Latest news with #Mario
Stuff.tv
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
Nintendo Direct live: catch up with today's live event around third-party games
The latest Nintendo Direct has taken place today – which Nintendo has called a 'partner showcase'. The event concentrated on third-party Switch console games from Nintendo's partners. So there wasn't any first party stuff like Mario or Pokémon for example. If you want to watch then it's event is around 25 minutes long and details games that are coming to the original Nintendo Switch as well as the new Switch 2. Catch up on everything in the embedded video right here: Play Some of the key announcements included: EA Sports FC 26 is coming to Switch and Switch 2 consoles on 26 September with an 'overhauled gameplay experience' and new challenges. Plants Vs. Zombies: Replanted is also coming to both consoles on 23 October while Just Dance 2026 is also on the way with 40 new tracks. Some of the Switch 2 exclusives are coming soon – Madden NFL 26 on 14 August and Apex Legends on 5 August. Later, Once Upon a Katamari is coming on 24 October while Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is due on 14 November. Star Wars: Outlaws is coming to Switch 2 on 4 September and there's a new 'developer featurette' here: Play There were complaints online before the event around the Switch 2 Virtual Game Card's restrictions. Unlike with physical Switch games, the virtual card can only be installed on one Switch 2 console at a time and it has undoubtedly been a disappointment with the latest console. It's certainly rather restrictive for people that have spent a significant amount on the new console.
Forbes
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
30 Popular Video Games Of The ‘80s
Considering the rise of home consoles that we saw within the decade, '80s video games paved the way for the industry we see today. Legendary characters, such as Mario and Donkey Kong, made their debuts in '80s games, skyrocketing Nintendo to the top of the video game industry. Some of the best '80s games are still loved and played today, while the influences of many more can be seen all across the industry. This list takes a trip down memory lane to look at these popular '80s video games and decide which ones are worth giving a go 40 years later. Classic '80s Video Games With home consoles only becoming popularised in the 1980s, arcade games were some of the most popular games of the decade. Platformers, space shooters and action games were at the very top of the industry, with titles such as Pac-Man, Star Wars and Super Mario Bros all being heavily played. While those home consoles would go on to change the way we play video games altogether, the actual games released also defined the industry. Many huge franchises began in the '80s, with games such as Super Mario Bros going on to be some of the best-selling games of the decade. This list takes a look at these legendary titles, taking a trip down memory lane to see how they changed the industry, and picks the best of the best that you should still be playing today. Platforms: Arcade A horizontally scrolling shooter, R-Type was released by Irem in 1987. R-Type forces players to play each level repeatedly, powering up as they learn the correct pathway. A game so influential it was remade multiple times, R-Type is great for players who want to learn the right way of doing things. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Platforms: Arcade Konami's first worldwide hit, Scramble, is a horizontally scrolling shooter that was released in 1981. Control a futuristic jet, avoid collisions, destroy enemies and make sure you don't run out of fuel. Just like Pac-Man, it's a simple concept, but it hits on every single point. Platforms: Arcade, Atari, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Xbox, Switch First Star Software's maze-based puzzle game was released in 1984. Gameplay saw players tunnel through dirt to collect diamonds. The challenge comes when boulders and other hazards are dislodged, causing them to fall and crush the player. Perfect for players who like to think while they play. Platforms: Arcade, ZX Spectrum, Atari Like Defender, Atari's 1981 game Tempest features difficult and hard to master mechanics. A tube shooter that one or two players can take turns to play, the goal is simply to survive and score as many points as possible. It has alternating difficulty levels, so players who want to push themselves will love this. Platforms: Arcade Bally Midway's 1982 arcade game Tron was inspired by the Disney classic film of the same name. Featuring four mini-games that represented parts of the film, Tron provides players with plenty of re-playability and unique gameplay. If you're looking for an arcade game to sink some time into, this is the one for you. Platforms: ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64) Developed by Mike Singleton, Lords of Midnight is an epic fantasy RPG that was released in 1984. Combining immersive and charming 3-D graphics with strategic, war gameplay, Lords of Midnight is a game that can be played in a multitude of ways. Perfect for players who like a little bit of variety. Platforms: MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 A space trading and combat simulator developed by David Braben and Ian Bell, 1984's Elite is regarded as one of the best games of the decade, and laid the groundwork for games released for decades to come. A genre-making game, if you love the history of games, you need to play this one. Platforms: Arcade, ZX Spectrum, Atari, Commodore 64, Game Boy, Switch The game that introduced Mario, Donkey Kong, saw everyone's favorite Italian plumber set out to save Pauline from Donkey Kong. With four stages, Donkey Kong remains a surprisingly difficult challenge to complete, and all Mario fans need to play it. Platforms: SNES, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari Developed by Maxis and released in 1989, SimCity is the city-builder that defined the genre. The game's goal is to build a city, create its zoning laws, tax residents and ensure their happiness. It may be a little dated now, but if you love city-builders, this is a must-play. Platforms: SNES, Atari, MS-DOS Released in 1987 by FTL Games, Dungeon Master is a RPG game with a 3-D, first-person perspective. Utilising real-time combat instead of the turn-based approach that was common at the time, players set find a firestaff so they can destroy Lord Chaos. If you love dungeon crawlers, you'll love this game. Platforms: Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum Lord of the Ring fans will love this one. An interactive fiction game released in 1982 by Beam Software, it takes players through the story by letting them make choices through the use of a parser. Incredibly advanced game for the time, it really makes you feel like you're experiencing Middle Earth in real-time. Platforms: NES, Game Boy, GameCube A game that spawned one of the biggest franchises in gaming history, Nintendo's 1986 action-adventure game, The Legend of Zelda, was an instant classic. Playing as Link, players set out to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon, collecting weapons and uncovering secrets while on their quest. Every fan of the Zelda games should play this. Platforms: Arcade, NES Konami's 1987 game Contra is a run and gun game that set the tone for the genre for years to come. Able to be played solo and in two-player co-op, Contra sees players go on a mission to destroy enemies planning to wipe out humanity. A great choice for any lovers of action games. Platforms: Arcade, NES, Game Boy Nintendo's 1986 action-adventure game Metroid kicked off one of Nintendo's great franchises. As Samus Aran, players attempt to retrieve Metroid creatures from Pirates who seek to clone them for their own gain. If you're a fan of the Metroid games, you'll love this one, especially for the reveal at the end of the game. Platforms: NES Another game that started a franchise, Square's 1987 offering, Final Fantasy, is a legendary RPG. Following four youths who each carry an elemental crystal, the youths set out to destroy four Elemental Fiends and save their world. If you want to see how Final Fantasy made its name, this is the game for you. Platforms: NES, PlayStation Capcom's 1987 game Mega Man is another franchise-starter that has mass popularity today. An action-platformer, players play as the titular hero to save the world from Dr. Wily. With nonlinear gameplay that allows players to choose the order they play the stages, Mega Man is perfect for players who love replayability. Platforms: Arcade, Commodore 64, Atari, ZX Spectrum A series still going strong today, Capcom released the first Street Fighter game way back in 1987. Able to be played solo or against a friend, Street Fighter introduced special attacks to the fighter genre and stands the test of time as one of the best games the genre has to offer. Platforms: Arcade, Atari, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 Atari's 1983 rail shooter Star Wars allowed players to live out an iconic scene from cinema history, the Death Star assault from A New Hope. Playing as Luke Skywalker, players must avoid or destroy TIE Fighters and gun turrets until they destroy the Death Star. Every Star Wars fan needs to play this game. Platforms: Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Atari Named after English footballer Emlyn Hughes, Audiogenic's Software's 1988 sports game allowed players to play football either against the computer or against a friend. Gameplay might be more simple than the EA FC games of today, but it takes a lot of skill to master, and it's perfect for soccer fans. Platforms: Apple II, SNES, Game Boy, Atari, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum An iconic video game franchise, Broderbund's Prince of Persia got its start in 1989. Utilising rotoscoping to provide players with realistic animation, Prince of Persia is a cinematic platformer where players have to lead the protagonist out of dungeons before time runs out. A must-play for Prince of Persia fans. Platforms: Arcade, Atari A horizontally scrolling shooter developed by Williams Electronics and released in 1981, Defender tasks players with defending astronauts from invading aliens. A game that features genuinely challenging levels, Defender is a game that is perfect for players that want to master something. Platforms: Arcade, NES, Game Boy The third Super Mario Bros. game released in the '80s, this Nintendo platformer was released in 1988. Players control Mario or Luigi, and set out to save Princess Toadstool from Bowser. The first Super Mario Bros. to feature a world map between levels, this is a trip down memory lane for Mario fans. Platforms: Arcade Sega's 1986 driving game Out Run made you feel like you were seriously moving. Controlling a Ferrari Testarossa, players have to race against the clock while dodging traffic to reach a destination in time. Its influence on the industry is clear, and if you love timed racing, you'll love this one. Platforms: Atari, Commodore 64 Developed by Lucasfilm games and released in 1987, Maniac Mansion is an adventure game that follows Dave Miller as he attempts to save his girlfriend from a mad scientist. With nonlinear gameplay and six playable characters, this is a game for people who want to be able to play something multiple times. Platforms: Arcade, Atari, Commodore 64 Released in 1981, Konami's Frogger has one of the most recognizable gameplay loops in gaming. Playing as a frog, you have to cross a road and a river, dodging cars and other obstacles to safely make it to the other side. If you like playing Crossy Road, why not go and play the OG? Platforms: Commodore 64, Atari Access Software's 1984 game is a golf game that features real life courses. Without any indication of the power you apply to each stroke, you're meant to just feel it, and that's difficult. For lovers of golf and gaming fans who like a genuine skill curve, this might be the greatest game ever made. Platforms: Arcade, Atari, Game Boy Atari's 1980 arcade shoot 'em up Missile Command perfectly preyed upon the Cold War fears of the time. Using a trackball, players had to defend cities from intercontinental ballistic missiles by shooting them down with missiles of their own. A great game for those who like experiences like Space Invaders. Platforms: MS-DOS, Apple DOS Created in the Soviet Union by Alexey Pajitnov, the story of Tetris' worldwide release is something out of a spy movie. Finally coming to the West in 1988, the puzzle gameplay of arranging falling obstacles is completely addictive. For players who like to beat their own high scores, look no further than Tetris. Platforms: Arcade Perhaps the most iconic arcade game of all time, Namco's 1980 classic Pac-Man is still played and loved today and has spawned spin-off games such as Pinball and World Rally, a kart-racing game. Pac-Man itself has a very easy concept: Eat all the dots inside a maze while you avoid four colored ghosts. It's simple, it's addictive and it's no surprise that it's stood the test of time. Perfect if you're just looking to relax and don't want to get too sucked in. Platforms: Arcade, NES Released in 1985 by Nintendo, Super Mario Bros. is the first title in the iconic series. Sending players out as either Mario or Luigi, players must advance through side-scrolling worlds to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser. You know the story. You know the gameplay. If you love Mario games, you'll love this. Bottom Line 1980s video games were nothing short of revolutionary. Whether they were produced for arcades or for the plethora of new home consoles, they captivated audiences like no games had before. Laying the grounds for the industry, the impact of '80s games is still clear today. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What Are Popular '80s Arcade Games? One of the most popular arcade games of the '80s was Donkey Kong from Nintendo. The game that introduced the world to Mario, it was a platformer that changed the game, and consequently, the whole industry. Its legacy cannot be understated, and without it the industry would not look the same today. Maze games like Pac-Man from Namco were also hugely popular, offering players a challenging and addictive gameplay loop where they could set out to beat their friends' high scores. What Were Popular '80s Game Consoles? In the '80s Atari and Nintendo consoles dominated, with the Nintendo Entertainment System being one of the most iconic still around. With franchises like Mario available on the latter, it quickly became a hit in homes across the world. With the '80s being the decade where gaming at home became a reality for many, it's also worth mentioning that arcade cabinets continued to be as popular as ever, before they started to drop off in the '90s. What Are Popular Video Games Of The '90s? Whilst the arcade platformers of the '80s remained popular throughout the '90s, advancements in technology saw the rise of first-person shooter games such as Doom and GoldenEye 007. The extra power in consoles and PCs in the '90s meant a lot of new ideas popped up. Games with richer stories also grew in popularity, including titles like Silent Hill, which also provided players with genuine scares as part of the survival horror genre. By the end of the '90s, games looked almost unrecognizable from what were available just 10 years earlier.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sonic fans just realising why iconic hedgehog is blue ahead of fourth film
Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most popular characters in video game history, and he'll soon be starring in his fourth film - but do you know why the character is blue? Sonic the Hedgehog fans have only just realised why the iconic video game character is blue - and it turns out there's even a reason for the colour within the franchise's lore. Sonic is one of the most popular video game characters of all time, and he's been featured in over 100 gaming titles since his first appearance in 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis. In 2020, Sonic became the subject of his own live-action film, which has since spawned two further films, with a fourth on the way in 2027. With interest in the super-fast mammal still rising, fans are now starting to ask one very pertinent question - why on earth is he blue? The real-world reason for Sonic's striking blue coat is simple. Sega created him in 1991 as a mascot that was supposed to rival the success Nintendo was having at the time with their mascot, Mario. As Mario is predominantly red, Sonic was made blue as a direct contrast, as well as blue being the primary colour in the Sega logo. As for Sonic's red shoes, they were actually inspired by both Santa Claus and Michael Jackson, with the design team particularly taking inspiration from the latter's 1987 album, Bad. A TikTok video from Byte Sized Science explained: "Sega made Sonic to rival Mario, and they needed a bold mascot. Blue matched Sega's logo colour, and the red shoes were inspired by Michael Jackson's Bad cover. Even his attitude was designed to feel edgy and Western, unlike Mario." But Sonic's blue colour isn't just something that can be explained away by good marketing strategies. The character actually has an in-game reason for his blue hue, and it's all to do with his arch-nemesis in the games, Doctor Robotnik. In a Sonic comic it was revealed that Sonic was originally a regular hedgehog with natural brown fur. Everything changed when he stumbled into the laboratory of a scientist named Ovi Kintobor, who was looking for the seven Chaos Emeralds so that he could lock the world's evil away inside them. Sonic decided to help him by using his superspeed to find the last Emerald. The scientist was so fascinated by his skills that he began running tests on the hedgehog. But when Sonic ran so fast that he broke the sound barrier, the sonic boom destroyed the testing gear and turned Sonic blue in the process. The hedgehog stuck around with Kintobor after the incident, but later, another accident occurred in which the scientist fell into his evil collecting machine while holding an egg. The evil stored in the Chaos Emeralds was transferred into Kintobor and the egg, fusing them into the evil Doctor Ivo Robotnik - the Eggman. The Blue Blur will star in his fourth film in 2027, where Ben Schwartz is expected to reprise his role as the voice of the titular hedgehog. Jim Carey has played Dr Robotnik in the past three instalments, but it is not yet known if he will return for the upcoming fourth flick. It's also believed that Sonic's love interest, Amy Rose, could make her debut in Sonic 4, but no actress has been confirmed to be voicing her as of the time of writing. According to IMDb, however, both Lady Gaga and Scarlett Johansson have been considered for the role. For Sonic fans who can't wait for the new film, a new Sonic racing game titled Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, is scheduled to be released on September 25th this year for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. A Nintendo Switch 2 release is planned for a later date. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is expected to be released on March 19, 2027.
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Valeen Montenegro holds costume party for her gender reveal
Valeen Montenegro put a unique spin on her gender reveal party. The Kapuso comedienne hosted a small gathering with her friends, and they all dressed up in costumes. 'Just an average day… with Mona Lisa, a manananggal, Queen Luigi, a sexy cop, and Korean Imelda dropping by,' Valeen said on Instagram. Chariz Solomon was a manananggal, Ashley Rivera was the Mona Lisa, Lovely Abella was a sexy cop, Dasuri Choi was in a Filipiniana, and makeup artist Toni Aviles was Luigi from "Mario." In the photos Valeen shared from the party, the guests could be seen playing a game to guess the gender of her baby. However, she is yet to reveal the gender to the public. Valeen and Riel Manuel got engaged in 2022 and tied the knot in January 2024. They announced they were expecting in June. —Nika Roque/JCB, GMA Integrated News
Mint
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Surprise your friends with thoughtful gifts this Friendship Day
Gifting on Friendship Day doesn't have to be loud or flashy, it just has to make sense. The best gifts are the ones that say, 'I know what you'd love, and I've been paying attention.' So this year, skip the generic photo frames and pick something that genuinely adds value to your friends' lives. Here are five surprisingly meaningful picks to wrap up the nostalgia and give it a techy twist: Whether it's late-night drives or solo road trips, this dual-camera dashcam records both front and rear with sharp clarity, even at night. With GPS, Wi-Fi, and emergency G-sensor features, it's peace of mind in traffic. A solid gift for the highway regular in your group. The newest Kindle Paperwhite is fast, sleek, and comes with a bigger 7-inch display that mimics real paper. With weeks of battery and a distraction-free reading experience, this is perfect for your bookworm bestie who always says they're 'trying to read more.' This 3.5-inch handheld emulator is packed with nostalgia, think old-school Mario, Contra, and arcade classics. With 128 GB storage and a colourful design, it's perfect for short commutes, travel, or just zoning out between meetings. Great for that one friend who still talks about their Game Boy. Smart speaker, alarm clock, daily news updater, party DJ, this compact Echo does it all with solid sound and voice control. Great for bedrooms, desks, or even kitchens. It's practical, fun, and honestly feels more premium than its price tag. Instant prints, vintage vibes, and a surprisingly decent built-in flash. The Instax Mini 41 brings memories to life, literally. A thoughtful pick for anyone who still loves scrapbooks, journaling, or fridge-photo walls. Fingerprint scanner, digital keypad, alarm system, and voice prompts, it's basically the Iron Man suit of personal safes. With toughened glass shelves and LED lighting, the NX Pro Luxe protects your valuables while looking good doing it. For the friend who's organized, paranoid, or just likes cool, smart home upgrades.
