Latest news with #Zelda


Newsweek
5 hours ago
- General
- Newsweek
Dog in Shelter for Over 365 Days Still Looking for a Forever Home
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An animal shelter from Fresno, California, recently shared a video of their longest-staying canine resident, 2-year-old Zelda, and internet users can't believe that the sweet pup still hasn't found a home. The viral video shared on TikTok earlier in July, under the username @ shows the shepherd mix pup looking sad as she is locked in her kennel, waiting patiently for somebody to choose her. A caption says: "POV [point of view]: you visit an animal shelter and ask to see the dogs who has been there the longest. This is Zelda … This has been her view for 365+ days … "She's watched adopters walk right past her and choose someone else every time. She would need to be the only pet in the home … Please consider giving her a chance …" Jackie Gonzalez, a volunteer at the Valley Animal Center in Fresno, California, where Zelda is available for adoption, told Newsweek that the dog was dumped in their lobby one day, and has been in their care for over a year. "She was adopted once but returned just three days later. She loves people, is toy-motivated, and eager to please, but she struggles in her kennel, often suckling on her blankets to self-soothe," Gonzalez said. She added that Zelda isn't dog- or cat-friendly, which makes finding her the right home harder. "She needs an active, pet-free home with someone who can give her the exercise and love she craves. She's been overlooked for too long—she deserves a real chance," Gonzalez said. Active dog breeds need about one or two hours of exercise daily, including walks, runs, hikes, or play sessions, so they are best-matched with people who look forward to spending some quality time with their pup. Some of the most-active dog breeds include Border collies, Australian shepherds, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Siberian huskies, German shepherds, and Belgian Malinois. Other breeds that are also considered to be among the most active include Jack Russell terriers, vizslas, Dalmatians, Weimaraners, and miniature schnauzers. Screenshots of the viral video show Zelda in her kennel, waiting to be taken home. Screenshots of the viral video show Zelda in her kennel, waiting to be taken home. @ The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 22,300 views and more than 7,600 likes on the platform. One user, Sierra, commented: "Sweet babyyy. Someone please give her the life she deserves." Cynn posted: "She's still there?! Please someone foster or adopt. There's no way this sweet baby is still in there." JOlson312 added: "Such a sweet girl. She just wants someone to hug at night." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.


CNET
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Donkey Kong Bananza Review: Like Mario And Zelda Smashed Together on Switch 2
Summers are about big, fun, mind-numbing movies. Great escapes in the best of ways. I need that right now, and maybe you do too. I'm happy to say that Donkey Kong Bananza is here to whisk you off to multilevel worlds of satisfyingly smashing madness, to cheer you up and give you an excuse to punch the heck out of things. It's a game my 12-year-old son has loved playing along with me, although I've had to find ways to wrestle the game back to play for myself. I was wowed by Bananza during an early preview a few weeks ago, but after a few weeks of play at home, it's even better. This is my favorite Switch game since… I have no idea when. Maybe since Super Mario Odyssey. The catch is that you need the new Nintendo Switch 2 console to play it. Donkey Kong Bananza won't work on the original Switch -- or on any other gaming device. Of course, that's the whole idea. Nintendo needed home run games for its new Switch 2 console, and it hit a grand slam with the new Donkey Kong. I still haven't finished the game, but I already know it's the best reason to buy a Switch 2 yet. Donkey Kong Bananza is available for $70 from and other retailers. We're also keeping track of Nintendo Switch 2 restocks if you're still seeking a console. Bananza is about punching tons of stuff, and also about questing. Nintendo Smashing story with co-op options In a lot of ways, Bananza feels like Zelda and Mario met in the middle. The story's weird, but what Mario (or Nintendo) game isn't? Donkey Kong's world has been threatened by a sinister bunch of apes, after a large meteor knocks a mining company deep into the planet's core. The adventure involves diving down into those sublevels -- it's Donkey Kong Hollow Earth, or Journey to the Center of the Kongiverse. The big difference in this game is that you can destroy just about anything, burrowing and tunneling throughout the game's large 3D maps. Technically, this isn't a true collaborative co-op game, but there's a mode where Pauline -- a young girl who mysteriously fell from the sky and becomes Donkey Kong's friend -- can throw her voice, literally, at things to destroy them. A second player takes over as Pauline and aims and shoots words at enemies, and can absorb material powers from nearby rocks and objects. It's more engaging than the hat-throwing co-op in Odyssey. You can Game Share Bananza with a local Switch 2 or Switch 1 in co-op mode to play on two screens, or just play on one. For this review, I wasn't allowed to Game Share to a second Switch. The Mario mojo Bananza is made by the Super Mario Odyssey team, and its 3D platforming feels like a Mario sequel. You can wander through large but still self-contained sublevels that remind me of the Kingdoms in Super Mario Odyssey. As you descend to new levels, the characters you meet and the level's game mechanics shift up a bit. The levels aren't as drastically different or quite as weirdly whimsical as the ones in Odyssey, but they feel a lot busier. Jumping and punching are the main ways to control things, but there are plenty of other moves. There's also a skill tree of abilities to unlock and power up, which uses points you accumulate by collecting giant, crystal bananas (just go with it). Donkey Kong can also buy new outfits, much like Mario Odyssey, but these outfits (or pieces of outfits) give extra perks, like cold resistance or faster energy recovery. Each of the levels has goals and sub-bosses to fight, but also secret subchallenges to discover -- some of them 3D, some 2D side-scrolling. There are other things to find, in every direction, on any potential hillside or surface, if you just pummel your fists and dig. The free-digging usually involves either finding more crystal bananas or various-sized fossils, which can be collected and redeemed for costumes. There's gold to accumulate, too, which acts as general currency. But even as I rush to the next goal on any level, I'm equally tempted to just start digging around and see what's going on somewhere else. You'll be studying a lot of 3D map terrain. Nintendo The Zelda zeitgeist Here's where Bananza really starts to feel like a lower-key Zelda game, especially when it comes to finding characters and following sub-missions. You can talk to lots of the strange characters in each sublevel, and some share important news. You'll get directed to a particular goal, and on a 3D map, you can track your progress or warp to other spots. But as the game's progress starts to wind up and down through sublevels, it begins to feel a lot more quest-y than any Mario game. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom kept coming to mind for me. That game's vast overworld and underworld -- and its various ways of finding passages between -- is very much like Bananza. Also, like recent Zelda games, you can climb just about anywhere (or surf chunks of rock you rip out of the ground). The outfit perks feel Zelda-like, and so does the game's sense of real-time, chaotic physics. Some puzzles involve understanding the environment and manipulating it, much like I did many times in Tears. There's also a sense of persistence in Bananza. You can create little home bases that let you rest up and change outfits. You'll meander off and come back to locations. Mario Odyssey had some of this too, but Bananza feels more lived in. Unlike recent Zeldas, though, this game's challenges are relatively contained. You won't have long lists of subquests or stories to lose track of. After spending months away from Zelda, and coming back not remembering what I was meant to do next, I appreciate Bananza's simpler vibe. Pauline literally throws her words as weapons. Nintendo A whole new yet familiar feel Most importantly, Bananza just feels fresh. I get a little tired, sometimes, of diving back into new Zeldas and Marios that layer legends on top of legends. Donkey Kong's universe is different from previous Kong games, especially the giant, wrinkled Elders who preside over subworlds like spirits, granting extra transformation powers. This is where the "Bananza" name comes in. Accumulating enough gold triggers a chance to become a spirit animal. There's a Bananza version of Kong that has stronger punches, an ostrich that can fly and drop egg bombs, and a zebra that can run fast over ice and water. (I haven't unlocked any others yet.) After a week-plus of playing, I'm still consistently surprised by what I'm encountering. But I'm also finding it familiar and comfortable, just like a big summer movie. And that's what this is: Nintendo's big blockbuster summer game, one of the best I can remember. Something I don't want to end, and I'm glad to have more to explore. I'm also surprised by other things: there's no online mode, which I don't mind but feels surprising after Super Mario Wonder's clever additions. The game download size is only 8GB, shockingly small compared to Switch 2 launch games like Cyberpunk 2077, which were nearly 60GB. I was getting worried about how much storage space I'd have on the Switch 2 over time, but if more games are like Bananza, things will be OK. My youngest son was instantly interested in Bananza, so much so that he didn't want me playing without him. I had to, though, so I could carve enough time out to play. We're going to backtrack and play again, and he'll start playing, too. Will Bananza feel as replayable and infinitely fun as many of Nintendo's best? I can't entirely tell yet, but there's already so much I've skipped over in so many levels, I don't doubt it. There's also a 3D art mode thrown in as a bonus where you use the Joy-Cons to sculpt and paint ape heads and bunches of bananas. DK meeting one of the massive Elders. Nintendo Donkey Kong makes it worth buying a Switch 2 Bananza is a great sign for where Nintendo's heading with the Switch 2. It feels like a more evolved version of many Switch games of the past, but just like Mario Kart World, the other major Switch 2 exclusive, it takes the good ideas even further. Bananza is also an extension of Nintendo's universe, including the Super Mario Movie, which has a Donkey Kong that looks like this one, and Super Nintendo World, which has a Donkey Kong land, too. And yes, Super Nintendo World's Donkey Kong Power-Up bands even work like Amiibo with this game. This is a game as vibrant and kinetic as Sony's fantastic Astro Bot and similarly full of things to search for and do. In comparison, Super Mario Odyssey now seems surprisingly quiet and chill. And yes, this game is worth getting a Switch 2 for -- that was the idea all along. It's nice to see that Nintendo really pulled it off, though. Combined with Mario Kart World, this is a heck of a one-two punch. I'd still love a proper 3D Mario sequel someday, but Bananza is practically that right now.


CNET
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Donkey Kong Bananza Is Satisfyingly Smashing Madness
Summers are about big, fun, mind-numbing movies. Great escapes in the best of ways. I need that right now, and maybe you do too. I'm happy to say that Donkey Kong Bananza is here to whisk you off to multilevel worlds of satisfyingly smashing madness, to cheer you up and give you an excuse to punch the heck out of things. It's a game my 12-year-old son has loved playing along with me, although I've had to find ways to wrestle the game back to play for myself. I was wowed by Bananza during an early preview a few weeks ago, but after a few weeks of play at home, it's even better. This is my favorite Switch game since… I have no idea when. Maybe since Super Mario Odyssey. The catch is that you need the new Nintendo Switch 2 console to play it. Donkey Kong Bananza won't work on the original Switch -- or on any other gaming device. Of course, that's the whole idea. Nintendo needed home run games for its new Switch 2 console, and it hit a grand slam with the new Donkey Kong. I still haven't finished the game, but I already know it's the best reason to buy a Switch 2 yet. Donkey Kong Bananza is available for $70 from and other retailers. We're also keeping track of Nintendo Switch 2 restocks if you're still seeking a console. Bananza is about punching tons of stuff, and also about questing. Nintendo Smashing story with co-op options In a lot of ways, Bananza feels like Zelda and Mario met in the middle. The story's weird, but what Mario (or Nintendo) game isn't? Donkey Kong's world has been threatened by a sinister bunch of apes, after a large meteor knocks a mining company deep into the planet's core. The adventure involves diving down into those sublevels -- it's Donkey Kong Hollow Earth, or Journey to the Center of the Kongiverse. The big difference in this game is that you can destroy just about anything, burrowing and tunneling throughout the game's large 3D maps. Technically, this isn't a true collaborative co-op game, but there's a mode where Pauline -- a young girl who mysteriously fell from the sky and becomes Donkey Kong's friend -- can throw her voice, literally, at things to destroy them. A second player takes over as Pauline and aims and shoots words at enemies, and can absorb material powers from nearby rocks and objects. It's more engaging than the hat-throwing co-op in Odyssey. You can Game Share Bananza with a local Switch 2 or Switch 1 in co-op mode to play on two screens, or just play on one. For this review, I wasn't allowed to Game Share to a second Switch. The Mario mojo Bananza is made by the Super Mario Odyssey team, and its 3D platforming feels like a Mario sequel. You can wander through large but still self-contained sublevels that remind me of the Kingdoms in Super Mario Odyssey. As you descend to new levels, the characters you meet and the level's game mechanics shift up a bit. The levels aren't as drastically different or quite as weirdly whimsical as the ones in Odyssey, but they feel a lot busier. Jumping and punching are the main ways to control things, but there are plenty of other moves. There's also a skill tree of abilities to unlock and power up, which uses points you accumulate by collecting giant, crystal bananas (just go with it). Donkey Kong can also buy new outfits, much like Mario Odyssey, but these outfits (or pieces of outfits) give extra perks, like cold resistance or faster energy recovery. Each of the levels has goals and sub-bosses to fight, but also secret subchallenges to discover -- some of them 3D, some 2D side-scrolling. There are other things to find, in every direction, on any potential hillside or surface, if you just pummel your fists and dig. The free-digging usually involves either finding more crystal bananas or various-sized fossils, which can be collected and redeemed for costumes. There's gold to accumulate, too, which acts as general currency. But even as I rush to the next goal on any level, I'm equally tempted to just start digging around and see what's going on somewhere else. You'll be studying a lot of 3D map terrain. Nintendo The Zelda zeitgeist Here's where Bananza really starts to feel like a lower-key Zelda game, especially when it comes to finding characters and following sub-missions. You can talk to lots of the strange characters in each sublevel, and some share important news. You'll get directed to a particular goal, and on a 3D map, you can track your progress or warp to other spots. But as the game's progress starts to wind up and down through sublevels, it begins to feel a lot more quest-y than any Mario game. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom kept coming to mind for me. That game's vast overworld and underworld -- and its various ways of finding passages between -- is very much like Bananza. Also, like recent Zelda games, you can climb just about anywhere (or surf chunks of rock you rip out of the ground). The outfit perks feel Zelda-like, and so does the game's sense of real-time, chaotic physics. Some puzzles involve understanding the environment and manipulating it, much like I did many times in Tears. There's also a sense of persistence in Bananza. You can create little home bases that let you rest up and change outfits. You'll meander off and come back to locations. Mario Odyssey had some of this too, but Bananza feels more lived in. Unlike recent Zeldas, though, this game's challenges are relatively contained. You won't have long lists of subquests or stories to lose track of. After spending months away from Zelda, and coming back not remembering what I was meant to do next, I appreciate Bananza's simpler vibe. Pauline literally throws her words as weapons. Nintendo A whole new yet familiar feel Most importantly, Bananza just feels fresh. I get a little tired, sometimes, of diving back into new Zeldas and Marios that layer legends on top of legends. Donkey Kong's universe is different from previous Kong games, especially the giant, wrinkled Elders who preside over subworlds like spirits, granting extra transformation powers. This is where the "Bananza" name comes in. Accumulating enough gold triggers a chance to become a spirit animal. There's a Bananza version of Kong that has stronger punches, an ostrich that can fly and drop egg bombs, and a zebra that can run fast over ice and water. (I haven't unlocked any others yet.) After a week-plus of playing, I'm still consistently surprised by what I'm encountering. But I'm also finding it familiar and comfortable, just like a big summer movie. And that's what this is: Nintendo's big blockbuster summer game, one of the best I can remember. Something I don't want to end, and I'm glad to have more to explore. I'm also surprised by other things: there's no online mode, which I don't mind but feels surprising after Super Mario Wonder's clever additions. The game download size is only 8GB, shockingly small compared to Switch 2 launch games like Cyberpunk 2077, which were nearly 60GB. I was getting worried about how much storage space I'd have on the Switch 2 over time, but if more games are like Bananza, things will be OK. My youngest son was instantly interested in Bananza, so much so that he didn't want me playing without him. I had to, though, so I could carve enough time out to play. We're going to backtrack and play again, and he'll start playing, too. Will Bananza feel as replayable and infinitely fun as many of Nintendo's best? I can't entirely tell yet, but there's already so much I've skipped over in so many levels, I don't doubt it. There's also a 3D art mode thrown in as a bonus where you use the Joy-Cons to sculpt and paint ape heads and bunches of bananas. DK meeting one of the massive Elders. Nintendo Donkey Kong makes it worth buying a Switch 2 Bananza is a great sign for where Nintendo's heading with the Switch 2. It feels like a more evolved version of many Switch games of the past, but just like Mario Kart World, the other major Switch 2 exclusive, it takes the good ideas even further. Bananza is also an extension of Nintendo's universe, including the Super Mario Movie, which has a Donkey Kong that looks like this one, and Super Nintendo World, which has a Donkey Kong land, too. And yes, Super Nintendo World's Donkey Kong Power-Up bands even work like Amiibo with this game. This is a game as vibrant and kinetic as Sony's fantastic Astro Bot and similarly full of things to search for and do. In comparison, Super Mario Odyssey now seems surprisingly quiet and chill. And yes, this game is worth getting a Switch 2 for -- that was the idea all along. It's nice to see that Nintendo really pulled it off, though. Combined with Mario Kart World, this is a heck of a one-two punch. I'd still love a proper 3D Mario sequel someday, but Bananza is practically that right now.

Straits Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
British actors Bo Bragason, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth cast in live-action The Legend Of Zelda film
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Bo Bragason (left) will play Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Link, an elf warrior. TOKYO - Two British actors will play the lead roles in the hotly anticipated live-action film adaptation of The Legend Of Zelda (1986 to present) video game franchise, Japan's Nintendo announced. The movie's release is set for May 2027, joining a stream of big-screen game adaptations from Super Mario (1985 to present) to Sonic The Hedgehog (1991 to present) that have stormed the box office in recent years. Bo Bragason will play Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play Link, an elf warrior who swordfights his way through a monster-filled fantasy world, Nintendo said on social media platform X on July 16. 'I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen,' said the post attributed to game designer and Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto. Miyamoto, the co-producer of Super Mario, created the Zelda universe in 1986. Since then, the hugely popular series has sold more than 140 million games worldwide. Its latest instalment, 2024's The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom, saw the titular character shed her role as a damsel in distress to be the heroine for the first time. Bragason, 21, previously starred in British TV series like Three Girls (2017) and Renegade Nell (2024), while Ainsworth, 16, provided the voice of Pinocchio in the 2022 live-action movie of the same name and appeared in the horror series The Haunting Of Bly Manor (2020). Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 30% of aviation jobs could be redesigned due to AI, automation; $200m fund to support workers: CAAS Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences Business Global fintech firms expanding in Singapore with larger offices, APAC hubs Singapore UOB awarded $17.7m in civil suit against Lippo Marina Collection over inflated housing loans Life Kinokuniya opens third bookstore in Raffles City, weeks ahead of schedule Business DBS shares rally to a new record as STI clocks yet another high Singapore 5 foreigners charged over scheme to deliberately get arrested in S'pore to sell sex drugs Life F1 Singapore Grand Prix: Music acts Lewis Capaldi, Clean Bandit, Spice Girls' Melanie C added Before the announcement, online speculation had been rife that American trans actress Hunter Schafer, known for hit HBO show Euphoria (2019 to present), might be picked for the part of Zelda. The movie, directed by American film-maker Wes Ball of the Maze Runner (2014 to 2018) film trilogy, is a big-screen first for Zelda, although the game was adapted for a 13-episode animated series in 1989. Movie adaptations of hit video games have become big business, with Nintendo's The Super Mario Bros. Movie the second-highest grossing film of 2023, with US$1.36 billion (S$1.75 billion). Among other titles being developed into films are Japan's Elden Ring (2022 to present) and US life-simulation game series The Sims (2000 to present). AFP


Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: What is the next big game for Nintendo Switch 2?
The Friday letters page hopes for the industry's sake that EA Sports FC 26 sells well, as one reader wonders who else will be in the Zelda movie. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Mystery follow-up Nice review of Donkey Kong Bananza, GC. It's interesting to me that it's another good Nintendo game but one which, like Mario Kart World, features just enough problems for it to be kind of mid-tier by their standards. I'm sure other companies would love if their flawed efforts were getting a 9/10 but that's just the legacy that Nintendo has at this point. Either way, we're still at the 'it was originally made for the previous console' stage of the generation, which all consoles go through. I think normally it's about two years in before we start to see ones made only with the current console in mind. I don't know if I'll wait that long before getting a Switch 2, but I'm not currently tempted this year. More because of the lack of games rather than these first two not being top tier. So, the question is what next? Metroid Prime 4 is even less a Switch 2 game than the first two so what comes after that? My heart tells me that it'll be Animal Crossing, as a counterpoint to the hardcore Metroid Prime 4, but who can ever say with Nintendo. I'd be most pleased with a brand new IP but that's even harder to try and predict. It's exciting but also frustrating because I wouldn't bet on finding out this year. Onibee The Legend of Bugsy Malone Although it's in keeping with a lot of the games I am surprised at just how young and inexperienced the Link and Zelda actors are. I can only hope the casting director knows that they're doing, because that is a hell of a gamble straight from the start. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. It makes me wonder who the older characters are going to be in the film? Ganondorf will obviously be an adult man, but will Impa be an old granny or the sort of peak fitness version we've seen before? Since Link and Zelda don't seem to be based on Breath Of The Wild I'm going to guess a younger Impa, but who else? Makes me wonder if the champions will be in it, as they were all kind of peak adults. The film will probably make up some new characters, because the series doesn't have a lot of recurring ones. Someone like Lineback or Midna would be cool, but that seems more like something to keep back for a sequel. Like you said, there's so much that could go wrong with this, but let's see what happens. Focus Lesser of two evils Look like EA is pretty worried about EA Sports FC 26 doing well. I remember a time when I have cheered on the idea of them going under (not that I think they will, but bear with me). Apart from me feeling worse nowadays, about the idea of wishing thousands of people to loose their job, at least EA isn't owned by someone else. I don't like much of what they do but it's not like I haven't enjoyed EA games in the past, especially the Star Wars stuff, so let's not wish the games industry to become even smaller and even more under the shadow of Microsoft – a company that has shown it will turn its back on anything or anyone for the smallest amount of profit. On one hand it doesn't bother me whether EA Sports FC 26 is a hit or not, because I'll never buy it. But on the other hand I hope it does well because EA going under isn't good for anyone, except for even bigger corporations than them. Combi Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Monkey money madness The reviews are really difficult to ignore for Donkey Kong Bananza. I'm glad it's doing well critically but I don't think I'll be buying the game anytime soon. £65 for the physical cart is just too much to justify, especially when Nintendo games never go on sale. I bought Cyberpunk 2077 for £54 at Switch 2 launch because of a Currys deal, so maybe that's the sweet spot for me (or launch madness). Most Switch games had an RRP of £50 but sold for £40 even at launch. It's odd that retailers aren't continually this strategy. Maybe things will start to settle soon, because anything over £50 feels too much at the minute. Thanks for giving me the space to rant. goldbricks23 (NN ID) Shots fired So upsetting to read about developers being laid off in favour of AI. I know it's only Candy Crush but you don't exactly have to be paranoid to imagine that this is just the thin end of the wedge. I can only hope that something is done to stop the rot before all these talented people leave the games industry forever. Who wants to work for a company for years only to be laid off, just so an AI can plagiarise your work afterwards. Laddie Ubisoft vs. ex-Ubisoft So I've sold Assassin's Creed Shadows to CeX. Because, truthfully, it's just a painfully mediocre title that somehow makes exploration of feudal Japan immensely unenticing, which is quite the task to pull off. I'll say that during my time with the game, I completed three castles as Naoe that looked the same, played the same, and led to a sense of lethargic quality. The stealth is excellent, it truly gave me a sense of shinobi arts. How is it that even combat is painfully hollow and somehow reminds me of Valhalla's shortcomings? The story is indeed rather milquetoast. I certainly lack the ability to even forge a reason as to why I should care for this narrative. The game looks truly stunning. However, when your points of interest boil down to shrines and guarded castles it feels like the depth of an ocean and width of a pool. It's an improvement on Valhalla, in many ways but a step down from Odyssey in other ways. Yasuke, in my opinion, is the most forgettable, bland, and unmemorable protagonist since Shay from Assassin's Creed Rogue. He's a tank. That's it. That's his unique selling point. Thankfully however, I also brought another title alongside Shadows. A title that I also bought on PC. A title that is magnificent from the menu screen. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I own it twice. Because it deserves to be owned twice. Assassin's Creed Hexe is intriguing but my expectations are non-existent. When Ubisoft churn out countless disappointing checkmark titles, such as Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora and Assassin's Creed Shadows, what hope does a narrative focused on witches stand? Especially when their former employees have crafted a title that Ubisoft will forever lack the talent, passion, heart, and capacity for. I pray for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to win Game Of The Year in December. It's a marvellous achievement for Sandfall and more than worthy enough to stand alongside Atlus' Persona series and Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3. Shahzaib Sadiq Instant U-turn To the person who wrote in the other day about not being able to turn well in Mario Kart battle mode. You can hold A and B together in a direction and hold the stick in any direction, left or right. I do it all the time in the free roam, I'm not a battle mode player but it works the same. Good luck. If you knew it already and still are complaining then even better luck. Nick The Greek Big blue Boy Scout I saw the new Superman movie on its release date and absolutely loved it. If I had to have a favourite superhero it would be Superman, then Batman as my next, and Spider-Man as my third. I am also talking about childhood heroes here and being fundamental to my younger memories watching the animated versions for each, as well as the classic Michael Keaton and Christopher Reeve live action movies. Thinking about what GC viewers mentioned about how moral code is associated with some heroes more than others, I'd definitely say the above mentioned three are definitely on the true good side. Their alter egos are also wholesome, as a high-powered businessman and philanthropist, a newspaper journalist, and an average or genius college kid. Regarding the games that could be created with these characters, especially Superman and Batman, I felt Arkham Asylum or City showed a good detective variant of gameplay, along with the stealth and action of Batman. I feel that this could be done for Clark Kent and Lois Lane doing their journalism job, investigating crimes or ill doings and being down to earth and properly solving the situation as detectives. Superman comes into his own when scenarios brings in powerful supervillains and ultra despicable normal humans, all doing their nefarious deeds. Of course, then the glasses come off, like the business suit gets changed for armoured body protection and the college clothes get exchanged for the web-slinging bodysuit for high octane aerial movement and combat. With natural abilities so far above our terrestrial heroes, Superman would possibly need a bigger area and more depth in regards to making the gameplay utilise the Man of Steel's signature moves and powers, like speed, heat ray blasts, X-ray vision and extraterrestrial ultra strength, which our yellow sun gives him. In other words, it's probably too difficult to give Superman a proper go at a gaming franchise or single game and we'll just see him as a watered down Kryptonian in a side view beat 'em-up or multiplayer rivals type action game. Which is a shame as the recent movie has everything from honouring the original 70s classics and the newer world of DC cinema and comics. Basically, it was near perfect and can't wait to see more of James Gunn's future endeavours into this new remake of my favourite superhero of all time. Alucard Inbox also-rans I didn't even know there was a FIFA curse. I'd heard of the Madden curse, despite knowing nothing about the sport, so I'm going to guess that Bellingham and Musiala will live through this. Rich I really hope the people that have done RoboCop: Rogue City get to do RoboCop Vs. Terminator. To see that come back after all these years would be so funny to me and I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Austin More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: How would you improve Mario Kart World? MORE: Games Inbox: What is the next Assassin's Creed game? MORE: Games Inbox: What is the hardest game on PS5?