Gameplanet New Zealand > Nintendo

Mario Tennis Open launch trailer

Wed, 23 May 2012 05:20:00 +1200

In Mario Tennis Open for 3DS, players can take on the role of fan-favourite characters such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Bowser, or play as their own personalized Mii character.

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Revenge

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:00:00 +1200

If you need to fill your bump-'n'-grind fix so badly that you don't care about story or character, Rhythm Thief is just the game for you. For everyone else, it's probably best to take a raincheck on this tedious, straight-faced offering.

We're long past the days of narrative not mattering in videogames. The moment that gamers stood in an open field west of a white house with a boarded front door, the pressure's been on the developers and the designers to create compelling stories, and to tell them better.

That's why we have triple-A titles - like BioShock, Shadow of the Colossus and Half-Life - that wade into the contemporary discourse on subjects as varied as politics, societal issues and the act of gaming itself. That's why we have a burgeoning indie gaming scene through which creators like Edmund McMillen, Tim Schafer and Phil Fish can peddle intelligent, evocative narrative works without the consumer ever having to leave their couch. That's why the games industry is constantly pursuing the ultimate goal of becoming cinematic in the way it tells its stories (though whether it's desirable to aspire to films is another debate in and of itself).

There's a whole market full of games out there that offer rich, deeply satisfying narrative experiences. The bar's been lifted so many times, even on handheld consoles, that it's easy to lose count. Take the 3DS, a platform in its infancy that still has on offer games like Kid Icarus, Cave Story 3D, and Ocarina of Time. If developers are going to make interactive fiction in this market, they have to put some effort into it. It's not enough to cobble together something inane and slap-dash in the hope that the gameplay will distract the audience. They'll notice.

Epic will dictate next gen console specs - Sweeney

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:22:00 +1200

Epic plans on leveraging the power of its forthcoming Unreal Engine 4 to dictate the minimum acceptable specifications for the next generation of consoles, says Tim Sweeney.

“We’re much more in sync with the console makers than any other developer is,” said the Epic founder.

“That means we can give detailed recommendations with a complete understanding of what is going to be commercially possible.”

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two BTS trailer

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:33:00 +1200

Mickey and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit join forces as true partners. All characters - most notably Oswald The Lucky Rabbit whose voice will be heard for the first time - will communicate by speaking to the player, says Disney.

Five new FIFA 2013 features unveiled

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:53:00 +1200

Five new innovations will make FIFA 2013 the best football game yet, claims Electronic Arts.

New artificial intelligence will give players the ability to create, curve, or alter runs, possibly pulling defenders out of position to open passing channels for teammates.

Complete Dribbling will enable players to face their opponent and use precise dribble touches. Players will change direction quicker than before, are more explosive accelerating with the ball, and are more effective shielding defenders for longer stretches.

Assassin's Creed III "World Gameplay Premiere" trailer

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:26:00 +1200

This trailer for Assassin's Creed III gives a deeper look at the franchise's new hero. Trapped between two worlds, Connor dons the mantle of the Assassin in the fight for justice against the Templars.

BLOPS 2 won’t outsell BLOPS – Analysts

Tue, 08 May 2012 10:51:00 +1200

According to industry analysts, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 won’t be setting sales records the way its predecessor did.

Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter called the franchise a phenomenon, but said further sales growth was unrealistic.

"I don't think Modern Warfare 3 is going to sell more than the last Black Ops, so I doubt that this one will break a record."

Assassin's Creed III "Unite to Unlock the World" trailer

Tue, 08 May 2012 08:34:00 +1200

Ubisoft are urging players to join in the united effort to reach 1,776,000 posts, tweets and shares to unlock the Assassin's Creed III World Gameplay Premiere.

You’re doing it wrong - Nintendo

Mon, 07 May 2012 13:57:00 +1200

Nintendo's Masahiro Sakurai has suggested that if players are finding the controls in Kid Icarus: Uprising painful, they are doing it wrong.

"If there are players who say that it makes their hand tired, that's because you're applying too much force," said the Kid Icarus: Uprising creator in a recent interview with IGN.

"Try to relax and work on building a rhythm to your control. Place the pen in the middle of the touchscreen; when you're flicking it, take the pen off the screen as you're sweeping with it, and stop right there. That's the basic idea."

Mario Party 9

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:45:00 +1200

The latest iteration in the long-running Mario Party series is a capable title, and manages to use the eponymous hero to deliver a great family adventure.

As video gamers, we live in a binary world of 1 or 0, on or off, yes or no. Luck is a quantity that holds no place in our chosen form of escapism. Then there are board gamers, who accept the fact that while skill can indeed be advantageous, games can literally be won or lost on the roll of the dice or draw of a card.

This is where gamers get sucked in, chewed up and spat out in the Mario Party series. You can dominate every single mini-game, your opponents can be on a virtual down-trou when with a solitary roll of the dice, first place can become last place and Lady Luck can take a giant steaming turd on your mad, button-mashing mini-game prowess. Frustrating.

With Mario Party 9, let’s get one thing out in the open straight away – luck still plays a large part in determining the overall winner, but the improvements that new developer ND Cube Co. Ltd have made throughout make having the rug pulled out from under the player at the finish line far less depressing.

Assassin's Creed III

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:45:00 +1200

Ubisoft's sneaky series often elicits huge fan favour, but with the relatively flat Revelations in the can, is it possible for the developer to reinvent the wheel?

Gamers, apparently, love a sequel. In spite of noisy protestations by some, to everyone else it seems, sequels are synonymous with success. The briefest of glances at any top-selling list will immediately turn up a roster of games with the numbers 2 and 3 attached.

For obvious reasons, publishers are only too happy to facilitate such appetites. Sequels carry much less risk. Those publishers without an assured-cash cow are desperate to see one of their properties ignite the public’s imagination and provide the reasonable expectation of predictable profits for financial years to come.

Small wonder Ubisoft quickly moved to annualise the Assassin’s Creed series. Ever since, each instalment has been eagerly anticipated and more eagerly purchased. But if last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Revelations still sold well, it also carries the ignominious distinction of being the series’ poorest-reviewing game.

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:32:00 +1200

It's been nineteen years, but Pit's return is a triumphant one, a tale about discovering one's purpose that's abundant with irreverent humour, and one that boasts highly impressive, highly addictive gameplay.

In 405 BC, Aristophanes premiered his comedy The Frogs at the Lenaia in Athens. The play followed the bumbling god Dionysus, and his canny, sharp-witted slave Xanthias, as they descend into the underworld to retrieve renowned tragedian Euripides, only to discover that Euripides has just challenged the similarly-renowned Aeschylus for the title of the Underworld's Best Tragic Poet.

Littered with jokes about Grecian popular culture, jam-packed with riffs on the conventions of Old Comedy and Greek Tragedy, and stuffed with jokes at the expense of the God of Wine and Parties, The Frogs is one of the great artefacts of comedy's birth and is enormously influential to this day.

Its influence can be traced through the work of Shakespeare, the comedies of manners produced by Moliere and Wilde, the psychoanalytic, self-referential comedies of Woody Allen, and all the way to Masahiro Sakurai's Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Writer sues Ubisoft over Assassin’s Creed story

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:50:00 +1200

John Beiswenger has sued Ubisoft over the alleged similarities between the Assassin’s Creed series and his 2003 book, Link.

Beiswenger’s book details “the conception and creation of a link device and process whereby ancestral memories can be accessed, recalled, relived, and re-experienced by the user,” reads the Complaint. The novelist sees Assassin’s Creed’s Animus as an infringement of his copyright.

The book also mentions assassins fighting the forces of evil for control of the device. As with Assassin’s Creed, Link makes regular references to Adam and Eve, forbidden fruit and the Garden of Eden.

Tekken 3D

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:22:00 +1200

Tekken 3DS will probably sate the thirst of Tekken die-hards who need their fix on 3DS, but despite being pretty and amusingly absurd, there's nothing particularly notable about this latest instalment of the popular franchise.

I've never been good at fighting games. My positive experiences with brawlers (read: winning) begin and end with the arcade version of Sonic the Fighters back in the 1990s. But I don't hate them. I'd be lying if I said I haven't played any fighting game since then, doubly so if I said it was out of hatred. I've pummelled my way through instalments in most of the major franchises - Tekken, Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive, Street Fighter. I just tend to lose. Horribly. I lack the dexterity and timing for elaborate combos and last-minute dodges and sneaky counters. I am dextrously incapable of doing well in this genre.

So when I tell you that Tekken 3D: Prime Edition is Namco's way of saying they don't really care what you, the Tekken fan who somehow only owns a 3DS, think about whatever they offer you, I want you to know that that doesn't come from someone who hates fighting games or from someone with an irrational grudge against the Tekken series. This is someone who cares about your next purchase. This is someone who is being honest when he says that Namco knows you, the avid Tekken fan, are probably going to buy this game anyway because, let's face it, you need your fix and you weren't exactly on the ball about getting a PS3 or an Xbox 360. This is someone who wants you to understand that this is every Tekken game you've played before, just less of it.

I'm just here to help you make an informed decision.

New Assassin's Creed III screens and concept art

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:07:00 +1300

Ubisoft has released new screenshots of Assassin's Creed III. The game is set during the American Revolution and features a new Assassin, Connor, who is half Mohawk Native American and half European.

Assassin's Creed III "Connor's Weapons" trailer

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:48:00 +1300

Ubisoft has released a trailer showcasing Revolutionary Assassin Connor's arsenal: Dual pistols, bow and arrows, a hidden blade, and a tomahawk.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two trailer

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:37:00 +1300

Disney has released the official trailer for Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. Creative Director Warren Spector explains how gamers will play as Mickey Mouse and for the first time ever, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney's first cartoon star, in an adventure of creativity and discovery.

The Amazing Spider-Man Iguana trailer

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:03:00 +1300

Activision has released a first trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man. The first villain to be featured is Iguana, a seven foot tall, mutated reptile terrorizing the citizens of Manhattan.

Assassin's Creed III CG trailer

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:09:00 +1300

As well as announcing the release date of October 31 2012, Ubisoft has issued this CG trailer for the latest instalment in the Assassin's Creed franchise.

Assassin's Creed III release date announced

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:50:00 +1300

Ubisoft today announced that Assassin's Creed III will be released on October 31, 2012.

This new instalment in the franchise will be set against the backdrop of the American Revolution in the late 18th century, and introduces a new hero of Native American and English heritage.

Powered by Ubisoft-AnvilNex and developed by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with six other Ubisoft studios, Assassin's Creed III will be available for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U.

Rumour: Valve working on 'Steam Box' console?

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:25:00 +1300

Valve may have its sights set on shaking up the videogame industry. It wants to bring Steam into your living room and compete with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, claims a report by The Verge, citing unnamed sources and rumours.

The Steam-maker's strategy would create an open platform for videogame consoles, mirroring what Google has done with Android in the mobile space. Third party manufacturers would be able to build and sell devices running Valve's software. Content would be delivered through Steam.

Valve has apparently been working on a hardware specification and associated software which would form the basis of such a "Steam Box". The software would be "readily available to any company that wants to get in the game." The baseline hardware specifications include an Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM and an Nvidia GPU. Having a baseline hardware specification will give partners "a clear lifecycle" for their products, with changes expected every three to four years.

Nintendo announces official ANZ Mario Kart 7 community

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:24:00 +1300

Following the proliferation of small Mario Kart 7 3DS communities, Nintendo has decided to create its own community group called the “Nintendo AUS/NZ Community” and invites all players to join up and throw down against the company on the tarmac.

In addition to playing against players from all around New Zealand and Australia, gamers will be able to show Nintendo how its done on Monday the 27th of February at 8.30 – 9.30pm NZT.

There’s also an official Nintendo AUS/NZ Mario Kart 7 community site that can be found here. The site will be updated with new challenges, says Nintendo.

Resident Evil Revelations

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:01:00 +1300

An ambitious attempt to create an atmospheric experience is impressively realised, but an on-going identity crisis prevents Resident Evil: Revelations from being the true return to form it threatens to be.

Resident Evil 5 is the best-selling game in Capcom’s revered franchise despite being arguably the least popular in the eyes of its most hardcore and vocal fans. With each release the series appears to ditch more and more of its defining conventions in a bid for accessibility and wider appeal. It presents a bit of a dilemma for both series stalwarts and Capcom itself: big publishers aren’t really in the business of developing titles for niche audiences. And if there’s one thing that flies in the face of the fundamental tenets of survival horror, it’s accessibility.

Capcom does appear to acknowledge the concerns of long-time fans, though, and Resident Evil: Revelations makes an admirable attempt at compromise – to be all things to all people. But as a stab at a middle ground, many of the fan-requested elements have only a shallow implementation here.

Revelations does much well, though, and should rightfully be commended as one of the best titles available for the 3DS right now. The MT Framework engine does Resident Evil proud on Nintendo’s flagship handheld. Although its smaller displays are more forgiving than a larger, HD display, the visuals and presentation of Revelations are up there with those of its most-recent console counterpart, Resident Evil 5. At times, the environments are suitably creepy, and a genuine effort has been made to recapture the mood of the classic titles. This is further enhanced by the 3D aspect, which really does help to draw the player in, especially when cranked up to maximum settings via the in-game menu. It’s surprisingly immersive gaming given the humble display size of the 3DS.

Mario Kart 7

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:35:00 +1300

The 3D aspect certainly showcases Nintendo's newest hardware in a positive light, and despite any major improvements, Mario Kart 7 on 3DS is still a great place to be.

The kart racing genre has long been dominated by Mario.

Each iteration of the Mario Kart series has refined the genre it helped to define in the first place. Mario Kart 7 adds less to the mix than its predecessors, opting instead to polish and tweak the already phenomenal Mario Kart DS experience underpinning this release. There's a lot riding on its success – the success of the 3DS as a console notwithstanding.

Like only a handful of 3DS titles so far, Mario Kart 7 provides solid incentive to move the 3D slider all the way up. The pseudo-3D effect generated suits racing quite well, as it almost feels as if the player is directed into a tunnel, and this helps to focus spatial awareness in order to pick up items and accurately hit jumps. Due to the nature of the 3DS’ abilities, moving the device around when playing will cause a flicker that can occasionally send a kart spinning into a wall, but it’s not enough to deplete the overall advantage 3D affords.

Resident Evil: Revelations launch trailer

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:57:00 +1300

Capcom has released a launch trailer for Resident Evil: Revelations, a Resident Evil title developed for the Nintendo 3DS now available in New Zealand.

Resident Evil: Revelations' box typo

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:15:00 +1300

Promotional copies of Resident Evil: Revelations sent to members of the US press include a typo on the game’s packaging.

The packaging spells the game’s name “Resident Evil: Revelaitons” down the spine.

The game is due out in the US on the 7th of February, meaning it's unlikely Capcom will be able to correct the mistake before release.

Nintendo announces 3DS demos

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:21:00 +1300

Nintendo has announced a series of free game demos either both currently available and coming soon to the Nintendo eShop.

Available now are demos for Resident Evil Revelations and Cooking Mama 4.

Capcom’s Resident Evil Revelations is a Nintendo 3DS exclusive. Set between Resident Evils 4 and 5, the BSAA assigns agents Jill Valentine and Parker Luciani to locate missing agents Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat aboard the cruise liner SS Queen Zenobia.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games trailer

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:07:00 +1300

Nintendo's 3DS brings a new dimension to the Mario & Sonic universe with around 50 original Olympic themed events playable.

New Heroes of Ruin trailer released

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:04:00 +1300

Custom-built for Nintendo 3DS, Heroes of Ruin will challenge players to carve their own adventure, joining forces with other heroes through drop-in/drop-out co-op multiplayer or venturing forth alone.

2012's Most Anticipated Games

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:51:00 +1300

It's been far from a slow start to the year, with the industry already gearing up to hit gamers with some truly epic titles, as well as many that are yet to be announced. Here are just some of our picks for the next 12 months...

It may not feel like it, but we've begun a very interesting year.

The industry has entered another transitional phase as the established dominance of current console platforms, now some five or six years old, begins to wane.

Nintendo, once the biggest player in the market with the phenomenally successful Wii, has seen hardware sales shrink. Motion control, the would-be darling of the casual games market, has foundered recently with developers seemingly unable to, or uninterested in taking full advantage of the possibilities presented by Kinect and Move.

Gameplanet's Best of 2011

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:50:00 +1300

With the year nearly over and the gaming industry about to enter hibernation, we take a look at the more memorable releases of 2011, before announcing the Game of the Year as determined by New Zealand's gamers.

2011 has been a dynamic year for the gaming industry, with a number of lofty highs tempered by the occasional low.

Security seems to be an ongoing concern for both hardware and software manufacturers; back in January the PlayStation 3 was hacked, leading to the availability of pirated games mimicking the official Sony digital signature. Sony's woes didn't end there – in April its customer database was compromised, leading to a prolonged outage for the PlayStation Network service.

Sony wasn't alone. SEGA quickly followed suit, along with Valve's Steam service, in addition to many other minor intrusions reported at technology companies throughout the world.

Super Mario 3D Land

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:08:00 +1300

Mario returns in one of the best titles available for the 3DS right now.

Way back in the Dark Ages when games generally only carried 2D sprites, the plucky plumber named Mario went though a bit of a rise and fall.

Once king of both the arcade and home markets, Shigeru Miyamoto's brainchild fell into mild obscurity, and suffered from waning inspiration. That was, until he was reborn in glorious light – with a crucial additional dimension in his Nintendo 64 debut, Super Mario 64.

Since then, there has been a raft of excellent Mario games on a variety of platforms – perhaps most notably Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube – and his first outing on Nintendo's newest console, Mario finds himself well and truly at home in one of the best games of his career.

The Louvre to exchange audio guides for 3DS handhelds

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:07:00 +1300

The Louvre museum in Paris is to gradually replace its audio tour guides with tour guides delivered on Nintendo 3DS units.

The current audio guides are used by only 4 per cent of the museum’s 8.5 million annual visitors. With the 3DS, visitors will be able to locate themselves within The Louvre, select themed tours including specialised guides for children, and listen to “hundreds of commentaries in seven languages about the works on display,” reports tech website physorg.

Nintendo has developed the content under the guidance of The Louvre’s curators. The Louvre’s management believes the change will appeal to a new generation who prefer to access media via a touchscreen and who are used to using such technology at home.

Vote for your Game of the Year 2011

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:07:00 +1300

ENTRIES HAVE CLOSED

Many great games were released in 2011 - but we want you to decide which was the greatest of them all.

The game that gets the most votes from New Zealand's gaming community will be named Gameplanet Players' Choice Game of the Year 2011.

Plus, place a vote and you'll go in the draw to WIN a Year's Supply of Games – that's one game of your choice each month throughout 2012!

Turtle Beach sends Kiwi gamer to Iraq

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:01:00 +1300

Gaming headset manufacturer Turtle Beach has attempted to send a Kiwi gamer to Iraq as part of a promotional campaign.

24-year-old Phil, also known as StatiC, will get "the experience of a lifetime" as he appears in a series of five videos charting his progress towards the Iraqi border.

The promotion, dubbed "Turtle Beach: Mission 'Iraq'", was organised by the company's New Zealand distributor, Fiveight.

Vote for your Game of the Year 2011

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:48:00 +1300

Which was the greatest game of 2011? You decide.

The Gameplanet Players’ Choice Awards are the most comprehensive and reliable videogame awards in New Zealand. They’re not arbitrarily determined by an editorial committee, but by the votes of thousands of dedicated Kiwi gamers.

Votes are now being accepted in the qualification round. From all the titles released this year, the five most popular will progress to a final round of voting to determine the Gameplanet Players' Choice Game of the Year 2011.

Resident Evil: Revelations story trailer

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:13:00 +1300

This trailer contains a closer look at the plot of Resident Evil: Revelations, which introduces new characters, new enemies and the sunken city of Terragrigia.

Shinobi 3DS BTS trailer

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +1300

Take a look behind the making of Shinobi on the 3DS with interviews from producer Stephen Frost and community manager Julian Mehlfeld.

Shinobi 3DS launch trailer

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:58:00 +1300

SEGA has announced that Shinobi 3DS, the Nintendo 3DS remake of Shinobi developed by Griptonite Games, is now available worldwide.

3DS: What's coming this summer?

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:31:00 +1300

With the weather finally on the turn, this summer should see plenty of opportunities to kick back in a lounger and fire up a 3DS. We've been playing four titles that are sure to feature strongly in Nintendo's holiday line-up.

Shinobi

Those of you old enough to be sporting thick, engrossing facial hair will be able to recall the original Shinobi titles on The Master System and in some arcades. Side scrolling Ninja platforming action is what you were promised and it’s what you had delivered in spades. This re-tuned re-make is nothing too far from its predecessors; Shinobi comes across as a slick, polished and well thought-out platformer. The gameplay is a good mix of satisfying swordplay with devious puzzles to overcome. Weapons include kunai (throwing knives), a katana, a grappling hook and the environment, all of which must be mastered in order to progress through the game.

The difficulty level is set to medium-Japanese, which could frustrate some – but gives the game value for money and the player a real sense of achievement. It can become quite tricky in places, but that usually only happens when an elemental power is overlooked. These ultra-powerful spells grant immunity or increased firepower, but they take a heavy toll on the overall score (yes, adding to the re-playability factor is a running score). The game is beautifully animated, and makes a reasonable attempt at using the 3D powers of the 3DS in an essentially 2D game. This results in a '2.5D' game that doesn't really gain anything from the extra depth of field, but looks nice all the same.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:16:00 +1300

Activision may have avoided any major game changes this time around, but Modern Warfare 3 still serves up everything expected of it.

It’s that time again. Lines are being drawn in digital sand as one of the most divisive franchises in gaming drops its most recent work.

Love it or hate it (seemingly the only options) Infinity Ward’s latest in the Modern Warfare series is exactly the game expected. Whether that is a good thing or not is entirely up to the taste of the player.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 does not move on past the parameters set for the series in 2007. There is no risk here, and only time will tell if this conservative design approach will finally start to alienate the game from its generally aggressive fan base.

Modern Warfare 3 the biggest entertainment launch ever

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:01:00 +1300

Activision has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has once again set the record for the biggest entertainment launch ever.

Modern Warfare 3 has generated US$400 million in sales in the US and UK in its first week, according to Chart-Track and retailer sell-through information, beating last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops by $40 million and 2009’s Modern Warfare 2 by $90 million.

“We believe the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories,” said Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick.

Need for Speed: The Run "Sports Illustrated Model" trailer

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:26:00 +1300

See Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models Irina Shayk and Chrissy Teigen behind the wheel in an illicit cross-country race from San Francisco to New York.

Heavy Fire: Afghanistan trailer #2

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:55:00 +1300

Heavy Fire: Afghanistan places players in modern-day Afghanistan where they must traverse by foot, vehicle and helicopter, utilizing Force Recon tactics and Heavy Fire to defeat their enemies and survive.

X-Men: Destiny Actors BTS trailer

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:53:00 +1300

Activision and Marvel Entertainment today released a new behind-the-scenes video for X-Men: Destiny.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword trailer

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:23:00 +1300

Nintendo has released a new gameplay movie for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, a new Wii game that marks a turning point for The Legend of Zelda franchise.

Generation Next: the future of consoles

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:31:00 +1200

Chris Leggett examines the speculations of two leading industry analysts about the life cycle of the current console generation, and what to expect in the next wave of gaming hardware.

For console gamers, there are few things as exciting as witnessing the newly revealed capabilities of a new era of gaming machines. But it’s something that we’ve seemingly – and uncharacteristically – been deprived of at this late stage in the current generation’s life cycle.

As the latest batch of sequels with incremental improvements and refinements rolls around for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, many players have begun to yearn for something extra, something revolutionary, something novel – something that’s likely not possible on existing systems.

There was once a time when, in a similar fashion to Moore’s Law for computing, the life span of any game console hardware could be accurately predicted based on previous cycles. Almost like clockwork, all hype and developer interest in the systems of the time appeared to fade away after roughly five years, coinciding with the announcement and imminent release of its successor. From the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Mega Drive, the PlayStation, right through to the introduction of this current generation – it’s been a fairly consistent and accurate cycle; successors have reared their heads after about half a decade. Presumably manufacturers felt consumers were ready to throw down more cash on newer hardware after this amount of time.

Sledgehammer's Glen Schofield on Modern Warfare 3

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:13:00 +1200

We caught up with Sledgehammer's co-founder Glen Schofield at the Call of Duty XP event in Los Angeles last week. Scroll down for a full transcript.

Gameplanet: There's been a bit of controversy lately, a lot of people have been saying about Call of Duty that there's been a bit of a copy and paste nature, what do you say to criticism about that?

Glen Schofield: The copy and paste? Well, I gotta tell you, that really bugs me because I've spent 18, 19, 20 months of my life on the game, and the last thing we did was copy and paste. All you gotta do is look at the graphics, and some of the gameplay, and the big moments, and there's nothing about copy and paste there at all. We have built these bigger levels, they're vertical as well as they are horizontal, we're in Paris, New York, we're in the New York Harbour. We're in Berlin, Hamburg, the Himalayas and Africa, I mean, we are all over. I think that's just people who haven't seen our game.

Gameplanet: In New Zealand we have some pretty terrible internet, what networking technologies have you improved on in Modern Warfare 3?

Activision ousts MW3.com squatter

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:40:00 +1200

Activision’s suit to have www.modernwarfare3.com taken offline has been won.

The was site owned by an anonymous member of the public and variously mocked the Activision shooter or redirected users to competing shooter Battlefield 3.

Appealing to the Arbitration Forum, Activision claimed, ““The domain name is identical or confusingly similar to complainant’s trademark,” and that the “respondent has no legal right or legitimate interest in the domain name.” Activision also claims that by directing visitors to Battlefield 3’s official website, the site operator “attempted to cause confusion with and tarnish” the Modern Warfare brand. Finally, Activision claims that the operator “registered and used the domain name in bad faith.”

Ubisoft scraps online pass for Driver: SF

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:54:00 +1200

Ubisoft has cancelled its online pass program for Driver: San Francisco.

According to Xbox LIVE Support, Uplay Passport codes were printed incorrectly. The code ships with all first-hand copies of the game and unlocks the game’s online features. Those buying the game second-hand would have had to buy a new code for a nominal fee.

Such online passes are becoming increasingly popular among publishers as they incentivise first-hand sales and allow publishers to make a small profit on second-hand sales.