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Papo & Yo Released for PC

Minority Media today announced that its adventure game Papo & Yo is now available for PC through Steam, Amazon and other direct download platforms. Originally released in 2012 for PlayStation Network, the game, which was inspired by creator Vander Caballero’s childhood, features a boy, Quico, journeying through a magical world to save his best friend Monster from a terrible danger: himself.

The new Steam version features many technical improvements over the console version, as well as Steam Big Picture Mode. There will be a 10% off launch sale beginning today until April 28th.

Deadpool Pre-Order Bonuses

Activision and High Moon Studios today announced pre-order bonuses for Deadpool, arriving in stores on June 25th for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

GameStop and EBGames

• “Merc with a Map Pack” DLC adds two new maps – GRT Plaza and Inside the Tower – to Deadpool Challenge mode, as well as two bonus costumes – the D-Pooly and Uncanny X-Force suits – only for use in the unlockable Infinite mode where your stats are tracked on a global leaderboard.
• Exclusive digital wallpaper for PowerUp Rewards members – U.S. Only.

Amazon

• A $5 Amazon credit towards select Marvel graphic novels.
• Exclusive digital wallpaper and digital cover sleeve.

Telltale Games’ Poker Night 2 – Unlocks Showcase Trailer

Telltale Games has released a new “Unlocks Showcase” video detailing the in-game, cross-game, and platform unlocks players will find when Telltale Games’ Poker Night 2 launches later this month on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and PC.

Depending on the system you’re playing on, players can win and unlock cool stuff for Borderlands 2, Team Fortress 2, Avatar Items for Xbox 360, or exclusive PlayStation 3 themes.

New Legend of Zelda, Yoshi’s Island Announced, and Earthbound Returns

In a new Nintendo Direct video announcement today, Nintendo revealed an entirely new Nintendo 3DS game in The Legend of Zelda series set in the world of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. The game is scheduled to launch this holiday season. A new game in the Yoshi’s Island series is also being developed for Nintendo 3DS. And, after 20 years, EarthBound is finally returning. The game is scheduled to be released this year on the Virtual Console service for the Wii U.

Today’s announcements included:

Nintendo 3DS

• A New Game in The Legend of Zelda Series: Nintendo developers are working on a new game set in the world of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which launched for Super NES in 1992. The game makes use of the 3D abilities of Nintendo 3DS, and allows Link to become a drawing and move along walls. A 3D video of the new game is now available to download in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS. The game is scheduled to launch this holiday season.
• Yoshi’s Island: The third installment in the franchise is making its way to Nintendo 3DS. Yoshi and Baby Mario are back with flutter jumps, ground pounds and egg throws, plus a host of new actions that use the unique features of Nintendo 3DS. More details about the game, as well as launch timing, will be announced in the future.
• Mario & Luigi: Dream Team: The game takes place on a mysterious island, and challenges Mario to go between the real world and Luigi’s dreams to rescue Princess Peach. The game will be available in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on August 11th.
• Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: This hand-held update of the Wii title adds eight new stages that players can enjoy after they have completed the main game, as well as a New Mode optimized for hand-held play with new items and mechanics. The game launches in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on May 24th.
• Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move: This Nintendo eShop exclusive challenges players to place tiles on the bottom screen to guide the Mini Marios to their goal on the top screen. The game offers more than 180 stages in four different modes. Players can also create and share their own stages, and play those created by other players around the world. The game will launch on May 9th.
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf Hardware Bundle: A special Nintendo 3DS XL system featuring designs from Animal Crossing: New Leaf that comes pre-installed with the new game will be available on launch day, June 9th, for $219.99. It will be available at Best Buy stores in Canada.
• Mario Golf: World Tour: Players who connect their Nintendo 3DS systems to the Internet can play competitive real-time multiplayer matches against others across the globe. They can also use the community feature to find others to golf with. The game is scheduled to launch this summer.
• The Legend of Zelda – Two Classic Games: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons will soon be available for the first time since their original release on Game Boy Color in 2001. Originally developed by Capcom, the games are headed to the Virtual Console service for Nintendo 3DS. The games are interconnected: Playing one unlocks secrets in the other. The games are scheduled to launch in the Nintendo eShop on May 30th.
• Party Like it’s the Year of Luigi: A new game in the Mario Party series is scheduled to launch for Nintendo 3DS this winter. The game features seven different game boards, each with its own set of rules. The game offers 81 new mini-games that test speed, concentration and luck. In addition to the board game elements, players will be able to play mini-games exclusively or try their hands at a 30-floor tower climb, AR Card games and StreetPass battles.
• Bravely Default: This role-playing game from Square Enix adds a new risk-reward twist to the genre: Players can skip a turn in battle to do more damage in later turns. The game includes AR functions, multiple endings and unique wireless features. Nintendo has partnered with Square Enix to publish the game in 2014.
• Professor Layton is Back: The third game in the second Professor Layton trilogy, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, includes more than 500 puzzles and is scheduled for a 2014 launch.
• A Nintendo eShop Trio from Level-5: Level-5 has assembled a collection of Japan’s top developers to create original games that will be headed to the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS soon. The Starship Damrey, from Kazuya Asano and Takemaru Abiko, puts players in a suspenseful adventure where they will have to search for any information available to discover the truth about their circumstances. In Bugs vs. Tanks! from Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, players control a tiny customizable tank in battle against swarms of giant bugs. In Kaz Ayabe’s Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale, players will take the role of a young boy who lives where the giant monsters from Japan’s 1970s TV shows come to life every Friday.
• Shin Megami Tensei IV: When this game launches on July 16th from Atlus, every copy in the initial shipment will be a Limited Edition Box Set that includes a 176-page Strategy & Design Book containing the official starter strategy guide and full-colour artwork ranging from concept art to in-game pieces to never-used designs; the Shin Megami Tensei Music Collection CD that offers tracks specially selected from across the 20-plus-year history of the SMT series; and a deluxe-sized Collectible Slipcase featuring key art designed by character designer Masayuki Doi.

Wii U

• You Are Not Dreaming – This is Real: Nintendo fans rejoice, EarthBound is coming to the Wii U Virtual Console this year. The original game was created by Shigesato Itoi and released on Super NES in 1995.
• New Super Luigi U: Wii U owners who purchase this downloadable content for New Super Mario Bros. U will get 82 updated stages and a new adventure featuring Luigi, who can jump higher than Mario, yet has trouble stopping after a dash. Many stages start with only 100 seconds on the timer, and quicker stages are populated with many obstacles. New Super Luigi U is scheduled to be released this summer.
• System Update: Next week’s update will add new functions and enhance existing ones. It shortens loading times when switching between applications or returning to the Wii U Menu.
• New Features: Shortly after the system update, Nintendo will launch the Virtual Console service and Wii U Panorama View.
• Game & Wario: Each game in Game & Wario uses the Wii U GamePad in a unique way. Game & Wario will be available in stores and the Nintendo eShop on June 23rd.
• Pikmin 3: In addition to new Rock Pikmin, the new game also introduces flying Winged Pikmin that follow the player and can carry items in the air. The game launches in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on August 4th.
• Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Update: A game update for the Wii U version of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate from Capcom is now available for download. The update enables off-TV play using the Wii U GamePad, and allows players from North America and Europe to join each other’s online games.

FIFA 14 Features Unveiled

Electronic Arts today unveiled innovations coming to FIFA 14 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox and PC.

Finishing has been transformed with Pure Shot so players have the intelligence to adjust their stride and approach angle to find the best position for hitting the back of the net. New shot types include pure strikes, as well as off-balance and rushed shots. Plus, Real Ball Physics now determines the trajectories of balls, enabling players to kick the ball with force from distance, drill low rising shots with accuracy, and blast dipping or turbulent shots, just like real players.

Fans will be able to create rewarding build up to opportunities and have the tools to dictate the tempo of a match through four new features. Protect The Ball will enable players to fend-off and block defenders from the ball while dribbling at any speed, or out-muscle opponents for position before receiving the pass, then turn defenders to carve out opportunities. Teammate Intelligence has been improved on both sides of the ball. New decision-making logic delivers tighter, smarter marking and improved run tracking where defenders recognize opportunities to provide support and win back possession, while attacking players have new ways to outsmart their opponents by creating space for themselves, running along the backline and checking their pace. Major changes to ball control add new tools to win the midfield battles. Sprint Dribble Turns enable players to turn in every direction at sprint speed while preserving momentum, delivering the control and confidence to take on defenders one-on-one. Variable Dribble Touches introduces variety on touches when sprinting. Skilled players will have better touch and more control when sprinting with the ball.

In addition to innovations to gameplay, FIFA 14 is introducing a new way to play Career Mode. The Global Scouting Network brings the world of professional scouting to life. Players now develop and refine a scouting network and search for talent year-round. Scouts can evaluate players all over the world to uncover the attributes and traits of every player in the game, in preparation for the transfer windows. Plus, a new hub delivers easy navigation, fewer interruptions and live scouting reports.

FIFA 14 will deliver online features and live services that connect fans to the heartbeat of the sport — and to each other — through EA Sports Football Club. The game will also feature:

• Changes to the FIFA Ultimate Team
• A new online Mode that will encourage social competition
• Multiple new features and benefits to EA Sports Football Club
• Complete authenticity with more than 500 officially licensed clubs.

FIFA 14 will be available in stores this fall. Additional platforms will be revealed in the months ahead.

Level-5 to Release Three New Titles on eShop

Level-5, best known for Professor Layton and Ni No Kuni, will bring three new games to the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS this spring. The three titles – The Starship Damrey, Bugs vs. Tanks!, and Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale – were previous released in Japan as part of the Guild02 Collection. Each title will be available for individual download via the Nintendo eShop.

Additionally, in appreciation of the gamers who have supported the series, Level-5 is including exclusive bonus “linked” content in each of the new releases for players who have save data from Liberation Maiden, Aero Porter or Crimson Shroud on their Nintendo 3DS.

Additional details about release dates and pricing for each of the titles will be released soon.

The Starship Damrey is an adventure/horror/suspense game. In the game, players awaken to discover that they are trapped in a Cold Sleep capsule aboard the titular Starship Damrey, with no memory of who they are or how they got there. With no tutorials, explanations, or hints provided, the game was created with the intent that self-discovery and experimentation be an integral part of the experience. An inconceivable truth awaits those willing to discover it.

Bonus linked content for players who have downloaded any of the previously released titles includes a special scenario providing deeper insight into the events that unfold aboard the ship that will be unlocked at the end of the player’s journey.

Bugs vs. Tanks! is an action shooter set in World War II. Players will take on the role of a WWII panzer squad that has been shrunk to the size of a bug and find themselves engaged in heated battles against swarms of giant insects as they cling to the hope of returning to normal size.

Featuring tanks pulled straight from the history books, players can customize the body, turret, and paint to obliterate the bugs in their own style. In addition, Bugs vs. Tanks! offers co-op missions with up to four friends and the ability to call for friendly cover fire via StreetPass.

Bonus linked content for players who have downloaded any of the previously released titles includes an exclusive Gold Tank.

Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale is a Tokyo-life simulation game where players will take the role of a young boy named Sohta who lives where the giant monsters from the TV shows of Japan’s 1970s come to life every Friday. In this rustic town of tranquil days and idyllic scenery, there lies a nostalgic tale sure to warm your heart.

Bonus linked content for players who have downloaded any of the previously released titles includes a Space Defense Department Junior Member Notebook containing concept art and illustrations from the game.

Shim Megami Tensei IV Special Edition Details

Atlus today announced bonus collector’s items limited to the first printing of Shin Megami Tensei IV for the Nintendo 3DS, scheduled for release this summer. The bonus items include:

• Strategy & Design Book – Produced by Prima Games and packed with walkthroughs, charts, maps, tips, and more, this official starter strategy guide will give the newly selected Samurai a distinct advantage as they begin their journey through the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado and beyond. The design side of the book will feature full-color pages of artwork ranging from concept art to in-game pieces to never-used designs from new Shin Megami Tensei series character designer, Masayuki Doi.
• Shin Megami Tensei Music Collection – Offering a collection of tracks specially selected from across the 20-plus-year history of the Shin Megami Tensei series, this CD presents the series’ musical history highlights from the ethereal atmospheric music to the classic power-guitar anthems. It also includes a special recording exclusive to the Music Collection CD.
• Collectible Slipcase Packaging – Shin Megami Tensei IV will come in a deluxe-sized slipcase package featuring full-color key art designed by Masayuki Doi and depicting the divergent paths of law and chaos between which Samurai must travel and make their choices knowing of the potential foes and allies that lay on either side.

Kili Joins Guardians of Middle-earth

As one of the youngest Dwarves in Thorin Oakenshield’s company to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, Kili is the newest playable Guardian in Guardians of Middle-earth and is now available on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade.

With his exceptional eyesight and masterful bow and arrow skill set, Thorin’s nephew Kili along with his brother Fili are often sent ahead of the company to scout and search the area. Kili’s advanced marksmanship gives him an advantage against his enemies due to his arrows landing with exact impact.

DARK – Vampire Skills and Kills Trailer

Kalypso Media has released a new trailer for DARK focusing on several of the special attacks and powers availalbe to players in the vampire-themed stealth action game coming this summer to the Xbox 360 and PC.

Jagged Alliance: Flashback Announced

Full Control today announced that it has begun development on Jagged Alliance: Flashback. Based on the Jagged Alliance series, Jagged Alliance: Flashback is not just a reboot, but a reset that returns the franchise to the tactical turn-based action of the original games. Set in the mid-1980’s on the Caribbean Island of San Cristobal, Jagged Alliance: Flashback transports players back in time to the cold war era.

Starting next week, Full Control will turn to crowdfunding and launch a Kickstarter campaign to finance the project. Further details of Jagged Alliance: Flashback and the Kickstarter campaign will be announced next week.