Feature: How One Nintendo Christmas Shaped The Rest Of My Life
It was the summer of 1987.
My aunt had fallen in love with an American chap and moved to the States to marry him and live there. And so, my family – including a 4-year-old me – flew out from Scotland to Parma, Ohio to visit them during the summer. That was when I saw it. The grey box that was about to shape my entire life.
Being four years of age, I don’t really remember a lot about that trip. I remember the shop across the road had a giant inflatable snowman on the roof. I remember seeing a McDonalds TV advert with Ronald McDonald lying on a moon. I remember my aunt teaching me to eat soup from the edge of the bowl because it was less hot. And I remember the Nintendo Entertainment System.
When I first saw Super Mario Bros., my tiny brain exploded. Not literally, of course; that would’ve been hard to recover from. But I’d never seen anything like it in my 50-odd months on the planet, and I was smitten from that very first second. The rest of the trip is a blur, but I’m reliably informed that I played a lot more Mario than was probably healthy for a young child.
When we got back home to Scotland, Mario was all I could think about. My parents still have a few children’s books from when I was a kid, its sentences covered in pen lines. I used to pretend my pen was Mario and the words were platforms. Tall letters like ‘t’, ‘h’ and ‘l’ were obstacles to jump over, hanging ones like ‘j’ and ‘g’ were pipes that let the pen drop down and travel underneath the words. The NES didn’t exist in the UK yet, so this was the best I had.
As luck would have it, Mattel released the console in Britain later that year, and so on Christmas Day 1987, I got my very own Nintendo Entertainment System, with Super Mario Bros and Mach Rider. Little did I know that 31 years later I would be writing about that very moment on a Nintendo website. I mean, I literally had no idea, because websites weren’t even a thing yet.
Christmas 1989 gave me Super Mario Bros. 2. Thanks, Santa!
Christmas has always been synonymous with video games for me, as I’m sure was the case with many of you. Christmas 1989 was Super Mario Bros. 2, for example. 1991 was my Mega Drive with Sonic The Hedgehog. 1993 was Super Mario All-Stars. 1997 was GoldenEye, while 1998 was Ocarina Of Time. Every single time, the excitement that came with opening that ‘big’ present was unlike anything else.
These days, publishers and gamers alike are increasingly keen to make sure the latest games are bought on day one. Sometimes you’re even able to download games in advance, so you can pump them into your eyes the very moment the clock’s second hand passes midnight. If you don’t get it at launch, you can hop on YouTube or Twitch and watch someone else playing it. But back then you had to wait until Christmas, and patience was a virtue: nothing beat that feeling of unwrapping that game you’d been waiting weeks, even months for, followed by that final little period of impatience as you realised you had to do the rest of the Christmas routine before you finally got to play it.
Had my parents not given me that NES for Christmas, I may have eventually forgotten about Mario and moved on with my life. I might have ended up being a teacher, which my mum thought I might have ended up doing. I might have become a footballer, because I was (and still am) a big Celtic supporter. Given the small town I lived in near Glasgow, I may very well have turned to petty crime. Instead, when I unwrapped that parcel and saw that Super Mario Bros. box, with a pixelated Mario staring back at me – well, staring off to the side a bit – the butterfly effect kicked in and my destiny whirred around to face a new direction. Now, bear with me here, I’m about to go off on a bit of a self-serving tangent, but there’s a point to it.
That NES started a passion for video games that remains strong more than three decades later. That NES nurtured my love of reading, as my dad constantly bought me all the games magazines of the time – Mean Machines, CVG, Nintendo Magazine System, Total! and the rest – and I devoured them all from cover to cover. That NES made me want to write for video games magazines one day, and encouraged me to work hard in school and do well at English to try and make it happen.
During my career, I’ve been able to interview some genuine stars. Oh, and Mel B from the Spice Girls.
That NES led me to university, where I got my honours degree in Journalism. It was four years of learning how to write for newspapers, even though deep down I knew I was never interested in that. While everyone else there wanted to write for The Guardian, I was thinking GamesMaster. And finally, in 2006, that NES made me decide to leave all my friends and family behind in Scotland and move to London, so I could start my career as a Staff Writer at the Official Nintendo Magazine: the role I’d spent my entire life preparing for.
In London, I met my future wife, we fell in love and we got married. My aunt came over from America for the wedding and gave me the ultimate wedding gift: her NES, the one that started me on this path in the first place. As my career progressed I became the Games Editor at ONM, Online Editor at Nintendo Gamer then Games Editor at CVG. I was then made redundant (blame Future Publishing, not me), we moved back to Scotland and I started my own site, Tired Old Hack. I started doing freelance work, writing for the likes of Official Xbox Magazine, Official PlayStation Magazine, GamesTM, Retro Gamer and, yes, GamesMaster.
I’ve now got my first book – the enormous 180,000-word NES Encyclopedia – coming out in March, and my wife and I have a gorgeous six-month-old daughter we’re about to spend our first Christmas with. Literally, none of this would have happened if, on Christmas Day 1987, I’d opened that box and there was a pair of football boots in it instead. All over the world, children will be getting their first video game systems this Christmas; many of these will be Switches (presumably with Pokémon: Let’s Go!). Maybe in 30 years’ time, those kids will be writing about how this Christmas shaped their lives, too.
On a personal note: this year, as you’ve hopefully noticed, I’ve started writing stuff for Nintendo Life. Let’s be blunt: when I was at ONM and Nintendo Gamer, it goes without saying that Nintendo Life was a rival (I’m sure the editorial staff here would say the same thing). But life’s too short for all that fussing and feuding, and I’ve been made to feel hugely welcome by Damien and the rest of the team here. You can expect to see plenty more of me around here next year, mostly in terms of reviews. I look forward to you all telling me I’m a fanboy when I score games highly, and saying I didn’t “get it” and the game was probably too hard for me when I score them low. Although some of you know me from my ONM days, many of you don’t, and I look forward to getting to know as many of you as possible over the coming months (usually by arguing with you in the comments under my reviews).
However you plan to celebrate this holiday season, from my own family to you lot – my new Nintendo Life family – I hope you have a fantastic one filled with love, warmth and plenty of gaming. As for me, I’m going to be enjoying Christmas at home with my wife, my gorgeous daughter and her new best friend. Nintendo has shaped my entire life to this point: here’s hoping it fills hers with happiness too.
Below is a classic rogue tale with moody graphics and Kinect technology. You'll scour the open world in search of rare and special loot while battling the malevolent Darkness, an AI-controlled character which uses Kinect to sense and change level progression based on the rooms surroundings.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 12-27-2018, 05:10 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Peter Brown's Most Anticipated Game of 2019: Control
With 2019 right around the corner, we've polled GameSpot's staff to find out what games they are looking forward to most in the new year. To be eligible, a game must simply have a release date currently planned for 2019. Of course, we all know nothing is set in stone; there's always a chance some games could slip into 2020. When you're done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2018 hub.
A lot of developers go to great lengths to explain characters, conflicts, and lore in detail, but I'm drawn to games that obscure identities and truths because they let my imagination run wild. When there's no clear answer, I'm bound to consider multiple possibilities rather than accept a single, static narrative, and sometimes that's exactly what I need.
Control, the upcoming game from Remedy Entertainment, is being pitched as a game that will inspire more questions than it will provide answers, and I am already sold on its twisted logic and air of mystery. Considering Remedy's background, it's a project that seems perfectly suited to creator Sam Lake and co's strengths. The Alan Wake games took them down a strange path, and you can already see how their experience making those games translates to Control's own brand of inexplicable weirdness.
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't love Quantum Break, Remedy's most recently released game. But a key difference between that project and Control is the fact that Remedy is building solely what its creatives want to make, rather than collaborating with a heavyweight partner like Microsoft. No hate for Microsoft, but it does have a vested interest in selling consoles and appealing to a broader audience. Quantum Break's needlessly convoluted mixed-media approach seemed designed to serve those objectives..
During separate interviews at E3, Lake, co-director Mikael Kasurinen, and co-writer Anna McGill, shared their mutual love of the New Weird sci-fi sub-genre, and discussed how it's inspired their work on Control. Rather appropriately, there doesn't seem to be an agreed-upon definition of what New Weird should be, but you can generalize it as a mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and supernatural horror in a modern setting. For Control, the set is a brutalist government facility. Hard edges, open spaces, and rough materials characterize your immediate surroundings, but they all get jumbled up when the game goes off the rails--a regular event, we're told. So far, that's included rooms materializing out of nowhere, structures warping and and dividing into patterns that form a tunnel leading to a void in space, and all manner of telekinesis. We've been given very little explanation as to the reason behind these phenomenon, but that's the point, after all.
Looking ahead, I'm hopeful that Remedy's charge to make something new out of an emerging literary genre--one that fits perfectly in its wheelhouse--will kickstart a new era for a studio that's bursting with potential.
On top of all of that, Control looks like a blast to play. The lead character Jesse Fadden can tap into whatever forces are responsible for the reality-bending going on around her, and that means you get the chance to control a character who's capable of levitation, of both herself and nearby objects. We've seen tidbits of combat where Jesse uses her powers to toss a desk across the room into an enemy, or grab another one to use as a shield. She's also got a gun that can transform itself on the fly--to what end remains unseen.
Control looks like one big, beautiful mystery that I can't wait to unravel next year. Looking ahead, I'm hopeful that Remedy's charge to make something new out of an emerging literary genre--one that fits perfectly in its wheelhouse--will kickstart a new era for a studio that's bursting with potential.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 12-27-2018, 05:10 AM - Forum: Lounge
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100 support staff take cash offer and voluntarily leave Blizzard
Over 100 staff at Blizzard Entertainment’s Cork office in Ireland, which houses the company’s main European customer service operation, will be leaving by the end of 2018.
It’s worth noting that these departures are part of a voluntary program which offers staff money to leave Blizzard, and are not mandatory.
However, this program has reportedly been offered to the Cork office multiple times, and the amount of money offered has increased.
“It was too good to pass up. This is voluntary, do not get me wrong. But when you see a pile a cash in front of you, over and over again, you start to lose hope and cannot see a great situation ahead,” explained an anonymous source speaking to Eurogamer.
They reportedly took the offer, which amounted to a year’s pay.
The departure of such a large amount of staff has raised concerns over game support for Blizzard titles in the future, especially with remaining staff having to pick up extra work to cover those who have left.
“This means people will struggle to get the help they need and the people that are left in the office are being forced on to shifts they do not like to try and cover this massive loss,” another source told Eurogamer.
Blizzard confirmed the voluntary exit offer, but stressed that its staff were not pressured into doing so. “The employees who are choosing to leave the company later this month are taking advantage of a voluntary and longstanding program we offer in various locations around the world,” the company said in a statement.
“This program, which has proven popular in the past, gives eligible staff the option to make the most of incentives while proactively pursuing other career opportunities. No one is required or encouraged to participate in this program, but for those who do, we work hard to make it generous.”
The company said the level of customer service offered to European players will remain unchanged, and that there are no plans to close the Cork site.
Be sure to read the entire piece over at Eurogamer, which goes into more detail around the voluntary exits.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 12-27-2018, 05:10 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Video: How Valve uses biofeedback to make better games
In this GDC 2011 talk, Valve’s Mike Ambinder explores how the company is making use of biofeedback (the measurement, display, analysis modification, manipulation, and response of psychological signals) to both explore new avenues of gameplay and improve in-house playtesting processes.
Using Valve’s own Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Alien Swarm as examples, Ambinder explains how the studio measured players’ skin conductance response, heart rate, and eye movements to design titles that effectively toy with player’s psychological limits.
In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.
Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.
Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent company Informa
Give the Gift of Thrills with $100 Off Xbox One Consoles
This holiday season, give the gift of thrills to your loved ones with Xbox One so they can join in on Holiday fun, or to jump into gaming yourself. And to make that a bit easier on the wallet, for a limited time we’re offering our deepest discounts on Xbox One bundles.
Starting today, save $100 on any Xbox One bundle, including Xbox One X, the world’s most powerful console, and Xbox One S, the best value in gaming and entertainment this Holiday. And there’s no shortage of amazing bundles to choose from at a participating retailer near you.
Join the worldwide Fortnite phenomenon with $100 off the Xbox One S Fortnite Bundle and get ready to battle to be the last one standing. This bundle includes a full-game download of Fortnite Battle Royale plus the Eon cosmetic set download and 2,000 V-bucks. Fortnite Battle Royale is the 100-player PVP mode where you fight to the end. Build and destroy environments and join intense PVP combat on Xbox Live, the fastest, most reliable gaming network
Or enter mankind’s greatest conflict: World War II. Join the ranks with a full-game download of Battlefield V Deluxe Edition containing paratrooper apparel for your Company of soldiers, special assignments, and weekly Airlifts. Plus, enjoy an outstanding Battlefield experience with full-game downloads of Battlefield 1943, Battlefield 1 Revolution, and one-month of EA Access.
For those of you looking for the ultimate experience with true 4K gaming, smoother gameplay, and faster load times, save $100 on Xbox One X, the world’s most powerful console. Choose from the Xbox One X Fallout 76 bundle where you can experience the largest, most dynamic world ever created in the legendary Fallout universe; or join the ranks on the unique Xbox One X Gold Rush special edition console with full-game downloads of Battlefield V Deluxe Edition, Battlefield 1943, and Battlefield 1 Revolution, one month of EA Access, plus a matching wireless controller.
This Holiday during this limited time promotion is the best time to get into gaming or to give the thrills of gaming with Xbox One. Enjoy 100 games right out of the box with Xbox Game Pass, and access all your favorite entertainment through apps like YouTube, Netflix, and more. Watch 4K Blu-ray movies and stream 4K video on both Xbox One consoles and experience immersive true 4K gaming on Xbox One X—the world’s most powerful console. Whether you’re playing games, watching your favorite shows or streaming gameplay, Xbox One delivers brilliant graphics with HDR technology, premium audio, and the fastest, most reliable gaming network. Visit Xbox.com to find the perfect console for you or a loved one!
Fortnite Finally Gets A Career Tab On Switch, But It Doesn’t Do Anything
One of the most requested features for Fortnite on Switch, ever since it came to the console earlier this summer, has been to include the missing Career tab. This menu screen, which is present in other editions of the game, tracks your stats, playtime, account level, and crucially those tasty Victory Royales, but Switch owners have been missing out on the bragging rights fun thanks to the tab being frustratingly absent.
Today brings both fantastic, and utterly confusing news, as the Career tab has finally arrived in the Switch version of the game. That’s right, if you boot up your game right now (after downloading the most recent update), you’ll see the Career option towards the right-hand side of the tabs at the top of your screen.
A quick look at the Career tab
Unfortunately, though, the system doesn’t seem to be working. We’ve put countless hours into the game, yet our stats have 0% statistics across the board, and even jumping into games now that the feature is live doesn’t have any effect. We decided to try things out with a festive Battle Royale showdown just a few moments ago, securing a position in the top 25, but that big 0 just won’t budge.
Despite just playing a match (and having over 130 hours of total playtime), our stats are still showing all zeros
Strangely, developer Epic Games hasn’t posted anything about the tab coming to the Switch version, with no communication being shared either online or via a press release. Could this be a mistake, with the feature not set to launch just yet? Or is it simply having a little bit of trouble in these early stages? We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Have you been waiting for the Career tab to arrive in Fortnite on Switch? Are you hoping that it will work as intended as soon as possible? Share your thoughts with us below.
Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.
Book of Demons is a Hack & Slash Deck-building hybrid in which YOU decide the length of quests. Wield magic cards instead of weapons and slay the armies of darkness in the dungeons below the Old Cathedral. Save the terror-stricken Paperverse from the clutches of the Archdemon himself.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Holiday Events Announced
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has rolled out its December 20 update, and along with it a slew of new holiday-themed events and modes. Two pillars of the multiplayer shooter have gotten their own bit of eggnog and nutmeg flavor to ring in the season: a Blackout holiday event, Winter Calling in Zombies, and a Winter Event stream for the Black Market.
In the Blackout holiday event, Blackout players can use tactical Snowballs and holiday-themed supply stashes. The maps are also decked out with festive lights and decorations. In Zombies, you can complete some unique challenges for new exclusive personalization items. These special challenges can be accepted from the Barracks, and taken alongside your regular Daily Calling challenges.
Finally, the Winter Event Stream has come to the Black Market, offering some winter loot like warpaints and gestures. Those will appear in the Contraband section, and you can complete the new Winter Event tiers alongside the current Absolute Zero tiers to unlock scads of new loot.
Black Ops 4 is currently on sale at some retailers for $40, and Activision appears to be experimenting with letting players buy its pieces a la carte on PC. That means it's a relatively inexpensive time to jump in if you haven't yet. Read GameSpot's Black Ops 4 review for more on why, despite the lack of a single-player campaign, this is a substantial game.
Check below for the full patch notes from Treyarch.
Summary
Blackout Holiday Event: Snowballs, festive lighting/decorations, and holiday-themed Supply Stashes now live (Xbox One/PC)
Winter Event Stream in Black Market for MP and Blackout now live (Xbox One/PC)
Winter Calling in Zombies now live (Xbox One/PC)
Reactive Camo display issue fixes in Blackout
Enemy HUD fix for Killcam in Blackout
Dead of the Night added as Featured Playlist in Zombies
Misc. fixes in MP and Zombies
Xbox One and PC
General
Event
Limited-time Winter Event stream now live in the Black Market with new items to unlock for use in Multiplayer and Blackout.
Blackout
Event
Holiday Event now live in Blackout.
Added Snowballs, holiday lighting & decorations, and holiday-themed Supply Stashes.
Zombies
Event
Limited-time Winter Calling event stream now live with new personalization items to unlock in the Zombies Barracks.
All Platforms
Blackout
Reactive Camos
Addressed an issue that prevented unwrapped Reactive Camos from displaying as completed in the After Action Report.
Addressed an issue where unwrapped Reactive Camos would appear wrapped on the ground.
Outfit Unlocks
Addressed an issue with the unlock condition for “The Numbers” outfit for Seraph (PS4).
Miscellaneous
Contraband Stashes will now properly spawn on all platforms.
Addressed an issue that prevented the enemy HUD from appearing during the Killcam.
Multiplayer
General
Addressed an issue where “hacked” UI showed up for the rest of the match for players who watched the Killcam after being killed by a Gunship that was being hacked.
Zombies
Featured Playlist
Dead of the Night is now the Featured Playlist.
Gameplay
Closed an exploit that would allow specific uses of the Scepter of Ra to break enemy pathing.
