Titanfall 2

For as brilliant as its multiplayer was at launch, Titanfall had some major issues with balance, content and post-launch support. The throwaway “story” didn’t help either and despite a positive critical reception, player numbers dropped off, leaving doubts as to whether Respawn would revisit the franchise. But not only did Titanfall 2 happen – even with how disagreeable some of the multiplayer changes were – it had an incredible campaign that stands as one of the best in the genre. Sadly, its sales and player count dipped even quicker and the series is more or less AWOL.

Nintendo has announced a brand new special edition 3DS (well, 2DS, really, but it’s all the same) SKU launching in the US on July 2- the Hylian Shield New Nintendo 2DS XL. The top of the system is styled like the Hylian Shield, the iconic shield that Zelda series protagonist Link is most associated with.

The best part is, the system also comes with The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, the fantastic 2D Zelda game that reimagined the seminal 1992 SNES game A Link to the Past, pre-installed. A Link Between Worlds is a great game, and definitely the best title on the 3DS- so Nintendo has chosen wisely here, at the very least.

The system will come in at $160 (so $10 more than a standard New 2DS XL), and will be available exclusively through GameStop (in the US) and EB Games (in Canada).

Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I think I might be trading in my system for this one in the coming weeks…

Become the hero you’ve always wanted to be with the New Nintendo #2DSXL Hylian Shield Edition, pre-installed with The Legend of #Zelda: A Link Between Worlds! Get it exclusively @GameStop for $159.99 July 2! pic.twitter.com/ZDxAVzTFvS

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 29, 2018

The last time we heard about The Legend of Zelda was in March of 2015, when Nintendo announced they would be delaying it into next year. It’s been a long, painful year since- but today, we finally got to see a little, teensy bit of what is going on behind the curtain,when director Eiji Aonuma discussed the new game in Japanese magazine Famitsu (transcribed by Kotaku).

“When we did Skyward Sword for the Wii, at the end stages of development, I was in charge of the characters’ dialogue and the in-game text. And, now as well, it’s like it was then. I had to work on text today, too,” he said with a laugh.

“But, the game has really taken shape, and things have gotten easier. That means things are progressing well.”

He discussed what players can expect from this new game, hinting that it will be ‘something new.’

“I think the base of our secret sauce has always been Ocarina of Time. But this time, the change in flavor will be like going from Japanese food to Western style food. Perhaps, players will be surprised. Please look forward to it, because I think we’ll be able to make ‘something new’ like Ocarina of Time was,” Aonuma added.

As long as it is as awesome as The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was, I don’t think I will have any complaints.

The Legend of Zelda is set to launch by the end of this year on the Wii U, and, presumably, the Nintendo NX too.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was a stellar return to form for the Zelda series, and in many ways, even though it does not look like it, it was a stunning technical achievement as well. For instance, it made stunning use of the 3DS’s stereoscopic 3D, and it did so all the while maintaining a fluid, beautiful 60 frames per second.

But don’t get to used to that lovely fluidity just yet, as Nintendo has been quick to point out that it may not necessarily be a standard for all future Zelda games, reports Nintendo Everything.

“It’s really the concept of the game that changes whether you want to keep the volume of information in the game low and running at 60 frames per second. We kept it at 60 to make the 3D look smooth, allow the players to clearly see enemy movements, and keep everything moving crisply as with previous games. This doesn’t mean that all future Zelda titles will run at 60 frames per second,” said game director Hiromasa Shikata.

Hopefully, Nintendo decides on keeping 60 frames per second for the Wii U Zelda game too.

The official list of D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) award nominations has been released be The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, and Naughty Dog’s The Last Of Us has swept the board with 13 nominations for outstanding achievement in the field of gaming. This puts The Last Of Us in the league with more nominations than any other game release in 2013.

The official award ceremony where the winners are announced will take place at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on February 6th.

Some other games that have received a large number of nominations across multiple categories (although none come close to The Last Of US) are Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V, Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Irrational Games’ Bioshock Infinite, and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt for both the full list and to see who gets the most actual wins.

Nintendo’s Kirby Triple Deluxe debuted in Japan on the 3DS for the week between January 6th to 12th and managed to net the top spot. It sold 214,208 units according to the latest charts from Media Create.

Puzzle & Dragons Z meanwhile sold 52,880 units for a lifetime total of 1,216,421 units, as Pokemon X/Y remained at third and inched ever closer to the 4 million mark with 34,179 units sold this week. Zelda: A Link Between Worlds managed to sell 26,286 units, which is fairly lower than its debut total, and managed a lifetime total of 323,502 units.

Monster Hunter 4 sold 19,497 units with lifetime sales of 3,179,551, while Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on the PS3 sold 16,286 units for a lifetime total of 241,733 units. The Vita version fared worse with 12,237 units sold for a lifetime total of 194,407 units. Super Mario 3D World managed to remain in the charts with 13,079 units sold this week but the lifetime total of 452,521 units still looks kind of sad.

What are your thoughts? Let us know below.

The new year has come and gone, and for the period of December 30th to January 5th, there were a fair amount of new releases in Japan. In fact, according to the latest sales charts from Media Create, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds debuted on top as it sold 224,143 units on the 3DS.

Meanwhile, Puzzle & Dragons Z has fallen into second place but managed to cross 1 million units when it sold 205,654 units during this period. Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster also debuted during this time, and sold a decent 185,918 units for the PlayStation 3.

Pokemon X and Y is still going great guns, with 185,918 units sold this week and 3,726,596 lifetime sales. Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster Twin Pack managed to sell 149,132 units on the PlayStation Vita, while Super Mario 3D World sold 64,573 units (with 392,087 lifetime sales).

What are your thoughts on the success of Zelda and Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster? Let us know below.

Franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon all spawned major new installments in 2013, as did several other franchises over the course of the year. But which of these numerous sequels released in 2013 were the best?

Listed below, in no particular order, are eight sequels that were released in 2013 that we thought stood out from the lot and gave us some moments we would remember the entire generation of gaming for. Have a look at the list below, and tell us what you think in your comments!

ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG

The Assassin’s Creed series was in desperate need of something fresh and new after AC3. That isn’t to say that AC3 was bad- no, it was, on paper, a game that was well above average. Yet it lacked the spark that made Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood so special. And after AC3, people were starting to wonder if the franchise’s overall quality was slowly waning. All these fears were swept away comprehensive when Black Flag came out. While the games barely has the right to be called ”Assassin’s” Creed, having foregone its assassin-y roots almost completely, it’s still a darn good game with some great characters, an excellently large and living world to explore and some memorable islands to chart. In fact, one might even say that with Black Flag, Ubisoft has delivered what is probably the best Assassin’s Creed game till date.

All Master Ore Locations and Master Sword Upgrade:

By using the four pieces of Master Ore you can upgrade the Master Sword. You need to give the blacksmiths in Hyrule and Lorule two pieces of Master Ore in order to fully upgrade the Master Sword. You will find these four pieces at Dark Palace, Skull Woods, Thieves’ Hideout and Graveyard.

Bottle Locations:

As with every other game in the series, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds has tons of  collectible that you can find. The game has five collectibles which you can find with the help of the video below.

Pieces of Heart Locations:

There are 28 pieces of heart, which will help you to gain additional health. The video will help you get all of them.

Maiamai Locations:

There are 100 Maiamai that players can collect during their playthrough of the game. Maiamai are similar to  anemones and you will find them in Hyrule and Lorule. The video will help you find all of them.

All Item Locations:

There are a ton of items that you can get from Ravio’s shop, but there are a ton of other items located and scattered throughout Lorule and  Hyrule. The guide below will help you find several items like Power Glove, Pegasus Boots,  Hint Glasses, Irene’s Bell and Foul Fruit.

Bosses strategy:

There are twelve bosses in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The video below will give you the best tips and strategy to defeat all of them.

• Yuga (Eastern Palace)
• Margomill (House of Gales)
• Moldorm (Tower of Hera)
• Yuga (Inside Hyrule Castle)
• Gemesaur King (Dark Palace)
• Arrghus (Swamp Palace)
• Stalbind (Thieves’ Hideout)
• Knucklemaster (Skull Woods)
• Grinexx (Turtle Rock)
• Zaganaga (Desert Palace)
• Dharkstare (Ice Ruins)
• Yuga (Lorule Castle)

Treasure Chests Guide:

Using the video guide below, you will be able to find all treasure chests in the game.

Weapons Guide:

There are two ways to get weapons in the game. Either you rent/purchase from Rovio or the game itself will give the player some of the weapons.

• Magic Hammer: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 800 rupees.
• Tornado Rod: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 800 rupees.
• Ice Rod: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 1200 rupees.
• Fire Rod: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 1200 rupees.
• Boomerang: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 800 rupees.
• Magic Bow: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 800 rupees.
• Sand Rod: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 800 rupees.
• Hookshot: You can buy Magic Hammer from Ravio for 800 rupees.

How to earn more Rupees?

Rupees are nothing but are crystals that you will find during your playthrough. These crystals have six variations.

• Green: 1 Rupee
• Blue: 5 Rupees
• Red: 20 Rupees
• Purple: 50 Rupees
• Silver: 100 Rupees
• Gold: 300 Rupees

You can earn Rupees by:

• Defeat enemies and the bad guys
• Cut grass
• Break the pots
• There are coins deep inside the water
• Crash against trees

Mini Games Guide:

Treacherous Tower:

If you beat the advanced mode in Treacherous Tower, you will be rewarded with the Super Lamp.

Octoball Derby:

If you managed to score 100 or more than 100 points, you will be awarded with a heart piece.

Fortune’s Choice:

You will find this mini game in Thieves’ Town. Depending on your luck you will be awarded with Hearts or Rupees.

Rupee Rush

You will find this mini game in Lorule and Hyrule . If you managed to score more than 100 you will receive a heart piece.

Note: This guide will updated once we have more information about the game. You can also check out the complete video walk-through of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds here.

Whatever the reason, the series has lost its shine and its luster in recent years. The newest original entry is The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, a new top down Zelda adventure developed exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS, one that channels heavily, and acts as a sequel to, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, the SNES Zelda entry that is widely acknowledged to be the best game in the series, and even the greatest game ever made.

"It's not the most original or groundbreaking plot. It's mostly serviceable, and it very heavily mirrors the story in A Link to the Past. "

Ironically, in sticking so close to the spirit of what made A Link to the Past (and the Zelda games that came before it) so good, A Link Between Worlds takes some bold steps forwards that, for the first time in over a decade, meaningfully progress the series. It also ends up being the freshest, fastest, most fun, and- dare I say it- best– Zelda game we have had in a very, very long time now.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds serves as a sequel to the 1992 Link to the Past. Several generations after the cataclysmic events of that title, peace returned to Hyrule, and everything was okay, until a wizard called Yuga shows up. Yuga has the distinct ability to turn people into paintings, and he is planning on kidnapping the descendants of the Seven Sages from Ocarina of Time/A Link to the Past to revive Ganon and take over not just Hyrule, but its parallel dimension Lorule, entirely.

It’s not the most original or groundbreaking plot. It’s mostly serviceable, and it very heavily mirrors the story in A Link to the Past. The beginning is also distinctly low key, with none of the epic, mood setting, somber atmosphere of A Link to the Past’s dark, oppressive proceedings, and a bit more whimsy and light heartedness to the proceedings.

But any ideas that Nintendo dumbed the story down for kids go right out the window once the inevitable happens, and the real machinations behind the story are revealed. It’s still not a great narrative (although it has a surprisingly touching ending), but it’s a good one, one that gives you enough context for why you are doing what you are doing, and moves you from place to place to get things done.

"No longer are you interrupted every five minutes by some vague tangential plot thread that breaks the flow of the game. No longer does the game stop and spell problems out for you, so you know exactly what to do."

Perhaps the best thing about the story- and this is true for the entire game- is how fast it moves. People who sat through the nearly six hour long tutorials of Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword will be delighted to know that the game starts, and within twenty minutes, you’re just thrown into Hyrule with your sword, on your way to conquer the ancient temples that litter the land.

No longer are you interrupted every five minutes by some vague tangential plot thread that breaks the flow of the game. No longer does the game stop and spell problems out for you, so you know exactly what to do. It throws you into the world, old school style, and expects you to figure things out for yourself, like an adult. Walk around, explore, try to figure things out yourself.

This extremely fast pace, coupled with the lack of hand holding and tutorials, is further enhanced by what is probably the biggest departure from formula the series has made since 1998’s Ocarina of Time (but is, after all is said and done, a return to a very promising past): A Link Between Worlds is fully open world. Gone is the traditional structure of finding items in dungeons, clearing the dungeons with said items, and then only ever using those items to reach one or two odd places in the overworld that were otherwise inaccessible (but still gated): A Link Between Worlds gives you access to each and every item in its arsenal right from the get go. The impact this has on the game design, structure, and progression cannot be understated.

The full world is open right from the beginning, and you are free to go wherever you want, whenever you want, with very little exceptions. If you want to just take your time to explore the world, you are free to do that. If you get stuck in a specific dungeon, you can just exit it, and try to go finish another dungeon, because yes, you can clear dungeons in any order that you want now too.

"As fast moving and open as the rest of the game is, the dungeons are even more so: freed from the shackles of adhering to assumptions of specific items that a player is expected to have, every room in every dungeon shines in A Link Between Worlds."

The game achieves this by having an item rental shop available to you very early on in the game, where you can rent any item you want to for a price. There are no limits to how many items you can rent (although the fee, at least in the beginning, is a bit steep), except for one stipulation: if you die, you lose all your rented items, and must go back and rent them again.

This adds a nice risk/reward function to Zelda games (which, until now, had lacked any penalty for dying), although after a little while, the option to buy the items outright and own them becomes available, which removes the fear of dying and losing them. The fee for buying them is pretty high, but the game does have plenty of rupees available all over, so you’re never found wanting for any money.

As fast moving and open as the rest of the game is, the dungeons are even more so: freed from the shackles of adhering to assumptions of specific items that a player is expected to have, every room in every dungeon shines in A Link Between Worlds. These are masterfully crafted, sprawling, brain teasing, compact temples where every room teases the player, and demands that you figure out the solution to the problem yourself (no more Fi giving away the solutions). The solution is aways there, always completely accessible with the range of items that you have, you just have to think about it.

"As for the enemies and bosses themselves, they function as well as you would expect in a top down perspective. Some of them make use of some great strategies, but generally, it all boils down to dodging their blows, using the one item or technique that you need to to access their weak point, and then spamming B to attack."

And you’ll have to think, at least in the beginning, because of one wrinkle that the game throws in into its design: Link gets the ability to merge with walls and become a sort of wall paining. When he is merged with a wall, he can move left and right along the X axis and access places that would otherwise have been completely inaccessible to him. What sounds like a gimmick when described like that turns out to be possibly the best new mechanic Zelda has introduced since the Light and Dark Worlds in A Link to the Past.

An entirely new dimension is added to the game, and you are forced to stop, rethink, and re-evaluate your perspective based on not just the traditional planes of movement, but also a third axis. When the game joins its wall mechanic with its devious dungeon design, it can get outright diabolical. Enemies and bosses be damned, the real enemy in A Link Between Worlds are the dungeons themselves.

As for the enemies and bosses themselves, they function as well as you would expect in a top down perspective. Some of them make use of some great strategies, but generally, it all boils down to dodging their blows, using the one item or technique that you need to to access their weak point, and then spamming B to attack. The bosses themselves are variable, with some of them being really great, while others are a bit more forgettable and disappointing.

A Link Between Worlds looks beautiful, especially on the 3DS screen. Screenshots do not do it justice, it looks like A Link to the Past realized in 3D. While the graphics begin to look a bit more hideous when the game zooms in for some of its more cinematic cutscenes, on the whole, it’s a charming, beautiful game, one that moves at a blistering 60 frames per second, adding the kind of speed that Zelda has not known since the release of the original Link to the Past.

"The game makes excellent use of the 3D, not just to visual effect, but also within its gameplay, by integrating verticality and the general Z axis tightly into its game design."

The few issues with the graphics- basically the character models that don’t hold up in zoomed in cutscenes- are all easily forgiveable when this game’s use of 3D is considered. This is the rare 3DS game (only the third, in my estimation) that simply must be played with 3D on and at max. The game makes excellent use of the 3D, not just to visual effect, but also within its gameplay, by integrating verticality and the general Z axis tightly into its game design. It’s ironic that this game comes so closely after Nintendo released the 2DS, the neutered 3DS model without any 3D capability, because this game acts as the showcase for the kind of things you can achieve within game design with stereoscopic 3D.

And while A Link Between Worlds looks good, its possibly in the sound design that it completely trumps everything else. The Zelda series is known for having incredible soundtracks, soundtracks that have become fully embedded in pop culture. Somehow, A Link Between Worlds has a soundtrack that is possibly the best in the series yet.

The remixes of the old tunes are incredibly well done, with the new additions being extremely atmospheric and great additions to the canon as well. The first time you hear the fully orchestrated Zelda overworld theme, or the title screen music, you will understand.

"A Link Between Worlds nails it. It is a glorious, daring link to the future."

In recent years, Nintendo, and the Zelda series in particular, have been accused of relying on their past too much, tugging on nostalgia to try and sell their newer products which obviously don’t live up to the standard they are trying to evoke. At first glance, A Link Between Worlds looks like yet another cynical cash grab trying to exploit nostalgia for one of the greatest games ever made. But when you play it, you understand: Nintendo might be using the skin of an old classic to sell this new game, but this game is a bold step forward for them, and for the franchise.

This is the first Nintendo game in over a decade that challenges the player to think for him or herself, a game that maximizes player agency, a game that treats you like a thinking, fully functional adult, a game that is all about immaculate game design first, a game that moves briskly, with nothing holding it back, a game that still finds the time to tell a great story, a game with great graphics and great music. In recent years, Nintendo has done a lot that has been wrong. Not this time. A Link Between Worlds nails it. It is a glorious, daring link to the future.

This game was reviewed on the Nintendo 3DS.