Retro Review: The Legend of Zelda (3DS Virtual Console)

It’s hard to play the original The Legend of Zelda. The game does a terrible job of being playable. At yet, it’s impossible not to respect the game that kickstarted one of Nintendo’s most valuable properties.

Review: Balloon Kid (3DS Virtual Console)

Balloon Fight is a pretty neat game, as primitive as it is. Ambassadors have been able to play the NES original for free on their 3DS for some time, and indeed of the ten NES Ambassador games, Balloon Fight has ended up being my second most-played game (after Yoshi, naturally).

Review: King Arthur 2: The Roleplaying Wargame (PC)

Let me preface this review by saying that I am not a big fan of the large scale strategic games where you control a mass of units over a vast battlefield in real time ala the Total War franchise. In saying this I was very impressed with how King Arthur 2: The Roleplaying Wargame gripped me.

Review: Zpulse (iPhone)

When I sit down to play a rhythm game I only really want a few things. Gameplay that is simple yet at the same time fun to keep me playing for hours on end and a tune that annoyingly stays in my head, with me humming along gleefully. Sadly, you’ll find none of those in zPulse.

Nintendo's new network unveiled

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a good day. Nintendo has announced some stuff that will bring its consoles up to its rivals in the digital download space.

1C Company teams up with EA's Origin

1C Company publish a range of niche games, including Men of War: Assault Squad, Men of War: Condemned Heroes and King's Bounty: Warriors of the North. Now you'll be able to buy them through Origin.

Dead Block out now for the PC

"It’s time to put those Zombie Apocalypse plans in action!" The campy zombie tower defense game that hit consoles not all that long ago is making its debut on the PC.

On the eve of release, get your King Arthur 2 demo now

So, King Arthur II - the Roleplaying Wargame is a game we're rather looking forward to. It releases tomorrow and expect a full review when it does.

Steam on iOS, Android? Yes, thanks!

A little news story over at Gamasutra got me very excited this morning; Valve has rolled out a Beta for Steam Mobile.

Dead Island: Ryder White trailer released

The first major expansion for Dead Island is looking like it actually might be more interesting than the already pretty nifty main game. Looks like a lot more gunplay that's for sure.

Rage HD expansions now available for iOS

iD Software's FPS Rage has finally been expanded for the iOS. iUsers take note, a pair of brand new episodes are available for your buying pleasure in the in-app shop.

It's Mario, Sonic, & Mudd on the Nintendo DL

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games hits the eShop in demo form this week along with a pretty sharp looking little platformer- the Mutant Mudds.

Nintendo reports some negative financial news for FY11

Nintendo has forecast some pretty depressed financial results for the year - it has revised down its FY11 expectations, and is now expecting an operating loss of 45,000 million Yen.

Revealed: The 10 best selling Xbox 360 downloads in 2011

Data from Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment, LLC (FADE), shows that the Xbox 360 had a bumper year for sales, with XBLA revenue hitting a record $US144 million for the year.

Review: Amy (PS3)

Sometimes, as a critic, it’s important to recognise when a game’s ambition is worthy, even when the execution is not. These instances are difficult reviews to write, but in Amy’s instance, I’m going to give the game the benefit of the doubt; I enjoyed this little horror tale.

Review: Soul Calibur (iPhone)

As the console-owning world looks forward to the fifth game in the long-running Soul Calibur series, iPhone and iPad owners get a bit of their own action, getting to enjoy the classic, original game in the series.

Review: Hatchi (iPhone)

Remember Tamogotchi? The maddening little virtual pet that would whine at you, get itself all dirty, and perish if you left it alone to do something selfish, like sleep?

More NES games coming to 3DS, but what does it mean for the Virtual Console?

While 3DS ambassadors received their ten free NES games back in early September last year, a new game is en route for the handheld Virtual Console in Japan - Punch Out. Indeed, the game is not a 3D classic, but a basic port of the original sports-puzzle hybrid. 

So long as this is no mistake on Nintendo of Japan's part, it would be safe to assume that more NES games are coming to the already-confirmed 10.

What does this mean for the Wii Virtual Console and the inevitable WiiU Virtual Console? Unlike the PlayStation Network, the shop is not a singular entity between consoles. If you paid for Punch-Out on the Wii and want to play it on your 3DS, you'll have to pay again for the same title.

Let's speculate, shall we? 

While it is futile to make further comparisons to the PlayStation Network, consider that your average PlayStation One title will run you $5.99 and an NES title a flat $5 on both systems (US pricing). This would mean a game from 1999 could be played on two consoles and would cost about half the price of one from 1989.  

This also means those willing to purchase the same game twice would have to wait for each individual release to come once again. Given how save data is locked on the 3DS, it's unlikely that we'd be able to swap data between the two systems. Besides, the two current systems have yet to connect in any meaningful way thus far.

On the plus side, 3DS now has a much bigger pool of potential games to release from. Releases have been on the slow side for the 3DS Virtual Console since the launch of the eShop, usually bringing one new Game Boy title per week (if that). There would no doubt be some aficionados willing to buy the same game multiple times, so Nintendo could double dip. After all, you don't have to buy it if you don't want to.

Will the WiiU attempt to rectify the situation or is this merely a strategy? Perhaps Nintendo has something in mind for the current Wii. "Or you're over-thinking the possibilities for no reason and it's just a one time deal. Get a grip!" It's anyone's guess, but this release poses more questions than we can count.

Capcom fans give thanks for this week's PSN update

Do you like Capcom? If you answered 'yes', then you're gonna be smiling about this week's PS Plus deal. Not a member? There's also Scarygirl and some big time demos ready for the DL.

Quarrel with this week's XBL update

Less than a month from Live's House Party event and we're seeing a pair of Arcade releases debut that might not have big names, but are getting pretty good word of mouth.

Review: Time of Heroes (iPad)

Smuttlewerk Interactive is an indie developer with some real potential. Its first game, Companions, was an entertaining little RPG throwback. Time of Heroes is more ambitious, and while we’re going to wait a few more games before these guys produce AAA-grade iPad entertainment, you can just tell they’re on the right path.

Resident Evil 6: Why I have no interest in this game

It's been a busy couple of weeks for Resident Evil.

Full schedule released for XBLA House Party

We already knew what games were coming, but Microsoft today announced the full (dated) release schedule and pricing for its 2012 House Party promotion.

Review: Resident Evil 5 - a look back as we forward to Resident Evil 6 (PS3)

With Resident Evil 6 now formally announced, I felt it was high time to have a look back at Resident Evil 5, a game that is now downloadable (and quite cheaply, too). So, while the game was undoubtedly popular, how has it held up over time?

Jurassic Park episode 3 released on iOS

The third episode of Telltale's original Jurassic Park graphic adventure is now available on the App store for iPad 2 owners.

Review: Big Cup Cricket (Android)

You messed about/ I caught you out...

So I was having a look around on my phone the other day and our EIC suggested that I see what Square Enix had available on the Android market since he has an iPhone. I looked and was unsurprised to find Crystal Defenders, but what I was surprised to find was a pair of sports games. One of those was baseball (review to come) which is understandable considering its popularity in Japan. The other one was cricket.

Warp blinks onto consoles this February/March

Why the 'slash'? Because Warp, developed by EA Partners and Trapdoor, is kicking off Xbox Live's House Party a month ahead of it's multiplatform launch.

OnLive announces new Google partnership

OnLive's star continues to rise, and the traditional console and gaming companies are going to want to watch out. A new partnership with Google will see OnLive come as a standard feature on the Google TV platform.

Lots of learning this week for Nintendo Downloaders (UK)

If you've got little ones, and you want them to learn while they play, you're in for a good week this week with Nintendo. Everyone else will have to make do with not much.

Review: Ash 2: Shadows (iPad)

For those who bemoan the "death" of the JRPG here's some good news for you; Ash 2: Shadows is great fun. It's equal parts slavish devotion to the formula and self referential humour, but throughout it's guaranteed to delight.