Yesterday we reported that some info on Microsoft HoloLens had prematurely leaked.

Along with this came a game by the name of Young Conker, and it being a potential new Conker game made people excited. Well, now a trailer for the game is out. Let’s take a look at it shall we?

OH DEAR LORD!, WHAT IS THAT!?! I’ve seen some unsettling character designs in video games, but I think this one takes the cake. Aside from the traumatic change, the game looks to be more a tech demo than an actual full length game which is slightly disappointing. What do you think about Young Conker? Are you interested in trying it out?

Well, it looks like the cat’s out of the bag and into virtual reality.

According to a premature post on Fortune, it looks like Microsoft has lifted the veil a bit further on the HoloLens. The site cited that pre orders for HoloLens dev kits will go up tomorrow with a pretty deep price of $3,000! Fear not though as Microsoft will be bundling a bunch of goodies for you. These include previously unannounced games such as Fragments, Robo Raid, and Shockingly, Young Conker.

Here’s a quick summary of the game from the original post: “Young Conker – The rude and crude squirrel is ready for a new adventure… in your living room! The area around you is transformed into a level for Conker to explore. This means the game should have considerable replay value as different rooms represent entirely new levels.“It is amazing how different the play experience feels based on playing the game in your living room versus your kitchen or your bedroom. Even starting the game from a different position in a single room creates an entirely new gameplay dynamic,” Tsunoda wrote.”

While the article is down, the good people over at Ticgn were nice enough to get the info before the page was pulled. You can check that out right HERE! Are you Excited for the HoloLens now?

Today’s featured course goes by a different name for something that seems familiar.

What am I talking about you ask? None other than Monty Mole Ruins (DK & Diddy). While the premise for this level sounds like something new, it actually resembles the level Millstone Mayhem from the Snes classic Donkey Kong Country. Everything from bonus rooms, to those weird Kremlings that used to chase you in the stone tires, this level is a loving tribute to the game’s legacy.

MMR 2While the level is pretty similar to its Snes version, there are also some other surprises and tributes to the beloved series. Going bananas to try out the level? Check out the code below! As always, have a great week, and keep playing and creating awesome levels!

MMR

Are you ready for a new generation of Pokemon?

Nintendo announced this morning that a Pokemon-dedicated Nintendo Direct will be live on February 26th at 7 a.m PT and will last a quick 5 minutes.

Many people think we’ll finally get the official announcement for what’s rumored to be Pokemon Rainbow.

What do you think will be announced? Comment below, and let the speculating begin!

Another month brings another set of Games with Gold!

This time around, for the month of March we have a pretty diverse selection of games.

All throughout the month, you can pick up Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments for Xbox One, and from March 1st through 15th you’ll be able to pick up Supreme Commander 2 for Xbox 360.

Then from March 16th to April 15th you’ll be able to snag a copy of Lords of the Fallen for Xbox One as well as Borderlands for the Xbox 360 from March 16th through the 31st.

Which game are you the most excited for? Comment below and tell us, and don’t forget that all of the Xbox 360 Games with Gold are now backwards compatible with your Xbox One!

GWG March

After 4 years, 40 episodes, and a whole lot of hiatuses, Gravity Falls has finally ended.

Ever since it premiered back in 2012, the show has exploded into popularity due to how different it was from most animated shows. It’s not very often that you see a network as big and restrictive as Disney release a continuity heavy series in the vein of shows such as X files and LOST, and have it animated no less! It was a very risky move by the network, but it ultimately ended up paying off as  the show instantly soared to the top of the charts becoming the highest rated show in the network’s history. This is why a lot of people (including myself) were surprised at the initial announcement that the show would be ending due to creator Alex Hirsch wanting it to have a finite ending.

This got me thinking, Could the ending of Gravity Falls influence how long other shows last? Call me crazy, but I think it can. According to Hirsch the show was always planned to have a concrete beginning, middle, and end. He also talked about how he didn’t want it to pull a Spongebob or Simpsons where the show overstays its welcome, or a Sym Bionic Titan where the show is prematurely cancelled before it get’s a satisfying conclusion. While Disney may be disappointed watching the show end, I believe their acceptance in letting it go (see what I did there) could have an impact on other shows.

Perhaps the ending of the show could inspire other series such as Steven Universe and Star Vs. the Forces of Evil that they should also have a concrete ending in mind. This doesn’t just have to influence current animated shows, but also future ones. Somewhere, there could be a future animator out there right now attending CalArts that could have been given the re-assurance by Gravity Falls,  showing that it’s ok to make a short animated series, but still have it be loved and successful. Heck, Gravity Falls isn’t really the first show to prove this either.

 Just 2 years ago, Patrick Mchale’s series Over the Garden Wall did the same thing. Mind you, that was just a miniseries, but the audience reception to it surprised everyone, including Cartoon Network themselves. In fact, it was so successful that it inspired the network to pick up another show for a miniseries. This is how Sean Szeles Long Live the Royals came to be. You can never know the fate or popularity of a show until you take the risk.

otgw

 

In conclusion, while it may be a bit too early to see whether Gravity Falls ending on its own terms could shape the future of other shows, I believe that it can and will. I think that we are approaching an age of animation where we’ll start seeing creators getting more control over the distribution and length of their shows. Not just that, but we’re entering an age of entertainment where we will see more creative control being given to the creators, and it all starts with an ending.

 

 

This week’s Super Mario Maker Course is pretty short, but fun.

Today we’ll be looking at the level Ike’s Cave Stroll by Umbra Alex. The premise for the level is simple enough. You play as Ike as you try and navigate your way through a very unfriendly cave filled with fire, dry bones, and other miscellaneous traps out to get you.  As said before, the level  is very short as you can probably finish the level on your first try, but that doesn’t stop it from being fun.

Ike 2

Think you can make it out in one piece? Try it out at the code below! Have a great weekend, and don’t forget to keep playing and creating awesome levels!

Ike 1

Got a  small steam collection you wish was bigger? Don’t worry, Sega has you covered.

Right now you can download the Make War Not Love 3 prize bundle on Steam for absolutely FREE! The games included are Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit + all  of its DLC, Dreamcast classic Jet Set Radio, and the Genesis/Arcade classic Golden Axe! You can check out the deals for yourself right here! What’s your favorite game out of the Bundle?

Vblank Entertainment has released a new trailer for Shakedown Hawaii, a sequel to their 2012 hit indie game Retro City Rampage. The game introduces a new 16 bit art style, destructible environments, and much more! Shakedown Hawaii is planning on launching on Steam, PS4, PSVita, and 3DS, but doesn’t have a solid release date yet.

 

No Featured course again this week, but this time it’s special.

Nintendo has just released their newest event course in Super Mario Maker where you can play as the original 3 Kanto starter Pokemon. The best part about this is that you need to play the course 3 different times on each route in order to unlock that specific character. This gives the course some really good playability as well as getting you an awesome costume based on your favorite original starter.

Check out Gamexplain’s awesome tour of the costumes! Who’s your favorite Kanto starter?

Cartoon Network has just released the first official teaser video for the new Powerpuff Girls reboot.

The clip centers around the girls fighting Manboy, A villain who wishes to turn all of Townsville into Mansville. Will the girls be able to stop him? Judging from the clip, yeah they can probably handle him. Check it out for yourself! Are you excited for this new reboot?

Today Playtonic announced a new character that’ll be joining Yooka Laylee.

Kratos

Introducing Kartos the Minecart. In a quote from Playtonic: “Yooka will be taking advantage of Kartos and his services, as he is for ‘hire’ at various stages in the game. And why not? After all, his slogan is ‘Mein Kart ist Ihre Kart’ after all!” On top of that, they also included a sample of Kartos’s theme, composed by legendary composer David Wise himself. Check out the awesome tune right HERE! Who’s your favorite character in Yooka Laylee so far?

Sonic fans will be pleased to hear that the Sony produced animation/live action hybrid movie is a bit closer than what you’d expect.

In a recent interview with website The Worldfolio, President and CEO of Sega, Hajime Satomi, has said that they’re expecting the movie to launch sometime in 2018. For those wondering, Sega announced a couple of years ago that they’d be partnering with Sony to create an animation/live action Sonic movie. While interesting, we’ve all seen what happens to these kind of hybrid movies *COUGH COUGH The Smurfs COUGH COUGH.* Sorry about that, I’ve got a small cold. Are you excited for the Sonic movie? Let us know in the comments!

Crash Bandicoot has had it pretty rough. What was once one of the PlayStation’s most promising mascots of the early years, has slowly faded into obscurity ever since the series acquisition by Activision back in 2008. Since then, all we’ve gotten is Crash: Mind Over Mutant in 2008, and a very simplified IOS racing game in 2010.  It’s been almost 10 years since fans have been treated to a new Crash game, but that wait just might be over.

https://twitter.com/PlayStation_ME/status/696008709231607808/photo/1

When translated, the image says wanted. Also when translated, the text from PlayStation says something along the lines of: Wanted, where are you Crash? Could this be a new hint that Sony has taken the franchise back from Activision. It should also be noted that last year at PSX, many people noticed that CEO and President of Sony America Shawn Layden was wearing a Crash Bandicoot shirt. Do you want to see a new Crash game? Tell us in the comments!

Infamous accessory maker Mad Catz is going through some hard times.

While they had brief success with being the exclusive distributor for Rock Band 4 sales, it still wasn’t enough to help the fledgling company.

Not only did they have to let go 37% of their worldwide staff, but to make matters worse, most of their higher-ups including Darren Richardson, Whitney Peterson, and Thomas Brown have all resigned from their positions. It’s a shame to see them struggling, especially after seeing how much their products have improved quality wise since they first started creating 3rd party accessories in 1989.

What are your thoughts on Mad Catz? Do you have a favorite accessory that they’ve made? Comment below and let us know!

ProfileImage_v2

Today is a sad day for video games.

Announced about an hour ago, founder and voice of GameTrailers.com Brandon Jones announced that after 13 years, the site that helped many people on the internet get where they are today, is now closing down for good. You can find a very heartfelt farewell post on their facebook page right HERE. GameTrailers.com was responsible for launching some of the internets most popular websites and people such as Screwattack, Angry Video Game Nerd, Pro Jared, and more! In fact, GT was one of my big inspirations to start writing and eventually become a journalist.

If you’re interested in watching their last live stream I’ll link it below. They are currently playing through GTA  III, the first ever game that the website ever recorded. Do you have any good memories about GameTrailers? Sound off below!

Final GT stream

No featured course this week, but you can still get your weekly Super Mario Maker fix with a new event level!

The newest mystery mushroom event course titled Paranormal Research has you jumping, dodging, and weaving your way through a countless number of boos as the mushroom kingdom’s expert ghostbuster himself. That’s right, Professor E gadd! (got you huh? What’s that? You already looked at the title of the article? Oh, ok.)

Egad levelBe warned it’s a tough event level to beat, but if you manage to harness the powers of the supernatural and push through it, you’ll be handsomely rewarded with the kooky professor himself to keep. Check out Gamexplain’s great video tour below! Have you tried out the level yet?

The animated world has lost yet another loved voice actor.

Joe Alaskey, The voices of Daffy Duck & Bugs Bunny from about 1989 (the year of original Bugs & Daffy voice actor’s death Mel Blanc) to 2006 has sadly passed away from cancer at the age of 63.

Alaskey was also known as the voice of Plucky Duck in Tiny Toon Adventures, and Grandpa Lou from The Rugrats. If you’d like to check out who else Joe has voiced, including some voice samples, check out his page on the website behind the voice actors.  Rest in peace Joe, We won’t forget what you brought to the voice over business.

Joe

Still playing Pocket Mortys?

Of course you are! It’s still in the top 10 of most popular downloads for Android & IOS. The Pokemon tribute game launched last month to instant popularity and has been addicting the fans and the internet ever since. Now, the game finally has it’s first content update available right now, and it’s pretty big. As of right now you can download 19 new Mortys to capture. These include V Neck Morty, Afro Morty, Sleepy Morty, and even more. You’ll also be able to capture Mascot Morty if you’ve been having trouble with him. There are also the standard bug fixes and such as with all games. Are you ready to jump back into Pocket Mortys with this new update?

Nintendo recently finished having an investors meeting, and with that comes some new info on the company’s new rewards program.

During the meeting, Nintendo revealed that their successor to Club Nintendo titled My Nintendo will have an official worldwide release sometime in March.

The site will work very similarly to Club Nintendo, but with a few differences. The service will be available on both Wii U and 3DS as well as mobile.

Everything about the account system will be linked to your Nintendo Network I.D, and players can earn points and statuses by playing their mobile apps (Miitomo) and also accessing and buying games and more from the E-shop.

Check out the pic below for a more detailed info. Are you excited for Nintendo Account?

Well it seems like the cat’s out of the bag.

Announced via Youtube ad, LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been prematurely been announced for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PSVita, PS4, PS3, Wii U, and 3DS.

Not only did it start popping up on Youtube ad’s, but it also started popping up on the official Xbox Store and even Amazon (which has now been taken down.). On top of that, a listing also appeared for a special $70 PS4 & Xbox One Edition that includes an exclusive LEGO Finn Minifigure plus the game’s season pass. The PS4 version even includes an exclusive level & character pack.

The game is set to launch on June 28th. Check out the trailer Below! Are you excited for this game? Comment below and tell us!

Rumour mills have been buzzing like crazy these past couple of weeks, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be slowing down.

It seems that someone over on a NeoGAF thread (which appears to not work anymore) went digging through some data on the Microsoft Store and happened to find a listing under games titled Young Conker. The ESRB for the game is T, and the page uses Sunset Orange as it’s background color. This might not even be the first time this game has been hinted at. Former WWE wrestler Ken Anderson uploaded a photo to his Instagram in early January saying that he was working on a super secret squirrel video game. Are you excited about the possibility of a new Conker game? Check out the pic below and tell us in the comments!

Young Conker

Still sad over the exclusion of Ice Climbers in Super Smash Bros For. Wii U/3DS?

Fear no more! Today’s course titled Super Ice Climbers is by user UltMario and is an absolute delight to play.

Ice Climbers 1This level very cleverly re-creates both the gameplay and level design of the original game and at times finds a great way to substitute ideas and work with some of the restricted course elements available to him. Spiked helmets replace the original games hammers, and even the bonus levels have been implemented in a very smart way. If you’d like to try out the level yourself, check it out at: 0351-0000-0092-ECFE. Have a great weekend, and remember to keep playing and creating awesome levels.

Ice Climbers 2

Remember that creepy CGI Pikachu that was shown a couple of years back as a weird tech demo alongside Pokken Tournament?

PikachuYeah, that one. Well, it turns out that tech demo was indeed intended to become a full length game. Now before you start having nightmares about this thing starring in its own game, it’s important to note that the CG looks miles better than what was originally shown.

Titled Detective Pikachu: Birth Of A New Duo the game will be heading to the 3DS at an unknown date. Check out the mysterious trailer for it down below. A user by the name solarsaturn9 was kind enough to translate the trailer.

What do you think of Detective Pikachu?

This morning The Pokémon Company released their Live Action Super Bowl ad for the internet to enjoy.

The commercial features kids, teens, and adults just like us being inspired to become Pokemon trainers with the motto to train on. It also includes a wealth of  easter eggs that you’ll be freeze framing the video to see better. The commercial is set to air during Super Bowl 50 on Sunday February 7th.

As fantastic as this ad is, it’s not the Pokémon GO release date that we were hoping for. Still, it’s hard to be too disappointed, as the ad is more a celebration of the franchises massive cultural impact than anything else.

What’s your favorite part of the commercial? Comment below and let us know!

Batman: Bad Blood releases next week on Blu Ray and DVD, and WB is giving you one more incentive to buy it.

Included on the release is an 11 minute behind the scenes featurette on the newly revealed Justice League Vs. Teen Titans. The video interviews the production crew and voice actors about the movie and their experiences with it as well as splicing in our first ever footage of the film. The video also reveals a tentative release date of Spring 2016.

Are you looking forward to Justice League Vs. Teen Titans? Let us know in the comments below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylEFdQZf-hA

In a new update to backers that will shock no one, Comcept has revealed that Mighty No. 9 has been delayed yet again from it’s February 9th release.

It now has an unknown release date yet to be announced. Comcept revealed back in September that the game’s single player was finished, but not the multiplayer. This has caused a lot of backers to get frustrated with the project and suggest to the company to just release the game as it is now and patch in multiplayer later (which wouldn’t be a bad idea.).

Are you still excited for Mighty No. 9?

UPDATE: It appears that the game has been pulled from steam. It seems that the creator is planning on refunding everyone and making the game free sometime in the future. In that case, you should definitely download it when they re-release it. Check out the announcement here.

FNAF World is the newest game in the Five Nights at Freddy’s series, but instead of another horror based game, we’re being treated to an RPG! Does this new title successfully transfer to other genres, or is the change unBEARable (sorry, we had to)? Let’s find out!

Fnaf World 1Story/Graphics:

As per tradition with a Scott Cawthon title, FNAF World on the outside seems to have a pretty straightforward, if not slightly confusing story. It’s not until you really play through the game a second time that you begin to understand things a bit better. With that said, the game is able to find a nice balance story wise. Graphics are also nice; the game features both a 2D sprite style for overworld progression, and a 3D style for combat. The models on the chibi sprites are simple, but very faithfully mirror their previous game counterparts. While the game visuals are solid, some of the 2D sprite sections can seem a bit stretched and blurry at some points, but it’s only on occasion.

Fnaf World 2

Gameplay/Music:

Gameplay in FNAF World is split into 2 parts. The 1st part is overworld progression where you traverse the world around you in an 8-bit style similar to what mini games in the previous installments look like, while the 2nd style is the game’s combat. Combat is handled in real time akin to games like Chrono Trigger and Xenoblade Chronicles. While most battles are easy and fun to execute, the screen can get cluttered sometimes making it difficult to see what’s going on. The game also has some very bad loading times in and out of some screens. On average I had to wait about 15-25 seconds per loading screen, which certainly broke the immersion, on more than a few occasions. FNAF World 3

Each character has a different set of abilities, and even though some characters do share some moves with others, most of the moves are specifically tailored for that person. Your group consists of 2 parties of 4 with a very wide range of characters that you’ll be able to unlock and play as over the progression of the game. You can also acquire special items to give you an advantage in battle ranging from new computer chips that give you speed and attack increases, to buying helping partners from a new character called Lolbit. Both are great helping a battle to turn in your favor.

FNAF World 5

For past games, Scott Cawthon would usually use royalty free music, but this time around FNAF World is composed by Leon Riskin. The music is nice and on the mark. From the upbeat battle music, to the eerie and mysterious caves, the music will help set the tone and mood of the game.

FNAF World 4

Verdict:

FNAF World is a bold change from the regular formula that fans have come to expect out of it, but besides a few technical issues at launch and a somewhat cluttered battle screen at times, the game has enough charm and replayability to justify its $10 price tag. If you’re just getting into RPG’S and are looking for a relaxing, but challenging experience, then you won’t go wrong with FNAF World.

RATING: 3/5. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsaXgePC2No

Today’s Mario Maker level is turning up the heat!

This week, I’ll be featuring the level Red-hot Jungle Rumble. The name as it implies is a Super Mario Bros. 3 style castle level in which you traverse through what’s believed to be the insides of a jungle as you find yourself inside it’s hot molten core. Carefully, you must guide yourself through overgrown vines and rogue fireballs as you try to ascend back up to the surface. Jungle Rumble

Will you conquer the jungle, or will it conquer you? Want to give it a shot for yourself? Check it out with the level code below! Until next time, keep playing and creating awesome levels!

Red-hot Jungle Rumble

Earlier last year Mortal Kombat X was released among a somewhat dry year for fighting games.

Today NetherRealm Studios and Ed Boon have announced Mortal Kombat XL. This updated version of X includes a variety of new extras such as new characters, costumes, online/netcode play, and more! The game is set to Launch March 1st in North America and March 4th in Europe.

Will you be picking up Mortal Kombat XL?