyer – Lead Render Programmer, IO Interactive Monday, March 14th, 11:20-11:50 a.m. http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/advanced-graphics-techniques-tutorial-day-rendering-hitman-with-directx-12 This talk will give a brief overview of how the Hitman Renderer works, followed by a deep dive into how we manage everything with DirectX 12, including Pipeline State Objects, Root Signatures, Resources, Command Queues and Multithreading. A "Life is Strange" Case Study: Using Interactive Storytelling and Game Design to Tackle Real-Michel Koch - Co-Game Director / Art Director, DONTNOD Entertainment Raoul Barbet - Co-Game Director, DONTNOD Entertainment Monday, March 14th, 5:30-6:00 p.m. http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/life-is-strange-case-study-using-interactive-storytelling-and-game-design-to-tackle-real-world-problems Yeah... I think its a good idea to RUUUNNNN! -SdgtEnt Join the co-directors of the episodic game "Life Is Strange" as they reveal how they approached the inclusion of emotional, often sensitive, and sometimes taboo real-world issues into the core narrative of the game. Examples from the game will illustrate how the interactive nature of video games can be used to tackle difficult subject matters, driving players to reflect upon intense questions and emotional challenges; and how the coordinated development of story, characters and design can be used to achieve these goals. Raid on Rise: Narrative Creation on "Rise of The Tomb Raider" Rhianna Pratchett - Writer, Independent John Stafford - Lead Narrative Designer, Crystal Dynamics Cameron Suey - Narrative Designer, Crystal Dynamics Tore Blystad - Performance Director, Crystal Dynamics Jeff Adams - Senior Story Artist, Crystal Dynamics Noah Hughes - Creative Director, Crystal Dynamics Tuesday, March 15th, 10 – 11 a.m. Room 3016, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/raid-on-rise-narrative-creation-on-rise-of-the-tomb-raider The narrative team behind Rise of the Tomb Raider share how they worked together to build the next successful stage of Lara Croft's adventures, and demonstrate how a strong story and characterization are fundamental for AAA success. Custom Tools that Power Eidos-Montreal's Narrative-Driven Experiences (presented by Autodesk) Jean-Normand Bucci - Director of Labs, R&D department, Eidos-Montréal Hubert Corriveau - Environment Director, Eidos-Montréal Wednesday, March 16th, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Room2014, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/custom-tools-that-power-eidos-montreals-narrative-driven-experiences-presented-by-autodesk In this session, the team from Eidos-Montréal (Jean Normand Bucci, Director of Labs, R&D Department and Hubert Corriveau, Environment Director) will share their knowledge and expertise on the way they use and customize 3ds Max to create more immersive environments for the narrative driven titles from the studio: taking the existing tools and customizing them to facilitate and optimize the production flow. Real-time Procedural Percussion Scoring in Tomb Raider's Stealth Combat Philip Lamperski - Audio Designer, Crystal Dynamics | Bobby Tahouri - Composer, Independent Wednesday, March 16th, 12 – 12:30 p.m. Room 3002, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/real-time-procedural-percussion-scoring-in-tomb-raiders-stealth-combat In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics ® used, for the first time, procedurally generated music: the percussion music during combat scenes is composed and played by a software system in real time. It never loops, adapts dynamically to game action, and is different with every gameplay. Furthermore, the music is based on the game composer's original music: his original MIDI scores and sample data are analyzed in order to compose new music in his style during the game. In this talk, one of the game's audio designers discusses in detail the benefits of procedurally generated music, as well as the issues and limitations faced when working with it. Videos from the game will be used as illustration. More Explosions, More Chaos, and Definitely More Blowing Stuff Up: Optimizations and New DirectX Features in Just Cause 3 (presented by Intel) Emil Persson, Head of Research, Avalanche Studios Antoine Cohade, Graphics Application Engineer, Intel Wednesday, March 16th, 3:30-4:30 p.m. http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/more-explosions-more-chaos-and-definitely-more-blowing-stuff-up-optimizations-and-new-directx-features-in-just-cause-3-presented-by-intel Gasoline undies... are NOT recommended! -SdgtEnt Just Cause 3 is Avalanche Studios' latest addition to the mind-blowing and stuff-blowing open world action-adventure series: Just Cause. Published by Square Enix, the game released on December 1, 2015 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. During the development of the game, Intel and Avalanche Studios have been working closely together to optimize the game on Iris graphics, but also to make use of DX12 level features to further improve the user experience. This session will cover the changes Avalanche Studios made to their engine to make the game run faster, better and stronger on PC, as well as how Intel's tools helped us accomplish this goal. PC exclusive features, such as Ordered Independent Transparency and G-buffer blending using Raster Ordered Views, and light assignment for clustered shading using Conservative Rasterization, will also be presented. GPUOpen - Unlocking Game Development with Open Source (presented by AMD) Nicolas Thibieroz - Senior Manager, Gaming Engineering, AMD Jason Stewart - Developer Technology Engineer, AMD Jean-Normand Bucci - Director of Labs, R&D department, Eidos-Montréal Wednesday, March 16th, 3:30–4:30 p.m. Room 2024, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/gpuopen-unlocking-game-development-with-open-source-presented-by-amd GPUOpen is a new philosophy spearheaded by AMD that aims to bridge the gap between console and PC game development by allowing optimal access to the GPU for developers. GPUOpen is a portal to effects, SDKs, libraries and tools that provide various levels of GPU access and functionalities for real-time graphics and content creation. In addition GPUOpen components are provided with an open source license to give developers full control and usage of the code they choose to use. GPUOpen marks the beginning of a new era where developers are able to achieve their artistic and technical vision via open and unrestricted access to the GPU. Distilling  Franchise: A Lara Croft GO Postmortem Antoine Routon - Technical Direction, Square Enix Montréal Thursday, March 17th, 10 – 11 a.m. Room 134, North Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/distilling-a-franchise-a-lara-croft-go-postmortem Lara Croft GO is the next instalment in the award-winning series created by Square Enix Montréal with Hitman GO. Hitman GO boiled down the world of Agent 47® to a minimalistic puzzle inspired by chess and dioramas, Lara Croft GO captures the essence of adventure, acrobatics and exploration. This multidisciplinary talk is a postmortem of Lara Croft GO, discussing how to bridge the gap between two very different franchises, how to distill the action-packed adventures of Lara in a puzzle format, and all the lessons that were learned in the middle. Improving geometry culling for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ® (presented by Umbra) Nicolas Trudel – Graphics Programmer, Eidoss – Montréal Thursday, March 17th, 4-5 p.m. Room 3007, West Hall http://schedule.gdconf.com/session/improving-geometry-culling-for-deus-ex-mankind-divided-presented-by-umbra Adam looks like he could play the role of a werewolf. -SdgtEnt This talk will explain how we used Umbra in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, a game powered by the Dawn engine. In order to support the very rich environments our artists envision, we needed a very efficient geometry culling solution without the associated manual labour. We will give a general overview of the Dawn Engine™ and show how Umbra was integrated from the edition and offline building to the low level-rendering engine to achieve this goal. We will go into the details of how Umbra was used for the main camera, but also the generation of the shadow maps. Since many of our lights are static, we cached the static geometry visibility to speedup the umbra query. We will also discuss how we used umbra to speed up our offline GI computation.

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From the Source: Square-Enix - HITMAN Begins Today!

Are you ready... Agent? We are, it was pre-loaded yesterday as we prepare to review! Check out the info provided by Square-Enix... below! Look at the initial segment of this game as an affordable option to get a dose of the action, but you also have the option of just going in for the full game too.

[PRESS RELEASE]

HITMAN Begins Today  Industry’s First Digital AAA Episodic Launch

COPENHAGEN, March 11, 2016 - Io-Interactive is delighted to announce that HITMAN™, the first digital AAA episodic game launches today. “We are doing something bold and new which has the potential to shape how we experience AAA games in the future, ,” said Hannes Seifert, Studio Head at Io-Interactive. “Hitman is back and it’s clearly the game many fans have been waiting for, so that feels pretty special. And this is just the start, now our live content begins and then in April we head to Sapienza. We have a game that will evolve, grow and improve over time and deliver the best ever Hitman experience.” HITMAN starts with the Prologue and a Paris location on March 11, followed by the next location, set in Italy releasing in April and then Morocco releasing in May. From there HITMAN will deliver regular monthly content updates, including three additional locations; Thailand, the United States and the season conclusion in Japan later in 2016. In addition live content begins today. The first Escalation Contract is in the game today, with the next one scheduled for Tuesday 16 March. These are in-game contracts created by Io-Interactive which gradually increase in difficulty the more you play them. And the first Elusive Target will appear in the game at some point in the next ten days. These are targets who appear for a limited time only, the first one will be live for 48 hours in the game. And players get only one chance to take them out, there are no second chances. This is a new character with bespoke dialogue and behavior in the game. Players will only receive their Elusive Target briefing once the new character has entered their location. The Intro Pack is available today priced at $15 (or local equivalent). Each subsequent location will be priced at $10 as an add-on item to the Intro Pack*. Alternatively, players can buy the Full Experience up front for $60, also available today. This includes all of this year’s content as it’s released, and guarantees not to miss any live or bonus content. The disc version of HITMAN will ship in January 2017. HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC. * If players buy the Intro Pack but then want to get into everything the Full Experience offers, they can also choose to buy the Upgrade Pack for $50.

From the Source: Nintendo... eShop action!

Happy MAR10 Day!

March 10, 2016 14:00 UTC

Nintendo News: Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content for Nintendo Systems

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:

Star Ghost features procedurally generated levels, a unique control scheme and an atmospheric soundtrack from renowned composer David Wise. (Photo: Business Wire)

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • Star Ghost – Save the galaxy from the Metagons in this explosive shoot-’em-up by former Rare and Retro Studios developer Rhys Lewis. Star Ghost features procedurally generated levels, a unique control scheme and an atmospheric soundtrack from renowned composer David Wise. It is available exclusively in Nintendo eShop on Wii U. 
• Virtual Console on Wii U
  • MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 CYBEAST FALZAR and MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 CYBEAST GREGAR – After moving with his family to Cyber City, Lan, with the help of Mega Man, must intervene before an ancient creature of enormous power destroys the network and the world. Game content is the same for MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 CYBEAST FALZAR and MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 CYBEAST GREGAR, but NetNavi chips and other items may differ.
• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • Blast ’Em Bunnies – Blast ’Em Bunnies is an endless first-person shooter in which you must defend your rabbit burrow using fun new types of weapons and ammo. From Watermelon Machineguns firing sticky raspberries to Turnip Mortars firing explosive Pepper Bombs (which release heat-seeking chili seeds), you’d better get shooting those coins to buy all of the upgrades.
  • BRAVELY SECOND: END LAYER DEMO The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers – Square Enix’s critically acclaimed Bravely Defaultgame is all set to enjoy a much-lauded sequel, and you can try a portion of it right now, for free. In the BRAVELY SECOND: END LAYER DEMO The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers, you’ll return to the land of Luxendarc and embark on a bonus adventure not found in the main game. Make sure to try out different jobs during your adventure. Whether they’re formidable fighters and mages looking to test their skills, giant trolls with a chip on their shoulder or alien entities with a bent for drama, all of them pose a risky challenge … along with the irresistible promise of great rewards.
• New DLC
  • Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation – This third path in the Fire Emblem Fates story reveals many secrets not available in the Birthright or Conquest versions. Players who own either Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright or Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest can purchase Revelation for $19.99 via the Dragon’s Gate in game. Once purchased, a third option will appear at the Branch of Fate moment of the game: “Refuse to Choose a Side.” Additional content will be released on a weekly basis through April 21 and is all part of Map Pack 1 available now for purchase.

Nintendo eShop sales:

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
  • Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal from SEGA are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 21.
  • Jones on Fire, Gardenscapes and more games from Joindots are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 24.
• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • VoxelMaker is 20 percent off (reduced from $4.99 to $3.99) from 9 a.m. PT on March 11 until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 21.
  • KEYTARI: 8-bit Music Maker is more than 35 percent off (reduced from $7.99 to $4.99) from 9 a.m. PT on March 13 until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 26.
  • Test Your Mind is 33 percent off (reduced from $2.99 to $1.99) from 9 a.m. PT on March 11 until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 25.
  • Christmas Adventure of Rocket Penguin is 20 percent off (reduced from $1.99 to $1.59) until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 31.
  • Art of Balance is 25 percent off (reduced from $8.99 to $6.70) until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 31.
  • Mortar Melon and Plenty of Fishies from Nitrolic Games are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 30.
• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • Fantasy Pirates, Toys vs Monsters and more from EnjoyUp Games are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 7.
  • Snow Moto Racing 3D is 50 percent off (reduced from $7.99 to $3.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 17.
  • Code of Princess is more than 65 percent off (reduced from $29.99 to $9.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 21.
  • The Delusions of Von Sottendorff and His Square Mind is more than 35 percent off (reduced from $12.99 to $7.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 22.
  • The Keep is more than 35 percent off (reduced from $12.99 to $7.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on March 24.
  • Big Hero 6 Battle in the Bay, Disney Frozen: Olaf’s Quest and more games from GameMill Entertainment are on sale from 9 a.m. PT on March 11 until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 18.
  • Classic Games Overload: Card & Puzzle Edition is 50 percent off (reduced from $29.99 to $14.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 4.

Theme Shop on Nintendo 3DS:

• New themes this week include:
  • Fire Emblem Fates: Two Kingdoms
  • Blast ’Em Bunnies: Zombies
  • Blast ’Em Bunnies: Western
  • Blast ’Em Bunnies: Ninjas
  • Blast ’Em Bunnies: Luchadors
  • Blast ’Em Bunnies Bundle

Price reduction:

• Nintendo Selects – Starting on March 11, some of the most popular and critically acclaimed Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games become a part of the Nintendo Selects program. Newly priced games include Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pikmin 3 and NES Remix Pack for Wii U; The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D,Yoshi’s New Island, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Mario Party: Island Tour for Nintendo 3DS; and Super Mario Galaxy 2, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Super Mario All-Stars for Wii.

Also new this week:

• Grumpy Reaper (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Jewel Quest (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Rhapsody - Music & Radio (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Word Puzzles by POWGI – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS)

From the Source: Batman - TellTale Games at SXSW + Nintendo... action!

After getting your dose of Nintendo... enjoy some BATMAN SXSW action!

March 3, 2016 22:45 UTC

Momentum for Wii U, Nintendo 3DS Keeps Going Through Winter, Spring and Beyond

New Nintendo Direct Video Reveals Massive Amount of New Information

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In a new Nintendo Direct video, Nintendo revealed new games on the way for its Wii U and Nintendo 3DS systems, as well as additional details about previously announced titles. From new games in the Kirby and Paper Mario franchises to a companion game for Star Fox Zero, this is one video that can’t be missed.

Fox McCloud returns in Star Fox Zero on April 22. (Graphic: Business Wire)

To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety... click here. Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

Wii U

• Star Fox Zero: Fox McCloud returns in an action-packed new adventure. Multiple paths branch out to give players plenty of places to explore, and each route gives them a completely different experience, with each battle posing its own set of unique challenges. Players will notice their skills get better and better over time, as they become top-notch pilots. In two-player mode, one player can fly the Arwing while the other player aims and shoots. The game launches April 22. The packaged version comes with a Star Fox Guard game disc at a suggested retail price of $59.99 while the digital version of the game can be purchased by itself from Nintendo eShop for $49.99.
• Star Fox Guard: Players set up 12 cameras to find and defeat enemies who are attacking the mining site of Slippy Toad’s uncle, Grippy Toad. The game includes about 100 stages, but players can also create their own stages by editing the placement of enemies and uploading their levels online. The only way to get the physical version of Star Fox Guard is by purchasing the packaged version of Star Fox Zero. The game can also be purchased by itself from Nintendo eShop for $14.99. Customers that purchase the digital version of either Star Fox Zero or Star Fox Guard will receive a $4.99 Nintendo eShop discount toward the other game.
• Paper Mario: Color Splash: Prism Island is being drained of its color and it’s up to Paper Mario to stop it! Use Paper Mario’s paint hammer to splash paint on anything it hits and bring the color back to the island in this new action-adventure game. The game will launch later in 2016.
• Super Mario Maker: More than 6.2 million courses from players around the world are available for others to play, and now a free March 9 update will add a Super Expert mode to the 100-Mario Challenge. The mode is unlocked after players clear Expert mode. Super Expert Mode dishes out six extremely tough courses. Additionally, 12 new Mystery Mushroom costumes have been added to 100 Mario Challenge. The update also provides level creators with even more tools:
  • Shake a P Switch to turn it into a key. Shake a Door to turn it into a Key Door. Creators can make enemies hold keys, meaning players can’t advance without defeating mandatory bosses.
  • Shake a Coin to turn it into a Pink Coin. Players must collect them all to make a key appear.
  • Shake a Thwomp to turn it into a massive Skewer column from Super Mario World.

• Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games: The Wii U version of the game launches on June 24 and includes two events new to the series: Rugby Sevens and Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs. Every event in the game takes place in locales modeled after the actual venues in Rio.
• Splatoon: The hit multiplayer game is getting more updates. An update on March 8 balances some gear abilities to improve some of the lesser-used ones and make them more appealing. Additional tweaks to matchmaking, Ranked Battles and Splatfests aim to improve the overall user experience. Another update arrives in two waves, with the first coming in April. It will adjust some existing weapons and add new weapon set recommendations as “Sheldon’s Picks.”
• Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE: Slay monsters—and slay like a pop star—all at the same time, in this brand-new RPG from acclaimed developer Atlus. A sinister force from another dimension has invaded modern-day Tokyo, resulting in a fantastical barrage of style, fashion, music and, of course, danger. So play to your strengths in high-energy turn-based battles, then fuse items to craft powerful weapons and crush your foes. Around every corner you’ll find fan-service—including Fire Emblem references—original songs by Japanese entertainment giant Avex, dungeons themed after the entertainment industry and eye-catching music performances. The one-of-a-kind game launches June 24.
• LOST REAVERS: BANDAI NAMCO’s latest free-to-play online co-op action game asks players to team up with other adventurers online to fight zombies and solve puzzles as they search for valuable treasure. As players complete missions, characters will level up, unlock additional skills and increase their in-game funds to acquire new weapons. An open beta version is launching April 14 with the full version coming to Wii U on April 28.

Nintendo 3DS

• Kirby: Planet Robobot: Invaders have mechanized Dream Land. To restore his home to its original form, Kirby must use their technology against them with the new Robobot Armor. The Robobot Armor can even destroy a variety of obstacles in his way. The Team Kirby Clash mode lets up to four players join forces to battle against powerful bosses. Players select one of four roles, and participate in a co-op quest to defeat a boss while supporting their team. Completing a quest earns experience points to level-up and grow more powerful. The game is compatible with a large variety of amiibo figures, and some give Kirby character-specific abilities. A new series of Kirby amiibo figures that includes Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight and Waddle Dee gives Kirby attributes specific to each character. Tapping the Kirby figure is the only way to get the UFO ability. The game and new amiibo figures launch June 10.
• Metroid Prime: Federation Force: This next chapter in the Metroid Prime series is a first-person adventure fused with puzzle solving, focused on shooting and co-op gameplay. Players take on missions that tell the story of the battle between the Galactic Federation’s elite Federation Force unit and the Space Pirates. Each player must select and carry specific sub-weapons based on their preferred roles, then proceed to complete each mission. The game will launch in late spring.
• Rhythm Heaven Megamix: The game offers more than 100 rhythm games, 30 of which are new to the series. An additional 70 have been selected from previous games in the series, including the original Game Boy Advance title, which was never released in North America. The game launches later this year.
• Monster Hunter Generations: The newest installment in the popular Monster Hunter action RPG series from Capcom is making its way to the West. The game will feature a special collaboration armor set based on Marth from the Fire Emblem series. Anyone who plays Monster Hunter Generations on Nintendo 3DS with Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate save data present on it will receive bonus content in the new game. As a special promotion, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is being offered at a special price of $19.99 in Nintendo eShop for 48 hours, starting today at3 p.m. PT. The game will launch this summer.
• Disney Art Academy: Discover your inner artist to capture the stunning visuals of over 80 Disney and Pixar characters. With advice and lessons inspired by Disney art and Pixar animations, learn to use a bundle of different drawing tools to create Elsa and Olaf from DisneyFrozen, characters from Disney Inside Out, Mickey Mouse and more! Even share your creations with your friends! Disney Art Academylaunches May 13.
• Hyrule Warriors Legends: The game launches March 25, at which point players can buy a season pass to get access to four DLC packs and a bonus costume for Ganondorf. These packs will also be available for purchase individually in Nintendo eShop during the next few months. A transfer code will allow purchasers who also own Hyrule Warriors for Wii U to use Ganondorf’s Trident weapon and play as the five new characters from Hyrule Warriors Legends in the Wii U game. Medli from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker will be available as a free download when the first DLC pack is released.
• Bravely Second: End Layer: A free demo of the game hits Nintendo eShop on March 10. Best Buy Gamers Club Unlocked members will receive a unique 16-digit code to access the demo early on March 7. Playing the demo will earn play bonuses that players can transfer into the full version of the game when it launches on April 15.
• Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past: Travel to the past to save the present in this classic Dragon Quest adventure that has been completely remade from the ground up for Nintendo 3DS. The world has been rebuilt, the characters have new 3D models and the story has been completely re-localized. Even customize your party with over 30 classes and rank up in turn-based battles to learn new spells and abilities. The game launches later in 2016.
• Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation: This third path in the story reveals many secrets not available in the Birthright or Conquest versions. On March 10, players can purchase Revelation for $19.99. Once purchased, a third option will appear at the Branch of Fate moment of the game: “Refuse to Choose a Side.” Today two new maps (Museum Melee and Ghostly Gold) are being released for purchase in the Dragon’s Gate in-game DLC shop, with Royal Royale launching on March 17. After March 17, additional maps will be released on a weekly basis through April 21.

Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS

• Virtual Console Update: Super NES games are coming to New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL systems. At the conclusion of today’s Nintendo Direct, Super Mario World, F-Zero and Pilotwings will be available, mirroring the original Super NES launch lineup. On March 24, Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Kart and EarthBound will join the lineup. And on April 14, watch for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Quest. The New Nintendo 3DS hardware enables Perfect Pixel Mode in these versions, which gives players the option to display the games in their original resolution.
• Azure Striker Gunvolt 2: Gunvolt’s rival Copen joins the fray as a playable character. Players can dash into enemies to lock on to them, then unleash a devastating homing shot. Copen can also copy the abilities of all seven new boss characters and use them as his own. The game launches this summer. In the meantime, the original Azure Striker Gunvolt game is available for $9.99, now through June 1.
• Pocket Card Jockey: Solitaire meets horse racing – really! Game Freak’s new mashup puts players in the saddle as a jockey who must complete a fast-paced, simplified version of solitaire to propel the horse through intense races. It’s all about leveling up the horse through strategic positioning and placement on the track. Over time, players can win trophies for high-ranking races to secure sponsors. The game launches in May.

amiibo

• Mini Mario and Friends amiibo Challenge: This free game can be found in Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Tap an amiibo figure on the Wii U GamePad controller or New Nintendo 3DS system (or to a Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL or Nintendo 2DS system using the Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader/Writer accessory) to guide one of 11 minis across more than 60 levels. Players can tap any compatible amiibo figure. Or, by tapping specific amiibo figures, players can guide minis that have exclusive level sets or their own unique abilities, like mini Mario’s wall jump or mini Yoshi, who can eat enemies. Starting March 25, the game will be available at select retailers as a bonus download code with the purchase of any Nintendo amiibo figure. It will also be available to download for free from Nintendo eShop on April 28.
• Isabelle amiibo Figure: In June, Isabelle will be available separate from the Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival bundle, in her winter outfit. A new Isabelle figure featuring her summer outfit is also coming. Both figures launch on June 10.
• amiibo Cards: Series 4 of the Animal Crossing amiibo cards launch on June 10.

Today, a software update to the Super Mario Maker game for the Wii U console adds some additional items, modes and features to the critically acclaimed game, making it even more fun to create, share and play levels from all around the world.

Today, a software update to the Super Mario Maker game for the Wii U console adds some additional items, modes and features to the critically acclaimed game, making it even more fun to create, share and play levels from all around the world. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Fans of the Super Mario World game for the Super NES fondly remember the key item, which, when grabbed, unlocks keyholes and grants access to new parts of the level. With this new free update to Super Mario Maker, both the key and locked doors with keyholes will be added to the game. Accessed by shaking the P-Switch and Door items, respectively, the key and locked doors can be used together to create challenging new levels. The key can even be attached to enemies, forcing players to defeat an enemy to retrieve the key and move forward. With this, mandatory boss battles are born!

When players shake a coin in Create Mode, it will now change into a Pink Coin. If a player collects all the Pink Coins in a course, a key will appear. By using the key, locked door and Pink Coins, players can expand imagination and create unique puzzle solving levels.

A new skewer obstacle will also be added to the game. Originally featured in Super Mario World, this huge, foreboding column comes slamming down in a level and appears in a course by shaking the Thwomp item in Create Mode.

Players looking for a serious challenge are in luck, as after downloading the free update, a new “Super Expert” difficulty will be added to the 100-Mario Challenge. This new difficulty pulls random courses that have been categorized as being “Super Expert” after the courses are created. By completing 100-Mario Challenge on this difficulty, five new Mystery Mushroom costumes can be won. (The update also brings three new costume rewards to “Normal” mode and four to “Expert.”)

Recently, there have also been some new costumes added to the game, including the always smart and sometimes zany Professor E. Gadd from the Luigi’s Mansion games. Fans of Daisy can play through the Adventures in Sarasaland Event Course and also get the Daisy costume. Players should check Event Courses often for new levels to play.

Check out these games and more... here!

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BATMAN: Telltale Unmasked at SXSW with Greg Miller

Each year, Telltale has been excited to join artists, musicians, filmmakers, technologists, and storytellers from around the world in Austin, TX for the annual South by Southwest festival. Featuring keynote conversations with guests ranging from the co-founders of YouTube, to the President of the United States, this unique convergence of art and technology has grown each and every year for 30 years. This year, video games are a bigger part of the show than ever before at the SXSW Gaming Expo, which is FREE and open to the public!

On March 18th, Telltale is heading out to Austin for the show where we'll be discussing the very first details of our upcoming series based on BATMAN for the first time! Be one of the first in the know on our next episodic series as Kinda Funny's Greg Miller interviews our team to dive deeper into the complex life and mind of Bruce Wayne, the duality of his own identity, and the struggle of responsibility in saving a city overcome with corruption and villainy. 

BATMAN: Telltale Unmasked with Greg Miller

Friday, March 18 

4:30PM - 5:15PM

Admission: FREE

Austin Convention Center 

531 E 4th St

Ballroom C
 

Official panel listing: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2016/events/event_PP92323

We're excited to talk some more about the series and how development at Telltale can often work quite unlike most other game developers out there. In case you missed it, just this week Telltale CEO Kevin Bruner spoke with Kotaku discussing the future of the studio, hinting just a bit about what's in store for our new series, simply saying, "It's not like any other Batman game out there."

Not going to be in Austin for the show? We've got you covered. The whole panel will be streamed LIVE right from the heart of Texas. Catch it here on Twitch: twitch.tv/sxswgaming

  

Remember, admission to the SXSW Gaming Expo portion of the festival is FREE and does not require a badge. So whether it's in person or online, do join us for what promises to be an exciting first insight into the series!

From the Source: Sega - Valkyria Chronicles Remastered... Battle System Trailer

Gear up... soldier!

Operations will Commence on May 17 for  Valkyria Chronicles Remastered!

Watch the new trailer below!

*LOUD SIREN NOISE* THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered will launch in the Americas and Europe on May 17 for the PlayStation 4! Soon, you'll be able to relive Squad 7's valiant fight against The Empire in full 1080p/60fps HD quality. Oh, but that's not all! The game also includes all of the original DLC, dual Japanese and English audio, and trophy support (Get that Valkyria platinum trophy!) Moreover, pre-orders and limited launch copies in the Americas will come protected in a collectible metal Squad 7 Armored Case.* It's been a while since Valkyria Chronicles came out, so we created a trailer that highlights the fundamentals of warfare in Valkyria Chronicles Remastered. The unique "BLiTZ" Tactical Battle System combines turn-based strategy, RPG, and 3rd person shooter elements to make engagements both strategic and exciting. Seriously, this mechanic is one of the reasons the original game is a classic. Plan moves and organize units on the battlefield in Command Mode! Exercise your trigger finger in Action Mode! Manage troop classes and upgrades to ensure victory against the Empire! Just watch out for those enemy aces....   Whether you're a hardened veteran of the Second Europan War or a fresh new recruit, a good soldier should familiarize themselves with the trailer below.

From the Source: Square-Enix - MXGP2... The Official Motocross Videogame!

Motocross anyone?

[PRESS RELEASE]

MXGP2 – The Official Motocross Videogame Revs Up to Race Throughout North America and Latin America  Square Enix and Milestone to Deliver the Premier Authentic Motocross Experience for Consoles and Windows PC

LOS ANGELES (MARCH 8, 2016) – Embracing the adrenaline, speed and daring maneuvers of motocross racing, Square Enix® and Milestone S.r.l. today announced that MXGP2 – The Official Motocross Videogame will be released throughout North America and Latin America for Windows PC/Steam on March 31 and for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One® on June 7. Built with motocross authenticity from licensed motorcycles, real riders and tracks, MXGP2 brings the excitement of challenging other riders while embracing a fast, powerful motorcycle on mud-forged hills. Players take on circuits in a quest to grab hold of the world title at the Netherlands MXGP. The game includes both online and offline modes, vehicle and rider customization and indoor arena events. “MGXP2 takes our success in motorcycle video games to the next level, delivering the intense thrill of the sport with the realism of global motocross racing,” said Luisa Bixio, vice president, Milestone. “Motocross fans, racing video game players and casual players will embrace MGXP2 as a fast, action heavy and mud-flying experience.” Among the modes, the career mode lets players enter circuits to be crowned as the international champion. The complete 2015 roster in the game includes Romain Febvre, Ryan Villopto and eight-time world champion Tony Cairoli. With 18 official tracks from the 2015 FIM Motorcross World Championship, players compete all over the world, including the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Qatar and Thailand. Included in the game is MXGP of Patagonia Argentina, awarded best track in its 2015 debut. Located in Predio Los Cohiues Rugby Club, the track was designed by Lucas De la Fuente, a former motocross rider. The terrain and its innovative design will give players the chance to experience the true emotion of motocross. MXGP2 will be available for download and at retail with a suggested retail price of $59.99 in North America.

From the Source: Nintendo - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess... out now!

March 4, 2016 13:00 UTC

Critically Acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Arrives on Wii U

New HD Visuals, Tough Challenges and amiibo Functionality Enhance a Classic Adventure Game

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The best-reviewed game in The Legend of Zelda series from the past 10 years is making a spectacular comeback. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD launches for Nintendo’s Wii U home console today, complete with enhanced visuals, new challenges and a Wolf Link amiibo figure that is included with the physical version of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD launches for Nintendo's Wii U home console today, complete with enhanced visuals, new challenges and a Wolf Link amiibo figure that is included with the physical version of the game. (Photo: Business Wire)

“Fans of the original game will want to check out this version and see a familiar story enhanced in beautiful HD with new game features” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Yet people who never played the game are also in for a special treat, as they get to explore a true masterpiece in the series for the first time.”

Fans of the game, which was originally made for both the Wii and Nintendo GameCube systems, will remember how they took on the role of heroic Link, who fought to restore light to a world that was shrouded in darkness. Link joins forces with the impish Midna as he fights his way through dungeons, solves puzzles and goes on a legendary adventure. One of the most distinctive features of the game is Link’s ability to transform into a wolf. As Wolf Link, he can access places he normally can’t. Plus he can use his senses for tracking.

Aside from the enhanced visuals, some new elements in the HD version of the game include improved controls as well as Hero Mode, a tougher challenge in which Link takes double damage.

At launch, physical versions of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD game will come with a Wolf Link amiibo figure. When tapped to the Wii U GamePad controller, this legendary lupine allows players to gain access to the Cave of Shadows, a challenging new bonus dungeon in the game. After completing the Cave of Shadows, players can save their remaining hearts to the Wolf Link amiibo to beat their score at any time. Within the Cave of Shadows, players can replenish their hearts with the amount of hearts saved onto the Wolf Link amiibo once per challenge.

Some of the data stored on the Wolf Link amiibo figure can also be used with The Legend of Zelda game for Wii U, which launches in 2016. More details about this functionality will be revealed in the future.

Other The Legend of Zelda amiibo in the Super Smash Bros. series of figures give players additional features: the Princess Zelda or Sheik amiibo figures replenish hearts on the go; the Link or Toon Link figures replenish arrows; and the Ganondorf figure doubles the amount of damage Link takes. When used in Hero Mode, the Ganondorf figure quadruples the amount of damage.