Showing posts with label june. Show all posts
Showing posts with label june. Show all posts

Friday, May 31, 2013

Jumpin' June: Eight Games to Look Out for This Month

A new month begins tomorrow, so it's time take a look at eight of the more interesting games to have their release dates planned for the month of June. Generally the summertime is home to the weakest releases. Not true this year. June is absolutely packed with software, and this list of eight is to help you pick and choose which titles are best for you and your wallet. As always, dates are subject to change, and these dates are only for North America. What will you be buying this month, if anything?

Remember Me (Multi)
Release Date: 6/4


Generally it's the start of a new generation that we get new franchises and IPs, but this generation we have Capcom bestowing us with Remember Me, an intriguing futuristic title with a mix of platforming, stealth, exploration, and combat in the hand-to-hand variety. A new gameplay mechanic known as "memory remixing" has you entering the memories of a character and rearranging them for a different outcome. You can also nab the memories of other characters in order to progress through the game. Remember Me is an innovative new IP that seems really interesting and worth looking into. Let's hope the promising gameplay mechanics are executed well.

Marvel Heroes (PC)
Release Date: 6/4


How does a free-to-play MMO/ARPG starring the Marvel universe sound to you? Well, we can't speak for you, but to us it makes our mouths water. Of course, there will be micro-transactions (Marvel's gotta eat somehow, right?), but players need not spend a dime to experience the full options of Marvel Heroes. Unlockable characters include Captain America, Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man, as you play through a Diablo-style game and a story that pits your superheroes against the diabolical Dr. Doom. With a story written by the great Brian Michael Bendis (who worked on our favorite Marvel comic series Ultimate Spider-Man), Marvel Heroes is incredibly appealing to us, and no doubt fans of the Marvel Comics universe.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)
Release Date: 6/9


Animal Crossing: City Folk was criticized heavily for being way too similar to the DS installment, Wild World. This was quite true, so the creators of the newest iteration of the Animal Crossing series, New Leaf, have taken the criticism to heart and crafted a totally rebooted style of play. In Animal Crossing: New Leaf you're the mayor of a town, allowing you to make the important decisions of your bustling burg. You can also customize clothing, furniture, and for the first time ever, the full appearance of your own house. The amount of things to do in this edition of Animal Crossing greatly surpasses past games completely, making for a game that will not only last players all summer long but all year long.

The Last of Us (PS3)
Release Date: 6/14


Another new IP to cap off the end of a wonderful (and long) generation, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us is one PlayStation 3 exclusive that PS3 owners are feverishly anticipating. And why wouldn't they when you have the creators of Jak & Daxter and Uncharted making the game? Journey across a post-apocalyptic United States as Joel and Ellie as they do their best to fight for survival-- by any means necessary. Pending on the circumstances, Naughty Dog has it so enemies will react accordingly to the player. if Joel is reloading, enemies will take the opportunity to go after him. It's this level of genius AI that makes The Last of Us so compelling. Well, for some people, that and the intense violence.

Game & Wario (Wii U)
Release Date: 6/23


Mini-game collections are no stranger to Nintendo platforms, and quite frankly many have long since grown tired of them. That said, Game & Wario looks like a satisfying and entertaining party game featuring sixteen unique mini-games, all of which utilize the Wii U GamePad in innovative and enjoyable ways. For instance, in Ski, you control Jimmy T while he skis through a path of twists and turns, twisting the GamePad to maneuver the character. These games earn the player tokens which can spent in the Cluck-a-Pop capsule machine to earn new toys and gadgets. Game & Wario was originally devised to be a pack-in game with the Wii U, so we'll see if Nintendo changing that up was the smart decision when the game releases on June 23.

Deadpool (Multi)
Release Date: 6/25


Who is awesome besides Deadpool? Why, no one, that's who. The game Deadpool stars the titular character shooting and using melee moves to take out enemies of all shapes and sizes. It's a third-person action game where as the game progresses, Deadpool will learn new combos to use on the lackeys he comes across. That's not where the fun ends either, as Deadpool loves to break the fourth wall, and will often critique the player's progress. This M-rated title is sure to excite fans of the humorous comic book character with a bloodlust.

Project X Zone (3DS)
Release Date: 6/25


A game that we wished would be localized actually did get localized, much to our immense surprise. We were halfheartedly thinking Project X Zone could be localized, and then the announcement came. Regardless, Project X Zone is a crossover title featuring characters from Namco Bandai, Capcom, and SEGA. In total, there are over 200 unique characters being represented (both playable and non-playable) in the game from dozens upon dozens of video game franchises. The actual gameplay consists of grid-based maps and real-time battles, making for some absolutely positively splendid action. We are without a doubt excited to finally get our hands on this game that many thought would never reach our side of the Pacific.

Muramasa Rebirth (PSV)
Release Date: 6/25


Muramasa Rebirth is a remake of the 2009 Nintendo Wii Vanillaware game Muramasa: The Demon Blade. The Wii version already looked absolutely gorgeous with its vibrant art style, and that was in standard definition. Muramasa Rebirth will feature all of the content of the Wii game, including four new scenarios and four new playable characters. The icing on the cake is seeing the glorious beauty of the game on the PlayStation Vita's jaw-dropping OLED screen. Feel envious of Vita owners, Wii gamers, as this is the definitive Muramasa experience.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

June 2012 NPD Results

Welcome to the monthly view at sales in the United States of America, one of the biggest markets for gaming. Let's see which games have performed the greatest for June 2012.


LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (review here) premiered on all major platforms, has a plethora of superheroes attached to it, and sold the most (360 and Wii versions doing the best) for the month of June for its efforts. The game sold 450,000 units across all platforms as reported here (there's also much more detailed sales information in that link, too). I could go on about the second place, third place, fourth place, etc. selling games, but quite frankly, I know nothing about them. However, I DO want to broach about things that surprise me this month such as the resurgence of Batman: Arkham City and the seventh place spot of Pokemon Conquest. It's especially rare to see a platform exclusive reach the top ten, particularly when the game in question is part of a niche genre. Pokemon conquers all. Meanwhile, The Amazing Spider-Man's late month launch gives it the tenth spot to top off the sales list. Also of note, Nintendo has announced that they have officially sold (see: not shipped) five million 3DS systems in the States alone. When facing off against the smartphone and tablet threat, this is some nice news to see that a dedicated gaming portable can tread water with the big boys. Lastly, Suda's Lollipop Chainsaw sold approximately 101,000 units across the PS3 and 360.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Review Round-Up - June

The boys are back in town as the highlighted review of June.
The summer doldrums are here, so the notable game releases have slowed down to a snail's pace. This meant that SuperPhillip Central needed to rely on retro reviews as well as less reviews than normal. Still, there were six special reviews in all for June 2012. The original Rayman kicked things off with an 8.0 while the Wii version of Pikmin 2 scored a 9.0. The creative Monster Tale was chronicled with a 7.5. Meanwhile, my older brother ventured deep into Dracula's castle for his review of the very first Castlevania game which netted a 7.0. The two reviews that rounded out the month includes Geist (7.0) and LEGO Batman: DC Super Heroes which heroically earned an 8.25. In all, it was quite a productive month.

All scores are out of 10.
5 = Average
* = Guest Review
 

Rayman (PS1, SAT) - 8.0
Pikmin 2 (Wii) - 9.0
Monster Tale (DS) - 7.5
Castlevania (NES) - 7.0*
Geist (GCN) - 7.0
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS3, 360, Wii) - 8.25

Round up your Pikmin and your friends
for this excellent "Wii"-imagining.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Buzz - June 23rd, 2012

Time to cap off the week with a look at the top stories generating the most buzz here at SuperPhillip Central. What ten stories are most popular?

June 23rd, 2012 Buzz results.
Well, it is absolutely no surprise that the God of War edition of Rank Up! is still at number one. What is surprising to me is second place. It's the first time in memory that a YouTube video is so high up in popularity. Speaking of popularity, my Batman: Arkham City review remains a hit-getter. My Best of Mario Kart feature still brings in the page views as does my list of convenient Pushmo QR codes. With the soon to be released Amazing Spider-Man movie, it's no wonder that the Top Five Spider-Man Games list is being viewed a lot. What is followed by that are two Report Card segments for the PSP and 360 respectively. Killer Soundtracks, Part One and my hardware review of the 3DS round off this go around's look at The Buzz. For past looks at what stories were most read on SPC, check out the following entries:

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Buzz - June 6th, 2012

Update: June 5th, 2012 marked SuperPhillip Central's best day of views yet at 2,112. Fitting as it was our 4-year anniversary! Sure, it might not compare to many blogs out there, but I'm darned proud!

June 6th, 2012 Buzz results.
Time for our second look at which stories the SPC populace is reading the most! It's time to get your buzz. I personally think Rank Up! God of War is never going to be surpassed in weekly views, and it is definitely never been usurped in total views. Over 35,000 views total. Not bad for a story that was originally posted in September 2011. Two installments of Report Card dominate the top three with the Sony PSP and Xbox 360. Poor Wii and DS. Meanwhile, the Top Five Spider-Man Games will probably drum up even more views with the upcoming release of The Amazing Spider-Man. Then comes the ever-popular Pushmo QR codes, my glowing review of Batman: Arkham City, Best of... Mario Kart, and two recently released articles round out the bottom three Buzz articles: Top Five Worst E3 Moments and Report Card - E3 2012 Press Conferences! Can't forget Rank Up! Nintendo Consoles. Perhaps we will see a Rank Up! for PlayStation platforms... Hm.. maybe that Central City Census was an indicator of something more...

Friday, June 1, 2012

Central City Census - June

Ah, I smell a new Central City Census comin' on! But as it is customary of the Census segment, we must take a look back at the results of May's poll which regarded third party support on Nintendo's new and upcoming console, the Wii U.


There's a lot of optimism (is it unfounded, though?) towards third parties and the Wii U. Most of you either chose that the system will receive a bit better or much better support from publishers like Activision, EA, Ubisoft, Capcom, Sega, Namco, and more. The next most popular choice didn't know what a third party was. That's okay. Just head over to Wikipedia and you will find your answer. Eight of you feel that the Wii and Wii U will share similar support from third parties while another eight of you think the support will be worse to varying degrees. Thanks to all 61 people who voted on May's intriguing poll.

Sony is in a bit of trouble right now. They have laid off a fair amount of workers, their current handheld, the Vita, is floundering (but we have hope for E3!), and mindshare isn't quite there. Who cares, though, as with this month's poll we're celebrating five PlayStation platforms and wondering which one you prefer!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Review Round-Up - June-August


Zelda leads the charge with a tremendous score.

The conclusion of the month not only introduces a new Central City Census, but it also shows us the reviews of the past month. Since we haven't had a Review Round-Up for three months, let's review the past trio of months. Things started out slow with a retro review of Metroid: Zero Mission which earned an outstanding 9.5, followed in August with Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collected which garnered a stellar 8.5 which just so happens to be the same score our first Nintendo 3DS game review got, Dead or Alive Dimensions. Concluding the month both The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening received sensational scores of 10 and 9.5 respectively, and finally, James Bond 007: Blood Stone got the above-average score of 6.0. Remember that 5.0 is considered average here at SuperPhillip Central. All-in-all, summer was quite a good time for gaming!

Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA) - 9.5
Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection (PSP) - 8.5
Dead or Alive Dimensions (3DS) - 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) - 10
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (GBC, 3DS VC) - 9.5
James Bond 007: Blood Stone (PS3, 360) - 6.0

DoA kicked off our 3DS reviews here at SPC.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

June 2011 NPD Results

It's a week or two late, but there's still some discussion to be had over the latest numbers (or lack thereof) from the fine folks at the NPD group.

5-week tracking month; Reporting Period 5/29/11 through 7/2/11

Software (New physical retail only, across all platforms including PC)
01. L.A. Noire (360, PS3) Take 2 Interactive - 419,000
02. Duke Nukem Forever (360, PS3, PC) Take 2 Interactive - 376,300
03. Infamous 2 (PS3) Sony - 369,200
04. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Wii, 360, NDS, PS3, 3DS, PSP, PC) Disney Interactive Studios
05. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) Nintendo - 283,200
06. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, Wii, NDS, PC) Activision Blizzard
07. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP, PC) Take 2 Interactive
08. Mortal Kombat 2011 (PS3, 360) Warner Bros. Interactive
09. Cars 2 (NDS, Wii, 360, PS3, PC) Disney Interactive Studios
10. Just Dance 2 (Wii) Ubisoft

Hardware
Xbox 360 - 507,000
Wii - 273,000
PS3 - ~276,000 (extrapolated)
3DS - 143,000
DS - 386,000

It's important to note that Microsoft needed to tie-in a deal for buying a laptop and getting a free 360 as a deal to get sales. This pattern will continue throughout the summer. Kinect does not seem to be making an impact as no games are in the top ten. Pretty lame if you ask this blogger. Then again, Microsoft turned their back on the core gamer, so I'm a bit bitter. Regardless, the Wii continues its downward slide. It's natural for a console in this stage in its life. It's unnatural for a console in the 360's age to be selling so well. You can't short change Microsoft there, no matter how badly I want to try.

The DS continues to pull in big numbers while the 3DS continues to struggle. It's obviously doomed, Nintendo should cancel all games and focus on the Wii. It's as simple as that. Vita wins.

On the software-side of things, InFAMOUS 2 takes top reigns as best-selling single SKU game followed by the remake of the Ocarina of Time 3D. L.A. Noire impresses as does Mortal Kombat which stays on the charts to my surprise. Sadly, and all "hardcore" gamers should feel bad about is that stinking pile of crap, Duke Nukem Forever, taking the number two spot. Do you guys love buying bad games or what? Ugh. This gen is depressing. No wonder I'm rooting for a collapse.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Central City Census - June

Welcome to a new month. I swear, May just flew right by me! I guess that's what happens when you take two weeks off. Anyway, before we get into the new, let's delve into last month's census.

Which of the big three will have the best E3 presser?

Nintendo
21 (70%)
Sony
7 (23%)
Microsoft
2 (6%)

Votes so far: 30

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone this month, what with all the rumors surrounding Project Cafe as well as new content for the 3DS. Sony came in second place with 23% of the vote as they probably have some great games on the way, some of which are already announced like Uncharted 3, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, and Twisted Metal's revival. Finally, it seems the core gamer has been all but abandoned by Microsoft as they are heavily focused on the high-selling Kinect accessory for the Xbox 360. We'll see if they can wow their fanbase after a poor showing last year. With that out of the way, let's sink our collective teeth into June's census.

June 5th is the three-year anniversary of SuperPhillip Central. The question this time is pretty simple. When was the first time you came to SuperPhillip Central?

Monday, November 1, 2010

Review Round-Up - June-October

Samus Aran seldom has a day off from bounty hunting.

I was off for several months from SPC, but as we know the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Well, hopefully that's the case with many of you as I am now back to my old hi-jinks. Since we've been gone you've been missing my reviews, yes? Well, miss them no longer as I crafted many between the months of June and October. October was slammed with new reviews to make my absence feel like a distant memory. Who would have guessed that a portable tennis title would outclass Samus Aran, Kirby, and a bunch of Miis gathering for a party? Certainly not I! Yes, it's Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip with the best score this Round-Up with an 8.75. Closing in behind very closely are Kirby's Epic Yarn and Metroid: Other M with a score of 8.5 respectively. Meanwhile, Wii Party received a 7.75 while Planet Mini-Golf (June's only review) got a 7.0. Note: now you can play Planet Mini-Golf with Move controls, so the experience may be different from what it was with analog controls.

Planet Mini-Golf (PSN) - 7.0
Wii Party (Wii) - 7.75
Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) - 8.5
Metroid: Other M (Wii) - 8.5
Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip (PSP) - 8.75

Come to mama!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

SPC Mailbag - June 2nd, 2010

E3 2010 is but two glorious weeks away. Today's installment of the SPC Mailbag is entirely made up of questions revolving around E3. There will be predictions, desired games, and favorite moments to be touched upon. Let's get right to it!

What are your predictions for this year's E3?


Right to Double Jeopardy, eh? Alright. Well, I'm no Nostradamus, and I won't pretend to know what I'm talking about. Nor will I see in the future if my predictions come true, but here goes:

Nintendo:
Big focus on Wii Party and new Zelda
Golden Sun DS secretly moved to 3DS
New Pokemon games will have some function with 3DS
Nintendo 3DS will be the final name and will come out this winter in at least one territory.
Metroid: Other M gets a lot of attention, too.
No mainline Mario game for 3DS launch lineup

Sony:
Move will focus more on casual games, and what core games there will be will underwhelm
Move will launch for $60 US in September.
LittleBigPlanet 2 will be a media darling as will Killzone 3.
InFAMOUS 2 will be unveiled formally.
PSP will gain new announcements towards its already robust catalog.
No new PSP to be announced/shown until TGS.

Microsoft:
Natal will impress.
Natal will cost $99 US.
Natal will release in November.
Rare will show off a new IP exclusively for Natal.
More gun games for Microsoft's userbase. SuperPhillip will roll eyes and groan.

So there you have it. Some "duh" responses, but others much more ballsy. It's sure to be an exciting E3 regardless of whether my predictions come true or not.

What games would you like to see announced for E3 2010?

I'll just do a laundry list for you guys to make it simpler on me.

Mega Man Powered Up 2
Zelda Wii
Perfect Dark 2
A new IP from Nintendo EAD
Hot Shots Golf for Move
We Love Golf 2
Tatsunoko VS. Capcom 2
Sly Cooper HD
Jak HD

What are your favorite E3 moments of all time?

There's so many to recall and forget about. Let's go with these:

1. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess reveal.



2. Sony's 2006 E3 performance.
3. Sony's much better LittleBigPlanet demonstration.
4. Microsoft's Final Fantasy XIII announcement.
5. Wii Music unveiling.

Thanks to all of you who sent questions via e-mail to your good friend SuperPhillip. If you have a question you'd like answered from yours truly, hit me up with an e-mail at superphillip32@hotmail.com.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Central City Census - June

The marvelous of May has passed with higher-than-normal temperatures here in Central City. It turns out last month's Census was just as hot! Let's check out the results, shall we?

Which first party do you think will have the best E3 this year?


Microsoft
10 (13%)
Nintendo
34 (47%)
Sony
28 (38%)

Votes so far: 72

Asking which first-party would have the best E3 for 2010, the majority of votes went to Nintendo who has a new Zelda and handheld to unveil including some fresh new software. Second place, in close fashion with 38% of the vote, went to Sony whose Move might move some readers into purchasing one. That isn't to mention LittleBigPlanet 2 and Killzone 3 to be shown either! Finally, poor Microsoft only received 13% of the vote even with code name Natal in the works for this year's E3. Enough banter from me, let's check out June's Central City Census!

Some denizens in the game industry are saying that Japanese game developers are losing their touch. Do you agree? We'll solve this conundrum by putting it to a vote on which side of the world has the better game developers in your opinion-- East or West? Voting closes June 30th.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

June 2009 NPD results

Today is the date that the sales numbers for the game industry are posted for the media to see and console warriors to embarrass our industry even further. Rage on, console warriors. Rage on! Numbers are courtesy of console warrior HQ, NeoGAF.

PlayStation 2 152.7K
PlayStation 3 164.7K
PSP 163.5K
Xbox 360 240.6K
Wii 361.7K
Nintendo DS 766.5K


PROTOTYPE (360) 419.9K
UFC 2009:UNDISPUTED (360) 338.3K
EA SPORTS ACTIVE BUNDLE (Wii) 289.1K
TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 10* (Wii) 272.4K
WII FIT (Wii) 271.6K
FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4 (360) 260.8K
FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4 (PS3) 210.3K
MARIO KART W/WHEEL (WII) 202.1K
RED FACTION:GUERRILLA (360) 199.4K
INFAMOUS (PS3) 192.7K

(*includes CE, GOTY editions, bundles, etc. but not those bundled with hardware)

This marks the first month since February 2007 that Wii Play is not in the top ten. If only Nintendo had a sequel planned for two of their biggest hits, Wii Sports and Wii Fit, to continue the great sales! That was sarcasm by the by. THQ did well last month having two of their games chart, UFC and Red Faction. EA's back in stride with Tiger Woods and EA Sports Active for Wii, as well as two SKUs of Fight Night Round 4 for the HD twins.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Review Round-Up - June

Tiger and tennis headline this month of SPC reviews.

The Wii MotionPlus peripheral hit the States earlier this month, and while Grand Slam Tennis was fun and impressive, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 blew me away as you can tell by the scores. Rune Factory Frontier is my personal disappointment this month while Starfy and MySims surprised me with how good they were. Classic reviews range from Mario's second soccer outing to a triple dose of Mega Man! Classic reviews are listed in italics whereas the new reviews are in ordinary font.

All scores are out of 10.

5 = Average

The Legendary Starfy (DS) - 8.5
Rune Factory Frontier (Wii) - 5.5
MySims Racing (Wii) - 8.0
Grand Slam Tennis (Wii) - 7.75

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (Wii) - 9.25

Mario Strikers: Charged (Wii) - 8.25
Kirby: Squeak Squad (DS) - 7.0
Perfect Dark Zero (360) - 9.0

Bomberman Live (XBLA) - 8.0
Mega Man ZX Advent (DS) - 8.5

Mega Man: Powered Up (PSP) - 9.0
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X (PSP) - 9.0


What reviews did you enjoy this month?

Monday, June 1, 2009

Central City Census - June

It's June 1st which means it's time for a new poll. Let's check out May's Census first.


Last month the Census asked what platform you'd like to see more reviews on. "Oh, wow, Phil. Thanks for reading that again for me. I didn't catch that the first time." No problem. I'm very surprised by the result since the most reviews on the site are for the Wii. Now you Wii owners want more? What are you people-- insatiable? No, I kid. I'm actually planning more 360 and PS3 reviews. There's just less there I want to play, and I don't want to unfairly review a game for just not being my cup of tea. Only if I were paid would I. New Census now!

Microsoft recently announced a new motion control peripheral, Project Natal. I imagine that's just the tentative title for it. I think it looks really cool, but the fact that it's an option and seemingly an afterthought for the 360 doesn't really invoke confidence. Additionally, I don't see games like shooters or adventure games working well. Regardless, what is your opinion on Microsoft's Natal? Vote now, and you may be entered to win a 12 inch replica of David Bowie!