Author: Trafficblast

In 2010, Kirby’s Epic Yarn spun the traditional formula of Dream Land’s favorite hero on its head, reimaging Kirby stuck in a world made entirely of yarn, buttons, and zippers. Extra Epic Yarn ports Kirby’s sidescrolling platforming adventure from Wii to 3DS and stitches on a few new features and modes for good measure. Most of Extra Epic Yarn plays as you might remember the original game–and it still looks just as good–but the port’s additions craft new, enjoyable ways for you to approach its content.

Kirby does not have his trademark abilities in Patch Land, so you need to rely on his new knitted form to find unorthodox ways of overcoming obstacles and vanquishing foes. To attack, for example, Kirby throws out a whip of yarn to unravel enemies before wrapping the material up into a ball that can be thrown. There are also moments within levels where Kirby will take on a new shape, which briefly alters gameplay–when Kirby is a fighter jet, for example, Extra Epic Yarn becomes a fixed shooter.

Epic Yarn recaptures the charming simplicity of Kirby’s earliest adventures, while also reimagining Dream Land’s hero in a fun new way with its yarn-based aesthetics. The game retains the franchise’s focus on simple platforming challenges populated throughout cleverly designed levels as well. Extra Epic Yarn adds on to this formula by including craft-focused variations of some of Kirby’s traditional transformations in the platforming sections. Certain items on each stage transform Kirby if you manage to whip them up, allowing him to attack and occasionally navigate a stage in a new way. For instance, Nylon (Tornado) Kirby can spin at high enough speeds to pull apart any enemy or damage bosses, but the attack can also be used to briefly hover through the air. These new abilities are not necessary to completing any level, but several of them allow Kirby to more easily attack and jump at the same time, which adds a nice flow to the platforming. And like previous Kirby titles, you can stick with one you enjoy and bring it from one stage to the next.

It would have been nice to see Kirby’s transformations inspire new puzzles in Extra Epic Yarn. Every stage–as far as I can tell–has been faithfully replicated, so there’s not one puzzle you can’t figure out without a transformation. It feels like a lost opportunity to implement a more creative application of Kirby’s new powers.

On top of new transformations, Extra Epic Yarn also adds Devilish mode, which is the game’s version of a hard difficulty. In Devilish mode, a small devil will follow Kirby and try to attack him. Striking back will cause the devil to scurry off, but it will return eventually and you’ll have to hit it again if you want to get rid of it. And you do want to get rid of it. Unlike Normal mode, Kirby can be unwound in Devilish mode from taking too many hits, which forces you to start a stage from the very beginning. Devilish mode can present quite the challenge on later stages, where longer levels present more opportunities for a misplaced jump or slow attack. The new mode never becomes frustrating, though, thanks in large part to the implementation of the aforementioned transformation abilities. Devilish mode might not have worked in the more methodical Epic Yarn, but the ability to do quick, sweeping attacks while on the move with Kirby’s transformations allows for Extra Epic Yarn to be more action-oriented. It’s still tough at times, but as someone who thought Epic Yarn was too easy, Devilish mode introduces the challenge I want in a second playthrough.

Extra Epic Yarn also adds two new minigames which put you in control of either Meta Knight or King Dedede. Meta Knight Slash & Bead has you cut your way through stages as you collect beads, doing your best to slice through as many enemies as quickly as possible to earn more time. Dedede Gogogo is a much faster-paced variation of the same formula, pushing you to sprint through a stage instead of fight your way through it. Each minigame only has four stages, all of which only last a few minutes. Both work as enjoyable distractions when you want to take a break from the campaign–similar to Samurai Kirby and Megaton Punch in previous titles.

Epic Yarn recaptures the charming simplicity of Kirby’s earliest adventures, while also reimagining Dream Land’s hero in a fun new way with its craft-focused aesthetics.

One last change that comes in Extra Epic Yarn is the loss of motion controls, which were used in certain story levels in the original game on Wii and Wii U. You only notice the motion controls are gone in a few infrequent instances: the sections where Kirby turns himself into a train. Before, you laid out the train’s path by pointing at the screen and dragging where you wanted the track to go. In the 3DS port, you use the control stick or d-pad, which is just harder to do. It’s possible, sure, but I can’t help but think incorporating stylus support in those sections would have made them easier.

Extra Epic Yarn brings new life to a Kirby game that’s nearly a decade old. Everything there is to love about Epic Yarn is still here, but the addition of traditional transformation abilities and challenging Devilish mode provide options for anyone looking for a different or more difficult platforming experience. The two new minigames aren’t game-changing additions, but they’re both fun to complete and provide a change of pace if you ever need a break from the campaign. Whether you’re looking to relive Kirby’s adventure into Patch Land or want to pick up the game for the first time, Extra Epic Yarn provides hours of good fun, all wrapped up in charming, craft-influenced visuals. This 3DS port is the best version of the game, hands down.

Microsoft has released some unique-looking Xbox One designs over the years, but this new one takes the cake errr cookie. Microsoft has partnered with the makers of Oreo to create an Xbox One X that looks like the splashed white-and-black look of a tasty Oreo cookie.

You can win one of these new Xbox One X consoles through Oreo’s “The Stuf Inside” sweepstakes. The contest is open only to people in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. You can scan a participating Oreo package for a chance to win the custom Xbox One X. The full terms and conditions are available here on the Stuf Inside sweepstakes website.

Back in September, Microsoft announced lots of custom Xbox One consoles that it was auctioning off for charity. The designs were designed and signed by people like Post Malone, Ludacris, Jack Black, Usain Bolt, and many other famous people. You can see them all here.

Microsoft is rumoured to announce its next wave of Xbox consoles at E3 2019 in June, where the company also plans to show off Halo Infinite.

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We’ve known for a while now that Game of Thrones Season 8 will have an epic battle scene, and now the producers have shared more details about it. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, episode director Miguel Sapochnik, who previously directed the Battle of the Bastards episode, confirmed this new episode will feature a battle between familiar living characters and the Night King and his army. The showdown has been teased since the show’s beginning, and now it’s finally coming.

In the episode, which chronicles the Battle of Winterfell, familiar characters like Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, and Brienne of Tarth are outnumbered as they fight against the supernatural foes. According to EW, it’s the “longest consecutive battle sequence ever committed to film.” At 40 minutes, the Helm’s Deep battle from The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers was the longest battle sequence that Sapochnik said he could find in cinema history.

Co-executive producer Bryan Cogman spoke about the epic battle scene, calling it unprecedented for TV or film.

“What we have asked the production team and crew to do this year truly has never been done in television or in a movie,” he explained. “This final face-off between the Army of the Dead and the army of the living is completely unprecedented and relentless and a mixture of genres even within the battle. There are sequences built within sequences built within sequences. [Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss wrote] an amazing puzzle and Miguel came in and took it apart and put it together again. It’s been exhausting but I think it will blow everybody away.”

Filming the episode took 11 weeks of night shoots. According to the report, up to 750 people worked all night for almost three months in sub-freezing temperatures and enduring cold rain, mud, and heavy wind.

Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark, told EW that “nothing can prepare you for how physically draining” it was filming the battle scene. “It’s night after night, and again and again, and it just doesn’t stop,” she said. “You can’t get sick, and you have to look out for yourself because there’s so much to do that nobody else can do… there are moments you’re just broken as a human and just want to cry.”

The actor who plays Ser Jorah Mormont, Iain Glen, said filming the battle was the “most unpleasant experience I’ve had on Thrones.”

“A real test, really miserable. You get to sleep at seven in the morning and when you wake in the midday you’re still so spent you can’t really do anything, and then you’re back,” he added. “You have no life outside it. You have an absolute f**ked bunch of actors. But without getting too method [acting] about it, on screen it bleeds through to the reality of the Thrones world.”

The entire interview at EW is incredibly in depth and fascinating–check it out here.

Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres on April 14 on HBO–you can see the latest footage here. While the main show is ending, a prequel series is in development.

Netflix has responded to film legend Steven Spielberg’s comments about the Oscars that drummed up a lot of debate and controversy recently. In a statement that doesn’t mention Spielberg or the Oscars by name, Netflix listed some of the reasons why the streaming network’s role in the distribution of film is important.

“We love cinema,” the statement starts off by saying. It then lists off some of the ways Netflix’s unique distribution model that bypasses theatres helps the film industry overall.

“Access for people who can’t always afford, or live in towns without, theatres. Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time,” it said. “Giving filmmakers more ways to share art.”

“These things are not mutually exclusive.”

Netflix’s statement came after Spielberg reportedly plans to request a change to the Oscars eligibility rules that would block movies that air exclusively on streaming services or only come to theatres for a limited time from winning an Oscar. Under the proposed new rules, such films could qualify for an Emmy but not an Oscar. This has understandably generated a lot of debate and discussion.

Spielberg’s comments follow a big Oscars season for Netflix. The Alfonso Cuaron drama Roma, which is exclusive to Netflix, won three Oscars at the recent 91st Academy Awards.

Spielberg’s production company, Amblin, told IndieWire in a statement, “Steven feels strongly about the difference between the streaming and theatrical situation.”

Spielberg will reportedly lobby the Academy to make changes as part of the upcoming Academy Board of Governors meeting in April. We’ll report back when more details become available.

Last April, Spielberg said Netflix movies should not qualify for the Oscars and that platforms like Netflix represent a “clear and present danger” to traditional film. Spielberg has been nominated for 17 Oscars, and he’s won three.