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This Week in Mobile Gaming: Apple Arcade Unleashes Big Updates & 3 New

This Week in Mobile Gaming: Apple Arcade Unleashes Big Updates & 3 New

For mobile gaming news this week, Apple Arcade has revealed a wealth of updates to their mobile titles with three new title announcements, and mobile darling Genshin Impact is finally heading to Xbox.

Mobile gaming has had yet another busy week in August, with Gamescom ONL 2024 launching a wealth of news on the gaming landscape for fans to dive into. Probably the most surprising is Genshin Impact has received a release date of November 2024 for Xbox. However, no release has been announced yet for the mobile Nintendo Switch despite HoYoverse announcing it for Switch way back in January 2020.

Aside from that, Apple Arcade has upped its offerings with three new titles launching in September 2024, which were announced this week, and a boatload of updates for its existing titles.

This Week in Mobile Gaming For August 24

Apple Arcade has Announced Three New Titles For Mobile!

This Week in Mobile Gaming: Apple Arcade Unleashes Big Updates & 3 New
  • Monster Train+ by Good Shepherd Entertainment – Good Shepherd Entertainment is bringing their lightning-in-a-bottle title to Apple Arcade from Steam, making it a true mobile gaming experience. Players must defend the burning pyre from the celestial forces of heaven as monsters would. This title functions as a roguelite deck-building game and introduces a new strategic layer with three vertical playing fields to defend. The ‘plus’ version for Apple Arcade also includes The Last Divinity DLC, adding a new clan and challenges to the fray.
  • NFL Retro Bowl ’25 by New Star Games – Retro Bowl is coming back to mobile gaming, and it’s exclusive to Apple Arcade in NFL Retro Bowl ’25. The newly revamped title brings full NFL licensing to the title, allowing NFL fans to utilize their favourite athletes in the game, just like Madden 25‘s Franchise Mode, Retro Bowl allows NFL fans to create their own dynasty by choosing their favourite official NFL teams and taking them the distance.
  • The last new game announced for Apple Arcade is Puzzle Sculpt by Schell Games, an Apple Vision Pro and Apple Arcade exclusive that brings coziness to an already cozy space of a living room. Players can look around and solve puzzles while completely relaxed in this new title. There are many puzzles to solve and challenges to overcome with an ever-increasing difficulty that ramps with the player’s skill.
This Week in Mobile Gaming: Apple Arcade Unleashes Big Updates & 3 New

Other Mobile Gaming Updates Coming to Apple Arcade

  • Vampire Survivors+ Introduces a new stage called Room 1665, doubling as a Challenge stage made of 16 rooms that will challenge players to fight the floors as a crucible. This update also adds two new character skins — ‘Unbinded Imelda’ and ‘Retired Poe’ — with new Darkanas modifiers. 
  • TMNT Splintered Fate now lets players pair four controllers to enjoy four-player couch co-op on the same device. With new cross-platform support, four-player online co-op can now happen on any platform.
  • Temple Run: Legends introduces customization with new unlockable Outfits and a new Outfit System. Outfits also grant wearers buffs during specific runs, proving that the sneakers matter when foot racing.
  • SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit adds the conclusion of the latest Tales of the Deep called Inner Machinations of the Thoughtless Mind.
  • Simon’s Cat – Story Time lets players try out the new Summer Search Party event to earn daily rewards for finding beach balls in the gardens. 
  • Fruit Ninja Classic+ blasts off a Jetpack Joyride 2-themed in-game event, where players can earn the Jetpack Blade and Moon Tombs Dojo from joyride, but in Fruit Ninja Classic+.
  • A Slight Chance of Sawblades+ celebrates International Dog Day (August 26) with an all-new canine character and dog-themed background. 
  • Disney Coloring World+ lets players join the Muppets in a new colouring pack.

Mobile Gaming news hasn’t wrapped just yet. Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition also brings the new free and paid expansion to mobile devices this week, capping off A Rift in Time (and Jaffar’s time as the big bad). With that, though, mobile gaming news ends this week. Fans looking for all of the additions and where to check them out can visit the official Apple Arcade website.

Vendetta Forever is a moreish mash-up of VR greats Superhot and Pistol Whip

nDreams, the developer behind one of my all-time favourite VR titles, Synapse, has announced a new shooter game called Vendetta Forever during this week's VR Games Showcase.

If that wasn't cause for celebration enough, nDreams also released a short, Quest-exclusive demo for the game that I played through for this week's episode of VR Corner. In the video, you can see me play the Quest 3 version, but it will also be available on the Quest Pro, Quest 2 and the PS VR2 at some point in October.

So what is Vendetta Forever? Well the easiest way to describe it is a mash-up of Superhot and Pistol Whip, with some of the best aspects of both games cherry-picked and given a little twist to make them feel fresh and unique. The monochromatic-but-not-quite visuals are definitely more Pistol Whip-y, but the title screen is just full of those iconic Superhot reds, whites and blacks. Then there's the main menu, which is almost a carbon copy of Pistol Whip's, with mutator and level select options, alongside online leaderboards and a nice little shooting gallery area which is something Pistol Whip does lack.

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Vampire Survivors' free Darkasso update is here, complete with new skins, achievements, and Arcanas

Vampire Survivors' free Darkasso update is now available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox, and mobile devices.

"It's been a while since we added a new major feature, so we tried not to spoil the contents of this patch immediately," Poncle teased in the patch notes. "Hope it worked to keep the contents a bit of a surprise."

New additions include nine new extra achievements, a new challenge stage and relic, two new "special character skins", and five new Arcanas to spice up your experience.

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Super Woden GP II Review

Almost At The Podium

HIGH A solid mix of racing game ideas. 

LOW Unnecessarily difficult in some places.

WTF We need more homages to Gran Turismo


I seek out different kinds of racing games, especially when I review here at GameCritis. It’s an important and beloved genre for me, and there’s no shortage of exciting stuff coming out — offerings range from simulators to over-the-top arcade stuff, and anything in between. Of course, most of the titles I play tend to show off cutting-edge graphics, real-world cars and massive worlds to drive around in. Super Woden GP II is decidedly not that, but it did lure me in with some welcome ideas. 

Played from an isometric angle, SWGP is an arcade racer with several modes. On the surface, it seems like a deceptively simple experience with visuals and gameplay reminiscent of older arcade titles (think Over Top or Super Drift Out) but the depth becomes apparent thanks to the sheer amount of content. 

The most prominent offering is Career mode, which sees players competing in championships on closed circuits. Each of these competitions revolves around a series of races that net players credits to buy cars that can then be upgraded for more events. Pulling from the likes of the original Gran Turismo (down to the main menu’s design) there’s a great loop of racing, upgrading, and car collecting here that I appreciated.

There are over 100+ cars here, each from different countries and manufacturers. While all fictional, it’s not hard to spot clear homages to the Ford GT or Toyota AE86, and every vehicle has a distinct handling model, with stats that can be upgraded. Similar to the original GT, there’s a special kind of joy in buying a cheap car early on and building it up to compete against the best of the best.

While I appreciated the gameplay loop, I do have to admit the lack of a lot of accessibility options soured the experience overall. Part of this is that I found SWGP quite difficult at first, thanks to my inexperience with isometric racers. Turning corners and keeping up with AI-controlled opponents was rough initially, and the lack of a controller map was odd, not to mention the confusion caused by a lack of any tutorials.

Despite those initial frustrations, I did find myself enjoying it, and play was more manageable once I bumped the difficulty down to easy and practiced on tight corners. I did appreciate the onscreen indicators that told me when to turn or to watch for hazards, but I did wish there were more optional concessions made for newcomers. 

Other modes outside of Career include Time Trials where players can compete for the best times on global leaderboards and the best mode, if you ask me — is rally mode, where players race on various terrain under extreme conditions. Being forced to race a clock that’s winding down and trying hard to hit every checkpoint is not for the faint of heart, but I know with some practice I can get there. 

Overall, Super Woden GP II’s marriage of old-school arcade racing and a modern focus on car collecting is a fairly successful one, as I certainly enjoyed buying cool-looking cars and building them up for the big leagues. While the lack of options and accessibility features can use some fine-tuning, I’m certain those with a love of racing games (and a lot of patience) will get some good mileage out of this one. 

Rating: 7.5 out of 10


Disclosures: This game is published by Eastasiasoft and developed by Vijuda. It is available on PC, PS5, PS4, XBO/S/X and Switch. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 5 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed. There is multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10 for Mild Violence and Alcohol Reference. Nothing objectionable here, as it’s just racing. Players can crash but the damage model can be turned off in the main menu.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are plenty of visual cues in gameplay, but there are no options to resize any of the text or menus. Even so, I’d say it’s fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped and there are no diagrams. On PS5, R2 is to accelerate and L2 is brake/reverse. The Left Stick is used to steer.

Karate Survivor – Open Beta

Karate Survivor features a very addictive fusion of beat ’em up and Survivors-like gameplay as a martial arts master beats up huge hordes of thugs.

Drawing inspiration from 80’s action movies, Karate Survivor is a Survivors-like roguelite beat ’em up where you use improvised weapons and combos to beat up thugs. The combat is similar to Stick it to the Stickman, with you able … Read More

The post Karate Survivor – Open Beta first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.

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Lightning Katana – Kickstarter Demo

Lightning Katana is a fast paced samurai action FPS inspired by Hotline Miami, Katana Zero and Devil May Cry.

In Lightning Katana you will kick, shoot, parry and slice your way through an entire Yakuza gang to avenge the death of your pet dog. The game plays a little like a blend of Hotline Miami and Wolfenstein 3D, with fast paced one-hit-kill combat, … Read More

The post Lightning Katana – Kickstarter Demo first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.

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Five Laps at Freddy’s – Beta Demo

Five Laps at Freddy’s is a Mario Kart style mascot kart racing game starring Freddy Fazbear and pals.

The karting gameplay in Five Laps at Freddy’s is pretty similar to most Mario Kart style racing games. You can choose from a selection of FNaF characters, select which kart you’d like them to drive and then you use a mixture of driving skill, power-ups and luck … Read More

The post Five Laps at Freddy’s – Beta Demo first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.

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River Barrage - A fast paced river blaster for the Commodore 64 by TND GAMES

Get ready for fast paced blasting action, as we've recently been informed by the C64 community, that TND Games had recently released their new game 'River Barrage' for the C64. A game that not only features a full colourful front end presentation, but loading bitmap artwork, independent hi scores, a full game map with plenty of action, in game background animations and much much as

Mellow mountain biker Lonely Mountains: Downhill is getting a wintry sequel about skiing

The mountain biking of Lonely Mountains: Downhill was sometimes a relaxing ride down gentle slopes, and at other times a hairy hurtle down declivitous cliffs. Alongside the likes of the Descenders and Riders Republic, it offered a more laid-back game, open to furious time trialling but always remembering to let you stop and appreciate the view. Both the stakes and the poly count were low. Happy news then, that it is getting a snowy sequel. In Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders you'll be swapping your bike for a pair of skis, and you'll be able to barrel down the mountainside with friends in co-op.

Read more

The 11 best racing games on PC

Vroom vroom. That is the sound of 11 rivals revving their engines as they blink the sweat out of their eyes and exhale years of self-doubt from their lungs. Today is their day. We have lined up these racing games on a starting grid and are interested to see how things shake out. Will the realism-obsessed driving sims take the lead with their sublime physics engines? Might the futuristic combat racers simply destroy the opposition with explosive rockets? Or perhaps a nippy arcade crowd-pleaser will soar to the finish line, propelled by the sound of roaring cheers. It's all to play for here at our incredibly messed-up grand prix with a worrying lack of rules or regulation. Start your engines, everyone, these are the 11 best racing games on PC. 3! 2! 1! ...

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Arcade shooter Nova Drift is a Petri dish in which to spawn the daftest, deadliest spaceship

I'm no shoot 'em up nutter - or "shmutter", as I understand they prefer to be called - but some of the first games I remember playing are shmups. Games like Maelstrom, Ambrosia's Macintosh clone of Asteroids, and the proto-shmup Crystal Quest from Patrick Buckland, who would go on to make Carmageddon. Little did I know that the humble premise of a small 2D spacecraft shooting baddies on a wrap-around screen would reach the glittering heights of Nova Drift. Had you shown me this game back in 1995, I dare say I'd have shmupped myself.

Read more

Mellow mountain biker Lonely Mountains: Downhill is getting a wintry sequel about skiing

The mountain biking of Lonely Mountains: Downhill was sometimes a relaxing ride down gentle slopes, and at other times a hairy hurtle down declivitous cliffs. Alongside the likes of the Descenders and Riders Republic, it offered a more laid-back game, open to furious time trialling but always remembering to let you stop and appreciate the view. Both the stakes and the poly count were low. Happy news then, that it is getting a snowy sequel. In Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders you'll be swapping your bike for a pair of skis, and you'll be able to barrel down the mountainside with friends in co-op.

Read more

The 11 best racing games on PC

Vroom vroom. That is the sound of 11 rivals revving their engines as they blink the sweat out of their eyes and exhale years of self-doubt from their lungs. Today is their day. We have lined up these racing games on a starting grid and are interested to see how things shake out. Will the realism-obsessed driving sims take the lead with their sublime physics engines? Might the futuristic combat racers simply destroy the opposition with explosive rockets? Or perhaps a nippy arcade crowd-pleaser will soar to the finish line, propelled by the sound of roaring cheers. It's all to play for here at our incredibly messed-up grand prix with a worrying lack of rules or regulation. Start your engines, everyone, these are the 11 best racing games on PC. 3! 2! 1! ...

Read more

Arcade shooter Nova Drift is a Petri dish in which to spawn the daftest, deadliest spaceship

I'm no shoot 'em up nutter - or "shmutter", as I understand they prefer to be called - but some of the first games I remember playing are shmups. Games like Maelstrom, Ambrosia's Macintosh clone of Asteroids, and the proto-shmup Crystal Quest from Patrick Buckland, who would go on to make Carmageddon. Little did I know that the humble premise of a small 2D spacecraft shooting baddies on a wrap-around screen would reach the glittering heights of Nova Drift. Had you shown me this game back in 1995, I dare say I'd have shmupped myself.

Read more

Heart Abyss – Beta Sign Up

Heart Abyss is a beat ’em up metroidvania with high-stakes ultraviolent combat signed by feudal Japan.

In Heart Abyss you are an anthropomorphic fox who breaks out of imprisonment and seeks vengeance on the ruthless slavers who locked him up. The game promises tactical but frantic combat where blocking, deflection, positioning, weapons and devastating combos all come into play. The game will also feature two … Read More

The post Heart Abyss – Beta Sign Up first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.

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Oyster Wars – Alpha Demo

Oyster Wars is a challenging non-linear pixel art platformer where an angry fisherman uses a hook-shot as he seeks revenge on a greedy CEO.

In Oyster Wars you take on the role of Wade – a disgruntled fisherman who sets out to take down the greedy corporation that fired him. Traversing the game’s large non-linear world is tricky but you have a nifty hook-shot that … Read More

The post Oyster Wars – Alpha Demo first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.

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Death In Abyss – Alpha Demo

Death In Abyss is a Star Fox and Devil Daggers inspired deep sea combat game where you blast giant monsters in extraterrestrial seas.

In Death In Abyss you pilot a fast and agile deep sea exploration vehicle (that moves like a more agile version of a Star Fox’s Airwing), as you search for the source of an outbreak deep within an uncharted ocean. You need … Read More

The post Death In Abyss – Alpha Demo first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.

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Galaga - An Arcade classic as a new Commodore Amiga conversion by JOTD and team!

Remember when we said that a possible 1:1 Arcade conversion of Galaga was coming to the Commodore Amiga thanks to the hard work of JOTD and team? Well if you've been following all of our previous articles on Indie Retro News, then you'll be pleased to know that as of today you can download the final version which is feature complete! A game that was originally developed and published by Namco

King and Balloon - A 1:1 arcade port for the Commodore Amiga 500 gets a new beta v.094!

I thought it would be best to give another shout out for this addictive yet simplistic little game called 'King and Balloon' by RMJ & JoeJoe. A 1:1 arcade port of Namco's 1980 game for the Commodore Amiga, which was written in 68k assembler and based on the original Z80 code! To coincide with this late hour news story, Saberman has recently done a gameplay video of the current build of the

Mischief Castle - A very enjoyable NES platformer by kn56k, gets an update!

We've recently been informed through Facebook, that kn56k has released an update to the previously released NES game of ' Mischief Castle '; a game that was first released via the itch.io Selects Spring Bundle 2024. As for why this one might be worth playing on your NES. It features simultaneous two-player cooperative gameplay, hidden collectible items, five unique levels and Bosses, varied

Mars Patrol - A rather nice version of Moon Patrol released for the C64

In the mid 80's the developer Irem, released the fantastically enjoyable game of' ' Moon Patrol '. A side-scrolling shooter that is widely credited for the introduction of parallax scrolling in side-scrolling video games, as you drove a buggy across a landscape, jumping over ditches and rocks while also shooting at enemies both above and in front of you. It was so popular in fact that many

Knightmare - The 1980's hit TV show, is coming to the ZX Spectrum as a super new version by Sausageware Games

Great news if you remember watching the 1980s TV show Knightmare, as we've just been informed through Twitter, that the upcoming ZX Spectrum version by Sausageware Games, will be available to purchase at some point soon through BitmapSoft. A much deserved and more enjoyable Knightmare inspiration for the ZX Spectrum, which in itself is based around a TV show in which children had to not only

Stick Man Arok Edition - Escape from the clutches of Evil in this level extended Plus/4 game from Epy and Csabo

Are you looking for another game to play on your Commodore Plus/4 then read on. As looking through the Plus/4 World website, we've come across a game we haven't featured yet called 'Stick Man Arok Edition' by Epy with music by Csabo. A new platformer in which you must escape from the clutches of the Evil Programmer. In light of this news, Saberman has provided a gameplay video showing some of the

Game Source Will Bring DDR Classic Mini to Gamescom 2024

Dance Dance Revolution DDR Classic Mini at Gamescom 2024

Game Source Entertainment announced that it will set up a booth at Gamescom 2024. Five games will appear at the booth, including Dance Dance Revolution Classic Mini. That means Gamescom 2024 visitors will be able to check the DDR Classic Mini first-hand ahead of its release in late September 2024.

Dance Dance Revolution Classic Mini was originally revealed to mark the series' 25th anniversary in 2023. It will contain tracks from the first three major releases of the long-running arcade rhythm game series.

Zuiki has also opened public pre-orders for the mini console in April 2024, and the company will formally release it on September 27, 2024. While Zuiki's own store can only ship items domestically, the product is also available to order on web stores outside Japan, such as Playasia, PNP Games, and VideoGamesPlus.

DDR Classic Mini will not be the only title Game Source Entertainment will bring to Gamescom 2024. The company will also feature demos of Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade, the rogue-lite deckbuilding battle game Lost in Fantaland, the boys-love romance game Voice Love on Air, and the horror survival game Suffocate.

Gamescom 2024 will take place at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, on August 21-25, 2024.

The post Game Source Will Bring DDR Classic Mini to Gamescom 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

Wreckfest 2, Darksiders tease, Gothic 1 Remake gameplay, and everything else from THQ Nordic's showcase

Somehow, it's that time of the year again already! THQ Nordic's annual gaming showcase has returned to offer a look at its upcoming slate of releases, both previously known and newly announced. This time around, the long-awaited Gothic 1 Remake and Titan Quest 2 both got gameplay reveals, and Epic Mickey: Rebrushed popped up to remind us all it's coming out relatively soon. As for the new stuff, Wreckfest is getting a sequel, Little Nightmares studio Tarsier's creepy new game has been teased (as has a new Darksiders), while strikingly animated platforming adventure The Eternal Life of Goldman looks like a real gem.

So if you didn't catch the showcase and are curious to see what you missed, you'll find a full round-up - augmented by a few additional details from an earlier press briefing - below.

We were big fans of 2018 demolition derby racer Wreckfest ("Wreckfest offers primal pleasures," wrote Martin Robinson, "with little by way of pretension), and developer Bugbear Entertainment is ready to do it all over again in the newly announced Wreckfest 2. Details are relatively scant at this early juncture, but it promises "unmatched deformation and physical damage models" as its high-octane single-player and multiplayer racing unfolds.

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Making games for Apple platforms "like an abusive relationship", say developers

Developing games for Apple platforms has been described as "like an abusive relationship", due to a lack of support or strategy.

In a new report, MobileGamer.biz has spoken to a number of anonymous developers making games for the Apple Arcade mobile platform and the Vision Pro VR headset.

Sources describe a whole litany of issues, suggesting Apple simply "does not understand gamers" or the industry.

Read more

Wreckfest 2, Darksiders tease, Gothic 1 Remake gameplay, and everything else from THQ Nordic's showcase

Somehow, it's that time of the year again already! THQ Nordic's annual gaming showcase has returned to offer a look at its upcoming slate of releases, both previously known and newly announced. This time around, the long-awaited Gothic 1 Remake and Titan Quest 2 both got gameplay reveals, and Epic Mickey: Rebrushed popped up to remind us all it's coming out relatively soon. As for the new stuff, Wreckfest is getting a sequel, Little Nightmares studio Tarsier's creepy new game has been teased (as has a new Darksiders), while strikingly animated platforming adventure The Eternal Life of Goldman looks like a real gem.

So if you didn't catch the showcase and are curious to see what you missed, you'll find a full round-up - augmented by a few additional details from an earlier press briefing - below.

We were big fans of 2018 demolition derby racer Wreckfest ("Wreckfest offers primal pleasures," wrote Martin Robinson, "with little by way of pretension), and developer Bugbear Entertainment is ready to do it all over again in the newly announced Wreckfest 2. Details are relatively scant at this early juncture, but it promises "unmatched deformation and physical damage models" as its high-octane single-player and multiplayer racing unfolds.

Read more

Making games for Apple platforms "like an abusive relationship", say developers

Developing games for Apple platforms has been described as "like an abusive relationship", due to a lack of support or strategy.

In a new report, MobileGamer.biz has spoken to a number of anonymous developers making games for the Apple Arcade mobile platform and the Vision Pro VR headset.

Sources describe a whole litany of issues, suggesting Apple simply "does not understand gamers" or the industry.

Read more

Wreckfest 2 announced with trailer abundant in fender-bending and newly rageful drivers

I've never learned to drive, but every so often a well-meaning friend tells me I'd be good at it, because 'look, Edwin, you play all those driving games, surely they've taught you the basics'. Friend, here is what driving games have taught me: traffic lights are there for regional flavour; drifting is the same thing as cornering; other cars exist to serve as bumper cushions when overshooting a turn. Certainly, nobody wants a guy whose ideas about automobiles come from 2018's Wreckfest to be involved in the school run. On which note: THQ Nordic have just announced Wreckfest 2 - a fresh helping of destruction derby with fancified visuals and newly animate drivers who flinch and gesticulate when other drivers smash into them. Witness the carnage in the announcement trailer below.

Read more

Kitsune Tails is a wonderfully queer Super Mario 3-inspired platformer that's out today

Hey, remember that 2017 roguelike called Midboss? Or that 2020 platformer called Super Bernie World, where you attempt to transform the US as a retro-fied Bernie Sanders? Yes or no, Kitsune Games have put out some good stuff in the past, and now they're back with a Super Bernie World followup: Kitsune Tails. Again, it's a Super Mario-inspired platformer, but this time it's a wonderfully queer rescue mission inspired by Japanese mythology in a way that's cutesy and colourful. And it's out today!

Read more

Dome Keeper just got a massive update that ups replayability and helps generate better worlds

Katharine (RPS in peace) thought Dome Keeper's blend of tower defence and mining was both "meditative" and "perfectly formed" in her review. So it comes as great news, then, that the devs have somehow taken that perfect dome, expanded it and polished it to an even greater sheen. We're talking about new guild assignments, new gadgets, better world generation, a new world, new monsters. The list is enormous and designed expressly around improved replayability - take that, Las Vegas Dome.

Read more

Wreckfest 2 announced with trailer abundant in fender-bending and newly rageful drivers

I've never learned to drive, but every so often a well-meaning friend tells me I'd be good at it, because 'look, Edwin, you play all those driving games, surely they've taught you the basics'. Friend, here is what driving games have taught me: traffic lights are there for regional flavour; drifting is the same thing as cornering; other cars exist to serve as bumper cushions when overshooting a turn. Certainly, nobody wants a guy whose ideas about automobiles come from 2018's Wreckfest to be involved in the school run. On which note: THQ Nordic have just announced Wreckfest 2 - a fresh helping of destruction derby with fancified visuals and newly animate drivers who flinch and gesticulate when other drivers smash into them. Witness the carnage in the announcement trailer below.

Read more

Kitsune Tails is a wonderfully queer Super Mario 3-inspired platformer that's out today

Od: Ed Thorn

Hey, remember that 2017 roguelike called Midboss? Or that 2020 platformer called Super Bernie World, where you attempt to transform the US as a retro-fied Bernie Sanders? Yes or no, Kitsune Games have put out some good stuff in the past, and now they're back with a Super Bernie World followup: Kitsune Tails. Again, it's a Super Mario-inspired platformer, but this time it's a wonderfully queer rescue mission inspired by Japanese mythology in a way that's cutesy and colourful. And it's out today!

Read more

Metal motocross shooter Motördoom is Rollerdrome’s dirtbag uncle

"Do you fancy playing as a couple of skellies named 'The Boner Brothers' riding a bike and sidecar while chunky bastard-metal blasts out, also they’ve got a gun, also they can do tricks?" asked Motördoom, to which I became so instantly hyperactive I somehow worked out how to headbutt my own face. Of course I want to put a chainsaw on the front of my bike, Motördoom. Obviously I want a rougelike-able upgrade that perchance may set my demonic enemies on fire. Yes, I’d like to combine a sick manual with an action game killstreak for a very large combo, Motördoom. Is this what overly concerned parents thought PS1 games were actually like? If I got a disc with this demo on as a kid, I’d be significantly radder than I am today. Gnarly, even. Made of gnarls.

Read more

Dome Keeper just got a massive update that ups replayability and helps generate better worlds

Od: Ed Thorn

Katharine (RPS in peace) thought Dome Keeper's blend of tower defence and mining was both "meditative" and "perfectly formed" in her review. So it comes as great news, then, that the devs have somehow taken that perfect dome, expanded it and polished it to an even greater sheen. We're talking about new guild assignments, new gadgets, better world generation, a new world, new monsters. The list is enormous and designed expressly around improved replayability - take that, Las Vegas Dome.

Read more

FlatOut 1, 2 and Ultimate Carnage all get Workshop support, Deck verification in new updates

I like my car combat to be focused on collisions not guns, and for the vehicular argy-bargy to be an additional layer of excitement and strategy upon a racing core. FlatOut, then. A series of bumper car racing which managed to impress with its crumple zones long before the era of Wreckfest or BeamNG.

Now FlatOut, FlatOut 2 and FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage have all received an update on Steam to add Workshop support, Steam Deck verified status, improved performance, and in the case of FlatOut 2, re-enabled online multiplayer.

Read more

Metal motocross shooter Motördoom is Rollerdrome’s dirtbag uncle

"Do you fancy playing as a couple of skellies named 'The Boner Brothers' riding a bike and sidecar while chunky bastard-metal blasts out, also they’ve got a gun, also they can do tricks?" asked Motördoom, to which I became so instantly hyperactive I somehow worked out how to headbutt my own face. Of course I want to put a chainsaw on the front of my bike, Motördoom. Obviously I want a rougelike-able upgrade that perchance may set my demonic enemies on fire. Yes, I’d like to combine a sick manual with an action game killstreak for a very large combo, Motördoom. Is this what overly concerned parents thought PS1 games were actually like? If I got a disc with this demo on as a kid, I’d be significantly radder than I am today. Gnarly, even. Made of gnarls.

Read more

FlatOut 1, 2 and Ultimate Carnage all get Workshop support, Deck verification in new updates

I like my car combat to be focused on collisions not guns, and for the vehicular argy-bargy to be an additional layer of excitement and strategy upon a racing core. FlatOut, then. A series of bumper car racing which managed to impress with its crumple zones long before the era of Wreckfest or BeamNG.

Now FlatOut, FlatOut 2 and FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage have all received an update on Steam to add Workshop support, Steam Deck verified status, improved performance, and in the case of FlatOut 2, re-enabled online multiplayer.

Read more

Limited Run Games announces 20+ new physical releases are on the way

Limited Run Games has announced that 20 new-old games will be released in physical form, including Fear Effect, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP, Starship Troopers: Extermination, and Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus.

As part of its LRG3 2024 showcase, the distributor confirmed not only the 20th anniversary edition of Beyond Good & Evil, but also physical releases of classic PS1 games Gex Trilogy, Tomba Special Edition and Tomba 2, Fear Effect, and more – much, much more.

In true LRG style, the Limited Run Games editions of the following games will be released in physical form only, including:

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What we've been playing - wells, late-night pictures, and the world's largest patch notes

Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week, we drift off reading the world's largest set of patch notes, we drift off flipping through a book of late-night urban pictures, and we drift off as we drop down a well.

What have you been playing?

If you fancy catching up on some of the older editions of What We've Been Playing, here's our archive.

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GTA trilogy reaches 30m downloads on Netflix

Recent data states Rockstar's GTA trilogy has hit a combined total of over 30m downloads on Netflix.

Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas made their way onto the service in December, following earlier reports that Netflix had been in talks with Rockstar to licence a GTA game as part of an attempt to introduce "higher-end" titles to its mobile-focused gaming catalogue.

In January, it was subsequently reported that the arrival of these three games had given a boost to Netflix's gaming endeavours, with monthly mobile game downloads nearly tripling to 28m in the December. 18m of these downloads were a combination of San Andreas, Vice City, and GTA 3.

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