No longer Radioactive Ugly

Easily one of the most bizarre news hits of 2023 was the reveal that Studio Retroware was adapting forgotten '90s cartoon Toxic Crusaders for a brand new scrolling brawler, which is currently in development for PC an??d console platforms. And if you had already grabbed your mop 'n' bucket in anticipation of this release, then this weekend brought with it a ton of good news for you.

First and foremost, a demo for the still-in-development scrap is currently available on PC as part of the Steam Next Fest event, giving fans a limited window with which to see how the new scrapper is shaping up. All you need do is go and download the trial from the Steam platform, a?nd you're good to check out the street-cleaning action from Toxie, Yvonne, Junkyard and co. Righteous!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-tOCfDFxhw

Additionally, Retroware announced that it is in the process of upscaling the original 1991 animated series, restoring all 13 terrible episodes in 4K for streaming purposes (with a Blu-ray planned for release at some point down the line). The episodes will also feature as part of a 24-hour live stream set to run the entirety of Steam Next Fest. The stream will feature interviews with the team, all-new gameplay footage, and an appearance from Troma's own Lloyd Kaufmann. you can check out the action right here.

This swillful of news was rounded out by the revelation that Arizonian comic-metal band Psychostick have been commissioned to compose and perform the game's score, which will feature original compositions as well as tributes to the soundtrack of the animated series. While an official release date was not revealed, Retroware has pushed the title back a little, and Toxic Crusaders is now aiming for an early 2024 release on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

Go check out the demo and see how you think this bizarre-but-welcome return will fit into the pa?ntheon of modern brawling marvels.

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Y'all here for Prehistory Rogue?

Netflix has released a fun new trailer for its upcoming animated series Sonic Prime �And this parti??cular preview has more than a hint of Multiverse Madness about it, as The Blue Blur finds himself hopping through time and space to confront wild variants of his friends, enemies, and worlds??.

Over the course of the two-minute preview Sonic blasts through past and future universes, each filled with its own unique hazards and dangers. But the real meat of the clip comes from the cool array of alternate pals that appear in the mix, from cybernetic versions of Tails and Amy Rose, to special forces variants of Knuckles and Rogue, and no less than five different Dr. Robotniks. My favorite is Prehistory?? Rogue, who confronts our hero accompanied by your favorite, Big the Cat.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rShZls4Ffw

Produced by Canadian Studio WildBrain (Carmen Sandiego, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) and American producer Man of Action (Ultimate Spider-Man, Mega Man: Fully Charged), Sonic Prime promises 24 episodes of Gotta Go Fast action, featuring all of the characters both recognizable, (and, apparently, unrecognizable), from Sega's smash-hit video game franchise. Our lad Sonic has frequently prov?ed himself a snug fit for animate??d antics, and hopefully, this new show will be no different.

Sonic Prime premieres exclusively on Netflix on December 15. Back in the digital world, Sonic Frontiers is available now on Play?Station, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

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The mouse is in your house

Sony Interactive Entertainment and Disney have announced that the shiny PS5 platform now has its own native Disney+ app available fo??r download. This will allow users on the platform to access the Disney streaming service on their console in magnificent 4K HDR resolutions.

"A key part of our global expansion strategy is to meet consumers wherever they are, which is why we're excited to enhance both Disney Plus and Star Plus for PlayStation 5 users," notes EVP of product and design for Disney, Jerrell Jimerson in comments to The Verge. "The ability to support 4K HDR vide?o streaming on the platform will also improve the viewing experience for fans."

With the arrival of the Disney+ app, subscribers will now have access to an enormous archive of film, TV, and animated content from The House of Mouse. This includes films and shows from the Marvel Cinematic Universe �such as recent Chud-aggravator She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, as well as thousands of hours of classic FOX programming such as the good episodes of The Simpsons and not??hing else. Of course, you can also check out Disney's legendary catalog of classic animated movies, all starring wicked queens that I fancy.

Now that the PlayStation 5 platform offers access to Disney+, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, HBO Max, as well as an abundance of rad video games via the PlayStation Plus service, you basically don't have to leave the couch ever again. Better get started this weekend, however, I'm pretty sure none of us have the time necessary to watch every single episode of every single Star Wars show before we shuffle on.

And I still gotta find space and time for the celluloid excellence that is Hocus Pocus 2.

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The Defenders of The Night return

Mixed among the frankly suffocating wave of headlines rolling out of Disney this weekend was the curious, but not unwelcome news that The House of Mouse is to release a remaster of its 16-bit release Gargoyles, an action??-platformer based upon the cult animated series of the same name.

Released in 1995 for the Sega Genesis, (the SNES version was canceled), Gargoyles was part of Disney's major push into 16-bit gaming, which would see it adapt franchises such as Aladdin, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, and even Pinocchio (which nobody remembers) for home consoles. Gargoyles was one of the few 16-bit games that licensed a Disney TV show rather than a classic mov??ie, albeit one with a very passionate fanbase.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF7KQjKC-1c

Gargoyles, which first aired in the fall of 1994, told the story of an ancient Scottish clan, cursed to live as stone creatures for all eternity until they are accidentally awoken after their castle is transported to modern-day New York. Now, under the shadows of the night, the Gargoyles protect the people of the city from crime, lawlessness, and corrupt capitalist David Xanatos. The show, much like Batman: The Animated Series, was praised for its melodramatic flair, darker tone, and character relatio?ns.

Details pertaining to the Gargoyles remaster are incredibly thin on the ground, but the title is expected to launch on PC and "modern consoles" at some point in the future. It was not made clear how far along the project is at this moment in time, so it looks like Gargoyles fans will simply have to return to their perch and wait for t?he coming of the moon.

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Of course, you realize this means war...

Sufferin' succotash! If you've been waiting on an opportunity to check out Warner Bros.' crossover platform fighter, MultiVersus, then there's no time lik??e the present �the star-studded brawler has just opened its beta servers to all, bringing madcap, slapstick mayhem to PlayStation, PC, and Xbox owners everywhere.

The open beta, which is ready to rock as you read this, features a slew of playable modes including two-on-two team co-op, one-on-one vs, four-player free-for-all, and local matches for up to four players and/or A.I. controlled bots. A rotational cast of characters will include almost all revealed characters to date, from Shaggy, Batman, and Arya Stark, to Superman, Garnet, Taz, and Harley Quinn (though it's very unlikely that we'll be seeing some of the more recent reveals, such as Rick & Morty). Still, there'??s everything ??and everyone you need in order to check out MultiVersus silly slap fights for yourself.

All you ?need to do to get started is download the Open A?ccess game client on your platform of choice.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tefXM2MQYNc

The beta is an opportunity for developer Player First Games to stress test the servers and crossplay features, while also making note of any and all problems uncovered by the player base. Currently, there is no end date for the open beta, suggesting that it will roll on in some form or fashion until the title's official launch �scheduled for some point later in 2022. But, with season passes and in-game currency already available to purchase, one could arguably suggest that MultiVersus, in essence, launched today.

MultiVersus supports both crossplay and cross-progression, so feel free to check the fighter out on multiple platforms, with your account carried throughout each. I'm currently mired in practice for upcoming tournaments, but I'll certainly be spending a couple of hours with the fun-looking title later this week. MultiVersus will launch as a free-to-play game on PlayStation, PC, an??d?? Xbox later this year.

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You'll love being a turtle

Somewhere, tucked away in a photo album at my dad's house, there lies a photograph of me playing Konami's Teenage Mutant "Hero" Turtles arcade, during a 1990 family vacation to the tropical paradise that is South Devon. I remember literally having "jelly legs" after playing, such was my complete, unadulterated excitement at my two greatest loves of the time combining. You see, my friends, what I was experiencing was the perfect marriage of the two most important elements of the 1990s for any 10-year-old: TMNT and arcade games.

While Eastman & Laird's iconic Heroes in a Half Shell have since dipped their two-toed feet into all manner of gaming genres, there is little argument that they will always be suited best to the beat-'em-up genre. From the aforementioned 1989 arcade classic, to the beloved 1992 SNES release Turtles in Time and its Sega Mega Drive compadre The Hyperstone Heist, the lean, green fighting machines are perfectly attuned to multiplayer mayhem. TMNT was made for brawling... More so than The frikkin' Simpsons.

And so, with the genre currently enjoying a major renaissance, publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games have decided it's high time that Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo make their grand return to the mean streets. But in a whole new era, one where the brawler genre has advanced beyond its rudimentary beginnings, is the TMNT brand capable of regaining its button-mashing crow?n, or is it just ninja, ninja, crap? Let's check it out. And remember, the clock's tickin', dude.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge (PS4 [reviewed], PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Tribute Games
Publisher: Dotemu
Released: June 16, 2022
MSRP: $24.99

Describing the gameplay of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is something of a monument to pointlessness, as we all know the score by now. You pick your favorite characters, and then take to the streets of New York City, laying down a solid green knuckle sandwich on the battalion of foolhardy Foot Clan members that stand in your way. Break some skulls, toss some bodies, face down an end-of-level guardian, and it's on to the next stage. It's a tale as old as time and, for the most part, Shredder's Revenge changes very little from the core gameplay of Konami's 1989 clas??sic. You gotta know what a crumpet is to understand cricket, and you also know what you're getting yourself into here.

As it is no longer 1989, the brawler genre has, itself, gone through some serious evolutionary stages since those halcyon arcade years. And in order to bring Shredder's Revenge scream??ing into the terrible 2020s, developer Tribute Games has seen fit to widen each ind?ividual character's arsenal of attacks, combos, and specials, as well as fine-tune their individual strengths and weaknesses in battle.

For your hapless opponents, we now have tried-and-tested button mash combos; various anti-air counters; two forms of dash attack; jump and dive kicks; team attacks; and flashy, screen-clearing specials. The biggest addition is that of a tactical roll, which has invincibility fr?ames and will prove to be a crucial tool in your battle with the robo-ninjas. Our heroes are also equipped with several very familiar throws, including the famous Mode 7 screen toss, the multi-slam, and Raphael busting out a German Suplex that would make Lesnar proud.

Shredder's Revenge has sublime controls, effectively designed so that beginners and younger players can get straight to dishing out vigilante justice, while offering hardened brawler fans elbow room for slick combos, juggles, and wall splats. While this makes for impactful and satisfying combat, it must be noted that Shredder's Revenge does not boast the same precision of a Streets of Rage 4 or a Fight'n Rage. These are titles tha?t truly explore the marriage between brawler and fighter, presenting each and every enemy?? encounter as an individual problem to be solved.

While Shredder's Revenge is undoubtedly deeper than its TMNT forerunners, its role is that of a "Supercharged Turtles in Time," rather than a groundbreaking example of the genre's evolution. Crucially, however, Shredder's Revenge is committed to an all-out effort to ensure that you and your friends are having pure, unadulterated fun. A mission goal that the colorful scrapper a??ch?ieves with ease.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemOAwU-9fo

Shredder's Revenge sets itself within the world of the 1987 TMNT animated series. The colors, style, humor, characters, and locations immediately recall memories of the classic TV show �the medium in which "Turtle Mania" became a global phenomenon. If the faithful appearance of the Fab Four (voiced by their original actors) wasn't enough, then fans will be giddy with excitement to hear that Shredder's Revenge is jam-packed with characters from the show, ranging from regular villains such as Bebop, Krang, Rocks?teady, and The Shredder himself, to a wide variety of deep-??lore cameos.

When some of these lesser-known characters popped up, my jaw dropped, having not had them enter my sphere of reference since I first saw them on TV all those decades ago. I was expecting to see Bebop & Rocksteady �and was spoiled with an appearance of Best Girl Irma Langenstein �but I had completely forgotten about one-off characters such as... well... why would I spoil the surprises? Tribute Games, true to its moniker, has gone above and beyond to make Shredder's Revenge a celebration of the show's legacy, filling its games with references to the series that will please the most dedicated TMNT fans.

As you might expect, Shredder's Revenge sounds as good as it looks. The action is soundtracked with an excellent score from artist Tee Lopes, which is punctuated by appearances from vocal legends Mike Patton and The Wu-Tang Clan. There's also a fantastic mullet-rock song, complete with lyrics, that helps to capture the game's nostalgic Saturday Morning vibe. Lopes has made the smart decision to replicate the legendary "Konami sound," vibrant tones that scored the days when Konami was king of both the arcades and the hearts of the video game community??. No, honestly, it really was.

Where Shredder's Revenge shines brightest, however, is in its personality, utilizing awesome pixel-based animation to afford life and charm to the characters and their world. It's the little things: Individual run cycles, taunts, and celebrations; goofy background characters; and nods to previous TMNT games, shows, and movies. Adding April O'Neil, Splinter, and an unlockable Casey Jones as playable characters is inspired, providing welcome variety in multiplayer games. (April, in particular, has some of the cutest sprite ani?mations in the genre, including some suspiciously familiar Street Fighting maneuvers.)

From hazardous open manholes and fire hydrant traps, to promises of Turtle Soup, the return of those irritating "Do Not Resist Us" bots, and even a sequence that references another famous Konami brawler, Tribute Games knows what the audience wants to see, hear, and experience, then goes out of its way to deliver. And while it doesn't always work, (the vehicular sections have some irritating for??ced perspective issues, for example), the flaws are swiftly forgotten in the energetic, joyful spirit of the gameplay.

As a beat-'em-up Shredder's Revenge is, ultimately, a shallower experience than one might expect in the current climate, though it does add depth with its great range of moves and minor fetch quests. Outside of the TMNT fanbase, I don't think Shredder's Revenge will offer the same long-term replay value as some of its contemporaries. For party play, however, the six-player co-op mode will provide some enjoyable, accessible action for any group of friends. Shredder's Revenge isn't really a title ??to be "mastered," it's more a lazy afternoon riot, to be?? enjoyed with good company. A true arcade experience.

[Note: Shredder's Revenge features both online and local six-player co-op. As of press time I was unable to test the online multiplayer capabilities. I will return to this review following launch with my findings. The PlayStation version, curiously, is strictly limited to four-player local co-op.]

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge delivers exactly what one expects. It's a great-looking, great-sounding, and great-playing love letter to one of the most beloved franchises of all time. It lacks the top-tier polish and scalpel-precise intelligence of Streets of Rage 4, instead choosing to present itself purely as a retro multiplayer masher �albeit one with a far expanded moveset than its predecessors. As a brawler aficionado, I think Shredder's Revenge is good, delivered with a passion that veers into great. I don't think it topples the best examples of the genre, but I defy any TMNT fan to play this game without spo??rting a massive grin on their face. And, ultimately, that's the highest praise i?t can receive.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a delightful celebration of the Heroes in a Half-Shell. More importantly, it's simply a helluva lot of fun to play. It breaks little in the way of new ground, remaining rooted in old-school cool, but it does offer wild, satisfying combat, packed out with personality and charm. For anyone who ever jumped off a schoolyard wall �tree branch in hand �shouting "Cowabunga!", Shredder's Revenge is absolutely worth shelling out for.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Dat's not fay-rrrrreeee!

Warner Bros. Interactive's madcap brawler MultiVersus might only be in its pre-release ?stages, but already players and developers are noticing that some members of its colorful roster are just a little too handy with the ol' fisticuffs, and are currently on The List to receive a good old fashioned nerfing.

Responding to feedback from the game's recent closed alpha, MultiVersus director Tony Huynh has noted that four characters, in particular, seem to be dishing out far more doses of digital pain than others. First on the list is DC Comics' anti-hero Harley Quinn, who is joined by Adventure Time heroes Finn and Jake, and finally, Original MultiVersus Character Do Not Steal Reindog. Huynh notes that this qu??artet will receive larger "punish windows," which one would assume means that?? they will be easier to counter when they whiff their zany attacks.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvborgKG7fw

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and MultiVersus is likely to see a ton of adjustments as it progresses from Alpha to Beta, and from Beta to Launch. Alongside character balance updates, developer Player First Games will also be looking at fixing bugs, improving s??tability, tweaking matchmaking, and all other elements that make up the core essentials of any?? successful fighting game.

While MultiVersus is, admittedly, pushing into a ridiculously crowded market, the closed alpha has shown promise, even hooking in a party of non-fighting game players. It's a star-studded slapfest, that's for sure, and I'm looking forward to following the title's progression towar?d its eventual release, scheduled for later in 2022.

MultiVersus is currently in development for PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Did you check out this weekend's alpha? If so, then spill your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to check out our own CJ Andriessen's impressions right here.

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Idiot Box

Do you remember, way back in 2020, before The Launch We Shall Not Speak Of, Netflix and CD Projekt RED announced a new anime series set in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe? Well, remember it or not, Netflix is finally ready to start talking about it again, and will premiere new footage during June's Geeked Week 2022 event.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a 10-episode series from Studio Trigger, the anime veterans behind popular shows Kill la Kill, Little Witch Academia, and Star Wars: Visions. While we have heard very little from the tie-in TV show since Cyberpunk 2077 had its less-than-sparkling release, the original plot outline saw a young punk with nothing to lose divert his life into that of a cybersecurity mercenary, or "??Edgerunner."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRvDL9FChFM

Since then, we have heard little and seen nothing in regard to the new anime, so Geeked Week will provide the perfect opportunity for Netflix and Trigger to show off the sci-fi adventure, especially now that the furor behind Cyberpunk 2077's launch has, for the most part, died down entirely. In addition to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, fans will get to see new trailers, cast interviews, and reveals pertaining to other video game adaptations such as the live-action Resident Evil series and the second season of the unfortunately disappointing The Cuphead Show.

If you want to be there for all of the hot gossip on the above shows, not to mention the many other releases Netflix has lined up for its 2022-2023 season �including Stranger Things, The Sandman, Spiderhead, Umbrella Academy, and The Sea Beast �then be sure to tune into Geeked We?ek 2022, which will run from Monday, June 6 to Friday, Jun??e 10.

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Hits the streets summer 2022

What a year it is shaping up to be for TMNT fans. Not only have we gotten word of Konami's exciting TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection, but Dotemu's great-looking brawler TMNT: Shredder's Revenge now has an official release window of summer 2022 for PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Sw?itch, and an update on the voice actors.

In further news �perhaps even more exciting for old-school fans �developer Tribute Games revealed that the cartoon brawler will see the return of some original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cast members, who are reprising their roles from the iconic 1980s animated series. Cam Clarke (Leonardo), Townsend Coleman (Michelangelo), Barry Gordon (Donatello), and the legendary Rob Paulsen (Raphael) have all recorded brand new dialogue for Shredder's Revenge, which wi?ll definitely lend the new game an extra air of a?uthenticity and nostalgia.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=h66fgPv1EnM

While this is indeed fantastic news, and I don't wish to seem ungrateful, it is a shame that the team was unable to facilitate Renae Jacobs' return as Channel 6 reporter April O'Neil, with Peter Renaday reprising his role as Master Splinter. Corralling? act??ors is an incredibly tough gig, and it's understandable if the developers were unable to afford and/or obtain everybody in time. Of course, The Shredder's most recognizable voice actor, James Avery, sadly passed in 2013, though his legacy as the turtles' nemesis lives on forever. DES-TROYYYY THEMMM!

Shredder's Revenge is looking like a riot, and while I don't expect it to have quite the precision and depth of Dotemu's Streets of Rage 4, its great cartoon visuals, authentic audio package, and wild multiplayer action look set to deliver the goods for TMNT fans and beat-'em-up players alike when it finally blasts out of the sewers and?? onto the streets of NYC.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge launches this summer on PS4, PC, Xbox ??One, and Ninte??ndo Switch.

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Oh me, oh my

It feels like it makes sense that Cuphead would get a cartoon. After all, its style is directly lifted from the Golden Age of Animation. Cartoons that e??xisted before the television sucked them all into Saturday mornings when they played in theatres before the actual feature. Or, ??more specifically, the VHS transfers of those cartoons, which is something I got to experience as a child.

That’s right, do you know who loves Golden Age cartoons? This gal. Do you know what only superficially resembles a Golden Age cartoon? The Cuphead Show.

The Cuphead Show is Netflix’s latest transfer of a game to their streaming service. Castlevania turned out great, and it was based on an NES game that told its story through a text crawl. The Cuphead game had more narrative than Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, showing Cuphead and his brother Mugman losing a bet with the devil. In order to retain their souls, they have to collect bounties on oth??er souls throughout the Inkwell Islands.

That’s mostly dropped in the show. Cuphead does owe his soul to the Devil after flubbing a game of skeeball �a plot device that crops up in the occasi??onal episodes �but rather than work off his debt, Cuphead does�very little at all??. It’s a situational comedy. One week Cuphead and Mugman are babysitting and another they’re taking care of Elder Kettle’s garden. Both of those play out in predictable ways, which is the word I’d wrap the whole show in: "predictable."

The bosses from the games get tied into The Cuphead Show, albeit their roles are changed completely to the point where they just se??em like token inclusions. There's the occasional song, and while they aren't annoying, ?they aren't particularly memorable either.

[embed]//www.youtube.com/??watch?v=Sel3fjl6uyo[/embed]

Could you have had a show based entirely around fighting bosses? Yes. A lot of Golden Age animation was exactly that. The first few years of Popeye cart??oons was Bluto and Popeye competing over everything and inevitably beating the tar out of each other.

No, instead, Cuphead and Mugman get into situations that we’ve seen before. There’s very little linking it to the love of old cartoons that the game thrived on. The animation is more akin to Ren & Stimpy or Spongebob Squarepants. It doesn’t seem to even reach for the visual language spoken in the old cinema days of cartoon?s. It will make references t?o it, sure, but usually these references are things like having the flowers dance or having the devil pull his face in frustration.

Normally the humor leans closer to modern cartoons. While I don’t necessarily expect The Cuphead Show to throw a muffled filter over its sound and remove frames to make it look like an antique reel, what they chose to do instead just leaves it without its own personality. What does The Cuphead Show offer? ??Stop motion backgrounds, I guess, which it uses sparingly.

Part of the problem might be that it’s rated TV-Y7, which is a bit baffling to me. Golden Age cartoons were often quite violent by today’s standards, and I’m not sure many children play Cuphead. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they have statistics that say children love it. I figured they were just playing, like, Roblox and Minecraft these days.

However, the result is that the jokes in The Cuphead Show aren’t very clever. I’m not sure I cracked a smile at any, but then, I am a humorless curmudgeon. The jokes are, to return to that old word, predictable. Maybe that’s because with The Cuphead Show being rate??d for children, throw??ing in a reference to old cartoons will be fresh for them.

The Cuphead Show is just a missed opportunity. While the game ?is a tribute to the Golden Age of Animation, the show doesn’t have much of a personality of its own. It’s not even caught between modern cartoons and pre-television ones, rather it only makes a token effort to reference what made the ??game special, and the rest is just packing peanuts.

I just don’t see any ambition here aside from “make Cuphead into a cartoon.�Even then, there seems to have been barely any interest in taking anything that made that game special and transferring it into the cartoon. I'm not sure where The Cuphead Show fits. I can't see any value here. It’s a cup half-full situation here, except the cup is filled with dishwater. At least we got something, but I still don’t want to drink it. You can have a taste if you want, as it premieres on Netflix on February 18, 2022.

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Blue-Blur-ray

You asked for it, (did you ask for it? I dunno), and now you're getting it. As part of its upcoming 2022 catalogue reveal, Blu-ray purveyor Discotek Media announced that the original TV series The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog will be coming to Blu-ray in the United States in February �that's 65 episodes of weakly c?olored, '90s cartoon mayhem.

Watch the intro, an intro that could frankly be used for any fictional character ever, right here:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPtPsoHBtT4

Premiering in 1993 during the original heights of Sonic Mania (the movement, not the game), The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog saw The Blue Blur and his pal Tails square off against the nefarious Dr. Robotnik and his android army. The show �'tuded to max fucking levels �also took the liberty of adding weird new lore that would eventually segue into the main video game series, such as Sonic's bizarre love of chili dogs. The "Sonic Sez" safety tips segment is also the stuff of legend, having been memeified by savvy internet types decades after the show's release.

Discotek Media has also released details on a stack of extra features, including the unreleased pilot, the Holiday Special, commentaries on two episodes, original bumpers and syndication commercials, rushes and concept art, and much more. The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Blu-ray will also come in packaging styled after the Sega Mega Drive release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which is a neat touch. While all 65 episodes of the cartoon have been fully remastered, the write-up seems to hint that the picture quality will be as good as it can get �but still isn't quite prist?ine due to the quality of the source material.

"OI HATE THAT HEEEEDGEHOOOOOOOG!"

The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Blu-ray launches in February 2022 in North America. A price was not announced. Oh, Discotek also announced Blu-rays for the original Lupin III anime, City Hunter, Angel Cop, Gunbuster, Kemono Friends, and much more. Check out the official Twitter feed for the full lineup.

//twitter.com/??discotekmedia/status/1470590730024280073?s=2??0

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Don't whiz on the electric fence

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy! In perhaps the single most inevitable reveal of all time, hyper-violent Messrs Ren and Stimpy have been officially announced for Fair Play Labs Super Smash Bros.-style fighting game Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.

Ren Hoek and Stimpson J. Cat, who wowed younglings in the early '90s with their irreverent adventures and parent-bothering weirdness, will play as a duo in battle, uti??lizing each other in order to gain an upper hand on the opposition. I say "utilizing each other", but this roughly translates to Ren slapping seven shades of Shinola out of Stimpy as he looks on blankly. Keep your eyes peeled, however, for the appearance of everyone's favorite toy, Log (by Blammo!).

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=aajraEqMfjc&

The Ren and Stimpy Show took television by storm in 1991 with its wild visual style, non-sequitur storytelling, and love of slapstick comedy and gross-out humor. The show raised the eyebrows and clucked the tongues of parents and TV standards folk, who frowned upon its sexual innuendo and nightmarish look, but kids (including yours truly) absolutely lapped it up. The initial run was followed by the controversial six-episode series Adult Party Cartoon, which was taken off the air amidst a mire of legal controversy that would only get uglier and darker with time, forever casting something of a shadow over the brand forever. The duo has previously appeared in nu??merous terrible video games.

Ren and Stimpy, (alongside their buddy Powdered Toast Man) join a roster that includes stars such as TMNT's Michaelangelo and April O' Neil, Hey Arnold's Helga, SpongeBob SquarePants, and his pal Sandy Cheeks. It's a fine-looking title, though it can't be denied the lack of voice work really hurts its spirit, especially with characters such as these. For more details on the gruesome twosome's moveset, check out the full breakdown over on PlayStation Blog.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl will l??aunch on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch platforms this fall.

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Come on, Lara, you can do this...

Netflix has announced that British actor Hayley Atwell has signed on to voice Lara Croft in the upcoming anime adaptation of Tomb Raider �the latest in a long line of legendary games adapted for the video streaming servic??e.

Atwell, who many of you will know from her excellent turn as Marvel's Agent Peggy Carter, will portray a slightly matured version of the treasure hunting adventurer as featured in Square Enix' Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015), and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018). The Netflix anime is intended as a canon sequel to this particular trilogy, and thus has no connection with the original Tomb Raider games, nor the recent cinematic endeavors.

//twitter.com/Netf??lixGeeked/status/1437415830942277632?s=20

The series will be written and produced by Tasha Huo, who is also responsible for penning both the upcoming prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin and the fantasy adventure reboot Red Sonja. Busy times. Sonic the Hedgehog? co-producer Dmitri M. Johnson is also on board for the venture, which currently does not have an episode count nor a release window.

Tomb Raider will join Netflix expansive entourage of video game-themed series, ranking alongside current and upcoming releases such as Castlevania, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, DOTA: Dragon's Blood, Assassin's Creed, The Cuphead Show, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, The Division, Splinter Cell, and many others. Before her Tomb Raider appearance, Hayley Atwell will be getting her hi-octane adventure on in Mission: Impossible 7, which is expected to release in 2022.

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'Like...get over here, man!'

When brands become self-aware enough to put memes into canon, the joke dies. This is especially true of Big Chungus, who appeared in a game recently as a cameo. But I can't help but smile seeing Ultra Instinct Shaggy choke out Scorpion...the Scorpion...in an official cartoon intro.

The tie-in involves Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, a new WB animation joint (and sequel to Scorpion's Revenge) released this week on home video. Befo?re the film starts Scorpion is seen flipping around the WB intro screen (as ninjas do), and BAM, Ultra Instinct Shaggy slams open the water tower door and chokes him out. "Like...get over here, man!" indeed.

As a refresher, Ultra Instinct Shaggy was born out of the film Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur, in which a hyp?notized S??haggy kicks an entire biker gang's ass. For several years people started to apply various editing techniques to the sce??ne, culminating in a Dragon Ball Z "Ultra Instinct" parody. Hence, why Shaggy has a pow??er level? aura in the intro.

I have to admit, this is one of the more clever ways to play up a meme in recent years. It's not overdoing the joke: Shaggy unexpectedly comes out, does his thing for a few seconds, and then peaces out as a cameo before the film even begins. I'm also an unabashed Scooby-Doo fan, so anything that gets this series more eyes is good with me! My mom grew up with it, I grew up with it, and my kid loves it. It's wild how long Scooby-Doo has been around, but all of the twists and turns producers have made to keep it alive deserve some p?rops.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN_eN05cij0

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Time to kick some solid metal butt

We're a little under a fortnight away from the launch of Sonic Colors: Ultimate, which arrives on PC and consoles September 7. In order to set the stage for the rainbow-colored remaster, Sega has released the concluding chapter to its animated short Sonic the Hedgehog: Rise of the Wisps. (You can catch up with the first chapter right here).

This second and final chapter is not messing around, with Sonic, Tails, and their wayward wisp pal leaping immediately into battle against their steely nemesis, Metal Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog: Rise of the Wisps serves as an introduction of sorts to the narrative of Sonic Colors, ending with our heroes getting set to take on the upcoming adventure. Like all recent animations featuring The Blue Blur, it's wholesome, nicely stylized, and delightfully entertaining. Roger Craig Smith has mastered the art of keeping Sonic just the right side of arrogant, without making hi??m unlikeable. Check? it out!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFOQUhZBlbs&t

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a full remaster of the original 2010 Nintendo Wii/DS release, and will see Sonic once again whizzing through a demonic theme park conceived by the evil Dr. Robotnik. Assisted by the powers and abilities of a cute race of creatures �The Wisps �our hero attempts to put paid to his arch-nemesis' evil plans for domination via machination. Sonic Colors: Ultimate features updated visuals and animations, a fully remixed soundtrack, and an optional “Navigation Mode� in which long-time pal Tails will guide Sonic through Robotnik's lair, helpi?ng out with the stickier situa??tions.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate launches on PS4, Xbox One, ?Nintendo Sw??itch, and PC (Epic Games Store) September 7.

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PC port announced for superstar throwdown

Breaking: It has been one hell of a busy week for TNNT's favorite news reporter April O'Neil. In 24 hours, the Channel 6 superstar has been revealed as a playable character in not one, but two video game smackdowns �originally in Dotemu's TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, and now in GameMill's Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yfRe_qlhqc

Also newly announced for the roster is the hugely unnerving CatDog, the twin-headed pet who starred in the late '90s animated series of the same name. If developers Ludosity and Fair Play Labs have their wits about them, they'll make CatDog a stance character, with different moves dependent on who is facing forward... I might be overthinking t??his.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TnC_0_w13s

If you're hearing about this for the first time, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a Super Smash Bros.-style fighter featuring a roster packed-out with famous characters pulled from the catalogue of Nickelodeon entertainment. April O'Neil joins a roster that already includes Rugrats' Reptar, Hey Arnold's Helga, Ren & Stimpy's Powdered Toast Man, ??SpongeBob SquarePants, and Invader Zim, a??mong many others.

It's a fascinating and fun idea, with perhaps one of the most bizarre rosters in fighting game history. One of the conc??ept's few downers revolves around sound, ho?wever, as it seems that the characters will not be voiced by their original VAs, or perhaps voiced at all, which will very likely harm the charm and charisma of the fight. Then again, given the chaotic nature of the fights, constant callouts might make for a pretty annoying dirge.

Either way, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is definitely worth watching out for, and I'm excited to see who else gets announced for its colorful roster of Millennial favorites. The bell sounds this fall on Pla??yStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch platforms. I'm a Helga main.

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It's Heaven or Hell, Boo Boo

Guilty Gear is a fighting game series where witches with electric guitars can fight against the U.S. Secretary of Defense, wielding an entombed cryptid. But a new custom sound pack adds a little extra oddity to the pa??rty: the silly, emphatic noises of Hanna-Barbera cartoons.

Twitter user "MeowzyKat" has created content for other Arc Systems Works games in the past, like trans flag-colored palettes for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax's roster of fighters. With the Hanna-Barbera mod, though, MeowzyKat transforms Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R into a Saturday morning cartoon slap-fest.

//twitter.com/MeowzyKat/status/1428?070547594883081

According to ?MeowzyKat, it took weeks of work and hundreds of sound files to make happen. But as you can see, the results speak for themselves: it's f?antastic.

Once I saw Sol Badguy lean into his run and heard the Scooby-Doo running noise, the two became inextricably linked in my brain. The sound of pots and pans clanging into one another, spring noises and general cartoon chaos filling the heavy metal-infused world of Guilty Gear works so, so well.

Accent Core Plus R saw a revival of sorts when Arc System Works added rollback netcode to its PC version, making it much easier for players to find matches without worry?ing as much ??about geographical distance. And the other plus-side of the PC version, aside from being able to back-add rollback, is modding in cartoon noises.

You can grab the sound pack and add them yourself through MeowzyKat's Twitter. Once you do, it's as simple as placing the files in the sound effects folder and bam, you've got your very own Hanna-Barbera fighting game. Well, kind of. It at least makes me fondly reminisce about eating cereal and watching Wacky Races.

If you're more into the modern Guilty Gear entries, Arc System Works recently announced Jack-O' is coming to Guilty Gear Strive this month?. Surely you'd think her minions would work well with the Hanna-Barbera noises too, right?

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Witness the Rise of the Wisps

Sonic the Hedgehog and cute animation have always gone hand-in-hand, but the various web shorts of recent years have been particularly charming, capturing the dynamic world of The Blue Blur with a colorful and heartfelt eye to its characters and universe. Case in point: This new short from Sega, released to market the upcoming remaster Sonic Colors: Ultimate.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Rise of the Wisps is a two-part animation that features Tails, Dr. Robotnik, Sonic himself, and the cutesy beings known as "Wisps", that feature in the 2010 Nintendo DS/Wii release. What starts out as a simple storybook tale becomes a real-life mission for Sonic �delightfully portrayed with an amusing arrogance by the returning Roger Craig Smith. Oh, there's also a surprise appearance by another classic Sonic villain. But why n?ot just check the shor??t out for yourself?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wM-IJ9xV8Y

The second part of Rise of the Wisps will be released at later date, likely in line with Sonic Colors: Ultimate's arrival on September 7. The remaster will see Sonic once again fight through the hazardous amusement park of Dr. Robotnik to save the Wisps and put an end to his nemesis' latest scheme. Sonic Colors: Ultimate will feature updated visuals, new animations, a r?emixed soundtrack, and an optional "Navigation Mode", which will allow Tails to help out Sonic (and the player) with tips, and even joining him on the battlefield for when things get a little too hard to handle.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate launches on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switc??h, a?nd PC (Epic Games Store) September 7.

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Who needs to enter the ring?

This week, we got the reveal of a new Smash-alike, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. It looks like it's a platform fighter, pitting beloved animated Nick characters?? against each other in a multiplayer brawl. Rad, ?right?

That's what the internet at large seemed to think too, as my social feed was soon inundated with memes and videos. Mixing fighting game with childhood nostalgia led to a flood of memes, combining fighting game jargon with jokes from the shows. It was, to put it simply, beautiful.

//twitter.com/True_Dragon_Kid/status?/1415011288049242123?s=20

But as I sit here, contemplating the potential of Patrick Star as a grappler, I'm also left to think about the many other characters I want to see in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. A supposedly leaked box art has some silhouettes on the cover that indicate characters like Ren, Stimpy, Ko?rra, and more ??could appear.

There's even more potential out there, though. Nickelodeon has been running for a long time, and as one commenter noted on our news write-up, you could easily tell the age of those commenting by who they wanted for a spot on the roster. SpongeBob and Patrick might be obvious choices, but there's also shows like CatDog or Ren and Stimpy, or even the Avatar: The Last Airbender series to draw from. Toph would be pretty cool to play as in ??a platform fighter, I'd think?.

I want to know, who's your dream addition? Which staple of the Nickelodeon lineup needs to get their time in the ring in All-Star Brawl? Is it Jimmy Neutron, or Timmy Turner, or maybe even Nickelodeon GUTS announcer Mike O'Malley? Let us know below!

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The devil is in the details

We're still waiting on Netflix's The Cuphead Show and Studio MDHR's Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course �but we've got a new clip of the former featuring King Dice (played by Wayne Brady!), and the latter is guaranteed?? to be excellent whene?ver it's finished.

In other words, I still hold Cuphead near and dear, and I'm feeli??ng good about its futur??e.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYmIRkitnnQ

The minute-long clip of The Cuphead Show was released as part of Netflix's gaming-centric Geeked Week, aka the reason you're seeing lots of new show announcements and tidbits spill onto Tw?itter. It's a window into the wider world of Cuphead and Mugman outside of their boss-bashing exploits, and it's an adjustment, for sure, but not a huge one.

While the show's animation doesn't perfectly capture the best-in-class look of the game or its inspirations, I think it's pretty much there, tonally �at least based on this sneak peek of Wayne Brady doing his thing as the char????ismatic slimeball King Dice.

"This character-driven comed??y follows the misadventures of impulsive Cuphead and his cautious but easily-swayed brother Mugman," according to a summary from Netflix. "W?hether it's angry mermaids, boxing frogs, or the Devil himself, the brothers often find themselves in hot water in their surreal home of Inkwell Isle."

I've skipped many, many Netflix adaptations of games I dig, but I'll turn up for this one. It'll be cool to see a new take on these characters, especially some of the bosses that really got under my skin. (That's a dig at you, Dr. Kahl. The grudge still stands.)

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Missing Link

If there is one thing that helped Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise remain one of the most enduring and beloved series of all-time, it's consistency. There aren't many series that have put so few ?feet wrong in well over 30 years, which is a testament to the quality poured into each and?? every release.

Oh sure, there's been a few missteps along the way, including 1993's Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Sword of Gamelon, as well as the 2017 Switch entry Breath of the Wild (I kid, I kid...calm down), but nine times out of ten, you can always expect Nintendo to knock it outta th??e park,? thanks to the protective nature and reverence with which it treats its home-grown IPs.

But it wasn't always so. In the late '80s and early '90s, Nintendo of America was definitely more lenient with the sharing of its franchises, licensing out golden geese such as Super Mario Bros. with a far more carefree attitude. For the most part, this proved unwise, resulting in sub-standard entertainment that failed to capture the essence of the source material - Super Mario Bros. The Movie, anyone?

Of all of these ventures, none is more notorious than the short-lived Legend of Zelda animated series, which attempted to capitalize on the success of NES releases The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link. Handed to DIC Enterprises ("DEEEK!"), The Legend of Zelda was an a?ttempt to take Hyrule's inhabitants out of the video game realm and into the lucrative, backward-baseball-??cap world of '80s kids' TV.

The r??esulting show would contribute to Nintendo re-evaluating its attitude toward licensing??. Forever.

The Legend of Zelda, produced for Viacom Entertainment, originally aired in North America in September 1989, broadcast as part of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! - itself renown for WWF-star Captain Lou Albano's manic turn imploring viewers to "Do the Mario." While Monday through Thursday would feature a daily episode of the awful Super Mario Bros. cartoon, Fridays would substitute an episode of The Legend of Zelda, ensuring your weekend got ??off to a shi??t sandwich of a start.

The Legend of Zelda sees young hero Link living in Hyrule Castle with Princess Zelda and her father, King Harkinian (your favorite Zelda character). Link has been hired by the king to guard the Triforce of Wisdom from evil sorcerer Ganon, who himself already owns the Triforce of Power. I don't know where he got it. Let's say eBay. At no point in the series is the Triforce of Courage?? seen or referenced whatsoever. This actually makes it a Biforce, which is what I call my temper tantrums.

Each episode sees Ganon attempt to capture both Triforce, an act which will immediately make him the Hyrule's ruler...or so we're told. With each episode only running 14 minutes, not including two title sequences, we shouldn't expect a deep backstory. Typically, Ganon attempts some kind of subterfuge, inevitably failing as ZeldInk save the day. Most of the show's 13 episodes follow a simple formula: Brief Fight > Ganon's Plan > Plan is Attempted > Nearly Works > Doesn't Work > Do The Mario. (Incidentally, said ?dance involves "swinging your arms from side to side" and "taking a step, and then again"... That's just walking. You're describing walking, Cpt. Lou.)

As a simple "Saturday Morning" type affair, this would be perfectly fine. But The Legend of Zelda is a breakable jar filled with problems. Firstly, the scant run-time doesn't allow for even the slightest depth, resulting in bland and repetitive storytelling. Secondly, when the action arrives, it has a cheap and stilted flow akin to someone failing a laserdisc game. But the main issue - the biggest issue - is simply that most everyone in The Legend of Zelda is a dick. Let's check out our cast.

Here's the man of the hour, Link himself. He doesn't look b?ad at all, although there's zero sign of the soft androgyny that would become a character design trait. Link's got the suit, he's got the hair, he's got a cute button nose. They just need to give him a plucky, underdog personality and we're go??od to go. Let's check out his first lines of dialogue:

"Yech! Another beautiful day in the 'magical kingdom of Hyrule'. Boring place!.. Look at me, living in a castle, sleeping in a bed... Aren't I sweet? Yuck!" Link opens his window and spies on Zelda in her nightgown. "(wolf whistle) Looking ?good, Princess...especially from this angle!"

Yep, unsure how to read our hero from his recent NEScapades, DIC decided he was a whiny, self-centered, lecherous teen. The Legend of Zelda's Link moans, whines and self-congratulates throughout each episode, his only goal being to score with the fair princess - putting the moves on her time and again. "Ha! Saved you again princess. Kiss me!" demands Hyrule's favorite incel in one instance. "Oh boy, it's smooching time!" he exclaims after Zelda simply sits on a bed. He also has this habit of sp?inning his sword around bef?ore he sheathes it. You ain't T.J. Lazer, pal.

The Legend of Zelda's Link is weirdly unlikable 99% of the time. Rather than the steadfast hero we know and love, he's basically the "smug teen" from every other TV show of the day. He's Doyle from Galaxy High School, he's Kevin from Captain N, if he went to a Californian high school and mentally tortured women, he'd be Zack from Saved by the Bell. And you might even be able to forgive this, all of it, if it wasn't for "that" catchphrase, delivered an unbelievable 29 times in just 13 episodes... Lordy.

Princess Zelda fares a little better. The ruler of Hyrule is, for the most part, presented as Link's equal and occasionally his better. In fact, Zelda is portrayed so headstrong ??and capable in battle that you can't help but wonder why she even hired Link in the first place. Although she takes up her typical damsel role on multiple instances, this iteration of Zelda is charging into?? battle, kicking Octorok ass, and smothering eagles in dirty laundry years before she ever donned ninja garb and started ordering folk to awaken the Seven Sages.

The Legend of Zelda's...erm...Zelda fits in neatly with an early wave of stronger women characters appearing in animated shows of the era. These queens include Thundercats' Cheetara, G.I. Joe's Lady Jaye and Baroness, and She-Ra: Princess of Power - all of whom aren't nearly as badass as Pizazz from Jem and the Holograms, but nobody is.

Still, even with her slightly more self-sufficient, mildly progressive appearance, Zelda is unnecessarily stand-offish, snooty, even mean. While I appreciate that the show is going for a "They Fancy Each Other, Really" vibe, the animosity between the leads is hilariously weighted, and sometimes just comes across like they legitimately can't stand one another. Moonlighting, this was not.

Every show has an Orko, or a Slimer, or a Snarf, and The Legend of Zelda goes with dollar store Tinkerbell, Spryte. Spryte is a fairy princess who follows our leads around offering witticisms and exposition. Spryte's hair frequently changes between blonde and brunette - possibly because of fairy magic, possibly because the animators weren't paying attention. Still, being the princess of the fairies, Spryte will surely offer the show some much-needed softness.

"Hey, listen," Spryte tells Link in episode one. "Zelda's a snot. You should stick with me." (I might have imagined "Hey, listen"). Seems that even Spryte's just out for number one. The fairy fancies Link -- because he's just so dang lovable -- and dislikes Zelda because she's a match for his affections. I didn't have time to put ??the show through the Bechdel Test, sorry.

No kid's cartoon in the '80s was complete without a solid villain: a Cobra Commander, a Starscream, or a third character with the exact same voice and personality. In The Legend of Zelda, we have the notorious Ganon, who is given the flat personality of "sorcerer," lacking the sardonic nature and gay appeal that made Skeletor so cool. Ganon conjures up villains from his "Evil Jar" - a sort of purgatory where his defeated minions dwell, ensuring that Link doesn't actually kill anybody during? his family-fr??iendly adventures.

Ganon's plans? mostly involve trickery, disguising himself or others to sneak into Hyrule Castle. His one goal is to capture to Triforce of Wisdom,?? which he does SEVEN FUCKING MINUTES INTO EPISODE ONE. I don't know how many rupees Zelda is paying Link, but it's definitely too many. Call Dirk the Daring.

Ganon has far too many teeth, which creeps me out like the scrapped Sonic the Hedgehog movie design. Rather than walk, Ganon chooses to teleport everywhere -- even just three steps across the same room -- but the evil?? genius never thinks to simply teleport to the Triforce, pick it up, and then just teleport home. Also, in the final episode, his minions -- the Moblins -- get sick of his shit management and take over. I'd like to point out that this never once happened to The Shredder.

Let's be positive and look at what DIC's The Legend of Zelda did right. To be fair, provided none of the characters are talking or existing, the show is pretty authentic. A charming score is composed of spirited renditions of themes from the NES titles, while actions are accompanied by actual in-game sound effects -- a technique also utilized in Super Mario Bros. and Captain N: The Game Master. Very unlike the Super Mario Bros. show, we don't get a cameo from Milli Vanilli, nor 1960s song covers performed by the Koopa Kids. A fun mechanic devised for The Legend of Zelda sees items shrink down as they are pocketed, explaining how Link can carry so much in his meager clothing. This is just like Sport Billy,?? and you're too young to know who in the blue hell I'm even talking about.

By far, The Legend of Zelda's best element is its use of numerous trademark villains. Despite the show's short run, we get to see a huge selection of baddies from the video games. Octoroks, Moblins, Dodongos, Aches, and Gibdos are all on the call sheet, as well as boss characters such as Aquamentus and a surprisingly charismatic Gleeok. Popular weapons and items such as Link's sword, Zelda's bow, and boomerangs are also present, though both the sword and the bow simply fire "light zaps" to keep the violence down. Anyone expecting a Lucio Fulci-style decapitation in children's afternoon programming will be sadly disappointed. While the characterization leaves something to be desired, it's fun to see the show's adherence to Zelda's rogues' gallery of gods and monsters.

Now, we're just having a bit of gentle fun here, but I can already hear some of you. "This is all very well and good and too long, Moyse, but it is just a kids' show, y'know?" And I get it, it is just a kids' show -- but there were plenty of shows on the market that were just better. Shows that similarly dealt with fantasy action and magical worlds and with a much wider cast of characters that not only looked slicker, but were better written, had cooler central arcs, and better-lay??ered heroes and villains.

Shows such as Transformers, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, Thundercats, M.A.S.K., Dungeons and Dragons, and Jem and the Holograms all existed around the same time and were more smarter, more engaging, less condescending. These shows presented better action, funnier comedy, and stronger moral lessons. So it doesn't really wash to say "It wasn't made for middle-aged Brits on a dump truck of Sertraline" when there were other TV shows occupying the exact same "Kids' TV" slot tha??t blew it ??out of the water.

Does it really matter that The Legend of Zelda was a poor quality show? Well, yes and no. No, because DIC's short-lived series was merely one more harmless entity in a thousand mediocre cartoons, but yes, in that it was the failure of sub-licenses such as The Legend of Zelda that led to Nintendo being so completely tight-fisted on the future use of its IPs. If some of these shows and movies had treated the material with more care and reverence, then we would likely have seen better efforts made down the line. We most certainly would have had a new Legend of Zelda anime, movie, or live-action series by now. In a minor way, DIC's The Legend of Zelda did contrib??ute negatively to the franchise's potential.

Regardless of the cartoon's failure, The Legend of Zelda as a multimedia brand has more than endured, a direct result of 35 years of excellent video games, which have entertained players across the globe for generation after generation. Ultimately, Nintendo's franchise has proven itself untouchable time and again, unfettered by its few missteps. Ironically, for all its flaws, DIC's The Legend of Zelda has its own quaint role to play in the franchise's history, as one of the very few times all wasn't quite right in the land of Hyrule.

Will we ever see a truly authentic Legend of Zelda cinematic universe? Who knows? and frankly, who cares? As we've already had the best interpret??ation p?ossible. Take it away...

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'The story you've been waiting for is finally here'

Netflix has announced the coming of a brand new anime series based on epic strategy franchise Dota. As revealed in a new teaser trailer, which you can check out below, DOTA: Dragon's Blood is produced in association with the publisher Valve and will premiere on the st??reaming service March 25.

Produced by Studio MIR (Netflix Voltron, The Legend of Korra) The eight-episode animated series will follow the adventures of the Dragon Knight, Davion, (a legitimate Dota 2 character class), who becomes embroiled in world-changing events after an encounter with the Princess of the Moon, Mirana. Showrunner Ashley Edward Miller describes DOTA: Dragon's Blood as a?n "epic, emotional, adult-oriented story" sure to please franchise f?ans with its variety of recognizable characters and events.

Valve's Dota joins other gaming legends such as Castlevania, The Witcher, and Dragon's Dogma to receive a Netflix-produced anime adaptation. Whether this new series will meet the expectations of the video game's enormous fanbase remains to be seen, but given the depth and breadth of the Dota universe, there??'s certainly a lot of source material to pull ??from. 

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Stop all the downloadin'

When "movable fighting man" G.I. Joe first made his way to British shores in the 1960s, he was renamed as the less nation-specific "Action Man." Despite th??is amusingly bland new moniker, Action Man was still a smash success with British kids, going on to sell thousands of dolls, ("It's an action figure, mum!"), in the ensuing decades.

The plastic military man and his kung-fu grip became so huge here in Britain, that when the super-popular G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero animated series made the leap overseas, it also needed to be renamed, to keep marketing in line with the toy range. So do you know what we got? Action Force. ACTION F??ORCE. The Brits are nothing if not great at poorly localizing American properties. That and making abysmal political decisions.

Nice history lesson, Moyse, but what does this have to do with G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout, GameMill Entertainment's new vi??deo game adaptation of the aforementioned Saturday morning show? Honestly, not all that much. ??But what's important is that now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout (PS4 [reviewed], PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Iguanabee, Fair Play Labs
Publisher: GameMill Entertainment
Released: October 13, 2020
MSRP: $39.99

G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a joint-production of Chilean developer Iguanabee and Costa Rican studio Fair Play Labs. A third-person action-adventure with hero shooter elements, Operation Blackout is the first licensed G.I. Joe title since 2009 movie tie-in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and chooses to set itself within the universe of the ??hit 1980s animated series, rather than the rece??nt live-action movies.

Operation Blackout consists of two distinct modes: a roughly six-hour story campaign and local co-op/Vs. play. The story campaign puts players in the gung-ho boots of both members of the G.I. Joe squad, as well as their villainous rivals COBRA. (Shout it. Always shout it.). In a storyline surprisingly similar to Marvel's Avengers, a violent attack on the G.I. Joe headquarters results in the scattering and disbanding of the Real American Heroes, which leads to the vile Starscream Cobra Commander becoming President of the United St?ates �I mean, at this point, I'll take it.

Scattered across the globe, it is up to the player to reunite the members of G.I. Joe, before launching a series of covert missions to free the United States from COBRA's tyranny. As a plotline, it's straight out of the TV show, delightfully over-the-top and filled with amusing and welcome holes and contrivances. The story is told through some nicely styled comic-book art, which makes up for the static nature of the cinematics. If there's one thing Operation Blackout does very well, it captures the feel, atmosphere, and awesomely Hoo-Rah spirit of the G.I Joe universe.

Unfortunately, this heartfelt adherence to the source material doesn't automatically translate to a wildly enjoyable gaming experience. Operation Blackout is a third-person shooter in the most basic of senses. It has a cover-based style and a pace akin to Gears of War, but has neither the technical prowess nor budget to pull off the same gripping, hi-octane gameplay. As such, Operation Blackout feels dated, and mostly consists of fighting off waves of identikit enemies in slews of "Hold this position for two minutes" set-pieces. In its favor, each character has a selection of unique weaponry, as well as a custom special ability, which at least makes the roster feel varied. But on the whole, the gameplay is reminiscent of third-person shooters from the ea?rly PS3 era, and isn't particularly thrilling.

Not helping matters is a sluggish control system, which on consoles makes the run 'n' gun action a chore. There's a selection of auto-aim and sensitivity options available, but after working with a wide variety of setups, I never found a "sweet spot" that made control feel slick and tight, everything would just go from one extreme to the other. I can imagine that the PC edition will fare much better, as I expect Operation Blackout is far more playable with a mouse and keyboard setup. But wrestling with an unruly crosshair while blasting away at the same army of enemies saps the wholesome?? fun out of everything.

Operation Blackout features some really nice, cartoonish visuals, as well as some impressively done special effects, with the battlefield?? awash with colorful explosions and projectiles. The game's visua??l style is lively and warm, with chunky character models that are reminiscent of golden-era action figures. Constant radio chatter between characters also keeps the missions feeling "alive," which is necessary given the generally simplistic objectives. An occasional vehicular section will show up to add some variety to the action, but these mobile moments are half-baked and uninspired.

As a nice touch, players can not only unlock multiple skins for each character, referencing iconic moments from the show, but they can also unl??ock play modifiers, as well as a museum of classic comic art of Cobra Commander, Destro, Duke, Roadblock, The Baroness, and their comrades-in-arms.

The multiplayer mode supports four American Heroes, who can choose their favorite characters for skirmish battles in modes such as Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and Deathmatch. But unfortunately, Operation Blackout has no online play, and thus supports local co-op/Vs. only. This is fine if you have a group of friends who want to come round and dive into the action with you, but with so many great local multiplayer titles on offer, I'm not sure where Operation Blackout would s??it on your party playlist. Still, the co-op option at least provides a bit of shared entertainment for the st??ory campaign.

As a reviewer, it's advisable to refrain from writing that any product is "for the fans," as it's a self-explanatory and relatively obvious statement to make. But in the case of G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout, I can't think of another title I've played in recent times that would only really appeal to the most die-hard of followers. If you love G.I. Joe, you'll get a kick out of the characters, collectibles, retro visuals, and Saturday morning storyline, but even the most hardened devotee will find it difficult to deny that Operation Blackout has da?ted gameplay, dull missions, and a sli?m package, even at its discounted price.

Operation Blackout is not a terrible title, it just has very little new or engaging to offer an audience in 2020.  If you're still interested in checking it out, then I'd suggest grabbing it down the line, perhaps on the PC, which I'm guessing will offer a tighter and more optimized control scheme. Oh, be sure to bring a buddy along for the ride.

There's a nugget of an excellent game located within G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout, but this outmoded third-person shooter unfortunately doesn't have the resources, scope, or variety to expand upon its unmistakable potential. With repetitive objectives, frustrating controls, and a lack of online multiplayer, G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout ?isn't fun enough to stand out in a crowded shooter marketplace, despite the ??obvious and heartfelt passion on display for the '80s franchise.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout appeared first on Destructoid.

This is not a drill that is a rhino on a rocket

In today's contest you can win Clash Force for Switch, PS4, or Xbox One!

These things just come together: A developer?? called Spicy Gyro Games made a retro sidescroller based on the concept of an 80s ??cartoon and there's a fudging rhino riding a rocket.

I said, THERE'S A RHINO RIDING A ROCKET.

Alright, 'nuff said. It's called Clash Force and? we're giving it away. Because rhinos, rockets, and whatnot.

I'm only typing anything else out of respect to the game, because the header and intro above should be more than enough to convince you on this one. But it's wacky. The bad guy is called The Evil Crackman and you can play as a rhino, rat-thing, and duck-guy called Voom, Scorpido, and Echid. It looks kinda like Contra, Mega Man, and the first TMNT NES game got thrown into a blen??der and my 12-year-old nephew tried his best to glue it all back together.

I consider that a compliment, btw.

Use the widget below to leave your name, email address, and platform of choice for your chance to win a copy. Do the other stuff in the widget for bonus entries, and hit up Nintendo Enthusiast to do it all over again ?to double your odds of wi??nning.

We have 3 Switch NA/EU/AUS, 3 PS4 NA/EU, and 3 Xbox One keys, each, to give away. We'll draw winners Monday, J??uly?? 13.

Clash Force is available now for Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Dtoid Contest: ??Win Clash Force ?for Switch, PS4, or Xbox One

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That looks like Squidward, in angry mob form

It's an interesting choice for THQ Nordic to pick the remastered treatment for SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom rather than a full remake. A remake would give the developers t??he chance to smooth out the experience.

Most licensed 3D platformers of the era were rough around the edges with poor puzzle concepts, boring levels, and other d??esign issues the genre has more or less corrected over time. But with a remaster, or at least with this remaster, there isn't the opportunity to fix what didn't work or rethink the concept. With this remaster, it's simply the old game freshened up with a new coat of paint.

But oh, what a coat of paint it is.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated (PC, PS4, Switch [reviewed], Xbox One)
Developer: Purple Lamp Studios
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Released: June 23, 2020
MSRP: $29.99

Spongebob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated is an astoundingly pretty game, one that's able to capture the look of the cartoon series even while being tied to the layout and structure of the original title. Colors pop and the character models are a massive step up ?with animations that accurately match the dialog as it's delivered. Like the comedy from the show itself, the script holds up and the jokes land with outstanding delivery from most of the cartoon's voice cast.

Despite its thoroughly modern look, this very much feels like a 17-year-old game. Whereas some styles of game design are timeless, I don't think many licensed products from the early oughts would qualify as such. If anything, Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated plays like a relic of a bygone era. It's not necessarily a bad game, in fact, I know this is one of the more popular third-party titles from the console generation, ??but it's certainly a title that made me say, "Oh right, this is how we used to design levels," on more than one occasion. Something like the Rolling Ball Area of the Mermailair probably wouldn't exist in a modern game, or it would at least be a less aggravating version of it. Throughout SpongeBob's quest to collect the golden spatulas and defeat Plankton's robot army, there is also an abundance of sliding levels, a design crutch favorited by platformer developers from the era.

Rehydrated will probably find a fanbase within the speedrunning community, just as the original did. It may also end up as a fun game?? to play with friends in the new multiplayer mode. This two-player horde mode gives you access to seven different characters as you jump from island to island, defeating increasing num?bers of robots sent to destroy you by Robo-Squidward, a cut boss from the original game. While you can't play this mode with an A.I. partner, you can team up with a person locally, online, or with a LAN connection. It really is worth at least one trip through, at least to get a feel of the different playstyles for each character. Squidward's clarinet attack makes him ideal for long-distance opponents, and he ended up as my favorite of the bunch.

Even if it is just melee combat, going through the multiplayer mode provided a more problem-free experience than the single-player campaign. The hit detection for SpongeBob's bubble wand is iffy and his ledge grabbing is too sporadic to be reliable. Sandy's post-swing j??ump is anemic, and the erratic auto-aiming system for Patrick's stone heads and watermelons can lead to throws you didn't want to make. I also experienced multiple instances where a function would work once but wouldn't work one the next try. Or the next three tries. Nothing crucial like the jump or attack button, those are solid, but Patrick could be awfully unreliable with his throws if, for whatever reason, the game didn't appreciate when I was pressing the button.

With that said, several parts of what Purple Lamp Studios has put together here are absolute bliss and put a big smile on my face. As a SpongeBob fan, it is nice to venture through a detailed version of Goo Lagoon or the Kelp Forest, and the variety of activities in each level kept things fresh and pushed me to explore the entirety of every biome. It's a shame Pearl or Karen didn't make the cut, but that's a minor quibble. I have far more substantial complaints with the ??ac??tual build of this remaster.

Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated crashed within the first 15 minutes of play. About an hour after that, the screen went nearly completely black though I could still hear everything happening through my speakers. Anytime I'm in an open area like the hub, the frame rate takes a tumble. Pop-in is frequent throughout, and when combined with the frame rate issue, it makes some levels a real nuisance to play. Load screens can be pretty long and they're frequent, whether when entering a new area or when you have to restart after dying. Audio is an issue as well. There are some sound effe?cts, such as when you take a bus to a specific level, that are loud and grating. I also witnessed cut scenes with muted dialogue or with a delay in the voice track.

The rules of th?e game also feel very in flux. Goo, which is the SpongeBob equivalent of water, is a hazard you need to avoid. Some puddles of it are placed casually through??out each level, and touching it will either bounce you back to the ground you started on or kill you instantly. Goo doesn't take away from your health, so it's an all-or-nothing thing.

And that's what I mean when I say Battle For Bikini Bottom is probably a better candidate for a remake than a remaster. Because that's a bad design choice, so?mething that should have been ironed out f??or this release. There is no reason why touching goo shouldn't produce the same result every single time. The auto-aim on Patrick's throws and Sandy's rope attack shouldn't be so much of a crapshoot. Characters shouldn't fly back five feet when hit, possibly sending them off a cliff and into a loading screen.

With a remake, all of this, along with the often questionable level design, could have been corrected. But with SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated aiming to be as faithful to the original as possib??le, these issues only serve as a reminder of how much better the industry has become at making 3D platformers.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Rev??iew: Sp??ongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated appeared first on Destructoid.

He'll hold your beer

At the end of this new (nearly) minute-long look at Netflix's Cuphead Show,?? the video's end says it's "coming soon." Hopefully this is one of those cases where "coming soon" means "coming soon" and not "releasing at an undet??ermined future date."

I am in love with Cuphead and I am also in love with the little bi?t of this show we've seen thus far. Today, we got a couple more peeks at finished animation alongside an introduction to a lot of?? the talent who's making it happen:

Take an inside peek at the intricate, nostalgic design of The Cuphead Show! pic.twitter.com/EF0kpAi973

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) June 26, 2020

Give it to me now. Also, give me the Delicious Course DLC now. I'm itchin'? for a refill and I want ??my cup filled all the way up.

The post The Netflix Cuphead cartoon can’t come soon enough appeared first on Destructoid.

Steve, you're delicious!

In today's contest you can win a Switch or Steam copy of multiplayer game Cannibal Cuisine!

I can't cook. ??I've tried a few times, but it usually ends up in bland fla??vors, burnt proteins, and disappointed wives. It's a mess!

Well, in this title not only can you cook up some delicious dishes with friends, but you can use said friends as the ingredients! Cannibal Cuisine is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, so come win a Switch or PC copy while we've sti?ll got them!

You're a resident of an island with a hungry volcano god always chirping about needing to be fed. What's an islander to do? Open up the joint as a tourist destination and eat the visitors, of course! This wacky and slightly creepy (in the good way) cooking game is Overcooked a la Ruggero Deodato as you see your cutesy tourists but?chered and cooked for a good old-fashioned buffet. Work alone or with up to three friends across the 24-level campaign, or go in??to the chaotic versus mode where it's every chef for their self.

I think human meat needs to be at least 169 degrees fahr?enheit in order to be safely consumed. Just lookin' o??ut for you guys.

To e?nter to win your copy, comment below telling us which platform you'd like to win??, and your best recipe for human flesh! I like to start every morning with a bit of Jake and Eggs, a wonderful dish full of protein, and some dork named Jake. I start every day out with a balanced breakfast!

We have two Switch NA and four Steam keys to give away; winners will be drawn Monday, June 1. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. If you're new, sign up here to share y?our best (and probably illegal) recipes!

Cannibal Cuisine is available now for Switch and PC.

The post Contest: Have your friends,?? and eat them too, with a Switch or P??C copy of Cannibal Cuisine appeared first on Destructoid.

AKA The Badass Hero

In today's contest you can win a copy of action-based comic shooter Fury Unleashed for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, or Steam!

Are y'all ready for round three? Way back when (nearly two years ago -- yikes!), we put up some Early Access copies of an awesome cartoonish shooter called The Badass Hero so you guys could check it out. We followed it up a few months later when the name changed, and several more improvements could be made.

Well, now it's ready for its official release across Steam and current-gen consoles! So buckle up and enter for your chance to win a copy of Fury Unleashed for your platform of choice!

This action-shooter is obsessed with constant, nonstop chaos. The? comic book worlds of Fury ??Unleashed are going through an identity crisis, and it's up to you to shoot the hell out of every alien, monster, critter, robot, and bugger to set things right. Combo by killing consecutive enemies, and if you're good enough, you can complete the game using one continuous combo. Read some more game features below:

• Ever-changing comic book -- Explore the pages of a living comic book where ink is your most valuable resource and each room is a comic panel. Find out why is John Kowalsky, author of acclaimed Fury Unleashed series having a creativity crisis and see if you can help him deal with it.
• Gameplay-impacting combo system -- Kill enemies quickly enough to unleash your fury and rip through everything in your way without getting injured. Learn to play flawlessly and beat the entire game in one, epic combo!
• Game customization options -- Choose either challenging Hard mode, which will put your skills to the test - or Easy mode, where you can adjust the difficulty parameters to your liking. Go solo or bring in a friend for a local co-op session. Choose your hero's skills to match your playstyle, customize their appearance or even replace their face graphic with your own!
• Roguelite with soft permadeath -- Discover worlds created by a mix of hand-designed levels and procedural generation algorithms. Choose the best items to assist you in your playthrough and unlock permanent upgrades when you'll die for your subsequent runs.
• Unique settings -- Play through the pages of visually distinctive comic books, each with its own enemies, and overcome a total of 40 bosses. All that accompanied by epic soundtrack composed by Adam Skorupa and Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz, the creators of music for The Witcher, Bulletstorm and Shadow Warrior 2.

The last t??ime I got through anything with a full combo was at Taco Bell, so I'm already pretty out of my league on this one.

To enter to win, use the widget below to leave you?r name and email address -- you can en??ter daily. Also be sure to specify which platform/region you'd like so I know what to give you. You can earn bonus entries, so click around and have some fun.

We have a bunch of keys to give out, so I'm not going to bother listing how many/what platform; winners will be drawn Friday, May 8. PC Invasion has more keys to give away, so go check 'em out!

Fury Unleashed will be available May 8 on Steam, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Dtoid Contest: ??Work out all that festering rage with a copy of comic book shooter Fury Unleashed

The post Contest: Work out all that fes??tering rage with a copy of comic book shooter Fury Unleashed appeared first on Destructoid.

Taking the Improvised Weapons feat to the extreme

Okay, if I grab the hammer from that stump I can use ?it to take out two of those mooks guarding the shish kebab, then dash past the crush traps. The guy at the end of the trap line is wearing a pool floatie as armor, so I'll have to use a ranged weapon to take him out, or else it'll take two swings and I'd really rather drop him in one hit.

I'll have to balance on ?the exploding barrel to avoid the spike pit, but would I do better to crash it into a dude and boost jump up to higher ground, or just use the cannon to gain altitude? No, wait, I can use this tiki torch to blow past those guys and take them from behind if I...

Crap, they got me. Let's try that again.

Bloodroots (PC [Epic Games Store], PS4 [reviewed], Switch)
Developer: Paper Cult
Publisher: Paper Cult
Released: February 28, 2020 
MSRP: $19.99

Bloodroots is a heavily stylized, frantic beat-em-up which draws inspiration from games like Hotline Miami and Katana Zero, where a single mistake is as deadly for your opponents as it is for you. Your main goal in every level is to kill everyone before they can return the favor, though your motivation only becomes clear by playing through the story. When played well, it's a blast bouncing from foe to foe in a ballet of homicidal fury. It's a title I've been looking forward to since I first got to try it out a couple of years ago, and I'm pleased to say that in m??y opinion, it's been worth the wait.

The two biggest selling points for Bloodroots are the striking animation style and the fact that nearly anything you see onscreen can be used as an improvised weapon. The game's visuals were inspired by the work of Genndy Tartakovsky, particularly the Samurai Jack series. It's extremely impressive in motion, and screenshots don't really do the game justice. The final kill in each level is punctuated by a brief cutscene which slows down?? the action for a moment, no matter what weapon you're using at the time. Most of the game's unique weapons will trigger a different cutscene, so it's quite entertaining experimenting with different options to se?e how you might end a man's life with nothing but a dried fish, mandolin, or root vegetable.

Although your character Mr. Wolf is skilled with ?conventional weapons such as swords, axes, and firearms, it's more entertaining to try killing foes with less common tools. Part of the fun is seeing how various items can be used to dispatch the army of thugs set against you by your former gang members. Wagon wheels can be thrown at enemies, or you can stand on one and ride it around like a top until it breaks. You can swing a giant hammer at your enemies, or use it as a piledriver to jump and take out several at the same time. A bundle of fireworks can be used to light enemies on fire, or used to double-jump. If you manage to time it right, you can do both at once. 

Timing is critical to success in Bloodroots. There are separate buttons for picking up a weapon, using it, and jumping. While it's possible to kill enemies with a single unarmed punch, doing so leaves you vulnerable for a moment, and that can be all your surviving enemies need to take you down. Each weapon has a limited number of uses, so you're always encouraged to try something new and to keep an eye out for a new implement of death. The fast, frenetic gameplay lends itself well to speedrunning, and I'll be looking forward to seeing experts do perfect runs at AGDQ. Fortunately, it's po??ssible to succeed even if you don't have the levels memorized. Dying just makes the screen turn red and restarts your progress at the beginning of the current area, so you're encouraged to get right back into the action.

One of the things that impressed me most was Bloodroots' ?internal logic, and the way the cartoony physics make sense in this world. Throwing an oil lantern at an enemy will leave a trail of fire behind, and luring other enemies into this trail will set them alight. Roll a barrel through a campfire, and you can set a whole field of grass ablaze as you ride it like a steamroller. Crashing a haycart into a pine tree will knock it down, crushing anyone standing underneath and potentially providing a new angle of attack as you use the tree?? as a bridge. You can twirl a ladder around your head like a helicopter, which allows you to hover in midair and provides an opportunity to smash through a few enemies before it falls to pieces. If you come at a particular level thinking, "What would Bugs Bunny do?" there's a good chance you'll make it through in one piece.

While secondary to the action, Bloodroots has a story to tell, and it's drip-fed through flashbacks and cutscenes in between the action segments. Mr. Wolf used to be a member of a criminal gang who all themed themselves after various beasts, and together they terrorized t??he wild West. After a disagreement involving a massacre in Tarrytown, Mr. Wolf turned? his back on the other gang members, who attempted to kill him as a traitor. Mr. Wolf, understandably upset about all this, swore revenge against his betrayers. The spaghetti-flavored soundtrack helps sell the story, and these Western tunes set the mood so perfectly I didn't mind retrying levels over and over to try and find a workable solution.

While there's no multplayer option, Bloodroots does include online leaderboards ??for players who put up particularly good runs. Players are graded on how efficiently they move from enemy to enemy, how mobile they remain while doing so, variety of weapons used, number of deaths, and so on. There's always a counter in the upper left of your screen which shows how high your kill combo is, and you can get bonus points if you refresh the combo just as it's about to expire.

This adds a lot of replay value for those who want to absolutely perfect a given level, but there's not much reason to return if this sort of thing doesn't appeal to you. It's still fun replaying levels t??o try out different combinations though, and there are some unlockable hats and other bonuses which change up the gameplay a little bit. 

As much as I've enjoyed my time with it, Bloodroots does have a couple of problems which might make it less appealing to certain players. If you get frustrated easily, this probably isn't the game for you. It's pretty difficult, and if you aren't willing to put some time in to learn the patterns you may become stuck on a section for quite a while. It can sometimes be hard to follow the action, especially on a smaller TV (or, presumably, the Switch's handheld mode). The sheer amount of stuff onscreen at once means sometimes enemies and high-priority targets are hard to pick out. Additionally, the fact that you have to kill every enemy in an area before moving on to the next one sometimes?? makes the game feel more like hide-and-seek than it probably should. 

While I admit it's a very minor issue, I was surprised to read some of the language that came out of the antagonists' mouths. It seemed odd that the tone seeme?d to shift from cartoonish, slapstick ultraviolence to broodin?g grimdark angst and back again so quickly. The previous stage had pinball bumpers in it, for Pete's sake. Still, if you're in it for the action and don't care much about the story, you won't be disappointed.

I did run into a particularly nasty bit of slowdown in one of the second level's stages, but it didn't show up until I had died several times?? during the same stage. It made the normally fluid animation look more like a slideshow. Fortunately, resetting the game took care of the problem. Unfortunately, I did lose some progress since I had to play this level from the beginning. I presume this will be patched soon, so I hope it won't affect too many people before then.  

Despite some minor flaws, Bloodroots is a manically fun game that oozes style. Discovering new and unique ways to use the extremely varied arsenal to my advantage kept me coming back again and again. Even when I died (and believe me, I died plenty), I was thoroughly enjoying myself. If you're in the mood for a fast, stylish action game with plenty of challenge, Bloodroots might be just what you're looking for.

_{[This review is based on a retail?? build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Bloodroots appeared first on Destructoid.

'Sonic...he can really move'

We're in agreement that the 1993-1994 Sonic the Hedgehog TV show is the best incarnation, right? It had that dark tone where anyone could be killed (sorry, robotocized) at any time, as well as that kick ass theme song. On the flipside, I also dig the silliness of the "chili dog" humor and Looney Tune sensibilities of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog: and the Sonic Mania shorts aren't bad at all.

The point is, you can do Sonic right in cartoon form, and Sega's director of animation Yukio Kusumoto is ready to prove it again. Speaking to Comicbook.com, Kusumoto mused: "I think the world is definitely ready for another TV show, and I would love to work on it. There are several discussions and this is coming from me personally...I would love Sonic to continue, so I'll keep trying to p??ut more stuff out there."

Sega will likely land a project in the next few years, just based on history. Sonic has pretty much consistently been on TV since 1993, as the iconic character jumped to Sonic Underground in the late '90s, then to Sonic X in the 2000s, then to Sonic Boom in the 2010s.

Sega's Director of Animation Says the World Is Ready for a New Soni?c the Hedgehog TV Show [Comicbook]

The post Sega’s director of animation wants another Sonic cartoon, I say bring it on appeared first on Destructoid.