biteho.com

If an Australian Classification Board rating is anything to go on, it appears Castlevania’s Game Boy Advance entries are going to find a home on new systems. The Castlevania Advance Collection has been rated for a multiplatform launch, and the listed developer should have fans very excited.

The rating page on the Australian Classification Board website, which was just published June 18, gives the collection an M rating, which is not the same as the ESRB’s M rating–it’s more in line with a T rating and doesn’t require any sort of restrictions on purchases.

No individual games are listed on the page, but a compilation with this name will almost certainly include Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow–all of which original released for the Game Boy Advance. The three acclaimed games were built on the metroidvania formula established in Symphony of the Night, which would become the standard for the series for about a decade.

Konami, naturally, is listed as the publisher of the collection, and M2 is listed as the developer. M2 has done excellent work on porting retro games for years, and it partnered with Konami to create the software for the TurboGrafx-16 Mini console, which itself included a Castlevania game, Rondo of Blood. That game is, for some reason, even getting a re-release on the long-discontinued TurboDuo console via Limited Run Games. M2 also developed the Castlevania Anniversary Collection back in 2019.

Though we haven’t gotten information on any brand-new Castlevania games since Lords of Shadow 2 released more than seven years ago, the animated Netflix series has received critical acclaim over its four seasons and it’s getting a sequel series, as well. Still, we sure would like to pick up the Belmont family’s famous Vampire Killer whip again, ourselves.

State of Decay 2‘s Update 25: Plague Territory will go live across all platforms on Monday, June 21. Undead Labs shared a short video on Twitter teasing one of the main aspects of the update, Plague Territories, which are regions controlled by Plague Hearts that cannot be inhabited until the controlling Hearts are destroyed.

Plague Territories have been available as part of the play testing beta on Steam since late April and while Undead Labs has not released the full patch notes for Update 25 yet, and while we don’t know everything that’ll be in Update 25 yet, the other new features in the beta might give some clues. Landmark Outposts offer one of three unique options depending on what the landmark itself is. Resource Outposts, which can produce food, ammo, or other resources, will get the ability to be upgraded, to increase their benefits.

These new features cannot be used on existing maps, so players will need to either load up a new map or change the difficulty on a current map to get Plague Territories, Landmark Outposts, and upgradable Resource Outposts. While only Plague Territories are confirmed for Update 25, we will know more when it goes live on June 21.

Nintendo made plenty of big announcements at E3 this year, but fans of the long-dormant futuristic racing series F-Zero were, perhaps predictably, left high and dry. Thankfully, one fan has taken the matter of a new F-Zero game into their own hands using a different Nintendo game altogether: Game Builder Garage.

You’d be forgiven for forgetting Game Builder Garage released. It actually launched on June 11 for Nintendo Switch, right in the midst of E3, and Nintendo didn’t exactly draw attention to it during their various presentations or livestreams. That being said, fans are already doing some amazing work with the game-creation toolkit, in particular this F-Zero creation from ZeldaBoi1.

ZeldaBoi1 has put together a truly impressive F-Zero fan-game using Nintendo’s game-making tools. Players can accelerate, drive in reverse, and drift, just like in the original F-Zero for Super Nintendo. From the pixelated visuals that look incredibly close to that of the first game in the series down to the catchy music, Zelda Boi1’s creation is incredible, especially considering Game Builder Garage has barely been out for a week.

And it’s far from ZeldaBoi1’s only creation. They’ve also put together a short demo for a new Kirby game and a first-person Zelda, as well as recreations of games like Mario Kart, Earthbound, and Excitebike. The F-Zero recreation in particular gained plenty of attention on Twitter, to which ZeldaBoi1 responded by saying if they could do this in just a week, imagine what will come after a month with Game Builder Garage. If future creations are anything like these early ones, fans can expect to see some truly remarkable stuff in the coming months as creators get more familiar with Game Builder Garage’s tools.

It’s all enough to make fans wish the series would receive a proper modern entry. An ex-Nintendo game designer recently said the F-Zero franchise isn’t dead, but that it would need a “grand new idea” in order to justify a new entry in the series, something more than a few fans likely don’t agree with.

But even if there isn’t a new, official F-Zero on the way, Nintendo did make plenty of big announcements at E3 this year when it comes to the return of classic franchises, including a new 2D Metroid and a remake of the classic turn-based-strategy series Advance Wars.

PGA Tour 2K21 is adding a new set of custom courses in its multiplayer playlists, designed by community members. Six new course collections–some fan favorites, some new–will be added into multiplayer playlists over the next few months, with the first set available now.

The courses are being designed by a number of PGA Tour 2K21 content creators from the U.S., U.K., Canada, and New Zealand.

Here is the full list of creators:

The June course collection was created by VctryLnSprts, adding Lybster Isles, The Chastener, The Razorback, Bullhead Ridge, and Devon Lakes, the last of which is only available in Divot Derby. Each month will feature a different creator and theme, with July’s theme being “Around the World,” taking inspiration from popular international locations.

In what might be disappointing news to fans eagerly anticipating the final release of Baldur’s Gate 3, it has been confirmed that the game will definitely not be leaving early access this year.

In an interview with GameSpot, Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke has confirmed that the game will remain in early access until next year. Vincke stated that “We are really trying to get the game done by next year,” and that “It’s not gonna release this year for sure.”

Baldur’s Gate 3 launched in Early Access on October 6 2020, and has been receiving incremental updates and hotfixes to the game ever since. The last large update from February added the druid class to the already expansive RPG.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/baldurs-gate-3-early-access-review”]

Vincke also added that the next update was “just around the corner” but didn’t give an exact date of when it might release. It seems like the next update will be a more significant gameplay-focused update that will address game systems and balancing issues, as opposed to adding a new class, stating that, “It’s more focused on features than it is on new content”.

In the interview, Vincke also touched on the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic; revealing the team at Larian “have been affected by the crisis” just like a number of game developers, and that this may be one reason why the game will remain in Early Access throughout 2021. Larian has not been the only studio affected by this, with Hideo Kojima revealing he has changed his development process due to the pandemic, and a significant increase in game delays affecting the industry overall.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/21/baldurs-gate-3-developers-react-to-under-6-minute-speedrun”]

Whilst the game will remain in Early Access for the time being, Vincke appears confident that the team at Larian will be able to release the full game next year. IGN’s review for the Early Access version of the game appreciated the deep combat, but noted that it definitely felt early, with regular bugs breaking the immersion whilst playing. Hopefully, the finished product will be worth the wait when it launches in 2022.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

The Borderlands movie is sticking closely to the style of the bestselling video game series, according to actor Kevin Hart.

Hart, who has been cast as Roland, a character from the first two Borderlands games and The Pre-Sequel, recently spoke to Collider about Eli Roth’s upcoming film. He touched on the authenticity of the upcoming new entry in the Borderlands universe, as he reassured fans that the big-screen adaptation will definitely be taking a page from the games in terms of its visual style and overall appearance.

“The fanbase that follows the game is already huge and unreal, but I don’t think they even have a clear understanding of how close we’re coming to the game,” he said, teasing the team’s commitment to bringing the game to life for the live-action adaptation of Gearbox’s popular looter-​shooter. “It looks like the game. It’s unbelievable, truly unbelievable.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/06/12/borderlands-the-movie-randy-pitchford-set-visit”]

In the same interview, Hart discussed his role in the movie, portraying Roland, a character who was honorably discharged from the military unit known as the Crimson Lance in the games. He admitted that the role had been a change of pace for him, having switched gears from his frequent comedic performances to step into “action full speed ahead,” but he made sure he was fully prepared for the part.

Hart recounted an early conversation he had with Roth, in which Roth told him that he would land the role in the movie, so long as he showed up prepared and ready to knock it out at the casting stages. “So I went, I did some training with some Navy SEALS,” Hart revealed. “I got real good with weapons, I got real good with my hand-to-hand combat.”

Hart also praised Roth for bringing his own flair to the movie, saying, “I can say visually, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen. Somehow I find myself in these spaces where you get a part of these IPs that are hitting the big screen and have the potential to become so much more… Borderlands, nobody knows what to expect, but if this thing comes and it smacks people correctly, you could be looking at Borderlands 2, Borderlands 3. It’s that good.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=borderlands-movie-cast-photos&captions=true”]

The Borderlands movie centers around Cate Blanchett’s Lilith and her quest to return to the planet of Pandora to recover the missing daughter of “the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas.” Along the way, she’ll cross paths with Jamie Lee Curtis‘ Dr. Tannis, Gina Gershon’s Moxxi, Janina Gavankar’s Commander Knox, Jack Black’s Claptrap, and Florian Munteanu’s Krieg.

The movie, which is said to be loosely based on the games, is being directed by Eli Roth and scripted by Craig Mazin, and is due to be released in 2022.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

LEGO Super Mario fans look set to be in for another wallet-busting ride as the latest LEGO Super Mario toy sets has been leaked early – and it’s the biggest one we’ve seen yet.

A product listing for a Bowser’s Airship set was put up early on Amazon Australia, likely before an official announcement could be made, and has since been pulled from the site. But, as is always the way with the internet, a number of eager fans grabbed screenshots of the newest set before it was removed from the storefront.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/lego-super-mario-series-2-expansion-sets-trailer”]

The newest set clearly takes inspiration from the airship levels that have become a mainstay of the Mario series. The set features a version of the Bowser airships from the games, which can extend itself so you can play within the interior of the ship and play it like a stage. Accompanying characters that come with the set include a Magikoopa, Pirate Goomba, and a Rocky Wrench.

This set is also likely to be the largest LEGO Super Mario set released so far once it launches, consisting of 1,152 pieces. The previous largest set was the Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle with 1,010 pieces. This set is also significantly longer than other sets as well, reaching 14 inches when fully extended. No release date has been confirmed so far, but if the product is already appearing on storefronts, it surely won’t be too long before an official announcement is made.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/20/lego-super-mario-adventures-luigi-starter-course-trailer”]

The latest set to be officially announced was the Luigi expansion, launching on August 1. Oddly, this set was revealed by the LEGO Mario figure creepily calling out for his brother Luigi, as if he was sad and lonely without him. Chilling. A third wave of blind bag enemy figures has also been confirmed, and is likely to arrive at the same time as the Luigi expansion.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

Fans have been clamouring for a new F-Zero game for years, desperate to finally see the continued adventures of Captain Falcon. Whilst Nintendo’s latest E3 Direct gave us a fresh look at The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, and new reveals in the form of Metroid Dread, Nintendo’s lightning fast racing series was left in the dust. That was until @ZeldaBoi1 (who has also made an awesome Mario Kart game) decided to take matters into their own hands, recreating F-Zero within Game Builder Garage.

ZeldaBoi1’s take on F-Zero is far from the only take on the classic racer on Game Builder Garage, but its colour palette and pixel art surroundings certainly make it look among the most authentic recreations. It seems the creator isn’t done yet, either. After being praised for their work in just a week with the game, ZeldaBoi1 said, “wait until you see what I’ll be able to make after a month”.

If you want to give ZeldaBoi1’s version of F-Zero a go right now, the code to find the game on Game Builder Garage is: G-002-54C-N4P. The initial tweet was followed by multiple comments of praise from other F-Zero fans who feel left out by a new game in the series not having surfaced in almost two decades now. Other twitter highlights in the Game Builder Garage hashtag include a new Sonic the Hedgehog game, a slightly less intense version of Doom Eternal, and a very disturbing screaming Toad.

F-ZERO

CODE: G-002-54C-N4P

controls:
A/B-accelerate
X/Y-reverse
ZR/ZL-drift

have fun!!!#GameBuilderGarage #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/ynZkPLS7vm

— ZeldaBoi (Game Building in the Garage) (@ZeldaBoi1) June 17, 2021

For those not in the know, Game Builder Garage is Nintendo’s new make-your-own video games platform, released on June 11. Similar in concept to other game making software like Media Molecule’s Little Big Planet or Dreams, the software allows you to create your own video games through designing levels, characters and gameplay. Given Nintendo’s lack of support for F-Zero, it’s not surprising that fans have decided to create their own versions of classic games.

Captain Falcon, the mascot character for F-Zero, remains a Nintendo icon, despite not having a game released in 17 years (the last was F-Zero: Climax on the Game Boy Advance). He appears as a playable fighter in the Super Smash Bros games, and has received his own amiibo as well as having his own cameo appearances in other Nintendo games such as in the Mute City track in Mario Kart 8.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/06/10/game-builder-garage-review”]

Nintendo fans have taken to Game Builder Garage as a way of living out new versions of their favourite Nintendo franchises that are unlikely to see a return. However, Nintendo did just reveal the first 2D Metroid game in 19 years at E3, and earlier this year retired Nintendo designer Takaya Immamura did say F-Zero isn’t dead. So with this company, anything is possible. Except for a new Tingle game, you’re never getting another one of those.

Good.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. Follow him for more Tingle hate @liamthewiseman

Epic Games Store backend data suggests the PC storefront will add Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and an unannounced Alan Wake remaster.

Posted to the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit by AsleepEntrepreneur73 and AwareReplacement1587, both apparent leaks come from the EpicData website, which tracks updates to the Epic Games Store.

While both games have been added under codenames, their listed cloud save folder directories mention legitimate game names. Alan Wake Remastered is listed as ‘HeronStaging‘, while Final Fantasy 7 Remake is listed under ‘Pineapple‘ – you can see the games’ real titles by clicking ‘customAttributes’ and then ‘CloudSaveFolder’.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/01/how-control-and-alan-wake-are-linked”]

It’s worth pointing out that there’s no guarantee either of these games will arrive on the service – both entries were originally created in 2019 and 2020 respectively, and have seemingly remained undiscovered until now. However, both have been updated this year, so they would appear to be ongoing ideas, rather than simple placeholders.

Back in 2020, we learned that FInal Fantasy 7 Remake would be a PlayStation exclusive until at least April 2021 – with that deadline now passed, it’s conceivable that the game would see a release on PC in the not-too-distant future. That said, the updated Intergrade version of the game will itself be a six-month exclusive on PS5 – if Square Enix understandably preferred to release the new-gen upgrade for PC, then we’d be looking at a December release at the earliest.

Alan Wake Remastered has never been formally announced – but it makes sense as an Epic Games Store release. We know that developer Remedy is currently creating two games to be published by Epic, both set in a shared universe. We also know that one of those games is a AAA title, while the other is a smaller project – it could well be that the smaller project is a remaster of the original Alan Wake game, with many hoping that the AAA experience is a full Alan Wake sequel.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Regular interviews with celebrities are boring, but interviews where the rich and the famous have to endure the scorching heat of a chicken wing smothered in a hot sauce? Now that’s entertainment and the culinary torture that WandaVision actress Elizabeth Olsen endured during the latest Hot Ones episode.

Back to an in-person setup and with socially distanced tables between Olsen and host Sean Evans, the actress spoke about her work in theater, indies like Wind River and Ingrid Goes West, and the definition of “Stan”. How did Olsen cope with chicken wings that were coated with everything from a mild classic hot sauce through to the infamous celebrity-breaker Da Bomb?

You can see for yourself in the video below.

One of the interesting things that Olsen spoke about were the Easter eggs in WandaVision, of which there was no shortage of in the series. One interesting nod to the comic book history of Wanda Maximoff? A bottle of wine from the first episode, with a French label that translated to “House of M” in English. Comic book fans will know just how monumental that limited series was for boosting Wanda’s profile at the time, but for the series, it was just one of many nods to the source material.

While WandaVision came to an end earlier this year, it was followed by Captain America and the Winter Soldier, and Loki. The latest Disney+ series once again stars Tom Hiddleston as the genderfluid god of mischief. If you’re looking to see what the trickster is up to, make sure you’re ready with our Loki How to Watch guide.