Geekscape Reviews ‘BanG Dream! Girls Band Party PICO’ Episode 1

by Josh JacksonNovember 19, 2018

In the “age of warring girl bands”, only one rival band can stand supreme. That’s the premise of the debut episode of Bang Dream! Girls Band Party PICO, (or Bandori Garupa PICO to preserve my finger joints), a micro sized gag anime featuring the characters of the recently released mobile game. Foregoing the more traditional art style of the main anime series, PICO tells its lighthearted stories using a super-deformed style reminiscent of the main map in the mobile game. As expected, hilarity ensues when you get all 25 girls in one room, especially when the space is so cramped you have to crash through a window to get in.

Serving as an introduction to the series, most of the episode is dedicated to introducing each of the five main bands. Afterglow, the alt-rock group of childhood friends, Pastel Palettes, the pop idol group, Hello Happy World, the eccentric band built on the whims of an eccentric billionaire, Roselia, the dedicated goth J-Rock group, and Poppin’ Party, the up and coming band that shine like the brightest stars, all arrive in dramatic fashion for practice at CiRCLE. Except there’s not nearly enough room for everyone, causing PoPiPa front-woman, Kasumi, to shift their attention to, “a family restaurant.” You can’t get much rehearsing done there, but at least there’s space to move around!

As a first episode, it does a good job of generally introducing the bands to new and familiar audiences alike, but with the strict three minute run time, there’s not a whole lot of time for character exploration. Yet, during the brief run time, a few things are immediately apparent. First, Kasumi’s lucky to not have a face full of glass after failing to stick the landing when breaking into CiRCLE. Second, this show is setting up its adorable charm quite nicely, especially with the ending theme animation. Lastly, in the main game, Hello Happy World and PoPiPa are the only overtly silly bands in the game, but with these introductions being as strange as they were, it’s clear that even the likes of Afterglow and Roselia are going to be at their comedic best going forward. Hopefully the show can keep up with the laughs!

Episode Thoughts:

– Marina should really have a booking system to prevent everyone from showing up at the same time for rehearsal.

– Does PoPiPa have a thing against doors? Or was busting through the window just the cool thing to do? Maybe they were in a rush to get out of the rain.

– Speaking of, I wonder how often Marina needs to pay for building repairs with clientele like that.

– The best way to rehearse is to do so in full costume if HHW and Roselia are examples to go by.

– Afterglow and Pastel Palettes don’t seem to notice the rain storm outside, especially the latter showing up in shoulder-less dresses.

– How much longer will it be before Arisa is fed up with the stupidity that surrounds her? I’m guessing not long.

BanG Dream: Girls Band Party PICO is a weekly gag anime placing the cast of the multimedia franchise in comedic situations over the span of three minute episodes. Find more at the official BanG Dream YouTube channel.

Geekscape Editorial: ‘Miitomo’ 2.0 Update, Why It Failed & What Future Nintendo Mobile Games Can Learn

by The_aczNovember 11, 2016

Remember Miitomo? For about a month in March, Nintendo’s very first mobile game swept IOS and Android devices by storm. Then it just died, but why?

The biggest reason was mostly due to the fact that the game was very basic and nothing more than a glorified question simulator. Sure it was fun the first couple of times to answer some question, hear your opponents answers, and even make your Mii curse up a storm, but eventually the novelty wore off and the game failed to really incentivize players to keep the app on their devices. Now with a little over 10,000,00 downloads, Nintendo is now adding a “big” update to the game in order to win people back. Is it worth talking about, or should you just hit ignore? Let’s find out.

At the core of Miitomo’s new update, there are 5 new features that are being stressed. The first is the ability to now send private messages to your friends, and honestly, there is nothing interesting about this at all. It’s very underwhelming, and your better off just actually PM’ing your friend on Facebook Messenger or Discord if you want to talk to them.

Feature number 2 adds the feature to finally customize your own room. This feature even gives you the ability to hang custom posters in your room whether it be a Miifoto or any picture from off the internet. While this feature may sound miles better than the previous one, it still ends up being incredibly disappointing. Customization is limited to only wallpaper and flooring, and right now posters are only limited to one as so far there aren’t any means to unlock more. While there are some cool themed walls and floors you can get (Metroid Zero Mission, Super Mario Bros., Zelda Breath of the Wild.), those are the only ones worth while as the other walls and floors just seem very bland and boring. Feature 3 introduces a new location called Style Central. Here you can upload your current outfit for all to see online. You can even buy the outfits that other people are wearing if you like them (sometimes). While quite charming at first, immediately becomes a boring novelty. Sure at first it’s fun to see characters dressed up like Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls, but after about a minute of exploring, you’ll quickly grow tired of the endless supply of Undertale and Steven Universe Characters ( I mean I love Steven Universe, but come on guys there’s just too much there).

Oh, and about being able to buy other outfits. I said sometimes, because there will be times when you can’t buy a certain item due to it only being available in Miitomo Drop. So you either have to spend Coins/Money on multiple tries, or worse, wait for that event to go back into the minigame. Another interesting idea, but poorly executed.

Feature 4 introduces Answer Central, which is just as boring as it sounds. All you do here is look at randomly chosen answers from other peoples randomly chosen questions. There honestly nothing to talk about here. You’re just looking at random peoples answers. It’s even more boring when half of the answers are just blindly praising Nintendo for for making the app. You can get an interesting answer, but they are few and far between.

The 5th and final “feature” to the game comes in the form of Mii sidekicks. With this, you can now make multiple Mii’s which can now be used to send private messages, be sent to Style Central, and even get their own room to customize. This is by far the most useless addition to the game since you’ve already been able to add more Mii’s to your game by importing QR codes. It feels like an afterthought. It’s as if they really wanted to boast 5 new features but couldn’t think of a good 5th one.

In the end, Miitomo fell victim to the fate of all mobile games. Hollow content with no incentive to continue playing, but it didn’t have to be this way. I believe that if they try hard enough, Nintendo could rule the mobile market with an iron fist. Now, with Super Mario Run just around the corner, here’s what their future mobile games can do to make sure they’re a success!

1: Make sure all features are fully fleshed out

I know I know. This sounds super weird and obvious, but hear me out. Miitomo’s biggest problem in my opinion is that the game has some really interesting ideas to it, but all the features feel unfinished. Room customization is cool, but only being able to change the walls and floor is pretty boring. Why can’t I choose what furniture appears in my place, and how come I can’t put a poster just in the middle of a wall? Nintendo, if you’re planning on having the mobile version of Animal Crossing just be some watered down version of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer where all you do is move furniture and collectible figures, I implore you to not do that. No one wants to play that.

2. Use a variety of I.P’s, not just the current popular ones.

Nintendo has always had this bad habit of over exposing their I.P’s once they become popular. We saw this with both Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem. AC suffered the worst a very bare bones decorating sim that was Happy Home Designer, and an abysmally depressing microtransaction slog that was Amiibo Festival. After so much exposure in such a small amount of time, people begin to grow bored of the same I.P’s, which is why so many people were attracted to Splatoon a breath of fresh air. Maybe instead of using Fire Emblem, you could use Advanced Wars. Instead of Animal Crossing, try using the Donkey Kong Country characters! There are so many other characters you own that could breathe new life on mobile. Doodle Jump esque Ice Climbers game anyone?

3. Go paid, not Free to Play

Another suggestion that sounds insane, I know. While yes, a free app will initially attract more people to a game, the game will struggle with keeping those same people if they can’t get people to pay for in app purchases. While it seems like Super Mario Run will be a paid title, I think the smartest thing to do is keep future titles that way also. I know it was announced a couple of months ago that Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem which were originally scheduled to be paid games, ended up making the jump to F2P. I say switch back to the one time payment. If you can create a fire emblem experience on phones that’s just as good as the 3DS, and you’re not charging people $5 every time you want a fallen ally revived, word of mouth and positive buzz can sell the game alone!

Yes, Nintendo may be struggling a bit in the mobile space right now, but I believe that by following this advice laid out for them, that they could truly rule over their own mobile empire. Only time will what happens, but here’s hoping for the best for the company I love.

Hearthfall: EA Reveals The ‘Titanfall Frontline’ Card Game!

by NecroscourgeSeptember 12, 2016

With the breakthrough appeal of Hearthstone a few years back it was only a matter of time until a cavalcade of online trading card games to repopulate the internet. Steam alone has seen several new online TCG’s this year including Duelyst, with untold pretenders lurking on cellphones worldwide. Hearthstones revival of the genre has made pretty much every high note developer devote their efforts to reinventing the wheel.

Titanfall: Frontline is a joint effort between Particle City, Respawn (TF Dev), and Nexon games to bring a new breed of strategy game to iphones and android devices. The whisper on the street is that they are experimenting with creating a hybrid online game that will have elements of real time and turn based play. It will be released for free on the app store, presumably around when Titanfall 2 drops down.

So I opened this article up with Hearthstone, basically because even just a slight look at the images that have surrounded this title scream generic card game. Cards have an attack and defense stat, the keywords are Titanfall versions of time honored card abilities, and it’s pretty obviously a hit-point reduction duel between two players. Features mentioned by the dev includes hundreds of cards, strategies, and the aforementioned hybrid play style. Whether or not Frontlines has anything that will redeem itself awaits to be seen; but I’m preparing myself to be hearing nothing but titanfall slang this Christmas-time on the bus as the kids drop mecha on each-other.

If you are looking for a new, interesting take on card games then TF: Frontlines may not be what you are looking for. Pretty much everything I have seen about it just remind me of other more established games that do effectively the same thing; but it’s still a month away and anything could happen.

Titanfall 2 and it’s peripherals should be loading out this fall. Keep an eye out for Frontlines on the iOS and Android app stores!

Geekscape Mobile: Square-Enix Has Just Released Its First Apple Watch Game!

by Derek KraneveldtJuly 28, 2016

Briefly: The next title in Square-Enix’ celebrated Chaos Rings series is finally here!

Except… the game is called Cosmos Rings, and it’s available exclusively for Apple Watch.

Square-Enix notes that the title “features nostalgia-evoking visuals, simple touch screen controls and intuitive gameplay providing a unique experience to the Apple Watch. The time travel system in the game utilizes the device’s Digital Crown and messaging feature that operates according to the number of daily steps taken. The title also features automatic battles supplemented by the Active Chain Skill (A.C.S.) system, allowing players to unleash powerful skill combinations.”

I know that fans of the mobile-only series have been clamouring for a new Chaos Rings game for some time now, and I don’t think that many would have expected this.

Square-Enix mobile titles are typically priced as premium products, and Cosmos Rings is no different. The game is on sale for $5.99 for the first 30 days of availability, and it’ll then jump up to its regular $8.99 price. This makes it one of the priciest Apple Watch games that I’ve seen thus far.

You can take a look at the game’s trailer below, and be sure to let us know if you’ve been a fan of the series thus far. You can give Cosmos Rings a download right here.

Upcoming ‘Animal Crossing’ & ‘Fire Emblem’ Mobile Games To Be Free To Play.

by The_aczMay 11, 2016

A couple of weeks go we reported that Nintendo had announced that Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem would be making their way to mobile devices this fall.

When originally announced last year, Nintendo said that the only Free to Play mobile game would be Miitomo and that the rest would be fully priced apps. Well, it seems like they changed their minds. During an interview with The Wall Street Journal, DeNA executive Isao Moriyasu confirmed that the 2 upcoming mobile titles would be free. The change isn’t completely unjustified, as Miitomo was able to reach the 10 million download mark within a little less than 2 months of being out. The app was also estimated as raking in about $280,000 per week. Are you looking forward to these apps now that they’re free, or do you think the in app purchases could ruin the experience for you now? Tell us in the comments below!

Geekscape Games: 6 Ways Nintendo Can Improve ‘Miitomo’

by The_aczApril 8, 2016

Miitomo released about a month ago, and it’s become a huge success. Reaching over a million downloads in just 3 days during their japan only launch, and then reaching 3 million downloads during its U.S Launch just goes to show how many people Nintendo’s little mobile game that could is reaching, but while all of us do enjoy it, there are things that could better or added to make the game even more fun. That’s what I’m here to ramble on about. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the top 6 things that Miitomo can do to improve itself!

#1: Ability to Like Comments

Now I know this one sounds weird, but hear me out. We all love striking up a conversation with friends and sharing photos, but there ends up being a time when a friend will post a reply or picture that you really enjoy, and would like to show others, and being able to like comments would help me keep track of some of those favorite comments. I know you can favorite entire conversations, but sometimes a full conversation can be a bit boring with only some specific parts that stand out.

#2: Expand on Contests

Since Miitomo launched in japan, we’ve seen the introduction of Miifoto contests, a way for Japanese users to get really creative with their Miifotos. We have yet for this to happen in America. Now I’m not just suggesting that they add photo contest, but instead expand on it. How about being able to win a 5 game tickets for 3^rd place, 5 game tickets and 1,000 coins for 2^nd, and 10 game tickets and 3,000 coins for 1^st. You could also throw in special promotional stamps to encourage people to at least enter. Not only would this motivate people to start experimenting even more with Miifoto. Having that much money would allow you to buy some excess clothes for the month as well as well as the #3 item on this list.

#3: Decorating Your Mii’s House

Oh yeah. I bet you could see this one coming from a mile away. Since this game is so similar to the 2014 3DS game Tomodachi Life, many people (including myself) have been asking Nintendo to add the option to be able to buy new themes and decorations for your room. When you first start up the game, you’re given a randomly selected room, but the problem with this is that unlike a lot of other things in the game, this feels the least personal. This is a big problem since everything else is so customizable. So why not personalize one of the most personal things? Open up a furniture shop where you can buy misc. stuff like beanbag chairs, TV’s, Nintendo related items, wallpaper, etc. The possibilities are endless!

#4 & 5: The Compatibility Tester & Rankings Come Back

Yet another feature that can return from Tomodachi Life is the ability to use a compatibility tester to measure the love between 2 Miis of your choice and a rankings chart to see where you measure up with your friends. I know it seems a bit strange and maybe a bit unnecessary to add these, but a little always goes a long way. Just the thought of having a rankings chart for how many times you’ve changed costume or perhaps most candies used would be a small, but fun feature to see. Even most questions answered would be cool to see. Say, that reminds me.

#6: More Questions

The 6^th and final wish is a simple one. There’s no doubt about it that asking you and your friends questions is the main meat of Miitomo, but if you’re addicted to it just as much as all of us here at Geekscape are, chances are that you’ve already burnt through a lot of the questions and are starting to see repeats by your friends. There were times when no joke, my Mii asked us the same question about what I had just done twice in a row. I’d love to see Nintendo add more seasonal questions. Questions like: “What is your favorite Summer blockbuster this year” for summer, or even: “What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving?” during Fall.

There’s still tons of untapped potential for this game, and I’m sure everyone wants to see it succeed and go on to live a healthy mobile life where it’s still relevant and fun to play by next year. If Nintendo really listens to fan feedback and implement new features such as these down the line, I have no doubt that the game can remain just as fun and relevant in the future as it is now. What features do you think they should add? Comment below, and have a great day!

Check Out The Surprise Announcement Trailer For ‘Pokemon Co-master’

by The_aczMarch 10, 2016

Well this was a bit un-expected.

Late last night, we got a trailer for a brand new Pokemon game heading to IOS and Android this spring. . . . . for Japan only. The game is called Pokemon Co-master, and looks to be some sort of board game with collectible miniatures. No date on if this will come to the west, but it’s safe to assume that it’ll be arriving some time after the Japanese release. It also looks as if the game will also be taking advantage of amiibo esque figures.

Check out the photo of the figurine and the announce trailer below! Are you excited for Pokemon Co-master?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFNP3uG0_Jc

‘Club Nintendo’ Successor ‘My Nintendo’ Launches Worldwide In March!

by The_aczFebruary 2, 2016

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?

‘Pokemon’ Gets A Live Action Commercial During The Super Bowl… But What Is It For!?

by Josh JacksonJanuary 18, 2016

If you’re into Pokemon as much as we are here at Geekscape, then you surely have kept up with the Pokemon 20th anniversary announcements made last week, which included a year’s worth of Mythical Pokemon, an exclusive New 3DS which includes Pokemon Red, Blue and two sets of cover plates that feature the original games’ cover art, and the Western release of Pokken Tournament. But the most surprising, (and most mysterious,) announcement was that the popular game series will get its own Super Bowl spot!

Don’t believe me? Here’s the quote from the press release.

To kick-start the celebration, The Pokémon Company International announced today that it will air a new ad during Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, February 7, which will encourage fans to Train On. In that spirit, fans are encouraged to share their favorite Pokémon memories on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube using the hashtag #Pokemon20.

With that said, what could the announcement be!? Here are some of our ideas leading up to the big game.

A celebration of 20 years of Pokemon.

I would think this possibility would come up in the hopes that the additional exposure aimed at adults who might have thought Pokemon was a fad that died in the 90’s would trigger some extra interest with a dash of nostalgia. My tempered expectations make me think this option is the most likely, since the tone of the press release makes the ad sound like a celebration of the entire series that encourages us to “Train On,” (I wonder how much we’ll hear that phrase this year?) But then again, why spend so much money on a live action commercial for the notoriously expensive Super Bowl? That might be reserved for a new announcement. Such as…

A Pokemon Z Reveal!

It’s coming. It’s inevitable. And I want it now. It’s safe to say that after taking 2015 off, Pokemon Z is pretty much a sure thing for this year. Considering the anime is already introducing new forms and characters that have yet to appear in any of the games and that the third cover Pokemon has already been established with Zygarde, is there any doubt at this point? And that’s aside from the fact that the actual name of the show has shifted to Pokemon X, Y & Z! Still, game announcements like this are more likely reserved for E3. How about something that’s already announced, but that we know little about? Something like…

A release date for Pokemon Go!

Yes! As the possibility that I’m most hoping for, Pokemon Go has set the Pokemon fandom on fire since it was revealed in September. Then… Nothing! We haven’t heard a detail, hint or peep about the mobile game since. When you think about it though… That commercial was live action. Almost everyone has a phone, regardless of whether or not they still play Pokemon, (or if they ever did.) Announcing a release date during the freakin’ SUPER BOWL would be the top story of every gaming site immediately! This HAS to be the announcement, right? With a 2016 release already promised, hopefully we’ll find out when we’ll be blindly walking into traffic looking for Pokemon through our phones.

What do you think the big commercial will detail? Are there any possibilities we missed? Share your ideas, along with your Pokemon memories in the comments below, and keep your eyes peeled during the big game to see what Pokemon has in store for us on February 7th.

Say Hello To ‘Miitomo’ Nintendo’s First Mobile Game

by The_aczOctober 28, 2015

Nintendo just concluded their recent Shareholders meeting, and among the many announcements was the reveal for their first ever mobile game.

Miitomo will release March 2016 and seems to be a cross between Streetpass Mii Plaza and the surprise 2014 3DS game Tomodachi Life. President Tatsumi Kimishima explained to the investors how the game will work.

Looks like Miis go ahead and communicate with other Miis without your knowledge. This will help people who are hesitant to talk about themselves to communicate with others, and reveal a side of your friends you never knew

In the new “Miitomo” game, users will design their own avatars, or “Miis,” to communicate with other users. Executive Shinya Takahashi says that Nintendo will find ways to encourage people who are hesitant to talk to share things about themselves.

Check out an image from the game below! Are you excited for Miitomo?

Nintendo & DeNA Announcing First Mobile Game Soon

by The_aczAugust 11, 2015

Exciting news for Nintendo fans. According to twitter user @serkantoto, Japanese mobile company DeNA have revealed that in their Q1 report that they are currently in plans to finally reveal their first joint project with the Kyoto based company. This was announced and reported on back in March, but now it seems like we could be seeing an official reveal soon. Are you excited for this partnership?

We Slay Monsters And Stomp Goombas In ‘Puzzle And Dragons Z/Super Mario Edition’

by Josh JacksonMay 18, 2015

Nintendo had a large presence at this year’s Wondercon, with numerous games on display. Some of which had yet to be released, offering gamers their first chance to try out these upcoming titles. One such game was Puzzle and Dragons, the mobile game turned 3DS crossover, featuring both an original game mode, and a Super Mario Bros. themed campaign that trades mystical monsters for Goombas and Koopa Troopas. We tried out both modes to get the scoop on whether or not the Big N’s latest collaboration is worth checking out, and so far, we see reason to be excited.

Starting off by jumping into what I’m familiar with, the Super Mario Bros. mode was fairly straightforward. In both versions, the player must create a party that consists of different elements, then tackle dungeons while trying to line up matching colored gems to trigger attacks. If you have a teammate who’s color matches the gems, then they fire off an attack. Fail to finish off your opponent, and they get a chance to drain your ally’s HP. The key to success was to trigger combos, that caused falling gems to line up after your move, helping multiply your damage while allowing multiple party members to attack at once! It was a sight to see classic Mario enemies get taken down with a swarm of magic, but I rarely felt like I was in control. I couldn’t see what gems were above my stack, so these combos often felt completely random, taking away from any skill involved.

Surprisingly, the Mario mode felt pretty plain. With the demo consisting of nothing but selecting a level, (based on classic Mario stages,) beating the enemies and eventually winning, it felt like nothing more than a bonus mode. The standard mode however, felt much more fleshed out. Treated as a full RPG, complete with towns to explore, NPC’s to bother, and dungeons to crawl through, I felt myself wanting to discover more about this world. Replacing the familiar Mushroom Kingdom enemies with more mythical based creatures breathed new life into the exploration aspect, leaving me with a need to get deeper into the story, and witness how this puzzle turned RPG experience would turn out.

But alas, it wasn’t to be. It was a demo, after all! Needless to say, while I wish I felt like I had more control over the outcome of my battles, I’m excited about what the final product will offer. Thinking about picking up Puzzle and Dragons Z/Super Mario Edition on May 22nd? Let us know in the comments!

Nintendo Announces Partnership With DeNa, Mobile Games Coming!

by Derek KraneveldtMarch 17, 2015

Briefly: I never thought I’d see the day.

Nintendo today announced a partnership with DeNa Co. that will bring Nintendo’s franchises to mobile platforms, and also potentially bring Nintendo’s online services into this decade.

According to the release, “both companies will develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo’s IP, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices. The alliance is intended to complement Nintendo’s dedicated video game systems business and extend Nintendo’s reach into the vast market of smart device users worldwide. Under the alliance, DeNA will also be able to strengthen its gaming business at a global scale by leveraging Nintendo’s IP. To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimized for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.”

Insane. INSANE. And great to see that both companies will be focussing only on new experiences rather than porting over (and selling us) the same ol’ Nintendo titles that we’ve been buying for years and years. It’ll be very interesting to see just how different these games end up, since if, for instance, you’ve tried to play a platformer on your phone, it typically doesn’t go very well.

The release continues, and arguably gets even more interesting, stating that “Nintendo and DeNA also plan to develop an online membership service that is accessible from smart devices, PC and Nintendo systems, such as the Nintendo 3DS portable system and the Wii U home console. The membership service, which is targeted to launch in the fall of 2015, will be built on DeNA’s extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services.”

Could this be the much asked for and long awaited account services that we’ve been asking for for years? You know, the type that other consoles have had since the last generation? We can only hope! I can barely imagine being able to log into my Nintendo account and redownload titles purchases on another unit… which is really sad as it’s 2015.

What do you think of the announcement? Are you looking forward to playing Nintendo titles on your iPhone? Or will you be sticking with your 3DS? Sound out below!

NYCC 2014: ‘Marvel Contest of Champions’ Hits Tablets and Phones This December, Watch The Trailer!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 9, 2014

Briefly: Somehow the announcement of Marvel Contest of Champions completely eluded me. The game just received this gorgeous new cinematic trailer at New York Comic Con (Eric and Jonathan are running around the floor, so be sure to say hello), and it’s even already soft launched in some countries (sadly, Canada is not one of them).

In the trailer, “The Collector has captured the mightiest superheroes and villains to compete in the Contest of Champions. Watch as Hulk and Wolverine battle it out in the Savage Lands, Gamora take on Ronan in the Kyln, and Deadpool brawl Punisher in the Avengers Tower. Super villains Kang the Conqueror and Thanos ominously wait in their corners to wage their own epic battles to destroy the Marvel universe.”

The game “is an immersive, high-action, high-fidelity super hero combat game for mobile devices. Players fight their way through iconic locations from the Marvel Universe and collect their favorite Marvel super heroes and villains such as Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor to build their ultimate team of champions. The storyline and character bios were penned by fan-favorite Marvel comic book writer Sam Humphries.”

Sam was totally on Geekscape all the way back in January 2013, and we love him, so we’ll be checking out Marvel Contest of Champions as soon as it hits our homeland. Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think!

Geekscape Mobile: 2K Games Welcomes iOS Devices To Rapture With ‘Bioshock’

by MoreLikeAndyAugust 4, 2014

Just announced today, 2K Games are bringing Bioshock to iOS devices sometime this year. Even with the game being scaled down for mobile devices, you will still need to have a fairly recent iOS device in order to experience Rapture again. There is also support for third-party controllers via bluetooth if using virtual analog sticks are not your thing.

The team behind this port is also the same team that brought us XCom: Enemy Unknown for iOS devices. Even though 2K China did an excellent job with the XCom port, I can’t see Bioshock doing as well in terms of sales. Touch controls are fine with turn-based strategy games but are rarely adequate for first-person shooters. Although you can use a bluetooth controller, it is less than ideal to carry a extra device with your phone or tablet just to play one game.

Source: Polygon.com

All Hail The Glorious Leader! Kim Jong-Un Gets His Own Video Game!

by Shane O'HareMay 15, 2014

Our glorious leader, son of Demi-God Kim Jon-Il, is finally being immortalized in a video game! It accurately shows the true exploits of our leader in battle, from riding on the legendary flaming unicorn, to taking on the entire capitalist army on his own.

The true great allies in the West, Money Horse Games, have released THIS statement on the game.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea commands you to know that the capitalistic pigs at Moneyhorse LLC, are developing Glorious Leader! , an epic tale about the triumph of Kim Jong Un over the entire American army. Battle through 7 unique levels as you defeat waves of imperialists, combat over-the-top bosses, and ride unicorns!

Glorious Leader! is coming soon to PC and something called a mobile device. Finally, you will know why North Korea truly is the best Korea.

No release date has been announced, but we know our savior and glorious leader, will come precisely when he is needed.

‘Tony Hawk’s Shred Session’ Is An Endless Runner… Watch The First Footage

by Derek KraneveldtMay 1, 2014

Briefly: Endless Runners are fun, and they’re often very addicting (you don’t want to know how many hours I put into Tiny Wings). The just-revealed Tony Hawk’s Shred Session even looks like a good one, and should add some unique mechanics that the genre hasn’t seen before.

There’s just one problem.

The world has millions of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater fans… and they haven’t had a good THPS experience in over 10 years. Release a fantastic Tony Hawk game on current-gen consoles, and you’ve likely got a system seller right there.

Instead, we have Tony Hawk’s Shred Session. Take a look at the video preview of the game below. Tony Hawk’s Shred Session will launch worldwide this Summer. Again, it looks like fun, but I don’t think that this game is what a single fan would ask for.

Geekscape Mobile: ‘Batman: Arkham Origins’ Now Available On iOS!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 17, 2013

Briefly: Earlier this week we showed you the first trailer for NetherRealm Studios’ mobile edition of Batman: Arkham Origins.

The studio, which recently released the phenomenal Injustice: Gods Among Us, and also developed the 2011 iOS title Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, Origins looks like a great evolution of their previous mobile Batman title.

You’ll play as Batman as he fights his way through Gotham City’s most dangerous locales and encounters a number of DC Comics’ most deadly assassins. As you progress, you’ll be able to upgrade your character’s skills and fighting tactics, but you’ll also be able to unlock a number of unique Batsuits by earning in-game currency and rewards, and fans that also own a console version of the game will be able to access exclusive bonus content that is not available elsewhere.

Batman: Arkham Origins is available now for iOS, while the Android version is expected later this holiday season. Head here to download the title, and be sure to let us know if you enjoy it! The console version of Batman: Arkham Origins releases on October 25th.

Geekscape Mobile: ‘Batman: Arkham Origins’ Headed To iOS and Android!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 13, 2013

Briefly: It seems as though a version of Batman: Arkham Origins is headed to nearly every game-playing device on the planet. Warner Bros. has announced that a mobile edition of Batman: Arkham Origins will be coming to iOS and Android devices this holiday season.

Developed by NetherRealm Studios, who recently released the phenomenal Injustice: Gods Among Us, and also developed the 2011 iOS title Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, Origins looks like a great evolution of their previous mobile Batman title.

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown was a fantastic mobile experience, and a great on-the-go companion to Arkham City. The game felt a lot like Infinity Blade (which isn’t a bad thing), but definitely had a certain charm that’s present with all NetherRealm titles. If you haven’t played it already, I’d definitely recommend giving Arkham City Lockdown a download, as it’ll give you a great idea of what the Arkham Origins mobile game will feel like.

Watch the first trailer for the mobile version of Batman: Arkham Origins below, and let us know what you think!

Geekscape Mobile: ‘Final Fantasy VI’ Hitting iOS and Android This Winter!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 10, 2013

Briefly: Just yesterday it was revealed that Square-Enix is bringing the first eight titles in the Dragon Quest series to mobile, and now they’ve announced the next Final Fantasy port.

Final Fantasy VI (originally released in North America as Final Fantasy III because apparently we didn’t deserve all of the titles back in the day) will launch on iOS and Android devices this Winter.

Like the recently released Final Fantasy V, the mobile launch of VI will still feature the classic 2D sprites, albeit a “sharpened” version to better fit the high-res screens and powerful chipsets of today’s devices. As in the previous titles, controls will be reworked for touchscreens, and they’ll feel great.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of the reveal is what the future may bring for mobile Final Fantasy titles. When Kotaku asked what the future holds, producer Takashi Tokita stated that “We are aware that we have tons of VII fans. We have VII fans in our own company. If this Legacy project works out well, we would like to one day be able to work with VII.”

Could we one day be playing Final Fantasy VII on our smartphones?

Have you been keeping up with the mobile Final Fantasy rereleases? Which has been your favourite so far? Sound out below (mine is probably the DS port of Final Fantasy III, now THAT was a remake)!

Source: Kotaku

‘Pacific Rim: The Video Game’ Gets A New Trailer!

by Derek KraneveldtJuly 7, 2013

Briefly: Back in June, the first trailer for a Pacific Rim mobile game debuted online. Today, Jukes Interactive released a teaser for an Xbox 360 version. I had no idea that Pacific Rim: The Video Game was anything but a mobile title, but apparently the game is set to hit both PS3 and Xbox 360 on July 12th!

Like most licensed games, Pacific Rim: The Video Game isn’t looking so hot at this point. I hope that the title has a lot of personality, because the graphics are terrible.

Take a look at the teaser below, and let us know if you’ll be picking it up!

A Flood Of New E3 2013 Trailers Released Today

by MoreLikeAndyJune 7, 2013

Seems like publishers can’t wait until E3 to show us all the wonderful trailers we will see on stage during the press conferences. A deluge of trailers were released today by multiple publishers in hopes to get everyone hype for what’s to come in the next three days. Hopefully we don’t have to see these trailers at the conference and instead, we get something a little different shown. Otherwise, it would seem to be a waste of time that could have gone to showing more of the game.

Thief

At first glance, this could be perceived as a promo for next season of the CW’s Arrow. Stealth games are a hit or miss with me. The ones that can mix great combat with stealth mechanics that don’t punish the player for being detected with insta-fail are few and far between. I really hope this next installment in the Thief series is one of those games.

Deus Ex: The Fall

I am one of the voices out in the world that dislike touch controls when it comes to tablet and mobile games. The lack of fidelity you get with these types of controls hampers the experience of said game. Deus Ex: The Fall looks great for a mobile game and a lot of detail to the story should be there since Deus Ex: The Fall is taking place right after the novel, Deus Ex: The Icarus Effect. I would like to see this on handheld devices such as the Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita.

Daylight

I play very few horror games. Not because I think they’re terrible, it’s more for the reason that I am a big baby and would have nightmares on an extreme level. Zombie Studios’ Daylight looks like something I would love to try but I would need someone in the room with me, with all the lights on. Possibly drunk as well.

LocoCycle

I love Twisted Pixel’s humor that is in every game they develop. LocoCycle doesn’t seem to stray from that path. Something about this trailer has me thinking this is going to be one of those launch games that is made for the Kinect. It just has that vibe during the in-game footage in the trailer.

Dark

Stealth-action RPG game where you play as a vampire? I’m in! Love the cell-shaded art and the music for the trailer fits rather well. I can’t wait to hear more about this title from Kalypso.

With all these trailers plus the ones from yesterday, how much do they have left to show us?

Geekscape Mobile: ‘Pacific Rim’ Game Gets A Teaser Trailer

by Derek KraneveldtJune 6, 2013

Months after leaked images hit the internet, the first trailer for the upcoming Pacific Rim mobile game has made its way online. It’s a very quick look at the game, but coming from the same folks who did the Real Steel brawler, the final release should fare pretty well.

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think! Pacific Rim hits theatres on July 12th, and I’d assume that the game will release near there too.

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes – a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) – who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

‘Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’ Headed To iOS And Android!

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 26, 2012

Around this time last year, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar was kind enough to port the game over to iOS and Android devices.

Vice City is approaching that same mark, and today Rockstar announced that the 80’s edition of GTA will be getting the same treatment. The release date for this new version has not been set, but as Vice City’s 10th anniversary falls in just three days, it’s likely coming pretty quick.

I was quite impressed with how well GTA III transitioned to a touch screen device (I played the game on iPhone and iPad, so I can’t speak for Android performance). It wasn’t perfect though, and I definitely hope that Vice City improves on some of the technical aspects of GTA III: the game didn’t have iCloud support which was a huge oversight, and also was never updated for the 3rd Generation iPad’s Retina Display. Rockstar did a great job otherwise, and I’m definitely looking forward to picking up another one of their mobile titles.

To make things even sweeter, as part of the anniversary celebration, Rockstar is offering GTA III and GTA: Chinatown Wars for just $.99

Geekscape Games Review: ‘Avengers Initiative’

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 7, 2012

On Wednesday we gave you a look at Marvels latest mobile title, Avengers Initiative. The game released yesterday, and after putting a few hours into it and clearing the first campaign, I’ve got a pretty strong opinion on the title.

Note: Avengers Initiative is available for iOS as well as Android devices. The review is based on the iOS versions of the game, though the Android edition should offer a similar experience.

I was hooked on Avengers Initiative from the start. After a short loading screen, Nick Fury brings you up to speed with a very flashy and very sharp looking cutscene. The story is simple: a lot of baddies have escaped from the Vault, and it’s up to you to find them, fight them, and send them back where they belong.

We mentioned on Wednesday that the game takes an episodic approach (as explained in the story, simply too many villains have escaped for the team to stick together, each episode will have you playing a different hero). You buy the game for $6.99, you’ll get to play the first chapter featuring the Hulk, and subsequent episodes will be delivered free of charge. Telltale Games typically takes the same approach, and it works wonders for them (insert obligatory The Walking Dead praise here), Marvel has to be hoping for that same success.

As you can see from our screenshots, the game looks great (especially on Apple’s retina devices). Hulk is extremely detailed, complete with a lot of polygons and some great textures. He even shows off some strong facial animations throughout the episode. This carries to other characters as well – each one looks fantastic. Sometimes it’s really hard to believe that visuals like this are being pushed from your cell phone. It sounds almost as good as it looks too, Avengers Initiative features some very strong voice acting and sound effects.

The game may look fresh, but gameplay wise, it feels more like a skin on a two year old title. Infinity Blade was released to much fanfare in 2010. The game was designed from the ground up for touchscreen devices: no virtual joysticks or buttons, just taps and swipes to control your onscreen hero. Combat has you doing the same, tapping and swiping to dodge and block your opponents advances, while you wait for an opening to strike.

Now isn’t all bad: Infinity Blade and its sequel are fantastic, addicting titles. The developer could have done much worse when choosing a game to take inspiration from. Sadly however, some of Infinity Blade’s strongest and most addicting features are strangely absent from Avengers Initiative.

Your Infinity Blade hero is infinitely customizable. Every piece of armor, every weapon, and there is even jewelry to give you magic abilities and stat bonuses. You find items in chests, by defeating creatures, and with credit you’ve saved from battling multitudes of enemies. It makes the game exponentially more replayable as you strive to master all of the possible equipment. Avengers Initiative sees very little of this: Hulk has a few costumes you can purchase which give you stat bonuses, but the quantity and level of customizability is nothing compared to that of Infinity Blade. I’ve finished the Avengers Initiative campaign, and I honestly can’t see myself returning until another chapter is released.

Another huge oversight by developer Wideload Games is iCloud support. With games like Infinity Blade and Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, I can jump into the game on whatever device I’m currently holding and not have to worry about it: if I play Infinity Blade on my phone while on the bus, I can open it on my iPad later and be in the exact same spot. By not including this, I’d have to run separate campaigns on each device, essentially meaning I’m going to end up playing Avengers Initiative on only one of them

Avengers Initiative is a lot of fun, and the title has some great presentation (though loading screens are sometimes a bit too frequent). The gameplay that Epic Games introduced with Infinity Blade works perfectly here, I simply wish that Wideload could have introduced some of their own innovations to the formula. Hopefully with the episodic nature of the title, they will build on what the game has to offer instead of simply throwing a new character into the same situations.

As mentioned above, the title is priced well at $6.99 (though it is plagued with a ton of in-app purchases). It’s a good buy at this level, had it been priced higher however, I wouldn’t be so sure.

Avengers Initiative scores a respectable 3/5

Everybody’s Gaming For The Weekend Of August 10th, 2012!

by MoreLikeAndyAugust 10, 2012

With crippling back pain these past couple of days, I won’t be moving much, if at all, this weekend. At least my timing is good since this week there are a plethora of games to play on portable and non-portable devices alike.

Super Stardust HD Bundle – PSN

An oldie but goodie, the wonderful folks at Housemarque decide for the 5th anniversary of releasing the first Playstation Network game to offer trophies, they would put Super Stardust HD in a bundle for $7.99. Getting the game as well as all three DLC items released for it is a great deal for a fantastic twin-stick shooter that is as close to any game could possibly come to the beloved Geometry Wars series on XBLA. If you are one of the few that haven’t bought this in the five years it’s been out, now’s the time to jump on this deal for Super Stardust HD.

Sound Shapes – PSN, PS Vita

Buying once, playing everywhere in the confines of the Playstation ecosystem, is something that I want to happen more. Even if your game is not that good, I would buy it just to have the option of either using my PS3 while at my desk, or my PS Vita while out getting groceries to finally eat something other than ramen noodles. Side-scrolling platformer with a huge focus on the musical aspect of each level. Traversing the levels collecting dots that increase the number of tones playing in the background of the level is the main focus of Sound Shapes as well as user created levels. This musical Little Big Planet-esque gem is a must for PS Vita and PS3 owners alike.

Gasketball – iOS

Tell me this doesn’t reek of late night infomercials:

Even with the 100 pre-made levels, the big appeal here is playing all the user created content. Hopefully, enough people shell out $2.99 for the the complete level-building kit so we have a never-ending flow of crazy Gasketball levels.

Beta for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Starts April 19th, Ghost Recon Network Service Announced

by MoreLikeAndyApril 5, 2012

Finally! After waiting for so, so long, the beta is coming for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. On April 19th, you can get into the beta three different ways:

1. Own a copy of Splinter Cell: Conviction. You can access the beta from the game.

2. Get a beta key for the Xbox 360 version by pre-ordering the Ghost Recon: FS at GameStop.

3. Playstation Plus members will receive a beta key.

No word on when PC gamers will get a crack at the beta yet. Hopefully, we will see some news this month about it. The window for the beta is April 19th to May 2nd. I reached out to Ubisoft for info if there is another way for PS3 gamers to get a beta key other than Playstation Plus. I will update this post when I get a reply.

Ubisoft also announces Ghost Recon Network. Much like how Call of Duty Elite has a website that integrates alongside the mobile apps for stats in the game and changing weapon load outs, Ghost Recon Network will function the same way.

Customize and share in-game weapons on the go
• Use GunSmith mobile to customize weapons down to their inner parts in 3D and sync them to consoles
• Publish weapons to the GunSmith Gallery and browse guns posted by the Ghost Recon Network community

Track player history and friends’ in-game status
• Access personal player performance on Ghost Recon: Future Soldier & upcoming Ghost Recon games and compare stats on leaderboards
• Receive challenges, friend activity reports and community updates via the website or push notifications on smartphones and tablets

Receive exclusive rewards
• Download the free Ghost Recon Network app at launch to unlock additional attachment credits in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
• Earn weapons and weapon skins in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier by playing other Ghost Recon games or interacting with other Ghost Recon experiences

Become a better player
• Study detailed game information and heatmaps to prepare for the next battle
• Build and manage your squad, add recruits and search for competing squads

Players will be able to play around with Ghost Recon Network and the android app during the beta period. Can’t wait to see you all in the beta. Now where did I put my Splinter Cell: Conviction box?