It’s that time of year again — the biggest convention in Nevada for video games, anime, and cosplay returns to Las Vegas. Fans from all over the country travel to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the annual LVL UP EXPO for the exhibits, tournaments, and panels throughout the three-day event.
Read MoreFounded in 1982, Electronic Arts has defined video games across multiple genres including first-person shooters, racers, and sports. EA is well-known for Battlefield, Need for Speed, and FIFA titles as well as a series of arcade-styled sports games under the banner of EA Sports Big — a now defunct label that launched fan favorites games like Def Jam Vendetta, NBA Street, and SSX.
Read MoreThe LVL UP EXPO returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center for its 10th anniversary. The yearly event brings together fans, collectors, and competitors to a place where everyone can celebrate their hobbies and participate in various activities. The event features everything from cosplay contests, voice-actor panels, wrestling matches, and plenty of artist, exhibitor, community, and indie game dev booths.
Read MoreHalloween is a special time of the year for horror fans with plenty of frightful films to watch and video games to play. From ghosts to zombies, and alien invaders, there’s a range of scares in store, so beware. Grab your favorite treat and gather around your console of choice for some spooky games to beat.
Read MoreSummer is one of the best times of the year for a lot of people. As a kid, it meant no school, vacation, and of course, a lot of video games. It’s not summer time without water, and there’s plenty of it in video games. Over the years, many developers have made games full of waves with underwater worlds, Dead Islands, and a Sea of Thieves that provided players a way to beat the heat.
Read MoreSports video games have been around for about six decades with games like Tennis for Two dating back as early as 1958. These games have come a long way thanks to titles like FIFA and Madden that include big name athletes and simulate the sport better than ever. While some developers like to focus on making the game as realistic as possible, others like Nintendo have focused on making sports accessible to a wider audience by adding Mario and friends to sporting events.
Read MoreIn honor of Pac-Man’s anniversary, we’re taking a look at mascots that have a long history in video games but are being overlooked in the ever-changing landscape of the medium. While there has been a resurgence in platformers, granting some mascots like Crash and Spyro a return, others have been abandoned almost entirely despite their legacy.
Read MoreDeveloped by Polish studio MegaPixel, The House of the Dead Remake is their second project based on a Sega game after Panzer Dragoon in 2020. Their publisher, Forever Entertainment announced in 2019 that they had signed agreements to remake The House of The Dead 1 and 2. Initially set to release in 2021, the game was delayed but finally released in April 2022, welcoming fans to The House of the Dead once again.
Read MoreWanted: Weapons of Fate is a third-person shooter developed by Grin and released as a sequel to the movie in 2009 on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Based on the comic by Mark Millar, Wanted presented a world with no superheroes. The story was adapted into a movie full of bullet curving assassins which gave us the aforementioned video game tie-in. But does it hit the mark that many licensed video games have missed?
Read MoreWhile today Naughty Dog is known for their critically acclaimed series, Uncharted and The Last of Us, they began their relationship with Sony, working on two of the most iconic PlayStation icons. They introduced fans to the widely successful Crash Bandicoot series on the PlayStation. They followed it up with a new franchise featuring Jak and Daxter on the PlayStation 2. Over twenty years later, fans are still waiting for another adventure with the dynamic duo.
Read MoreLong before the 26 million user-generated levels in Super Mario Maker 2, there was LittleBigPlanet who popularized the concept of creation tools on consoles. Back in 2008, developer Media Molecule gave players the tools to make their own levels, crafting an experience based on the idea of “Play, Create, and Share.” Only two of the LittleBigPlanet games were produced by Media Molecule before they handed it off and moved onto other projects.
Read MoreA second look at the late DJ’s video game. Avicii was one the biggest influence in electronic dance music (EDM) during the 2010s. His iconic mega-hit single, Levels, helped EDM reach mainstream success while also introducing a new generation of fans to the genre. His natural talent for creating uplifting melodic music took him from his bedroom where he remixed bootlegs to headlining the main stages of the biggest music festivals in the world.
Read MoreThe French developer Ubisoft has created some of the biggest gaming experiences with the vast open world of Assassin’s Creed and the multiple Tom Clancy tactical shooters. But before those games, there was the limbless hero that propelled Ubisoft to the global stage. Rayman is the unique and memorable mascot of Ubisoft. It’s one of the few mascots that has managed to stand alongside other icons like Mario and Sonic but is still often underappreciated.
Read MoreOver 10 years ago, Turtle Rock Studios gave horror fans one of the best cooperative survival games with zombies. While there is no shortage of zombies in media, Turtle Rock Studios created a unique formula that’s been adapted by plenty of other games but never properly replicated. After creating such a beloved game, how did the studio lose their rights to the Left 4 Dead franchise? And why is the team coming Back 4 Blood?
Read MoreWhen it comes to Hollywood adaptations, fairy tales, comic books, and stage plays have seen great success in the box offices. However, video game movies have struggled to reach the same achievements due to needing to appeal to the general movie-goer as well as pleasing the fans. While not every video game movie is a hit, a few have managed to beat the “video game movie curse.” We’re highlighting the top 10 trailers from the past three decades of video game movie releases.
Read MoreFirstly, if you’re new here, welcome to my video game blog. I started this when I was in my last half of college for writing classes. I’ve now graduated college and received my diploma in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. I’ve continued writing about video game stories that involve the development, history, and impact after their release.
Read MoreScott Pilgrim Vs. The World is an award-winning graphic novel by writer and artist Bryan Lee O’Malley. Its publication began in 2004 and ended in 2010 before the release of the movie. It lead to the inspiration of a video game, which is regarded as one of the best beat ‘em ups in the genre and licensed games ever. Although it was delisted from sale, fans’ demands brought the game back for the series’ 10th anniversary — giving fans multiple ways to enjoy the world of Scott Pilgrim.
Read MoreThanks to its innovative ways to play, Pokémon Go stands as one of the most successful mobile games of all time. Using augmented reality, GPS, and the worldwide popularity of the Pokémon franchise the game has continued to surprise fans for five years since the game’s release. It’s allowed fans of the series to explore the real world to look for Pokémon, battle rivals, trade with friends, and team-up against legendary raid bosses with millions of other fans across the world on their journey to complete the Pokédex.
Read MorePixar Animation Studios has captivated audience’s imagination since 1995 with Toy Story. They’ve continued to create worlds based on everything from bugs, monsters, cars, to even Mexico. With over 20 animated feature films released, everyone’s favorite will differ, but how do the video games fare in comparison to the films? Let’s take a look at Toy Story 3: The Video Game — the last Pixar movie tie-in game developed and published by Disney Interactive Studios before their shutdown.
Read MoreDrinkbox Studios has made a name for themselves by mashing together a platformer with a lucha style combat to create their Guacamelee! series. This Mexican-inspired metroidvania action brawler stars a simple agave farmer turned super luchador, but how did a Canadian studio come to launch this adventure game set in a fantasy Mexico? Let’s take a look at the development of the Guacamelee! series, while we anticipate the release of Drinkbox Studios’ next game.
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