Wait a minute… GAME is still alive and well?!? Seems like it, since The Pokémon Company International has once again announced it’s teaming up with the UK-based specialist retailer to once again offer a distribution event promoting Pokémon X and Y and the new XY Trading Card Game Expansion. Colour me surprised.

From Friday 4th April, anyone who brings their 3DS into any GAME store across the United Kingdom, with a copy of Pokémon X or Y inside, can claim a free Pokémon for their game. Players with Pokémon X can receive Magmar free upon request, whilst those with Pokémon Y copies can claim Electabuzz. Additionally, both will be holding their respective Trade Evolution item – the Magmarizer and Electirizer respectively – meaning these free Pokémon can be traded to a trusted friend to obtain their evolved forms – Magmortar and Electivire!

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a bonus for fans of the Trading Card game too. At each store while stocks last, you’ll be able to get a Pokémon TCG: XY special sampling pack containing a card from the new expansion along with a special “holographic” Pikachu card. Who doesn’t love free stuff?

Last year, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced that Game Boy Advance games are on the way to Wii U’s Virtual Console – and now the Japanese gaming giant is making good on the promise.

Nintendo UK took to Twitter and Facebook to announce that hand-held classic Advance Wars is on the way to the Wii U’s Virtual Console on April 3, marking the first GBA title to hit the Wii U Virtual Console. The game will be playable on your TV or through the Gamepad’s own screen like most Virtual Console classics, so you can either recreate the hand-held experience it was made for; or beam it up to the big screen.

Advance Wars is the first of what will likely be a wave of GBA titles which will gradually hit the console over the coming weeks and months – Satoru Iwata already confirmed in last month’s Nintendo Direct that Metroid Fusion, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and Super Mario Advance: Yoshi’s Island are also planned releases. However, none of these have yet been given an English launch date. With the precedent now in place, however, it’s likely we won’t have much longer to wait – watch this space!

Keiji Inafune’s spiritual Mega Man successor game, Mighty No. 9, has rode the hype train rather conservatively since its phenomenally successful Kickstarter campaign, with leaks of new info perfectly timed for just when people may have forgotten about the project while its development continues apace; and until now, not very much is known about the game at all. Today however, as part of a talk given at GDC this year, Keiji Inafune revealed a short gameplay trailer for Mighty No. 9 which fleshes out the game’s details a reasonable amount.

After previous screenshots showed hero Beck redesigned in a 2.5D graphical style and standing on a 3D stage, the latest trailer reveals that the entire game is now being developed in a 2.5D viewpoint not unlike the Classic Sonic stages in Sonic Generations. Also seen in the trailer is some new Action mechanics including what looks to be some combo attack possibilities; as well as some more platforming action. We’ve even got some new animations being shown off – the “hanging from a ledge” animation at 1:28 is particularly adorable. But perhaps the biggest news is we’ve got concept art and basic biographies for all of the other eight “Mighty” robots Beck will encounter in the game; and even hints towards a rudimentary storyline:

Exciting!

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your typical student Dungeons and Dragons player got thrown into a castle straight out of one of the games he plays? Have you ever wanted to play a game as that typical student player? Well, you’re in luck. Such a game exists.

Unepic is the story of Daniel, your typical young male student who somehow during a bathroom break during a game session winds up in a castle occupied by a Dark Lord and his many monster minions. Not that your character realises that this is all for real, believing instead that his fellow players drugged his drink and therefore the adventure is all in his head.

The game itself is a 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania-type game, with an awful lot of castle to explore as you explore, smash, fight and in some cases trick your way through towards your ultimate goal. Inside the castle there are many items to be found and also equipped as well as upgradeable skills such as the various weapon types, magicks and constitution that can have some of the 5 skill points you gain on level up assigned to them, in the manner of how your typical tabletop RPG handles a character’s skill increases. Each type of weapon has strengths and weaknesses and certain monsters will take more damage from a certain type of weapon, but it will take trial, error and a few deaths before you can be sure of what works best as a weapon for each foe you encounter.

As with most games with a role-play element included, you have an inventory of items, which can hold a limited amount of items within it (and can be sorted with the k key, helpfully displayed in the Inventory screen). Fortunately throughout the levels you can find shops that will let you both sell and buy items. I recommend selling your extra items to the shopkeepers and vendors you encounter whenever you can, because even if the monsters you squish and barrels you smash drop coins or an item only about 50% of the time, it does eventually add up. Also, upgrade your armour as soon as you can, taking less damage helps a lot on those screens with multiple opponents if you’re a lot like me and prefer melee combat over ranged. Also special unique items and coins can be earned by taking on and completing quests for the odd non-hostile resident of the castle, and if you complete special quests you can gain access to certain branches of magic too.

Combat itself is fairly simple, with a key-bind system allowing you to switch quickly between weapons and heal up within seconds if need be. Melee involves hitting the space key to swing/swipe in front of you, which is enough to deal with most enemies. Sometimes it is better to use your bow though and Unepic has a targeting system that allows the nearest enemy within sight to be aimed at using the Tab button and Space again is the attack button although it does require you to be standing still so watch enemy projectiles while shooting!

Control-wise the game works beautifully, which is a relief during those moments when you need to turn tail and get to safety to heal up before finishing off a tricky group of opponents and that requires a dash across a room and a leap up onto a high ledge. The way that the controls are set up too is also well-done, fairly easy to figure out with a minute or two of experimentation (and the first bit of the game teaches you how to do things such as pick up loot and aim your bow’s arrows). The only minor niggle I have about it is that up is the jump key but as space is attack and enter is used to interact with items and pick up loot it does make sense. It just takes a little getting used to at first.

I would certainly recommend picking up this game if you enjoy RPGs, DnD or platformers, as this is a wonderful little game. It has a great sense of humour, an interesting story and is full of little nods to other games and shows, some that come out of nowhere. Currently in Early Access on Steam, the single-player is said to be fully complete and there is a multiplayer option too for when you want to play with a friend. And what’s more, it comes with ten different language options and will soon be available on the WiiU as well.

I give Unepic an 8/10 and look forward to getting past the second boss fight soon.

Unepic website is here.

Buy Unepic on Steam here.

Smashdate! #4 is bringing you honey roasted hell, this contenders Legume Ladened Lethality is joining the fight. And this week’s stages are out of this galaxy.

[*ALARM*]

A Challenger Approaches

Diddy Kong

Kart Racer, Jungle Japer and Sidekick extraordinaire returns for his second round battle. Diddy Kong is a small and fast character with some ok ranged attacks. His strength lies in his speed and various barrel themed gadgets, not only does his barrel jetpack pack a punch but it makes for a precise recovery allowing skilled players to avoid edge guarders with ease. Diddy is seen still packing his peanut guns and again these are no ordinary blasters, you will have to charge for distance and damage but be warned over charging will mean that it’s not just the nut that gets roasted.
Diddy Kong although a lovable childhood mascot is not one for those new to smash as his move set can be pretty risky at times. But with practice you’ll be popping peanuts all over the battlefield.

The Stage Is Set

 
Super Mario Galaxy

Although there’s not a great deal to decipher from this stages screenshots on thing is certain that backdrop looks awesome with majestic celestial bodies twinkling as you attempt to re-enact that scene from gravity on your friends (you know the one … the one that makes you never want to go to space). It appears that this stage will be mostly flatland with a few floating platforms making for a pretty basic stage. What I’d like for this stage to be is a spherical base with Galaxy-esc gravity so combatants stick to all sides making for some crazy upside-down battles.

Pikmin

The Pikmin stage takes heavily from its environmentalist source material, with watery swamps, rocky crevasses and giant flying onions. The exact layout is unclear from the screen shots but if it’s anything like the Pikmin stages we’ve seen in the past it’ll provide a tough challenge with dynamic landscapes that will keep you on your toes.

So one of our childhood greats is back for his second round, donning his vest and sweet Nintendo cap, this chimp is one that’ll warm your hearts then pound your face. But still I’m left with a tear in my eye (unfortunately not from the stench) that my main is still hiding in the slightly smelly shadows. Where are you WAAAARIOOOO???