Category: Nintendo News

You may not know them by name, but with over three decades of Taito video game music under their belt you must have heard Zuntata’s work in the past. From the memorable melodies of Bubble Bobble to the epic electronic/jazz fusion soundscapes of the Darius series, the prolific group founded by Hisayoshi Ogura has assured their place in the pantheon of video game music (as well as pulling off some mean and lean live concerts back in the day).

Finally, and for the sake of convenience, over 3,000 of their tracks are now readily available on the top music streaming services, including Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, mora and Amazon. While on the subject, any post mentioning Zuntata is not complete without a bit of ‘Daddy Mulk’ action. Just look at that shamisen go at the 3:05 mark.

Would you like to see both old and recent Taito games on your Switch? Is Puzzle Bobble something you simply cannot live without? Share your favourite Zuntata track in the comments section below.

Teyon has announced that 30-in-1 Game Collection: Volume 1, known as Party Planet in the US, will be making its way to the European eShop on 8th March.

Despite the change of name, this is the same release that hit North American stores at the end of last year. Playing solo, or with up to three friends in supported games, you’ll be making your way through a variety of different activities in a bid to get the highest scores possible.

The games included offer a variety of classic gaming experiences including a version of Snake, memory games, hockey, and even a clone of Balloon Fight. The more games you play through, and therefore the higher rank you become, the more games will unlock for you to enjoy.

If you want to know more about the game before it launches next month, make sure to take a look at our review of the North American version. It is worth noting that this European edition is a digital only release and will be available for €14.99 / £13.49. 

Will you be getting the party started?

You’re not going to complete any heists in PAYDAY 2 without the appropriate weapons, that’s for sure. But before you go equipping anything, you’re going to have to understand how it all works.

That means how the different weapons function, the difference between a primary and secondary weapons, and how much it all costs.

Now, we’re going to go through it all to help you figure it all out. Here’s a list of all of the weapons in the game and how much it costs.

Primary Weapons

Weapon	Reputation Level Requirement	Cost
OVE9000 Saw	Requires Portable Saw Perk	$10,800
AMCAR Rifle	0	$10,800
CAR-4 Rifle	4	$43,200
AK Rifle	4	$43,200
UAR Rifle	8	$94,500
Reinfield 880 Shotgun	8	$94,500
AK.762 Rifle	16	$203,400
JP36 Rifle	16	$203,400
M308 Rifle	26	$349,200
IZHMA 12g Shotgun	26	$349,200
AK5 Rifle	33	$454,500
AMR-16 Rifle	39	$547,200
Mosconi 12g Shotgun	39	$547,200

Secondary Weapons

Pistols

Weapon	Reputation Level Requirement	Price
Chimano 88	0	$10,800
Croskill	2	$20,700
Bernetti 9	6	$68,400
Bronco .44	6	$68,400
STRYK 18c	29	$394,200
Deagle	36	$501,300

Shotguns

Weapon	Reputation Level Requirement	Cost
Locomotive 12G	13	$283,000

Submachine Guns

Weapon	Reputation Level Requirement	Cost
Mark 10	2	$59,000
Compact-5	13	$283,000
CMP	19	$418,000
Para	19	$418,000
Krinkov	29	$652,000
Kobus 90	36	$822,000

Melee Weapons

Weapon	Reputation Level Requirements	Cost
Weapon Butt	0	$0
Fists	0	$0

• 
• by Dom Reseigh-Lincoln
• 2 hours ago

Castle Of Heart is a Switch-exclusive, hack-‘n’-slash platformer where you control a cursed knight under the spell of an evil sorcerer, features lush, dynamic environments and a variety of weapons to collect. Sounds intriguing, right? Well we were lucky enough to catch up with Polish developer 7Levels ahead of the game’s upcoming release, and discussed everything from cultural influences to what it’s like developing for Nintendo Switch. It;s even shared some previously unseen artwork. Enjoy!

Nintendo Life: Can you introduce yourself?

7Levels: Hi! We’re an indie developer from Cracow, Poland. We started out in 2014 and from the beginning we wanted to create games with Nintendo console fans with mind. So far, we’ve worked with both Polish and international developers and have been a part of a number of very interesting projects.

Congratulations on bringing Castle Of Heart to Nintendo Switch.

Thanks! Castle Of Heart was a big challenge for us, but also an opportunity to demonstrate our skills. We hope that many Switch users will enjoy playing it.

What is the team’s background?

7Levels is a group of gaming enthusiasts, but also game industry professionals. Our team consists of experienced people, who have been present in the industry for around a decade. We have worked with mobile games, console games and PC games as well. But making games for Nintendo systems has been our goal since the beginning.

What games or works of popular culture influenced Castle Of Heart?

A large part of the team loved playing the classic platformer games back in the ’90s – the games that were very dynamic, in which mastering each level brought immense satisfaction. Some of the titles from those years were part of the inspiration for Castle Of Heart. Nevertheless, our game is enriched by many innovative mechanics and high-quality 3D graphics – the things we thought were missing from the wave of the retro-style games that are popular today. We wanted to create something more mature, with a slightly darker atmosphere.

The game looks very dynamic in terms of character but also structurally. Are there any factors that change the levels?

We put a lot of focus on making the game dynamic and surprising the gamer enough from level to level, refreshing their investment in the gameplay with new mechanics, new kinds of weapons and more challenging enemies. It’s important to note that during furious combat sequences we can use not only the standard weapon range, but also a range of interactive environmental objects. We can approach each type of enemy with different strategies. Some will be easier to defeat in direct combat, some will die quickly if attacked with a ranged weapons, and it’s better to sneak up on others from behind.

You’re a Polish developer – did your location influence the story or style of the game?

There are copious amounts of strange adventures of brave knights, frightening dragons and mystical places in Polish legends. It’d be a sin to not use them in our story. That’s why we made an effort to include some motifs connected with Slavic mythology in our game. In some parts of the game the settings are inspired by real locations in Poland and enemies, especially bosses, are based on the characters we can find in many old Slavic tales.

What inspired the main mechanic (the idea that the main character must always be on the move) and did it change over time?

The main mechanics were in fact not inspired by anything, it was our own original idea. The idea of crumbling knight came up in the very beginning of the development process, when we were creating the initial outline for the game. We’ve came to the conclusion that this very original mechanic will allow us not only to create an immensely memorable character, but will also make Castle of Heart have an even more dynamic title, which will be fun to replay all over again.

Is it integrated in to the story? If so how?

The stone knight is the leading part of the Castle Of Heart narrative. At the very beginning we learn about his story and about the person, who’s responsible for this horrific curse. One of the main goals for the player is to get the knight back to his human form. But the story is bit more complicated than it seems.

What is the balance between action and strategy?

Castle Of Heart is decidedly an action game. We have lots of dynamic combat and typical arcade sequences, inspired by classic platformers. Nevertheless, if you don’t choose a fitting strategy, you won’t make it far. The stone knight can develop, becoming stronger and stronger, using the right kind of weaponry and skillful usage of power-ups.

How did you implement new twists and gameplay elements into a classic genre?

We worked on combining the best features of classic platformers with new mechanics and high-quality graphics in such a way that the gamer won’t notice our efforts at first glance, but will get more fun from the gameplay nonetheless. We’ve utilized the possibilities offered by Switch, so the gameplay can be as immersive and as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

What influenced the decision to make it a Switch exclusive?

We’re massive fans of Nintendo consoles, which may seem a bit strange in Poland, where systems produced by this giant were never that popular. By focusing exclusively on Switch, we tried to please this particular groups of gamers, (which we belong to ourselves) and that gives us an advantage over the multiplatform titles.

How did your relationship with Nintendo start?

Castle Of Heart development started before Nintendo Switch was officially announced. At the prototype stage we met with Nintendo representatives several times. They liked the idea enough to allow us to publish the game for Switch. We’re in contact with Nintendo continually, we inform them about our progress and we continue to receive tremendous support from them.

What Nintendo games did you play growing up?

My adventure with Nintendo took off when I got SNES, bought from beyond the Western border. I can remember spending hours playing Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country or The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past. That’s how I’ve became a Nintendo fan and still am this day. If I had to choose one game that influenced my life the most, it’d be The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, without any doubt.

We would like to thank the team at 7Levels for taking the time to speak to us. You can play the Nintendo Switch-exclusive Castle Of Heart from 23rd March.

A big part of the fun in Payday 2 is creating your own character build to suit your play style. There are a lot of skills too, and you can mix and match them as you grow in levels to further refine your character.

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how the skill system works, how many skill points you can acquire in total, and how much skills and upgrades cost in points.

How does the skill system work in Payday 2?

Basically, you gan a skill point each time you level up, and a further two (so three in total) each time you hit levels 10, 20, 30, 40, and so on all the way up to max level 100. That’s a total of 120 skill points you can gain if you hit max reputation level.

You can then spend these skill points in five trees, which each includes three subtrees. Each subtree has four tiers of skill attached to it too. You’ll unlock a single new skill at tiers one and four, and two new skills at tiers two and three. Are you with us so far?

Good, because there’s more. You can unlock the second tier of skills with one skill point, tier three with three points, and tier four with 18 points.

You can spend your skill points in numerous different trees too, but bear in mind that this will limit how far you can go in a single tree. But that’s a decision you can make.

Mastermind Subtrees

Medic

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Combat Medic	Gain 30% damage reduction for five seconds both during and after reviving a player.	1	Crew members get 30% more health when you revive them.	3	1
Quick Fix	You deploy First Aid Kits and Doctor Bags 50% faster.	2	If a crew member uses your First Aid Kits or Doctor Bags, they take 10% less damage for 120 seconds.	4	2
Painkillers	If you revive a crew member, they take 30% less damage for five seconds.	2	Damage taken is now reduced by 80%.	4	2
Uppers	You get seven more First Aid Kits in your inventory.	3	You get a further three First Aid Kits, and your deployed Kits will be used automatically by a downed player in a five metre radius. This can only happen once every 20 seconds.	6	3
Combat Doctor	You can now deploy two Doctor Bags.	3	Your Doctor Bags have a further two charges.	6	3
Inspire	You can revive crew members 100% faster, and shouting increases their movement and reload speed by 20%.	4	You can now revive crew members by shouting at them over a nine metre range, but only once every 20 seconds.	8	4

Controller

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Forced Friendship	You get four more cables and can tie them 75% faster.	1	You and your crew have 0.5 damage absorption per hostage, up to eight hostages max.	3	1
Confident	Intimidation is raised by 50% in power and range.	2	You can now convert two enemies at once.	4	2
Joker	You can convert a non-special enemy to your side, provided they have surrendered.	2	You now convert an enemy 65% faster, and they’ll deal 35% more damage.	4	2
Stockholm Syndrome	Civilians are intimidated by your footsteps, and remain intimidated 50% longer.	3	Hostages won’t run when rescued by law enforcement. They’ll also trade themselves for you if arrested. You can only use this skill once per heist.	6	3
Partners in Crime	Your movement speed is increased by 10% and the damage your converted enemy takes is reduced by 45% while you have a converted enemy.	3	While you have a converted enemy, your health is increased by 30%, and your converted enemy takes a further 54% less damage.	6	3
Hostage Taker	You regenerate 1.5% health every five seconds while you have a hostage or converted enemy.	4	The health you regenerate is increased to 4.5%.	8	4

Sharpshooter

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Stable Shot	You gain eight weapon stability.	1	You gain 16 weapon accuracy while stationary.	3	1
Rifleman	You snap to zoom 100% faster with all weapons, and your movement speed is unhindered while using steel sight.	2	Your zoom is increased by 25% with all weapons, and your weapon accuracy while moving with SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Sniper Rifles is increased by 16.	4	2
Marksman	You gain eight weapon accuracy while firing SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Sniper Rifles in single shot mode.	2	You get a 20% accuracy bonus while aiming down the sights of all SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Sniper Rifles fired in single shot mode.	4	2
High Value Target	Marked enemies take 15% more damage.	3	Marked enemies take an additional 50% damage while further than 10 metres away. It also increases the duration of your mark by 100% and you can mark special enemies by aiming at them.	6	3
Aggressive Reload	Increases your reload speed with SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Sniper Rifles by 15%.	3	Kill an enemy with a headshot, and your reload speed will increase by 100% for four seconds. You can only use this with SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Sniper Rifles fired in single shot mode.	6	3
Ammo Efficiency	Get three headshots in less than six seconds, and you’ll get a single button refund. This only works with SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Sniper Rifles fired in single shot mode.	4	You now only have to get two headshots to get the refund.	8	4

Enforcer Subtrees

Shotgunner

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Underdog	When three or more enemies are within 18 metres of you, your damage is boosted by 15% for seven seconds.	1	You now also receive 10% less damage for seven seconds.	3	1
Shotgun CQB	Shotguns reload 15% faster.	2	Shotguns reload 35% faster, and you get 125% increase in steel sight speed while using them.	4	2
Shotgun Impact	All shotguns stability is increased by eight, and you deal 5% more damage.	2	You deal an additional 10% damage with shotguns.	4	2
Far Away	You are 40% more accurate while aiming down the sights of a shotgun.	3	Shotguns are 50% more effective at range while aiming down the sights.	6	3
Close By	You can hip-fire shotguns while sprinting.	3	You fire 35% faster from the hip with single shot shotguns, and all shotgun magazines are increased by 15 shells.	6	3
Overkill	Kill an enemy with a shotgun or the OVE9000 portable saw, and your damage is increased by 75% for 20 seconds.	4	That damage bonus now applies to all weapons, and your swap speed is increased by 80%. You still have to trigger this skill with a shotgun, but it doesn’t apply to melee damage, throwables, and grenade and rocket launchers.	8	4

Tank

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Resilience	Increase your armour recovery by 15%.	1	Reduce the effect of flashbangs by 75%.	3	1
Die Hard	You take 50% less damage while using objects.	2	Ballistic vests now have 20 more armour.	4	2
Transporter	You throw bags 50% further.	1	Each 10 armour bags you have reduces the bag movement penalty by 1%.	3	2
Shock and Awe	You and your crow have an increased recovery rate of 25%.	3	Your weapons can knock back shield enemies while you attack them. Ranged weapons have an increased chance to do so depending on the total damage of the weapon, but melee knock backs are at 100%.	6	3
Bullseye	Each successful headshot regenerates your armour by five, but it can only happen once every two seconds.	3	You regenerate an additional 20 armour for each headshot.	6	3
Iron Man	Your total armour is increased by 30%.	4	You can now wear the improved combined tactical vest.	8	4

Ammo Specialist

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Scavenger	Your ammo box pick up range is increased by 50%.	1	Every sixth enemy you kill drops an extra ammo box.	3	1
Bulletstorm	Ammo bags you drop prevent players from losing ammunition for five seconds after using it. This duration is longer depending on the amount of ammo players restore.	2	The base duration of the effect is increased by 15 seconds.	4	2
Portable Saw	You can now use the OVE9000 portable saw as a secondary weapon.	2	You have one extra saw blade and all of your saw blades are replaced with carbon blades. This increases your saw efficiency by 40%.	4	2
Extra Lead	You can now place two ammo bags.	3	Each bag contains 50% more ammunition.	6	3
Saw Massacre	Blades wear down 50% slower when used on eneies.	3	Your portable saw can saw through enemy shields, and killing an enemy with your saw has a 50% chance to cause nearby enemies to panic in a 10 metre radius.	6	3
Fully Loaded	You have 25% more ammo capacity.	4	You get 75% more ammo, a 5% chance to get a throwable, then a further 1% each time you don’t get a throwable from an ammo box. When you find a throwable, the chance is reset.	8	4

Technician Subtrees

Engineer

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Third Law	Sentry guns are 5% cheaper.	1	Your sentry guns have a protective shield.	3	1
Sentry Targeting Package	Your sentry guns are 100% more accurate.	2	Your sentry guns rotate 150% faster and have 50% more ammunition.	4	2
Eco Sentry	Sentry guns are 5% cheaper to deploy.	2	Sentry guns have 150% more health.	4	2
Engineering	Sentry guns make less noise, reducing the chance enemies will target them.	3	Sentry guns can fire AP rounds, which fire 75% slower but deal 250% more damage and pierce through enemies and shields.	6	3
Jack of all Trades	You can deploy and interact with deployables 100% faster.	3	You can bring a second deployable, but you can only bring half of the number of your first employable.	6	3
Tower Defence	You can carry an extra sentry gun.	4	You can carry an additional two more sentry guns.	8	4

Breacher

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Hardware Expert	You can fix drills and saws 25% faster and they’re silent.	1	Your drills and saws have a 10% chance to restart after breaking.	3	1
Combat Engineering	Your trip mine explosion’s radius is increase by 30%.	2	Your trip mine does 50% more damage.	4	2
Drill Sawgeant	Your drill and saw timer is reduced by 15%.	2	The timer is reduced by an additional 15%.	4	2
More Firepower	You get one more shaped charge and four more trip mines.	3	You get two more shaped charges and seven more trip mines.	6	3
Kickstarter	Drills and saws have an additional 20% chance to restart after breaking.	3	You have a 50% chance to reset a broken drill or saw using a melee attack. You can only do this once per broken saw or drill.	6	3
Fire Trap	Trip mines now spread around the area of detonation for 10 seconds in a four metre diameter.	4	Fire effect lasts 10 seconds longer and the radius is increased by 50%.	8	4

Oppressor

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Steady Grip	You get eight weapon accuracy.	1	You get 16 weapon stability.	3	1
Heavy Impact	Your shots have a 5% chance to stagger most enemies.	2	Your stagger chance is increased to 20%.	4	2
Fire Control	You have 12 more weapon accuracy while firing from the hip.	2	Your penalty accuracy is decreased by 20% while moving.	4	2
Lock N’ Load	You can hip-fire with weapons while sprinting.	3	Kill two enemies with SMGs, LMGs, assault rifles, or special weapons on automatic fire and your next reload will be 100% faster. The bonus is reduced by 1% for each bullet above 20 remaining in the magazine, down to a 40% reload speed increase.	6	3
Surefire	SMGs, LMGs, and assault rifles have 15 more bullets.	3	Ranged weapons can pierce through enemy body armour.	6	3
Body Expertise	30% of your bonus headshot damage is permanently applied to hitting enemies on the body. This only activates while in automatic fire mode.	4	This bonus is increased to 90%.	8	4

Ghost Subtrees

Shinobi

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Chameleon	You get detected 25% slower and can mark enemies while in casing mode.	1	You can pick up items while in casing mode, and all items and cash you pick up has 30% more value.	3	1
Cleaner	You have an additional body bag in your inventory, and you can now hold up to three bags.	2	You can now place two body bag cases.	4	2
Sixth Sense	You now automatically mark all enemies within a 10 metre radius by standing still for 3.5 seconds in stealth.	2	You gain access to all insider assets, and cleaning costs 75% less after killing a civilian.	4	2
Nimble	You can disable one camera from detecting you or your crew for 25 seconds.	3	You lockpick 100% faster and can lockpick safes.	6	3
Eco Overdrive	Your ECM jammer and feedback duration lasts 25% longer.	3	You can now open electronic doors with your ECM jammer.	6	3
ECM Specialist	You can now place two ECM jammers.	4	The ECM jammer and feedback last 25% longer, and you can delay pagers.	8	4

Artful Dodger

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Duck and Cover	You regenerate stamina 25% earlier and faster, and can sprint 25% faster.	1	You have a 10% higher chance to dodge while sprinting, and 15% higher chance while ziplining.	3	1
Parkour	You move 10% faster, and 20% faster while climbing ladders.	2	You can sprint in any direction	4	2
Inner Pockets	Increases concealment of melee weapons by two.	2	Increases the concealment of ballistic vests by four.	4	2
Dire Need	When your armour breaks, the first shot on every enemy causes it to stagger until your armour recovers.	3	This effect now persists for six seconds after your armour has recovered.	6	3
Shockproof	You have 30% chance to backfire a taser when tased.	3	You can free yourself from getting tased if you interact with it within two seconds.	6	3
Sneaky Bastard	You get a 1% dodge chance every three points of detection risk under 35 up to 10%.	4	The dodge chance bonus is now applied for every one point of detection risk, rather than three.	8	4

Silent Killer

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Second Wind	When your armour breaks, your movement speed increases by 30% for five seconds.	1	This effect now applies to your crew.	3	1
Optical Illusions	You are 35% less likely to be targeted.	2	You get one concealment for each silenced weapon you equip. This also reduces the concealment penalty of silencers by two.	4	2
The Professional	You get eight weapon stability and a 100% increase to snap to zoom with silenced weapons.	2	You get 12 accuracy with silenced weapons.	4	2
Low Blow	You get a 3% critical hit chance for every three points of concealment under 35 up to 30%.	3	This effect now triggers for every one point of concealment.	6	3
Specialised Killing	You deal 15% more damage with silenced weapons.	3	You deal an additional 15% more damage with silenced weapons.	6	3
Unseen Strike	If you don’t lose armour or health for four seconds, you get a 35% higher critical hit chance for six seconds.	4	The critical hit chance duration is increased to 18 seconds.	8	4

Fugitive Subtrees

Gunslinger

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Equilibrium	You holster and draw pistols 33% faster.	1	You get eight weapon accuracy with pistols.	3	1
Gun Nut	Your pistol magazines are increased by five bullets.	2	You fire 50% faster with pistols.	4	2
Akimbo	Your stability penalty for wielding akimbo weapons is reduced by eight.	2	Stability is reduced by a further eight, and you have a 50% increased ammo capacity.	4	2
One Handed Talent	All pistols have a base damage increase of five.	3	The damage bonus is increased by an additional 10 damage.	6	3
Desperado	Each pistol hit gives you a 10% accuracy bonus for 10 seconds, up to a 40% bonus.	3	You reload  pistols 50% faster.	6	3
Trigger Happy	Each pistol hit gives you a 20% damage boost for two seconds, up to 80%.	4	The damage boost duration increases to 10 seconds.	8	4

Revenant

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Nine Lives	Your bleedout health is 50% higher.	1	You can get downed one more time before going into custody.	3	1
Running From Death	You reload and swap weapons 100% faster for 10 seconds after being revived.	2	You move 30% faster for 10 seconds after you’re revived.	4	2
Up You Go	You take 30% less damage for 10 seconds after being revived.	2	You get 40% more health when revived.	4	2
Swan Song	Rather than get downed instantly, you can fight for three more seconds with a 60% movement penalty.	3	Swam song lasts three seconds longer, and you won’t lose ammo while this effect is active.	6	3
Feign Death	When downed, you have a 15% chance to revive instantly.	3	This chance is increased by an additional 30%.	6	3
Messiah	While in bleedout, you can revive yourself by killing an enemy. You can only do this once per heist.	4	You can recharge this by using a doctor bag.	8	4

Brawler

Skill	Basic	Basic Cost	Ace	Ace Cost	Tier
Martial Arts	You take 50% less damage from melee attacks.	1	You are 50% more likely to knock down enemies with a melee strike.	3	1
Bloodthirst	Every kill increases your next melee attack by 100%, up to a maximum of 1600%. This skill resets when you kill an enemy with a melee attack.	2	Kill an enemy with a melee attack and you get a 50% increase in reload speed for 10 seconds.	4	2
Pumping Iron	Your melee attacks do 100% more damage to normal enemies.	2	Your melee attacks do 100% more damage to special enemies.	4	2
Counterstrike	While charging a melee attack, you’ll knock down any enemies trying to strike you.	3	You can counter attack cloakers and their kicks.	6	3
Berserker	You do more damage the lower your health. When below 50% health, you’ll deal 250% more melee and saw damage.	3	You now do 100% more damaged with ranged weapons while your health is below 50%. You can’t use any regeneration effects.	6	3
Frenzy	You only have 30% health but take 10% less damage. Any healing received is reduced by 75%.	4	You now take 25% less damage, and receive full healing.	8	4

One of the most persistent anecdotes in the history of video gaming is Michael Jackson’s connection with Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It’s often been rumoured that he wrote the soundtrack for the game, having enjoyed a strong relationship with Sega during the early ’90s. The story goes that when allegations surfaced of misconduct towards minors, Sega removed Jackson from the project to avoid any problems.

A 2016 interview with key Sega staffers addressed this mystery, with former staffer Brad Buxer claiming that Jackson’s work remains in the game despite him not being credited. However, there’s still that lingering doubt, and other Sega staffers – such as Roger Hector – claim that the soundtrack was entirely re-done.

British author and journalist John Szczepaniak raised the topic with none other than Sonic creator Naoto Ohshima himself back in 2013, and the full interview is being published as part of the third volume of Szczepaniak’s superb Untold History of Japanese Game Developers series (we covered Volume 1 and Volume 2 previously).

Ohshima backs up comments made by Sega sound engineer Matt Forger regarding Michael’s beatboxing, and even attempts to replicate what a tape submitted by Jackson sounded like. Needless to say, hearing the creator of Sonic mimic Jackson’s trademark sounds is the perfect way to start your morning.

Ohshima is of the opinion that Jackson’s music didn’t make it into the game, echoing Hector’s opinion. However, Brad Buxer believes Jackson’s music remains in place and that his name was removed from the credits because he wasn’t happy with how the songs sounded on the limited audio hardware of Sega’s 16-bit console.

John Szczepaniak: Mr Youji Ishii said you had an incredible story regarding Michael Jackson and the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3?

Naoto Ohshima: Michael Jackson was kind enough to make some music for the game. He sent us a demo tape, and we all gathered around to listen to it. And it was music, but… Michael Jackson had made all of it with his mouth. [hums a beat] It was like that, but layer after layer of it, complete with oohs and aahs, a drum track, simulated trumpets – all simply hummed by Michael Jackson. And of course his trademark “Wow!” A multitrack recording in which every track was hummed by Michael Jackson – we could not believe it. Ultimately, due to various incidents which took place, we were not able to use the Michael Jackson songs. But Sega probably still possesses that phantom Michael Jackson tape!

John Szczepaniak: Was there a working prototype with his voiced music?

Naoto Ohshima: I don’t know. But even if there was, I’d think it would pale in comparison to the value of a never-released tape of Michael Jackson doing a cappella recordings.

The full interview can be found in Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Volume 3, which is available for order now on Amazon US and Amazon UK. A full list of contents can be found here, and like the previous two volumes, it looks like being an essential purchase thanks to interviews with Henk Rogers (the man who brought Tetris to the west), Kouichi Yotsui (Strider) and an entire chapter that looks at the work of TecnoSoft, Compile, Fupac, and 8ing.

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Digerati and 3D Avenue have revealed that Spectrum, a platformer previously released on Steam, will be making its way to Nintendo Switch this spring.

Spectrum takes away the regular platforming restrictions of only running along the ground, replacing it with a gravity-defying challenge full of bright and bold scenery. Players must jump, dive, and find their flow to skilfully navigate their way through 80 levels of shifting shapes, avoiding getting trapped and squashed along the way.

Key Features 

– A mysterious world brought to life with a colourful, minimalist aesthetic
– Master movement and gravity to dodge obstacles and reach the exit portal
– Ambient soundtrack to sharpen the senses and stimulate the mind
– 80 beautifully designed levels spanning 8 different environments
– 3 bonus objectives on every level to complete for total perfection
– Perfect your runs to become a legend of the leaderboards

No exact release date or pricing has been confirmed as of yet, although we have been assured that these details will be released in due course. 

Are you intrigued by this one?