Co-op Puzzle Game Pitfall Planet Out Now On Switch

The Switch ports continue. Pitfall Planet, the co-op puzzle game that won 2015 Best Overall Game at Level-Up, and then released on Steam in 2016 has come to Nintendo’s little hybrid system. You can pick it up right here for $18.99 CAD.

BIG NEWS!! IT'S OFFICIAL!!

The couch co-op puzzle-solving adventure ✨PITFALL PLANET✨comes out APRIL 4TH on

✧･ﾟ *✧･ﾟ* ❤️#NintendoSwitch 💙✧･ﾟ *✧･ﾟ*

AND you can pre-purchase it now: https://t.co/zr7BsakBX0

RT's Appreciated! 🤖🚀💎✨ #eShop #indiegame #gamedev pic.twitter.com/KaMCLtLn7Y

— Mochii 💛🤘POST GDC (@emmamochii) March 26, 2019

“Featuring the cutest pair of robots this side of the Milky Way, Pitfall Planet’s action takes place on a distant, forgotten mining world. Play as the two astrobots, who after being stranded and separated from their ship, must traverse the subterranean caves of the ruined planet, overcoming its many perils in the process. In Pitfall Planet, you and your friend are equipped with the latest and greatest in astro-mining technology. Players can use their grappling hooks to pick up objects (including each other!) and throw them over gaps or cliffs. To collect all the ore in each level, you'll learn to master the art of teamwork!”

The game also has a little extra Toronto flair, with the Reptoid Games adding some extra cutscenes in the port.

Pitfall Planet

Pitfall Planet

Pitfall Planet

Pitfall Planet

Pitfall Planet

Pitfall Planet

Blazing Bit Games Reveals New Retro Shooter: Nightmare Reaper - Coming Summer 2019

Blazing Bit Games, a new studio in Montreal from a former Ubisoft Montreal Network Programmer, have announced Nightmare Reaper - a first-person-shooter throw back to games like Wolfenstein, and Doom. The game hits Steam Early Access this Summer with Episode 1, with Episode’s 2 and 3 coming within a year of that. Check out the Steam page to wishlist the game, in the meantime trailer, screenshots, and press release is below.

Announcing our upcoming game, Nightmare Reaper! Explore the cursed depths of a nightmare while finding powerful weapons and improving your abilities in this retro first person shooter that breaches the wall between the classics and modern sensibilities. Episode 1 available summer 2019 in Early Access.

Nightmare Reaper

Nightmare Reaper

Nightmare Reaper

Nightmare Reaper

Nightmare Reaper

Montreal, Canada -- April 9th, 2019 -- Blazing Bit Games reveals today their new retro first person shooter game, Nightmare Reaper, launching in Steam Early Access for Windows this summer.  Explore the cursed depths of a nightmare while finding powerful weapons and improving your abilities in this new indie game that breaches the wall between the classics and modern sensibilities.

Reveal trailer: https://youtu.be/zghpgec0S1w

"We really wanted and had yet to find a modern sprite-based shooter similar in looks and mechanics to Doom or the Build engine games that was more than just shooting monsters.  We just had to make it happen." - said Bruno Beaudoin, Founder.

The Early Access release of the game, titled "Episode One", will feature over 32 weapons and will be crammed with variety and surprises.  Mysterious non-intrusive story elements will guide players through nightmare after nightmare to eradicate evil while they collect treasures that they'll use to improve their abilities through a fun minigame.  Stay tuned as more will be revealed leading up to release.

Wishlist the game on Steam and come join us on Discord!
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1051690
Discord: https://discord.gg/u2pdcGY

About Blazing Bit Games
A small studio dedicated to making great indie games, founded by Bruno Beaudoin, programmer by trade, former Ubisoft Montreal Network Programmer and passionate gamer, since the Atari 2600. Nightmare Reaper is our most ambitious project yet and we've recruited the help of amazing people to deliver our vision. 

Google's Upcoming Streaming Service Stadia Has Canadian Roots

Last month Google announced their upcoming Cloud-based video game streaming service, Stadia. Details are a little light (such as release date), but we do know that you’ll be able to stream Ubisoft Quebec’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on practically any device.

While Google is obviously a giant worldwide corporate, I was told on some of the Canadian aspects of the service - specifically from Google’s Kitchener-Waterloo office. The below bullet points were provided to me via email, but our friends at Mobile Syrup also wrote an in-depth article on it.

• Stadia has a unique Canadian connection as Google’s Kitchener-Waterloo engineering office played an instrumental role in developing the platform.

• Stadia controller: The Waterloo team worked on all the software that runs on the controller (not physical controller itself). Eg. Software for device setup, personalization and communication.

• Stadia: Specifically, the Waterloo team was tasked to solve the problem: how do we get games on the platform, working well, optimized?

You ca n check out Google’s blog on Stadia here, as well as watch the live-stream from last month. We will have to wait and see how many Canadian games follow Ubisoft and offering their games on the service.

Gather around as we unveil Google's vision for the future of gaming at #GDC19. Welcome to Stadia, one place for all the ways we play. Sign up to stay tuned at https://stadia.com. Subscribe to Stadia's YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/GoogleStadia Follow Stadia on Twitter: http://twitter.com/GoogleStadia Follow Stadia on Facebook: http://facebook.com/GoogleStadia *The Stadia Controller has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission.

Terrorarium From Stitch Media Releases In Early Access

Terrorarium from Stitch Media is out now on Steam in Early Access. Right now, in its Early Access form, the game is limited to just ‘Maker Mode’, which gives players the ability to make “murder gardens”:

In Maker Mode, you can choose from over a hundred unique assets, including: vicious creatures, treacherous hazards, plant monsters, lovely foliage and destructible terrain. With these moveable, scalable, customizeable assets, you can create a beautiful garden, a deadly maze or a murderous gauntlet. In Quick Play Mode, play through the levels you have built as the Gardener, a feisty granny with a chip on her shoulder, and her army of adorable, expendable Moogu. The Moogu will die frequently, breed out of control, and are often as insufferable as they are useful. You can also share the levels you build with your friends and frenemies, so they too may see the horrors you have wrought.

The game is expected to stay in Early Access for 6-12 months, and will include a narrative/campaign portion of the game when it’s all said and done. Until then, dive into the game on Steam and share your user created levels. You can check out the trailer and screenshots below.

Paying homage to our favourite trailer of all time. Terrorarium is a game of wanton destruction and adorable gore in player-made murder gardens. We're going to #GDC2019 and launching March 20th! Come visit us at booth #N3017, we'd love to say hello! Find us at: https://murder.garden Wish List us on Steam!

Block Droppin Blitz Out Now On iOS

A couple of years ago, Niagara-based Rocketship Park was formed and shortly after that they released Block Droppin’. Now the gang have updated their puzzle game, and released Block Droppin Blitz on iOS:

Slide blocks to make shapes. Drop shapes to score points. But be careful about where those shapes end up!

Block Droppin’ is the latest fast-paced puzzle game to train your brain and test your reflexes. Combining elements of sliding tiles, falling blocks, and old school puzzle games, Block Droppin’ takes quick wits and concentration, so make sure your sliding skills are up to the task!

CEO Jim Squires took to medium to write up about the first game, and why the latest game isn’t free-to-play anymore. Block Droppin Blitz can be picked up on iOS right here for $2.99.

Ubisoft To Stop Selling Physical Toys For Starlink Battle for Atlas - Promises New Digital Content

Starlink Battle for Atlas came out last year for Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC and it looks like sales of the physical toys that connect with the game hasn’t been doing that well. Ubisoft announced on the official blog that sales for the space adventure game haven’t met their exceptions (something we’ve discussed on the podcast a lot) and that physical toys will no longer be produced.

It’s not all bad news however, as there will be new ships, weapons, pilots to collect - they will just be digital. You can check out the full post below.

Pilots of the Starlink Initiative,

Thank you so much for the warm response to the new Starlink content announced during the February Nintendo Direct.

With the announcement of new content arriving this April, we felt that it is important to provide an update on the topic of physical toys. Starlink: Battle for Atlas has been a passion project for us from the start, and we are incredibly proud of the modular Starship technology we have developed, and how well players have responded to it.

Despite the immense and continuous support from our players, the sales for Starlink: Battle for Atlas fell below expectations. Consequently, we recently made the decision to not release any additional physical toys for the Spring update and in the future.

As part of our effort to do right by our passionate and dedicated community we are currently hard at work on our biggest update to the game so far and are pleased to tell all of you that there will be new digital ships, pilots and weapons to collect.

Additionally, there will be a ton of free content to expand your games such as additional missions, challenges and new activities to engage in throughout Atlas, including content that was inspired by community suggestions, such as Outlaw Racing.

We're very grateful for the support we have received from players around the world and can't wait for everyone to get their hands on our next big update launching this April.

We'll see you in the stars,

Starlink Development Team

Way of the Passive Fist Coming To Nintendo Switch

Toronto developer Household Games is joining the Switch-port crew and releasing their 90’s brawler inspired Way of the Passive Fist to Nintendo Switch on April 11th. It looks like the game is listed at $18.99 CAD on the Nintendo eshop.

If you can’t wait until April 11th, you can pick up the game on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC where it launched this time last year. Check out the trailer and press release below.

Reverse Brawler Way Of The Passive Fist Comes to Nintendo Switch on April 11

Toronto, ON. March 28, 2019. Indie devs Household Games announced today that the genre-bending defensive brawler Way of the Passive Fist is coming to Nintendo Switch. At a glance the game is full of 90's beat-em-up aesthetics with sprites that dwarf Battletoads or Final Fight, but a closer look reveals the game's clever twist: the player parries, dodges, and reverses attacks to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where exhaustion equals death.

Instead of punching and kicking through hordes of nameless thugs, watch for openings, time your parries, and shoot for that high score. The game's addictive stage-by-stage gameplay is perfect for the pickup and play nature of the console, and brings all its pixel art glory in handheld or docked mode. The bombastic, pulse-pounding soundtrack is the icing on the sand-and-sweat covered cake, and if the feeling of knocking back waves of enemies on top of a speeding train to a wailing electric guitar doesn't scream "arcade experience," we don't know what does.

With a fully customizable difficulty setting (no easy, medium, or hard here!), and a refreshing take on classic beat-em-up gameplay, Way of the Passive Fist is a brand new experience for action-loving Nintendo Switch players. 

Features

- Customizable difficulty setting lets players decide how many enemies appear at a time, how hard they hit, how forgiving the combo counter is, and even how many checkpoints there are.

- Contains all the content from Way of The Passive Fist's NEW DAWN Edition, including a brand new training mode to let you practice and perfect your parries.

- Procedural roguelite survival mode "Passiverse" challenges the most calm masters to stay alive amidst an unpredictable set of challenges.

- Hours of content with Story, New Dawn Epilogue, and Passiverse, plus new difficulty settings that dictate new ways to play. Try for a playthrough of super-difficult enemies or minimal checkpoints.

About Household Games Inc.

Founded in 2016 by Jason Canam and based in Toronto, Canada, Household Games is an independent studio focused on creating high-quality and stylized original IP content for consoles and PC. The small team made up of DrinkBox Studios, Queasy Games, and Silicon Knights alumni are combining forces, and their passions, to develop video games that are fun and accessible for all ages and ability levels. Household Games launched their debut title, Way of the Passive Fist, in early March 2018.

Final Episode Of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Legacy of the First Blade Out Now

The third and final episode of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s first DLC chapter is out now. Titled ‘Bloodline’ - players with the Season Pass can download it across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Check out the trailer and press release below.

Everything has led to this moment in your conflict against the Order of the Ancients. Put your differences with Darius aside to stop the evil forces hunting you once and for all in the final episode of Legacy of the First Blade! #AssassinsCreedOdyssey. Website - http://ubi.li/c6d7e https://www.facebook.com/assassinscre...

EXPERIENCE THE CONCLUSION TO ASSASSIN’S CREED® ODYSSEY LEGACY OF THE FIRST BLADE

Protect the Assassin’s Legacy in Bloodline, the Final Episode of Legacy of the First Blade, Available Now

Montreal — March 5, 2019 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Bloodline, the final episode of the first post-launch story arc of Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Legacy of the First Blade, is now available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC.

In Bloodline, the third and final episode of Legacy of the First Blade, our hero will finally face the mysterious villain who has been playing puppet master throughout the story arc. After a brutal attack, players will try to protect the Assassin’s legacy by fighting against those who are trying to eradicate the Tainted Ones.

Each episode of Legacy of the First Blade features a new ability for each branch of the skill tree: Hunter, Warrior and Assassin. While the first two episodes introduced new Assassin and Hunter abilities, this third and final episode will present players with a new Warrior ability, Fury of the Bloodline. It will allow players to unleash a series of devastating blows with the Spear of Leonidas, increasing the number of attacks with each level.

To access Bloodline, players must have completed Hunted and Shadow Heritage, the first and second episodes of Legacy of the First Blade, and the Naxos questline in Chapter 7 of the main story of the game and must have reached character level 28 or above.

The Assassin’s Creed Odyssey post-launch plan is the biggest and most ambitious in the franchise, and the launch of Legacy of the First Blade is just the beginning for players who wish to progress further with new content in Ancient Greece. Season pass owners will access two major episodic storylines, Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis. Players can dive into new episodes as they premiere, or experience the epic adventures in their entirety once all episodes are available. The season pass also includes Assassin’s Creed® III Remastered and Assassin’s Creed® III Liberation Remastered and will be released on March 29 on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC.

The Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Season Pass includes the two story arcs, Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis, and can be purchased for $49.99. Legacy of the First Blade is also available separately for $34.99. The full story arc of Legacy of the First Blade is now downloadable for players who already own the season pass or the Gold Edition. The first episode of the second story arc, The Fate of Atlantis, will release in late April.

For more information on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, please visit assassinscreed.com.

For the latest on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

ABOUT UBISOFT

Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2017–18 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoft.com.

© 2018–2019 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.

Podcast Episode 105 and Interview With Dragon Slumber

As you know, we do a (mostly) bi-weekly podcast, and interviews with Canadian game developers. Here are the latest below!

Remember to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or SoundCloud. And Patron's at the $4+ level got this episode 2-3 days early.

Monster Slaying Puzzle Game '4096 Slayer' Out Now On iOS and Android

Developer Maple Mana (aka Dan Currie) have released a new monster slaying puzzle game on iOS and Android - ‘4096 Slayer’ takes a unique spin on 2048 this time adding monsters, where everytime you kill the strongest one, a new one appears twice as strong. Check out the trailer below and download the game on iOS and Android devices.

Available now on iOS and Android! https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/4096-slayer/id1452080358?mt=8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maplemana.a4096slayer&pcampaignid=MKT-Other-global-all-co-prtnr-py-PartBadge-Mar2515-1 Can you slay the dragon? You'll first have to slay spiders, orcs, trolls, dark wizards and more! 4096 Slayer is a monster slaying puzzle game. Every monster you slay increases your level and you can only slay monsters with a lower level than you.

Tech Support: Error Unknown Releases February 27th On Steam

Dragon Slumber, the indie developer Quebec, will be releasing their latest game Tech Support: Error Unknown on Steam this Wednesday February 27th. In the game you’ll play as a new Quasar Telecommunications support agent - and while resolving customers issues you’ll fine yourself in the middle of a conspiracy.

Tech Support: Error Unknown is an adventure game with simulation and puzzle mechanics, which places you in front of a virtual computer. As a tech support specialist new to the job, use a wide array of computer software to solve customer issues or choose to manipulate programs for personal gain. Hack your system to unlock its full potential, GPS track lost phones, scan profiles to blackmail customers, or simply propose they reboot. 

You can check out the Steam page for the game right here. Trailers and screenshots below. We sat down with Kevin Giguère to talk about the game which is up on Patreon right now, and be up for everyone else tomorrow before the games release.

Tech Support: Error Unknown is coming February 27! Wishlist Tech Support: Error Unknown on Steam: http://bit.ly/2rsf0uJ Play the free demo now! Itch.io: http://bit.ly/TechSupport-Itch Gamejolt: http://bit.ly/TechSupport-Gamejolt Official website: http://dragonslumber.com Things are not what they seem at your new tech support specialist job. While resolving customer issues, you soon find yourself in the middle of a conspiracy.

EA and Bioware Releases Anthem - Out Now On PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC

Bioware and EA have releases the highly anticipated Anthem today on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It has had a rocky launch so far, with a lot of gamers complaining about the online shooter - including the loading times. There is a Day 1 patch that apparently resolves some issues, so let us know on Twitter what you think!

Unleash your power as you suit up in one of four javelins and take on a world full of danger. Team up with friends to overcome the toughest challenges you can find. Subscribe and be the first to see Anthem trailers and gameplay videos: http://bit.ly/2qZN5QV. Discover more: http://x.ea.com/32090.

New Shared-World Action Shooter from BioWare Now Available on Xbox One, Origin for PC and PlayStation 4, More Content Arriving in March

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and BioWare officially launched Anthem™, inviting players to don their javelins and fully immerse themselves in this brand-new world as a team of four. Players take on the role of Freelancers, and will work together to unleash their power with amazing abilities and coordinated teamwork, utilizing each javelin’s unique strengths to build a formidable team.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190222005065/en/

Storm, Ranger, Colossus and Interceptor Javelins (Graphic: Business Wire)

“I feel remarkably similar to when we launched the original Mass Effecttrilogy,” said Casey Hudson, General Manager of BioWare. “I’m excited, anxious and incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished. I sincerely hope our players enjoy what we have created, and I look forward to the countless stories we’ll tell in the world of Anthem in the weeks and months to come.”

Anthemalso delivers amazing characters and deep lore that allows players to immerse themselves in the world and embrace its mysteries, as well as regular new content that will change the world and keep the experience fresh and new. In the game, players will square off against the nefarious Monitor, the leader of the militaristic Dominion who seeks to bend the very powers of creation and destruction to his will. The Freelancers must thwart the Monitor’s schemes to control the Anthem of Creation, or else he could tear the entire world apart and plunge the planet into ultimate chaos.

Launch is just the beginning for Anthem, as the game will continue to grow and evolve through free live service content updates. Over the next 90 days alone the game will deliver new missions, new rewards, a new stronghold and more. Perhaps the most noteworthy inclusion will be the introduction of the first Cataclysm, a world-changing event that will bring with it an entirely new experience. During the course of the game’s life new stories, characters and villains will emerge and players will be treated to ongoing excitement and conflicts.

Anthemis developed by BioWare and is available now for Xbox One, Origin on PC and PlayStation®4. For more information on Anthem visit https://www.ea.com/games/anthem. Join the Anthemconversation on Twitter and Facebook.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world.

In fiscal year 2018, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.15 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Need for Speed™, Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

Worse Than Death - The Next Game From The Developer Behind Alone With You, and Home

Benjamin Rivers, the developer behind 2012’s Home, and 2016’s Alone With You has announced his latest - Worse Than Death, for PlayStation 4, Switch, Steam, and iOS. The game will be an emotional thriller about a high school reunion that goes horribly wrong.

“Run for your life, hide in the shadows, and use your wits to avoid terrible enemies and solve a mystery that sees you trapped in your home town.

Worse Than Death fuses a page-turning, pulp horror story with action-adventure gameplay.”

A scary, emotional thriller about a high school reunion that goes horribly wrong! Worse Than Death is the chilling follow-up to indie horror hit Home, and it's coming soon to PlayStation 4! + OFFICIAL Website: http://www.worsethandeathgame.com + Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/benjaminrivers Rated Mature: Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Drug Reference

We don’t have a release date yet, but we’re told it will be soon. In the meantime, you can hit up the developers Discord channel to catch a prequel story, and vote on what happens next!

Excited for #WorseThanDeath? Then boy do we have news for you.

Join the official @discordapp server to read an exclusive prequel story — and even vote on what happens! We're writing and illustrating it from now until launch!

👉 https://t.co/uO70wFB5Ma#horror #indiegame pic.twitter.com/JtIU58QY4m

— Benjamin Rivers 💀 GDC (@BenjaminRivers) February 20, 2019

Blue Isle Studios Releasing Valley On Switch In March

Continuing the trend of Canadian games being ported to Switch, Blue Isle Studios have announced their first person adventure game Valley is hitting the Nintendo Switch next month on March 7th. Valley was originally released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2016, and we did a small interview with the games composer which you can check out here.

Mark your calendars folks, it's happening!

We are SO excited to announce that Valley is coming to #NintendoSwitch on Thursday, March 7, 2019 🍃✨ @NintendoAmerica @NintendoEurope @NintendoAUNZ https://t.co/DIXqBoYiFE pic.twitter.com/yTm4oKncGl

— Blue Isle Studios (@BlueIsleStudio) February 19, 2019

Valley is a First-Person adventure unlike any other. Hidden deep within a remote region of the Rocky Mountains, you find yourself bewildered within a secluded valley. With the power of a recently discovered L.E.A.F. suit (Leap Effortlessly though Air Functionality), run and jump your way through beautiful forests, dangerous ruins and vast environments; all the while utilizing the power to control life and death to uncover the startling secrets of the mysterious valley.

Guildmaster Story Out Now On iOS and Android

Little Red Lie, and Actual Sunlight developer Will O’Neill has released his latest, this time a free-to-play narrative puzzle game on iOS and Android devices. Will promises that “Guildmaster Story will delight everyone who ever worked an unpaid internship, got steamrolled by the sharing economy, or suspects that the people responsible for it all are precisely who they seem to be.” There will also be new episodic content in 2019, so make sure to download today.

Excited to announce the release of GUILDMASTER STORY, a free-to-play puzzle-match comedy game about fame, misfortune, and working for nothing.

iOS App Store: https://t.co/uETfpUpUaK
Google Play Store: https://t.co/MxmjrpQtLT

Please RT! pic.twitter.com/49kqwXeCQw

— Will O'Neill (@willoneill) February 18, 2019