All that is old is new again

The year is 1988. Lester Piggott is stripped of his knighthood by the Queen, George H.W. Bush wins the presidency of the United States of America, I turn 5 years old, Celine Dion wins the Eurovision song contest for Switzerland, and Nintendo release Super Mario Bros. 3 on the NES.

24 years on, Fred Goodwin is the latest man to be stripped of his Knighthood, George W. Bush has served two terms in office, I am now 29 and the UK has drafted in Englebert Humperdink in a desperate attempt to emulate the Swiss Eurovision success of almost a quarter century ago.

Oh, and Super Mario Bros. 4 might be on the way.

It’s no secret that Nintendo are working on a new 2D Mario game, Saturo Iwata admitted as much at their last investors meeting in January, but until now it was widely believed that the new game would be a follow up to New Super Mario Bros.

So, what changed?

Well, IGN are reporting that a few days ago Nintendo registered the domain name www.supermario4.com and visiting that URL actually re-directs you to the Nintendo home page. While this isn’t a direct confirmation that the next 2D Mario game will be the fourth in the Bros. series it’s certainly interesting timing on Nintendo’s part.

Oh and did I mention the release date for that aforementioned 2D Mario game is currently scheduled to be before April 2013? That would make for a great reason to buy the Wii U don’t you think?

Also making headlines today is the news that Shigeru Miyamoto has been talking about the possibility of the Zelda series returning to it’s roots with a more 2D presentation style.

In an interview with Edge magazine, Miyamoto intimated that he would like to use “A Link to the Past” as the jumping off point for a new title.

I think I’d be even more interested in creating something new maybe based on, or starting from, A Link To The Past. I think it’s important to bring some really new software. 

 Miyamoto went on to say that he felt the direction of the Zelda series would depend on the Director that was appointed to the project, saying that while some would take a more straight forward remake approach, others might be more original. He specifically mentions Koichi Kawamoto who was involved with the WarioWare franchise, saying he felt he had a “very important role in the future.”

Whether we get a re-tooled Link to the Past port on 3DS or a new title that originates from the 1991 release, it’ll be nice to see another Zelda game with the 2D aesthetic that i, and many others grew up with.

The Round-up: Microsoft say "Gaming doesn't have it's head in the clouds (yet)"

Guten Tag, Konichiwa, Bienvenue, welcome and come on in. It's time once again for your semi-regular gaming round-up of the week brought to you by the Game For A Laugh Blog and KillerKeyboard.com.


It's been a strange week all told. England beat Spain 1-0 at Wembley, marking the first time that the Three Lions have beaten the number one team in the world since rankings were publicly printed, Italy has finally seen the back of the Bunga-bunga obsessed playboy prime minister Silvio "shuddupayaface" Berlusconi, and in news closer to this sites roots, MINECRAFT HAS GONE GOLD!!!

"So, yes, Minecraft has gone gold. :D" - @notch

I know, i was shocked too. I guess two years was enough time to work out all the bugs, and it's nice to see that the game is to all intents and purposes "finished", but can a game like Minecraft ever truly be finished? I foresee a long lifespan for the game punctuated by many, many updates (some big, some small) but I don't think that this Gold version of the game will represent the bulk of the finished article. Either way, it'll be fun to play.


In news that will worry no-one, it was revealed today that the Unity game engine will not support Windows 7 phones due to it being a "relatively closed system". According to David Helgason, the CEO of Unity Technologies, the company might be looking at supporting Windows 8 instead.

Not a big loss in the world of mobile gaming, especially in a world where iOS and Android dominate the smart phone market by such a great margin.


There are an awful lot of unhappy Batman fans out there right now, and almost all of them appear to be Xbox owners.

Since the launch of Batman: Arkham City players of the 360 version have complained that they are losing game saves. While some suspect it's to do with the Catwoman DLC, nothing has as of yet been confirmed. Warner Brothers, who published the sequel to Rocksteady's critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum, have acknowledged the glitch and are asking users for information regarding the circumstances under which the data loss occurred. If you've suffered the loss of Save data in your game you can visit the official forum and fill in the survey to help get to the bottom of all of this.


Talking of DLC, do you remember when games developers used to wait a couple of weeks before announcing any forthcoming DLC? I do, with great fondness. Unfortunately it's not a practice that Ubisoft agree with, since they just announced their first DLC pack for AC: Revelations entitled "Ancestors". The DLC itself is a multiplayer character pack containing 4 unique skins including the Gladiator and The Privateer, each character has their own unique skill set and animations to give more variety to your online play and doesn't go live until December 12th, so at least there's a decent gap from the games release date, but if they knew about it already why not put it in the game to start with?

Oh wait, money. Doh!


In slightly better news for Xbox 360 fans it turns out that a free avatar item is available for a short time to celebrate Microsoft's 10th anniversary in the console business. The Xbox anniversary prop fires streamers and glitter into the air and does nothing else of real worth, but since it's free you can't really complain now, can you?

It's on the avatar marketplace until Saturday, so grab it while it's free and prepare to be underwhelmed...

Staying with the Xbox theme, some news that came out of GDC China this past week after Microsoft's Brian Prince spoke about the role of Cloud gaming in video games today. He stated his belief that OnLive style systems represented the "distant future of gaming in the cloud," mainly due to the high bandwidth required to stream high quality game feeds in real time with minimal slow down. On the subject of Cloud related features coming to the "Xbox platform" Prince remained tight lipped, He did go as far as to promise cloud specific features but wouldn't be drawn further on the subject.

Is it possible that the next Xbox might have some form of OnLive style streaming component? or maybe Microsoft want to emulate Sony's move towards Cloud based game saves? Either way, only time will tell on this one (okay, maybe insider sources as well).


I downloaded the free version of DCUO recently after reporting a 1000% increase in the population in the last round-up, and while it took damn near 8 hours to fully download and install I'm happy to report that the game itself runs smoothly and is easy as pie to pick up.

Apparently I'm not the only one who downloaded the MMO recently, as it was reported at the weekend that DCUO has now attracted 1 million new players since it went F2P. Maybe this was the move they needed to make all along? Now they just need to keep hold of those players...


NINTENDO NEWS!!!

To paraphrase the great Mark Twain, the reports of the 3DS' demise may have been greatly exaggerated.

That's according to a statement from Nintendo that claims the 3DS is well on track to sell more units this year than the original DS did in its first 12 months. That isn't necessarily all good news though, as it was only when the DS Lite was released that DS sales really picked up to a respectable level and then sky rocketed into the "ridiculous-phere". The 3DS might very well sell more units than the DS did in year one, but until they re-jig the console to include a second stick as standard they're doomed to sell a disappointing number year on year.

Moving over to Nintendo's other underwhelming console, Tecmo financial results have revealed that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razors Edge will be released as a launch title for the Wii-U when the system débuts around April 2012. The game on which Razors Edge is based was launched on Xbox 360 and PS3 some time ago...

Finishing up the Nintendo news on a high note, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has revealed to GamesRadar that Shigeru Miyamoto has talked about the possibility of bringing old school 2D Zelda games up to date, by giving them the 3D treatment. Assuming the idea is to give them a 3DS or stereoscopic 3D update It's an interesting concept, and is certainly something that would work well for a top down perspective Zelda game such as my favourite, A Link to the Past.



Ban Hammers at the ready, Lock and Load!

It appears that Dice have been busy bees since they got the Battlefield servers working, identifying anyone taking advantage of cheap exploits in the BF3 multiplayer. Wielders of the sacred Hammer of Banning have taken a "zero tolerance policy for cheating," that they find on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, and so far hundreds of accounts have been deleted. A patch is in the works to remedy the more common exploits as well as common complaints such as flash-lights that are hotter and brighter than the sun itself.

You have been warned.



Would it be a round-up without the weekly look at the top ten best selling games on all platforms? No, probably not, so here it is.

WARNING: This top ten is unsuitable for Gamers with a sensitivity to Zumba Fitness being popular.

1.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
2.The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
3.Battlefield 3
4.FIFA 12
5.Just Dance 3
6.Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
7.Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo
8.Batman: Arkham City
9.Zumba Fitness
10.Wii Party

I have no earthly idea what a Moshi monster is, but the fact it sold more than Zumba means it's okay by me. CoD:MW3 is, unsurprisingly at the top of the mountain this week after setting an all time Video Games sales record that surpassed that of 2010's MW2. Skyrim bats clean up while BF3 manages a creditable 3rd place this week.

FIFA is an unstoppable juggernaut and somehow manages to hang around in the 4th champions league qualifying spot and Batman come up a little short at number 8 on the list, just below the aforementioned Moshi Monsters.

Anyone reading this who has bought a copy of Zumba fitness should hang their heads in shame, Bad consumer, naughty consumer, did you do this?!

Right then, I'm off before I lose all hope for humanity. Maybe the Mayans were right, and it's Zumba that will end civilisation as we know it...

Hands On - Future 3DS Titles

IGN UK recently held a little shindig at the legendary 100 club on Oxford St, in association with Nintendo 3DS celebrating the 100th edition of their fine podcast. While there wasn't anywhere near enough Geoff Capes for my liking, there were several other distractions that more than made up for it.

Nintendo very kindly set up a number of booths showcasing several new titles that are due for release in the next year, and while some are some way out from completion, all were in a fit state to be played.

Mario Kart 3DS

Mario Kart has always been one of my favourite Nintendo titles, so when the 3DS version was announced i was interested to see how well they integrated the 3D aspect into the game. Not only does the screen give you a real sense of depth, something sadly lacking from Sony's attempt at 3D with Gran Turismo 5, but they've also gone out of their way to improve upon the game play rather than just port a high res version of the DS game over.

You can customise everything about your Kart at the start of the game, from bigger wheels to a different chassis, everything can be changed. Little things like this certainly help make a more personalised experience and i certainly felt a change in my Karts behaviour when i opted for chunky off road style tyres for my vehicle.

The other thing that shines through in this game is just how much more they were able to get out of the hardware this time round. Graphically this is a far superior version of the game than we have seen on a portable console before, it might just be the best looking Mario Kart game out there on any platform.

The only way for Mario Kart to get any better would be for this to happen:

Resident Evil: Revelations

I'll hold my hands up here and admit that i've never been a big fan of Resident Evil. Not my kind of game at all but i can appreciate the innovations that the series has introduced and the story that was being told. Whenever i play a game where gunplay forms a vital part of the game i expect the ability to move while i'm aiming. Unfortunately whoever trained the S.T.A.R.S. unit dealing with the T-Virus outbreak was a stickler for the basics, meaning that when you want to use your gun in Revelations you have to stand still and become a fish in the proverbial barrel. This is in part down to the lack of twin sticks meaning that you use the same control nub to aim as you do to walk around, leaving you vulnerable to zombie attack.

Capcom should, however, be applauded for producing a very high fidelity game. Waking up in a run down bedroom and walking around to find a way out i was struck with the level of detail in the environment, and also by the feeling of depth that i gained when turning the 3D slider on. Aiming at oncoming zombies felt natural enough although i would prefer it if i could back away while laying down fire. Lighting and shade effects are all very nicely used in game but unfortunately the animation for draining the bath tub (stupid place to leave a screwdriver) felt very DS like.

As expected from a Nintendo handheld game there was good use of the touchpad in game, in this case you unscrewed a fuse box by touching the screw heads and then shorted the circuit to open the locked door. It's a shame that GTA did this before, but it's nice that they varied the gameplay none the less.

This will no doubt be a good game for fans of the Genre, but if the console versions leave you nonplussed then i'd say avoid it.

Star Fox 64 3DS

As you'd imagine given the title, this is the N64 version of Star fox, but it's much more besides. For starters the entire game has had a graphical update to better take advantage of the 3DS' extra power. Secondly if you so wish you can control your flight path completely independently of the control stick/nub by using the systems' in-built gyroscope.

Not being one for new fangled control systems i opted for the old school control stick method and dived into the game head long. Once again the use of 3D in this title is implemented extremely well, and rather than taking away from game play i actually felt it gave me more of an idea where i was in the level and therefore an advantage over playing in two dimensions. Pilot Wings was proof of concept where flying games are concerned on a 3D system, Star fox takes it up a level or two.

Colours are vivid and vibrant as you'd expect from the Star Fox universe while game play is fast and fluid. If you enjoyed the first coming of Star Fox 64 you'll love this.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D

The most impressive thing about Snake Eater is that there is near enough no difference between the 3DS version and it's older PS2 sibling. With the 3D turned off it's a carbon copy, really showing off the power of Nintendo's little portable console.

Turn the 3D on however, and the ported version of Metal Gear Solid 3 really kicks it up a notch. One of the most laborious tasks in the game for me was crawling slowly through the long grass, trying to get close enough to a guard for a sneak attack from behind. Although the grass was wonderfully animated and you could always come across a creepy crawly or two, there was little to interest you while you crawled on your belly. With the extra dimension that the 3DS gives you the long grass takes on a life of its own. Equally, the canopy above your head comes to life when viewed in 3D, light tumbling through branches of varying size and distance gives the jungle some real atmosphere.

Unfortunately the control scheme is a little too cobbled together for my liking. The lack of dual analogue sticks means that you have to draw your gun and then aim using the shoulder button and the a,b,x & y buttons. Konami have made the best of a sparse control setup but i always felt that i was playing a port rather than a made for purpose game. A real shame, because the graphics and use of 3D really set this game apart.

Kid Icarus -Uprising

Back in 1986 Kid Icarus was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, a fairly by the numbers platformer with catchy music and a fun look to it. Since then it has developed quite a following. 1991 saw a sequel released for the Game Boy, largely using the same mechanics as the NES game it further cemented Pit, the games lead character as a firm favourite among Nintendo fans. Fast forward to 2011, a full twenty years later, and the long awaited three-quel is finally here, and what's more, it's in 3D.

Again it has to be said that the power of Nintendo's latest hand held is very effectively demonstrated from the outset. Pit is brilliantly realised on the 3DS as are the numerous villains and bosses you play against. The whole game world is stunning to behold. Gameplay is fast and furious throughout, whether on the ground or in the air during the flying sections of the game you feel in total control thanks to the innovative aiming system that makes use of the touch screen and left shoulder button. Unfortunately, as greatly innovative as this control system is, it has a major flaw that may cripple it's long term playability.

Imagine holding a 3DS in your left hand, with your thumb twiddling the control stick and your index finger pressing the left shoulder button, with your right hand completely devoted to aiming by way of the stylus and touch pad. After a couple of minutes playing you have to re adjust your left hand to continue to support the system. it really is the most awkward way to use a 3DS and can unfortunately lead to hand cramping, not just that but it also distracts you from the game itself and can lead to Pit taking damage while you take a second away from aiming to re adjust your hand hold on the system.

Another example of a great looking game let down by a so so control scheme I'm afraid

Super Mario 3D Land

I thought there would be no better game to end this report with than Super Mario 3D Land.

If Nintendo know anything it's how to make a good Mario game. Better than that, if Mario Galaxy is anything to go by then they know how to make a good 3D Mario game. This is the first truely 3D game to feature Mario (outside of the Kart track at least) and so many interested eyes are going to be cast over it to see how it fairs. I'm glad to say that it's doing very well so far.

Graphically the game is very similar to the aforementioned Galaxy Series, It plays very much like the 3D versions of Mario that can be found on the Wii. Although the build i laid my hands on didn't have a world map to look at, i would be surprised if it wasn't similar in appearance to that of New Super Mario Brothers or Super Mario Bros. 3.

The overall feel of the game is very Nintendo and very Mario, Any Mario fan that plays this game will feel right at home with it. Nintendo should be applauded for how they've incorporated 3D into this game, not only does it help you judge your jumps but it also allows the developer to play a few tricks on you with perspective. On one occasion I slid down a drainpipe to be greeted with a room viewed in 3/4 perspective, from the appearance of the room i should have been able to jump straight up and grab the giant coin, but once I tried I realised that it was all an optical illusion. Every giant coin to be collected appears to be protected by some form of optical illusion or perspective puzzle, something that the use of the systems 3D definitely helps in identifying.

So, overall it has to be said that the 3DS has some very impressive software on the horizon, and while there are certainly control issues with some of the titles on offer, it's good to see that games like Star fox, Mario 3D and Mario Kart keep it simple and let the game do all the talking. Sometimes the best games are the ones with the simplest controls...

E3 delivers

So that's very nearly it for another E3, there's been some terrible new names for consoles on the horizon, a slew of great games demo's and even an apology from a certain Japanese electronics firm. With all that went on in LA this year it's difficult to know where to start or who came out on top. here's a run-down of each of the big three's conferences, there are links in the titles to each press conference.



Microsoft Press Conference - E3 2011

Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 3
Tomb Raider
EA Sports announce Kinect support
Mass Effect Kinect support Demo
Ghost Recon - Future Soldier Kinect support Demo
New Xbox Experience with integrated Kinect support
UFC partnership announced
Gears of War 3 Demo
Ryse Trailer
Halo Anniversary Trailer
Forza 4 Trailer
Fable Journey Trailer and Demo
Disneyland Adventures (plus annoying child actors)
Star Wars Kinect Trailer
Sesame Street Once Upon a Monster Demo
Kinect Tech Demo (including full body scan and creepy Avatar creation)
Kinect Fun Labs
Kinect Sports Season 2 Trailer
Minecraft coming to Xbox
Dance Central 2 Demo
Halo 4



Sony Press Conference - E3 2011

Apology for PSN debacle
Uncharted 3 Demo
Resistance 3 Demo
Resistance 3 Sharpshooter bundle priced at $150 due on Sept 6
God of War Origins 3D announced
Team ICO Remastered 3D collection announced
Playstation branded 24" 3D display bundle announced at $499
Playstation 3D glasses announced at $69.99 each
NBA 2K12 Move support Demo
Medieval Moves Demo
inFAMOUS 2 Trailer
Starhawk Demo
PS Move update announced for LBP in Sept
New Sly Cooper Trailer
Dust 514 Trailer
Bioshock Infinite Trailer
Move support announced for Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock to be bundled with Infinite
Exclusive mode available for Saints Row III
Star Trek Trailer
SSX - exclusive Mount Fuji track
NFS The Run - 7 exclusive Supercars
Battlefield 3 will include Battlefield 1943
Playstation Suite presentation
NGP officially named PlayStation Vita
Partnership with AT&T announced
Vita features discussed
Uncharted: Golden Abyss Demo
Ruin Vita to PS3 save share Demo
ModNation Racers Vita Demo
LBP Vita Trailer
SF x Tekken Vita Demo and Trailer
Cole from inFAMOUS will be in the Vita version of SF x Tekken
Vita Show reel
Vita priced at $249.99/$299.99



Nintendo Press Conference - E3 2011

Celebration of Zelda 25th anniversary
Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening available to download now on 3DS store
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D available from 11th June
Legend of Zelda: Four Swords free to download on DSi from September
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword released this Holiday Season
Gold Wii Remote available on game release
Ocarina OST CD is a free gift with Club Nintendo registration
Mario Kart 3DS Trailer
Starfox 3DS Trailer
Super Mario 3DS Trailer
Kid Icarus 3DS Trailer
Luigi's Mansion 2 3DS Trailer
3DS Show reel
Virtual Console 3DS announced
Pokedex 3D announced as free downloadable game for 3DS
New Console is Officially named Wii U
Wii U Controller revealed
"Wii U in action" presentation video
Smash Brothers in development for Wii U and 3DS
Tech Demo of Wii U's graphical power
Lego City Stories Announced for Wii U and 3DS
Showreel of games coming to Wii U
EA pledges support to ne Wii U System



That's what the three major players in the Video Games industry had to offer this year, and it's left me surprised on two fronts. First I would never have believed that Kinect would appeal to me in any way shape or form, but honestly this voice recognition stuff they implemented in Mass Effect 3 has me interested. One game isn't enough to make me part with the best part of £100 but it's a promising start. Perhaps when Kinect Fun Lab has had some time to work it's magic I'll re-evaluate my position on that.

My second surprise was with the name of Nintendo's new home console. I was honestly convinced they would leave Wii behind them since it has such name recognition as the console that catered for the casual market. With the Wii name attatched to it I think the console may struggle to find the hardcore market it craves, unless they release some heavy hitting software at launch it'll be seen as another casual games machine. Having said that, the controller tech looks very interesting, especially when used as an extension for golf games etc as seen in the Nintendo press conference. I'll be interested to get my hands on it to see what it feels like to hold. It might just be me but it looks a little cumbersome.

Sony, while packing their conference with lots of great games have been slightly hamstrung this year by the fact that most of the software they rolled out was already known about and had been see already. The main appeal this year was the unveiling of the PSVita and seeing games running on the system in real time, it's impressive tech and very reasonably priced given the amount of kit that's been crammed into that tiny hand held machine. Overall the conference was a strong showing, but it failed to surprise or particularly excite me.

Microsoft really pushed Kinect hard this year, and if they can find more inventive ways of making it a worthwhile augmentation to the gaming experience then they may have hit the right balance between the hardcore and casual market. Minecraft is an excellent pick up for the company while Halo 4 is easy money for them. Once again being first to hold their conference has paid dividends with the premier looks at multi platform games like MW3, Tomb Raider and Mass Effect. 360 may not have many exclusive titles this year, but looking at the ones they do have makes you excited. As if Forza 4 didn't look great already I learned today that the Top Gear Test Track is going to feature in the upcoming Turn 10 racer. Gears of War 3 was impressive and as mentioned before there's the console debut of Minecraft too. I just wish they could have found some child actors that didn't make me want to punch my face in, or for that matter someone who could operate the Bing feature of Xbox dashboard without looking like she'd just performed some kind of miracle that no-one else was capable of. I hate that self satisfied look on peoples faces when they've done something that anyone could have. but i digress...

Now I'm not the type of person to claim that one company won E3, and i won't be doing so here. It's clear that from the conferences held this week that all three companies have a strong year ahead (despite the share price drop that Nintendo appear to have suffered since their presentation). I honestly couldn't say that one has the edge over the others. Nintendo and Sony both have great new Hardware to come while 360 looks like it will continue to improve it's Kinect peripheral and has built the entire new Xbox experience around the motion sensor while supporting it with several of it's top titles this year. Best of all, this Kinect support hasn't completely gimped the games in question

If E3 has showed us anything it's that 2011 is going to be a great year for games.

Check back on Saturday for my first feature on the games of E3, the Japanese Puzzle Thriller "Catherine"