Category: Mobile Game Releases

Mobile game releases and development

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Take an in-depth look at Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Nintendo has just released a brand new trailer for Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which gives us lots more information on the different modes featured, including Grand Prix, time trial, and custom race. Grand Prix is the primary mode, and includes fun themes and many items fans will be familiar with, such as the dastardly blue shell.

We also got a good look at how you create your tracks. Set up for the game is very easy, you place the four gates down anywhere you please, then drive through the gates in numerical order to set up your track. This setup process will lead to some great creativity among players as your route can be any shape you can imagine.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is coming to Nintendo Switch on October 16 and is priced at $99.99 / £99.99 for a single kart, or a double pack is available in the UK for £209.99, this pack includes real-life Mario and Luigi Cap. Have you tried Mario Kart Tour on mobile? Check out our Mario Kart Tour challenges guide if you would like more information.

Check out the new trailer below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6o6T40w6As?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]
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Mario Kart Tour’s Anniversary Tour brings big rewards and classic courses

Mario Kart Tour‘s 1st Anniversary Tour is fast approaching, and it’s set to reintroduce a handful of popular city courses. You can also expect to earn some handy rewards during this limited-time celebration, including additional rubies and more. The current Los Angeles Tour will soon draw to a close, meaning time is of the essence if you want to grab its themed rewards.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since Nintendo’s kart racer arrived on the scene. The game has changed drastically over those 12 months, with its regular content drops helping to flesh out the core experience. Nintendo has also offered new ways to play, such as a fan-requested landscape mode, improved driving controls, and an extensive multiplayer component.

The 1st Anniversary Tour is slated to launch next Tuesday, October 6th. The main draw will no doubt be the five returning city courses, but you can also net yourself some decent log-in goodies by playing the game throughout the 14-day event. And, as a bonus, every reward you earn will also get you some extra rubies. Not bad at all.

Here’s a trailer for the Los Angeles Tour:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU4DVSd13H0?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

If you’re an avid MK Tour player, you’ll no doubt find our Mario Kart Tour challenges guide to be of great use. And you can grab the game itself from over on the App Store and Google Play as a free-to-play title.

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Badlanders is essentially Escape from Tarkov mobile, now open for pre-registration

October, 1: Badlanders has now opened for pre-registration globally.

Badlanders is a new survival game from mobile behemoth NetEase that recently entered closed beta in select regions. You’re dropped into a warzone and challenged to scavenge for supplies in order to repel enemy forces, with your ultimate goal being to acquire items with the highest value, then make your daring escape.

Dotted around the map are some all-important escape points for you to reach. If you manage to hold one down successfully, you’ll leave the battlefield with your gear intact. Niko Partners Senior Analyst Daniel Ahmad likened the game to Escape from Tarkov, a gritty first-person shooter that shot to popularity earlier this year. As Ahmad said in a recent Twitter thread, NetEase is especially skilled at bringing popular PC or console genres to mobile.

There are three distinct trading systems to make use of in Badlanders. Exchange, as the name suggests, allows you to purchase and sell some basic supplies. Prism gives you the chance to acquire more premium loot with enhanced attributes, and Auction lets you set your own prices and trade freely with other players.

Here’s a recent trailer:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CcIp7kxPaQ?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

It’s all about supply and demand, so you have to be smart about your pricing strategies if you want to make some decent cash. And you’ll need every penny you can get in order to insure your favourite items. Doing so will allow you to regain, for example, your preferred gun after a certain amount of time. That is unless someone steals it from your corpse.

The persistent loot system is largely what will set Badlanders apart from similar games on mobile, and it already sounds like an interesting spin on several established genres. For now, only Android players in the CBT regions can give it a go, but the game has in fact opened for pre-registration globally with a few exceptions. If you’re in Belgium, Taiwan, Vietnam, Mainland China, or any of the CBT areas, you won’t currently be able to pre-register.

Here are some handy links to Badlanders’ App Store and Google Play pages. The former lists its expected release date as October 24th. And, while you’re here, why not check out our list of the best mobile multiplayer games?

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Pokémon Sword and Shield the Crown Tundra gets an October release date

September 29, 2020: an Ash hat Pikachu code was given out during the stream, find it below!

A live stream held by The Pokémon Company has revealed The Crown Tundra expansion is coming to Pokémon Sword and Shield on October 23. You can also grab a pack including either Pokémon Sword or Shield and both expansions on November 6, this pack is perfect for new fans looking to get the full experience.

The Crown Tundra is the second area unlocked by the expansion pass, with The Isle of Armor being the first. From the trailer, we can see these areas are significantly different geographically, with The Isle of Armor set on a tropical island and The Crown Tundra set near an icy mountain peak. This should lead to some interesting ice-type Pokémon encounters.

This expansion will bring back over 100 Pokémon from previous generations, including Absol, Relicanth, Swablu, and the legendary Regi trio, who have now expanded into a quintet with the additions of the electric-type Regieleki, and the dragon-type Regidrago. Exciting new Galarian forms of the legendary birds, Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno, will be available to find and catch, along with a brand new legendary, the psychic/grass-type Calyrex.

You can view the stream live right here.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayIZaCMKpYE?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

hat Pikachu codes

A series of eight hat-wearing Pikachu was announced during the Crown Tundra live stream. These codes can be redeemed in Pokémon Sword or Shield. Only one code has been revealed as of yet, but this section will be updated when any further codes are revealed!

  • Ash hat Pikachu – P1KACHUGET

Newly discovered Pokemon

Brand new Pokémon are coming to the Crown Tundra. During the expansion live stream, the poison/psychic type Galarian Slowking and steel type Gigantamax Melmetal were shown off.

What we know about the Crown Tundra

Much like The Isle of Armor expansion, The Crown Tundra will add an assortment of fresh cosmetic items, such as new winter-themed outfits, and all-new League Card designs to help your character stand out from the crowd.

The first brand new game mode is Dynamax Adventures, a co-op mode where players can explore Pokémon dens. In this mode, you will link up with three other players to search Pokémon dens, and compete in Max Raid battles, which will play out similarly to the base games. The major perk in completing a Dynamax Adventure is the opportunity to catch returning Legendary Pokemon, including Mewtwo, Giratina, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and much more.

The second new mode is The Galarian Star Tournament. You unlock this mode while progressing through The Crown Tundra’s story. In this tournament, you will compete in 2v2 battles against the Galar gym leaders, your rivals, and the Galar champion Leon.

Rumours are currently swirling around the potential release of a Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remaster, but for now The Crown Tundra will have to tide restless fans over till we can get the facts on any future releases.

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The first look at Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity gameplay

Nintendo recently announced Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the Dynasty Warriors-style prequel to The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game is set 100 years prior to the events of Breath of the Wild and allows players to engage in combat that took place during the battle of Hyrule before the great calamity. You can expect some fast-paced action as you cut through vast waves of enemies and in-depth storytelling fans have come to expect from Zelda titles.

Many fan favourite characters are playable in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, such as Link, Zelda, the four champions introduced initially in Breath of the Wild, and the freshly announced young Impa! Nintendo has confirmed the Amiibo set of the four champions will be re-released in time for the release of the new title.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity releases November 20 for Nintendo Switch, and is available to pre-order at $59.99 / £49.99. The pre-order will include a Lucky Ladle as an in-game bonus for Link to use in battle. While you wait for the release, find something to play with help from our list of the best mobile RPGs.

Check out the full Koei Tecmo Tokyo Game Show stream here.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekjTmJNhFs?modestbranding=1&rel=0&start=4459&feature=oembed]
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Zaphreal and Lucretia are the newest characters to join the AFK Arena roster

The popular idle RPG, AFK Arena, has just announced two brand new characters are coming, Zaphreal and Lucretia. The pair are a married couple with a tragic backstory that you can check out by watching a couple of upcoming animated shorts, with the series titled Tales of Esperia.

The first short is Memory of Lucretia, which provides a brief history of the characters and shows the moment that the pair were torn apart. The second is titled, Desperation, and will bring even more depth to the lore of AFK Arena and the characters it is based around. Zaphreal and Lucretia are available from September 29, and players can redeem one of them for free until October 26.

Choose wisely, as players that choose Zaphreal, of the Celestials faction, will harness his lightning attacks that deal massive damage. those of you that choose Lucretia, with the Hypogeans, will go for a character with a physical combat-style that features curved attacks that cut her foes to shreds. AFK Arena is available for free from Google Play and the App Store. While waiting for Zaphreal and Lucretia to release, check out our AFK Arena codes and AFK Arena tier list.

Check out the Memory of Lucretia short below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NV0mWrbwmk?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

The Desperation short can be seen here:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lQYHZ-YqiQ?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]
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Win a free copy of mystery-adventure game The Almost Gone!

Who doesn’t love a good mobile mystery? Whether it’s inspecting intricate objects in The Room, or exploring a whole planet in Krystopia: Nova’s Journey, mobile is specially equipped to offer little mysteries to dip in and out of. That’s why, this week, we’ve decided to partner with Playdigious and give away some Android and iOS copies of The Almost Gone. This mystery-adventure game is a little like if Monument Valley collided with Gone Home – a mobile mystery game where you uncover secrets by moving between rooms, and inspecting them for clues.

But each room or scene in The Almost Gone is a beautiful 3D diorama, that you can move, and tap to highlight objects of importance. If you hadn’t guessed, we absolutely love 3D dioramas on mobile, whether its Bad North, Monument Valley, or Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows, and The Almost Gone is no exception. We’d honestly play this game just for how aesthetically pleasing it is.

But luckily it also has a pretty captivating mystery, as you unlock each scene like a little puzzle box. If this sounds like your kind of game, be sure to enter for a copy below!

There are two entry boxes, one for Android and one for iOS, so please be sure to enter the correct one for your platform, as otherwise you won’t be able to play the game. Also, if you plan to enter, be sure to have a glance at our terms and conditions first.

android

The Almost Gone – Android Giveaway

ios

The Almost Gone – iOS Giveaway

Alternately, if you can’t wait to play The Almost Gone, you can purchase it on Google Play or the App Store. For more similar recommendations, our list of the best mobile puzzle games will help.

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Microsoft acquires Bethesda, creators of The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom

Microsoft just announced its purchase of ZeniMax Media, parent company of Bethesda Softworks, for USD 7.5 billion. This deal means that Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios are now part of the Xbox family. It gives Microsoft ownership of franchises such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, Quake, Starfield, and more.

Bethesda has been a big supporter of Xbox Game Pass for some time now, and Microsoft will be adding Bethesda’s beloved franchises to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. You can also look forward to some highly anticipated titles such as Starfield, an upcoming space RPG in development by Bethesda Game Studios, that will be available day one on Game Pass, and many yet to be announced titles.

It will be interesting to see how this affects Nintendo Switch, as many popular Xbox titles have recently launched for the console, including Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which was revealed during the Nintendo Direct Mini recently. Hopefully, this will lead to more Bethesda titles coming to the console.

See the announcement tweet below

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Here’s when Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent launches in Japan

Square Enix has announced the Japanese release date for the highly anticipated free-to-play mobile JRPG Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent. Pre-registration is now live in Japan for Android and iOS, and the game will be available to play from October 28, 2020. A localisation and international release date are yet to be announced.

We don’t know much about Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent as of yet, though Square Enix has revealed the combat features a command battle system with parties consisting of up to eight members. It is a prequel to the much-beloved Octopath Traveler and set in the same locale of Osterra. The original Octopath Traveler is a turn-based role-playing game, which initially released on Nintendo Switch in 2018 followed by PC, and Google Stadia in later years.

Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent is already proving to be extremely popular, and as of now has surpassed 500,000 pre-registered accounts. To commemorate this milestone, composer Yasunori Nishiki, best known for his work on the original Octopath Traveler soundtrack, has released a brand new song.

Check out the new trailer below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IgnLXSBRWk?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Be sure to check back here to be updated on the international release date when we get it!

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Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase September round-up

The Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase has now ended! Some amazing upcoming games, including Monster Hunter Rise and Disgaea 6 have been revealed, along with some re-releases of fan favourites. You can find release dates, information, and trailers for all the announcements below.

The September Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase was the first since July. In the previous two, we learned more about games like Shin Megami Tensei and Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory, so we knew not to expect anything new from Nintendo itself. The previous instalments ran for approximately 10 minutes each, so we can assume this is the normal length we can expect from a Direct Mini from now on.

The last substantial Nintendo Direct was broadcast over a year ago in early September, and many fans are desperate for a Nintendo Direct on a larger scale, so we can see how our wallets will fare in the coming months, and book our days off. Find out all of the news from the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase below!

Here’s everything that was announced during the September Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase

Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise is a fresh take on the series, with brand new monsters, cute buddies, and 4 player co-op. Available for preorder is a standard, deluxe, collectors edition, and amiibo. Monster Hunter Rise will be making its way to Switch March 26 2021.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6C5lH5b-f4?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Monster Hunter Stories 2

Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a story-driven RPG, in which you play as a monster rider. It includes some fan favourite monsters, such as Rathalos and Anjanath. You can expect to see Monster Hunter Stories 2 on Switch in summer 2021.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yu8J-J-Iz4?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise

Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise is a sequel to Fitness Boxing. Use your Joy-Con to participate in various courses, and boxing exercises led by one of nine instructors, each with their own distinctive personality. Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise is available December 4 2020.

Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny

Disgaea 6; Defiance of Destiny is a strategy RPG, and will be the first game in the series to use 3D-models. Expect some brand new gameplay elements to be expanded on before its release in Summer 2021.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfCO_x7rPLg?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Empire of Sin

Empire of Sin is a strategy game set in the heart of the ruthless criminal underworld of 1920. Choose from a roster of fictional and real-world gangsters, then set out to build your empire. Empire of Sin is available December 1 2020.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poGsY_t4pek?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Sniper Elite 4

Sniper Elite 4 was originally released for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2017. You can look forward to stealth and unparalleled sniping action when Sniper Elite 4 comes to Switch this winter.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRdhKE2n2wk?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Rune Factory 5

Rune Factory is the newest instalment in the RPG series. Originally scheduled for 2020, Nintendo has revealed the game will now arrive on Switch in 2021.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MV8nQW5s6A?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

Ori and the will of the wisps

The last-minute surprise that came with this month’s Nintendo Direct Mini is Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the platform-adventure style game is out now!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1YAGLLVBTY?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]

coming this month

The Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase also filled us in on some titles coming this month. The indie, adventure game Hades, and survival game The Long Dark are both available now, while PGA Tour 2K21 arrives on September 25.

That’s it for the September Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase! You can check out the full below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0Q3FdosFBo?modestbranding=1&rel=0&feature=oembed]