Wii to Wii U System Transfer

One of the features of Wii U is the ability to bring most of your Wii save data and downloaded games over via a system transfer. In order to make this happen, you need both your Wii and Wii U connected to the internet and an SD card of at least 512MB. After downloading the app on each device, the on-screen instructions will walk you through this relatively pain-free process. One bonus, though, is the “progress bar” Nintendo uses during the transfer. In keeping with the DS to 3DS transfer, we again see the use of Pikmin to move the data to your new console. Because I thought this was a great sequence, I captured it for those who may choose not to transfer their own data.

(I apologize for the unsteady camera. I was not prepared for this, as it was VERY late, and I had no clue they would have such a great “cut scene” during the transfer.)

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Batman Arkham City Armored Edition WiiU New Video

These are some new images of the Nintendo WiiU game Batman Arkham City Armored Edition

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Toys 'R' Us offers 'buy one, get one for $1' game sale, lots more on Black Friday

by Mike Schramm on Nov 16th 2012 10:00PM

Toys 'R' Us' Black Friday ad is 32 pages of red and green deals, and as usual, the toy store's got plenty of gaming deals ready for purchase, including a few deals on consoles.

The biggest hook is a big "buy one, get one for $1" sale going on, with dozens of games available for a buck each when you buy one at a standard price. In addition to lots of great DSi games, even modern Xbox 360 and PS3 games are on the list, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and more current titles like Dishonored and Need for Speed: Most Wanted. All Wii U games are also "buy one, get one 40% off," so if you want to fill out your library for Nintendo's new console, there you go.

Read on for more choice Black Friday offerings. For the complete list of Toys 'R' Us deals, check out the retailer's Black Friday flyer.

Controllers are also on sale, from the Xbox's wireless controller for $29.99 or a wired version for just $16.19, or a PS3 dual shock controller for $32.99 in blue or black models. A PS Vita Call of Duty Wi-Fi bundle is available for $199.99 with a free "10-in-1 essentials pack," and a Nintendo 3DS Red system with Super Mario 3D Land bundle is $169.99 and comes with a free 3DS headset.

Consoles are all pretty standard prices, though there are a few extras to grab. The 250 GB PlayStation 3 bundle is priced at $199.99 and includes a free Air Flo controller for your trouble. An Air Flo controller is also bundled with the $249.99 Xbox 360 4 GB console and Kinect bundle, along with an optional 50% discount on a one-year Xbox Live membership. The black Wii and Sports Resort bundle is $129.99, with a free Lego Remote and a $10 gift card.

Toys 'R' Us is also big on Skylanders this year. There's an exclusive "Stealth Elf" Skylanders Giants figure available for $9.99, which will give you $5 off any other Giants figures you buy. The Skylanders Battle Arena is $39.99 with a free Coliseum display unit. Single figures are all buy one get one free, and you can get a Skylanders Giants starter pack for $49.99.

You can pick up an 4th Generation Apple iPod touch for $199.99, and doing so will nab you a $30 iTunes card for buying games or music as you see fit. Android tablets are also on sale: There's a Kyros 8" tablet for $99, a Polaroid 10.1" tablet for $119.99, and a Samsung Galaxy 2 for $299.99.

And finally, if your gaming tastes run much more open-ended and analog, there's a deal on a $6.49 Etch a Sketch unit. We know which doorbuster deal we'll be running for this year.

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Win a set of Gaming Cards and a Poster from GamerPrint!

GamerPrint has just launched a new range of fantastic video game Christmas cards. These festive takes on your favorite characters are the perfect accompaniment to all of the games you will be giving as gifts this holiday season.

We have partnered with GamerPrint for a holiday contest here on NintendoFuse. Up for grabs are a set of gaming Christmas cards and your choice of a gaming poster.

So, how can you win these fantastic gamer cards and poster?

If you have not already, become a member of our forums.Come up with your own creative Gaming-related Christmas/holiday card.Post images or a video of your creation in this forum thread. Be sure to include your forum username in the photo or video.

The deadline for submissions will be 11:59pm (EST) on November 30, 2012. At that time, our staff will choose a winner and announce it by December 3.

This contest is open to anyone and everyone. GamerPrint is willing to ship worldwide.

We want to thank GamerPrint for their generosity in offering this contest to our community here at NintendoFuse. We encourage you to check out their products, especially around the holidays for that perfect gift for your gamer friend or family member.

GamerPrint produces 100% original gamer clothing and prints inspired by the most loved games of all time. Their designs delve a little deeper than the others – they draw their references from within the world of the game to create products that are as unique as they are cunning.

For more information about GamerPrint, including all their products can be found at http://www.gamerprint.co.uk/.

You can find the GamerPrint Christmas cards at http://www.gamerprint.co.uk/products/video-game-christmas-cards.

Their latest t-shirt designs can be found at http://www.gamerprint.co.uk/collections/t-shirts.

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[Wii U] Wii U's eShop features free patches for developers; they can also set prices

[Wii U] Wii U's eShop features free patches for developers; they can also set prices

The Wii's online store was a pretty lacklustre affair, with many developers who worked with it voicing concern. Nintendo has seemingly taken a lot of the criticism and advice on board in order to change how the Wii U's online presence will function as far as digital distribution goes.

We've already seen a positive start with day one digital versions of many key retail games (even if storing them on your Wii U requires an external HDD) but what about those indie developers that are all the rage these days? Will they find a home on the Wii U's eShop?

Nintendo is certainly hoping so.

Frozenbyte games marketing manager, Mikael Haveri, had nothing but praise in an interview with IGN for the Nintendo's approach. He is especially happy that Nintendo lets indie developers set their own prices as well as offering free patching for their games as well.

“That’s what we love about the new eShop,” said Haveri. “We have the power to price our products as we please, with just some basic guidelines from the big guys. The step to this is purely from Nintendos’s side and they clearly see that [their] previous installments have not been up to par. We can set our own pricing and actually continuing on that by setting our own sales whenever we want. It is very close to what Apple and Steam are doing at the moment, and very indie friendly.”

Haveri goes on to say, “They have pushed away all of the old methods that have been established before. Simply put they’ve told us that there are no basic payments for each patch (which were pretty high on most platforms) and that we can update our game almost as much as we want. For indie developers this is huge.”

That's definitely a good start considering that there has been ruckus recently over Microsoft's fee for patching games on Xbox Live (most notably, the Fez mess) so hopefully Nintendo will lead the way to a brighter (and more affordable) future for indie developers.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

(This post was last modified: 11-19-2012 08:24 PM by LemonManX.)

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[PC, PS3, X360] Review Roundup - Hitman: Absolution

[PC, PS3, X360] Review Roundup - Hitman: Absolution
IGN - 9/10 - Like Dishonored before it, it’s actually a true pleasure to play a game that lets you tackle it from multiple angles. After several years of increasingly totalitarian games where you’re very much following a pre-determined path, it’s nice to have a game that doesn’t just encourage improvisation; it requires it. More please.

Joystiq - 4/5 - Hitman: Absolution may have abandoned some of the ideals of the original games in the series, but it delivers with its own formula. There are some bugs and the story is disappointing, but it says a lot about the experience that I was able to quickly shake those things off and keep replaying levels or building contracts again and again. Hitman: Absolution has its flaws, but its healthy dose of stealth and creative assassinations reminded me once again why it can be so good to be a bad guy.

GameSpot - 7.5/10 -Even if you have no interest in contracts, however, Hitman: Absolution's campaign is fulfilling on its own. There are some stumbles here and there--in the AI, in the mission design, and elsewhere. The story, too, hobbles a bit at the end, leaving some narrative gaps that needed filling in. But one thing's for sure: it's good to have Agent 47 back, and he was clearly needed. The greasy world he inhabits was in sore need of cleansing, and it's a pleasure to have so many ways of scraping the human grime off its surface and discarding it like the trash it is.

Edge - 7/10 - Contracts redeems Absolution, but it doesn’t absolve it. The game has taken a unique formula and diluted it, allowing the fashionable trappings of other stealth titles to intrude upon a series that has always confidently eschewed convention. It’s often churlish to criticise a game for daring to do something different, but Absolution is its own indictment – it’s still at its peak when it gives its antihero an unwitting victim and a sandbox, and lets him get to work.

Eurogamer - 7/10 - Hitman: Absolution doesn't make you feel that way often enough for my liking, but amidst the inevitable and deserved grumbling about its awkward checkpoint system, small levels and weird obsession with its daft story, hopefully those who persevere with it will be rewarded by enough of those moments to make the whole thing feel worthwhile. Reloading some of its best levels, turning off the hints and watching and waiting, it's much easier to remember what it is that makes Agent 47 so special. Hitman is a series to treasure for those moments, even if Absolution isn't its finest hour. Hopefully it won't be another six years before IO Interactive gets another shot at showing us why.

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[Wii, Wii U, DS, 3DS] 400,000 Wii U consoles sold during launch week in US

[Wii, Wii U, DS, 3DS] 400,000 Wii U consoles sold during launch week in US

Last week was a heck of week for the Big N. Speaking with CNET, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed that over 1.2 million Nintendo consoles were sold in the United States over the last week, 400,000 of which were sales for the brand new Wii U. Thanks to Black Friday deals and the general holiday shopping rush, the original Wii sold 300,000 units of its own while the DS and 3DS moved 275,000 and 250,000 units respectively.

Speaking specifically of the Wii U launch, Fils-Aime says that stores sold out quickly and the company is doing its best to re-stock shelves quickly. "Wii U is essentially sold out of retail and we are doing our best to continually replenish stock," he said. "Retailers are also doing their best to get the product to store shelves. But as soon as product hits retail, they're selling out immediately."

Whether by design or not will be up for debate, but the number is still shy of the Wii's launch week which saw 475,000 consoles fly off shelves in November of 2006. "Wii was a unique phenomenon," Fils-Aime explained. "You couldn't walk into a retailer and buy a Wii until spring of 2009. We've certainly learned many lessons from that and we are replenishing retailers more quickly this time around. We are looking to have as much product into retail as possible. It's driven by consumer response."

Meanwhile, although the original DS somewhat surprisingly outsold the 3DS last week, Fils-Aime explained that the 3DS "continues on record-setting pace" with more than 6 million units sold in the US during its first 21 months, out-pacing the DS which sold about a million less than that during the same length of time beginning in 2004.

Written by: Mike Glubish

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[3DS] New video for Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney reveals puzzle gameplay

[3DS] New video for Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney reveals puzzle gameplay
Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney is shaping up to be one of the best 3DS games we'll ever play, but up to this point we've yet to see much of the puzzle gameplay that the Professor is bringing into the mix.

Thankfully that changes today with Level-5 releasing a new gameplay video showing off the puzzles.

I'm definitely picking this up as soon as a localised version is announced, until then the Japanese will be able to pick the game up from November 29th.

Thanks for the heads up, Siliconera.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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[PC, Mac] Valve brings split-screen co-operative play to PC copies of Portal 2

[PC, Mac] Valve brings split-screen co-operative play to PC copies of Portal 2

Portal 2 featured split-screen co-operative play on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the popular puzzle game, but PC players did not get access to it.

Until now that is.

Valve has deployed the update for Portal 2 owners on PC/Mac, when the update is installed players can take part in the standard two-player co-op on the same screen.

Enough reason for you to go back to the game?

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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[PC] Steam sets new record with 6 million users online concurrently

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´Ouya´ - a new game console and why it will fail

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Assassins Creed Iii WiiU New Images

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Congratulations on 300 Billion Gold Coins in NSMB2; Here is Your Reward!

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo fans worldwide have amassed a mountain of more than 300 billion gold coins in New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the Nintendo 3DS system, and the tally continues to climb. To reward players for hitting this massive milestone, Nintendo is offering a free pack of Coin Rush courses that game owners can download wirelessly within the game at no extra charge (broadband Internet access is required).

The free Gold Classics Pack was inspired by games like Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, and includes three new courses that can be played in Coin Rush mode. Players can test their skills, then share and challenge other players’ records through the StreetPass feature. The Gold Classics Pack is now available and will be free for a limited time to New Super Mario Bros. 2 owners. Starting Feb. 1, 2013, the pack will be available to purchase for $2.50 in the United States. A variety of other downloadable Coin Rush course packs are available for purchase through the New Super Mario Bros. 2 game.

“Nintendo fans have once again demonstrated their passion for the Super Mario Bros. franchise,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “The Gold Classics Pack is just one small way for us to thank players for their dedication. We’re all eager to see just how high that coin tally can get.”

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is the side-scrolling follow-up to the smash-hit original. It challenges players to complete levels while collecting as many coins as possible. Every level is littered with gold coins, and players will find numerous power-ups and bonuses to help them collect even more coins. It’s the first hand-held Super Mario Bros. game that lets two players play through the entire game together as Mario and Luigi. The game is available in stores, or can be downloaded from the Nintendo eShop for $39.99 in the United States.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

For more information about New Super Mario Bros. 2 and how to download the free Gold Classics Pack, visit http://newsupermariobros2.nintendo.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™ and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4 billion video games and more than 637 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

[Email from Nintendo of America]

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Zelda's Hyrule Historia gets limited edition and a trailer

by Richard Mitchell on Nov 26th 2012 3:00PM

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia is still a couple of months away in North America, and now a collector's edition of the book has been spotted on Amazon. The limited collector's edition features a fancy faux-leather cover, which sports a debossed symbol of the Gate of Time, and shiny gilded pages. The list price is $70, though Amazon is currently offering pre-orders at $45.73.

In related news, publisher Dark Horse has released a trailer for the book, which you'll find conveniently embedded above.

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Trine 2 Directors Cut WiiU New Images

These are some new images of the Nintendo WiiU game Trine 2 Directors Cut

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Disney Epic Mickey Le Retour Des Heros Wii New Images

These are some new images of the Nintendo Wii game Disney Epic Mickey Le Retour Des Heros

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Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition WiiU New Images

These are some new images of the Nintendo WiiU game Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition

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Zombiu WiiU New Images

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New Super Mario Bros U WiiU New Images

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NBA 2K13 is everywhere in this developer video

by Mike Suszek on Nov 4th 2012 10:30AM

This developer video for NBA 2K13 elaborates on the Facebook, Android and iOS apps that expand the game's "My Player" career mode. The initiative, known as NBA 2K Everywhere, allows players to build up their characters' skill ratings through mini-games and unlock collectibles on the go.

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Just Dance 4, Skylanders Giants Wii bundles available in November

New Wii Bundles Keep Families Grooving and Imaginations Soaring This Holiday Season

Nintendo to Launch New Wii Console Bundles on Nov. 4, Featuring Ubisoft's Just Dance 4 and Activision's Skylanders Giants

NOTE: Multimedia available here

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo has great news for gift seekers looking to keep their loved ones entertained and energized this holiday season. Starting Nov. 4, consumers in the United States will be able to choose from two new Wii bundles, each containing a Wii console and one of two new games from Nintendo's third-party partners. One bundle includes Ubisoft's Just Dance 4 and a white Wii console with matching Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers, offered while supplies last at a suggested retail price of $129.99. The other bundle includes Activision's Skylanders Giants, a blue Wii console with matching Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers, one Portal of Power, two Skylanders characters and one exclusive Giant Skylander, available while supplies last at a suggested retail price of $149.99.

"These bundles give consumers a way to enjoy some of the hottest new games for this generation's most popular console at an attractive price," said Steve Singer, Nintendo of America's vice president of Licensing. "Together with our third-party publishing partners, we're delivering maximum value for families who want to get the most for their home entertainment dollar."

The Just Dance franchise has sold more than 13 million on the Wii console alone, making it the top third-party Wii franchise of all time and one of the top-selling franchises of this entire console generation. The new Just Dance 4 adds new features, game modes, songs and dance moves. Dancers can rock out to more than 40 tracks across a wide range of musical genres, including pop, hip-hop, rock, country, funk and more. Each song can be played by up to four players, and the new Battle mode lets players challenge their friends in six rounds of dance-offs.

The Skylanders combination of gaming and physical toys took the world by storm in 2011. The new Skylanders Giants game introduces Giant Skylanders characters with powers to match. When the action figures are placed on the Portal of Power, they come to life in the game. Players must unleash their strength in the battle to save Skylands.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 630 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company's website at http://www.nintendo.com.

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Assassins Creed Iii WiiU New Images

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Ubisoft sues Black Eyed Peas for $1m over absence of love for iOS game

by Sinan Kubba on Oct 17th 2012 11:30AM

Ubisoft filed a $1 million lawsuit yesterday against BEP Music LLC, a company which owns the Black Eyed Peas trademark, for neglecting to recognize the publisher's planned iOS version of The Black Eyed Peas Experience. Following the Wii and Xbox 360 versions released last year, Ubisoft claims BEP breached the companies' contract regarding an iOS version. According to Ubisoft, the contract states the band agreed to approve or disapprove the iOS version within 10 business days of a request. Ubisoft says BEP Music failed to acknowledge requests for approval, despite repeated attempts.

Ubisoft claims the company spent $233,000 developing the iOS game, and that figure combined with loss of profits amounts to a total of $1 million in damages. While Ubisoft didn't name the company or the game in question in its complaint, as Player Attack notes BEP Music only owns the one trademark. I Gotta Feeling the French publisher isn't about to Shut Up about this anytime soon.

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Now Playing: November 5-11, 2012

by Steven Wong on Nov 5th 2012 11:00PM

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Romance Of The Three Kingdoms Xii WiiU New Images

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Family Party 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade WiiU New Images

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October NPD: Downward trend continues, NBA 2K13 dunks at the top

by Jordan Mallory on Nov 8th 2012 7:15PM

Based on the NPD's purview, the physical sales sector of the video game industry continued its downward year-over-year trend as October came and went, raking in $755.5 million for the period ending on October 27, as compared with the straight-up $1 billion the industry earned during the same period in 2011.

Despite the 25 percent difference, however, momentum is building towards the holiday buying season, according to NPD Group analyst Liam Callahan: "While we saw declines in hardware unit sales across all platforms year-over-year, when looking at average sales per week versus September, several consoles realized higher sales: The 360, PS3, NDS and 3DS. This is a sign of increasing momentum as we move into the holiday season."

Hardware sales themselves accounted for $187.3 million of October's overall figure, a 37 percent decrease over October 2011's $295.9 million. As usual, the Xbox 360 was the top-selling hardware platform and claimed more than 40 percent of the market, according to Major Nelson.

Accessories continue to be the only field of growth in the physical channel, pulling down a five percent increase in October 2012 over October 2011 ($135.6 million and $129.6, respectively). As has been the case in months past, Skylanders toys and digital currency giftcards are primarily responsible for this segment's prosperity.

Portable software sales were up 37 percent in comparison with last October thanks to the release of Pokémon Black & White 2, though the rest of the segment failed to best the curve and was down overall by 25 percent. October 2011's software figure of $576.8 million was bolstered by the release of both Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City; since comparable heavy-hitters were missing from this October's release schedule, software sales total at $432.6 million.

October's top 10 best-selling games are lead by NBA 2K13, which "outsold last year's 2K12 by over 60 percent in both dollars and units," according to Callahan. As per usual, the full list can be found after the break.
NBA 2K13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PC)Resident Evil 6 (360, PS3)Pokémon Black Version 2 (NDS)Dishonored (360, PS3, PC)Pokémon White Version 2 (NDS)Madden NFL 13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSV)FIFA Soccer 13 (360, PS3, Wii, PSV, 3DS, PSP)Medal of Honor: Warfighter (360, PS3, PC)Borderlands 2 (360, PS3, PC)Skylander Giants (Wii, 360, PS3, 3DS)

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Game Party Champions WiiU New Images

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Now Playing: October 29 - November 4, 2012

by Steven Wong on Oct 29th 2012 3:00PM

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Injustice Les Dieux Sont Parmi Nous WiiU New Images

These are some new images of the Nintendo WiiU game Injustice Les Dieux Sont Parmi Nous

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Activision reports $3.4 billion in cash and investments, no debt

by Jessica Conditt on Nov 7th 2012 5:30PM

Activision Blizzard reports $841 million in net revenue for the third quarter of 2012, which is $100 million higher than its outlook of $740 million, and surpasses 2011's Q3 net revenue of $754. For the third year straight, Activision generated more than $1 billion of operating cash flow in the trailing 12-month period ending this quarter, on September 30.

Activision is in the black, with $3.4 billion available in cash and investments, and no debt to speak of, Activision Chief Financial Officer Dennis Durkin reports during a financial call.

"On September 30, we had no debt and $3.4 billion in cash and investments," Durkin says.

Activision cites World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, Diablo 3 and Skylanders Spyro's Adventure as its main revenue drivers: Mists of Pandaria sold through 2.7 million copies in its first week, Diablo 3 has sold 10 million copies and Skylanders was the No. 1 action-figure line in the US for the first nine months of 2012, and topped game-sales charts.

With all that considered, plus the imminent launch of Black Ops 2, Activision raises its calendar-year outlook from $4.3 billion to $4.6 billion.

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Heartfelt short film Escape makes a break for Hyrule

by David Hinkle on Oct 23rd 2012 2:00AM

For many of us, video games are an escape from reality – whether that reality is worse or better than the video game world we so willingly dive into is different for each individual. For the little girl in this short film Escape, the perils awaiting her in Hyrule are a better experience than her everyday life, where she's ridiculed at school and comes home to a house of fighting parents.

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Skylanders Giants review: Big toys, small changes

by Jason Dobson on Oct 18th 2012 12:00PM

Of all the good fortune I've been afforded in my life, little compares with the joy of becoming a parent. That probably goes without saying. However, being able to justify the ludicrous cash outlay that comes in the pursuit of a hobby was, for me at least, an unexpected side benefit of having a son. Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, Activision and developer Toys for Bob's experimental marriage of gaming and collectible toys, was just such a ridiculous expense. Fun, truly, but ridiculous just the same.

A year on, Skylanders: Giants deviates little from this tradition, with new purchasable plastic figures to collect and gameplay that again feels a bit like experiencing Diablo or Gauntlet through the lens of a Saturday morning cartoon. It's simple, yet addictive, and like Spyro's Adventure before it, Giants has quickly become a household favorite. Countless late nights and early mornings have already been victimized by this game's ability to draw us in for "just one more level."

Changes to the formula in Giants are minimal, mostly favoring cosmetic shifts over anything approaching a leap in game design. That is, of course, unless you consider remixed character voices, or opening doors with buttons instead of thumb sticks, something to get excited about. So little has been changed, in fact, that you could easily read our review of Spyro's Adventure and decide if Giants is the game for you.

While Skylanders' core gameplay remains rooted in classic button mashery, the game's versus modes hearken more to the Capcom classic Power Stone, as two players scramble on a small field of battle, collecting power ups and throttling each other in gameplay that often favors manic desperation over strategy. And yet, like the original, this mode also carries the lion's share of the game's fun and replay value, as players pit their experienced figures against each other in one-on-one battles for gold, experience and bragging rights.

One of Skylanders: Giants most notable additions over Spyro's Adventure actually has nothing to do with gameplay at all. The new "Portal of Power" peripheral, used to transfer figures to the game world, remains tethered to the console via several feet of USB cable, a change from the previous game's battery-guzzling original. While the Giants Starter Kit, which includes the new portal, demands a $15 premium over the less expensive Portal Owner Pack, I dare say that our household dropped more than that in batteries to fuel the original's wireless alternative.

Of course, the figures themselves play the starring role in Skylanders: Giants, and the kid-friendly sequel bumps up the toy line with 48 new collectible figures over the original 32. Obviously the biggest change over the original game (literally) is the inclusion of new giant figures, which tower inches over the core toys and carry boosted in-game stats and abilities to mirror their larger frame.

These and other Skylanders figures, including those designed for use with Spyro's Adventure, can be dropped onto the Portal of Power and be instantly transported onto the television screen as a playable character. Characters can be swapped out as needed, and in what continues to be Skylanders' chief innovation, each earn their own experience, wearable hats and money that's stored within the toy itself. Even upgrades earned in the original game carry over to Giants, thankfully lending added value to the embarrassing amount of time and money some have already invested in the franchise.

Predictably, this support doesn't work in reverse, as new figures designed for Skylanders: Giants, when dropped into a game of Spyro's Adventure, are met with an error screen. Alas, lumbering across the original game's landscape as a gigantic tree or herculean, anthropomorphic whale remains relegated to the throes of fan fiction.

Conversely, there are many Skylanders: Giants figures that make a repeat showing from the original game. In fact, of the 48 toys in the new collection, 27 are characters previously released as part of Spyro's Adventure. The toys depict new poses, and some are even designed to light up when placed on the portal, but it's nonetheless disappointing to see so much of the game's roster devoted to familiar faces already sitting on my shelf. These new versions of existing figures can be used in either game, and can earn higher levels and new powers. That said, while your favorite character might look dapper in his newly scored top hat, any upgrades earned in Giants remain unusable when stepping back into the original game.

Any critique written here, however, melts away when pitted against the joy of child in the grips of Skylanders' addictive and inoffensive gameplay. As a parent, I can recall few series that I've enjoyed more while spending time with my son, whether we're scrapping against each other in a battle arena or rifling through the latest shipment at the local toy store, searching for a rare figure that continues to elude us. I have no reason to believe this obsession will abate with Skylanders: Giants. Already my son and I are plotting which characters to buy first and which ones will be our favorites, particularly as we face each other down Thunderdome-style in versus mode.

The question, though, is if there is enough that's new in Skylanders: Giants to warrant another trip down Activision's money mountain. It is entirely possible to play through the game using just the three figures that come packed with it, thereby sidestepping the financial minefield upon which Skylanders: Giants is so precariously stationed. Possible, but not particularly realistic. Much of the fun and variety in Giants comes from the abilities lurking inside its many different characters, and with an estimated $500 in new figures to collect, Giants becomes even more difficult to recommend.

That is, unless, you already have a collection of figures sitting idle at home or can somehow restrain yourself (or your children) from the near-insatiable desire to collect them all. If so, you're a better person than I.

This review is based on a retail copy of the PlayStation 3 version of Skylanders: Giants, provided by Activision.

Jason Dobson wears many hats, some of which even fit, and has covered video games for more than a decade for Gamasutra, Joystiq and other outlets. When not roaming with the buffalo in Oklahoma, you can often find him on Twitter (@etoychest) gabbing with anyone who'll listen about board games, hit points and mana.

Joystiq's review scores are based on a scale of whether the game in question is worth your time -- a five-star being a definitive "yes," and a one-star being a definitive "no." Read here for more information on our ratings guidelines.

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Medal of Honor: Warfighter unseats FIFA on UK charts

by Alexander Sliwinski on Oct 29th 2012 9:45AM

Shock and awe, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, which is receiving some of the worst reviews of the season so far, took first place in the UK last week. This is either a sign of the media's impotence or a hat tip to the brilliance of publisher EA that it withheld review copies until launch. A similar situation occurred with Resident Evil 6 a few weeks ago, a game which still sits pretty at tenth place on this week's chart.

Other new releases last week included portable games Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask and Moshi Monsters: Moshlings Theme Park, which debuted at eighth and ninth place, respectively.

If you're wondering about Just Dance 4 ('cause how can you not on the UK charts?), it may have slipped two spots from fourth to sixth, but sales were actually up one percent. Dance Central 3 debuted in 39th place. Shimmy on past the break for the UK top ten.

Top 10 UK Software Sales (All Formats); week ending October 27:
Medal of Honor: WarfighterFIFA 13Forza HorizonSkylanders GiantsDishonoredJust Dance 4Professor Layton and The Miracle MaskMoshi Monsters: Moshlings Theme ParkDoom 3: BFG EditionResident Evil 6

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Joystiq's Fall Release Cheat Sheet: December 2012

by Joystiq Staff on Oct 18th 2012 4:00PM

Oh, December, with your regionally specific cold or warm nights, sugarplums and gift giving. It's also a time when the video game industry stops jamming the accelerator on so many video games. Which is good, because you have a lot of games to catch up on from both October and November.

December, however, does have a few highlights. Far Cry 3 arrives, along with the retail package of the outstanding Walking Dead adventure game series. So keep warm (or cool – we don't know where you live!) inside and spend some time with a few new video games.

Of course, there are plenty of other great games available this fall we didn't get a chance to highlight. That's why we want to hear your anticipated Fall 2012 games for a follow-up "Community Response" feature to these Cheat Sheets. Give us your list in the comments below and tell us why you're looking forward to it; we may even highlight your comment.

December 4, 2012 – PC, X360, PS3
"After replenishing my supplies – and buying a silencer for my SMG, for all the good it will do me – I check out the bulletin board in my newly acquired base of operations. It seems a bandit has taken over a local farm and someone wants me to take revenge. The only catch is that I have to honor the local tradition in doing so, which means I have to kill him with a knife. Sounds easy enough." – Joystiq's Far Cry 3 Preview
December 4, 2012 – X360, PS3 (Retail Collection, Episodes Available Digitally)
All five episodes of The Walking Dead crawl to retail shelves in one convenient bundle this December, for Xbox 360 and PS3. Each episode so far has been a treat of terror: The writing is "fraught with tense pauses and biting, yet humane, dialogue;" the gameplay "has found the balance between personalized gaming and coherent drama;" and Telltale Games has a surprising smash hit on its hands. The retail package is out just in time for the holidays, and really, there's nothing more eternal than the ravenous hunger of the undead. And they say diamonds are forever.
December 4, 2012 – X360 (Download), PS3 (Retail and Download)
"Believe it or not, the controls work: I was able to pull off abilities and combos with nearly as much complexity as the PC MOBAs. Legolas, for example, has a rooting ability that locks enemy players down, as well as a quick dash ability, and another one that knocks back targets away from him. After a little bit of practice, I was able to use those abilities together, dashing forward past a fleeing enemy, knocking him back into harm's way, and then locking him down in place for the finish. The toughest part is making sure the aiming is lined up (you move with the left stick, and target with the right), but it's amazing that it works on a controller at all." – Joystiq's Guardians of Middle-earth Preview
2012 – PC, Mac
"Luftrausers is a fitting continuation of the gameplay style that Vlambeer explored in Super Crate Box. It's easy to play, and relies on a combination of continuous unlocks and – most importantly – responsive, satisfying explosions on the regular, to get players hooked on repeated short sessions." – Joystiq's Luftrausers Preview
2012 – PS3 (Download)
Ratchet and Clank return! Insomniac's latest installment brings the action to PSN with cross-play funcationality across the PS3 and Vita. Full Frontal Assault promises to return to the series roots, packing in plenty of action and weapons, but also throwing in some new tower defense elements.

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