It’s finally happened… our beloved Mario has finally made his way into a battle royale game, just like everything and its shadow. My first reaction was, “What madness hath we wrought?” My second was, “I’ve played sixteen games already, what the heck?” “Mario Royale” is a browser-based game that can be played on keyboard or controller. The game was created by YouTuber Inferno Plus, and uses shortened version of worlds from the original NES Super Mario Bros as the battleground, of sorts. You play against up to 99 other players, racing to see who can get to the end stage first. Your resources (Super Stars, mushrooms, Fire Flowers) are shared between players, meaning only a few people will be able to grab them. Considering Super Mario Bros is such familiar ground, getting to know the mechanics isn’t an issue — is the easiest game in the world to jump into. Hard Fork! Hard Fork? Hard Fork As far as battle … [Read more...] about A Super Mario battle royale should not be this addictive
Gaming
Final Fantasy 7 Remake hands-on preview, release date, trailer
Fans have heard very little about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake in the four years since its shock reveal at Sony’s 2015 E3 press conference but if anything their anticipation has only increased. Just the sight of the game’s loading screen at the start of Square Enix’s E3 2019 press conference was enough to elicit roars of approval. Many members of that crowd would have been too young to play Final Fantasy 7 when it launched on the original PlayStation in 1997, and yet there’s an enduring reverence for what was arguably the first Japanese role playing game (or JRPG) to find a significant audience in the west. Thanks to its cutting edge cutscenes, intricate systems and dense storyline, FFVII sold a million copies in North America alone with two months of its release, and has sold almost 10 times that across various formats and remasters to date (although legend has it this was also one of the most returned games of all time due to gamers finding out just how … [Read more...] about Final Fantasy 7 Remake hands-on preview, release date, trailer
E3 2019: The future of gaming is a monthly fee
The general mood around the show floors of the Los Angeles Convention Center was that this year’s E3 --the gaming industry’s biggest convention-- was an odd one. Partly it was because of marquee absentees. PlayStation were not there, Activision limited its presence to a (controversial) panel on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, while other gaming companies brought less to bear. Schedules did not seem quite so packed, while the almost viral excitement of "must-see" games emerging from closed demonstrations felt few and far between. But this kind of transitional show is notable because it is the calm before the storm. The gaming industry is about to enter not only a new generation of consoles, but seemingly a new way to access games altogether in the form of multiple, Netflix and Spotify-style subscription services. Yes, E3 2019 may have seemed quieter than usual, but perhaps because we are on the cusp of one of the most significant sea-changes in the industry for a while. … [Read more...] about E3 2019: The future of gaming is a monthly fee
Best games of E3 2019: From Star Wars to Cyberpunk
E3 2019, the gaming calendar's biggest event, has closed its doors for another year. Since last Saturday, the gaming industry's biggest and brightest has been showing their wares. We've had a new console reveal (sort of) in the form of Project Scarlett, plenty of talk of streaming and subscriptions and we've had Keanu Reeves. But as ever with E3, the real stars of the show are the games themselves. That's why we're all here, squeezing into press conferences and scouring the show floor to find the best titles to play. So from stageshow blockbusters to behind closed door gems, here are the best games of E3 2019. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 The reveal that Nintendo are making a sequel to Breath of the Wild --one of the finest games ever made-- was a tease, but what a tease it was. Perfectly judged to prompt feverish speculation. Did the appearance of Princess Zelda alongside our usual hero Link mean she will finally be playable or, more disruptive yet, mean co-op Zelda. It … [Read more...] about Best games of E3 2019: From Star Wars to Cyberpunk
New Avengers game hints at a Marvel Gaming Universe
The recent E3 trailer for the Avengers game has given rise to some speculation that the game may contain a crossover with the PS4 Spider-Man game. Some are hoping for a game version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — which is unlikely, but would be amazing if it turned out to be true. The evidence for the crossover is, admittedly, a little flimsy at first glance. In Spider-Man, should you and your friendly neighborhood Peter Park visit the Avengers tower in the Upper East Side, he’ll say something to the effect of, “Too bad they’re never around. They’re on the West Coast or something.” Hard Fork! Hard Fork? Hard Fork In the trailer for the Avengers game, the Avengers are indeed on the West Coast, San Francisco specifically, when something called “A-Day” occurs that fractures the group. Was Peter on to something or was that just a sly dig at the in-comics West Coast Avengers that coincidentally … [Read more...] about New Avengers game hints at a Marvel Gaming Universe