Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a charming little Wii U puzzle game recently ported to the Nintendo Switch and 3DS. Its bubbly characters seem like a natural fit for the Super Mario universe, but it actually began its life as a Legend of Zelda spin-off instead.
Captain Toad game director Shinya Hiratake told Polygon that the studio started with the concept of diorama-style stages with a character who couldn't jump. It would be a set of small sandboxes with hidden nooks and camera control as a central ingredient.
The natural solution was to use Link, since exploration is a core part of his series. But that idea was ultimately shelved, and revived later when the character of Captain Toad was introduced in Super Mario Galaxy. When Hiratake realized that Captain Toad was a small character with a heavy backpack, it fell into place.
"We thought Link would be a little too courageous and he would want to fight enemies with his weapons," Hiratake said. "Captain Toad is still courageous, but maybe a little bit weaker, and by having a character like that we thought we could have the player focus on the geography and turning the camera, that kind of gameplay. In the end I think it worked out really well."
Captain Toad still takes on bosses as originally intended, but he doesn't fight them the way Link would. Instead, boss gameplay in Treasure Tracker is mostly about avoiding danger and springing traps. And unlike Link, Captain Toad isn't driven by heroism or valor. He's more like a cute and cuddly version of the greedy antagonist Wario.
"I really just want to make him someone that loves treasure and you can feel that from him," Hiratake said. "I think honestly Captain Toad is someone that doesn't really care what's going on, but when he sees treasure he's like, 'I want it!' You know, I do question his loyalty to the Mushroom Kingdom a little bit. I think of him like a crow that loves shiny things or a moth to a flame. He just loves treasure so much that he can't think about anything else--he's just so happy finding treasure."
In GameSpot's Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker review, Daniel Starkey said it "stands as a pint-sized version of Nintendo's stellar first party pedigree."
Nintendo spent most of the company's E3 2018 Direct promoting Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the newest entry in the acclaimed fighting franchise. Touting that every character from the four previous Super Smash Bros. games would be included in the new title, fans wondered if Ultimate could possibly get any bigger. Nintendo's August Direct proves that it can.
The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate August Direct was filled with announcements. Nintendo showcased trailers for entirely new fighters and also advertised new Echo characters, items, stage transformations, and more. If you happened to miss the Direct, read on for our written compilation of all of the most noteworthy announcements.
New Trailers, New Fighters
Two brand new fighters are joining the fight in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The first is Castlevania protagonist Simon Belmont. Simon brings his trademark whip and collection of items to Ultimate, giving him a mid- to long-range combat style that seems to be a slower, but more powerful variation of Zero Suit Samus.
The second new fighter to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is King K. Rool, the archenemy of Donkey Kong. This giant croc lumbers about the stage to deliver powerful close- to mid-range attacks. He can also throw out his crown like Link's boomerang or deflect physical attacks with his large belly.
New Echo Fighters
The August Direct also announced three new Echo fighters. Echo fighters are clones of certain Smash characters. Their moves are virtually the same, but they offer slight variations to the original character, such as speed or attack power. For example, Wii U's Super Smash Bros.' Dark Pit is an Echo fighter of Pit in Ultimate.
The first new Echo character announced at the August Direct is Richter Belmont--who echoes his ancestor Simon. Fire Emblem: Awakening's Chrom is now an Echo fighter of Roy and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption's Dark Samus is an Echo fighter of Samus.
Transforming Stages
You will be able to activate "Stage Morph" when picking a battlefield in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Doing so can cause the overall theme of a stage to change in the middle of a fight. During the August Direct, Nintendo showcased how a Metroid-themed stage suddenly transformed into one based on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
So Much Music
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate includes more than 800 music tracks for you to listen to. Music is now categorized by game series instead of by stages, so you'll have the option of choosing which tracks play--and how often each one does--for each stage.
Items And Assist Trophies
New items and assist trophies are being added to Ultimate as well. The most notable addition is Rathalos, the massive fire-breathing dragon mascot of the Monster Hunter franchise.
Limited Edition
Nintendo knows how most fans want to play Super Smash, so a GameCube controller comes included in a limited edition bundle of Ultimate. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Limited Edition also comes with an adaptor that lets you hook up to four GameCube controllers to your Switch.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches for Nintendo Switch on December 7.
We got a whole lot of new information in the latest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-focused Nintendo Direct presentation. Among the announcements was that when the game launches on December 7, it will be available in a bundle called Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Limited Edition. This version comes with the game itself, plus a Smash-branded GameCube controller and a USB adapter that lets players connect up to four GameCube controllers to their Switch. So far this bundle has only been announced for Europe, though it may come to the US as well.
A GameCube controller has been the preferred input for pro-level and diehard Smash Bros. players ever since Super Smash Bros. Melee came out for GameCube in 2001. Each main Nintendo console since then has supported the controller, as have all non-handheld installments of the Smash Bros. series.
The Limited Edition of the game comes in a big, wide box adorned with an image of dozens of fighters from the Smash Ultimate roster. As yet, no pricing information has been revealed.
Nintendo will also sell standalone Smash-themed GameCube controllers. You can pre-order one them now from Amazon for $30 each. If you're not planning to get the Limited Edition, make sure you also pre-order an adapter.
There are some big changes in store at the Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed that as of next year, the length of the Academy Awards TV broadcast will be shorter, and a new "popular film" category will be introduced.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy's board of governors has approved the changes in the wake of falling viewing figures for the annual movie awards. Starting next year, the ceremony will now be shown in what the Academy describes as "a more globally accessible, three-hour telecast." The body stated that the smaller awards will be presented during the telecast's commercial breaks, with the winning moments aired later in the broadcast.
In addition, the next Oscars will include a new category for "outstanding achievement in popular film," with specific details to follow. As THR points out, the most successful movies at the box office each year are rarely represented in the main categories and usually have to make do with technical awards. This year's Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water, made a solid $63 million at the US box office, but this was in huge contrast to the immense success of movies such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Wonder Woman, and Spider-Man: Homecoming, none of which were featured in the main categories.
Finally, the date of 2020's Oscars has moved forward. Next year's 91st Awards will take place in its traditional late February slot, but in the following year, it will be held on Sunday, February 9. As THR notes, this is probably an attempt to make the Oscars seem more relevant, instead of taking place right at the end of the months-long awards circuit.
While the Academy did not directly address the falling viewers for the telecast, it did admit that changes were necessary. In a statement, it said: "We have heard from many of you about improvements needed to keep the Oscars and our Academy relevant in a changing world. The Board of Governors took this charge seriously."
Sony's PlayStation 4 may be outselling the competition this console generation, but that doesn't mean everybody has one. Even some PS4 owners might be thinking about upgrading to a PS4 Pro. But whoever you are and whatever your situation is, if you're thinking about buying a PS4, we're here to help. We've put together information about whether to buy a PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro, where to find the best games on the platform, and how to determine what services to subscribe to. Here's your complete PS4 buying guide.
PS4 or PS4 Pro?
If you're in the market for a PS4, the first decision you need to make is whether you should get a PS4 Slim or the more powerful (and more expensive) PS4 Pro. To make that decision, you mainly need to think about your TV. If you have a 4K television or you're planning to upgrade soon, it's almost certainly worth the additional cost to get the Pro. It will make most games look or play better on your newer television.
If you don't have a 4K TV and you don't plan to upgrade anytime soon, a standard PS4 will be just fine. Games will still look phenomenal, and you'll save a few bucks. For more detailed information, you can read our PS4 vs. PS4 Pro comparison.
A PlayStation 4 on its own can play many games just fine. But if you want to take those games online--as many games require nowadays--or stream music, movies, TV shows, and the like, you'll need to subscribe to PlayStation Plus. This might seem like a monthly shakedown since the PS3's online services were free, but PS Plus adds a lot of value.
You get the online gaming service that lets you play games with friends and strangers--a requirement for many of the biggest games these days. You also get a selection of free games each month, many of which are quite good. Finally, you get exclusive discounts on digital games on the PlayStation Store.
Another subscription service PlayStation 4 owners might consider is PlayStation Now. PlayStation Now is basically Netflix for games. It lets you stream a selection of over 650 PS4, PS3, and PS2 games directly to your console (or PC). The only potential drawback is that you can't download the games, so you'll need a fast, steady internet connection to transmit all the data.
Finally, PlayStation Vue is Sony's replacement for cable television. It lets you stream live TV to your PS4, with a selection of local and cable channels that's similar to what you'd get from cable. It also includes cloud DVR service and the ability to watch on mobile devices as well.
Nobody buys a PS4 for services alone--games are the real star of the show. Here are some of the best PS4 games available right now.
God of War -- 9/10
"In many ways God of War is what the series has always been. It's a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. What may surprise you is how mature its storytelling has become. Like Kratos, God of War recalls the past while acknowledging the need to improve. Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result." [Read the full review] - Peter Brown
"The finest treasures are found within the city of Yharnam and the forests, lakes, and purgatories beyond it... I finished Bloodborne in less time than I did Dark Souls II, yet I treasure it more in spite of its few missteps. In death there is life, and in blood, there is redemption. More hyperbole, yes, but for a game this theatrical, only hyperbole will do." [Read the full review] - Kevin VanOrd
"This is likely the biggest and best that the franchise has ever been. It's not just the comparative depth of the narrative; it also boasts almost seamless integration between combat systems that were previously incomprehensible for amateurs. The Monster Hunter formula has definitely honed its claws, and all the above factors play their part in making Monster Hunter World a meaningful evolution for the series at large." [Read the full review] - Ginny Woo
"Overwatch is an exercise in refined chaos. There are multitudes of layers hiding beneath the hectic surface, and they emerge, one after another, the more you play. This is a shooter that knows how to surprise, one that unfolds at a frantic pace, one that takes a handful of great ideas, and combines them into something spectacular." [Read the full review] - Mike Mahardy
"Uncharted 4's gameplay pushes the narrative forward, the narrative feeds off its gameplay, and every detail coalesces to create something bigger. Uncharted 4 bounces between set pieces and personal moments with such grace, with such skill and poise and affection for its characters, that you don't mind when the guns stop firing, and the smoke clears, and Nathan gets a moment to breathe." [read the full review] - Mike Mahardy
With games gobbling up dozens of gigabytes of hard drive space these days--and with a barrage of free games for PS Plus members each month--a PS4's onboard hard drive fills up fast. Thankfully, you can add an external hard drive to greatly expand the available space.
Whether you want to bark orders to your co-op team online or play late at night without waking up your family or roommates, having a gaming headset comes in handy. This wireless one is perfect for the job.
Probably the most impressive PS4 accessory of all is the PSVR headset, which puts you directly inside games like Skyrim VR, Doom VFR, and Resident Evil 7.
It's a first-world problem to be sure, but having to turn on your PS4 controller every time you need to pause Netflix can be a real pain. This media remote solves the issue.
There's nothing worse than your controller running out of juice when you're in the middle of a game. Keep your DualShock 4 controllers charged with this stylish dock.
God of War is one of the most critically acclaimed games this year, and Sony Santa Monica is working on a reason to revisit the frigid environs of Norse mythology. A New Game Plus mode, originally announced at E3 2018, is coming on August 20. That date also marks the game's four-month anniversary.
The feature will come as part of a free patch. To start a New Game Plus, you'll need to have finished the story. You'll start the journey over with all of your previous armors, enchantments, talismans, resources, and abilities. You can set it to the same difficulty or choose a new one. You'll also be able to skip through cinematic scenes in both normal and New Game Plus games once the patch has gone live, as long as you've finished the story once.
The New Game Plus mode introduces a few new features and challenges as well. You can use new customization options to upgrade your gear, and use it to take on tougher enemies. Only within a New Game Plus playthrough, you'll be able to access a new rarity level and upgrade your armor by collecting a new resource called "Skap Slag."
God of War was praised for its impeccable presentation and a more relatable story. In GameSpot's God of War review, Peter Brown said, "God of War recalls the past while acknowledging the need to improve. Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come."
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate boasts a massive roster that's only growing bigger as we approach the release date. But it's not just in the character select screen where you'll be spoiled for choice. The game contains a ton of stages too, and they can actually transform in the middle of a match.
During a Smash Ultimate-themed Nintendo Direct, game director Masahiro Sakurai showed off the feature, in which a battle took place in a Metroid-themed stage. A flash of light appeared and then it became a stage themed after the The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. You will be able to choose when to turn on the feature using the "Stage Morph" option.
Sakurai also addressed just how many stages will be available in the game. It has more than 100 in all, but counting stage variants he says it's more than 300. All stages can be selected from the very beginning, and they'll be listed in the order in which they appeared in the series.
Nintendo seems to be packing as much as it can into for this "Ultimate" iteration of Smash Bros. The roster itself includes every character to ever appear in the series along with a handful of new ones--Simon and Richter Belmont, King K. Rool, Chrom and Dark Samus Echo characters also debuted during today's presentation. It also has more than 800 songs, both original tracks and homages to classic music. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is coming to Nintendo Switch on December 7.
2016's Doom surprised folks when it first launched. Touted as a franchise reboot, many had not anticipated that the game would fare so well, as the limited footage people had seen only gave brief glimpses of what to expect. But when the game finally released, it received glowing reviews. GameSpot's Peter Brown praised the game, saying, "It captures the essence of what made the classic Doom games touchstones of their day, and translates it to suit modern palates with impressively rendered hellscapes and a steady influx of tantalizing upgrades."
Bethesda recently confirmed Doom would receive a sequel, titled Doom Eternal, for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. In the brief time creative director Hugo Martin and director Marty Stratton took to the stage at the Bethesda E3 press conference to talk about the game, they were able to confirm at least a few details. To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Doom Eternal, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far. More details will be announced at QuakeCon 2018, so be sure to check back here for a detailed rundown of everything revealed.
What Is Doom Eternal?
Doom Eternal is set sometime after the events of 2016's Doom. Not much is known about Eternal's premise aside from the fact that it takes place on an Earth overrun by the forces of Hell.
From a gameplay perspective, it has been confirmed that there will be twice as many varieties of demons as there were in the first game. Based on the trailer, Cacodemons, Barons of Hell, Pain Elementals, Arch-Viles, Arachnotrons, Imps, and Revenants are likely to return. However, aside from these demons, we know next to nothing about what new additions might be introduced to Doom's formula this time around.
So, When Can I Hear More?
Lucky for you, Bethesda will be debuting Doom Eternal gameplay at this year's QuakeCon. You need simply tune in to the keynote presentation at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM UK / 2 AM AU on Friday, August 10.
Release Date
Bethesda has not confirmed a release date for Doom Eternal at this time. We're hoping we'll at least get a potential window at QuakeCon 2018.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch will have more than 800 music tracks for players to listen to while they smack about some of the most iconic video game characters of all time. Details on the game were revealed in the latest Nintendo Direct, during which the My Music feature was discussed. According to Nintendo, Ultimate will let users select specific tracks for each stage and then decide how often music tracks play on that stage.
While that function has been in previous games, the way music is categorized in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is being changed. Until now, music tracks were tied to stages; however, now tracks will be organized by series instead, so you can listen to any track from the series your battlefield is associated with.
As previously mentioned, there are over 800 tracks in the game, and if you count menu music and fanfare tunes, the number is closer to 900. Nintendo says that if you played them all without looping or stopping playback, it'd amount to 28 hours of music. For those who like to delve into the tunes, there's a Sound Test menu where you can just listen to music without needing to play the game. Music in the Sound Test menu is sorted by series. If a track doesn't have a fighter or stage, or if it's from one game instead of a series, it'll be listed under the "Other" section. Players will also be able to create playlists to build their ideal listening list.
When the Switch is in handheld mode, the screen can be turned off while the music continues to play, effectively turning the device into a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate music player. Some tracks are now available to listen to on the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate website, and Nintendo has said it plans to add new selections to the site every week.
During the Direct, Castlevania's Simon and Richter Belmont were announced as new characters. On top of that, Alucard, the protagonist of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, was also confirmed as an assist character. Dracula will also appear as a boss character, although, the exact conditions that trigger his appearance were not revealed as Nintendo wants to keep some mystery around this.
Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct delivered a ton of new details about the upcoming fighting game, kicking off with the announcement of Simon and Richter Belmont as playable characters. Those weren't the only new fighters introduced during the broadcast, however; Nintendo also revealed that Fire Emblem Awakening's Chrom and Metroid Prime 3's Dark Samus are joining the roster.
Like Princess Daisy and Richter Belmont, both Chrom and Dark Samus are Echo Fighters--clones of other characters already on the roster with a different appearance and slightly tweaked abilities and moves. Chrom is based on Roy, while Dark Samus is, naturally, an Echo Fighter of Samus, boasting many of the same abilities as the bounty hunter.
Nintendo also revealed a few more details on how Echo Fighters work. Players have two different options for how the characters are displayed on the roster; they can either be laid out as separate fighters on the selection screen, or stack atop the character they're based on. Players can then change between the fighters simply by pressing a button.
That wasn't the extent of the new character reveals during the Smash Bros. Direct. Nintendo closed out the presentation by revealing one more new addition to the roster: Donkey Kong's much-requested nemesis, King K. Rool. The villainous croc is an entirely original fighter, boasting moves inspired by his appearances in the Donkey Kong Country series. He can throw his crown like a boomerang and deflect attacks with his...ample stomach.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches for Nintendo Switch on December 7. The game features the largest selection of playable characters and stages in the series to date, with nearly 70 announced fighters thus far and more than 100 stages. You can read more about the game in our roundup of everything we know about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
A Nintendo Direct covering the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was packed with surprises, including one for fans of the Monster Hunter franchise. The iconic monster Rathalos is joining the fray, and doing it in a way that's unprecedented for the series.
In the presentation, director Masahiro Sakurai said that Rathalos is the first character to appear as both a boss and an assist trophy. The brief footage shows the dragon breathing fire, stomping around, and generally making himself at home among the cast of Nintendo characters.
Rathalos is something of an unofficial mascot for the Monster Hunter series, and has made guest appearances in other games such as Final Fantasy 14. This appearance is based on his look in the most recent game, Monster Hunter: World. That game has been ruled out for a Nintendo Switch port, so its appearance in Smash Bros. will have to do.
By Anonymous on Aug 08, 2018 08:58 pm With Okami launching on Nintendo Switch, we thought we'd square Capcom's classic against another lupine adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Nintendo released a Nintendo Direct presentation that focused on the upcoming Switch game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Among many other pieces of news, the company announced that Donkey Kong Country villain King K. Rool will be a playable character in the game--the croc's first appearance in the series.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set to land on Nintendo Switch on December 7. In addition to many other characters announced in the Nintendo Direct, it will also feature every character who's ever appeared in the entire series, giving it by far the biggest roster of any Smash Bros. game in history.
King K. Rool made his first appearance in the 1994 Super Nintendo game Donkey Kong Country. He is the leader of a gang of crocodilian enemies known as Kremlings, and one of his eyes is veiny and bulging. He's a fairly goofy villain, using tactics like pretending to be defeated to get a leg up on the Kong crew. In Ultimate, he'll be able to throw his boomerang-like crown at opponents and use a blunderbuss that can fire cannonballs.
Other new characters appearing for the first time in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate include Castlevania's Simon Belmont and Richter, who will be Simon's echo, meaning he'll control similar to Simon. Also announced was Dark Samus, an echo character for Samus who first appeared in the Metroid Prime series.
WWE's upcoming PPV Summerslam will be coming to the WWE Network on Sunday, August 19. For the fourth year in a row, WWE's premiere summer event will be taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Many of WWE's titles will be on the line for the major event, including a deja vu moment where Roman Reigns will take on Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
Summerslam's main card will start at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT. In the past couple of years, the bigger WWE events, like Summerslam and Wrestlemania, have had longer Kickoff Shows, which are two hours long, so expect this Kickoff to start at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT. As of this writing, WWE's scheduling for August 19 is not available, so we don't know for sure.
If you're interested in watching the event, but don't have the WWE Network, you can sign up for one month for free and cancel at any time without any contractual obligations. That means you can watch Summerslam for free and cancel right afterwards. However, if you like the service, it'll cost you $10 a month to continue using it. The WWE Network is available on gaming consoles, iOS, Android, Roku, Smart TVs, and more.
As of this writing, there are already eleven matches on the card, and there could possibly be more added, included a match for the Raw Tag Team Championship. If it happens, it will be announced the Monday before the event.
Aside from Reigns taking on Lesnar for the Universal Championship for the umpteenth time, there are some continuations of solid storylines as well as new rivalries that have some legs. Jeff Hardy will get his rematch against Shinsuke Nakamura for the United States Championship, and hopefully, Hardy learns to wear a cup to protect himself from low blows. Additionally, Ronda Rousey will get a chance to win the Raw Women's Championship from Alexa Bliss. Hopefully, if Rousey ends up winning, she will be a fighting champion and not absent like a certain champion on the men's roster has been for the past couple of years. The card is already pretty filled out, and we're still a couple weeks away from the show.
Summerslam match card:
Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Drew Gulak (For the Cruiserweight Championship)
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Jeff Hardy (For the United States Championship)
Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (For the Smackdown Women's Championship)
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Seth Rollins (For the Intercontinental Championship)
Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens
The Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs. The New Day (For the Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (For the Raw Women's Championship)
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (For the WWE Championship)
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns (For the Universal Championship)
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, August 19 for live coverage of the event. Don't expect the demon from Hell, Kane, to be involved in this PPV in anyway though. He's currently transitioning into his new role as mayor.
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