This week’s update is a bit wordier than usual, mainly because the usual format didn’t seem to fit what limited information, I have to share this time around. Before we get on to the main event, one bit of news I will share because it came in my Inbox today.

Feral Interactive are currently hard at work porting Tropico over to iPhone. Things seem to be coming a long well, because yesterday they shared a few screenshots over twitter. We really enjoyed Tropico when we reviewed it last year, and hopefully iPhone users will get to enjoy it soon as well.

Meanwhile, in the world of el presidente mobile games…

Out Now

There’s actually nothing definitive I want to highlight this week. Perhaps I’ve not been as in-touch as I normally would have been (had some days off), but nothing seems to have jumped out at me.

A few of the other sites seem to be talking about Immortal Rogue, which to be fair does look good and will be going on our ‘To Do’ list. The only thing is, according to the App Store page the game was released at the end of January. Google Play doesn’t give me enough information to determine when that version was released, so it’s possible this week marks the appearance of that version.

On our end, I’ve got people reviewing Knights of the Card Table, Wars Across the World and the digital adaptation of the Gem Rush board game.

Addendum: This completely slipped our mind, but Shieldwall Chronicles from PT favourites Wave Light Games released on iOS today. We’ve got this on our review list as well, so stay tuned!

Updates

Star Traders: Frontiers has updated again this week with lots of tweaks and balances – if you’re interested, they’re actually working towards the eventual release of Carrier-class ships in the game, with accompanying fighters. Again, even if you don’t use Steam, we highly recommend keeping an eye on the official Steam page, because a lot of information as to the current road-map and what goes in every update is posted there.

Other than that, Evolution has had a few updates and tweaks since launch. A lot of major issues, especially on Android, have been solved one way or another (the minimum specs for Android devices has been raised for the moment, for example), and they’re working through the rest of the outstanding issues as well.

Sales

Elder Signs: Omens (iPhone, iPad & Android): $0.99

A previous candidate on our Best Board Games list, Elder Signs is now down to a buck on iOS, a little bit more on Android. Note that there’s different app entries for the iPhone and the iPad version of the game, so make sure you buy the right one.

Crashlands (iOS & Android) (Review): $4.99

One of our favourite action RPGS and Diablo-like games is enjoying a small reduction, if you’ve yet to give It a try yourself. Please note that it has been cheaper in the past, typically $3.99 but in 2017 went as low as $2.99.

Cat Lady: The Card Game (iOS & Android): $0.99

This is a simple and engaging card game adapted from a physical game of the same name. It’s down to just a buck – not the most ‘serious’ of experience, but good for some casual fun.

Wars Across the World (iOS Universal): $0.99

A more serious war game, the base game for this is currently down to just a buck, although we’re unclear as to how much content you actually get. At the time of writing there’s ten IAPs consisting of individual scenarios. We’ve actually got a review in progress if you want to wait, but so far, our reviewer has been quite impressed with what he’s played.

Seen anything else you liked? Played any of the above? Let us know in the comments!

We have reached a point in time where most every computer user depends upon the cloud … even if only as a storage solution. What makes the cloud really important to users, is when it’s employed as a backup. Why is that such a game changer? By backing up to the cloud, you have access to those files, from any computer you have associated with your cloud account. And because Linux powers the cloud, many services offer Linux tools.

Let’s take a look at five such tools. I will focus on GUI tools, because they offer a much lower barrier to entry to many of the CLI tools. I’ll also be focusing on various, consumer-grade cloud services (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, Wasabi, and pCloud). And, I will be demonstrating on the Elementary OS platform, but all of the tools listed will function on most Linux desktop distributions.

Note: Of the following backup solutions, only Duplicati is licensed as open source. With that said, let’s see what’s available.

Insync

I must confess, Insync has been my cloud backup of choice for a very long time. Since Google refuses to release a Linux desktop client for Google Drive (and I depend upon Google Drive daily), I had to turn to a third-party solution. Said solution is Insync. This particular take on syncing the desktop to Drive has not only been seamless, but faultless since I began using the tool.

The cost of Insync is a one-time $29.99 fee (per Google account). Trust me when I say this tool is worth the price of entry. With Insync you not only get an easy-to-use GUI for managing your Google Drive backup and sync, you get a tool (Figure 1) that gives you complete control over what is backed up and how it is backed up. Not only that, but you can also install Nautilus integration (which also allows you to easy add folders outside of the configured Drive sync destination).

You can download Insync for Ubuntu (or its derivatives), Linux Mint, Debian, and Fedora from the Insync download page. Once you’ve installed Insync (and associated it with your account), you can then install Nautilus integration with these steps (demonstrating on Elementary OS):

1. Open a terminal window and issue the command sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/insync.list.

2. Paste the following into the new file: deb http://apt.insynchq.com/ubuntu precise non-free contrib.

3. Save and close the file.

4. Update apt with the command sudo apt-get update.

5. Install the necessary package with the command sudo apt-get install insync-nautilus.

Allow the installation to complete. Once finished, restart Nautilus with the command nautilus -q (or log out and back into the desktop). You should now see an Insync entry in the Nautilus right-click context menu (Figure 2).

Dropbox

Although Dropbox drew the ire of many in the Linux community (by dropping support for all filesystems but unencrypted ext4), it still supports a great deal of Linux desktop deployments. In other words, if your distribution still uses the ext4 file system (and you do not opt to encrypt your full drive), you’re good to go.

The good news is the Dropbox Linux desktop client is quite good. The tool offers a system tray icon that allows you to easily interact with your cloud syncing. Dropbox also includes CLI tools and a Nautilus integration (by way of an additional addon found here).

The Linux Dropbox desktop sync tool works exactly as you’d expect. From the Dropbox system tray drop-down (Figure 3) you can open the Dropbox folder, launch the Dropbox website, view recently changed files, get more space, pause syncing, open the preferences window, find help, and quite Dropbox.

The Dropbox/Nautilus integration is an important component, as it makes quickly adding to your cloud backup seamless and fast. From the Nautilus file manager, locate and right-click the folder to bad added, and select Dropbox > Move to Dropbox (Figure 4).

The only caveat to the Dropbox/Nautilus integration is that the only option is to move a folder to Dropbox. To some this might not be an option. The developers of this package would be wise to instead have the action create a link (instead of actually moving the folder).

Outside of that one issue, the Dropbox cloud sync/backup solution for Linux is a great route to go.

pCloud

pCloud might well be one of the finest cloud backup solutions you’ve never heard of. This take on cloud storage/backup includes features like:

• Encryption (subscription service required for this feature);

• Mobile apps for Android and iOS;

• Linux, Mac, and Windows desktop clients;

• Easy file/folder sharing;

• Built-in audio/video players;

• No file size limitation;

• Sync any folder from the desktop;

• Panel integration for most desktops; and

• Automatic file manager integration.

pCloud offers both Linux desktop and CLI tools that function quite well. pCloud offers both a free plan (with 10GB of storage), a Premium Plan (with 500GB of storage for a one-time fee of $175.00), and a Premium Plus Plan (with 2TB of storage for a one-time fee of $350.00). Both non-free plans can also be paid on a yearly basis (instead of the one-time fee).

The pCloud desktop client is quite user-friendly. Once installed, you have access to your account information (Figure 5), the ability to create sync pairs, create shares, enable crypto (which requires an added subscription), and general settings.

The one caveat to pCloud is there’s no file manager integration for Linux. That’s overcome by the Sync folder in the pCloud client.

CloudBerry

The primary focus for CloudBerry is for Managed Service Providers. The business side of CloudBerry does have an associated cost (one that is probably well out of the price range for the average user looking for a simple cloud backup solution). However, for home usage, CloudBerry is free.

What makes CloudBerry different than the other tools is that it’s not a backup/storage solution in and of itself. Instead, CloudBerry serves as a link between your desktop and the likes of:

• AWS

• Microsoft Azure

• Google Cloud

• BackBlaze

• OpenStack

• Wasabi

• Local storage

• External drives

• Network Attached Storage

• Network Shares

• And more

In other words, you use CloudBerry as the interface between the files/folders you want to share and the destination with which you want send them. This also means you must have an account with one of the many supported solutions.
Once you’ve installed CloudBerry, you create a new Backup plan for the target storage solution. For that configuration, you’ll need such information as:

• Access Key

• Secret Key

• Bucket

What you’ll need for the configuration will depend on the account you’re connecting to (Figure 6).

The one caveat to CloudBerry is that it does not integrate with any file manager, nor does it include a system tray icon for interaction with the service.

Duplicati

Duplicati is another option that allows you to sync your local directories with either locally attached drives, network attached storage, or a number of cloud services. The options supported include:

• Local folders

• Attached drives

• FTP/SFTP

• OpenStack

• WebDAV

• Amazon Cloud Drive

• Amazon S3

• Azure Blob

• Box.com

• Dropbox

• Google Cloud Storage

• Google Drive

• Microsoft OneDrive

• And many more

Once you install Duplicati (download the installer for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, or RedHat from the Duplicati downloads page), click on the entry in your desktop menu, which will open a web page to the tool (Figure 7), where you can configure the app settings, create a new backup, restore from a backup, and more.

To create a backup, click Add backup and walk through the easy-to-use wizard (Figure 8). The backup service you choose will dictate what you need for a successful configuration.

For example, in order to create a backup to Google Drive, you’ll need an AuthID. For that, click the AuthID link in the Destination section of the setup, where you’ll be directed to select the Google Account to associate with the backup. Once you’ve allowed Duplicati access to the account, the AuthID will fill in and you’re ready to continue. Click Test connection and you’ll be asked to okay the creation of a new folder (if necessary). Click Next to complete the setup of the backup.

More Where That Came From

These five cloud backup tools aren’t the end of this particular rainbow. There are plenty more options where these came from (including CLI-only tools). But any of these backup clients will do a great job of serving your Linux desktop-to-cloud backup needs.

• Fallout 76 Feb. 19 Update Patch Notes
  • GENERAL
  • BALANCE AND DESIGN
  • C.A.M.P., CRAFTING, AND WORKSHOPS
  • ENEMIES
  • PVP
  • SOUND
  • USER INTERFACE
  • BUG FIXES

Hey devs, the Game Developers Conference is just over a month away — which means now is the time for you to start planning out what you’re going to see and do to get the most out of your time at the event!

Conference organizers encourage you to take advantage of the free GDC 2019 Session Scheduler to lay out our week at the show in an intuitive, easy-to-navigate fashion.

(And if for some reason you’re not signed up to attend GDC, don’t worry — there’s still time to register for a pass!)

If you’ve never used the Session Scheduler before, no worries: it’s pretty easy to get started. Simply select “Create Account” from the Session Scheduler page and provide a valid email address, then start adding talks that look interesting to your personal GDC 2019 schedule!

GDC 2019 itself will take place March 18th through the 22nd at the newly-renovated Moscone Center in San Francisco. 

For more details on GDC 2019 visit the show’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent company Informa

This interview is part of our Road to the IGF series. You can find the rest by clicking here.

Nth Dimension[al] Hiking explores places you’re not supposed to be, leaving players to explore and wander them as they seek the hidden truths buried within seemingly dead ends.

Gamasutra spoke with Zachariah Chandler, developer of the Nuovo Award-nominated Nth Dimension[al] Hiking, to talk about creating worlds where the truth is hidden in out-of-the-way places and the joys of being lost and unsure in digital realms.

Hiker’s history

I’m Zachariah Chandler, and I’m the guy making Nth Dimension[al] Hiking (NDH). I do all the stuff: programming, shader work, level design, sound, music (eventually), animation, etc.

I just came out of a game design bachelors at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). NDH is my final-semester project, actually. So, I’ve been making games for three years now. Before my degree, I hadn’t really meddled in anything game-related; I focused on visual art in school.

A philosophical game born of design studies

There wasn’t a single moment where I thought “I’m gonna make a game about a lil triangle ghost navigating an obtuse chiaroscuran public transit system,” but rather a series of disparate ideas came together all at once and coalesced into NDH.

I had been playing with the idea of a complex character controller that used Game Boy controls (D-pad, A, B, start, select) for a while before I started NDH. I also wanted to learn a little more about procedural meshes, shaders, and level design in general (ironically practical and production-focused for a game which would end up being so philosophical and theory-oriented). As I started to put all these things into the same project, some kind of a something began to take shape. I then spent six months talking to smart people and thinking lots about game design conventions and the kinds of works I liked and aspired to, and eventually I knew what I wanted NDH to be.

The tools for making Nth Dimension[al] Hiking

[I used] Unity for the engine, Shader Forge for some of the graphical stuff (although a lot of what I did could be done without Shader Forge), Atom for script-editing (C#), Blender for modeling, BFXR and Audacity for sound, Photoshop and Gimp for 2D graphics.

Spaces telling truths

Honesty, I always want to make spaces that are mysterious and strange, but truthful. Every part of the geometry and environment is solid and interactable. There are no invisible walls. The space is always telling you the exact truth about what is there. 

That kind of level design creates a trust between the world and the audience, and gives the space a great deal more weight and intrigue because the player doesn’t have to worry about arbitrary gate-keeping or correct paths or whether or not what they can see is what is really there. 

Another aspect of this kind of design is encouraging lateral thinking. I spend a lot of time just dicking around and trying to get to strange parts of my levels. I like to find out-of-the-way areas and think about what it might be interesting to find there, and how it might relate to the rest of the space. Much like my mechanical design, the spacial design happens very slowly and organically, and usually according to what I personally find compelling.

On how to create spaces where the player feels they shouldn’t belong

Obfuscation. Everything from the graphics to the controls to the sound design is all set up to be a little opaque and inscrutable. The space itself is also arranged in such a way that if one follows it according to common sense, it will lead nowhere. One must instead poke around in the corners and edges of the space to find what is worth finding. You have to start thinking about the space in a different way, and while the whole environment is designed to be navigable by the player. it is not immediately apparent and that adds to that feeling of unbelonging.

Designing the means with which to go places you’re not meant to

I play a lot of walking sims. I think they might be my favorite “genre” of game. I also really like action games; games where you get a significant level of control over your “body” (Mario 64, Tomb Raider (1996), Elite Dangerous, and Eurotruck Simulator 2 are good popular examples).

One of the things I particularly enjoy doing in walking sims (and in games in general) is trying to get to places that it looks like I shouldn’t be able to get to, or to climb as high as I can. Unfortunately, most walking sims do not have interesting controls with which to do this, but they often have compelling atmospheres and environments. I wanted to combine these two things and create a slow, atmospheric action game. 

As for the specific mechanics/affordances: I chose those based on what I wanted to do while I was prototyping; I didn’t have a comprehensive list laid out prior to development (although I had some rough ideas which I had been mulling over for a few months before I started). I wanted to fly, so I added a glider. I wanted to see in the dark, so I added a torch, and so on. Much of the refinement process was simply sitting down and playing – seeing how the different tools talked to each other and what kinds of meta-tools they created. It was very organic.

Allowing the player to become lost

I think games focus too heavily on being easy to understand and easy to consume. If players are confused or uncertain, then this is seen as a flaw in the game. I think that’s garbage. Sometimes it’s cool to be uncertain or wary or to feel kinda lost, and creating situations for players to feel that way shows a level of respect for your audience, as well as the world you have created. 

NDH is about learning. You have to learn how to use your tools, how to navigate the space, where to go and how to get there, and being able to read the space is a part of that. I think the game would lose something if it was easier to look at and understand at a glance.

Discoveries hidden within obscured worlds

When I was a little kid, my dad took me to his university computer lab and sat me down with some games while he studied. I don’t remember much of what I played, but I do remember being kind of afraid of games. I didn’t really understand the limitations of technology or have an awareness of the concept of authors or designers, so to me, these things just existed with no origin or history except what I could see on the screen.

Because I was so young, I often had a hard time understanding what to do or where to go or how to engage with the games properly, but I had this implicit understanding that there was something more going on than what I could see, and that if I just kept trying I might find out what that was.

The combination of not quite understanding how to engage with an object, and the implicit promise of something more to discover if you just keep trying, is a really cool feeling, and is something I wish more games would embrace.

Far Cry New Dawn is now available on Xbox One and enhanced for Xbox One X. This time around, the adventure takes place in a superbloom-covered post-apocalypse that’s as vibrant as it is chaotic, but a healthy coating of pink flowers and graffiti isn’t the only thing that’s different about Hope County. To help you get the lay of the brightly colored land, we’ve assembled eight things you need to know before you venture out into the post-apocalypse either by yourself or with a co-op buddy.

Live Long and Prosper(ity)

Nearly everything you’ll do in Far Cry New Dawn begins and ends with your homebase, Prosperity. Here, you’ll take on missions, get to know the locals, upgrade your gear, and even travel outside of Hope County on Expeditions. When you first arrive in Prosperity, you’ll be tasked with heading out to find local Specialists to help you upgrade your homebase. These Specialists won’t go out into the wilderness with you to fight back against the Highwaymen. Instead, they’ll take up residence in Prosperity and allow you to upgrade everything, from weapons to vehicles to explosives.

Using the most valuable resource in the apocalypse, ethanol, you’ll upgrade stations around Prosperity that will provide you with the means to improve your gear. Upgrading your Workbench allows you to craft more powerful weapons, improving your Garage will improve the quality of vehicles available to you, and buffing your Training Camp strengthens your Guns for Hire. And then there’s the Healing Garden, Explosives Lab, Infirmary, and Cartography station; the people in Prosperity are eager to lend a hand against the Highwaymen.

Build Your Roster

While the Specialists needed to build up Prosperity are clearly marked on your map, Guns for Hire are not. If you want to take out the Highwaymen with Hurk, Pastor Jerome, or Timber the adorable genius dog by your side, you’ll have to explore Hope County and take on side missions from captured Outposts. Want Nana, the sniper, to take out your enemies from afar? Or Horatio the massive boar to bulldoze Highwaymen? You’re going to have to find them.

Travel the World

After you earn enough ethanol, you’ll gain access to Expeditions, earning the ability to leave Hope County for smash-and-grab missions at Highwaymen strongholds across the country. Expeditions are missions that take you to a wide variety of memorable locales across the US, including abandoned amusement parks, stranded aircraft carriers, and desert canyons, among others. They are rollicking and raucous adventures, with more enemies to outwit, special packages to search for, and mad dashes through heavy fire to an extraction point once you’ve grabbed your prize.

Expeditions are also excellent ways to acquire many of the resources you’ll need to upgrade and craft your gear. Just make sure you have a varied arsenal for the job. It’s best to try and go in as quietly as possible because once you grab the target package, a GPS tracker attached to it will notify the Highwaymen of your exact position, at which point you’ll have plenty of enemies on your tail and will need all the stopping power you can get. And as an added bonus, upgrading Prosperity’s Expeditions station also means upgrading your helicopter, which opens up the ability for you to fast travel around Hope County.

Level Up

You may notice that your rank one (white) assault rifle isn’t doing much damage to those rank two (blue) enemies and is barely tickling those rank three (purple) and four (gold) baddies. That’s because in Far Cry New Dawn everything, from weapons to vehicles to enemies and wildlife, has ranks. They’re also packing health bars so you can see exactly how effective your weapons are on your current target. If you find yourself up against some Highwaymen that are more than one rank above you, it’s best to retreat and wait until you’ve upgraded your arsenal to take them down. You’ll also need to spend some Perk Points on the Advanced, Expert, and Master Takedown perks if you want to be able to stealthily take down enemies that are rank two and above (which you definitely want to do).

Loot Everything

You’ll likely notice that new weapons and vehicles aren’t exactly coming fresh off the supply line in the post-apocalypse, that means that if you want a new Saw Launcher, sniper rifle, or truck, you’ll need to craft it using various crafting materials. Collecting resources like components, gears, springs, copper, and titanium is your ticket to better gear. Fortunately, locations now show you how much of a coveted resource they hide, so you’ll know just how many rolls of duct tape to look for before packing up and moving on to the next spot.

As mentioned above, you won’t get far without ethanol. While you won’t find it just lying around like you will other resources, there are a few reliable ways to acquire it. The first, and most efficient, is by clearing Highwaymen Outposts. Defeat all the Highwaymen at a particular Outpost, and you’ll claim it for yourself and earn a healthy dose of ethanol – and if you take the Outpost down without triggering alarms or being spotted, you’ll earn even more for your troubles.

While wandering the open world of Hope County, you’ll occasionally see nearby Supply Drops falling from the sky; if you chase them down and claim them before any nearby Highwaymen, you’ll net yourself additional resources, including ethanol. Also, be on the lookout for ethanol truck shipments moving from Outpost to Outpost; successfully highjack one and return it to one of your Outposts or Prosperity, and you’ll secure more ethanol for your cause.

Perks of the Apocalypse

Make sure you’re not so busy upgrading Prosperity, your weapons, and your vehicles that you neglect your Perks. Like Far Cry games of the past, Perks allow you to expand your capabilities and do things like grapple up to high points, hold more weapons, perform takedowns on tougher enemies, and repair broken vehicles. You’ll naturally unlock Perk Points through your progress, but there are a few ways to earn some more. Head to the Challenges menu to find weapon, exploration, hunting, and kill challenges that you can complete for bonus Perk Points (simply killing a bunch of enemies with every new weapon you find is a great way to grab Perk Points early on).

You’ll also be able to get Perk Points by completing Treasure Hunts. Marked with a diamond symbol, Treasure Hunts will task you with solving an environmental puzzle; success will earn you three Perk Points and a nice bundle of resources. Lastly, Highwaymen across Hope County are terrorizing civilians and kidnapping them; save a civilian caught in a tricky situation, and you’ll earn yourself another Perk Point.

Scavenge Outposts and Expeditions

Once you take out an Outpost or complete an Expedition, you’ll have the option to scavenge it, essentially abandoning it to the Highwaymen. Doing so will get you a small dose of ethanol, but also means that the Highwaymen will reclaim the area and repopulate it with tougher enemies and more alarms. At that point, braving the tougher challenge you’ve created and reclaiming the Outpost will earn you even better rewards. Just be sure not to tackle a challenge too early; trying to take down an Outpost or Expedition that’s ranked above your current weapon loadout will likely result in your premature death.

Also, if you set off an alarm at any scavenged Outpost, you’ll trigger the arrival of an Enforcer, a rank four enemy that will make short work of you if you’re packing inferior weaponry. Moral of the story: Scavenging Outposts and taking on higher-rank Expeditions can be lucrative, but be sure your arsenal matches the difficulty rank or you’re in for a rough ride.

What’s that Beeping Sound?

Highwaymen vehicles – with their steel cages, LMG turrets, and graffiti paint jobs – may look like a tempting ride, but beware: if you enter or even approach a Highwaymen ride and hear a beeping sound, it’s best to distance yourself from it as quickly as possible. The beeping indicates the vehicle is booby-trapped and rigged to explode any second, and the blast is enough to kill both you and your Gun for Hire if they’re anywhere near you. If you’d rather not worry about blowing up anytime you get behind the wheel of a car, it might be worth investing in the Hotwire Perk, which will automatically disable Highwaymen booby traps.

Far Cry New Dawn is available now on Xbox One for $39.99 on the Microsoft Store. And if you haven’t played Far Cry 5 yet, you can purchase both games as part of the Far Cry New Dawn Complete Edition and Ultimate Edition bundles.

If you’re tired of all the Hollywood spectacle of modern shooters and long for a simpler time without frame-sapping particle effects and or scripted sequences, you might want to keep an eye out for Beyond Enemy Lines: Covert Operations.

An Unreal Engine 4 game which saw release on PC in 2017, BELCO (as nobody is calling it) comes from one-man developer Polygon Art. While it doesn’t have the bells and whistles you’d expect find in a AAA shooter from one of the big devs, as you can see from the trailer, what it lacks in looks it promises to make up for with freedom of choice in how you approach your objectives.

The story revolves around regaining control of a satellite that’s been hijacked by Soviet seperatists. No points for guessing that the satellite is loaded with nuclear missiles, so it’s up to you to James Bond your way in and get the job done in whatever manner you think best – guns ablazin’, or all quietly-like.

The press blurb highlights the following features:

8 Mission long Story Campaign with ~10h playtime
Adapted gameplay especially for Nintendo Switch
100% Freedom – You chose the tactics
100% Hardcore – Challenge your skill
Ported inhouse by Polygon Art

While we doubt it’ll be troubling the Best Looking category at the 2019 GOTYs, hopefully there’s more than meets the eye with this one. DOOM and Wolfenstein II are excellent shooters, but there’s a gap in the market for something a bit more tactical.

Does this take you back a generation or two? Do you miss shooters without loot boxes? You know what to do…

As time marches on inexorably – week after week, year after year – it should come as no surprise that The Legend of Zelda is 33 years old today. No, not the cartridge version – that wouldn’t make an appearance until July ’87 in North America – we’re talking about the Famicom Disk System original.

The game also shares a birthday with the Famicom Disk System itself, the Japan-only console that plugged into the original cartridge-based Famicom and offered an improved experience over the base console. That console launched with The Legend of Zelda and a disk version of Super Mario Bros. – quite the one-two punch, wouldn’t you agree?