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"New Super Mario Busters 2" Summons Bowser The Koopathian For Nintendo/Ghostbusters Mash-Up

It was just two months ago that I was charmed by James Farr's "Super Mario Busters" that combined the worlds of Super Mario Bros. and Ghostbusters in clever, entertaining ways.  Now the sequel has been releases, "New Super Mario Busters 2", that combines the Mushroom Kingdom world with the film Ghostbusters 2 and the opening sequence to The Real Ghostbusters cartoon.  If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that Farr and his team made these things especially for me.  Watch for familiar Nintendo characters filling roles from the film such including Kamek as Dr. Janosz Poha, Wario as Judge Wexler, Bowser as Vigo the Carpathian, and a special surprise cameo as the Statue of Liberty.  There's some great freeze frame fun in there as well, so be ready with the pause button at key moments.  I don't know if there's another one of these short films in the works, but as long as Farr's team keeps creating fun mash-ups like these, I'll be watching.

Next Batman: Arkham Games Revealed

After months of nebulous rumors and business chatter, the next game in the Batman: Arkham series has been announced for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, and PC.  Serving as a prequel to the original Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham Origins turns the story back to a point earlier in Batman's life.  Prepare for a Christmas Eve attack of eight villains out to kill the Dark Knight.  Game Informer has the news.

Warner Bros. Games Montreal has taken the mantle of the bat from Rocksteady Studios this time around for Batman: Arkham Origins. WB Montreal has full access to Rocksteady's custom modified Unreal engine to capture the look and feel of the Arkhamverse.  As the title suggests, the game takes place years before both of the previous Arkham titles when a young, unrefined Batman encounters many supervillains for the first time. On our full cover image below, fans will recognize the assassin Deathstroke, who appears for the very first time in a core Arkham game.

This doesn't appear to be that Silver Age Batman title that people were discussing last year.  In addition to the home console title, there's a handheld companion game for the Nintendo 3DS and Sony PlayStation Vita entitled Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate that continues the story from the actual Arkham Origins game.  This title is a 2.5D Metroid-style adventure from Armature Studio (boy, they sure get around).  There's lots of potential here.  Normally I'm concerned when a franchise decides to step back and start cranking out prequels as it means that the main story has run out of creative juice (and the subtitle Origins is way, way overused this gaming generation), but superhero franchises can usually make this kind of thing work.  I just hope that these new developers playing in Batman's world can do the franchise justice.  We'll find out when the games release on October 25, 2013.

EvilCast Recap - Episode 171

I'm guesting on the Games Are Evil podcast again this week.  In fact, I've taken appearing as a guest to a new level by hijacking the usual introduction and claiming absolute power.  That sort of thing is bound to happen when one is invited over enough.  I join Blake Grundman and Keri Honea to discuss the depressing news of the week (mostly studio closures and layoffs at places like LucasArts, High Moon Studios, and Square-Enix), the Ouya's rough launch, and hit on a list of the best game-breaking video game bugs of all time.  There's also some non-spoiler discussion of BioShock Infinite, a look at Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and time spent with the latest Gears of War.  Spend some time with us.  I bet you'll enjoy it.  You can find Episode 171 of the EvilCast over at GamesAreEvil.com.

Professor Gadd Is Charmingly Retro

He's been out of the spotlight for a while, but one of the new characters introduced to the Super Mario universe during the Nintendo GameCube era, Professor Elvin Gadd, has returned to the stage as the Mushroom Kingdom's resident inventor, researcher, and all around curious genius.  Introduced in 2001's Luigi's Mansion as the inventor of the Poltergust 3000, he's back in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the Nintendo 3DS.  Whenever the professor sends Luigi out into the field to do some ghostbusting, he provides our hero with a special communicator and mapping device pieced together from some familiar hardware.  Luigi carried a customized Game Boy Color in Luigi's Mansion, but in Dark Moon he's equipped with a classic 2004-era silver Nintendo DS.  Why a regular DS and not a DSi or 3DS?  Why hasn't Gadd kept up with the latest releases?  Dark Moon developers Yoshihiko Ikebata and Ryuichi Nakada explain over at IGN:

IGN: I couldn’t help but notice that Luigi uses a device that looks remarkably similar to an original DS. Does that mean the game’s been in development since the original DS, or is that just a throwback to the last generation of portables?

Ikebata: Well, it’s not because we were in development for that long! [laughs] Really it’s more of an E. Gadd thing. E. Gadd is as much a tinkerer as he is an inventor. He likes to repurpose other materials and find new ways to use them. We thought that the DS was a great device that E. Gadd would take and repurpose to do something else. That’s why we had that in the game this time.

It's oddly charming that Gadd is a retro gaming enthusiast.  The professor is one of those characters that seemed to be primed for a major role in Mario titles, but he dropped off the radar almost just as suddenly as he appeared.  He played a minor background role in Super Mario Sunshine as the inventor of both Mario's FLUDD water pack and Bowser Jr.'s magic paintbrush, then turned up in the first two Mario & Luigi RPG titles as the inventor of various items that aid the brothers in their adventures.  Perhaps it's best that he's used sparingly, as that keeps his appearances special and more memorable.  And who knows?  Perhaps when we see him again in Luigi's Mansion 3 someday in the far future, he'll hand Luigi a specially modified Wii U GamePad.

Weekly Poll: Might Solve A Mystery Or Remaster History

Most of you out there have never participated in a video game tournament.  That's a shame; you really should try it sometime even just for fun.  I've competed in online competitions here and there, but never in person.  The most recent one was the Star Wars Pinball challenge on the game's The Empire Strikes Back table, and while I knew I didn't have a chance in Hoth at ranking anywhere near the top of the leaderboard, I certainly had fun trying.  Prizes are nice, but for me it's really all about the community interactions and the feeling of being part of a larger collective.  

Looking ahead, Capcom and WayForward have announced to the Internet's collective delight that a modernized version of the 1989 Nintendo Entertainment System classic DuckTales is coming to the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U under the title DuckTales Remastered featuring new content, detailed animation, reworked music, and many other additions.  Are you interested in this enhanced retelling of Scrooge McDuck's greatest digital adventure?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Adventure Island Music Break

It's April Fool's Day which means that there's very little actual true news on which to comment and writing about the fake stuff doesn't really interest me unless the source material is especially clever.  What are we to do today instead?  Let's rise above the mess with the only tool available to us: Hudson's classic 1987 Nintendo Entertainment System release Adventure Island and its awesome music.  Enjoy this clip of one of the game's overworld themes and imagine yourself on a tropical island far away from false information and deadly eggplants.  Life-giving milk and time-extending fruit sold separately.

DuckTales Remastered Animation Is True To The Cartoon

UPDATE: Never mind. They're all images from the game. Pardon my gullibility.

I continue to be entranced and amazed by the animation and visual design at work on Capcom and WayForward's upcoming DuckTales Remastered for the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U. Check out these animations of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews reacting in fright with startled jumps. Compare the game (above) to the original DuckTales cartoon (below) as seen at Fandom Flare. Pay special attention to how the WayForward animators have captured the poses and keyframes of the cartoon and recreated those for the game. When Scrooge hops, he moves in the same motion across both mediums. He even grabs his hat the same way in both instances! The nephews behave similarly; notice the movement of their legs, arms, and eyes. It's exact! DuckTales Remastered is bound to be something special when it releases this summer. Just seeing these beloved old characters in motion once again has me convinced.

Beyond Beeps: Luigi's Mansion

Of all of the characters in Nintendo's stable to send into battle against a house full of angry ghosts in order to rescue the famous (and missing!) Mario, it seems that Luigi would be the least capable choice, but somehow it all works in 2001's Luigi's Mansion for the GameCube. In honor of the sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the Nintendo 3DS, launching this week, it's only appropriate to look back at the original game and its fun soundtrack composed by Kazumi Totaka. Far from frightening, the music of Luigi's Mansion accompanies the green-capped plumber in his journey with some familiar tunes and a memorable, hummable recurring melody that appears in several forms from traditional instrumental theme to frightened whistle by the unlikely hero himself.

The Nintendo Force Is Strong With This One

In the wake of the iconic Nintendo Power shutting down last year you may have heard of a startup magazine produced by a group of familiar names from the Nintendo side of the game journalism world.  Intended to take over where Power left off, Nintendo Force follows on in Power's spirit with a wide look at all things Nintendo.  Issue 1 has been around for a bit now with Issue 2 just becoming available now.  Both print and digital options are available via MagCloud, and they now offer subscriptions.  I've had the pleasure of reading the first issue and came away very impressed with what the team has accomplished.  Here's the promotional pitch:

The all-new source for Nintendo players, straight from the pros! Nintendo Force is keeping the legacy of Power alive, built by a dream team of 16 of the world's most well-known Nintendo writers, artists and designers. The same previews, reviews and features you're used to continue here, complemented by the best of yesteryear – comics, clay models, envelope art and even a Retro section. The Power may have been unplugged, but the Force is advancing boldly into the future. Join us!

Force feels like a Nintendo Power for the modern age.  Fans apparently agree; I'm told that Force has sold over 4,000 copies of its first issue making it the top seller on MagCloud for the past two months.  The first issue takes a look at games such as Pikmin 3, Rayman Legends, Mutant Mudds Deluxe, Crashmo, and Call of Duty: Black Ops II, while the second issue focuses on sequels like Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, the latest from Castlevania, and the celebration behind Nintendo's Year of Luigi.  Each issue also includes clay model artwork similar to the art from the old days of Nintendo Power and fun comic strips in the spirit of what Power used to offer in its glory days.  I'll be watching Nintendo Force's career with great interest.

Amazon Opens The Gaming Gold Box Again Today

We're about due for another of Amazon.com's big all-gaming Gold Box and Lightning Deal days, so right on schedule comes today's big sale.  In-demand games and accessories will be going on sale all day long.  The new Tomb Raider for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 is the big item of the day; it's on sale for $41.99.  Other deals occuring throughout the day include the Collector's Edition of Tomb Raider for $75, Call of Duty: Black Ops II for $34.99, a variety of Disney games, a selection of dance games, at least one Disney dance game, Kingdom Hearts, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, a travel kit of some sort for your console, Dolby headphones, and much more.  A portion of every item you buy via the green link above goes to help support Press The Buttons which, as always, is very important.