Author: Trafficblast

okemon Sword and Shield will invite players into the new Galar region next month. The location is packed with both brand new and returning Pokemon (albeit not all of them). It marks the beginning of the eighth generation of Pokemon games, and some fans might be wondering where these new games fit within the nebulous Pokemon timeline.

It’s never been properly clarified how much overlap there is between the various games in the series. While Gold/Silver are a direct sequel to Red/Blue, the timeline gets more confusing the longer you think about it. But according to the team at Game Freak, you shouldn’t look too deeply into how they all fit together.

In an interview with Game Informer, producer Junichi Masuda admitted that there’s no definite timeline for the Pokemon series, and that it’s best not to get too caught up trying to untangle it. “It starts to get a little complicated if you pay too much attention to timelines,” he said. “Like, there might be a professor that appears and it wouldn’t make sense at all if we applied that kind of timeline logic. So we try not to apply it too rigorously.”

Masuda says that the world of Pokemon has grown, even if a strict linear narrative across the series is hard to land on. “The approach that Pokemon takes is expanding the world, like what the regions are, and making it richer as we go. Rather than a timeline, it’s more of a physical space thing.”

In that same interview, Masuda and director Shigeru Ohmori spoke about the game being of comparable length to past entries in the series. Meanwhile, in our own hands-on report, Kallie Plagge found that picking a starter Pokemon in Sword and Shield is a surprisingly emotional experience.

Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. Check out our preorder guide to ensure that you get your hands on the version you want on day one.

The brand-new trailer for Disney’s new Star Wars TV show, The Mandalorian, showed off more of the sci-fi world and offered tantalizing teases for what to expect. The trailer also provided the first look at comedian Bill Burr’s character–and he looks fearsome.

Burr can be seen near the end of the trailer as the character who is firing not one, but three blasters at some enemy in front of him. He is dual-wielding blaster pistols, while he has a third blaster attached to his shoulder. We don’t know who his character is, but he looks fierce.

This is not Burr’s first acting gig, as he had a recurring role on AMC’s award-winning drama Breaking Bad where he played one of Saul Goodman’s henchmen.

Burr’s involvement in a Star Wars show may come as a surprise to many as the comedian and actor has been open about how much he does not like Star Wars. In 2015, Burr spoke to Conan O’Brien about his disdain for Star Wars, saying the movies feel like a “cheesy self-help book put in outer space with, like, Muppets.”

He also made fun of people standing in line for Star Wars movies. He’s a comedian so he’s definitely hamming it up for laughs, but whatever the case, he’s now officially in a Star Wars movie–and that’s a dramatic turn of events.

How did it happen? In an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Burr said he happened to meet up with The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, who asked if he would be interested in joining the project. Burr said he wondered why Favreau might want him given his stance on Star Wars. But according to Burr, Favreau thought it would be funny for Burr–a man who does not like Star Wars–to be in a Star Wars show.

When Burr got to set, he saw that The Mandalorian was being filmed like a spaghetti western and he was “immediately so psyched to be a part of it,” he recalled.

Burr was actually in the first big trailer for The Mandalorian back in August, but seemingly no one noticed. He’s the bald guy in the shot below.

Bill Burr’s bald head

The Mandalorian follows the titular character, played by Pedro Pascal, a lone gunfighter working outside of the authority of the New Republic. The series also features Gina Carana as Cara Dune, Carl Weathers as Greef Carga, and Taika Waititi as IG-11.

Disney+ is also working on an Obi-Wan Kenobi series where Ewan McGregor will reprise his role as the Jedi Master. And if you’re looking for more Star Wars adventures in the real world, Disney is launching some Rise of the Skywalker content to their parks starting this December.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian arrives on Disney+ on the streaming service’s launch day, November 12. That’s just a few days before Apex Legends developer Respawn releases its new Star Wars video game, Jedi Fallen Order.

No @Netflix no. Don’t make me have to call every director and show creator on Earth to fight you on this. Save me the time. I will win but it will take a ton of time. Don’t fuck with our timing. We give you nice things. Leave them as they were intended to be seen. https://t.co/xkprLM44oC

— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) October 28, 2019

Stop. As the person talked about in this article I felt the need to speak out. There is NO WAY @netflix will move forward with this. That would mean they are completely taking control of everyone else’s art and destroying it. Netflix is far better than that. Am I right Netflix?🎥 https://t.co/fZDnYzvStN

— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) October 28, 2019

Do “customers” want to eat or have sex 1.5x faster too? Are they right? Does everything have to be designed for the laziest and most tasteless?

— Peter Ramsey (@pramsey342) October 28, 2019

Whelp— another spectacularly bad idea, and another cut to the already bleeding-out cinema experience. Why support & finance filmmakers visions on one hand and then work to destroy the presentation of those films on the other??? https://t.co/T7QdYAQGHU

— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) October 28, 2019

Luigi’s Mansion 3 launches on Nintendo Switch later this week. This installment of the series takes the cowardly plumber to the Last Resort, a towering hotel filled with tons of ghosts and collectibles to find, but how long does it take to work your way through the adventure?

We’ve played through Luigi’s Mansion 3 prior to writing our review, and it took us approximately 18 hours to clear the main story mode. We played through the game very leisurely and tracked down most–but not all–of the special gems hidden on each floor, so your individual playtime will vary depending on how thoroughly you scour the hotel.

In addition to the main story, Luigi’s Mansion 3 features two dedicated multiplayer modes that will extend its longevity. First is ScareScraper, which was originally introduced in Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. The mode plays out very similarly to the 3DS game, challenging players with clearing floors of a tower within a time limit. Each floor has a different objective; some will ask you to defeat all the ghosts, while others will task you with finding Toads and bring them back to a safe point.

On top of that, Luigi’s Mansion 3 introduces a new multiplayer mode called ScreamPark. This is a local-only party mode that pits two teams against each other in mini-games. At launch, there are three different mini-games to choose from; you can take a closer look at ScreamPark in Nintendo’s extended gameplay demo. Nintendo will release additional content for ScareScraper and ScreamPark as paid DLC, but the company hasn’t announced what that will be or when it’ll arrive.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 releases, fittingly enough, on October 31. We awarded it an 8/10 in our Luigi’s Mansion 3 review and called it “perhaps the best installment in the series yet.” If you can’t wait to get your hands on the game, you can at least keep yourself amused with this terrifying (but free) printable Gooigi mask until it launches later this week.

With Halloween approaching, Mario’s lanky, timid brother is gearing up to embark on another spooky adventure in Luigi’s Mansion 3. The Nintendo Switch exclusive launches on October 31 and, ahead of its release, critics have begun publishing reviews online. We’ve compiled some here to help you make sense of Luigi’s latest paranormal escapade.

Instead of a mansion as the title suggests, Luigi checks into the luxurious Last Resort hotel, where some very eerie and very odd things start happening. The experience thrusts Luigi into a frightening adventure to free his friends and capture King Boo once again.

Also in time for the Halloween spirit, Nintendo has unveiled a terrifying Gooigi mask. It’s simple to acquire and easy to put together, giving you the full experience of Luigi’s gooey clone from Luigi’s Mansion 3. Further, Luigi made an appearance in another Nintendo Switch title–Tetris 99. And if you want even more Luigi, he is finally playable in Mario Kart Tour, alongside other new additions like King Boo and Waluigi.

• Game: Luigi’s Mansion 3
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Next Level Games
• Release date: October 31
• Price: $60 USD / £47 GBP / $88 AUD

Get Luigi’s Mansion 3 on Amazon

GameSpot – 8/10

“But while the multiplayer modes may not hold your attention for long, the strength of the Luigi’s Mansion series has always stemmed from the satisfaction of exploring its carefully constructed settings, and in that regard Luigi’s Mansion 3 certainly succeeds. The game may not radically diverge from the series’ formula, but it offers up another meticulously crafted set of challenges to overcome while smoothing out some of the issues that held Dark Moon back, and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you clear a particularly head-scratching obstacle is just as potent now as the first time Luigi unwillingly strapped a vacuum to his back and stepped into a haunted mansion.” — Kevin Knezevic [Full Review]

Comic Book – 4/5

“Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a magical return to the franchise which newcomers and old-school fans will delight in. Filled with adventure and spooks, the sequel brings back what fans loved about the series’ first game. Luigi has never felt more loved in a game before, even when he’s been put through seven layers of ghostly hell, and fans will enjoy the game even in its most frustrating moments.” — Megan Peters [Full Review]

Eurogamer – Recommended

“Part of me still yearns for those dusty carpets of the first Luigi’s Mansion–the near pitch-black corridors, the fumbling around in the dark. This third entry, by contrast, feels more like Luigi has left the haunted house and gained free reign around the neighboring theme park. But what a theme park. It’s left me excited to see where the series goes next.” — Tom Phillips [Full Review]

Game Informer – 8.5/10

“With unique puzzles, diverse floor themes, and exciting boss battles, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a spooky delight for players of all experience levels. Seasoned ghostbusters and rookie paranormal enthusiasts alike would do well to look into Luigi’s latest eerie adventure.” — Brian Shea [Full Review]

IGN – 8.3/10

“Mario, it turns out, isn’t the only plumber in Nintendo’s employ who can carry his own great game. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is so much fun, so charming, and so smartly designed that, moving forward, I really hope we get more than three of these games every 20 years. It’s absolutely the best Ghostbusters game ever made–it just happens to star Mario’s scaredy-cat brother rather than Peter Venkman and Ray Stantz.” — Ryan McCaffrey [Full Review]

Kotaku – No Score

“It’s the sheer variety of experiences in Luigi’s Mansion 3 that keeps it entertaining throughout. While you might at first think you’re in for a repetitive time as you go through the first few floors and find nothing but standard hotel rooms, things get quite unexpected as you continue higher and higher. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s a solid take on a series that hasn’t had many entries over the last nearly 20 years. Mostly, it’s just nice to see that Luigi is indeed alive, and not dead.” — Chris Kohler [Full Review]

Polygon – No Score

“But boss fights are a small sliver of the Luigi’s Mansion 3 experience. Each level is a complex onion of ideas to peel back, layer by layer. Next Level Games continues its strong tradition of granting Luigi far more depth than his superstar older brother, even if he is always doomed to keep getting scared for our enjoyment.” — Chelsea Stark [Full Review]

USGamer – 4/5

“‘Ghostly goodness’ is a great summation of Luigi’s Mansion 3. There are more environments to explore, more ghosts to suck up, more stuff to break, more collectibles to dig up, and–most importantly–more Polterpup antics to grin at. True, it’s a little strange to see Luigi check into a hotel instead of a mansion this time, but like a capable handyman, he adapts. Luigi’s Mansion 3 sucks more than anything, and that’s great news.” — Nadia Oxford [Full Review]

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

Whether you’re into Gears 5 replica Lancers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures, or want to own Captain America’s shield, GameSpot’s latest weekly ad offers deals on them all and more. A massive number of collectibles are part of a pretty great promotion this week. If you spend $100 or more on collectibles (easy to do), you’ll save 20% on your online order.

Anime fans can also get a free month of Funimation by purchasing just $10 worth of anime collectibles.

The online promotions are great, but if you’re heading into your local GameStop soon, you can also take advantage of a similar deal in-store. GameStop is selling Dragon Ball Z bags for $5 that you can then fill with as many collectibles that will fit for 20% off. The in-store deal allows you to spend less than $100 to get the discount.

The full catalog of collectibles can be viewed at GameStop. We’ve browsed the wares and highlighted a handful of our favorites below.

See all collectibles at GameStop

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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Second Sister Inquisitor Figure

See at GameStop

The Second Sister Inquisitor will play an important role in the upcoming Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. Originally a good Jedi, she turns to the dark side of the Force to serve Darth Vader and hunt down Fallen Order protagonist Cal Kestis. This awesome figure is $27 at GameStop, which means you’ll have to spend more to get the discount.

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Nintendo Mario Deluxe Playset

See at GameStop

Shopping for kids who love Nintendo this holiday season? This $40 Mario playset comes with Princess Peach’s castle, five figures, and four accessories.

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Batman Black and White By Marc Silvestri Statue

See at GameStop

Modeled after art created by comic book artist Marc Silvestri, the Batman Black and White statue truly fits the definition of collectible. Only 5,000, numbered statues were made. Yes, it’s pricey at $80, but it’s a remarkably detailed and cool statue of the Caped Crusader.

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Dragon Ball Super Tag Fighters Super Saiyan Vegata Statue

See at GameStop

Dragon Ball Z fans can pick up this very determined Super Saiyan Vegata statue. This $25 statue is eligible for the Funimation promotion, so even if you don’t want to spend $100 on collectibles, you can still get a freebie with your Super Saiyan purchase.

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Ultimate Well House Pennywise Action Figure

See at GameStop

What better way to celebrate Halloween week than with this creepy 7-inch Pennywise action figure? Modeled after Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of the killer clown in the reincarnation of It, this statue comes with the four head sculpts shown above. Obviously, the best use for the four different heads is to swap them out periodically without your loved ones knowing the variants exist. That’s $25 well-spent.

This portion of the Luigi’s Mansion 3 guide contains a walkthrough for your first official objectives. After installing the elevator tracker, you’ll need to practice contacting Professor E.Gadd by opening up your menu and connecting to the Professor E.Gadd Hotline. Once that’s done, you’ll have your main objective: recover E. Gadd’s Briefcase.

These objectives will take you through the Basement (B!), Grand Lobby (Floor 1), and part of the Mezzanine (Floor 2). Near the end of this mission, you’ll have to defeat the Maid Boss who has swallowed Professor E.Gadd’s briefcase. After returning to the lab, Professor E.Gadd will give you the gift (and curse) of being able to summon Gooigi.

Continue reading…