Twinworld Game Reviews

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

VANCOUVER, B.C., May 15, 2019 – During the Super Mario Maker 2 Direct video presentation, Nintendo shared new details about the Super Mario Maker 2 game, launching exclusively for the Nintendo Switch system on June 28. The deep dive into the game revealed some of what’s new in Super Mario Maker 2, including new course parts and tools; a new single-player story mode with more than 100 Nintendo-created courses; new course themes; details about online course sharing*; options to create and play together with others**; and information about a special offer for Nintendo Switch Online members. The presentation also covered the upcoming Super Mario Maker 2 Invitational 2019 tournament, streaming live online the weekend before E3 from Los Angeles. The Nintendo Direct was stuffed with more fun goodies than a ? block!

“Super Mario Maker 2 puts the power of creating unique Super Mario courses into the hands of the player,” said Nick Chavez, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Video game fans of all ages have more tools than ever to help them stretch their imaginations as they make, play and share the Super Mario courses of their dreams.”

Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

What’s New?: There are a ton of new course parts, tools and features for creators to use inSuper Mario Maker 2, some of which include:

• Slopes – Create angled surfaces by just picking a direction and setting the length. Gentler slopes are an additional option.
• Angry Sun – Remember the angry sun that attacked Mario in the Super Mario Bros. 3 game? It’s back and ready to put the pressure on players in this new game.
• ON/OFF Switch – Hit an ON/OFF Switch, and all the red and blue blocks in the course will swap! Setting them up wisely will help players create tricky puzzles and obstacles.
•  Water Level – The water level in Super Mario Maker 2 can be adjusted in the Forest theme, so only half the course can be underwater if that’s what the player wants. Water can even be set to rise and fall at different speeds over time.
• Banzai Bill – The red variations of these classic Super Mario enemies have a homing function, and chase poor Mario wherever he goes.
• Co-op Making: Pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend to create a course together, side by side.
• To Be Continued…: There are more secrets in Super Mario Maker 2. Players will have a blast experimenting with all the tools and features they can use to create.

Story Mode: In the single-player Story Mode, which can be played entirely offline, Mario sets out to help rebuild Princess Peach’s castle. To fund this reconstruction project, he needs to collect Coins, which he can earn by accepting jobs from the bulletin board and completing the associated courses. Story Mode is a great way for makers to get inspired, with more than 100 original Nintendo-crafted courses to play.

New Course Themes: In addition to all the course themes from the original game, players will be able to create and play courses using the Desert, Snow, Forest and Sky themes. These themes feature new music by veteran Super Mario series composer Koji Kondo. The new Moon course part can be used to unlock night versions of themes. Depending on the theme used, wild things will happen at night, including floating Goombas, dimmed lighting in the Ghost House and sandstorms in the Desert. Some items might even transform in the nighttime…

Super Mario 3D World: Players can choose to create their courses in the style of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U games and a new one based on Super Mario 3D World. Some new features unique to this style include:

• Cat Mario – Cat Mario can climb walls, scratch, slide and pounce on enemies. Players can even use Cat Mario to climb up the Goal Pole!
• Clear Pipe – Clear Pipes can be placed in any shape the player wants, but they have to be careful, as enemies can also slide through them.
• Koopa Troopa Car – Hop in this sweet ride and zoom through the course. Players just have to make sure not to crash!
• Track Block – The Track Block will follow any path the player draws. The blue one starts moving when the player steps on it.
• Piranha Creeper – The Piranha Creeper follows the path that the player draws, extending its dangerous spiky stem around the course.
• Who’s Who in Super Mario 3D World ? : A cast of other familiar faces will also make appearances in Super Mario Maker 2, so players are in for a treat!

Course World: An online hub where players can play and share courses, as well as play together, Course World is available for players around the world who have a membership to Nintendo Switch Online. Players can browse by Popular Courses, New Courses or even search for specific tags like “puzzle-solving” or “autoscroll” using a set of filters. Once a course is downloaded, it can be played anytime – including offline! Players can also personalize their Mii character’s appearance using items like shirts and hats that unlock after completing various objectives. In Endless Challenge, players will try to complete as many Course World courses as possible on the difficulty of their choice before getting a game over. Earning impressive scores in this mode might even get the player on the Leaderboards!

Play Together: In Course World, players can play courses with people all over the world. When playing with four players, players play as Mario, Luigi, Toad or Toadette.

• Multiplayer Versus – Four players face off in a side-scrolling showdown in this online multiplayer mode. Each player will be assigned a different character, then race each other in a randomly selected course. The player who clears the course first wins and increases their Versus Rating.
• Multiplayer Co-op – In this online mode, up to four players must work together to beat the course. If one player finishes it, everyone wins!
• Nearby Play – If up to four players each own a Nintendo Switch system and the Super Mario Maker 2 game, one can set up a virtual room that the others in the same location can join to play together on their own systems. Only the player setting up the room needs an internet connection.

Super Mario Maker 2 + Nintendo Switch Online Bundle: Launching in stores and digitally in Nintendo eShop on June 28 in addition to the stand-alone game, this bundle includes the Super Mario Maker 2 game and a 12-month Individual Membership to Nintendo Switch Online at a suggested retail price of $89.99, a $14.99 savings off of the suggested retail price when purchasing each separately. Remember: A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use the game’s online features.

Super Mario Maker 2 Invitational 2019 – On June 8, four members of the Super Mario Maker community will compete in a variety of wild and unpredictable Super Mario Maker 2 courses designed by Nintendo’s Treehouse team. The event will open up the festivities at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, starting at 11 a.m. PT, and will be followed by the Splatoon 2 World Championship 2019 and the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate World Championship 3v3 2019.

Source: PR Email

SANTA ANA, California, May 14, 2019 — Nicalis, Inc. today announced that Redout, a high-velocity futuristic racing game, has released digitally on Nintendo Switch. Designed as an homage to the futuristic racing genre, but with modern elements under the hood, Redout offers white-knuckled racing challenges for players seeking sensory-overloading racing intensity.

Developed by 34BigThings, Redout provides a stable of 28 futuristic and customizable vehicles, each one featuring distinct characteristics like acceleration, top speed, grip, structural integrity, energy pool and energy recharge speed. The gameplay encourages pitch-perfect steering and strafing, as each successfully-maneuvered turn, slope and twist applies a unique force that can be channeled into even greater forward velocity.

With 11 event types and over 100 different total events, all of the high-speed action in Redout is accentuated with flying sparks, electrical arcs and blazing exhaust. The highly optimized environments offer 60 evocative courses set in 12 futuristic locations, where a semi abandoned Earth provides a dystopian background. State-of-the-art shading and lighting effects enhance the action and create beautiful and eerily recognizable aesthetics.

Single-player Career Mode gives Redout racers the opportunity to gain experience, level up and upgrade their vehicles with power-ups like additional turbo, self-repair drones, advanced grip systems and more. A variety of multiplayer race modes lets up to six players compete for online supremacy as the fastest times and top players are recorded on the global leaderboards.

Redout for Nintendo Switch includes the main game, in addition to all extra gameplay-related downloadable content as a free bonus (a $40 value). Developed by 34BigThings, Redout is rated “E for Everyone” by the ESRB and is available now as a digital download for Nintendo Switch for $39.99 MSRP.

Source: PR Email

IRVINE, Calif. – May 14, 2019 – Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder is now available digitally on the Nintendo Switch for $14.99! Featuring a quirky combination of surrealistic art, historically inaccurate storytelling, and utterly chaotic gameplay, there’s something for everyone in this palette cleanser of a sequel that ups the mayhem. Whether you consider yourself an art historian or boulder enthusiast, get ready for some intense rocking and rolling!

Additionally, anyone who buys the game within the first two weeks of launch will receive a free Binding of Isaac Pack. This DLC set contains a very special Isaac boulder, three in-game avatars (Isaac, Azazel, and Blue Baby), and three Isaac-themed banners to adorn your battlefield and units. The offer ends on May 28, so don’t skip this amazing deal!

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder Features:

• Up to 4-Person Multiplayer – A little friendly competition never hurt anyone. Play with up to four players online in a match to the crushing death, with the ability to customize the banners and colors for your boulder.
• Utter Chaos – Expanding on the first game with a more diverse selection of units and a larger focus on rock-smashing strategy in Bigger & Boulder, chaos reigns supreme!
• Improved Physics and Destructible Environments – Developed in Unreal Engine 4, Rock of Ages 2 has upgraded physics, allowing you to crack, crush, slam, and flatten your adversary!
• ACE Team’s Trademark Quirkiness – With humor turned up to 11, players will rock and roll through the ages. Famous historical and mythological figures beware.
• Historically Inaccurate Bosses – Take on works of art come to life in boss battles featuring the likes of The Thinker and the Great Sphinx, leading up to the all-powerful final boss in a showdown like you’d never imagine!

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder is available on the Nintendo Switch starting today for $14.99 (with commensurate European pricing).

Source: PR Email

SAN FRANCISCO – May 13, 2019 – ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, the newly-released fourth entry of the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series from HumaNature Studios, brings the funk back with their live ToeJam & Earl’s Super Funky Telethon on May 26.

Awesome sponsors including Attack Media, Limited Run Games, Corptron (Creators of Duck Game), G-Fuel and Corn Nuts are making this possible and providing great prizes. Be sure to tune in for some exciting announcements from HumaNature, including dates for the 4-player co-op console update, the upcoming endless mode, and the future of the series.

Prepare for four hours of groovy nostalgia with special hosts including ‘90s heroes Macaulay Culkin (Executive Producer of Back in the Groove!) and Freddie Prinze Jr.. Super streamer Sonja Reid (aka OMGItsFirefoxx) and Genieve Goings (host of Disney’s Choo Choo Soul) bring their charm and will keep the show from being a funky boy’s club. Call the hotline for a chance to talk to the hosts, win dope prizes or even participate in one of the many wacky surprises planned for the day.

The event will be set in three different areas. First, the Game Zone, a retrowave ‘90s living room complete with neon lights, a ginormous funkometer that tracks the progress of the event, and giant screens for the cool kids to chill out with some games. Call celebs at the Planet Pitch & Phone Zone and watch them respond. The Stunt Zone is where all the really weird stuff is going down. Hint: we’re talking a swimming pool of Corn Nuts, a G-Fuel Dunk Tank, and something involving live ducks…

As the funkometer rises, guests will have to suffer enjoy increasingly bizarre experiments and stunts. Get ready to watch the guests try outbizarre ‘90s snack combinations in a game of Dunkawhos. Did somebody say Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dipped in fudge? That was probably Earl. Dude’ll eat anything.

“Big news like Toejam & Earl’s multiplayer and endless mode updates deserve equally big ways to announce,” said Greg Johnson, founder of Humanature Studios. “So with help from our Executive Producer Macaulay Culkin, we thought hey, why not with a 4-hour live show full of celebs, games, and surprises?”

ToeJam & Earl’s Super Funky Telethon will be live from Van Nuys on Mixer, YouTube and Twitch on May 26 from 12 pm to 4 pm PST and 3 pm to 7 pm EST.

Source: PR Email

Oxford, May 13th 2019 – Independent developer and publisher Rebellion is celebrating the hotly anticipated release of Sniper Elite V2 Remastered with a stunning new launch trailer.

Showcasing gripping gameplay, revamped visuals and new features, the trailer highlights the improvements fans old and new can look forward to when Sniper Elite V2 Remastered launches tomorrow on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered takes players to Berlin, 1945, and the heart of World War 2. As veteran sharpshooter Karl Fairburne you must use skill, patience and cunning to prevent the unthinkable. Your mission is to go behind enemy lines and prevent the cataclysmic Nazi V2 rocket technology from falling into the hands of the Red Army. Deadly aim and a stealthy approach are vital as you find yourself trapped between two armies in a race against time.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered amplifies the original’s iconic sniping and advanced ballistics with a host of improvements and added extras. In addition to impressive 4K and HDR support on available platforms, the game features stunning remastered visuals, from overhauled assets to modernized rendering and much more.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered also adds a versatile new photo mode that lets you pause and move the action frame-by-frame for that perfect X-ray Kill Cam shot. You can also play the campaign and multiplayer modes as one of 7 new characters from Rebellion’s Zombie Army series. And now multiplayer is expanded for up to 16 players online* across all modes.

On top of all this, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered includes all the DLC ever released for the game including the iconic “Assassinate the Führer” mission, making it incredible value-for-money.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is out tomorrow on digital platforms across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC, including Steam and GOG. Physical editions are available from Friday 17th May on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is priced £29.99 / $34.99 / €34.99 across all platforms. Steam and GOG users who already own the original Sniper Elite V2 can upgrade to Sniper Elite V2 Remastered for just £6.99 / $9.99 / €9.99.

*for up to 8 players on Nintendo Switch

Source: PR Email

SEOUL, South Korea – May 9, 2019 – Super Cane Magic ZERO, the co-op comedy action RPG from developer Studio Evil and publisher Intragames, will leave players in stitches when it unleashes a hilarious narrative adventure on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam for Windows PC, Mac, and Linux across the Americas and Europe this May 30.

Super Cane Magic ZERO was created in collaboration with Simone “Sio” Albrigi, the comic artist behind the popular Italian YouTube channel Scottecs, which has more than 1.8 million followers. In addition to featuring Sio’s beloved art style, writing, and music, the game includes a variety of familiar faces from the cartoons, including Dr. Buttdog, Flashio, Laser Grandpa, and more.

Set on the world of WOTF, Super Cane Magic ZERO follows a party of wacky characters on a mission to save the planet from a magical dog who has taken out the Internet, coated the Moon in chocolate, and caused an army of horrifying vegetables to rise up and wreak havoc.

Hack and slash through a salad with up to four players and help rebuild WOTF in a 20-plus hour campaign featuring a mélange of handcrafted and procedurally-generated dungeons teeming with places to explore and gear to loot. Save the six powerful wizards to unlock abilities across seven strange upgrade trees. Eat most of the items in the world – but remember, just because you can eat whatever you want, doesn’t mean you won’t have to deal with the side effects!

“Humor can be hard to translate, but the wacky style of Sio is universal, and Super Cane Magic ZERO continues to delight us,” said Sue Yim, Overseas Marketing Manager, Intragames. “Combined with Studio Evil’s experience in making entertaining, highly-replayable games, we think Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC players will get hooked on this game.”

Super Cane Magic ZERO will retail via the Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store for $24.99. The game’s Western release will feature English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese language support. It is available now on Steam Early Access worldwide and the PC version will feature Chinese (both Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, and Korean on the release day. Intragames plans to localize and publish the title across Asian markets in Q3 2019 for consoles.

Source: PR Email

SINGAPORE – May 9, 2019 – Masquerada: Songs and Shadows, the tactical RPG from Ysbryd Games and Witching Hour Studios, launches on Nintendo Switch today.

Masquerada is fully voiced by experienced talents including Jennifer Hale of Mass Effect, Mortal Kombat 11, and DuckTales; Matt Mercer of Kingdom Hearts III, Critical Role, and Attack on Titan fame; and Ashly Burch of Horizon Zero Dawn, Borderlands 2, and Stephen Universe.

Cicero Gavar searches for a missing friend in Ombre, a fantastical city inspired by Renaissance-era Venice and brought to life in a rich, vibrant hand-drawn art style. As Cicero and his companions navigate a society steeped in class inequality, they must wield the four elements in devastating combos and crush their foes together in real-time combat with tactical pause.

Five years of civil war have rocked this city-state and claimed more than human casualties. Numerous Mascherines, mysterious masks that grant magical powers, have been lost to the destruction. Cicero’s party will discover how their pasts are entwined with not only the war, but with the history of those ancient masks and the ruins of civilization on which their home is built.

“Masquerada’s heroes and lore are riveting, engaging, and rife with complexity,” says Nicholas Chan, writer for Masquerada: Songs and Shadows. “Their individual stories weave together with the chronicles of the land in which they live and fight, building a more personal narrative that doesn’t just focus on the conflict, but on the people who carry the burden of that strife on their shoulders.”

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows and Mac for $19.99. It is fully voiced in English and has text support for French, German, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Turkish.

Source: PR Email

8 May 2019 – Indie publisher Digerati is pleased to confirm that Oniken, which was released earlier this year on Nintendo Switch, has been updated and now features an additional control scheme for players to choose from.

Accessible via a new Settings menu, the recently released patch brings the following extra options to the title:

• Extra control scheme for a more intuitive set-up (Jump is mapped to B button on new input setting)
• TV Filter (On/Off)
• Screen Size/Ratio (Full 16:9 / Window 4:3)
• Music (On/Off)
• SFX (On/Off)

A number of reported bugs and text glitches have also been fixed as part of the update.

A similar patch has also been released for Odallus: The Dark Call.

NOTE: When the Switch/PS4 physical versions of Oniken and Odallus (published in partnership with Eastasiasoft) are released, the content of the patches will be included on the respective card/disc.

Oniken is out now for Nintendo Switch. PS4 and Xbox One versions are due to be released later this year at a still-to-be-confirmed date.

Source: PR Email

SYDNEY, NSW — May 7, 2019 — War Tech Fighters, the sci-fi mech action game from publisher Blowfish Studios and developer Drakkar Dev, blasts off for its Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One release on June 27, 2019.

Lead a talented squadron of rogue pilots set adrift in space after the ruthless Zatros empire conquered colonies of Hebos and Ares. Armed with giant fighting robots, called War Techs, Captain Nathan Romanis and company traverse the galaxy across more than 30 missions to liberate their people and exact vengeance on their evil oppressors once and for all.

War Techs come equipped for both close combat and long-range engagements. Utilize a variety of bullet, laser, and magnetic weapons to deal damage to Zatronian forces and their army of War Techs from a distance. Then, when the situation calls for it, get up close and personal to pull off brutal and stylish execution moves with the mechs’ devastating sword weapons.

War Techs are highly-customizable machines that span three distinct core body classes and sport more than 180 upgradeable systems and parts. Use the fast and light Hawk class to fly circles around enemies, get in the enemy’s face with the slow and heavy Rhino-class mecha, or opt for a more balanced approach with flexible Lynx-class War Techs.

The console version of War Tech Fighters exclusively features the powerful Archangel War Tech special set with the Glory Sword, Redemption Halberd, and Faith Shield, all available from the beginning of the game. Style also matters, as pilots can customize their War Tech with thousands of paint and livery options while scavenging parts hidden throughout the galaxy.

“War Tech Fighters is a heart-pounding mech action experience steeped in science fiction,” said Ben Lee, CEO, Blowfish Studios. “We’re proud to have partnered with Drakkar Dev to bring the game to consoles and hope everyone is looking forward to blasting off into outer space and battling armies of massive fighting robots when War Tech Fighters launches on June 27.”

War Tech Fighters releases June 27 for $19.99 USD / €17.99 / £15.99 / $24.99 AUD via the Nintendo Switch eShop, PlayStation Store, and Microsoft Store. The game supports English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Russian language options.

Source: PR Email

7 May 2019 – Indie publisher Digerati is pleased to confirm that Odallus: The Dark Call, which was released earlier this year on Nintendo Switch, has been updated and now features an additional control scheme for players to choose from.

Accessible via a new Options menu, the recently released patch (Patch 1.0) brings the following extra options to the title:

• Extra control scheme for a more intuitive set-up (Jump is mapped to B button on new input option)
• TV Filter (On/Off)
• Music (On/Off)
• SFX (On/Off)

A number of reported bugs and text glitches have also been fixed as part of the update.

A similar patch is currently being prepared for Oniken: Unstoppable Edition and should be released in the very near future.

Odallus: The Dark Call is out now for Nintendo Switch. PS4 and Xbox One versions are due to be released later this year at a still-to-be-confirmed date.

Source: PR Email