Month: January 2021

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This week on Wrestle Buddies, GameSpot’s professional wrestling podcast, Chris E. Hayner and Mat Elfring are reliving the glory days of the Attitude Era with a look back at the time WWE and WCW almost had a crossover–sort of. There’s also a special guest stopping by to declare his spot in the Royal Rumble match, though he has no business doing so.

First, we go back to 1998 to study the DX “invasion” of WCW, which was less of an invasion and more of three guys making dirty jokes and driving around in a jeep they called a tank. Do you remember the part where they tried to break into an office park? Because we sure do.

Then, the Smackdown Hacker is back and on a mission. This time, instead of simply hijacking the show, he’s a guest that’s declaring his entry into the 2021 Royal Rumble match. No, he’s not a WWE wrestler–or any kind of wrestler. He also doesn’t want a championship match or to go to Wrestlemania. Why would that stop him, though?

All that, plus we answer your questions. New episodes of Wrestle Buddies are released every Thursday on the podcast platform or app of your choice, including Spotify, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts. You can also keep up to date with the podcast by following it on Twitter.

For the week of December 21-27, it’s not a shock to learn that Wonder Woman 1984’s debut has proven to be a mighty powerhouse strong enough to overtake even Soul, Pixar’s latest, according to Nielsen’s streaming ratings (via The Wrap). Nielsen’s has data indicating that WW84 clocked a total of 2.3 billion minutes of viewing on HBO Max, beating holiday-release neighbor Soul, which logged around 1.6 billion of minutes on Disney+.

Content from HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV+, and other various streaming services are not yet included in the Nielsen ratings, so this is an interesting insight, to say the least–but unsurprising given how well-received Wonder Woman 1984 was after tons of delays. Wonder Woman 1984 obviously fell short of its original intended release date of summer 2020, but it didn’t dampen the audience’s passion for the sequel.

“The impact of Wonder Woman 1984 on HBO Max cannot be understated,” Andy Forssell, executive vice president and general manager of HBO Max, said in a statement. “As was announced on Wednesday during our earnings and as this Nielsen data shows, it was a huge holiday gift to the consumer at a time when they wanted and needed it. This partnership with Warner Bros. of course continues throughout the year but it began with Wonder Woman’s arrival on Christmas Day to great success.”

Not everyone has been so appreciative of Warner Bros.’s moves–the studio made a surprise announcement in December that will put its entire theatrical line-up onto streaming this year. The move was such a surprise that many directors (including WW84’s Patty Jenkins) have been split on whether to be supportive of this shift, and the studio has reportedly been making the rounds offering generous bonuses to stars impacted by the decision (including Denzel Washington, who is said to be getting $20 million plus additional fees).

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Even by the series’ zany standards, Super Mario 3D World is one of Mario’s most outlandish adventures, brimming with novel concepts and inventive mechanics. The Super Bell (and its attendant cat suit) is probably the game’s signature innovation, continuing the long-standing tradition of dressing Mario and company up in adorable animal costumes. But perhaps its most unusual power-up is the Double Cherry–and it almost wasn’t included in the game.

Unlike other power-ups in the series, the Double Cherry doesn’t grant Mario a new ability or special power; rather, it duplicates him. Nabbing one of these innocuous fruits conjures up a second Mario that moves perfectly in sync with the original. Grab an additional cherry, and you’ll add yet another Mario to your ensemble until you’re commanding a small army of plumbers, all of them scrambling about with hivemind synchronicity.

This power-up marked the first time that players could control multiple Marios simultaneously, but it’s a concept that Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto had actually been tossing around for quite some time. Until now, however, control hurdles ultimately prevented the Mario team from ever exploring the idea in a proper game. “Before we made [the Double Cherry], we had always had the idea of one player moving multiple Marios, but we never tried it out because we thought it would be too taxing, control-wise, to move multiple characters all at once with one stick,” he told late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in a 2013 Iwata Asks interview.

The concept could be seen as far back as 2000, most famously in the “Mario 128” tech demo that Nintendo used to showcase the then-upcoming GameCube. The demo featured 128 Marios running around on the same screen, each moving about independently as the terrain around them warped and transformed. Although the demo never materialized into a proper game, Nintendo would repurpose some of the tech and ideas behind it in various other titles; the advanced AI that let each Mario move independently was used in Pikmin, while the idea of spherical terrain would go on to inspire Super Mario Galaxy.

Given their similar concepts, it’s tempting to also trace the Double Cherry’s roots back to the Mario 128 demo. As it turns out, however, the power-up’s origins are much more mundane. As game director Kenta Motokura revealed during the same interview, the team stumbled upon the idea for the power-up inadvertently: “Well actually…we discovered that when a staff member made a mistake with the placement tool and put in two player Marios.”

Motokura saw this error and liked it so much that he and his team decided to implement it as a power-up. What struck him, he explained, was how this Double Mario ability opened up new gameplay possibilities: “The type of play expanded because of it. There’s a panel that four players can get on in multiplayer mode, and it can now be used with Double Mario, so I think we were able to turn around a mistake and make something fun out of it.”

Given how thoughtfully Nintendo explores the idea in the game, you would hardly know the Double Mario ability wasn’t originally an intentional invention, but this anecdote illustrates how inspiration can spring from the most unlikely sources. That this mistake opened up a means to finally realize Miyamoto’s old idea also tied into Nintendo’s long-standing design philosophy of storing away unused game ideas and revisiting them later when circumstances have changed.

Super Mario 3D World comes to Nintendo Switch on February 12. This version of the game packs in an entirely new mini-adventure called Bowser’s Fury, which sees Mario and Bowser Jr. teaming up to explore an open-ended level called Lake Lapcat and battle an enraged, Godzilla-sized Bowser. You can watch seven minutes of new Bowser’s Fury gameplay here. For more on the game, be sure to check out our Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury preorder guide.

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It’s only been about three years since I had my first encounter with the Yakuza franchise, but it seems a lot longer. Many folks, including myself, picked up the series with Yakuza 0 since it was the perfect entry point to an ongoing story, one that had trouble showing off its strengths to a new audience. Since then, Sega and developer RGG Studio have made great strides in building a new life for Yakuza with the Kiwami remakes and remastering of everything else, to bring the whole series to platforms it was never on before.

With the release of the Yakuza Remastered Collection (which includes Yakuza 3, 4, and 5) for PC and Xbox consoles, the effort is nearly complete. It is a bit odd to think of Yakuza finding its footing on PC and Xbox–part of me still thinks of series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu as one of the faces for PlayStation. But I share the joy that owners of these platforms, eager to continue down Kiryu’s path, have that opportunity.

Technically Speaking

The good news, too, is that these Yakuza remasters run incredibly well on both PC and Xbox. It’s not too much of a surprise considering that this collection rolled out on PS4 starting in 2019 with great technical results. While these are three PS3-era games with some dated assets and compressed cutscenes, each one is running much higher resolutions and frame rates, with better lighting and finer graphical detail to bring them closer to the modern entries.

The PC version in particular gives you several graphics options like resolution, anti-aliasing, texture and shadow quality, ambient occlusion, Vsync and frame rate limits, and render scale for forced supersampling. Even though real yakuza use a gamepad (Sega’s words, not mine), proper keyboard and mouse controls are available, like previous PC ports.

The Xbox versions may not be as visually pleasing as what PCs are capable of, but they’re certainly fine in their own right. On Xbox Series X, these games will still render at what looks like a 1080p resolution and will maintain a steady 60fps–there are no graphics options available here. It’s worth noting that they’re not Series X-optimized games, so you’re essentially playing the Xbox One X version.

Impressive graphics aren’t why you’re here, though. If you’re considering the Yakuza remasters, you’re in it for the captivating story of Kazuma Kiryu and the unique brand of humor that rides alongside all the hardboiled drama. You’ve probably played what’s already available on PC and Xbox. And when it comes down to it, Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 are very important pieces for the emotional conclusion that awaits in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life.

Kazuma Kiryu, A Father To Us All

In Yakuza 3, Kiryu leaves his crime-adjacent life behind and starts an orphanage out on the beaches of Okinawa to raise kids in need–it’s essentially him giving back what his foster father gave to him. It’s adorable, really. In the opening, Kiryu prepares dinner for the whole family while the kids are playing outside. His adopted daughter Haruka is sort of the older sister to the seven other kids Kiryu has taken under his wing. This in media res intro also hints at what’s to come, and how current Tojo Clan chairman and dear friend Daigo Dojima stays dedicated to Kiryu.

Ryukyu, Okinawa is a change of pace from the seedy streets of Kamurocho and Sotenbori. It’s relaxing and easygoing, and the city center has a grocery market and shops to liven up this small town. However, it wouldn’t be much of a game if Kiryu’s past wasn’t chasing him. In the process of trying to protect his new family, he gets caught in political drama and a power struggle over the land that his orphanage resides on. And of course, yakuza goons are involved, dragging us back to Kamurocho in the process. You’ll see Majima take on a different role on the sidelines, get to know Rikiya, who ends up adoring the Dragon of Dojima, and meet the kids that mean so much to Kiryu himself.

As the first entry during the PS3 era, Yakuza 3 can be a bit dated gameplay-wise even though it was the one that largely established the stylings we’ve come to expect from the more recent entries. But I can’t overstate enough how important Yakuza 3 is for the broader story arc. This orphanage, whether explicitly stated or not, drives Kiryu for the rest of his life and you won’t fully understand why without this entry.

An Ensemble Cast

Yakuza 4 throws a bit of a curveball at you as Kiryu only plays a part of a larger picture. Instead, you have an ensemble cast of newcomers. Don’t get it twisted, things still revolve around him, but the additional perspectives enrich the broader narrative and give you an opportunity to meet a few characters you’ll soon appreciate, too.

At first you may think: Where’s Kiryu? Why would you make me play as characters I don’t even know yet? Don’t worry, he’ll show up eventually, and until then you’ll get to know a personal favorite, Shun Akiyama. He kicks things off living like a slob in his own office, and you see how his background as a financier and a well-meaning loan shark comes from a difficult place but also gets him in trouble with the wrong people. He’s a lot more agile in combat and a ton of fun to play as, but he’s also the most handsome digital man I’ve ever seen in my life.

Masayoshi Tanimura might be a cop, but his heart is in the right place. He uses his position to support undocumented Asian immigrants who are trying to make a living in Kamurocho while chasing down the truth behind his father’s death.

Perhaps the most important newcomer is Taiga Saejima because he has the most direct connection to the deeper Yakuza lore. You’ll play through his prison escape then dig into his complicated past as he tries chasing down Majima, his sworn yakuza brother. Along the way, you can enjoy smashing enemies with unrelenting force, a contrast to the fighting styles of Tanimura and Akiyama. There is a wildly questionable moment that happens shortly after his escape from prison that is very uncomfortable, so be warned.

Once you get back in control of Kiryu, the pieces start to fall in place in true Yakuza style where plot twists and seemingly unrelated events tie into each other. It reaches an exciting finale that really hammers home the idea of having multiple protagonists, making Yakuza 4 unique and a great segue to Yakuza 5.

Leaving Your Loved Ones Behind

The Yakuza Remastered Collection ends with what’s easily one of the best entries in the franchise. Yakuza 5 uses the ensemble cast approach again, but this time in ways that leverage the connection and affinity you’ve built with characters you’ve come to know in previous entries.

When the game first came around in its remastered form, I wrote specifically about how Yakuza 5’s opening captures such a specific, solemn mood. You’ve been through a lot with Kiryu at this point and when he tries to leave everything (literally, everything) behind, you get an unmistakable sense of the pain he carries. In Fukuoka, about 700 miles away from home, Kiryu assumes a fake identity and becomes a cab driver, living humbly and sending money back to the orphanage. We all know that his past catches up to him eventually, but the fervor with which he tries to reject it shows how much he struggles with everything.

Fukuoka itself is a new town that has a warm feeling in the middle of a chilly winter. You can take on hilarious substories, play Taiko drumming minigame, become a ramen chef, and even race your taxi cab with sweet Eurobeat tunes in the background–and of course Kiryu does all this with his charming seriousness. Things come into great focus when you move onto the other protagonists, though.

Akiyama is back and with a bigger responsibility than huge, risky loans: Haruka. In a turn of events, Haruka is working to become Japan’s next top idol through a televised competition, singing and dancing her way into the hearts and minds of fans and within the agency that represents her. Akiyama looks out for Haruka, but also gets wrapped up in a big yakuza-related conspiracy with the agency.

Now, listen to me when I say this: You play as Haruka…who is now a pop idol. Does Haruka fight? Yes, in dance battles and live performances. It’s no longer about combos, heat actions, and smashing bad dudes into pavement. For Haruka to become the next biggest idol, Yakuza 5 turns into a rhythm game. Her song “So Much More” is going to get stuck in your head after dancing to it several times, and you will like it. If that’s not enough to convince you to make it to Yakuza 5, just know that Akiyama has some sweet dance moves himself.

That’s not all, either. Saejima returns as well, and his section is a major highlight. You fight bears, go hunting in the snow as if the game’s a shooter, get into snowball fights as a minigame, and dress up as Santa to beat up some bad dudes. Most of his chapter takes place in Hokkaido, and the city center feels alive, like a cozy place to be in the winter time with snow-covered streets and ice sculptures in the city’s park. It’s not all fun and games, though, since Saejima has to lay low for his alleged crimes while chasing down the truth about the fate of his sworn brother Majima.

I’m not terribly fond of a brand-new character, Tatsuo Shinada, a disgraced former baseball player who was caught in the middle of a gambling controversy. However, his chapter is vital to how everything ties back to the Tojo Clan, Kiryu, and especially Daigo Dojima.

Surprisingly, for an entry where you don’t actually play as Majima, much of the story really does revolve around him. It’s one of the many fascinating aspects of Yakuza 5–a character we grew to love from Yakuza 0 has had such a wild life that becomes the centerpiece for what transpires, yet we never had another chance to control his story first-hand (with the exception of his Yakuza Kiwami 2 side story).

Again, all these seemingly disparate parts come together, but for something more powerful than previous entries. The stakes are high and the fates of characters you probably now know and love hang in the delicate balance of fisticuffs, crime, and a young idol’s popularity. Although it’s probably the longest entry in the series, the variety of stories, locations, and side activities make it a truly memorable experience. It’s Yakuza at its best.

The Song Of Life

In many ways, Yakuza 5 feels like it could have been a worthy conclusion to the story of Kazuma Kiryu and the people around him. However, there’s still one more story left for those who are playing through the series for the first time–Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life is set to launch on PC and Xbox consoles this March, which concludes Kiryu’s story arc. It’s equal parts heartfelt and heartbreaking, and if you made it this far in the Yakuza series, just know that there could not have been a better conclusion to one of video games’ best characters. I can’t wait for others to see it for themselves.

Friday the 13th producer and co-creator Sean Cunningham is suing distributors Warner and Paramount. Cunningham claims that the studios have “systematically misaccounted” how much the money the slasher franchise has made over the decades.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cunningham has filed the complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court. He states that Warner and Paramount have been guilty of what is commonly known “Hollywood accounting.” This is where a studio claims a movie has made far less money than it actually has by deducting additional fees and under-reporting elements like merchandising and TV revenue. As a result, profit participants, such as producers, get paid less when the movie goes into profit. Cunningham claims that the series has made more than $129 million.

This is the second Friday the 13th lawsuit that Cunningham has filed in recent years. In 2016, Cunningham sued Victor Miller, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie back in 1980. Cunningham argues that Miller was just a writer for hire and has no claim on the rights to the story or characters in that first film, while Miller is seeking ownership of them. THR states that a ruling on this case is “pending.”

The Miller lawsuit has meant that the series is currently in a state of limbo. The last movie, a reboot simply titled Friday the 13th, was released back in 2009. In 2018, Andrew Form, whose company Platinum Dunes produced it, stated that the “rights are a little messed up” but “wholeheartedly believe that another version, another incarnation of Friday the 13th, needs to be made and brought out to the world.” A new movie was scheduled for release back in 2015 but was ultimately removed from schedules after shifting release date a few times.

In related news, the other great ’80s slasher franchise–Halloween–returns to screens in October. Halloween Kills is the sequel to 2018’s hit reboot–watch the latest trailer here. For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to the biggest upcoming horror movies of 2021.

Before Emilia Clarke signed on to play Daenerys in Game of Thrones, HBO hired a different actress, Tamzin Merchant, to play the role in the pilot. Merchant hasn’t said much about her experience as the Mother of Dragons, but she is now discussing how it all went down.

She told EW that she had a bad feeling about the Game of Thrones pilot from the beginning. As fans know, the pilot was something of a disaster. She told the publication that filming the pilot was “a really great lesson” because she learned to pay more attention to her instincts.

“It was an affirmation about listening to my instincts and following them, because I tried to back out of that situation and, during the contract process, I did back out,” she said. “I was talked back into it by some persuasive people. Then I found myself naked and afraid in Morocco and riding a horse that was clearly much more excited to be there than I was.”

The scene she’s referring to is Daenerys’ wedding night for which she filmed a nude scene with Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa). It did not go so well. They had to call cut for one sequence because a horse got an erection.

“It was a lesson that if my guts are telling me a story isn’t something I’m excited to tell, then I shouldn’t try to be excited just because other people are telling me that I should be excited,” Merchant said of her experience with the Game of Thrones pilot. “I didn’t have any training as an actor, I only have my instincts. And what excites me and what drives me is a compelling story and a compelling character. So for me, Game of Thrones was never that. I think it’s a testament to Emilia Clarke for making that role iconic–she was obviously excited to tell that story, and she was epic and excellent. But for me, it wasn’t in my heart to tell it.”

In the end, Merchant said she’s happy that she was allowed out of her contract because needing to commit to a role she didn’t believe in would have impacted her life and career negatively.

“If I hadn’t been released from my contract, I think it would have taken me to a place far from the creative person that I am today,” she said. “Also, if I was very rich and famous, I wouldn’t have time to do all the things that my soul needs to do. Expressing myself creatively is a need that’s more important than any amount of riches that I could have gained from that part.”

The ill-fated Game of Thrones pilot was filmed in 2009, and it was a trainwreck. EW has a full breakdown of what went wrong, and it’s a fascinating and eye-opening examination of a bad start to what would become one of the most successful TV shows in history.

While Game of Thrones is over, HBO is pursuing multiple new spin-offs, both live-action and animated.