Nintendo Switch Online Newest Addition Comes In The Form Of F-Zero X, Available Now

Although Nintendo was conservative on its announcements for Nintendo Switch Online for nearly two years, the firm cannot stay quiet for its newest tier – Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The new version features Nintendo 64 & Sega Genesis games. Since the announcement, we welcomed titles such Paper Mario in 2021. However, 2022 has been busy for active subscribers as well. Additional entries includes Banjo-Kazooie, and the most recent addition being The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Not to mention the handful of Sega Genesis titles: Altered Beast, Dynamite Headdy, Sword of Vermilion, Thunder Force II, and ToeJam & Earl. This week, Nintendo announced Friday will welcome yet another fan-favorite to the service. In that, F-Zero X is coming to the Nintendo 64 virtual library. You can watch the announcement trailer in the video below: “Compete with racers from every corner of the galaxy when the Nintendo 64 game F-Zero X double-tap dives onto Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online library,” the description from the press release reads. “Pull up to the starting line in 30 customizable machines for a futuristic blast from the past. Feeling competitive? You can challenge up to three friends in VS Battle, locally or online, at speeds so fast even Captain Falcon will be put through the paces.” Noted, the regular tier for Nintendo Switch Online also welcomed a classic SNES game to its virtual library. Earthbound was added to the respected virtual library. Not only that but Earthbound Beginnings also made its addition as well to the library. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for F-Zero X on Nintendo Switch Online? Source: Nintendo

Elden Ring Sales Performance Shatters Expectations As The Game Is Now Rated Top-Selling For 2022

Although Souls games developed by FromSoftware is not everyone’s cup of tea thanks to the difficulty gap to play said titles, the industry does appreciate each release that comes from the Japanese developer when periodically administered. With Elden Ring, an unprecedented amount of excitement grew for the game ahead of its release and even with a delay to February, that anticipation continued to swell. But now with the game out, how is it performing? Well, it is most likely the best-selling release so far for 2022. From Gamesindustry.biz head Chris Dring, he reported that Elden Ring shattered records in the United Kingdom besting the performance of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, and even toppling purchase records disregarding Call of Duty/FIFA since the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018. “t sold 2.5x the amount of copies of last week’s hit Horizon: Forbidden West. Just under 70% of all copies sold were downloaded. Over 84% of Xbox sales were digital. PlayStation sales were just over 50% digital.” Adding, “Overall, PS5/PS4 accounted for 41% of sales, PC accounted for 30% and Xbox accounted for 29%.” Namely, Elden Ring stands to set a new milestone set by Bungie’s Destiny since its release in 2014: best-selling IP to ship in the U.K., Dring shares in a separate tweet. Additionally, NPD Group analyst Mat Piscatella goes on to report that Elden Ring is single-handedly the most sold game so far for 2022. “Elden Ring debuted as both the best-selling game of February 2022 as well as 2022 YTD. Launch month sales of Elden Ring were the 2nd highest for any tracked title released in the past 12 months, trailing only Call of Duty: Vanguard, released in Nov 2021,” he wrote in the thread. “After 1 month in market, Elden Ring ranked as the 5th best-selling game of the 12 month period ending February 2022. Elden Ring ranked 1st on Steam and Xbox platforms in February, while placing 2nd on PlayStation.” Although Elden Ring is the overall better selling game, it stands at #2 on PlayStation against Horizon Forbidden West which is unique to the platform. In our review for the game, critic Michael Merchant summarizes his review-in-progress stating, “Elden Ring has quickly become one of my favorite games of all time!. […] I am not exaggerating that fact. It has all the best elements of my favorite games in one package.” You can read the full piece by heading here. Are you surprised by the performance of Elden Ring’s release? Elden Ring is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Dead Space Remake Receives Early 2023 Release Window In New Livestream Announcement

While publishers like Capcom and Square Enix are reliving its most popular releases by remaking legacy titles like Resident Evil 2 & Final Fantasy VII respectively, it is not the only firm with the same passion. Last summer it was revealed that Electronic Arts has a similar plan for Visceral Games’ Dead Space IP as Star Wars Squadrons team EA Motive helms the endeavor. Following its reveal, publisher CEO Andrew Wilson in a financial report told that anticipation were overwhelming from fans so much that the initial announcement even overshadowed the upcoming Skate 4 title as well. Additionally, EA Motive later held a livestream for Dead Space unveiling the new anatomy system for enemies stripping skin and muscles all the way to the bone. On Friday, EA Motive held another livestream showcasing its progress for Dead Space Remake – this time featuring the implementations for audio and the impact it brings in contrast to the original Dead Space game. You can watch the livestream in the video below: “Hear about the studio’s philosophy for taking Dead Space’s award-winning audio design to the next level by bringing the game to today’s generation of platforms and the new Frostbite™ engine – while still remaining faithful to the iconic atmosphere, mood, and sounds you know and love,” the team writes for a synapse of the livestream. Closing the online presentation unveiled some exciting news for awaiting fans: Dead Space Remake is slated to arrive in 2023 officially. Although an approximate release date was not given then, the game is told to be coming in the early segment of next year. So anticipate spring to be the latest stretch for Dead Space Remake to hit store shelves. Are you excited for Dead Space Remake arriving early next year? Dead Space is slated to hit Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC sometime in early 2023. Source: EA Motive

Review in Progress: Elden Ring

Developer – FromSoftware Inc. Publisher – Bandi Namco Platforms – Playstation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Playstation 5, and Microsoft Windows (Reviewed) I love watching fantasy movies such as Hallmark’s Merlin, The Neverending Story, Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Legend just to name a few. Honestly, these movies have shaped the way I feel about certain video games and the wanting of games to evoke similar feelings of my favorite films. This is why I love games like Morrowind, Dragon’s Dogma, Shadows of the Colossus, and course Demon’s Souls. Games that thrust you into a world of mystery and fantasy and oftentimes let you shape your adventure. It’s common to miss things in these worlds and that is okay because when you pick it up again you might experience something you never have before the next time. There is something just magical about that experience and something that Elden Ring captures perfectly. It’s the game I have been waiting for since it was announced. Elden Ring has so many moments of wonder and excitement! I can’t tell you the number of times I stopped dead in my tracks to look around and take in the surroundings and say to myself “Oh my god! What is that?! How do I get there?” As your progress through the game, the environments gain more verticality and unclear paths that can sometimes lead to unexpected but pleasant outcomes. You may think that you will find one thing but instead find a cave that takes you on a detour for an hour. These are welcome surprises that keep me engaged with the game. In modern games, this gameplay loop is a much more directed experience. You will find an NPC, that says here at this place on your map is a cave where you will find X item or Y creature, come back to me when you are finished for my reward. While I don’t necessarily mind this experience, personally it is more rewarding to stumble upon a cave, have no idea what you will face inside, discover what is inside and then continue your journey wherever that may be. This is the majority of the adventure in Elden Ring. You know your primary quest and it is up to you to find everything else along the way. This has been done before in games like Morrowind, but the spacing and pacing of Elden Ring refine the experience for modern gamers. Elden Ring and Accessibility The Souls games have always been peculiar for a deaf player such as myself. On the surface, they should be difficult and frustrating. Every time a skeleton would kick me off a cliff, or the times I’ve been bragged by an off-screen attack that I simply could not hear coming. On the other hand, the Souls titles have been more accessible than most for two reasons. One, is the repetition and memorization. That skeleton may have kicked me off a cliff, but now I know that skeleton is there. The same goes for an off-screen attack, or a floor trap. Most titles in the open world are filled with random elements, and those elements make it very difficult for disabled gamers to wrap their hands around. The second element has always been the co-op aspects. Many times I’ve had a friend drop into my game, or used summon stones right before a boss. These options aren’t typical in difficult third person action games, but I would not have been able to experience these titles with their absence. Elden Ring has both of those elements, which is all the more impressive due to the open world of the Lands Between. The open world, is the new accessibility feature that truly makes this the best game in the series for players such as myself. The open world in Elden Ring, like review writer Michael mentions here, brings such freedom to the challenge. Now, if something is hard, I can merely walk away. I’m always discovering new areas or enemies to face. I’ve never been stuck on a section, and if a boss is difficult, summoning still performs perfectly in the open world. Bravo to From Software for maintaining their vision, as even somebody such as myself benefits greatly from the creative freedom Elden Ring contains. Back to our regular review! From Software has taken all the best parts of their games and combined them to make Elden Ring, while also including new advances in the formula. The combat system is the style of Dark Souls with the movement of Sekiro, with the advancement of adding horse combat. Not only is your horse, Torrent, the primary means of transportation around the world, he is also great for combat. Torrent allows you to make hits and runs on giant dragons or other enemies and you can easily dispatch them from your trusted companion. There were also several instances where I could see loot surrounded by enemies and I was able to ride up with Torrent and quickly steal the item and escape. Also, there are places that you simply just can’t reach without Torrent’s double jumping ability. It’s a fantastic addition to the formula! Another feature that has been added to Elden Ring is the crafting system. As you explore the land you will find many different ingredients that can be used to craft consumables to make your journey that much easier. Now instead of having to rely on limited quantities or spending valuable runes (Formally known as Souls) to be able to enchant your weapon with fire or other elements, you can use your crafting prowess. To expand your repertoire of items that you can craft you will find books that you can purchase from traveling merchants and on corpses. This can come in handy for those adventures that tend to get themselves in sticky situations. As with other Souls games you can, of course, upgrade your weapons and shields with upgrade stones and Elden Ring is no

Xbox Now Allows Game & System Updates in Energy Saver Mode

Microsoft has announced that Xbox consoles now allow system and game updates while the console is in energy saver mode.

Id@Xbox Next Showcase Date and Time Revealed

Xbox has revealed the date and time for its latest Id@Xbox Spring Showcase, and it’s right around the corner. We will be able to get a glimpse at the newest indie titles hitting the platform in only five days on March 16th at 1 PM eastern. The first game from new studio iam8bit will be revealed, along with a number of other trailers, gameplay and updates. This is an Id@Xbox showcase, so don’t expect any major Fable or Gears news to be thrown in. We have routinely gotten a number of great reveals in these showcases before with many surprise hits. You’ll be able to watch on Xbox’s official Twitch page. Be sure to tune in, and we will have the recap if you miss out.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Shows Off Incredible Behind the Scenes Video

There is less than a month to go until the long-awaited LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga releases, and Tt Games has debuted a stunning behind the scenes look at the game. The video showcases a number of new features which explain exactly why the game experienced as many delays as it did. For one, characters will now be getting sun tans. Yes, you read that correctly. Mini-figs walking through the desert will get sun tans and have grains of sand accumulate over their clothes and weapons. We already knew that all nine major films will be the focal point of the game, with each one of those films divided over five (5) levels. Side quests, however, are a new addition to the LEGO franchise. Many players will be familiar with blasting through the levels in story mode, only to take their time in free play afterward to earn all of the unlocks. Now, we’ll be able to do side quests for NPC’s. These will take us to varying locations, meaning we may start on Hoth and have to travel to Tattoine to complete it. There are 23 planets in the game to explore on top of the main story. The base game is the biggest yet with over 300 characters, in addition to newly installed flying vehicles and more. For reference, the current biggest LEGO game character count wise is LEGO Marvel’s Avengers with around 260 including DLC. This means The Skywalker Saga will feature over 20% more characters than its predecessor with the base game alone. Take a look at the video below, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga releases April 5 on all platforms.

PlayStation Users Get New Zombie Shooter Valley of the Dead Malnazidos Today

Valley of the Dead MalnaZidos is a survival shooter set in the late 1930s. During 1938 All Saints’ Eve, a young officer named Jan is sent on a mission that will turn apocalyptic when the gates of hell open in front of him and hordes of the undead threaten to end his life. Help Jan to escape with his life through harrowing scenarios such as forests, abandoned villages and dark dungeons to discover why the world is suddenly plagued by the undead. We’ll need to guide Jan out of levels in whatever way we see fit, but ammo is going to come at a minimum. Valley of the Dead uses cel-shaded animation along with comic book style “BANG!” and “PEW!” captions popping up on screen. It’s available now on PS4.

Side-Scroller The Dark Heart of Balor Releasing Later this Year

The Dark Heart of Balor is the newest side-scrolling hack and slash from Game Artists that will be releasing later this year. It will launch on early access on PC, followed with a release on Xbox, Switch and PlayStation. The Dark Heart of Balor is a dark fantasy hack and slash side scroller, where you play the demon-possessed Hunter. Archdemon Balor has opened the Gate of Hell into the human realm and hordes of demons and monsters have flooded into man’s world-destroying everything in their path. You must protect those who are still alive and ultimately destroy Balor to close the Gate. Your quest will take you across the continent of Eridun into dark crypts, demon-infested wilds, and demonic rifts in the fabric of the world. It will be full of deadly traps, ambushes, and puzzles. The diabolic foes in your way will test your combat skills and newly found arcane powers. You will gain skill points that can be used to upgrade your character’s abilities, such as multiple offensive and defensive skills and magic in order to progress. You have at your disposal an assortment of arms, melee and magical, that you can use in several powerful combinations.