Some people just really love evil I hold no side-scroller in higher regard than the originalCastlevaniaon the NES. It’s not the flashiest or more feature-stuffed game, but what it does, it does almost perfectly. The bosses could be better, I guess. However, perfection is a constantly shifting target, so I’ll takeCastlevaniaas the closest we’ll ever get to it. It’s probably why I prefer the classic formula of theCastlevaniaseries over the later “Metroidvania” approach....

From the Pokemon Center From the people that brought youIntern Pikachu, the Pokémon Center is doing a holiday line ofPokémon products. Deck the halls with Pokéballs of holly. Rudolph the red-nosed Deerling. Uh. Man, I really haven’t heard Christmas music is a couple of years. There’s a Pikachu tree ornament, a “holiday wreath” (#waronchristmas), a bunch of plushes, some mugs, and Pokémon shaped cookie cutters. The line will be up for sale at the Pokémon Center on November 25....

Cyberpunk 2077 also has a major update and expansion in development The wait for the next-gen versions ofCyberpunk 2077(and alsoThe Witcher 3) continues, as expected. When CD Projekt Red last checked in, the company said it was aiming for a Q1 2022 release for the former and Q2 2022 for the latter. Today, with the latestearnings report, that’s still the case — the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are “on track....

We’ve seen some very pretty screenshots of Bethesda’sDishonored, but so far, nothing in motion. Those hoping for gameplay footage will be disappointed, since this is a CG trailer, but it’s still pretty exciting stuff. Check it out! The video certainly justifies the “steampunk” and “dystopia” descriptions that will follow this game to the grave, and there are already more than a few comparisons toAssassin’s Creedfloating around. Most importantly, however, is the prevalence of Stilt Police, which I am still completely in love with....

‘Surprise Mechanics’ back in the crosshairs Gaming’s most controversial economy, the Loot Box and its random-related brethren, are once again the target of European councils, who are calling for new legislation for the controversial in-game purchase mechanic. This latest venture follows the publishing of a new report titled “Insert Coin,”penned by The Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC)which looks into the short-and-long-term impact caused by so-called “Surprise Mechanics” on the health, welfare, and wallets of video game players....

It’s not just studios being hoovered up Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has announced that he has joined Chinese conglomerate Tencent in a new “Strategic Advisor” role. Layden announced his new gigon industry site LinkedIn. According to Layden, his new role will see him “advise, assist, and support the team at Tencent as they deepen their activities and commitments within the industry to which I’ve devoted the majority of my career....

FNF returns! [Friday Night fights is back! Well, it was never really gone, it’s just been retooled by Defenestrator, Mike Martin and company to eventually become better, faster, stronger, etc. Let’s get to it! – Pixie The Fairy] I just missed a perfectly good “A New Dong” reference but I’m not going back into MS Paint to fix it. Anyway, welcome to the new Friday Night Fights. It’s bascially the same as it’s always been, just moreso....

Go Fish you Stupid Bear As this week winds down, I figured that I would take everyone back to when we were young and dumb, so we’re playing Educational Games on Rad Show. That’s correct, DOS Educational Games. If you don’t enjoy purple cars and a energetic bear in overalls, you obviously were birthed by the dark lord. So I bring youPutt Putt and Fatty Bear’s Activity Pack! We’re going to color, move blocks around, play some Go Fish, and probably just yell a lot and throw things....

Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Detective Pikachu Returns, andMario RPGare at the top A little less than a week ago, Nintendo once again showed us the staying power of the Direct, and gave us a ton of announcements and a few surprise releases.We have a full recap here, but if you’re a visual learner,Nintendo recently tweeted out a full infographicof what was announced or reconfirmed; with the first-party cream rising to the top....

The first major DLC forBorderlands 3is out today, and you don’t even need to do a ton of legwork to access it. So long as you’re level 13 (or above), you can play Moxxi’s Heist of The Handsome Jackpot. It also doesn’t have an esoteric “wander around until you hear a radio message” requirement: you just buy the DLC and head to the main Sanctuary III hub. Go to Moxxi’s bar on the second floor, then look for the Handsome Jack poster on the wall....

Not long now After a bit of fuzziness surrounding the release timing ofCadence of Hyrule, the brilliantZelda-themed take onCrypt of the NecroDancer, we now have a date: June 09, 2025. All rhythm-lovin’ Switch owners will want to keep an eye on this one. The originalCryptwassuch a breath of fresh air among roguelikes, and the fact that we’re getting 25 remixedZeldasongs is just icing. It’s wonderful that more people will see what the fuss is about thanks to theZeldatie-in....

Releasing monthly, supposedly “What exactly is the newHitmangoing to be?” That’s a question that has been on players’ minds for a long time now. Looking in from the outside, the development process has been confusing and unclear. Judging by the waffling of Square Enix, it’s the exact same behind the scenes, too. Square Enix hasjust announcedthatHitmanhas turned into a fully episodic game. Now,Hitman‘s first part (a prologue and Paris levels) will release on March 11 for $15....

A doozy on your hard drive The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis a grand open world RPG that will take you to the highest reaches of the sky and the lowest depths of the underground. This obviously means that theTears of the Kingdomstorage space will be massive. You may need to delete your favorite games likePokemon Scarlet and Violetor evenBreath of the Wild.Here’s how muchTears of the Kingdomstorage space you need to keep handy....