Bubbly bobbly

Independent retro games magazine Pixel Nation has just published its second issue, available in both physical and PDF form.

This volume comes loaded with articles on topics as diverse as bizarre NES accessories — ever heard of the Miracle Piano? — and a look back at classic gaming year 1986, there's something for everyone, including a feature on Taito classic Bubble Bobble from none other than our own Mike Mason.

Buy Pixel Nation's 100-page magazine for £8.99 and you'll get a PDF for free.

Read more...

But you knew that

Everything's cuter when it's knitted: take this Sonic Sackboy, for instance. Could it make Pokémon mascot Pikachu any cuter, though? Yes, as it turns out, it could.

Serial knitster MaDonna — she of Game Boy gloves infamy — spun a yarn Pikachu from her own pattern. We don't know much about knitting, but we're willing to bet representing the world's favourite electric mouse in wool is pretty tough.

Read more...

Tasty Panini

Panini and Nintendo want to fuel your thirst for all things Pit with a big collection of collectible cards for Kid Icarus: Uprising.

UK fans can pick up a Starter Pack, including a binder and three card packs, for £5.99. Individual packs of cards will set you back £1.50 each. With 404 cards to collect it's probably best not to do the maths of how much you'll spend to complete your set.

If you haven't got the game yet, make sure you read our Kid Icarus: Uprising review then rush out to buy the game and cards, officially out now at all good retailers.

KID ICARUS UPRISING Trading Card Game by Panini

Panini are proud to announce the launch of their awesome new trading card game; Kid Icarus Uprising. Over 40 million people in Europe have played the Nintendo Game and over 100,000 games have already been sold, making it one of the most popular games out in the market today. There are 1.4 million members on Club Nintendo and 12,000 Kid Icarus card packets sold out on the Club Nintendo site in just one day!

Kid Icarus Uprising follows the angelic protagonist, Pit, as he battles against the forces of a reborn Medusa who seeks to destroy mankind. With the help of Palutena, the Goddess of Light, Pit gains the "Power of Flight" to travel the skies and fight the Underworld Army. Panini’s fantastic new Kid Icarus trading card game draws on the action and intrigue of Pit’s journey and includes amazing imagery, all of your favorite Kid Icarus characters and special cards.

There are 404 cards to collect which include special codes. Collectors can kick start their collection with a starter pack that includes a binder and 3 trading card packets.

Starter Pack: £5.99
Trading Card Packet: £1.50

Follow us on Twitter: @OfficialPanini

Read more...

Mario and more

Nintendo will once again show off new games and hardware at Comic-Con International in San Diego this weekend.

From 12th to 15th July attendees can try the new 3DS XL and upcoming titles like New Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow — Mirror of Fate.

There'll be no Wii U presence there, but Wii fans can try out Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition. On DS, go hands-on with Pokémon Conquest.

If you're heading to Comic-Con, have a blast.

Nintendo News: Nintendo Reveals Comic-Con 2012 Lineup, Including Nintendo 3DS XL

Comic-Con 2012
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- At this year’s Comic-Con International 2012 event taking place July 12-15 at the San Diego Convention Center, members of the general public will enjoy an early chance to get their hands on Nintendo 3DS XL, a new version of the Nintendo 3DS system with 90 percent larger screens that launches Aug. 19.

In addition to Nintendo’s booth at the show (#5135), multiple activities will take place at a special Nintendo Gaming Lounge in the San Diego Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis & Marina at 333 W. Harbor Drive, adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center. A Comic-Con badge is not required to gain entry to the Nintendo Gaming Lounge.

Games that are scheduled to be playable at the Nintendo Gaming Lounge include:

Nintendo 3DS / Nintendo 3DS XL

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Mario Kart 7
Super Mario 3D Land
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate (Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.)
HEROES OF RUIN (Square Enix)
KINGDOM HEARTS 3D [Dream Drop Distance] (Square Enix)
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
Nintendo DS family

Pokémon Conquest
Wii

Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition
Just Dance 4 (Ubisoft)

Read more...

If the 15 minutes of Netherrealm's Injustice fired up your appetite for fighting game footage, these videos from last weekend's EVO 2K tournament should hit the spot.

Players from all over the world headed to Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, with some truly dazzling skills on display. Here are some videos of the final match-ups, courtesy of IGN.

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

Note: The captions are wrong in this video: Fuudo is Shun-Di and Shironoku is El Blaze.

[youtube:vnhb6y1QAZw]

Street Fighter X Tekken

[youtube:WjCc4KFVuUk]

The King of Fighters XIII

[youtube:U9VKIOGL2Sc]

If you're this good, you should enter EVO next year.

Read more...

Sparkles and frogs

This week's Nintendo Download is a metaphorical mixed bag, with 3DS add-on content and WiiWare sitting alongside weird eShop applications. Scan the list below for the full lowdown.

3DS Download Software

Sparkle Snapshots 3D (Nintendo, £4.50/€5) — Remember Sparkle Snapshots on DSiWare? How would you like a similar experience on 3DS? Sounds good, except the app doesn't actually take 3D photos, so we're not sure of its purpose. Still, we'll have a full review soon.

3DS Add-On Content

Sparkle Snapshots 3D — £0.90/€1 each:

• Mario Core Set
• Mario Kart 7 Set

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy — £0.90/€1 each:

• The Archylte Steppe (FF13 — FMS)
• Matoya's Cave (FF01 — FMS)
• Battle 1 (FF03 — BMS)
• The Final Battle (FF05 — BMS)

WiiWare

Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition (Konami, 1000pts) — That poor little amphibian keeps trying to cross that busy road, except this time you can use sprites from Castlevania and Contra too. We'll see if it's a step in the right direction or best left as roadkill with our upcoming review.

DSiWare

Topoloco (Abstraction Games, 500pts) — A game about maps! Except it's not really a game and the maps aren't that good. Read our Topoloco review then navigate your way as far from this game as possible.

99seconds (EnjoyUp Games, 200pts) — A quirky, classy little shooter with an intriguing premise, read our 99seconds review for more on this cheap and cheerful title.

Video Download

The Incredible Barbazan: The Cabinet of Fear (£1.35, episode 1 of 6)

That's all for this week, folks. What are you buying? Let us know on our Facebook poll.

Read more...

Skip to the beat

Nearly five months after it hit North America, Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise lands in Europe today.

The European release lets you choose between the English and Japanese soundtracks, a feature exclusive to Europe, but is otherwise unchanged from its North American release.

If you're interested in some Wii-based rhythm, check out our Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise review for more.

You can also buy Theatrhythm Final Fantasy today. A blend of music, action and theatre, we'll have a review for you very soon.

Read more...

At last!

In a move that made at least one Push Square staff member a little too excited, SEGA has announced it's to re-release legendary SEGA Saturn game NiGHTS into Dreams on PSN later this year.

The download will come with enhanced HD graphics, 16:9 widescreen support, leaderboards and Trophies, or you can relive the original 32-bit experience in the Saturn mode.

In an extra nugget of fan service, SEGA chose to make the announcement on the 16th anniversary of NiGHTS' Japanese launch.

The first screenshots are below, with a trailer to follow soon.

[youtube:GhsfBrRvw8A]

DREAMS DO COME TRUE – SEGA ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF NiGHTS INTO DREAMS HD

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO— 5th July, 2012 —SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced that after 16 years since the original release the HD remake of fan-favourite flying platformer, NiGHTS into dreams™, will be coming to Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®Network, and Windows PC Digital Download this autumn. To prove this news isn’t a dream itself, check out the first official NiGHTS trailer online.

“The SEGA Saturn offered many unique gaming experiences, and NiGHTS into dreams stands out as one of the most recognisable titles that found a home on the system,” said Chris Olson, Vice President of Digital Business at SEGA. “We’ve gotten a lot of requests about this game over the years, and are very happy to be able to give both former Saturn owners and new players a
chance to play it in its most beautiful form to date this autumn.”

Initially released for SEGA Saturn in 1996, NiGHTS into dreams is one of the best-regarded games in SEGA history and a favourite of many fans thanks to its innovative 3D gameplay and multi-faceted level design. This new version will bring Nightopia to vivid life with improved HD graphics and a 16:9 aspect ratio, as well as added support for leaderboards, trophies, and achievements. It will also feature an optional Saturn Mode that will let players experience the game with the original graphics intact.

Read more...

Also, anyone who wants artwork from NiGHTS just put the CD in your computer. I'll stop tweeting about NiGHTS... soon.

If you love NiGHTS like I do, or just want to know what it is, I wrote a feature on it for @PixelNation1 - http://t.co/9zviKj5G