Ahead of World of Warcraft Classic's release in August, Blizzard has now confirmed that there will be local servers for Australia and other parts of the Oceanic region, which is great news.The Oceanic realms will be available for players in Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of Southeast Asia. The servers are physically located in Australia, and they'll be available at launch on August 27. The specific names of the servers will be announced soon, coming sometime before character name reservations begin on August 13.Blizzard has also confirmed that the final stress test for WoW Classic will be held July 26 and 27. The test is global, and the aim is to give Blizzard one more opportunity to test the game at scale before its public release. The version of WoW Classic available in the testing period features a number of fixes and changes; Blizzard says testers have filed some 17,000 bug reports from the closed beta. That closed beta is ending on July 13."We agree with the many WoW Classic enthusiasts in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia that it will be a very good thing for players in that part of the world to connect to realms that are hosted in that part of the world," Blizzard said in a statement. "Planned it all along!"WoW Classic is just what it sounds like: it's the base game, in the state it was more than a decade ago before the release of the Burning Crusade expansion. The game operates alongside the regular WoW. Access to WoW Classic is available through the standard $15 USD/month regular WoW subscription price. Info from Gamespot.com

Natalie "Wattson" Paquette has joined Apex Legends as the battle royale game's tenth playable character. Added as part of Season 2, you'll need to drop 750 Apex Coins or 12,000 Legend Tokens to unlock her. The electrifying defender is well worth the price though if you're not the type of person who's gung-ho to chase after enemy squads.In the following guide, we go over all of Wattson's skills, explain how you can get the best out of her character, and offer strategies for overcoming her weaknesses. If you haven't grabbed Apex Legends yet, you should. The game is free and one of the best battle royales of 2019 so far. In GameSpot's Apex Legends review, Phil Hornshaw wrote, "Apex Legends is a mix of smart shooter ideas that makes for a competitive, team-based game that gets at all the best parts of battle royale while addressing a lot of the weaknesses. Respawn's intense focus on team play makes Apex more than just a worthy addition to the genre; it's an indicator of where battle royale should go in the future."Other Character GuidesWraith Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Interdimensional SkirmisherCaustic Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Toxic TrapperGibraltar Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Shielded FortressLifeline Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Combat MedicMirage Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Holographic TricksterPathfinder Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Forward ScoutBangalore Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Professional SoldierBloodhound Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Technological TrackerOctane Guide: Tips On How To Be The Best Adrenaline JunkieWattson's General OverviewIf you listen to Wattson's dialogue, you'll hear that she's not terribly excited about killing people with firearms, preferring to play electricity-based pranks and make lightning-based puns to annoy her opponents. All of Wattson's skills reflect this mindset. Though she is a defender like Gibraltar and Caustic, Wattson possesses zero offensive-driven skills. She's Apex Legends' first true defender character, solely specializing in reinforcing her squad's position and outlasting any who would dare try and attack.As such, if you're going to try and use Wattson offensively, you're best bet is to stop thinking like a hunter and more like a trapper who sits and waits for their prey to come to you. Wattson is not for everyone, and given how offensive-focused Apex Legends has become since its launch, it also means she's not a necessary character to own if your squad likes speed-based teams involving Octane, Pathfinder, and Wraith. That said, if you do master Wattson's defensive skills, you'll find plenty of new ways to counter the other Legends when you meet them in the arena.Wattson's AbilitiesPassive Ability: Spark of Genius - Ultimate Accelerants fully charge your Ultimate Ability, and standing near interception pylons boosts your Tactical Ability recharge.Move over Lifeline, there's a new Ultimate Accelerant queen who now needs those items more than you. Wattson has a wonderful Ultimate Ability that can save a squad in a pinch once the perimeter ring starts getting pretty small. As such, Wattson should always have her Ult at the ready (you never know when you might need it) and a spare Ultimate Accelerant on hand just in case. After your team's Wattson is loaded up, pass your remaining Ultimate Accelerants to Lifeline and the rest of the squad.Tactical Ability: Perimeter Security - Connect nodes to create electrified fences that damage and slow enemies.Wattson can set up four nodes the second the game begins, allowing you to immediately create a wall, angled wall, or (provided the final node is close enough to the first node) a triangle or quadrilateral. After placing a node, Wattson's Tactical begins to recharge, allowing her to place up to 12 at one time.The electrified fences that Wattson creates is the only ability she can use to damage people and it does not do much--only 10 damage per tick. However, Wattson is alerted when someone passes through one of her fences. Any enemy passing through her gate will also slow, even if sprinting.This makes Perimeter Security, above all else, a deterrent and nothing more. Enemies either need to suffer minor damage and a speed decrease to go through them or waste ammo shooting the nodes. Either way, you'll be alerted. Enemy squads know this so it's in their best interest to avoid fences. With this in mind, you can create choke points or buy your team precious time to retreat from a firefight, heal, and regroup.Ultimate Ability: Interception Pylon - Place an electrified pylon that destroys incoming ordnance and repairs damaged shields as long as it stands.Interception Pylon is great for bunkering down, as it will heal your squad's shields and vastly increase the recharge rate on Wattson's tactical ability so she can put down more fences. The ability to knock out all incoming ordnance isn't too bad a perk either, but be warned as it will affect friendly ordnance as well. Though Wattson's Ultimate Ability can only place one pylon per charge, she can put down three of them at once.Tips To Play As WattsonWattson is one of the few characters in Apex Legends whose utility exponentially increases as the game goes on and the perimeter ring shrinks. Granted, as stated before, Wattson is at her best while bunkering down. Use the early rings to grab Ultimate Accelerants and your favorite weapons and ordnance, engaging enemies as they find you.Once the ring gets small enough, find a spot in the center to bunker down. If you have a Pathfinder with you, all the better, as they'll be able to tell you where the following ring location will be to better set up. Don't bother trying to hide. Just start constructing fences, and throw out an Interception Pylon or two so that you can put up a perimeter more quickly and not have to worry about incoming grenades. Remember to place your pylons in a way where they're difficult to reach. You don't want an enemy squad to easily destroy all your hard work.After that, it's just a matter of your team holding the position. Make sure everyone has plenty of healing items and at least one good close-range weapon like an EVA-8, Mastiff, Peacekeeper, or Wingman. You can either spread out Wattson's three pylons to cover a wide area in anti-ordnance cover or put them closer together so your squad can quickly replenish shields without having to use items. Regardless, your strategy at that point is staying put and letting the enemy come to you. Again, Wattson is not an offensive defender. She is completely devoted to holding the line and scaring off other squads from rushing forward and overwhelming you and your teammates. It's not a glorious role, but if you set up your fence and pylons just right, your team should be able to hold off more than one squad at a time through careful collaboration.Unfortunately, until these final moments of the match, Wattson's Abilities are essentially useless. She can deter enemy squads from easily following her or set up a cage to stop downed enemies from crawling away, but she doesn't excel in the wide-open firefights that typically occur in the first few minutes of each round. If you or a teammate picks Wattson, it's in your best interest to avoid fights at the start. Consider looting on the outskirts before carefully making your way to the center of the ring. You can use Pathfinder or Octane's Ultimate Ability to make the trek a little faster.How To Counter Wattson's WeaknessesWattson's fences can be grappled over via Pathfinder's Grappling Hook or phased through via Wraith's Into the Void. Mirage can get the drop on her by sending a decoy through her fence, alerting him to her location. Octane is the best counter to Wattson by far. Not only does the speedy Legend have no ordnance Abilities to be stopped by Wattson's pylon, but Octane can use Stim to overcome the speed decrease from the fence, rely on Swift Mend to patch up any minor damage he takes from the fence, and use Launch Pad to leap over any chokepoints.There's very little Wattson can do to counter these Legends, as her defensive abilities rely on the enemy approaching from a horizontal plane. Your best bet is to play as the aforementioned Legends and learn how you use their abilities to overcome enemy Wattsons. Take that knowledge and apply it when you do eventually play as the static defender. If you know how an enemy might move to overcome your fences, then you know where you can wait and hide to shotgun them in the face the second they come back down to earth. Be sure to communicate this knowledge to your squad so that they can help you respond to any attacking Pathfinders, Wraiths, Mirages, or Octanes.Info from Gamespot.com

Whereas previous Final Fantasy XIV expansions grappled with broad-brush concepts in corruption, religion, and imperialism, the path you tread in Shadowbringers is a distinctly personal affair. The central conceit is the battle between good and evil, and between the dual concepts of Light and Dark, but at its core is a story about a protagonist who's been left adrift and has to come to terms with their identity alongside long-time companions against the backdrop of a dying world. This harkens back to the sort of character treatment that the non-MMO Final Fantasy games have prided themselves on for decades, but even with the familiar subject matter, the journey here feels distinctly forward-looking. The question for a lot of fans was whether the longevity of the game post-Stormblood would last. When you roll the credits on Shadowbringers, it'll be hard to envision a world where the answer to that is anything other than a resounding "yes".Shadowbringers hinges on a revelation. The quests between Stormblood and the new content do a great job of laying down a narrative foundation rife with inter-faction politics, intrigue, and shadowy figures pulling strings with hidden consequences. As the new expansion opens, however, that particular nest of vipers is upended by way of a forced jaunt through time and space. What starts as a quest to save your friends takes a life-altering turn; you're thrown into the heart of a conflict between Light and Dark that strikes at the core of the hero mythos that the game has built around your character since A Realm Reborn.As the Warrior of Light, you're tossed rather unceremoniously into the realm of Norvrandt: a world ravaged by the very element that you've chivalrously championed all your life. Like any erstwhile hero facing the unknown, your job initially is to search for some clarity and a way to save your friends back home from eternal slumber. It soon becomes very clear that your impressive deeds in Eorzea mean next to nothing here. No one knows of your previous accomplishments, there's a distinct distrust from the locals, and your usual non-verbal charm gets you nowhere.The kicker is that any mention of the Light will make you public enemy number one; it's rampaging through the land and leaving death and destruction in its wake. You're unmoored and as good as stranded in an unfamiliar world where your values and beliefs could get you killed. Starting a new MMORPG expansion can often feel like slipping into a pair of worn shoes that have stood the test of time; there's a certain sense of security afforded to you because of your established Chosen One status. With the story's rocky start, Shadowbringers takes a decidedly discomforting approach by doing the narrative equivalent of taking those shoes off your feet and getting someone to beat you with them. The solution it offers in its opening minutes is simple: Set aside everything you know and become the Warrior of Darkness.In practice, this is more difficult than it sounds. Norvrandt is home to all manner of dangers, and the most insidious aren't the ones that come at you with sharp teeth and sharper claws. There's a seething undercurrent of wrongness that permeates everything, as beautiful as the lush forests and the wide, open fields of this realm may be. These sentiments are felt throughout the design of Shadowbringers' new locations and dungeons: the debaucherous Eulmore where the rich are willfully ignorant to the suffering of others, the deceivingly dangerous riot of fae and fancy of Il Mheg, and the apocalyptic wastelands of times long destroyed by the Light, to name a few. Each new environment is twisted violently in some way, whether it's the presence of monstrous enemies or the cruel ways that its inhabitants have chosen to eke out a living.The main story quests ferry you from location to location at a decent clip, though ample time is devoted to you experiencing the horrors that the Light has wrought about the realm. Having to go back to what feels like the equivalent of Hero School affords you some breathing room; it's clear that the expansion wasn't going to live and die on the Warrior of Darkness' shoulders alone, and a large part of the narrative is actually devoted to fleshing out popular supporting characters from Final Fantasy XIV canon. You're not the only one who's had to make some difficult adjustments, and Shadowbringers doesn't shy away from tough questions about sacrifice, honor, and duty (or their tougher answers).The dungeons and trials are an excellent way for Shadowbringers to hammer those points home, and to deal with important narrative beats. It's a credit to the game's development team that the dungeons are much more than just a means to keep you occupied or to give you enough experience to move on to the next big thing in the world. They function like little pockets of insight into the decayed state of Norvrandt, complete with harrowing bosses and crumbling ruins. These dungeons see you racing through castles fighting seraphim and diving into fae realms making desperate pacts to secure your future. And it all plays out to a distinctly operatic soundtrack that leans heavily into dramatic strings and modern vocal frills, creating a perfect atmosphere to underscore the urgency of your character's mission. Every new encounter of this fashion drives the Warrior of Darkness closer to their goal of restoring balance to the world, whether it's driving a sword through the heart of a friend now-twisted by Light or unearthing the origins and primal motivations for this conflict. Dungeons have always been a part of the main story's requirements in Final Fantasy XIV, but here they feel just as crucial to your enjoyment and understanding of the tale as the new quests do.Quests place you directly in the shoes of these supporting characters, and playing as them is both a welcome change of pace and a chance for newer players to deepen their understanding of the game's lore. That being said, not all quests are made equal, and there are some confusing mechanical decisions that may frustrate. For example, the end of the expansion requires a player to have completed a max-level quest before picking up a lower-level one to progress to the grand finale. In other cases, optional quests that share a common thread can sometimes be spread out across different locations on a map and aren't signposted any differently from unrelated ones. This can make you feel like you need to slog through every mundane errand in the hopes of finding a diamond. Luckily, these instances are few and far between; just like its predecessor, Shadowbringers brings to life a number of humanizing stories through its side quests and manages to make you care about the day-to-day lives of new characters who initially have nothing but scorn for what you stand for.It's not solely about capitalizing on known factors, though. The expansion introduces plenty of unfamiliar delights to sink your teeth into--the Trust system is perhaps the most important addition for accessibility that Final Fantasy XIV has seen since its rebirth. It allows players to take a fully-formed party of NPCs from the main story quests into dungeons with them, eliminating the need to wait 20 minutes in the queue if you were trying to go through matchmaking. This is the perfect solution for players who don't want to play with strangers and ensures that no one is gated from progressing in the story just because they may have to wait an inordinate amount of time to find the necessary party. These NPCs are drawn from a pool of the familiar faces of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and from some noteworthy new acquaintances, so using them in the Trust system is a pleasant nod to the value that the Shadowbringers narrative places on friendship and sticking together in the face of adversity.On the matter of the new classes and races aside, servers are currently teeming with Viera and Hrothgar avatars ready to take on the world. While the new race models look as spectacular in motion as one would expect, the Gunbreaker and Dancer classes are still a relative unknown that players are puzzling out at this early stage in Shadowbringers' life cycle. Gunbreaker packs a hell of a punch as a high-damage job, suited for an off-tank role that trades in axes and greatswords for something a little less traditional. Dancer's primary focus other than looking absolutely enchanting in combat is to provide buffs for party members, and it appears to be trying to fill the utility ranged DPS role previously occupied by Bards who have now had their party-wide buffs removed.Gunbreaker currently feels a little too much like it was originally meant to be a DPS class. It does a ridiculous amount of damage, managing to hold its own against the likes of Black Mage and Samurai. This seems a little antithetical to the tanking philosophy imbued within the other role options, where the thematic focus on survivability and protection is much clearer. Healers in particular will have to get used to managing cooldowns around Superbolide, one of the key Gunbreaker abilities that reduces their HP to 1 whilst preventing further fatal damage. Playing as a gun-wielding tank is novel but hard to master as it takes a higher-risk approach to putting your life on the line for your party members and also requires those partied with you to be familiar with your new tricks.Dancer, for all of its beauty, currently lacks some fire in the damage department. You have to manage two class-specific stances--Technical Step and Standard Step--each with its own set of moves to master. You also have access to Closed Position, which lets you choose a dance partner to benefit from your buffs and your skills. Pulling off a perfect performance will buff the Dancer's DPS overall, and the key to doing damage is through graceful move combinations that ultimately let you unleash AOE attacks upon unsuspecting foes. The strength of Dancer shines through in prolonged encounters where their deadly chakram slice and dice at enemies, giving them the chance to use skills from both stances for a significant payoff. That being said, setting up these balletic massacres takes time; without enough breathing room to perform a routine, the Dancer can feel a little more frumpy than flamenco, especially in the majority of the game's legacy content where breathing on something is as good as a killing blow.Both classes have a distinct identity, though the streamlining of the other jobs has muddied the waters a little in respect of the existing classes enjoying the same individualism. You used to have to pick up quests specifically for your chosen job to learn new skills. Now, Shadowbringers has replaced these with role quests for DPS, tanks, and healers, and these exist mostly to provide experience and to further the overall narrative than to improve any existing affinity with your character's chosen profession. While some job questlines were more involved than others (Stormblood introduced a particularly heartfelt Samurai one), to do away with them entirely seems like a waste. Role actions also have been further simplified, with changes to tanking and healing in particular removing some bloat but also making them more homogenous. While this makes it easier for newcomers to plug and play, it feels like it's come at the cost of the unique class identities which past expansions have been so careful to cultivate.Some of its changes to the player experience are still causing a little discomfort during this teething phase, but Shadowbringers makes a strong case for itself as the game's most engaging expansion. It's not just the sheer scale and strength of the narrative weaving in years of old lore without cheapening the experience for new players, or the immaculately designed boss fights replete with spectacular music and thematic touches. It's also the implementation of the Trust system and the chance to truly feel the impact of the Warrior of Light's decisions over the past expansions through exploring the stories of your companions. For a story that starts with a laser focus on your character's motivations and misgivings, it tells a tale that ends up being the biggest and the best that Final Fantasy XIV has ever told. Equal parts redemption, vengeance, cruelty, and sassy Elezen, Shadowbringers promises a hell of a lot when you take your first steps into Norvrandt and delivers a truly spectacular finish even if it stumbles a little along the way. Info from Gamespot.com

We are celebrating Prime Day 2019 by partnering with CNET for this incredible giveaway where you have daily chances to get a prize that gets bigger every day.10 winners will take home an Amazon gift card over 10 consecutive days. The daily prize amounts look like this:Day 1: $200Day 2: $250Day 3: $300Day 4: $350Day 5: $400Day 6: $450Day 7: $500Day 8: $600Day 9: $700Day 10: $1,000To enter the sweepstakes you have to first read the official rules and accept the terms and conditions. Then you will proceed to fill out the form above with your name and email, but keep in mind you will have to fill out this part of the form each day to qualify for the daily prize. If you are having trouble viewing the form, please use this link.If you really want to increase your chances to win, you have the option of doing additional actions like following us across social media to earn extra entries.Use this calendar invite​ to remind yourself to stop by each day to add an additional entry -- it just takes a minute!Here's how to add this to your calendar:Google Calendar: Download the calendar invite. Then on the calendar page, click on the gear icon and choose Settings. Click the calendar tab, Import Calendar, and the Browse button to select the invite you downloaded. Then click Import.Apple Calendar or Outlook: Simply click on the invite. Good luck! Info from Gamespot.com

Super Mario Maker 2 built on its early sales success, finishing at the top of the UK all-format sales chart for the second time. The Nintendo Switch exclusive held its place atop the physical chart despite strong competition from Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, according to sales monitor Chart-Track.The CTR remaster still manages a podium finish at No. 2 in its third week on sale. F1 2019, meanwhile, maintains its No.3 spot for the week ending July 6.Nintendo Switch exclusives enjoy a strong week, with four titles in the top 10 in total. Aside from Mario Maker, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe comes in at No.4, while Super Smash Bros. Ultimate rises to No.5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild completes the sweep at No.9. No new titles entered the chart this week.Super Mario Maker 2 is another great addition to the Switch's library of exclusive games, according to our critic, Peter Brown. "The Mario series is worth all the admiration it gets, and Super Mario Maker 2 is an excellent tool for picking it apart by pushing its enemies, mechanisms, and Mario, to their limit," he said. "I've yet to make a stage of my own that I think is worthy of sending out to other players, but I'm committed to getting there. Whether exploring the full potential of a single element or throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, I've got the itch to join the creator's club."Mario Maker 2 makes the learning process intuitive and enjoyable. Most importantly, it's enabled designers amateur and professional alike to share their creativity with the world. The community is off to a great start, and thankfully, the fun has only just begun." You can read more in our full Super Mario Maker 2 review.You can read the full top 10 sales chart for this week below, courtesy of UKIE and GfK Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.Super Mario Maker 2Crash Team Racing: Nitro-FueledF1 2019Mario Kart 8 DeluxeSuper Smash Bros. UltimateGrand Theft Auto VAssassin's Creed OdysseyRed Dead Redemption 2The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildMortal Kombat 11Info from Gamespot.com

Rocksteady Studios' critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham game series will be re-released for a second time as "Batman Arkham Collection." A listing for a physical version of the compilation appeared on Amazon UK, where it is available for pre-order on PS4 and Xbox One, with a September 6 release date attached. Although an official announcement hasn't been made by publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Rocksteady's marketing manager has discussed the collection, indicating it is real.As detailed in the listing, Batman Arkham Collection includes all three of Rocksteady's games: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Knight. It includes a steelbook case, but otherwise the main difference between this collection and the previously released Batman: Return to Arkham collection is that Arkham Knight is included. Origins, however, is left out.The launch of the collection will also mark the first time that the Earth-2 Dark Knight skin will be available outside of North America. Previously, this was exclusively available to attendees of E3 2015 and through a Mountain Dew promotion. According to Rocksteady's marketing manager, Gaz Deaves, the Earth-2 Dark Knight skin will also be released as a free download for everyone that owns Arkham Knight on PS4 "early next year."Batman: Arkham Asylum and City were remastered for the Return to Arkham, and it's these versions of the game that will be included in the new Arkham Collection. Knight was released for current-generation consoles, so it has all the bells and whistles that you'd expect from a modern game. Alongside the core games, all post-launch DLC will be included.Deaves has said that Arkham Knight and its DLC will be included as a download code in the package, which indicates that Asylum and City will be the disc versions. The PS4-exclusive Scarecrow missions and skins will remain as such. The new collection will have the same trophy list on PS4 as the Return to Arkham versions of Asylum and City, and the standalone version of Knight, so there's no opportunity to double up on achievements.GameSpot's Arkham Asylum review said: "everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material."Our Arkham City review was just as glowing: "From the speedy exhilaration of soaring high above the streets to the atmospheric thrill of discovering long-forgotten secrets in the tunnels below Gotham, this is an unforgettable adventure that will keep you coming back to the cape and cowl long after you've seen the credits roll."In our Arkham Knight review, we said, "Rather than escape the pull of the games that spawned it, The Bat's newest adventure refines the fundamentals; it is a safe but satisfying return to the world's most tormented megalopolis." Info from Gamespot.com

For a company that has helped shape the landscape of the modern video game industry, Nintendo's steps into the mobile gaming space have been tentative. Since 2016, the company has only published a small handful of smartphone games to modest success, with two more--Mario Kart Tour and Dr. Mario World--on the way this year. We recently had an opportunity to go hands-on with the latter, and it could be Nintendo's best mobile game to date--provided it avoids the aggressive monetization practices other free-to-play puzzlers employ.Just as in previous Dr. Mario games, the object in World is to clear the field of viruses by matching them up with their corresponding capsules. However, while the fundamentals remain the same, some aspects of the series have been tweaked in the move to mobile devices. This time around, the capsules drift slowly upward from the bottom of the screen rather than raining down from the top, and you'll need to drag them with your finger to arrange them around the play space. You also only need to match up three objects of the same color to clear them from the field, as opposed to the traditional four.On top of these changes, Dr. Mario World introduces a handful of new gameplay wrinkles that add some satisfying variety and complexity to the experience. Certain stages, for instance, feature Koopa shells; match these up with capsules and they'll take out entire horizontal rows of viruses. In other stages, some of the viruses will be encased in bubbles, forcing you to first pop their protective casing before eliminating them. Some levels even impose different clear conditions; one that we played tasked us with collecting a certain number of coins rather than eliminating all of the viruses. After becoming so accustomed to the traditional Dr. Mario gameplay, having to mentally readjust to the new objective proved to be more difficult than anticipated. The arrangement of the viruses gets increasingly more complex as you progress through the game as well, and even from the handful we've sampled, it was clear that later stages will get deviously challenging.Being a free-to-play mobile title, Dr. Mario World also features many of the elements that are part and parcel of this type of game. As in many other mobile puzzlers, you're only allotted a certain number of capsules per stage, rather than having an unlimited supply as in a traditional Dr. Mario game; fail to clear all of the viruses with the given amount and you'll need to restart the level, which will take up stamina. From the handful of stages we've played, it appears the game does always provide an ample amount of capsules, but we still found ourselves occasionally running out during some of the later, trickier levels, so you'll need to carefully consider how you arrange your capsules. However, Nintendo assures that players should always be able to complete a stage with the allotted number, provided you use them skillfully enough. Stamina in Dr. Mario World takes the form of Hearts. You need to expend a Heart each time you play a stage, even if you have previously cleared it. Your Hearts gradually replenish over time, but you can expedite the process by purchasing more with Diamonds--Dr. Mario World's premium in-game currency. Diamonds can also be exchanged for other helpful items to use during a stage, such as additional capsules, and you have the option of spending a Diamond to continue a stage you failed rather than restarting completely. However, you can only continue once per stage, and if you fail again, you'll need to expend another Heart to retry it from the beginning. This is Dr. Mario World's potential sticking point; it wasn't clear from our hands-on time how many Hearts you'll begin with or how quickly they'll replenish, so it remains to be seen whether or not the stamina mechanic will hamper your ability to enjoy the game.Dr. Mario World also has its own gacha mechanic of sorts. You can spend either Diamonds or the coins you've accumulated from clearing stages to summon additional doctors, each of whom has their own special ability that can be unleashed once their skill gauge has filled up. Nearly every major character from the Mushroom Kingdom moonlights as a physician and can be added to your staff, from Peach to Yoshi to even Bowser, and their special skills run the gamut from clearing one random column of objects from the field to eliminating three random objects. Fortunately, unlike other gacha-heavy games like Fire Emblem Heroes, there aren't different rarity versions of the same doctor; each one initially comes at level 1, and any duplicates you summon will level your existing doctor up. You'll also be able to summon "assistants"--minor characters from the Mario universe who will add some kind of passive benefit to your team, giving you another variable to consider as you play.Of course, much of the Dr. Mario series' appeal stems from its competitive multiplayer, and World continues the tradition with its own real-time Versus mode. While we didn't get to sample the mode during our hands-on session, it appears to be much more akin to a traditional Dr. Mario game than the single-player portion, pitting you against one other player in a head-to-head race to clear all the viruses in your field. Along with their special skills, the various doctors you can summon also boast different attack, defense, and speed stats, which determine how many viruses they can send to the opposing player's side. Outside of the versus mode, you're also able to send and receive Hearts from players on your friends list.Dr. Mario World's success ultimately hinges on how intrusive these free-to-play elements are in the full game, but from what we've sampled of it, the title seems like a promising mobile take on the series embellished by some smart new gameplay elements. It also appears there will be a lot of content right out of the gate; Nintendo says there will be more than 200 stages at launch, with more on the way in the future. The company will also introduce new doctors and assistants to the game post-release. You won't have to wait too long to try it out yourself; Dr. Mario World launches for free on iOS and Android devices this Wednesday, July 10. You can pre-register for the game now on the App Store and Google Play. Info from Gamespot.com

The 2019 adaptation of Stephen King's Pet Sematary fared better than the 1989 version of the same name. And if you missed in theaters, don't worry because it's headed to Blu-ray and DVD on July 9. The home release is filled with special features including an alternate ending that is much more haunting than the theatrical release. Warning, there are spoilers ahead for the movie.In the theatrical release, the movie ends with Louis, Rachel, and Ellie Creed all having died and been brought back to life by the supernatural cemetery deep inside the woods. It's revealed they've lit their house on fire, but the youngest son, Gage, is still alive and waiting in the car for his family. To his surprise, he sees the rest of his family alive, walking towards the car, holding a can of gasoline. While the audience never sees it, we're led to believe he's killed, then brought back to life in the cemetery.That ending is fine, but there is a truly horrifying alternate ending on the home release of the film. So cut back to the cemetery, Ellie has dragged a dying Rachel there, but Louis is hesitant, so Ellie stabs him. Louis is about to kill her, but hesitates again, seeing Ellie as she was before dying. It then cuts to Louis reassuring Rachel, in an open grave, that everything will be ok as he and Ellie bury her. The final moments are Louis and Ellie walking toward the car, which Gage is in. However, a still living Louis gets him out of the car and takes him inside the house, where an undead Rachel walks in. The final shot is the family all reunited, with Gage crying in terror, while Louis has a troubled look on his face, as the camera zooms out.It's a memorable and unsettling image, seeing Louis' face with a look of regret, while his toddler son is extremely upset. This was a fantastic way to end the movie, and it's a bit confusing as to why this wasn't left in the theatrical cut.Aside from this alternate ending, the home release of Pet Sematery is loaded with special features, like seven deleted scenes, a featurette exploring night terrors, a four-part series about the making of the movie, and more. In GameSpot's review of the film, Rafael Motamayor said, "In an age where every film is getting a remake or a reboot, Pet Sematary might actually be better than the original. It's terrifying, twisted, heartbreaking, morbidly funny, and a hell of a fun time."Pet Sematary arrives on 4K and Blu-ray on July 9, and it is currently available digitally.Get it digitally on Vudu now.Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales. Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite has begun its crossover event with Stranger Things, which began with pieces of the Stranger Things mall entering the game, including some Upsidedown portals. Now as you look around your Stranger Things environments you can look the part, with new skins and other cosmetics modeled after the hit Netflix show.As announced on Twitter, the Stranger Things content includes outfits modeled after Chief Hopper and the Demogorgon, along with a Vines Wrap. The cosmetics were added alongside the premiere of the new season of Stranger Things on July 4.Netflix had previously hinted at a Fortnite crossover after fans noticed the show's ice cream shop in the game. That panel also announced another Stranger Things video game coming in 2020, and more details about the SNES brawler-style game that released along with Season 3.Stranger Thing 3's Ending, Credits Scene, And Season 4 TheoriesStranger Things: 74 Easter Eggs You May Have MissedMeanwhile, Fortnite is still celebrating its 14 Days of Summer event, along with other seasonal challenges. The game is preparing itself for the launch of Season 10, and as such we've seen some strange happenings that could be laying the groundwork. One of those is a giant rubber duckie, which could herald the seasonal changeover or just more summer shenanigans. When the next season does come, it will be accompanied by new system requirements, so make sure you're ready. Info from Gamespot.com

The Pokemon Company has shared a new trailer for the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield. The video gives us a glimpse at another handful of new Gen 8 Pokemon you'll discover in the Galar region, as well as a couple of new characters you'll encounter and a special type of Dynamaxing known as Gigantamaxing.Whereas standard Dynamaxing increases a Pokemon's size, Gigantamaxing also alters their physical appearance. A Gigantamaxed Drednaw, for instance, will stand upright on its hind legs, and the armor of a Gigantamaxed Corviknight will separate and fly around like bladed birds. While nearly every Pokemon is capable of Dynamaxing, it appears only certain species are able to Gigantax, and according to The Pokemon Company, "even among such species, only rare specimens will be able to Gigantamax." You can capture Gigantamax Pokemon in Max Raid Battles. Gigantamaxed DrednawThe trailer also introduced four new species of Pokemon. First is Alcremie, a Fairy-type that resembles whipped cream. It's one of the few Pokemon capable of Gigantamaxing, and when it undergoes the transformation, it resembles a towering cake. Next is Yamper, an Electric-type puppy Pokemon with a new Ability called Ball Fetch; if you throw a Poke Ball at a wild Pokemon but fail to capture it, Yamper will fetch the first one you threw (provided it isn't already holding an item). We also got a look at the Rock-type coal Pokemon, Rolycoly, as well as the Steel/Dragon-type Duraludon. You can see artwork of all four new Pokemon below.AlcremieFinally, the trailer introduced a handful of new characters, including two new Gym Leaders. First is Bea, a Fighting-type expert exclusive to Pokemon Sword. Pokemon Shield players, on the other hand, will battle the creepy Allister, a Ghost-type Gym Leader. The trailer also gave us a quick look at the chairman of the Galar Pokemon League, Rose, and his secretary Oleana. You can watch the full trailer below.Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. It's unclear as of yet how many Pokemon will appear in the game, but we know you won't be able to transfer every old monster to them--a decision that has proven so controversial that the games' producer, Junichi Masuda, had to issue a statement addressing the drama. For more on the titles, be sure to check out our Pokemon Sword and Shield pre-order guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Amazon Prime Day 2019 is bigger than ever this year, running a full 48 hours on July 15 and 16. The deals don't stop with the Seattle-based e-commerce giant, however: an increasing number of retailers are throwing their own, competing sales in order to take advantage of the shopping mania into which Amazon has whipped American consumers. One benefit to these other sales is that they don't require a subscription in order to take advantage, like Amazon Prime. The net result is that Prime Day has grown into a sort of general shopping holiday, like Black Friday/Cyber Monday in the US. So far, we have confirmed competing sales from Ebay, GameStop, Newegg, Target, and Walmart.Before Prime Day comes around on Monday, you can brush up on our general tips for getting the best deals. Gamers will also want to take note of Twitch Prime's freebies on offer this year. We'll be posting all the best gaming-focused deals from Prime Day as they go live, but be sure to check out all of the competing sales below to ensure that you secure the most bang for your buck.EbayEbay is making the cheekiest and most direct jab at Amazon with the Ebay Crash Sale on July 15. The name alludes to Amazon's technical issues last year when the site briefly collapsed under the increased Prime Day traffic. Ebay has stated that if Amazon goes down again this year, additional deals will unlock in the Crash Sale, which is a funny hedge bet on Amazon being overwhelmed again. The announcement promises deals up to 50% off on products from Apple, LG, Samsung, KitchenAid, and Garmin.In addition to the Crash Sale itself on July 15, Ebay also announced Hot Deals for Hot Days running from July 8 through 22, which includes a variety of deals worth checking every day, such as $22 for Sea of Thieves.GameStopGameStop's Game Days Summer Sale runs for two weeks on either side of Prime Day, from July 7 to 20. This is GameStop's biggest sale of the season, with great deals on games, consoles, accessories, and toys. Highlights include Assassin's Creed Odyssey, The Division 2, and NBA 2K19 for just $20, a $50 gift card with the purchase of an Xbox One console, or three Funko Pop vinyl figures for $25. See some of the best deals below:GamesPlatforms: PS4 and Xbox One, unless otherwise statedAnthem -- $20Assassin's Creed III Remastered -- $20 for PS4 and Xbox One, $30 for SwitchAssassin's Creed Odyssey -- $20Borderlands Game of The Year- Only at GameStop -- $25Call of Duty WWII -- $9.97Civilization VI -- $30 (Switch)Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy -- $30 (Switch)Days Gone -- $40Destiny 2 Forsaken -- $10 for PS4, $20 for Xbox OneDevil May Cry 5 -- $40The Division 2 -- $20Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 -- $20 (Switch)Fallout 76 -- $25Far Cry New Dawn -- $20Grand Theft Auto V -- $20Just Dance 18 -- $4.97Kingdom Hearts 3 -- $20Madden NFL 18 -- $4.97Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle -- $20 (Switch)MLB The Show 19 -- $40Mortal Kombat 11 -- $50 (Deluxe Edition: $80)NBA 2K18 -- $4.97NBA 2K19 -- $20Rage 2 -- $40Red Dead Redemption 2 -- $40Starlink: Battle for Atlas Starter Pack -- $30 (Switch)Star Wars Battlefront II -- $9.97Super Dragon Ball Heroes World Mission -- $50 (only July 7-13)Sushi Striker: The Way of the Sushido -- $9.97 (Switch)Tales of Vesperia - Definitive Edition -- $30 (Switch)Consoles and accessoriesGet a free $50 GameStop gift card when you buy any new Xbox One S or X consoleGet a Starlink starter pack free when you buy a new Nintendo Switch console -- $300GameCube-style Gold or Silver wireless controller for Nintendo Switch -- $40Get 20% off select new Xbox wireless controllers (only July 7-13)Turtle Beach 700 Premium wireless gaming headset -- $120HyperX Cloud Alpha Pro gaming headset -- $85Toys, collectibles, and apparelGet three Pop Vinyl figures for $25 ($12 and under, through July 13)Buy one, get one 50% off on select AmiiboBuy one, get one 50% off all action figures (only July 7-13)Get all T-shirts for $10 each (only July 7-13)Save $20 when you buy Forza Horizon 4 and any Thrustmaster Xbox One Racing Wheel (only July 7-13)Get 40% off all Kingdom Hearts and Fallout collectiblesGet 20% off select collectibles, including Fortnite, Pokémon, and more (only July 14-20)Special trade-in offersGet $275 trade credit for any PS4 Pro, Xbox One X, or iPhone 8Get $225 trade credit for Nintendo Switch, 1TB PS4, or iPhone 7 PlusGet $175 trade credit for 500GB PS4, Xbox One S, or iPhone 7Get $125 trade credit for original Xbox One or iPhone 6sNeweggHardware specialist Newegg has announced its fifth annual FantasTech Sale, which runs from July 8 to 18. Technically, FantasTech itself only spans July 15-16, but this year it's expanded to include a pre-sale from July 8 to 14, and then an extended sale on July 17 and 18. We've broken down what will be included in each phase of the sale below:FantasTech Pre-Sale (July 8-14)July 8 - 5,000 EggPoints (equal to a $50 credit) for new sign-ups of Newegg's store credit cardJuly 9 - Over 50 early access dealsJuly 10 - "Special Surprise"July 11-12 - Early access on ABS gaming and streaming PC dealsJuly 13-14 - Early access on Rosewill dealsJuly 15 - Deals unlocking between 12:01 AM and 12:00 PM when sale officially launchesFantasTech Sale (July 15-16)Thousands of deals on products from Acer, ASUS, Corsair, Lenovo, Philips, Seagate, Western Digital and other top brandsFantasTech Extended Sale (July 17-18)TBDTargetTarget has announced that its Deal Days will also run from July 15-16, with savings across the whole store. The deals will only be available on purchases made through the website, but same-day, in-store pick up will be an option for customers with a local Target retail store. As is always the case with Target sales, customers who pay with the REDcard (Target's store credit card) will save an additional 5% and get free shipping, in addition to free shipping on all orders over $35.Deal Days doesn't begin until July 15, but for the week prior Target is offering 50% off a selection of appliances, dinnerware, and other home goods through the website. None of the announced deals have thus far pertained to games or gaming hardware (it's mostly home goods, appliances, and the like), but you can be sure that we'll update with any and all that we find as soon as they are announced.WalmartWalmart's Summer Savings Event will surround Prime Day by a day or two on either side, running from July 14 to 17. Several early deals will also go up on July 12. There will be big savings in categories across the store, including video games, consoles, and accessories, though we won't know the particulars until the deals go live on Sunday. For an example of the types of bargains that will be available, Walmart just recently offered an Xbox One S console with a bonus game, headset, and controller for just $300 (down from $450). That deal sold out, but will likely go back in stock soon, so check back. Orders over $35 are potentially eligible for free two-day or next-day shipping, depending on location.See more Amazon Prime Day 2019 coverage:Everything You Need To Know About Amazon Prime Day 2019Free Apex Legends Skins Coming To Twitch Prime Members For Prime DayGameStop Kicks Off Huge Summer Sale Just Before Prime DayTarget Deal Days Sale Announced, Overlaps With Amazon Prime DayEbay Sale Might Have You Rooting For Amazon To Crash During Prime DayNew Exclusive Star Wars Funko Pop Launching For Amazon Prime DayEarly Prime Day Perk Includes Free Rewards For Red Dead 2 Online, GTA 5 OnlineThe Free PC Games Twitch Prime Members Can Claim In JulyInfo from Gamespot.com

NetherRealm has teased another DLC character for Mortal Kombat 11. The queen of Outworld Sindel is up next, per a teaser tweeted out from producer Ed Boon that shows off her new look.The image shows Sindel draped in shadow accompanied by the tagline "7 deadly Sindels"--a reference to the religious concept of the seven deadly sins. The teaser didn't give any indication of when to expect more details or a release date for the character. This follows another tweet in late June, when Boon teased Nightwolf.7 deadly Sindels #MortalKombat11 pic.twitter.com/d1isuSbwxH — Ed Boon (@noobde) July 8, 2019So far NetherRealm has released Shang Tsung, and teased Spawn, Nightwolf, and Sindel. Shao Kahn was a pre-order bonus who is also available as a separate purchase for $6. The first MK11 Kombat Pack will include six DLC fighters in all, and NetherRealm has yet to officially announce the remaining two. Ed Boon had offered a fighter reveal in exchange for helping to locate a stolen car, and shortly after teased Nightwolf, but he had already been announced."MK11 isn't just a sequel for series fans and NetherRealm devotees, it's a gateway into the realm of fighting games for anyone who has a passing interest in watching ruthless warriors beat each other silly," Edmond Tran wrote in GameSpot's review. "Streamlined mechanics keep the act of fighting furiously exciting no matter what your skill level, and comprehensive tutorials encourage you to dig into the nitty-gritty. There's a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp."Info from Gamespot.com

AMD's new line of Ryzen 3000 processors hit store shelves on Sunday, July 7--and within hours, Destiny 2 players were reporting problems. Apparently, some players are seeing Destiny 2 rendered unplayable when they install the new Ryzen chips in their PCs, and speculation has it that a patch from Bungie will be required to fix the issue.Players took to the Bungie forums and to Reddit to share and discuss the issue. According to reports, trying to start Destiny 2 from Activision Blizzard's Battle.net launcher causes the game to hang forever. The computer thinks the game has started, but it never actually loads up. Posts on Bungie.net and Reddit suggest the CPU is to blame, with at least one poster claiming to have fixed the issue by removing the new Ryzen chip and going back to their previous system.PC-focused outlets published reviews of the new Ryzen chips to go with their launch, many of which detailed games reviewers tried with the CPUs, so it doesn't appear that the issue with Destiny 2 is necessarily affecting other games. That suggests Bungie will need to issue a patch to make Destiny 2 compatible with AMD's new processors. We've reached out to Bungie for a comment on the situation and any details on when a fix might be made available.In the meantime, it seems PC players will need to hang onto their old processors and motherboards to keep playing Destiny 2, what with the new Lumina Exotic hand cannon to chase. The weekly reset on Tuesday, July 9, also marks the start of a new slate of Moments of Triumph to earn, making this a particularly rough time for Destiny PC players to lose their access to the game.Info from Gamespot.com

The latest trailer for Pokemon Sword and Shield has arrived, and it gives us a look at some more new features and Pokemon from the upcoming Switch games. Just as previous titles, Sword and Shield will each feature a handful of exclusive Pokemon that can only be found in that version, but that isn't the only difference between the two games; each will also have some version-exclusive Gyms.As we learned in the new trailer (which you can watch below), some cities in Pokemon Sword and Shield will feature different Gyms depending on which version you're playing. It's unclear how many version-exclusive Gyms there will be in total, but the latest trailer showcases at least one of them. In Pokemon Sword, players will challenge Bea, who specializes in Fighting Pokemon. The same town in Pokemon Shield, however, is home to a Ghost-type Gym led by the creepy Allister. You can take a look at the two Gym Leaders below.This isn't the first time Pokemon games have featured version-exclusive Gym Leaders; the Leader of the final Gym in Pokemon Black and White would differ depending on which version you were playing, although in both cases, the trainer would still specialize in Dragon Pokemon. Some cities in Black and White also featured aesthetic differences depending on the version, although it's as-yet unknown if Sword and Shield will implement other version differences.Of course, along with version-exclusive Gyms, there will be a handful of Pokemon you'll only be able to catch in either Sword or Shield, and now we've gotten our first glimpse at a couple that will be exclusive to each version. The Dragon Pokemon Deino and Jangmo-o will only appear in the wild in Pokemon Sword, while Larvitar and Goomy can only be found in Pokemon Shield.That isn't all the latest trailer revealed; we also got a look at another four new Gen 8 Pokemon, as well as a new mechanic called Gigantamaxing. Unlike standard Dynamaxing, only certain Pokemon can Gigantamax, and their size as well as their appearance will be transformed. The trailer also introduced the chairman of the Galar Pokemon League, Rose, and his secretary Oleana.Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. The games will be compatible with the upcoming Pokemon Home service, allowing you to bring over some of your old monsters. However, you won't be able to transfer every old Pokemon to the games. That decision has been so controversial that series producer, Junichi Masuda, issued a statement addressing the drama. For more on the titles, be sure to check out our Pokemon Sword and Shield release date and pre-order guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Although Jigsaw, the latest movie in the Saw series, was released less than two years ago, the franchise is being rebooted by none other than actor and comedian Chris Rock. The new Saw film is now in production, and it has been announced that Rock will be joined in the cast by Samuel L. Jackson.As reported by Variety, Jackson is playing the father to Rock's character, a cop investigating a series of grisly murders. The cast also include Max Minghella (The Handmaid's Tale, The Social Network), who will play Rock's assistant on the case, and Riverdale's Marisol Nichols as a police captain.The story for the new Saw movie has been written by Rock, with the screenplay by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg, who also wrote Jigsaw. In May, Rock explained that he was a huge fan of the series, stating that he plans to take it into "a really intense and twisted new place." The movie is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who previously helmed Saw 2, 3, and 4, and releases on October 23, 2020.This isn't the first time a high-profile horror movie has been co-written by an actor best known for comedy roles. Eastbound and Down star Danny McBride worked on last year's Halloween reboot, which grossed more than $254 million worldwide. It was recently rumored that a Halloween sequel is on the way.Although Jigsaw wasn't as successful as some of the other entries, it still made $102 million worldwide, from an estimated production budget of $10 million. For more Saw coverage on GameSpot, check out the Saw movie series ranked from worst to best.Info from Gamespot.com