Last weekI asked everyone how they preferred positioning their next generation gaming consoles — horizontal or vertical? Everyone made some sex jokes and a few people even cleverly retorted with “Diagonal!” The results were pretty even though, so it made for a good debate: This week I’m taking another great reader suggestion (from our nowfamous naked readerDexter345) and making theMetroidhandheld games go to battle against theCastlevaniahandheld games. Both game series have graced the same Nintendo handhelds, and both have received great reviews, but which is better as a whole?...

This weekend the buena gente behind GaymerConannouncedthat they were successful in obtaining the funding to provide asafe spacefor LGBTQ folks to hangout and share their love of games. After bringing in nearly four times of their original$25,000 goalover the course of their 30 dayKickstarter campaign, the organizers are more than set to start planning the event. That will take place next year on August 3rd and 4th in San Francisco. What exactly will be going on there is anybody’s guess at this point, but with $91,389 in tow (prior to any additional ticket sales) it sounds like they’re in a great position book entertainment and a nice venue....

‘I can confirm there are no plans to bring [Halo 5] to PC’ The recent NVIDIA leak had a lot of folks in a fervor. In short, folks gained access to a massive GeForce NOW database dump, which had a large number of game titles on it, some of which have not been announced yet.NVIDIA told several outletsthat the list was “speculative” and incorrect, and now individual studios are disavowing names on the list: like Microsoft andHalo 5PC....

Hold down block to parry Hogwarts Legacyuses many open world combat staples, including several that are pretty much a given at this point from most AAA studios. In addition to the dodge roll, your avatar can also block and parry. For those of you who typically can’t stand parry mechanics in games, you’re in luck! The newest wizarding game on the block marries the two to the same button and simplifies things....

For now at least Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s Blackout is a battle royale that has been slightly more miniature than its competitors.Call of Duty‘s first crack at battle royale has hovered in the 80-some player range during beta testing. That’s a lot, but it’s just shy of the nice round 100 players that games likePUBGandFortnitecan support. Blackout seems like it’s going to crack 100. Developer Treyarch is extending the beta by two hours today (it’s already over), and it’supping the total player countto 100 per match....

[Backlogis the ongoing quest to ridConrad Zimmerman’scollection of unfinished games. As voted on by the Destructoid community, Conrad plays each game from start to finish live onDestructoid’s Twitch.tv channelevery weeknight at 8pm Pacific] In order to defeat the Red Queen and free Wonderland from her own shattered psyche, Alice must first take her vorpal blade in hand and face the Jabberwock. This is assuming I can ever guide her out of this accursed mirror maze she’s trapped in....

New Easter egg included SteamWorld Digis worth investigating if you enjoy the super-fun drilling action ofMr. Drillerbut stink at the game or otherwise get overwhelmed before long. Image & Form is bringing its robotic Western adventure to yet another system, Xbox One, “by late May.” This port will pack “quite an elaborate Easter egg” and “a number of tweaks to make it better overall.” But, on the whole, expect a largely similar experience “since it keeps everybody happy....

Are you tired of long-running live service games with no end in sight? Well, Bushiroad’sLove Live! School Idol Festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE!isn’t just getting a global launch date; it’s also getting a globalclosuredate, at the same time. In atweetfrom theSIFaccount, the company says it is “excited to break the news to you that the global version ofLove Live! School Idol Festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE!is launching soon in February 2024.” Then, in the next paragraph: “However, we also want to inform you that, the Global Version will close its doors on Jun 28, 2025, and cease in-app purchases accordingly....

COUNT ME THE F#*@ IN!!! The fanboy in me is going crazy over this, so let me take a few deep breaths…..Nintendo is partnering up with Scrap to hold an event called “Defenders of the Triforce.” This event involves takingThe Legend of Zeldaand creating an escape room based around it. For the uninitiated among us (myself included), anescape roomis a real-life version of a video game dungeon where participants are tasked with escaping a locked room in a set time limit....

I crave the Picross The Nintendo Switch has had no shortage of Picross options, and Jupiter’s shown no signs of slowing down.Picross S6has been announced, coming to the Switch eShop on July 18, 2025. This marks the sixth game in thePicross Sseries to arrive, stretching back to the first in 2017.Picross S6will have 300 Picross and Mega Picross puzzles, 150 Clip Picross, 30 Color Picross, and five Extra puzzles, for a total of 485 Picross puzzles to solve....

Insert joke about how an always online connected system is the future of gaming PlayStation Networkwill be downfor routine maintenance starting at 8:00AM PST today. The service is expected to be down until 8:00PM PST tonight. During this downtime, the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home, and account management stuff will not be accessible. You will be able to play online and access your apps so long as you were signed into PSN before the maintenance starts up today, however....

I’m not going to lie to you guys: this episode islong. BetweenLindeandChester’sinterview with the chap from Insomniac andRev,Jimand I chatting for days about why Keita Takahashi ought to wear shoes, I wouldn’t fault you if you fell asleep halfway through. On the other hand, if you don’t support Podtoid, I’ll never get funding for my new venture: aLaw & Orderspin off about dragons who solve crimes. It won’t really be anything like Podtoid, butL&O: The Scales of Justicewill feature many of the same characters including Zombie Lennie Briscoe, and Jim Sterling....

With cross-platform multiplayer It hasn’t been in the spotlight in a few years, butRisk of Rainwas some solid fun. And that soundtrack — my goodness,that soundtrack! I still listen to it. I’m going to listen to it today, because I was just reminded about it by the announcement over on the PlayStation Blog. Risk of Rainis on its way to PlayStation 4 and Vita, with a handful of new features in the transition....