Recently, we’ve been inspired by the work of David Ganssel, better known to the internet as Doggans, and his new series “Armchair Imagineering”. In that series, he gives his ideas for the biggest most elaborate (and expensive) ways to develop theme park rides based on recognizable intellectual property. Today, we decided to throw our hat into the ring and submit our own ideas for that very subject.
Later this summer (pending delays) Universal Studios Japan is expected to launch the very first Super Nintendo World, a full theme-park land devoted to Nintendo’s classic games and characters. Officially, we know next to nothing about what to expect when it does open, although rumors have persisted for some time about what is being constructed. US citizens unable to travel to Japan will be happy to learn it is all but certain that portions of Super Nintendo Land will open in Universal’s bi-coastal theme parks including the new one opening in Orlando, Florida, Epic Universe.
However, while we have heard rumors Mario, Yoshi and Donkey Kong will be coming to Universal’s parks nobody has mentioned anything about Nintendo’s actual biggest franchise, Pokémon. As of the time this article is being written, Pokémon is the number one selling franchise of our time, and yet Universal Studios has not hinted any Pokémon content is coming to their parks. That could mean that Pokémon themed lands might be getting saved for later expansions of Epic Universe, but we have no way to confirm that.
So if you had access to the latest technology, the smartest minds in engineering, unlimited funds and only the limitations of reality to deal with, what would you create if you were told to design a Pokémon-themed land for a major theme park? What do you say we talk about it. There will be rides, there will be shows, there will be food and there will be merch. Please watch and enjoy.
Pokémon games are out now on various platforms including the Nintendo Switch.
In the year 2003, the world was gearing up to finally receive new content from the world of The Matrix. While most people remember The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revelations, most people don’t remember the filmmakers actually made three projects. The third was a video game called Enter The Matrix.
Enter the Matrix was planned to be more than a licensed video game adaptation but a canonical tie-in that continued plot moments that could not be included in the two Matrix sequels. It released during E3 2003, the first ever E3 I attended. Oh and did I mention, I got to meet the game’s developer just before picking it up?
Enter the Matrix was released on PC, Xbox, PS2 and GameCube.
If you’ve got a copy of Pokémon Sword and/or Pokémon Shield I’ve got some really cool news for you. The Pokémon Company is distributing a free Pokémon each week through the game’s Mystery Gift function. The first one up is a very special Mr. Mime.
If you don’t know how to use your console’s Mystery Gift function, here’s a tutorial. All you need is an active internet connection and a copy of a GEN8 game.
Get Mr. Mime now while you can because a new Pokémon is coming to the Mystery Gift every Friday for the next three weeks.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are out now exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
Welcome back to the latest Preorder Stories, where we talk about some of the most interesting preorder content from across gaming’s history. Since the release of the Xbox 360 it’s almost expected that you will receive some kind of exclusive content for preordering a console or PC game (usually delivered through a unique download code). Would you believe me if I told you a PC game attempted this exact same thing half a decade earlier?
Back in the year 2000 developer Monolith (who would later go on to create Aliens Vs Predator 2, No One Lives Forever, F.E.A.R and Condemned: Criminal Origins) was ready to release a PC-exclusive game called Sanity: Aiken’s Artifact. The game put you in the shoes of a psyonic-powered Ice-T as he attempted to bring various superpowered villains to justice. However, the most unique component of the game (of its time) was that you could alter your character’s psyonic abilities (called “Talents”). These Talents, which looked heavily inspired by Magic: The Gathering, could be swapped out with new ones either purchased online, or distributed through various promotional campaigns.
The ability to upgrade your character with unique official abilities other players didn’t have access to set the game apart from other PC titles of the time and after playing its demo, I became very interested in picking up the game for myself. Anyone who preordered it through Electronic Boutique’s official website would revive a CD-ROM bonus disc with even more talents you would not be able to obtain elsewhere.
While the game received decent reviews (averaging 85%) it almost completely dropped off the radar after it was released when Monolith’s next game, No One Lives Forever, geared up to be released later that year. Whatever plans Monolith had to release future Talents simply never came to pass. As for what happened to this game’s glorious plans for future talent releases? I can only speculate. Sit back and relax while I tell the story of the first game to take a chance on offering post-release DLC.
Welcome back to Preorder Stories, where we highlight some of the best preorder incentives from across gaming‘s history. Today, we’re talking about one of the most critically divided games I’ve covered on this site, 2010’s Splatterhouse. It was a horror game that launched after Halloween with with little to no marketing fanfare. At launch, critics HATED it and for many people (including myself) their overwhelmingly negative reviews were the first impression of the game they got. However, after the game received a price drop, it got the attention of the internet’s subset of horror enthusiasts, gorehounds, metal heads, and received a huge response from a wide group of gamers.
For a game that received so little marketing support, it was personally shocking to discover the game received an INCREDIBLE preorder incentive. What was it and how did someone who didn’t preorder the game get it? Let’s find out.
Splatterhouse (2010) is out now for the PS3 and Xbox 360. As of this time it is NOT backwards compatible with the Xbox One.
Got a new How-To video for you Pokémon Trainers out there. As far as I know, as of the time this article is being posted, we aren’t able to import Pokémon caught in Pokémon Go into Pokémon Home. However, there is another way you can get some of your Pokémon Go crew into your Nintendo Switch, so keep reading.
You’ll need three things:
Nintendo Switch
Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu or Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee
BlueTooth-enabled Smartphone with Pokémon Go installed.
Make your way to Fuscia City and watch this video.
Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee is out now exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
Welcome Back to Preorder Stories, where Maniac features some of his favorite preorder campaigns between 2003 and 2013. Today, we’re going to take you back to 2004. Before Irrational Games became known for the revolutionary Bioshock games, they had developed the first ever superhero based PC game that was actually good, Freedom Force.
Inspired by the Silver Age of Comics, Freedom Force Vs The Third Reich saw their return of the original superhero team Freedom Force as they are transported into World War II. With the help of the era’s heroes, they must stop a megalomaniacal tyrant from taking over all of time. As the game ramped up to release, Irrational teamed up with developer BioWare (known at the time for Neverwinter Nights and Knights of the Old Republic) to promote the game’s official preorder campaign. Let’s take a look at it shall we?
After the game’s release, Irrational Games was sold to 2K, and went on to release Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite. Sadly, to this day the cliffhanger left at the end has not been resolved.
Freedom Force vs The Third Reich is out now exclusively for the PC.
Welcome back to Preorder Stories where we talk about some of the most interesting preorder campaigns over the past two decades. Today, we will be sharing a campaign for a game that cemented me as a person who would play games on console, Metal Gear Solid.
In 2006, Konami planned to rerelease the 2004 classic Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater with a ton of new features including multiplayer. Anyone who preordered the game would receive a special bonus DVD, Metal Gear Saga Vol 1 which would include documentaries about making of the franchise and a copy of the highly coveted first trailer for Metal Gear Solid 4. Let’s take a closer look at it!
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistance is out for the PS2. An HD remaster (that’s missing features of the original game) is out for PS3 and Xbox 360.
Preorder Stories is back, where our host tells the stories about some of the coolest preorder events, and shows up close some of the coolest goodies that were offered for putting money down on a game.
Maniac first played Command & Conquer 3 at a local LAN Center. It turned out Best Buy was still taking preorders of the game…weeks AFTER it came out. Let’s find out how Maniac got the preorder goodies for this classic RTS.
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is out now for the PC.
We are back with a new episode of Preorder Stories, where our host Maniac talks about some of the coolest and most unique preorder games in history. Today, we’ll be talking about BioWare’s original PC opus, Neverwinter Nights.
Neverwinter Nights was one of the first PC titles we can recall that had a launch price of $60 US, but gamers were not concerned about it. BioWare had already created some of the best PC RPGs of its day and expectations for this game were high. To preorder, Best Buy offered an empty box campaign (similar to what they would later offer for DOOM 3) for $10 US. However, they weren’t going to be selling you an empty box, or a box full of stuff you had no interest in. If you preordered Neverwinter Nights you would get more than exclusive box and poster, you would get a CD-ROM loaded with some incredible goodies. Let’s take a closer look.
BioWare would later go on to create Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect, two games that proved complex PC RPGs could work on a console. Maybe we will talk about them again in a future video.
Neverwinter Nights is out now exclusively for the PC.
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