News

Faster loading screens in video games are rapidly increasing in number, thanks to the SSDs of current generation consoles like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and even PC. However, a two-decade-old game proves that the limitation of technology can also open doors for innovation.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker debuted back in 2003, receiving critical acclaim, and it’s still widely agreed upon as one of the greatest Zelda titles, regardless of the restrictions technology faced during that time compared to now.

Since most of The Wind Waker was spent on the Great Sea, which was a deviation from other Zelda titles that came before it, like Ocarina of Time, the developers had to get creative, and they found the perfect answer to loading screens to express the freedom of the seas through the gameplay.

A play on the speed of the ship led to no loading screens in The Legend...

In an alternate timeline, Amazon Studios' Secret Level could have featured a BioShock episode––or even a crossover between Halo's Master Chief and Doom's Doom Slayer.

The new Amazon Studios series already explored a lot in its first season. From a drastic reinvention of Pac-Man to an origin story for Mega Man and even a commendable story from the pulled PlayStation Studios game Concord.

But one can't blame fans for wondering what else could have been, given the endless possibilities that a show like Secret Level makes possible.

Read full article on The Direct.

Amazon Studios' Secret Level is an animated anthology series coming to Prime Video that offers fifteen different short stories set in the worlds of various beloved gaming franchises.

Audiences can witness the origin story of Mega Man, watch a poor human lab rat get tested on by corporations in The Outer Wilds all in the name of love, or even see Keanu Reeves suit up in a mech suit in the universe of Armored Core. 

The Direct's Russ Milheim spoke with series creator Tim Miller and supervising director Dave Wilson in an exclusive interview about their new series and why the Pac-Man and PlayStation installments were so unique.

Read full article on The Direct.

Quick Links Mega Man's First Animated Appearance Was Not at All What Fans Expected Mega Man's 1994 Animated Series is a Crown Jewel in Video Game Cartoon Adaptations Mega Man's Had Many Animated Series Over the Years, But It's Time He Got a True Anime Mega Man's early adventures on the Nes were top-notch, with vibrant graphics, pinpoint action platforming, and memorable music. Mega Man's first animated appearance in Captain N: The Game Master was different from the Nes version, but disappointed fans had to wait a few more years for a faithful adaptation. The 1994 animated series Mega Man was a crown jewel in video game cartoon adaptations, with slick animation, fantastic action, and a faithful representation of the Nes games.

There’s a very good reason why Mega Man has become one of gaming’s most popular and beloved characters since his debut in 1987. The Blue...

With the addition of vehicles and crafting mechanics, Tears of the Kingdom moved further away from the iconic traits that define the Zelda franchise than even its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, causing some to question if Totk belongs in the series. The open-world formula of Botw was already a major departure from the norm for a Zelda game, instead following the rubric of titles like Shadow of Mordor and Assassin’s Creed. As Totk continues to distance itself from the familiar elements of the franchise, veteran fans may wonder if the Breath of the Wild series should have been a wholly original Nintendo IP, separate from The Legend of Zelda.

Given the abandonment of traditional Zelda gameplay, many of the best games like classic Zelda feel more like true Zelda sequels than Botw or Totk. The superficial elements of the franchise remain, with a hero named Link saving a princess...

Jack Black and Kyle Gass’ rock duo, Tenacious D, has released a new song that celebrates video games, such as Red Dead Redemption 2, the Mario franchise, and many other hit titles in the industry. Tenacious D is known for its comedy songs, and "Video Games" is no different, as it plays around with gaming culture.

The new "Video Games" song was released on Tenacious D's official YouTube channel this Thursday, May 11. The music video shows animated versions of Black and Gass playing the song and as the lead singer mentions the games he plays, references to them can also be seen.

Throughout the song, Black sings about multiple titles, starting off with God of War, which leads to Gass' character being smashed by a Troll's rune totem. He then proceeds to mention Fallout 4, which features a nuclear explosion in the distance and Gass being killed off once again – this time by a Deathclaw.

Kelvin Yu, who adapted Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese, for Disney+, said Yang’s characters belong with the other legends in the Disney pantheon. That includes Disney’s own princess and their Marvel slate.

“I went to Disneyland on Friday with my son,” Yang told Deadline’s Dominic Patton at Contenders TV. “It’s Captain America over here, Ariel over here, Moana. The Monkey King and Guanyin and these characters deserve a place on that shelf.”

Related: Deadline Contenders Television 2023 Arrivals & Panels Gallery

Yang’s graphic novel was an adaptation of the classic Chinese story Journey to the West, which has also inspired many films, including a series by Stephen Chow. The Monkey King (Daniel Wu) is a mythical character, comparable to those American legends.

Related: The Contenders TV – Deadline’s Full Coverage

“It’s honestly like if Batman and Spiderman had a baby and that baby was named Jesus,...

Almost twelve years after the launch of the first game in the series, the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is being released as a massive collection of all 10 mainline games, freshly remastered and with extra content and even a new mode added. Developed and published by Capcom, this set of games allows fans of the originals as well as new players to experience the series on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, or PC. The collection even gives the ability to smooth those pixelated edges with an optional high-resolution filter.

The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection has a lot of games in it, but the menus for selecting between the games are very clear and easy to use, with a 3D Mega Man there to help guide players. Each game has been crafted to have a seamless feel that makes it easy to forget they weren't all created at the same time.

With franchises like Monster Hunter, Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry at its disposal, Capcom has undoubtedly left its mark on the gaming industry. A lot of people grew up playing at least one of the company's various licenses, so there is a lot of love for Capcom. However, the Japanese developer does not have the best track record when it comes to treating its esteemed properties with the care they deserve, especially during the late 2000s and the early 2010s.

Related: Resident Evil: 10 Monster Cosplays That Are Scary Good

In particular, Resident Evil and Devil May Cry fans have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions during the last decade. Luckily, memes are the perfect way for fans to share their opinions, be it positive or negative, about Capcom's actions.

Some huge Mega Man movie news is on the way. Directors and writers Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman are teasing something, though they can't say what it is just yet. The movie, which is based on the iconic video game series of the same name, has been in development for a number of years, though it looks like it may finally hit the starting line in the near future. Obviously, there is no production start time, but we could very well learn about who will be cast as the video game hero.

The live-action Mega Man movie was officially confirmed by Capcom back in 2018, though we haven't heard much news about it since then, except for the fact that Mattson Tomlin had come on to help with the writing process. In a new interview, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman were asked about working with Tomlin, with Joost noting that they are,...

This article is presented by Super Mega Baseball 3.

Baseball is America’s Pastime, steeped in traditions that date as far back as the Civil War. But the on-field action at a big league ballgame isn’t always as colorful and full of personality as the players themselves, and a multitude of baseball video games released over the decades aimed to mirror the real thing.

And then there are games like Super Mega Baseball 3, the latest in the series from Metalhead Software.

Super Mega Baseball games play like a simulation of the sport, except with arcade-style visuals to spice things up and unique team names and ballparks for added flavor. The new game’s announcement trailer features good ol’ fashioned taunting the opponent, plenty of angry broken and tossed bats, and even a bean ball to the helmet that spins and topples a hapless hitter.

You won’t find much of...

Capcom has been hitting one home run after another as of late with the likes of Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter World and Resident Evil 2‘s fantastic remake, but what’s next for a publisher that’s arguably already achieved peak performance? Well, more of the same certainly can’t hurt and that’s exactly what it intends to deliver going forward.

As per its most recent earnings call, the Japanese company, while not specifically mentioning any unreleased projects it currently has in the works, outlines plans to release “multiple major titles” between now and March 2021. It’s worth noting, of course, that delays and unforeseen circumstances can always result in setbacks, and it remains to be seen whether the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will have any impact on those plans moving forward.

As for the identity of these mysterious titles? Well, there are a few possibilities, to say the least.

Capcom's latest Mega Man collection is its very best. Our review of Mega Man Zero Zx Legacy Collection is here!

facebook

twitter

tumblr

After releasing multiple quality collections of the classic Mega Man and Mega Man X games, Capcom has turned its focus to yet another Mega Man subseries with the Mega Man Zero/Zx Legacy Collection. Despite the somewhat awkward title, this is the best collection of Mega Man titles yet.

The Zero and Zx games are among the lesser-known in the Blue Bomber’s vast catalog. The four Zero games appeared exclusively on the Game Boy Advance in the early 2000s. Mega Man Zx and Mega Man Zx Advent followed shortly after as Nintendo DS exclusives. If you're never played these installments before, you'll find their arrival on current-gen consoles to be quite the treat.

The basic gameplay of the Mega Man Zero games will be instantly...

The early-mid 00’s were an interesting time for the Blue Bomber. The Og series was in stasis, and the X franchise was floundering with disappointing entries. While the home console market may have been struggling, handhelds were keeping Mega Man afloat. The Battle Network games brought the character to a completely different genre, while splashy remakes for the PlayStation Portable proved the classic formula still worked. Straddling the line between the old and the new, though, was the Zero spin-off series. Released between 2002 to 2007, these side entries took the platforming the entire franchise was known for and switched things up. Previously relegated only to Nintendo handhelds, now all can get acquainted with the titles with the Mega Man Zero/Zx Legacy Collection.

Cobbling together six different titles, the Legacy Collection is the definitive way to experience both the Mega Man Zero and Zx franchises. Developed by Inti Creates, these games...

The Mega Man live-action movie is one big step closer to becoming a reality. It's been revealed that Mattson Tomlin has been tapped to pen the screenplay for the upcoming video game adaptation. We first learned that Capcom was looking to turn one of their most popular characters into a movie franchise in October 2018. Updates have been slow in the time since, but now it seems like things may be heading in the right direction.

Buried within a report about Amazon's adaptation of the comic book Fear Agent, which Mattson Tomlin is involved with, it was revealed that he has also boarded the Mega Man movie. Tomlin is largely an up-and-coming writer, but he did help pen the screenplay for Matt Reeves' The Batman, which is no small thing. Tomlin also has a movie titled Little Flash in post-production. Prior to that, Tomlin had worked on a series of...

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will keep you playing until the next Nintendo console shows up.

Release Date: December 7, 2018

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Developer: Bandai Namco Studios, Sora Ltd.

Publisher: Nintendo

Genre: Fighting

As a fan of fighting games, there’s always been this unsaid acceptance of the give and take of sequels. While the sequel is all about adding new stuff to the basic game we know, not everything can be brought over. Niche favorite characters have to be removed to make way for new characters. This could be due to time, money, space, or all of the above. But we get why, say, Street Fighter V is missing so many characters from Ultra Street Fighter IV. It’s expected.

Even when fighting games do have an “all hands on deck” mega-roster, most of the time it comes off as rather soulless like Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Even Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which...

John Saavedra Nov 17, 2018

Castlevania executive producer is working on a Devil May Cry animated series!

Castlevania executive producer Adi Shankar is working on a new Devil May Cry animated series, according to IGN. While Shankar revealed very little about the series during an interview with the outlet, he did confirm that Devil May Cry will join Castlevania in his "bootleg multiverse."

Shankar didn't share what network or streaming service will be airing the show nor did he name any collaborators on the project. At the moment, all we know is that Shankar acquired the rights to adapt Devil May Cry "so the jabronis in Hollywood don’t fuck this one up, too."

The producer tweeted a picture regarding the announcement captioned, "Open for business."

Open for business. pic.twitter.com/TCT5JH9fXz

— Adi Shankar (@adishankarbrand) November 16, 2018

Shankar has a pretty busy slate ahead in terms of video game adaptations.

While a disappointing bundle as a whole, it's impossible to hate the games included in this collection. Our review of Castlevania Requiem...

Release Date: October 26, 2018

Platform: PS4

Developer: Konami

Publisher: Konami

Genre: Platformer

On the one hand, Castlevania Requiem is an affordably priced collection of one of the greatest Castlevania games ever made and its rarely seen (in the U.S.) predecessor. But it’s also a lazy port of these games timed to release as an obvious cash-in with the second season of the excellent Netflix show.

Fans hoping for an epic celebration of these titles akin to the Mega Man and Metal Gear Solid legacy collections will be sorely disappointed with this bundle, which is nothing more than another way to re-sell these games. There's no digital artbook or making-of commentary, nothing to show that Konami realizes that Castlevania Requiem is the first Castlevania game product it's released in four years.

Matthew Byrd Oct 10, 2018

This "souped-up" version of The Legend of Zelda gives you all the game's best equipment.

Nintendo has released a "souped-up" version of The Legend of Zelda on the Switch's Online service. 

This new version of The Legend of Zelda is quite unlike any version of the game we've seen before. We suppose that you could refer to it as Zelda's "easy mode" or a version of the game that has quite a few cheat codes enabled. 

When you start this special version of The Legend of Zelda (which Nintendo has seemingly dubbed "Living the Life of Luxury") you'll immediately have access to a ton of rupees and special items. Specifically, you'll have immediate access to the White Sword, the Magical Shield, the Blue Ring, and the Power Bracelet. Anything you don't immediately have access to will be easy to buy given how many rupees you start...

Super Mario Bros. is a classic game that took the world by storm in the early 80s. For those who have been living under a rock, Super Mario Bros. is a deceptively simple platformer, where players try to steer the Italian plumber across obstacles such as Goombas and deadly plants. The objective? Rescue Mario’s sweet, sweet Princess Peach from the clutches of the evil King Koopa!

Now, you may have beaten Super Mario Bros. a few times before, but did you know that there’s a reboot of the game that makes it even more interesting? Enter Super Mario Crossover, a flash-based Super Mario Bros game that makes things more interesting by adding some playable characters from the zany world of Nintendo. Yep, that’s right- you can play as your favorite characters Link, Mega Man, Samus Aran, Simon Belmont, Bill Rizer, Sophia the 3rd, Luigi and Bass on a crossover platform,...

Capcom has officially announced that the live-action Mega Man movie is happening. It's been over a year since it was revealed that Paranormal Activity 4 directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schumann were attached to helm and write. However, that piece of information was never confirmed, until now. This is big news for fans of the hit video game who have been waiting years to see Mega Man blast his way on to the big screen. Capcom is moving forward to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic side scroller.

As of June of this year, the Mega Man franchise has sold over 32 million video game units worldwide and continues to sell, thanks to the recently released Mega Man 11. The character first showed up in 1987 on the Nintendo Entertainment System, offering gamers the unique challenge of choosing which bosses they wanted to battle first. Patterns were then recognized and a natural...