During today's Nintendo Direct, Rhythm Heaven Groove, a brand-new installment in the Rhythm Heaven series, was announced. The rhythm-game series hasn't seen a new title since 2015's Rhythm Heaven Megamix, but fans of the musical franchise will be waiting a little while longer, since Rhythm Heaven Groove isn't being released until 2026.

In Rhythm Heaven games, players complete minigames with rhythm mechanics where the gameplay focuses on audio rather than visual cues. Following the rhythm through the level, you're given a score based on your accuracy. Usually, the games are grouped into four or six minigames comprising of predominantly main stages and concluding with a remix. The remix is a compilation or twist on the last few games in the set, all compiled into one level with a different song. In later games, the remixes would feature levels from former Rhythm Games titles.

Depending on your rhythm and accuracy, the game will rank you one of three titles. Being told to "Try Again" is a failure and demands a repeat of the level. Getting a "Try Again" rank three times in a row usually triggers the option to skip the stage. The "OK" rank is a pass, but only just. The "Superb" rank is reserved for players who have excelled at the stage, and will earn a medal. The medals can be used to unlock additional game modes, including endless games, and makes players eligible to participate in randomly selected Perfect Campaigns, where missing even one beat will cause the level to fail and restart. With only three chances to complete a Perfect Campaign, it's the highest-pressure version of Rhythm Heaven on offer.

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During today's Nintendo Direct, Bandai Namco released a new trailer for Shadow Labyrinth, the metroidvania-style adventure infused with Pac-Man. The trailer confirmed that the game will be launching July 18 on Nintendo Switch.

A new trailer for Shadow Labyrinth aired during the Nintendo Direct, which showed the hero--known as Swordsman No. 8--emerging from a machine, only to be greeted by Puck, a floating yellow orb bearing a strong resemblance to Pac-Man. The trailer also highlighted the duo's three main forms, Swordsman No. 8's platforming and swordplay, Mini Puck's classic arcade-style exploration, and a mech called Gaia wielding immense power.

Shadow Labyrinth is a follow-up to the Pac-Man episode of Amazon' Secret Level, the anthology series of short stories based on video games. In it, an unknown figure is greeted by Puck after awakening from a stasis tube, and the two attempt to escape from what is referred to as a "maze." However, in the episode, the unknown figure is killed, and it is revealed that Puck has multiple people held in similar stasis tubes.

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In a surprise announcement during the latest Nintendo Switch Direct, Patapon 1+2 Replay, a remaster of the first two Sony-published titles, was revealed for the Nintendo console. Despite Sony publishing Lego Horizon Adventures on Nintendo Switch last year, this remaster will instead be published by Bandai Namco.

Patapon 1+2 Replay will be the first time the series is available on a portable console since the games launched on PSP. Remasters for the first two games were eventually released on PlayStation 4, but today marks the first time the series has been announced for anything other than a Sony console. The remaster was announced for PC and PS5 shortly after the Direct.

The rhythm-action game challenges you to build formations of units to balance attack and defense as you guide your small army forward to the beat of a drum. Its charming art style, bite-sized stages, and catchy soundtrack have made Patapon a cult classic among PlayStation fans, so it's welcome to see it finally coming to new platforms.

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Back in August 2023, a massive modding project for Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3--known as the Community Edition--was announced by members of the UMvC3 modding community. Today, the team behind the mods has announced that the full version of Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Community Edition is now available to download--and it's brought nearly 70 new characters to the game.

The modders released a new trailer to celebrate the launch of the mod, which showcases a few of the most recent characters modded into the game. Rival Schools's Kyosuke Kagami, Devil May Cry's Nero, and Bad Box Art Megaman--complete with a realistic German Shepherd version of Rush--are all included in the video.

The Community Edition modders have slowly added characters to the game since that initial 2023 announcement, but the pack released today adds 67 different fighters to the playable roster, each with unique moves, animations, and more. The mod's NexusMods listing also includes full movelists for each of the new additions for those interested in testing out some of the newest names.

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Crystal Dynamics has announced that 17 employees have been laid off. The studio--currently working on a new Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark--stated that this will help with "future success," while adding it's not tied to a person's performance or ability.

On X, the official Crystal Dynamics account posted about the layoffs. "We did not make this decision lightly," reads the statement from the developer. "Ultimately, this step was necessary to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success. It is not a reflection of the dedication or ability of those affected."

This morning, Crystal Dynamics made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by 17 talented team members. We did not make this decision lightly. Ultimately, this step was necessary to better align our current (cont) https://t.co/wKWtl5Be8S pic.twitter.com/q482GyteoJ

— Crystal Dynamics (@CrystalDynamics) March 26, 2025

In addition, Crystal Dynamics claims that the company's downsizing won't affect development on any projects. Almost two years ago, the studio made similar reassurances about Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark not being disrupted after the massive Embracer Group layoffs and developer closures in 2023.

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In the early '80s, the Commodore 64 was at the forefront of the home computer revolution. Now, retro publisher Ziggurat Interactive is bringing back a selection of the classic games from the C64 era in Cosmi: Forbidden Forests, which will also include a new remaster of Forbidden Forests.

1983's Forbidden Forest and its 1985 sequel, Beyond the Forbidden Forest, are both included in this compilation. But the primary attraction of Cosmi: Forbidden Forests is the modernized version of the title game that transforms the 2D art style into something that resembles a medieval tapestry. Players will have the option of toggling between the original style of Forbidden Forests and the new graphics and audio. A glimpse of the remaster is included in the announcement trailer below.

The remaining games included in this retro release include Aztec Challenge, Caverns of Khafka, Seal, Delta Man, Chomp!, Chernobyl: Nuclear Power Plant Simulation, Spite & Malice, and Navcom 6: The Persian Gulf Defense. These titles retain their C64 style graphics and gameplay, while adding features like the ability to rewind the action or create save states.

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Backbone has revealed its new limited-edition controller for smartphones, and for fans of classic Xbox vibes, this could be a very nostalgic device for mobile gaming. The Backbone One: Xbox Edition controller is available to order now for $110 in limited quantities. The controller is exclusive to the Backbone store and Best Buy.

As an extra bonus, the controller also comes with a free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which can be used to stream games in the Xbox Cloud Gaming library. The Backbone controller also supports Remote Play with Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

See at Best Buy Backbone: Xbox One EditionGallery

Similar to last year's Post Malone controller inspired by the musician and Lord of the Rings fan, the Xbox version sports a transparent green shell that allows you to see the inner workings of this device. It's a darker shade of green that references the classic aesthetic of Xbox, and it includes a black PCB and the iconic Xbox button. Beyond that, you're getting the standard range of inputs that you'll find on other Backbone controllers, allowing you to play games with a traditional selection of controls.

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InZoi is a new life-sim game that finally brings some competition for The Sims, which is available in early access on March 27. Before you get started with the game, there are a few options you might not want to miss during the character creation step, especially if you plan on having your character flirt and look for love. That's because some key character traits can't be changed later, so if you get them wrong, you'll need to start over from the beginning. Here we guide you through InZoi's character creation, including selecting a gender identity and date preferences.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Customizing your character profile
  • Basic information
  Customizing your character profileBasic information

  The "Profile" section of the character creation is information that can't be changed once you create your character and advance through the game.

  This starts with basic information: Name, age group, and gender.

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If you're looking for a high fantasy series that will keep you busy for a while, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is widely regarded as one of the pinnacles of the genre. As part of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, you can get multiple box sets in the beloved series for awesome prices thanks to the retailer's B2G1 free promotion.

Robert Jordan - The Wheel of Time

B2G1 Free Novel Box Sets

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Amazon's Big Spring Sale event runs until March 31, and hundreds of excellent PC gaming accessories are part of the savings. From controllers and keyboards to monitors and memory cards, a little bit of everything is seeing a discount throughout the rest of the month. Navigating the thousands of deals is time-consuming--so we've compiled the best PC gaming deals at Amazon below.

Amazon PC Gaming Hubs

• AMD
• Samsung
• Logitech
• Razer
• SteelSeries
• CPUs
• Gaming keyboards
• Gaming mice
• Mini PCs
• PC cases
• NVMe SSDs
• microSD
• External hard drives
• Gaming headsets

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Keep in mind that availability and pricing are subject to change, and the most popular products could sell out before the sale ends. For more great deals, check out all the 4K Blu-rays available for $13 or less. This includes hit films like The Lion King, American Psycho, Parasite, and The Thing. Alternatively, there's a massive B2G1 free sale featuring not just 4K Blu-rays, but also box sets, books, and more.

Gaming monitorsSamsung and LG monitors

Whether you're looking for an affordable or ultra-luxurious monitor, Amazon has you covered. The popular 24-Inch Samsung Odyssey G3 Series Monitor is a frugal option at $120 (was $200). Featuring a 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and AMD FreeSync for tear-free gaming, it's a wonderful choice at this new price point.

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

$42 at Woot | $47.39 at Amazon (was $60)

See at Amazon See at Woot

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is on sale for $42 at Woot and $47.39 at Amazon. If you haven't picked up the newest Zelda game, now's a great time to add this charming adventure to your collection. Unlike most Nintendo Switch exclusives released over the past year, Echoes of Wisdom is actually shipped and sold by Amazon.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom $42 at Woot | $47.39 at Amazon (was $60)

Unlike most Nintendo Switch exclusives released over the past year, Echoes of Wisdom is actually shipped and sold by Amazon.

If you buy Amazon's $47.39 deal, you will get a North American physical copy. Over at Woot, there's a chance you will get an imported edition from a different region. That said, all imported Switch games sold by Woot are region-free and play in English. The sole noticeable difference will be the ratings board emblem on the front cover.

See at Amazon See at Woot

Echoes of Wisdom is a pivotal entry in the beloved Nintendo franchise. For the first time in the franchise's nearly 40-year history, the namesake steps into the leading role. Well, it's not technically the first time Zelda has been playable, but Nintendo would probably like fans to forget Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure, two infamous Philips CD-i games, exist at all.

Thankfully, Echoes of Wisdom is a triumph, an inventive combination of modern and classic Zelda formulas. The sprawling top-down adventure features traditional dungeons of old while giving players the freedom to approach puzzles in many different ways. For more on how Zelda's debut adventure succeeds, check out our 9/10 review of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

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The video game market continues to grow and evolve, with multiplayer and live-service games being one area of expansion of late. But don't expect The Witcher and Cyberpunk developer CD Projekt to necessarily follow that path.

As part of the company's latest earnings briefing, co-CEO Michal Nowakowski said the company understands that "the video game market continues to evolve" with numerous new trends. But CD Projekt is going to stick with "cutting-edge single-player" games it's best known for.

"Games rooted in strong franchises and immersive narratives will continue to enjoy great popularity,” Nowakowski said, as reported by Bounding Into Comics. "Our experience, along with brands such as The Witcher and Cyberpunk, which it is our pleasure to further develop, help us build a strong position on the market and paint a positive outlook--while collaboration with global tech and innovation leaders enables us to keep abreast of technical developments in the industry and continue to deliver top-quality entertainment."

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Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Limited Edition Box Set (4K)

$207.17 (was $271.54)

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The Star Wars: Skywalker Saga Limited Edition 4K Box Set is on sale for a steep discount during Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Now available for $207.17 (was $271.54), this collector's set includes all nine films in the Skywalker Saga--plus over 26 hours of bonus features. Amazon typically sells this collection for $270-$280, so you're saving over $50 compared to the average price.

This collection originally released in the US in 2019 as a Best Buy exclusive for $225. Over in the UK, the set was exclusive to Amazon. With Best Buy no longer carrying Blu-rays, this 4K set hasn't been available to purchase in from a North American store in years. As strange as it sounds, all Star Wars Blu-ray box sets need to be imported these days.

Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Limited Edition Box Set (4K Blu-ray)$207.17 (was $271.54)Gallery

This collection originally released in the US in 2019 as a Best Buy exclusive. Over in the UK, the set was exclusive to Amazon. With Best Buy no longer carrying Blu-rays, this 4K set hasn't been available to purchase in from a North American store in years. As strange as it sounds, all Star Wars Blu-ray box sets need to be imported these days.

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Xbox is testing a new feature called Game Hubs that appears when trying to launch a game, bringing up an additional screen of information such as achievements and playtime alongside a "Play" button instead of immediately booting up the game.

As reported by VGC (who has access to the update), the feature is currently being tested by select members of the Xbox Insiders preview program. The Game Hub appears when selecting a game tile from a player's library or their recently played games list, and instead of launching the game as usual, brings up an additional screen showing stats like Gamerscore associated with the chosen title.

The Game Hub also shows available DLC add-ons, in-game captures, in-game events, and other information tailored to the chosen game. The Game Hub info screen defaults to having the "Play" button selected, so a double press of the A button will launch the game as usual.

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Square Enix has announced that War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius will be shutting down on May 30.

"Since War of the Visions: Final Fantasay Brave Exvius's launch on March 25, 2020, we've strived to provide an enjoyable gaming experience for our players every day that could exceed the day before," Square Enix said in a statement. "However, we've come to the conclusion that it would be difficult to maintain a satisfactory app experience, and therefore to discontinue the app service."

An end-of-service roadmap was also provided. Players are now no longer able to purchase Visiore using real-world currency. However, any currently held Visiore can still be used until the game shuts down. Visiore is the game's premium currency that let players summon units, purchase items from the shop, and replenish NRG. Special Shop sales have ended too.

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Much like the state of The Witcher 4, Naughty Dog’s recently announced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet won't be released until 2027 at the soonest as well, apparently. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier took to ResetEra to say in addition to the next Witcher, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will be out in 2027 at the soonest.

In the thread, Schreier corrected a commenter about what he said during the Game Awards after "teasing" that both games would be released in 2026, saying that was inaccurate.

"I'm pretty sure I said they were both going to be very early teases," he said. "Neither of those games will be out next year."

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Activision has announced that Call of Duty's big Season 3 update has brought forward its release date, while the studio has confirmed that Warzone will go offline for 24 hours prior to the return of Verdansk.

Season 3 was previously announced to kick off on April 3, but now it's starting on April 2, Activision revealed in a video podcast today (below). There will be a free 24-hour Black Ops 6 trial available at this time.

Additionally, Activision confirmed that Warzone will go offline for a period of 24 hours leading to the highly anticipated release of Warzone's OG map, Verdansk, on April 3. As a special bonus, everyone who simply opens the Warzone menu during the 24 hours that Warzone is offline will receive the Kilo weapon for free.

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InZoi is set to launch in early access tomorrow, and developer InZoi Studio is hoping its Sims-like life simulator can challenge EA's juggernaut right from the jump. After a controversy stirred regarding mods, however, one lead dev took to Steam to announce the removal of the DRM program Denuvo from the upcoming build, in a bid to quell disappointment.

In a statement on InZoi's official Steam page, game director and producer Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim confirmed that Denuvo will not be part of InZoi's early-access launch after "consulting with teams from around the world to make a thoughtful and informed decision." Kim says that the decision to use Denuvo was initially to prevent "illegal distribution," but that including the program would ultimately not serve the community at large.

InZoi

"We understand that removing Denuvo increases the risk of the game being cracked and illegally distributed after release," Kim said in the statement. "At the same time, we believe it opens up a valuable opportunity: It allows InZoi to become more freely configurable--unlocking new ways for players to shape new experiences for other players. We believe enabling this freedom from the very beginning will lead to innovative and long-lasting enjoyment for the community."

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Actor Jack Black is a big fan of video games, but what games specifically does he get immersed in? In an interview, the A Minecraft Movie star sang the praises of Rockstar Games' acclaimed 2018 game Red Dead Redemption II, saying he played the title for hundreds of hours during the pandemic.

"It was over pandemic times. I played Red Dead Redemption 2, and I lived in it," he told ComicBook. "It was not a game. It was like a way of life. I got 400 hours clocked, and it was a lot, and I don't regret any of it. It was so fun. It's beautiful out there, it's an incredible universe they created."

A Minecraft Movie is just the latest video game film for Black, as he also played Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In video games themselves, Black is perhaps best known for portraying Eddie Riggs in Brutal Legend.

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A Shinto shrine that's believed to have influenced a similar location in Ghost of Tsushima has reportedly banned tourists after an undisclosed incident involving foreigners. Named Watazumi Shrine, the Japanese site is found on Tsushima Island, which sits to the southeast of South Korea.

Automaton reports that an official announcement by Watazumi Shrine on Instagram revealed the ban, stating it's taking effect because of "a grave and unforgivable act of disrespect committed by foreigner(s)." No further details were given about the incident, though this apparently isn't the first time problems have occurred at the site. It's believed that Watazumi Shrine was the inspiration for Ghost of Tsushima's Scarlet Rock Shrine.

This connection supposedly led to Ghost of Tsushima fans donating to Watazumi Shrine after it was damaged by a typhoon in 2020, per Famitsu. However, to be clear, there is no indication that the incident is in any way related to the PlayStation game's fanbase. This isn't the only shrine controversy in video games. Ubisoft recently updated Assassin's Creed Shadows so that players could no longer destroy items within shrines in the game, which is set in 16th-century Japan.

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