Rockstar have lifted the covers on two deluxe versions of their hotly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto V game, with both the GTA V Collector's Edition and Special Edition versions of the games offering collectible items and in-game digital additions alongside the standard game.
The Collector's Edition, packed in a large box, is the most jam-packed for hardcore fans and includes an exclusive artwork book, an blueprint map of the in-game world of Los Santos with secrets marked on it, a GTA V security deposit bag with logo key, and snapback baseball cap.
Digital content in the Collector's Edition includes an aerial challenges Plane Trials mission pack, additional in-game outfits and tattoos, additional weapons, unique vehicles and a garage to store them in, the ability to make custom characters for online modes and, intriguingly, an ability to boost in game character's Trevor, Michael and Franklin's special ability recharge times by 25%.
The Special Edition has much of the above, but does not include the large box, nor cap nor security deposit bag, and also removes the ability to create custom online characters, as well as removing the unique vehicles and garage.
A pre-order bonus across all versions of the game, including the standard edition, gibes access to an in-game blimp to pilot too.
We're still waiting on pricing for these deluxe versions of the game to be revealed, and will pass them on as we receive them.
With both Sony and Microsoft's next-generation consoles mostly revealed, we're now starting to get a picture of which machines is set to be the most powerful. And it seems as though Sony's PlayStation 4 will offer more raw graphical horsepower than Microsoft's Xbox One according to reports.
Eurogamer's in-depth tech breakdown Digital Foundry team have conducted a detailed hardware comparison of the two machines, pointing out revealing differences in the graphical processing units of the two that sees the "PlayStation 4's 18 CU graphics core has 50 per cent more raw power than the GPU in the new Microsoft console".
"We know that both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are based on Radeon GCN architecture and we also know that each compute unit is capable of 64 operations per clock," writes Eurogamer's Richard Leadbetter.
"So, again through a process of extrapolation from the drip-feed of hard facts, the make-up of the One's GPU is confirmed - 12 compute units each capable of 64 ops/clock gives us the 768 total revealed by Microsoft and thus, by extension, the 1.2 teraflop graphics core.
"So that's another tick on the Durango leaked spec that has been transposed across to the final Xbox One architecture and the proof we need that PlayStation 4's 18 CU graphics core has 50 per cent more raw power than the GPU in the new Microsoft console."
So what, if any, reason is there for Microsoft's console to be less powerful? It seems tied to Microsoft's decision to lock down 8GB of RAM for the console at an early point in development "serious volume of next-gen DDR4" was unavailable, leading to a complex architecture being created to avoid DDR3 bottlenecks.
With the PS4 design stage not suffering from similar problems, more die-space was freed up for graphical power.
Having now been given a good idea of the specs and features of both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One next-generation consoles, if you're a gambling guy now may be the time to place your best as to which machine will take the gaming Christmas number one spot.
Bookmakers Paddy Power have been quick out of the blocks with their odds for the two consoles, letting chancers put their money on which of the two gaming systems will be the top seller in 2013.
And it's looking a close-run race.
With the internet reacting fairly negatively to the launch of the Xbox One, it's the PlayStation 4 that's considered the most likely to sell in the run up to Christmas with odds of 4/11 while the Xbox One sits slightly behind at 15/8.
A cheeky spokesperson for Paddy Power said "With both consoles set to retail at roughly the same price it should be a case of one or the other for most gamers but there is the third option of a girlfriend."
Interestingly, but unsurprisingly, the Wii U console doesn't even figure in Paddy Power's estimations, with Nintendo as of the beginning of May having only sold 390,000 of the machines.
Microsoft have confirmed that the Xbox One's new and improved Kinect sensor will be made available to Windows PC users.
Speaking to ShackNews, Kinect's program manager Scott Evans revealed that Microsoft "will bring [Kinect] to PC", stating that more details would be brought to light "soon".
The Windows PC community of hackers proved invaluable to the original Kinect - while gamers were jaded with the peripheral's lack of accuracy and poor software support, the PC community of Kinect owners found many memorable and potentially useful applications for the technology.
While no firm release date for Kinect 2.0 for PC has been given (unsurprising considering we are still waiting on a firm release date for the Xbox One console itself), if the release timing of the first model is anything to go by, expect to see the new sensor made available to PC users within its first year of release.
Now able to process as much as 2Gbits of data a second, the new Kinect's camera will also be able to recognise more advanced gestures and movements. Capturing 1080p video and recognising more advanced skeletal maps with more joints and articulation points, the sensor's voice recognition technology has been updated to allow for more conversational control commands to be stated.
Offering the new console with a 12 month warranty and no deposit needed, Zavvi also have a pre-order price promise that guarantees you'll only pay the cheaper price of the console in the unlikely event the retailer decides to lower the price between now and launch.
It's not clear yet however what the bundle includes beyond the console itself and its required Kinect sensor.
The retailer has also revealed pricing for the games announced so far for the console, with a blanket price of £49.99 across the board.
That's an exact match for both Sony's hardware and software for the PlayStation 4, meaning we're likely to see a real fight to be at the top of Christmas lists later this year when the two consoles launch.
It may be Microsoft celebrating the launch of their new Xbox One console, but it's rivals Sony who have seen the stock market shift in their favour tonight.
Sony's stock close today at 22.91, a jump two points higher than eight hours earlier, and before the unveiling of Microsoft's Xbox One console, set to face-off against the PlayStation 4 console Sony debuted back in February. That's lead to a 9.25% hike in Sony's market price, a very healthy shift indeed.
Microsoft's stock on the other hand stayed almost static despite the big announcement, down slightly by 0.66%.
So what's caused this? There's two potential reasons for the slightly incongruous financial shift.
PlayStation fanboys may call out Microsoft's console launch as being a failed one, too focussed on TV content and not enough on the games that will attract the console's hardcore audience. Indeed, the initial response from the web has been one that's less than stellar, as What Hi-Fi editor Joe Cox highlighted with this tweet:
However, a more likely reason is the growing rumour that Sony is planning to spin off its entertainment division. It's a potentially lucrative move, one that Daniel S. Loeb, a hedge fund manager who happens to own 6.5 percent of Sony, first suggested. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment has of late offset losses from the company's consumer electronics business.
If you're a gamer on a budget, Microsoft's freshly-announced Xbox One console may not be for you, as second hand games and pre-owned titles will require an additional activation fee to play.
This seems to be because all games will require a mandatory installation to the console's onboard HDD that ties titles to a single Xbox One owner's account, preventing them from passing the disc around.
A second hand game that has already been tied to a console will require a monetary fee in order for activation via the internet and Xbox Live to occur, it seems.
It's a move that's sure to split the gaming community down the middle. Cash-strapped gamers will be up in arms, neither able to sell on their games nor pick up a bargain on the second hand market. It's also looking unlikely that you'll be able to let your pals borrow games either, as they too look set to require an activation fee for a separate console unless Microsoft introduces some sort of loaning system. It's not yet clear if games will even work across console accounts in the same household. Second hand retailers like CEX and GAME must be quaking in their boots too.
However, the move will mean that developers and publishers will make more money for their hard-earned work on games. They currently receive no money for second hand game sales, and increased revenues for these teams should lead on to better games in the future.
In any case, it's all become clear now why EA were so happy to give up their Online Pass model, right?
Microsoft's newly announced Xbox One console will not be backwards compatible, meaning your old library of Xbox 360 games will be unplayable on the new machine.
This lacking feature was confirmed by Microsoft Xbox Live VP Marc Whitten, speaking to The Verge. "The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn't really work from that perspective," he explained.
It's a similar situation to that seen with the PlayStation 4, where its new architecture is also at odds with the previous generation's games.
However, whereas Sony's console will allow gamers to stream old titles, Microsoft did not announce any similar features for the Xbox One console. When asked whether or not the console's updated Xbox Live features would allow for older games to be downloaded, Whitten stated that no such plans were currently in the works.
However, Microsoft did confirm that all non-game content purchased on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live will carry over to the Xbox One console, allowing players to carry over music and movie files.
Games took a bit of a backseat at tonight's big Xbox One console launch from Microsoft, but one title sure to inspire feverish devotion from gamers was Infinity Ward's Call of Duty Ghosts, debuting its first ever gameplay trailer at the event.
A far more graphically impressive shooter than previous Call of Duty games, Ghosts employs plenty of next-gen effects such as volumetric lighting and incredibly high-resolution textures and shadows that will make for the most realistic war game the developers have ever produced.
It'll also be pulled together with a script set in an all new world with an all new cast of characters written by Traffic scribe Stephen Gaghan.
Microsoft have lifted the covers on their long-awaited next-generation console, the Xbox One.
A far more elegant moniker than the rumoured Xbox Infinity and Xbox 720 names, Microsoft hope the new Xbox One machine will be a single "all-in-one" entertainment device at the centre of your living room, as focussed on delivering television content as much (if not more so) than games.
The Xbox One console and its specs
A slick, angular looking black box with an accompanying redesigned Kinect sensor, the Xbox One's internals make use of an 8-core CPU backed by 8GB RAM and 5 billion transistors, with x86 architecture and 64-bit support making it more similar to a high-end modern PC than the current Xbox 360.
Running "silently" despite the power according to Microsoft reps at the launch event at the company's campus HQ, the machine will also include a Blu-ray disc drive for movie playback and delivery of game media. A 500GB non-removable hard drive will be used for mandatory game installs and media content, with storage expansion via the cloud and the console's USB 3.0 port.
Future-proofed with 4K video support (alongside standard 1080p Full HD) and ticking AV enthusiasts boxes by supporting 7.1 surround sound, the console includes both HDMI In and HDMI out ports for hooking up to both a TV and set-top box.
"We're putting you at the centre of a new generation of your living room," said Microsoft's Don Mattrick.
Operating System and Interface
That living room experience will be shaped by the Xbox One's new operating system architecture that combines elements of the standard Xbox 360 interface with Windows 8 functions, such as application snapping to corners and split sides of the screen. Described by the Microsoft presenters as "three operating systems in one", users will be able to seamlessly move between applications in an instant, with an interface not dissimilar to the current Xbox 360 dashboard. It's a multi-tasker's dream. Kinect 2.0 and TV Interaction
Much of this movement between apps will be done with the console's new Kinect 2.0 sensor, which looks set to ship with every Xbox One machine. Kinect will be a mandatory requirement of the new console, and will always have to be connected to the Xbox One in order to operate it.
Taking in more natural, conversational voice commands, users will be able to switch on their console by simply stating "Xbox on" in the vicinity of their machines. The Kinect will also be able to identify between individual voices, booting up to multiple user's personal accounts by picking up the distinct differences in each person's voice.
Where the voice commands get very interesting and most useful however is with the way the Xbox One integrates with your live TV sources. The console will act as a go-between between you and your TV, letting you state simple voice commands to switch between playing games and live TV, without having to jump for a remote and hit the source channel. The Kinect will be able to understand conversational voice commands and interface with your TV to switch to the channel or TV show of your choosing, with the console featuring an integrated TV guide to help you find the show you're looking for.
Over time, this interface will get to know your favoured shows and offer recommendations, while the console's operating system will also pick out trending content and preferred shows from your social circles, offer them up as suggestions.
Kinect Gestures and Skype Video Calling
Now able to process as much as 2Gbits of data a second, the new Kinect's camera will also be able to recognise more advanced gestures and movements. Capturing 1080p video and recognising more advanced skeletal maps with more joints and articulation points, the new Kinect will allow users to "grab" content on the TV by expanding or closing the distance between two hands, resulting in an effect not unlike a tablet's pinch-to-zoom feature, taking you out of the current application and instantly back to the main Xbox One homescreen. There was even talk of the camera being able to recognise a heartbeat when exercising in front of it.
Skype calling is also integrated into the console, with the 1080p camera allowing for picture-in-picture video calls, something that will hopefully be supported during gameplay too.
A Revised Xbox Controller and Smart Glass
The standard Xbox controller has also been given a subtle redesign. Though staying similar to the current look of the Xbox 360 controller, it feature improved ergonomics and a more responsive D-Pad, as well as a more svelte battery compartment on the rear for wireless gaming. Microsoft reps mentioned "dynamic impulse triggers" but didn't elaborate on what that means - it may refer to rumble features, or varying degrees of pressure that can sensed or needed to operate.
Smart Glass returns too, allowing for much of the interface and portions of future, undisclosed games to be controlled by a tablet or smartphone, giving Xbox One owners a smorgasbord of potential control methods.
Xbox Live on Xbox One
Xbox Live returns as the unifying online system of the Xbox One console, tying together game downloads and online play with media consumption services. On the new console it will still use the same membership you have on the Xbox 360, allowing you to carry over your hard-earned Gamerscore. 300,000 servers will be used to connect all users and services across the world, with almost all the consoles media content stored in the cloud, including save games.
This will also include user-created game clips, with the console offering recording functionality similar to the PS4's "Share" system, and likely tying in with Microsoft's recent partnership with the Twitch gaming channel.
Overall, Microsoft promise the next-generation of Xbox live will offer bigger matches with more players, improved matchmaking functionality and greater scope for games with persistent online worlds, hinting at potential MMO type games hitting the console.
Games
However, considering the Xbox 360 is primarily a games console, the Xbox One's launch featured scant few games, especially compared to the breadth of games on show during Sony's PlayStation launch event. Though Microsoft promise 15 Xbox One exclusive titles within the first year of launch (8 of which will be brand new franchises), only a handful were on show, and none demoed in real time on the hardware.
The headlining game on show was the grand unveiling of gameplay footage from the new Call of Duty: Ghosts title from developers Infinity Ward, showing off advanced textures and facial mapping technology, as well as new gameplay elements such as dogs and improved player movement. It looked fancy, even if sticking closely to the Call of Duty formula. As almost certainly a multi-platform title, the Xbox One coup here is exclusive DLC
EA showed off their new Ignite engine, which will power next gen Fifa, Madden, NBA and UFC, titles all headed to the Xbox One in the next twelve months. True Player Motion will add to in-game physicality and more advanced player movements, 3D crowds will enhance match atmosphere, while Xbox Live will deliver a daily stream of new content to EA games - likely tied into current sporting events. FIFA 14's Ultimate Team mode will also have Xbox One exclusive features, which will be revealed at E3.
The other two games on show were Forza 4 from Turn 10 Studios, looking as life-like as the developers racing titles ever do, and an intriguing new IP from Alan Wake developer's Remedy called Quantum Break, which seemed to tie telekinetic action into a third-person adventure.
No Backwards Compatibility
The Xbox One console will not be backwards compatible, meaning your old library of Xbox 360 games will be unplayable on the new machine.
This lacking feature was confirmed by Microsoft Xbox Live VP Marc Whitten, speaking to The Verge. "The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn't really work from that perspective," he explained.
It's a similar situation to that seen with the PlayStation 4, where its new architecture is also at odds with the previous generation's games.
However, whereas Sony's console will allow gamers to stream old titles, Microsoft did not announce any similar features for the Xbox One console. When asked whether or not the console's updated Xbox Live features would allow for older games to be downloaded, Whitten stated that no such plans were currently in the works.
However, Microsoft did confirm that all non-game content purchased on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live will carry over to the Xbox One console, allowing players to carry over music and movie files.
Second hand games will require an activation fee If you're a gamer on a budget, Microsoft's freshly-announced Xbox One console may not be for you, as second hand games and pre-owned titles will require an additional activation fee to play.
This seems to be because all games will require a mandatory installation to the console's onboard HDD that ties titles to a single Xbox One owner's account, preventing them from passing the disc around.
A second hand game that has already been tied to a console will require a monetary fee in order for activation via the internet and Xbox Live to occur, it seems.
It's a move that's sure to split the gaming community down the middle. Cash-strapped gamers will be up in arms, neither able to sell on their games nor pick up a bargain on the second hand market. It's also looking unlikely that you'll be able to let your pals borrow games either, as they too look set to require an activation fee for a separate console unless Microsoft introduces some sort of loaning system. It's not yet clear if games will even work across console accounts in the same household. Second hand retailers like CEX and GAME must be quaking in their boots too.
However, the move will mean that developers and publishers will make more money for their hard-earned work on games. They currently receive no money for second hand game sales, and increased revenues for these teams should lead on to better games in the future.
In any case, it's all become clear now why EA were so happy to give up their Online Pass model, right?
Spielberg's Halo TV Show and NFL Fantasy Football
Perhaps the most exciting game news from the event wasn't even actually tied to a playable game. Instead, it was the news that the Halo franchise would be being made into a TV show, to be helmed by legendary director Steve Spielberg.
It's a particularly interesting turn of events. Not only is it a coup to nab Spielberg, but, with the console's new focus on television, it looks as though Microsoft will be taking the same route as Netflix and LoveFilm in producing new content exclusive to their platform.
The Xbox One will also have a partnership with NFL, popping a fantasy football league alongside live matches, letting you check out your team and player's rankings in real-time in relation to their real-world games, side-by-side with the live feed of matches. Though this feature will be lost on all but American Xbox One owners, a football (or "soccer", if you're from across the pond) version would likely be well received across Europe.
Price
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox One console will cost £399.99 in the UK.
That's according to online retailer Zavvi, who have set the price for their pre-order packages accordingly. The retailer has also revealed pricing for the games announced so far for the console, with a blanket price of £49.99 across the board.
That's an exact match for both Sony's hardware and software for the PlayStation 4, meaning we're likely to see a real fight to be at the top of Christmas lists later this year when the two consoles launch.
Release Date
No specific launch date was given, though Microsoft did state the Xbox One will launch worldwide this year.
So, what do you think of Microsoft's Xbox One console? Everything you hoped it would be? Or has Sony's PlayStation 4 got it beat? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Microsoft have officially unveiled their next-generation gaming console, the Xbox One.
After months of speculation that saw names including Xbox Infinity, Durango and Xbox 720 bandied about, the Redmond-based company have settled on the simple Xbox One moniker.
The Xbox launch event is now well underway, with Microsoft revealing the new features they hope will make their console the one to beat in the fight against the PlayStation 4 and the Wii U.
We'll be working away over the course of tonight to bring you all the in-depth analysis you can stomach on the next-gen console launch, giving you all the spec details, pricing and release date information you can handle, as well as a run-down on the console's new features and upcoming games.
The wait is almost over - tonight we'll finally get to see what Microsoft have been working on as their successor to the Xbox 360 console. Kicking off at 6PM GMT / 10AM PST, it's set to be one of the most talked about gaming launches of the year. And whether the device turns out to be called the Xbox 720, Infinity or just plain old Xbox, you'll be able to find out all the latest details live, as they're announced. Here's how to watch tonight's Xbox launch event live stream.
On your Xbox
Xbox 360 owners will be able to stream the event live to their consoles. A large XboxReveal tile has been added to the dashboard especially for tonight. Hit it and you'll be able to watch all the announcements straight from your console.
Xbox.co.uk and Xbox.com
Both Xbox.co.uk and Xbox.com will be hosting a livestream of the event, so if you can't get to your console tonight, you can still catch it all on Microsoft's official channels.
Spike TV and Game Trailers
Popular gaming sites Game Trailers and Spike TV will also be hosting video streams. Game Trailers may in fact be the best place to watch the live stream, as they'll have an open comments channel to watch too, letting you follow the world's reaction to the new console reveals.
Right here!
Once the action kicks off and the dust has settled, we'll be popping up the video to the whole thing, letting you (hopefully) relive all the excitement of tonight's announcements. Or at the very least shout at Microsoft for that bloody always-on connection if they have indeed decided to go down that DRM route. We'll also be offering full coverage and analysis of everything that's announced, so check back to Tech Digest tonight for all the next-gen Xbox details.
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D sees one of the Wii's most challenging and beloved platform games squeezed onto a Nintendo 3DS cartridge and given a 3D makeover. But has this modern-classic lost anything in translation to the handheld format, and is there any reason for owners of the Wii original to return to Kong's country? Read our full review to find out!
If you're a Wii-owning platforming fan, there's a good chance you already know much of what there is to know about Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. As a Nintendo 3DS handheld port of 2010's critically acclaimed Donkey Kong Country Returns, owners of the older Wii version of the game will have, aside from a few gameplay tweaks and a couple of added levels stuck onto the end, likely seen practically all this 3DS remake has to offer. It's very much a refinement rather than an overhaul.And that's no bad thing when you're refining something as good as Donkey Kong Country Returns. As the old adage goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", and this 3DS version perfectly shrinks down the jungle hijinks of the Wii game for handheld play without losing anything in the process.
A side-scrolling platformer in the vein of DK's Super Nintendo adventures, the game kicks off in classic Donkey Kong fashion, with the tie-wearing primate discovering that his prized banana horde has been stolen and his jungle buddies turned against him, this time thanks to the voodoo magic of the floating Tik Tak Tribe. From the start, the game's humour pours forth and sets it apart from the Mario series; hilariously animated, Donkey Kong is too dense to fall foul of the Tik Tak's hypnotic charms, blasting their leader through the wooden door of his hut.
From here on, it's vintage DK. You'll run and jump through luscious green foliage, volcanic factories and Incan-like ruins, taking out bad guys with a palm-slapping ground-pound or shoulder roll, or a good old fashion jump onto the head. Barrels can be picked up and thrown at enemies too, and some will contain Donkey Kong's little buddy Diddy Kong, who adds the ability to hover a short while at the peak of a leap thanks to a jet pack and doubling the number of hit points the pair can take before being sent back to a checkpoint.Other levels may see the duo blasted from explosive barrels to other floating canons, with the player having to time precisely the shot in order to avoid hovering obstacles or line up correctly with the next barrel, or clambering up vines that sometimes decorate the levels, letting you avoid spikes and uncover secret routes through stages. And, of course, the series signature break-neck mine cart runs return - on rails sequences where Donkey Kong hurtles down a rickety old track, leaping across chasms and avoiding traps laid by enemies.
Level design is greatly inventive, and, considering how almost all of the game design is the work of original developers Retro Studios rather than porters Monster Games, much of the praise again has to be heaped there. From devious traps to crumbling environments to some of the most devilishly hidden secrets with encountered in a platforming game, it's a masterclass in how to pack out a 2D side-scroller with inventive, interesting challenges.
Boss fights are great. Though they follow the "hit-till-defeated" pattern of most platforming bosses, they scale up in difficulty perfectly, challenging you to put into practice all the techniques you've mastered in the run up to confronting them.
It also looks fantastic too. Each Kong and all the enemies are animated excellently, with fantastic charm running through each character, with cutscenes that have a perfect sense of comic timing. There's life in every frame of the jam-packed levels, with small animations often offering a cue to hidden secrets in the level for eagle-eyed gamers. There are some wonderful stylistic choices too found throughout the game, such as levels where the setting sun means all that can be seen of the Kongs is the red of their clothing against their silhouetted figures. It's stunning.Monster Game's implementation of the Nintendo 3DS's stereoscopic 3D effects work impressively well too. The original game's level design already had a great sense of depth to it; though a 2D side-scroller, the Kongs' movement down the fixed path of the levels often saw them move towards and away from the foreground, and the 3D effect here captures that sense of deepness and distance perfectly.
For the most part, Monster Game's work has been to make the game more accessible to newcomers. Make no mistake, Donkey Kong Country Returns was one of the most challenging platformers we'd ever come across, with the sort of "throw-the-controller-at-the-wall" difficulty levels that some gamers love and some detest.
Donkey Kong Country 3D then includes two different difficulty levels: the punishing Wii original, and a more friendly new version that adds an extra hit point to both of the Kongs, allowing for a maximum of six hits when Diddy Kong is in play. There's also a wider variety of helpful items available from grizzled old Cranky Kong's shop (found inbetween some levels), allowing you to trade in coins found during stages for items that can help you find secrets or add more health, among other tricks.While slightly easier in this mode as a result, the game is still incredibly difficult. It's not enemy hits that will fell your Kongs - it's the gaping chasms and pinpoint timing of platforming sections that cause the most trouble, and many of these moments are instant-death falls. If you fall into an abyss, you're transported back to the last checkpoint, which could be quite some way away. Even with the helping hand offered by items that let you recover from falls, you're going to hit some massive difficulty hurdles that only the hardiest of gamers will overcome.
Thankfully, the game is so good that you'll likely want to grit your teeth and plough on through. There's so much to see in each level, and so much warmth to be found in the game, that only the most jaded of players will give up on the chance to seeing what new delights wait around the corner.
And then, hopefully, you'll beat the game, and come up against the handful of new sadistically difficult levels put together by Monster Games. They fit perfectly into the world created by Retro Studios, and make the original game's most fiendish levels look like a walk in the park. It's probably not enough new content to tempt owners of the original Wii title back, but those that get that far will feel a great sense of achievement when they overcome the challenges that lay in wait at the game's end.
Verdict:
There's a mighty challenge to be found with Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, and even with the reduced difficulty level only the hardiest of players may see the game through to the credits roll. But you'll never regret a moment of playtime with the game, even if it's going over difficult sections repeatedly. There's a charm here that's all Kong's own, with beautiful level design and cleverly hidden secrets making this title a perfect platforming alternative to Mario's 2D handheld adventures.
If you're looking for a pocket-money slice of gaming greatness, then today's your lucky day. Your lucky day, that is, provided you're a Wii U owner. Yes, we know there aren't that many of you out there yet, but today's deal of the day will make you wish you'd bought into Nintendo's latest console generation.
That's because today, for just 30p, you can get SNES-era classic Super Metroid for just 30p on the Wii U through the Nintendo eShop download store.
Held up as a classic, considered one of the greatest games of all time and certainly one of the best 2D adventures ever, it's an atmospheric trek through a 16-bit alien world, full of exploration, action, puzzles and secrets to uncover.
With the option of off-TV play on the Wii U GamePad second screen, it'll be the perfect way for newcomers to get to the roots of the much-revered series, as well as for long time fans to re-visit it.
Gaming giant Electronic Arts has confirmed that it will not be continuing with its controversial Online Pass scheme in its future games.
A point of great frustration for cash-strapped gamers, EA's Online Pass scheme locked out online elements of second-hand games through a one-use passcode that shipped with brand new games. Second hand game buyers of EA's Online Pass-packing games had to then pay an extra £10 to £15 extra to unlock online elements.
As well as annoying gamers, it caused a knock-on problem for retailers, with the likes of GAME suffering from the dramatic drop in second-hand game sales it caused.
However, EA's successes with in-app purchases (and their recent drop in consumer popularity) has finally lead them to axe the scheme.
Speaking to GamesBeat, EA's senior director of corporate communications, John Reseburg, confirmed the move:
"Yes,we're discontinuing Online Pass," he said.
"None of our new EA titles will include that feature. We've listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward."
It's been a tumultuous start to the year for EA. Angering customers with the problematic launch of SimCity 5, the company earned the dubious title of "Worst Company in America" in The Consumerist's annual poll. The company's CEO John Ricciteilo also resigned in March after revealing poor results for the fourth quarter.
At least this latest move will be welcomed by gamers, going some way to cleaning up the company's current stormy relationship with consumers. Whether or not it also means that EA will now ramp in-app and in-game purchases up to unprecedented, intrusive levels to make up the difference however remains to be seen.
Sony have lifted the covers off Gran Turismo 6, the latest in the long-running, terrifyingly realistic racing series.
Due out before Christmas 2013, the game surprisingly has only been announced for the PlayStation 3, not Sony's upcoming next-generation console, the PlayStation 4.
Gran Turismo 6 will feature a reworked game engine and play host to a line-up of 1,200 painstakingly-detailed real-world cars for gamers to drive. 33 real-world tracks will be available to careen around (in 71 different layouts) up from 26 in Gran Turismo 5. The UK's very own Silverstone will be among the seven new tracks.
The game will also feature a massively overhauled user interface - a smart move considering just how labyrinthine the menus in the GT5 were, as well as new navigation features that will include smartphone and tablet integrations.
"I am very pleased with everything about the new game and the new additions, but the launch will only be the beginning for GT6," said producer Kazunori Yamauchi, during the announcement at the Silverstone Circuit.
"The game will continue to develop throughout its life. I already have many ideas for things I want to achieve in the next 15 years of Gran Turismo!"
Gran Turismo 5, launching in 2010, went on to sell 10 million copies, with the series hitting well over 61 million sales overall, making it the best-selling PlayStation exclusive franchise.
The Xbox 360's contentious Microsoft Points currency, currently used to purchase digital content for Microsoft's gaming console, is to get the axe ahead of the release of their company's next-gen Xbox console release.
It's a move that's been on the cards for quite some time now, with rumours circulating as early as the start of last year, but The Verge are now reporting that Microsoft will retire the payment system perhaps as soon as this summer's E3 gaming conference, and definitely in time for the launch of the next-gen console, tentatively called everything from Infinity to Xbox 720.
Microsoft Points (otherwise known as "Xbox Points" or "Xbox Live Points") have been a cause of frustration for Xbox 360 gamers for many years. Bought in irregular bundles, it can be a chore to figure out how much the points are worth in real-world currency, with many gamers left with virtual change too small to purchase Xbox 360 content with, and with no means of refunding them back into real currency. The PS3 on the other hand lists all prices in local currency, making pricing transparent.
According to The Verge report, Microsoft's next payment system will be far simpler, and similar to the process adopted by Apple's App Store. A credit or debit card can be tied to an account, with all purchases made through the platform charged to it. If the account is intended for a youngster, credit can be gifted to an account, alongside standard gift cards made available of various values.
Microsoft have already made the decision to not carry over the loathed currency to their Windows 8 operating system app purchases, and with the next Xbox expected to be part of Microsoft's attempt to unify all the company's properties under the Windows 8 banner, a bespoke gaming currency would indeed seem anachronistic.
EA have announced the creation of a new LA-based arm of developers DICE, the studio responsible for Battlefield 4 and its predecessor, revealing that the new DICE LA team will focus on the publisher's newly-acquired Star Wars license and sparking rumours that the cancelled Star Wars Battlefront 3 game could still live on.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, DICE head Karl-Magnus Troedsson stated that the studio would not be adverse to picking up and working on existing Star Wars gaming properties, as well as developing brand new experiences in George Lucas's sci-fi universe.
Troedsson seems to be referring to the cancelled Star Wars Battlefront 3 game, originally being worked on by UK studio Free Radical (now Crytek UK) before Lucasarts cancelled the project ahead of the giant Disney buyout of all Lucas-related properties. Alpha build footage of the game leaked online last year, capturing the imaginations of gaming Star Wars fans and crushing their hopes when it soon became clear the game wouldn't see the light of day.
DICE LA, made up of members of the DICE Battlefield team and fellow EA studio Danger Close's developers (themselves responsible for the recent Medal of Honor titles) would be expertly positioned to continue the Battlefront franchise, considering it was itself in many respects a Star Wars spin on the class-based shooter model popularised by Battlefield.
The last Battlefront game, Star Wars Battlefront 2, came out in October 2005 for the PlayStation 2, PSP, original Xbox and PC.
As well as revealing the studio's Star Wars focussed direction, Troedsson also suggested that DICE LA would be looking to tempt staff from rival LA-based studios Infinity Ward and Treyarch (the teams behind the Call of Duty games) to their stable.
"There is an extreme talent pool over that we want a part of. It's no secret that our main competitor is there," said Troedsson.
Nvidia have finally revealed pricing and pre-order details on their intriguing gaming device, the Project Shield.
Now known simply as the Shield, it will be up for pre-order from May 20, priced at $349 in the States. A straight conversion to Great British Pounds puts that at around £230, but we'd imagine it to be a little more expensive than that come its UK launch.
Looking much like a games controller with a fold-up 5-inch 720p touchscreen display, the Shield runs off a Tegra 4 SoC processor (classed as the fastest ARM chip in the world), alongside 16GB of on board storage. With Android it's operating system, it'll run any game on the Google Play store without a hitch.
What's most interesting however is the system's ability to stream high-end games from a Windows PC to the Shield, letting you play the likes of Skyrim or Bioshock Infinite away from your desktop machine in the palms of your hands. You'll need a compatible top-end Nvidia graphics card to do it, but it's likely an investment that hardcore PC gamers will be very interested in.
Shifting setting and gameplay style from the near future to the recent past and from an isometric tactical perspective to an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter, The Bureau - XCOM Declassified is alive and kicking after a rocky few years of development.
And we've got the latest in-game screenshots to share with you! Showing off the 1960s setting, the tactical gameplay options and returning baddies the Sectoids, it's shaping up to be one of this year's more interesting shooters.
Rockstar have lifted the covers on two deluxe versions of their hotly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto V game, with both the GTA V Collector's Edition and Special Edition versions of the games offering collectible items and in-game digital additions alongside the standard game.
With both Sony and Microsoft's next-generation consoles mostly revealed, we're now starting to get a picture of which machines is set to be the most powerful. And it seems as though Sony's PlayStation 4 will offer more raw graphical horsepower than Microsoft's Xbox One according to reports.
Having now been given a good idea of the specs and features of both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One next-generation consoles, if you're a gambling guy now may be the time to place your best as to which machine will take the gaming Christmas number one spot.
Microsoft have confirmed that the Xbox One's new and improved Kinect sensor will be made available to Windows PC users.
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox One console will cost £399.99 in the UK.
It may be Microsoft celebrating the launch of their new Xbox One console, but it's rivals Sony who have seen the stock market shift in their favour tonight.
If you're a gamer on a budget, Microsoft's freshly-announced Xbox One console may not be for you, as second hand games and pre-owned titles will require an additional activation fee to play.
Microsoft have lifted the covers on their long-awaited next-generation console, the Xbox One.
Microsoft have officially unveiled their next-generation gaming console, the Xbox One.
The wait is almost over - tonight we'll finally get to see what Microsoft have been working on as their successor to the Xbox 360 console. Kicking off at 6PM GMT / 10AM PST, it's set to be one of the most talked about gaming launches of the year. And whether the device turns out to be called the Xbox 720, Infinity or just plain old Xbox, you'll be able to find out all the latest details live, as they're announced. Here's how to watch tonight's Xbox launch event live stream.
Name: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
If you're looking for a pocket-money slice of gaming greatness, then today's your lucky day. Your lucky day, that is, provided you're a Wii U owner. Yes, we know there aren't that many of you out there yet, but today's deal of the day will make you wish you'd bought into Nintendo's latest console generation.
Gaming giant Electronic Arts has confirmed that it will not be continuing with its controversial Online Pass scheme in its future games.
The Xbox 360's contentious Microsoft Points currency, currently used to purchase digital content for Microsoft's gaming console, is to get the axe ahead of the release of their company's next-gen Xbox console release.
EA have announced the creation of a new LA-based arm of developers DICE, the studio responsible for Battlefield 4 and its predecessor, revealing that the new DICE LA team will focus on the publisher's newly-acquired Star Wars license and sparking rumours that the cancelled Star Wars Battlefront 3 game could still live on.
Nvidia have finally revealed pricing and pre-order details on their intriguing gaming device, the Project Shield.
Shifting setting and gameplay style from the near future to the recent past and from an isometric tactical perspective to an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter, The Bureau - XCOM Declassified is alive and kicking after a rocky few years of development.
From: Sony's stock rises 9% in wake of Xbox One reveal, Microsoft stock drops fractionally