Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[North American Tetris player achieves Grand Master rank]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/28/north-american-tetris-player-achieves-grand-master-rank/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/28/north-american-tetris-player-achieves-grand-master-rank/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/28/north-american-tetris-player-achieves-grand-master-rank/#comments Tetris wizard and Twitch streamer KevinDDR has reached the notoriously difficult-to-achieve Grand Master ranking in Arika's Tetris: The Grand Master 3, becoming the first player in North America to receive the honor. An archive of the event as it happened is available here.

To be considered for the Grand Master Promotional Exam, players must achieve a "GM"-quality rank during the majority of their last several Master mode playthroughs. GM rank demands that players fulfill many difficult requirements and reach the game's maximum drop speed level by clearing several dozen lines in under seven minutes. During the Promotional Exam, a Grand Master in training must complete one final challenge: playing a minute's worth of Tetris atop a credit scroll with pieces that turn invisible when dropped.

Grand Master rank has previously been achieved by only five players in Japan, and KevinDDR is the first Tetris devotee in the United States to join the elite. His skills were showcased during the Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 charity marathon earlier this year.

JoystiqNorth American Tetris player achieves Grand Master rank originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadegrand-mastertetristetris-the-grand-mastertetris-the-grand-master-3Wed, 28 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Expect two new series from Feminist Frequency in 2015]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/expect-two-new-series-from-feminist-frequency-in-2015/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/expect-two-new-series-from-feminist-frequency-in-2015/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/expect-two-new-series-from-feminist-frequency-in-2015/#comments Controversial games critic and YouTube star Anita Sarkeesian has outlined plans to launch two new web series in 2015, while continuing to produce her popular Feminist Frequency videos.

According to the report (.pdf), Sarkeesian's non-profit organization (also named "Feminist Frequency") has plans for two new productions, a "video series examining the representations of men and masculinity in video games" and a "miniseries presenting examples of positive female characters in video games." No further details on either series are mentioned, but the report does state that Sarkeesian and her colleagues will continue their work as vocal advocates for gender equality in virtual culture.

These burgeoning plans follow a successful year for Feminist Frequency in which the group attracted over $400,000 in donations and Sarkessian's efforts were featured in media outlets ranging from Joystiq to the New York Times. She even appeared on one of the final episodes of The Colbert Report to discuss her work and her many, many online detractors.
[Image: Feminist Frequency]

JoystiqExpect two new series from Feminist Frequency in 2015 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anita-sarkeesianfeminismfeminist-frequencyTue, 27 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Never stop not starving in Don't Starve Together]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/joystiq-streams-never-stop-not-starving-in-dont-starve-togethe/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/joystiq-streams-never-stop-not-starving-in-dont-starve-togethe/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/joystiq-streams-never-stop-not-starving-in-dont-starve-togethe/#comments The last time we played Don't Starve Together, everything went super well. We all survived and built happy homes in the woods, raising beefalo and generally keeping everything awesome forever all the time! No turkeys haunted our dreams and the eats were bountiful. Always bountiful.

No wait. That's not what happened. Everything was set on fire. Alexander screamed while Anthony cackled maniacally and Sinan held his face firmly in his palm. It was glory incarnate. Might as well do it again!

Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, we'll be streaming Don't Starve Together. Myriad members of the Joystiq crew will be hanging out, so come on down to talk with us.

Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM, come rain or shine. Feel free to follow us on Twitch to catch when those random other streams fire up in the wee hours.
[Images: Klei]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Never stop not starving in Don't Starve Together originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jan 2015 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dont-starvejoystiq-streamspcTue, 27 Jan 2015 15:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Madden predicts Patriots over Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/madden-predicts-patriots-over-seahawks-in-super-bowl-xlix/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/madden-predicts-patriots-over-seahawks-in-super-bowl-xlix/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/madden-predicts-patriots-over-seahawks-in-super-bowl-xlix/#comments

With Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, it's time again to gaze deep into the crystal ball that is the latest version of EA Sports' Madden NFL to see how the game will shake out. End result? Patriots beat Seahawks, 28 to 24, thanks to four touchdowns from Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady.
[Image: EA Sports]

Continue reading Madden predicts Patriots over Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX

JoystiqMadden predicts Patriots over Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-sportsmadden-nfl-15microsoftplaystationps3ps4superbowlxboxxbox-oneTue, 27 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Awards will return, Keighley confirms]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/the-game-awards-will-return-keighley-confirms/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/the-game-awards-will-return-keighley-confirms/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/the-game-awards-will-return-keighley-confirms/#comments Following a year-end debut that attracted 1.93 million viewers, producer Geoff Keighley has confirmed that The Game Awards will return again in 2015.

"As I announced this morning at PAX, I'm excited to already be working on @thegameawards for 2015," Keighley recently tweeted. "Will share more later this Spring." Keighley makes no mention of when the next show will take place, nor does he mention any changes he might have in mind.

For those unfamiliar, think of The Game Awards as long-time industry journalist and presenter Geoff Keighley's attempt to capture the gravitas and importance of an event like The Academy Awards, but for gaming instead of films. While his previous gig as host of Spike's superficially similar VGX Awards lacked a certain maturity and refinement, we were pleasantly surprised by the "classy" Game Awards.
[Image: The Game Awards]

JoystiqThe Game Awards will return, Keighley confirms originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Geoff-Keighleythe-game-awardsthe-game-awards-2014Mon, 26 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Age: Inquisition gets special recognition from GLAAD]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/dragon-age-inquisition-gets-special-recognition-from-glaad/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/dragon-age-inquisition-gets-special-recognition-from-glaad/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/dragon-age-inquisition-gets-special-recognition-from-glaad/#comments GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has given a special recognition award to Dragon Age: Inquisition. The 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, which has a laundry list of award categories, including comics, singled out the BioWare RPG from the video game pack.

David Gaider, lead writer for the Dragon Age series at BioWare has spoken in the past about the "hump of assumptions" involved in creating and including lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters in video games. Inquisition featured the first "fully gay" characters in the series. Straight and bisexual characters have been a BioWare standard for over a decade.

Bioware parent company, Electronic Arts, has also repeated received a 100 percent rating from the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. The publisher earned the achievement again in 2015.
[Image: C. Felichidá]

JoystiqDragon Age: Inquisition gets special recognition from GLAAD originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-age-3dragon-age-inquisitionglaadglbtmicrosoftpcplaystationps4xbox-oneMon, 26 Jan 2015 12:05:00 EST<![CDATA[For the '90s Arcade Gamer Soul: Gunsport]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/for-the-90s-arcade-gamer-soul-gunsport/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/for-the-90s-arcade-gamer-soul-gunsport/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/for-the-90s-arcade-gamer-soul-gunsport/#comments Wandering the halls of PAX South, a pattern begins to emerge: the 8-bit style resurgence has well and truly ended. While '80s nostalgia still rumbles throughout the booths of small developers, '90s style is what's playing on the screens. For newer players exhausted of blocky pixels in every other cult hit of the past five years, the chunky, dense neon of this 16/32-bit inspired games will be as welcome and vibrant as they were to players 25 years ago. To players of that era, games like Gunsport feel like home.

Continue reading For the '90s Arcade Gamer Soul: Gunsport

JoystiqFor the '90s Arcade Gamer Soul: Gunsport originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gunsportmicrosoftnecrosoft-gamespax-south-2015pcplaystationps4xbox-oneSat, 24 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@PAX South: PAX Plays Pokemon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/seen-pax-south-pax-plays-pokemon/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/seen-pax-south-pax-plays-pokemon/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/seen-pax-south-pax-plays-pokemon/#comments
[You are now watching PAX South Plays Pokemon - Input your commands below]
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Continue reading Seen@PAX South: PAX Plays Pokemon

JoystiqSeen@PAX South: PAX Plays Pokemon originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-southpax-south-2015seen-atseen-at-paxseen-at-pax-southtwitch-plays-pokemonSat, 24 Jan 2015 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[WRUP: Encounter at Farpoint]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/wrup-encounter-at-farpoint/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/wrup-encounter-at-farpoint/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/wrup-encounter-at-farpoint/#comments Internet: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the gameship Joystiq. Its mission: to explore strange new downloads, to seek out new games and new experiences, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

What's everyone playing?

Continue reading WRUP: Encounter at Farpoint

JoystiqWRUP: Encounter at Farpoint originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>what-are-you-playingwrupFri, 23 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Barely Related: Night Vale travels to YouTube, UFO files]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/barely-related-night-vale-travels-to-youtube-ufo-files/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/barely-related-night-vale-travels-to-youtube-ufo-files/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/barely-related-night-vale-travels-to-youtube-ufo-files/#comments Partying is such sweet sorrow.

Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs.

Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.

Continue reading Barely Related: Night Vale travels to YouTube, UFO files

JoystiqBarely Related: Night Vale travels to YouTube, UFO files originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american-sniperbarely-relatedchewcomicsdraco-malfoyharry-potternight-valethe-walking-deadtwin-peaksufowelcome-to-night-valeFri, 23 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to make a game in an hour, no experience required]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/how-to-make-a-game-in-an-hour-no-experience-required/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/how-to-make-a-game-in-an-hour-no-experience-required/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/how-to-make-a-game-in-an-hour-no-experience-required/#comments
For many, game development seems like an unreachable dream. We envision a world where we can come up with an idea, hunch over a laptop, bang out some code and - voila - video game. Tom Francis, creator of Joystiq favorite Gunpoint, is putting together a very handy Game Maker tutorial and, while it won't make things quite as easy as they are in your dreams, you'll have a working prototype in about an hour.

The tutorial is published as a series of videos on YouTube (here's the playlist) and all it requires is a free download of Game Maker, which you may recognize as the engine that powers games like Spelunky, Hotline Miami, Risk of Rain, Gods Will Be Watching, Nidhogg and many, many more. You can download the free version of Game Maker Studio right here.

Even better, the tutorials require no programming or game creation experience whatsoever. If you can follow instructions, you can follow these tutorials. After the first two lessons, clocking in at a total of 50 minutes or so, you'll have a character that moves with the WASD keys and shoots in the direction of your mouse pointer. As noted by Francis himself: If you can shoot, it is officially a video game (also it's pretty easy to program).

Don't take my word for it though. Just check out the trailer for my upcoming indie-developed blockbuster, World of Shoo(ting). If you want to do more than just shoot, of course, you'll have to watch the rest of the tutorial series.

JoystiqHow to make a game in an hour, no experience required originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-makergunpointpctom-francisFri, 23 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to make top down horror like Noct scary? Ditch zombies]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/how-to-make-top-down-horror-like-noct-scary-ditch-zombies/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/how-to-make-top-down-horror-like-noct-scary-ditch-zombies/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/how-to-make-top-down-horror-like-noct-scary-ditch-zombies/#comments Noct, a new survival horror shooter by Chris Eskins, shouldn't be scary. Outwardly simplistic, Noct borrows the top down perspective of Devolver label-mate Hotline Miami as well 360-degree style shooting but ditches the color and detail. Dark, drab, and obscure, the black and white action is filtered through the ambient light of satellite night vision. Your blob of a character so easily killed is glimpsed through snaky sharp brambles and wandering down empty streets and detail-less warehouses. Noct should feel isolating but not scary. It's too distant, both in fidelity and in action. Yet it got me to yell, "Nope!" just like its characters do before they're run down by the blurry outline of a giant arachnid or wandering, ravenous, ill-defined bovine beast.

Continue reading How to make top down horror like Noct scary? Ditch zombies

JoystiqHow to make top down horror like Noct scary? Ditch zombies originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c3skdevolver-digitalmacnoctpax-south-2015pcFri, 23 Jan 2015 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Giveaway: SteelSeries Stratus XL iOS controller times 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/joystiq-giveaway-steelseries-stratus-xl-ios-controller-times-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/joystiq-giveaway-steelseries-stratus-xl-ios-controller-times-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/joystiq-giveaway-steelseries-stratus-xl-ios-controller-times-2/#comments So you're playing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on your iPhone and you're thinking, "Man, it sure would be a lot easier to slice this Dark Jedi directly in their stupid cowled faces if I was using a controller." Than you're playing BioShock on your iPad and you're all, "Stupid Big Daddy wouldn't have drilled a giant hole in my abdomen if I were using a controller." The thought comes again and again while you play Limbo, XCOM, and myriad other games.

Don't worry about it! Joystiq has your back. We're giving away two, that's dos, SteelSeries Stratus XL iOS controllers. These babies work with any iOS device with a Lightning connector and running iOS 7 or higher.

Here's how to get the prizes: Just use the Rafflecopter widget below between January 23 and January 30. Winners will be selected at random and contacted via email (so make double sure you use an email we can actually contact you at!) Full rules and details after the break.
SteelSeries Stratus XL iOS controller times 2
[Images: SteelSeries]

Continue reading Joystiq Giveaway: SteelSeries Stratus XL iOS controller times 2

JoystiqJoystiq Giveaway: SteelSeries Stratus XL iOS controller times 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioshockgiveawayiosipadiphonemobilestar-wars-knights-of-the-old-republicsteelseriesFri, 23 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Real-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/real-life-giant-pac-man-maze-stars-in-super-bowl-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/real-life-giant-pac-man-maze-stars-in-super-bowl-ad/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/real-life-giant-pac-man-maze-stars-in-super-bowl-ad/#comments

Bud Light's Super Bowl XLIX commercial sends a clear message: Drink beer, be chased by ghosts. Or is it "Drink beer, have a lot of strangers touch you?" No, no - it's probably "Drink beer, then run around a ton and don't throw up!" Or just, "Pac-Man is still awesome."

Continue reading Real-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad

JoystiqReal-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pac-mansuper-bowlsuper-bowl-adssuper-bowl-XLIXFri, 23 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pelicans' Holiday is T-Rexing in NBA 2K15 glitch video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/pelicans-holiday-is-t-rexing-in-nba-2k15-glitch-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/pelicans-holiday-is-t-rexing-in-nba-2k15-glitch-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/pelicans-holiday-is-t-rexing-in-nba-2k15-glitch-video/#comments
We're fairly certain that New Orleans Pelicans basketball player Jrue Holiday has perfectly functional arms in real life. As demonstrated by YouTube user wEEman33, it appears that NBA 2K15 disagrees. As seen in the video shared shared above, a recent glitch in the game caused Holiday's arms to seemingly retreat into his body following a server-side update to its MyTeam mode, leaving his hands to jut out from his shoulders like fish fins with opposable thumbs. To make matters worse, the shirtless Holiday was also missing part of his torso and occasionally disappeared, but none of it stopped him from sinking multiple three-point shots.

According to Operation Sports, the special armless "Sapphire" version of Holiday no longer exists, as Visual Concepts issued a patch to squash the bug yesterday. 2K Sports' basketball game is no stranger to horrifying glitches; NBA 2K15's face-scanning feature resulted in numerous monstrosities for created players. The publisher had fun with the issue, offering fans Halloween masks based on the face-scan glitch to print out and wear.
[Image: 2K Sports]

JoystiqPelicans' Holiday is T-Rexing in NBA 2K15 glitch video originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k2K-Sportsarmlessbasketballbugglitchjrue-holidaymicrosoftmy-teammyteamnbanba-2k15new-orleans-pelicansplaystationps3ps4t-rexVisual-Conceptsxboxxbox-oneThu, 22 Jan 2015 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Elders wait for traffic, play Grand Theft Auto 5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/elders-wait-for-traffic-play-grand-theft-auto-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/elders-wait-for-traffic-play-grand-theft-auto-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/elders-wait-for-traffic-play-grand-theft-auto-5/#comments
The Fine Brothers offered another React Gaming video, but unlike the youthful ones in the past, this one features senior citizens taking Grand Theft Auto 5 out for a spin. The charming video shows the elderly folks stealing cars, shooting civilians and above all else, obeying traffic signals. Grand Theft Auto 5's PC version will launch on March 24.

The channel's previous reaction videos included teens playing Mario Kart 64, commenting on the Game Boy as well as just plain sucking at Mega Man. Another video features Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams discussing the absurdness of Nintendo's NES. Now that The Fine Brothers delved into senior players reacting to video games, we don't know if these videos make us feel overly young or old.
[Image: Rockstar Games]

JoystiqElders wait for traffic, play Grand Theft Auto 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elderlygrand-theft-autogrand-theft-auto-5gtagta5microsoftplaystationps4reactreact-gamesreact-gamingreactionreaction-videoRockStarRockstar-GamesSenior-Citizensseniorsthe-fine-brothersxbox-oneThu, 22 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Resident Evil HD bites back plus free PS4/PC copies!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/joystiq-streams-resident-evil-hd-bites-back/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/joystiq-streams-resident-evil-hd-bites-back/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/joystiq-streams-resident-evil-hd-bites-back/#comments A whole lot of superstars in this game here tonight, but I want you all to know one thing: This is Resident Evil in high definition. Whose blood? Chris' blood. I said whose blood? Chris' blood! Y'all know what time it is!

While the impossible dream of a Resident Evil soundtracked entirely by classic Run DMC cuts remains elusive, the HD remaster of Capcom's Gamecube classic is a sweet, sweet reality this week. After 13 years restricted to Nintendo's SD consoles, the hardest, prettiest version of the survival horror game is finally playable on more modern machines. How does it stack up? Do the new controls make it too easy? Is this indeed Chris' blood and will we ever discover the ingredients in a Jill sandwich? Join us and find out.

We're streaming Resident Evil on PC starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch. This will be a New Game+ run so some fresh costumes will be on display as well. Plus: we're giving away a few copies of the game on PC and PS4. Join us!

Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST. It's Wednesday, you say? That's right! We stream all the time at random times so follow us on Twitch to never miss a show.

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Resident Evil HD bites back plus free PS4/PC copies! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Capcomjoystiq-streamsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3ps4resident-evilxboxxbox-oneWed, 21 Jan 2015 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Rash, Zitz, Pimple: Who's ready for new Battletoads?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/rash-zitz-pimple-whos-ready-for-new-battletoads/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/rash-zitz-pimple-whos-ready-for-new-battletoads/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/rash-zitz-pimple-whos-ready-for-new-battletoads/#comments Phil Spencer, ever the scamp, gave old school Rare fans a case of the vapors when he wore a Battletoads t-shirt during Wednesday's Windows 10 press conference. Who cares, right? Lots of people wear Battletoads t-shirts. It's what the kids wear, haute couture around the Orange Julius.

Not really, of course, but old Phil does have a habit of dropping hints at upcoming Xbox games using his wardrobe like when he sported a Crackdown t-shirt on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon back in 2013. A resurrected Rare brawler may well be in the cards if history's anything to go by.

Are you into it? It's been 21 years since the last Battletoads game even came out. Series creators Tim and Chris Stamper, founders of Rare itself, left the studio eight years ago. Then again, who doesn't love it when bipedal amphibians punch rats in the face?


JoystiqRash, Zitz, Pimple: Who's ready for new Battletoads? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BattletoadsmicrosoftpcRarexbox-oneWed, 21 Jan 2015 14:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Discussions: Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and the deliceous typo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/joystiq-discussions-final-fantasy-type-0-hd-and-the-deliceous-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/joystiq-discussions-final-fantasy-type-0-hd-and-the-deliceous-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/21/joystiq-discussions-final-fantasy-type-0-hd-and-the-deliceous-t/#comments Everyone makes mistakes. Chances are that in the process of writing this I've misspelled a word, mucked up my punctuation or grammar, at least once. Language is a tricky beast, make no mistake! The beauty of publishing on the Internet, though, is that typos can be repaired the moment they're spotted. If you print something and send it out into the world, especially on a physical product that stands to sell hundreds of thousands of copies, there's no fixing that sucker. So you'd think Square-Enix's production team would at some point in the proofing process catch a juicy one like "inlcudes" on the cover of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD.

On the one hand, mistakes like these indicate a level of disinterest. "Oh, who cares what the cover says! No one's going to pay attention," say the phantom production managers in the diehard fan's brain.

Than again, it's fun! I personally love a good wacky game package, though. A certain Resident Evil for Nintendo 3DS will never, ever leave my library thanks to its hilarious spine. Sometimes the flubs aren't even typos. Okami on Wii had star Amaterasu on the cover, but it also had an IGN watermark on it. Capcom didn't even use its own art to make that cover!

Do you dig having these oddities in your library? Take the poll, discuss in the comments.

[Images: Square-Enix]

JoystiqJoystiq Discussions: Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and the deliceous typo originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>final-fantasy-agito-xiiifinal-fantasy-type-0joystiq-discussionmicrosoftplaystationps4xbox-oneWed, 21 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Sex, lies, You Don't Know Jack, and free PS4/XB1 games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/joystiq-streams-sex-lies-you-dont-know-jack-and-free-ps4-xb/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/joystiq-streams-sex-lies-you-dont-know-jack-and-free-ps4-xb/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/20/joystiq-streams-sex-lies-you-dont-know-jack-and-free-ps4-xb/#comments

Something happens to people when they play anything made by Jackbox Games. You Don't Know Jack, Fibbage, Lie Swatter; these games bring out a cackling darkness that is both frightening and impossible to resist. Do friendships end because of the vicious yelling at the end of a round of You Don't Know Jack? Certainly, but just as many new alliances and unbreakable bonds are formed thanks to suppository jokes, deceit, and wordplay. If you've ever wanted to see the Joystiq staff destroy each other with language while also winning some free PlayStation 4 and Xbox One games, here's your chance.

Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, we'll be streaming select games from the Jackbox Party Pack. A murder of Joystiq editors will play alongside Jackbox's own Steve Heinrich, one of the creators and head writers on You Don't Know Jack. We'll also be doling out download codes for the Jackbox Party Pack on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we stream other times as well so make sure to follow us on Twitch.
[Images: Jackbox Games]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Sex, lies, You Don't Know Jack, and free PS4/XB1 games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jan 2015 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fibbagejackbox-gamesjackbox-party-packjoystiq-streamsmacmicrosoftpcplaystationps4xbox-oneyou-dont-know-jackyou-dont-know-jack-2015Tue, 20 Jan 2015 15:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch winter come to LittleBigPlanet 3 in Game of Thrones intro]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/watch-winter-come-to-littlebigplanet-3-in-game-of-thrones-intro/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/watch-winter-come-to-littlebigplanet-3-in-game-of-thrones-intro/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/19/watch-winter-come-to-littlebigplanet-3-in-game-of-thrones-intro/#comments

"Adorable" is not an adjective often used when describing HBO's Game of Thrones; nor can it be used in reference to George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Powered by LittleBigPlanet 3, however, the show's theme does have a certain charm, thanks to creator Aaaaalec.

[Thanks, @Jamiecolliver!]

JoystiqWatch winter come to LittleBigPlanet 3 in Game of Thrones intro originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Game-of-ThronesHBOlittlebigplanet-3Media-Moleculeplaystationps4Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Robot Chicken animator uses modded Power Glove for work]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/robot-chicken-animator-uses-modded-power-glove-for-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/robot-chicken-animator-uses-modded-power-glove-for-work/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/robot-chicken-animator-uses-modded-power-glove-for-work/#comments Next time someone tells you that Nintendo's Power Glove accessory was a flop, point them to Dillon Markey, an animator who works on projects like Cartoon Network's Robot Chicken. Markey has been using a modified Power Glove for more than a year now, using it to help him control the devices and software he needs to get the right shot.

But because making the Power Glove feature a Bluetooth keyboard just wasn't enough, Markey's modified version also sports a retractable set of tweezers and a sensor that causes it to speak when given a fist bump. (Unfortunately, the phrase it speaks is unsuitable for print here. But it rhymes with "ducking awesome.")

A short documentary by Ava Benjamin was posted to Vimeo earlier this week, and it shows Markey using and reminiscing about the iconic piece of wearable technology. "I see this and it's like the coolest thing in the world, it's like a cyborg arm," Markey says in the video, which you can watch after the break.

See? The Power Glove wasn't a failure, it was just ahead of its time! Yeah, that's it - 26 years ahead of its time.

Continue reading Robot Chicken animator uses modded Power Glove for work

JoystiqRobot Chicken animator uses modded Power Glove for work originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ava-benjamindillon-markeynintendopower-gloverobot-chickenstop-motionSun, 18 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How many hours would it take to clear your Steam library?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/how-many-hours-would-it-take-to-clear-your-steam-library/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/how-many-hours-would-it-take-to-clear-your-steam-library/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/how-many-hours-would-it-take-to-clear-your-steam-library/#comments
It's exceedingly easy to let your Steam library spiral out of control when faced with daily deals and seasonal sales, but at least SteamLeft provides a fun estimate of just how many hours you could spend plowing through it all. SteamLeft uses How Long to Beat's crowdsourced averages to estimate a playtime for any Steam library, offering a fairly reasonable argument that maybe we should slow down and spend some of this money on our savings accounts instead.

As haunting neat as it is to get a time-based conversion of our libraries, SteamLeft's suggestions for alternative time sinks are probably our favorite part of the experience. For example, we could run 108 marathons instead of spending 493 hours playing through our Steam library. We could also listen to Mulan's "Be A Man" 7,405 times, which we'll just go ahead and get started on now.

What's the hour count for your libraries? What ridiculous feats could you conquer if only you were driven mad with devotion to similarly-time consuming tasks? Share your stats with us ... and then join us when we inevitably buy more games we don't have time for during the next seasonal Steam sale.
[Image: SteamLeft]

JoystiqHow many hours would it take to clear your Steam library? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backloglinuxmacpcsteamSun, 18 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is packing for PAX South]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-is-packing-for-pax-south/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-is-packing-for-pax-south/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/18/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-is-packing-for-pax-south/#comments PAX is headed eastbound and down from its Seattle home base, and Joystiq will be there next weekend to cover its inaugural happenings. We'll even be participating in/hosting several panels, too! So join us, won't you?

As for me, the last time I was in Texas was high school, when schools from the Houston area and schools from Iowa collaborated to participate in a competition at NASA, where we were all assigned to fake aerospace companies and challenged to come up with a feasible proposal that we would present to NASA scientists and astronauts. Within 48 hours. Or maybe it was 72. Either way, not much sleep was had, and tension was high. So PAX South will have a tough fight ahead of itself if it wants to earn the "most stressful time Sam was in Texas" achievement.

Either way, let's not dwell on the past. For now, let's enjoy this webcomic wrapup by voting for your favorite after the break!

Penny Arcade (Fulmination Re: Culmination)
MGDMT (Get to know Solas, they said)
Hejibits (Baked Brand)
ReadySoup (Feathered Foes)
Ctrl+Alt+Del (Console Wars, p38)
Awkward Zombie (Pocket Monsters)
Nerd Rage (New 3DS, No Sale)
Double XP (Lingering High)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is packing for PAX South

JoystiqWeekly Webcomic Wrapup is packing for PAX South originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Jan 2015 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>webcomicSun, 18 Jan 2015 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wesley Arthur's re-creation of Bully's dorms is sharp, untidy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/17/wesley-arthurs-re-creation-of-bullys-dorms-is-sharp-untidy/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/17/wesley-arthurs-re-creation-of-bullys-dorms-is-sharp-untidy/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/17/wesley-arthurs-re-creation-of-bullys-dorms-is-sharp-untidy/#comments

Wesley Arthur isn't working on his Masters at Bullsworth Academy, but that didn't stop him from paying a visit to the stomping grounds of Jimmy Hopkins, protagonist and general mischief maker of Rockstar's Bully. Arthur's work, seen in the above tour, is a faithful, HD recreation of the game's dorm environment built in Unreal Engine 4, complete with backing music written and recorded by James Smith that's inspired by Bully's original soundtrack.

Is this a good time to bring up those trademarks that were filed in 2013 for "Bully" and "Bully Bullsworth Academy"? What about Polygon's interview that took place between those filings with Rockstar's Dan Houser, who responded to the idea of a Bully sequel with "I know I want to" and "Well, hopefully, you never know"? ... What's that? It's actually the worst time and we should fall down a well? Hmm.
[Image: Wesley Arthur]

JoystiqWesley Arthur's re-creation of Bully's dorms is sharp, untidy originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Jan 2015 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bullyreimaginingrockstarRockstar-Gamesunreal-engine-4wesley-arthurSat, 17 Jan 2015 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dead Rising: Watchtower takes a bite out of Crackle in March]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/dead-rising-watchtower-takes-a-bite-out-of-crackle-in-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/dead-rising-watchtower-takes-a-bite-out-of-crackle-in-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/dead-rising-watchtower-takes-a-bite-out-of-crackle-in-march/#comments Dead Rising: Watchtower, the Crackle-exclusive adaptation of Capcom's over-the-top zombie survival franchise Dead Rising, now has a release date: March 27.

Scant plot information on Watchtower is available, though comedian Rob Riggle has been cast as photojournalist Frank West, suggesting that the film could be linked to either of the two games that feature West as protagonist. Beyond Riggle, the cast includes Meghan Ory (Once Upon A Time), Jesse Metcalfe (Dallas, Desperate Housewives) and Virginia Madsen (Candyman, Sideways).

According to Crackle parent company Sony, following its initial debut on the streaming video platform, Dead Rising: Watchtower will also appear on DVD, TV and video on demand services.
[Image: Crackle]

JoystiqDead Rising: Watchtower takes a bite out of Crackle in March originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crackledead-risingdead-rising-watchtowersonyFri, 16 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Barely Related: Damn good coffee and House of Cards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/barely-related-damn-good-coffee-and-house-of-cards/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/barely-related-damn-good-coffee-and-house-of-cards/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/barely-related-damn-good-coffee-and-house-of-cards/#comments No one and no thing can make you feel a certain way. You're in control of yourself, your life and your reactions. Proceed as you will.

Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs.

Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.

Continue reading Barely Related: Damn good coffee and House of Cards

JoystiqBarely Related: Damn good coffee and House of Cards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avengers-age-of-ultronbarely-relatedcones-of-dunshireedgar-allen-poeghost-in-the-shellhouse-of-cardsidris-elbaparks-and-recreationsuicide-squadtwin-peaksFri, 16 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WRUP: AC adapter not included]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/wrup-ac-adapter-not-included/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/wrup-ac-adapter-not-included/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/wrup-ac-adapter-not-included/#commentsgolden retriever puppy dog... It hurts, we know. Let's hug it out. D'awwwwww, so cute!

What's everyone playing this weekend?

Continue reading WRUP: AC adapter not included

JoystiqWRUP: AC adapter not included originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>what-are-you-playingwrupFri, 16 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: JumpJet Rex wrecks us with platforming swagger]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/joystiq-streams-jumpjet-rex-wrecks-us-with-platforming-swagger/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/joystiq-streams-jumpjet-rex-wrecks-us-with-platforming-swagger/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/joystiq-streams-jumpjet-rex-wrecks-us-with-platforming-swagger/#comments


Dinosaurs are inherently awesome, but history has proven that adding certain things to dinosaurs tends to make them way more awesome. Skateboards make dinosaurs more awesome, particularly when they come with a guitar. Pairing dinosaurs up with bipedal, vulpine space pilots? Super awesome. TreeFortress Games' platformer JumpJet Rex, currently in Early Access on Steam, postulates that a run-and-jump space adventure will rule provided it stars a dinosaur wearing jetpack boots. Joystiq is intrigued to see if they are correct.

Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, we'll be playing a heaping spoonful of JumpJet Rex. If you too love dinosaurs doing awesome things, feel free to join us.

Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST. We also broadcast at odd times throughout the week so follow us on Twitch to know when we go live.
[Images: TreeFortress Games]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: JumpJet Rex wrecks us with platforming swagger originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiq-streamspcFri, 16 Jan 2015 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Gaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/gaming-while-black-casual-racism-to-cautious-optimism/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/gaming-while-black-casual-racism-to-cautious-optimism/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/16/gaming-while-black-casual-racism-to-cautious-optimism/#comments
NPR's Planet Money reported last year on a culture shift in 1984 that drove many women away from pursuing computer science degrees. Computers were more readily available at stores that catered to men and advertisements pushed the narrative that these new-fangled home devices were made for men. Pop culture followed suit, depicting men as computer geeks in movies, books and journalism.

One thing that Planet Money found notable about computer ads in the 1980s was that they featured "just men, all men." Another aspect the ads shared was that they overwhelmingly starred a specific type of man: white.

Continue reading Gaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism

JoystiqGaming while black: Casual racism to cautious optimism originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diversityharassmentracismFri, 16 Jan 2015 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Virtual interplanetary with Elite: Dangerous on Oculus Rift]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/joystiq-streams-virtual-interplanetary-with-elite-dangerous-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/joystiq-streams-virtual-interplanetary-with-elite-dangerous-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/joystiq-streams-virtual-interplanetary-with-elite-dangerous-on/#comments
Admit it: You want to see a grown man shake his head back and forth, talking out loud to no one, pretending to fly a spaceship. The fact that you also want to see Elite: Dangerous, the long-in-development sequel to David Braben's foundational open world space simulator, is just icing on the cake. Sure you'll get to see what it's like to duke it out in tense spaceship dogfights. But what really matters is that you'll see Xav de Matos (@Xav), bobbing his head back and forth to an invisible rhythm like he's listening to some phantom TLC album, playing the game on an Oculus Rift.

We'll be streaming Elite: Dangerous via Oculus Rift starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch. Come down to the chat and ask Xav how it feels to be a totally real spaceman. Don't worry, Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) will be on hand to make sure Xav can at least hear your questions.

If you like seeing grownups pretend to be space pilots, follow us on Twitch. This is kind of our thing. If you want to know precisely when to tune in, Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday like clockwork, but following us is the best way to know when we go live.
[Images: Frontier Developments]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Virtual interplanetary with Elite: Dangerous on Oculus Rift originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elite-dangerousFrontier-Developmentsjoystiq-streamspcThu, 15 Jan 2015 15:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Nightline investigates GamerGate, online harassment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/nightline-investigates-gamergate-online-harassment/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/nightline-investigates-gamergate-online-harassment/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/15/nightline-investigates-gamergate-online-harassment/#comments ABC's Nightline aired interviews with Anita Sarkeesian, Brianna Wu, Tim Schafer and a handful of video game critics and players on Wednesday, in a segment titled, "What It Feels Like To Be A Gamergate Target." It presented an overview of the issues involved in GamerGate, including the portrayal of women as sex objects in games, harassment toward women who play games, the growing market of women within gaming, and the argument that all games (or players) can't be represented by a few extreme examples alone.

Nightline highlighted "signs of change in the industry" with a visit to Double Fine co-founder Tim Schafer and a look at Broken Age.

"Once you've sat down and tried to play a game with your daughter and tried to find games where she can play a character that she identifies with, you start to feel bad about not putting that option in your own game," Schafer said.

Watch the complete segment below.

Continue reading Nightline investigates GamerGate, online harassment

JoystiqNightline investigates GamerGate, online harassment originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ABC-Newsanita-sarkeesiangamergateharassmentnightlineThu, 15 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[2015 DICE Award nominations led by Shadow of Mordor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/2015-dice-award-nominations-led-by-shadow-of-mordor/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/2015-dice-award-nominations-led-by-shadow-of-mordor/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/2015-dice-award-nominations-led-by-shadow-of-mordor/#comments The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for this year's DICE Awards, recognizing a total of 56 games. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor received nine nominations, including the Game of the Year award. The other Game of the Year nominees are Destiny, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Far Cry 4 and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft.

Far Cry 4 received seven nominations, one being for Action Game of the Year. Destiny and Hearthstone each had six nominations, whereas Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Monument Valley received five apiece. The 18th Annual DICE Awards ceremony will be held at the The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas following the 2015 DICE Summit, which runs from February 3 through February 5. The event will be livestreamed on DICE's Twitch channel, starting at 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT). Head past the break for a partial list of nominees; the full list can be found on AIAS' website.

Continue reading 2015 DICE Award nominations led by Shadow of Mordor

Joystiq2015 DICE Award nominations led by Shadow of Mordor originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015-dice-awardsacademy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesaiasdestinyDICEdice-2015dice-awardsdice-awards-2015dragon-age-inquisitionfar-cry-4hearthstonemiddle-earth-shadow-of-mordorMonolith-ProductionsWarner-Bros-Interactive-EntertainmentwbieWed, 14 Jan 2015 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Free to be Super Mario Galaxy 2 for me and Wii U]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/joystiq-streams-free-to-be-super-mario-galaxy-2-for-me-and-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/joystiq-streams-free-to-be-super-mario-galaxy-2-for-me-and-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/joystiq-streams-free-to-be-super-mario-galaxy-2-for-me-and-wii/#comments

After more than two years of wondering when Nintendo would finally do the obvious thing, embrace modernity, and allow games for the Wii be downloaded directly from the Internet into the Wii U, it delivered. Super Mario Galaxy 2, Punch-Out!!, and Metroid Prime Trilogy are the very first Wii games downloadable from the eShop. The latter two won't be available until later this month, but since Joystiq never turns down an opportunity to explore mini-planetoids and options for force-feeding dinosaurs hot peppers, we're going to check out Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Joystiq Streams.

Our understanding is that these releases haven't been changed in any significant way, but Nintendo's digital releases always include odd quirks. For example, who expected the Virtual Console version of Metroid Fusion to include a full color reproduction of the instruction manual? We'll see what secrets may be hidden in Galaxy 2.

Tune into Joystiq.com/Twitch at 4:00PM EST to check out how the downloadable Wii games feel on the machine. Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM, but when we get the itch to stream, we do it! So follow us on Twitch to know when we go live.
[Images: Nintendo]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Free to be Super Mario Galaxy 2 for me and Wii U originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiq-streamsnintendoSuper-Mario-Galaxy-2wii-uWed, 14 Jan 2015 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Discussion: Will you get a New Nintendo 3DS?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/joystiq-discussion-will-you-get-a-new-nintendo-3ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/joystiq-discussion-will-you-get-a-new-nintendo-3ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/joystiq-discussion-will-you-get-a-new-nintendo-3ds/#comments
When asked during Nintendo's October 2014 investor question and answer session why the New Nintendo 3DS wouldn't release outside of Japan in time for the holidays, company president Satoru Iwata was blunt. "The overseas markets are different from the Japanese market in both their stages of popularization of Nintendo 3DS and their market characteristics," said Iwata. "Nintendo 3DS is still at an earlier stage of popularization in these two markets." In other words: We haven't sold enough of the old ones. Maybe if enough people buy the old ones for Christmas, we'll give you the fancy new jazz with its improved screen, its extra shoulder buttons, amiibo support, and that extra analog nub.

Just two weeks into 2015, Nintendo confirmed that the New Nintendo 3DS XL will come to the United States and Europe in February. It will cost a cool $199. Of course, that's if you already have an AC adapter to actually power the thing. New Nintendo 3DS XL-whether the red, black, or Majora's Mask edition-doesn't come with a power cord, which is $10 on its own. That's an expensive upgrade for a machine that Nintendo believed wasn't selling enough in the West already, and even more so for existing owners lusting after the new toy.

The upgrade is demonstrable, though. For my part, the lure of portable Xenoblade is enough to convince me to take the plunge. I love Monolith Soft RPGs, though, and their game is currently the only New 3DS exclusive announced. If it enough for you to get the New 3DS? Take the poll, discuss in the comments.



[Images: Nintendo]

JoystiqJoystiq Discussion: Will you get a New Nintendo 3DS? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsjoystiq-discussionnintendothe-legend-of-zelda-majoras-mask-3dsWed, 14 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The best and fastest: Highlights from Awesome Games Done Quick 2015]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/the-best-and-fastest-highlights-from-awesome-games-done-quick-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/the-best-and-fastest-highlights-from-awesome-games-done-quick-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/the-best-and-fastest-highlights-from-awesome-games-done-quick-2/#comments The annual Awesome Games Done Quick marathon is one of the biggest charity events in gaming, with this year's show raising more than $1 million in charitable donations for the Prevent Cancer Foundation over a grueling week-long campaign. During the course of the event, gamers from across the globe gathered to complete classic and modern games at lightning speed, producing amazing playthroughs and earning thousands of viewer donations from the collective atmosphere and camaraderie.

This year's event was the most financially successful to date, and we've already covered highlights like this ultra-quick Pokemon Blue playthrough and an unlikely Mischief Makers marriage proposal. With more than 100 hours of speedruns to sift through, however, it may be tough to find the best of the best. With that in mind, here are our favorite runs from AGDQ 2015, with links to the original Twitch archives provided by this Reddit thread. You've got a lot to catch up on if you missed out on this year's event, so let's dive right in.

Continue reading The best and fastest: Highlights from Awesome Games Done Quick 2015

JoystiqThe best and fastest: Highlights from Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdq-2015awesome-games-done-quickcharitymarathonpcspeedrunTue, 13 Jan 2015 17:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Evolve rematch pits Joystiq against Team Eggs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/joystiq-streams-evolve-rematch-pits-joystiq-against-team-eggs/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/joystiq-streams-evolve-rematch-pits-joystiq-against-team-eggs/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/joystiq-streams-evolve-rematch-pits-joystiq-against-team-eggs/#comments

The last time Joystiq played Evolve, it didn't go very well. We had plenty of fun hunting each other down, leveling up the respective hunter classes, and trying to be a good and proper monster. It's just that we weren't very good. Eggs defeated us. Eggs! Defeat at the hands of a gradually growing beast is one thing, but crumbling in the face of unborn beasts is too ignoble a fate for Joystiq. So we're getting back in there. Those eggs won't even know what hit them.

Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, we'll be streaming Evolve. Anyone curious to see how the multiple character classes change as you level up early in the game should swing by for a detailed look. Anyone that rooted for the eggs last time: Place your bets.

Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we stream on the regular at other times so make sure to follow us on Twitch.
[Images: 2K Games]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Evolve rematch pits Joystiq against Team Eggs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evolvejoystiq-streamsmicrosoftpcplaystationps4xbox-oneTue, 13 Jan 2015 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Former pro League of Legends team opens wallets to fantasy eSports]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/former-pro-league-of-legends-team-opens-wallets-to-fantasy-espor/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/former-pro-league-of-legends-team-opens-wallets-to-fantasy-espor/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/former-pro-league-of-legends-team-opens-wallets-to-fantasy-espor/#comments Former League of Legends team Vulcun started a new fantasy eSports website, offering a $250,000 prize pool for League of Legends spectators. Much like other fantasy sports such as baseball and football, players participate in daily challenges by selecting a team of competitors during the upcoming 2015 League of Legends Championship Series. Also like other daily fantasy sports challenges, both of Vulcun's free and paid leagues work on a salary cap basis; the best League of Legends players in the LCS will be more expensive to roster, so fantasy players will need to be discerning about the athletes they add to their teams.

Founded by Ali Moiz and Murtaza Hussain, Vulcun earned $1.3 million in funding from investors such as eVentures, Battery Ventures and 500Startups, and the team plans to "re-invest every single dollar we make at increasing the prize pool for League fans." While this season's fantasy League of Legends prize pool is $250,000, Vulcun's next goal is to reach $1 million. The next LCS season begins on January 22, so those interested in Vulcun's fantasy challenges will need to request an invite to its closed beta. As League of Legends continues to grow in popularity as a competitive sport, universities are awarding scholarships to student eSports athletes.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqFormer pro League of Legends team opens wallets to fantasy eSports originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015-lcsesportsfantasyfantasy-baseballfantasy-footballfantasy-league-of-legendsfantasy-sportsLCSleague-of-legendsleague-of-legends-championship-seriespcriot-gamesvulcunTue, 13 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hear a new song from Hotline Miami 2's soundtrack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/hear-a-new-song-from-hotline-miami-2s-soundtrack/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/hear-a-new-song-from-hotline-miami-2s-soundtrack/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/hear-a-new-song-from-hotline-miami-2s-soundtrack/#comments Dennaton Games' Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number has quite the name to live up to; the developer's original 2012 twin stick shooter of the same name is well-regarded for its musical tastes alone. While we've spun Hotline Miami's soundtrack on Steam many times, electronic music artist Magic Sword recently provided a new jam to listen to called "The Way Home," and it happens to be part of Hotline Miami 2's soundtrack. Head past the break to hear the song, courtesy of Magic Sword's SoundCloud page.

Magic Sword told The Guardian that the musical duo was "excited to get involved with the sequel" by providing music for the game. "Hotline Miami has a lot in common with 80s movies like Thief and Blade Runner," the group said. "Movies like that and their synth-heavy soundtracks have always been big inspirations for us." Those that really dig the series' tunes can pick up a special collector's edition of Hotline Miami 2 that includes the games's soundtrack on vinyl, featuring music from artists such as El Huervo and Jasper Byrne. Following its October delay, Hotline Miami 2 is expected to launch early this year.
[Image: Devolver Digital]

Continue reading Hear a new song from Hotline Miami 2's soundtrack

JoystiqHear a new song from Hotline Miami 2's soundtrack originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dennatondennaton-gamesdevolverdevolver-digitalhotline-miamihotline-miami-2hotline-miami-2-wrong-numbermagic-swordmusicostsoundtrackMon, 12 Jan 2015 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pokemon Blue speedrunner uses 'shortcut,' is super effective]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/pokemon-blue-speedrunner-uses-shortcut-is-super-effective/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/pokemon-blue-speedrunner-uses-shortcut-is-super-effective/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/12/pokemon-blue-speedrunner-uses-shortcut-is-super-effective/#comments
Are you going through Awesome Games Done Quick withdrawal like we are? Those that missed some of the speedrunning marathon's fast-paced antics have two options: Attempt to mash through a game of their choice as fast as possible or catch up on the action with archived videos. Frankly, we're taking the easier approach, opting for this fascinating 21-minute speedrun of Pokemon Blue.

Performed by "Werster," this run avoids save-file-corrupting tactics, instead taking advantage of glitches that manipulate the number of items in the speedrunner's inventory. Thanks to the item manipulation glitch, he reached Pokemon Blue's final scene in mere minutes after triggering a few events early in the game. Awesome Games Done Quick wrapped up this past weekend, raising over $1.1 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The marathon offered plenty of entertaining moments to Twitch viewers, including a marriage proposal.
[Image: Nintendo]

JoystiqPokemon Blue speedrunner uses 'shortcut,' is super effective originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdqagdq-2015awesome-games-done-quickgameboygbpokemonpokemon-bluespeed-runSpeedRuntwitchvideowersterMon, 12 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST