This New Puzzle Game Gives Tetris a Run for Its Money
Aside from the hype matches and the parade of traditional fighting games at Evo every year, there's always a game or two that carries the essence of fighting games over into another, seemingly unrelated format. At Evo 2015, that game was Spaera, a crafty mash-up of Tetris and Puzzle Fighter that sports an extra layer or two of tactical consideration. After the show, I got to sit down with Spaera's developer Blazing Orb to get in some matches, and chat with them about what makes Spaera so immediately engaging. Watch my full commentary video with them above, or read on to see why I couldn't stop playing.
The most obvious differentiation from other Tetris battle games is the selection of characters to choose from, and their unique sets of abilities. These aren't just simple add/subtract lines abilities, though there is a little of that. You can make your opponent's life hard in a lot of interesting ways in Spaera. The warrior Pone, for instance, can punch tons of random holes in his opponent's board, making it nearly impossible to form complete lines until they clear it up or build over it. Of course, the ghostly Harland could retaliate with his Phantom Paynes ability, which copies over all but the bottom three lines of his board to his opponent's. Now Pone has to deal with the same problems he just caused.
This New Puzzle Game Gives Tetris a Run for Its Money
Aside from the hype matches and the parade of traditional fighting games at Evo every year, there's always a game or two that carries the essence of fighting games over into another, seemingly unrelated format. At Evo 2015, that game was Spaera, a crafty mash-up of Tetris and Puzzle Fighter that sports an extra layer or two of tactical consideration. After the show, I got to sit down with Spaera's developer Blazing Orb to get in some matches, and chat with them about what makes Spaera so immediately engaging. Watch my full commentary video with them above, or read on to see why I couldn't stop playing.
The most obvious differentiation from other Tetris battle games is the selection of characters to choose from, and their unique sets of abilities. These aren't just simple add/subtract lines abilities, though there is a little of that. You can make your opponent's life hard in a lot of interesting ways in Spaera. The warrior Pone, for instance, can punch tons of random holes in his opponent's board, making it nearly impossible to form complete lines until they clear it up or build over it. Of course, the ghostly Harland could retaliate with his Phantom Paynes ability, which copies over all but the bottom three lines of his board to his opponent's. Now Pone has to deal with the same problems he just caused.
Check Out New Posters for The Muppets
ABC is ramping up for the premiere of The Muppets, releasing five new posters for the mockumentary TV series.
Yahoo TV unveiled the one-sheets for The Muppets, which showcase the stars with tongue-in-cheek statements. For example, Kermit the Frog is bringing "full frontal nudity" to TV, while Miss Piggy is just another "egotistical pig" on the small screen.
You can see all five posters for The Muppets below:
The posters highlight the more adult take the new Muppets show is aiming for on ABC. The TV series will reportedly follow the work lives and personal lives of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and more — sort of a mix of The Office and 30 Rock.
Check Out New Posters for The Muppets
ABC is ramping up for the premiere of The Muppets, releasing five new posters for the mockumentary TV series.
Yahoo TV unveiled the one-sheets for The Muppets, which showcase the stars with tongue-in-cheek statements. For example, Kermit the Frog is bringing "full frontal nudity" to TV, while Miss Piggy is just another "egotistical pig" on the small screen.
You can see all five posters for The Muppets below:
The posters highlight the more adult take the new Muppets show is aiming for on ABC. The TV series will reportedly follow the work lives and personal lives of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and more — sort of a mix of The Office and 30 Rock.
App Store Update: July 27
Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
Fish Pond Park – ($2.99)
Hey, hey, it's a Kairosoft day! The company's latest is called Fish Pond Park, and it tasks you with revitalizing a plot of unkempt land and turning it into a tourist's dream nature preserve. And there's fishing!
App Store Update: July 27
Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
Fish Pond Park – ($2.99)
Hey, hey, it's a Kairosoft day! The company's latest is called Fish Pond Park, and it tasks you with revitalizing a plot of unkempt land and turning it into a tourist's dream nature preserve. And there's fishing!
Here’s What’s Leaving Netflix in August 2015
It's time to find out what's expiring on Netflix come August. So take a look at your daily planners and shuffle some things around so you can catch these movies and TV shows before they leave. Everything from actioners like John Woo's Face/Off and Antoine Fuqua's Shooter to M. Night Syamalan's excellent Unbreakable, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element, and James Cameron's Titanic.
Oh, and here's something we didn't even know. The old '80s animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is on Netflix (for a little while longer). SWARM IS OUR MASTER! WE WORK FOR SWARM!
Here’s What’s Leaving Netflix in August 2015
It's time to find out what's expiring on Netflix come August. So take a look at your daily planners and shuffle some things around so you can catch these movies and TV shows before they leave. Everything from actioners like John Woo's Face/Off and Antoine Fuqua's Shooter to M. Night Syamalan's excellent Unbreakable, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element, and James Cameron's Titanic.
Oh, and here's something we didn't even know. The old '80s animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is on Netflix (for a little while longer). SWARM IS OUR MASTER! WE WORK FOR SWARM!
The Witcher 3 Is Getting a New Game Plus Mode
A New Game Plus mode is being added to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt has announced.
The news was revealed in a post on Twitter, confirming that this will serve as the game's final piece of free DLC. Additionally, the studio noted that it won't be out this week, as additional time is needed to prepare it for launch.
NG+, the final FREE DLC, is on the way! Stay tuned. Won’t happen this week - we need a bit more time to finish it. pic.twitter.com/jheuPi94wc
— The Witcher (@witchergame) July 27, 2015
The Witcher 3 Is Getting a New Game Plus Mode
A New Game Plus mode is being added to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt has announced.
The news was revealed in a post on Twitter, confirming that this will serve as the game's final piece of free DLC. Additionally, the studio noted that it won't be out this week, as additional time is needed to prepare it for launch.
NG+, the final FREE DLC, is on the way! Stay tuned. Won’t happen this week - we need a bit more time to finish it. pic.twitter.com/jheuPi94wc
— The Witcher (@witchergame) July 27, 2015