After Mario Kart 8 Deluxe introduced The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing characters to the series, people were curious where Mario Kart World would turn next for new racers. It's highly doubtful anyone predicted Cow from Mario Kart 64's Moo Moo Farm course. But Nintendo has revealed how a drawing--seen below--of the character driving a truck was the impetus for including the bovine.In a new Ask the Developer interview, Mario Kart World art director Masaaki Ishikawa discussed the origins of Cow as a playable character. "Each new Mario Kart game features new characters to race with, but since we added so many to the previous game, we wondered where we could go from there," Ishikawa said. "And then one of the designers came up with that silly sketch of Cow cruising along, and I thought to myself, "This is it!" (Laughs) So that's when we realized the course surroundings actually contained a lot of untapped resources."This sketch of Cow driving a truck led to the character becoming playable in Mario Kart World, according to Nintendo.Ishikawa added that Cow's inclusion then led to "Cheep Cheep and Pokey as racers." Additionally, Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki noted Cow also inspired "obstacle characters like Camel and Giraffe." As such, "Cow is actually a pivotal character in the Mario Kart series (laughs)," Ishikawa said.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Donkey Kong recently received a redesign across Nintendo's games and merchandise, and in a new interview, Mario and Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto explained the logic behind updating the iconic Nintendo character.Speaking with IGN, Miyamoto said he still plays a role in managing and creating Nintendo's iconic characters. He said the team recently went back to the Rare-designed version of the character from Donkey Kong Country and reevaluated it."When we were talking about trying to create new versions, evolving Donkey Kong, we created the game called Jungle Beat," Miyamoto said. "We worked together with the team that made 3D Mario. With the technology that was available at the time, we were able to make Donkey Kong more expressive. And going back to the design that Rare came up with, we reevaluated; what can we do with the design to make it more expressive? And then when it comes to the movie, we decided to move forward with this new generation Donkey Kong design."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Xbox has announced Retro Classics, a new collection of classic games coming to all Xbox Game Pass membership tiers. Developed in collaboration with Antstream Arcade, this is a collection of over 60 Activision games from the '80s and '90s, and it includes titles like Pitfall, Commando, and Grand Prix. These cover a wide range of platforms, from the Atari 2600 to the PlayStation. The collection will also expand over time to over 100 titles, and will include several more games from Activision and Blizzard.While it's only Mechwarrior 2 that populates the PlayStation section--it was also available on Sega Saturn and PC--it's still interesting to see a PlayStation game highlighted on this app specifically, considering that it can be installed on Xbox Series X|S consoles.According to Xbox, this is the latest step in its game preservation and backwards compatibility efforts, and Retro Classics will be available across console, PC, and cloud-compatible devices. Additionally, Xbox Achievements can be earned from these games, and there are other challenges for these games that players can pursue through modes like community challenges, competitive leaderboards, high-score rankings and more.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Lilo & Stitch (2002): Ultimate Collector’s Edition on 4K Blu-ray $32 (was $41) See at Amazon See at Walmart (sold out) Disney's live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch releases in theaters this weekend. If you want to revisit the original animated version, you can finally watch the 2002 classic on 4K Blu-ray thanks to the newly launched Ultimate Collector's Edition. Lilo & Stitch's 4K Blu-ray edition hit stores on May 6 and has been going in and out of stock. At the moment, the 4K release is sold out at Walmart, but Amazon has copies for $32 (was $41). Depending on your location, you might eligible for free same- or next-day delivery with Amazon Prime. Lilo & Stitch (2002): Ultimate Collector’s Edition on 4K Blu-ray $32 (was $41) This version of Lilo & Stitch comes with 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, and digital copies of the original film. Along with all new art and collectible packaging, the 4K version of the film supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for enhanced image and audio clarity.Lilo & Stitch: Ultimate Collector's Edition Special FeaturesLilo & Stitch's UItimate Collector's Edition is packed with bonus features, but it's worth noting that the content listed below is found on the 1080p Blu-ray disc, not the new 4K remaster.Hula LessonAnimating the HulaAudio commentaryDisneyPedia: The Islands of AlohaTwo music videosBehind-the-music featuretteA Stitch in Time: Follow Stitch through the Disney yearsAs an alternative to the new 4K Blu-ray edition, there's a standard Blu-ray 2-movie collection for $16.48 (was $26) and DVD version for $7.50 (was $15). The collection comes with the original film and Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch. See at Amazon See at Walmart (sold out) For more stories starring Experiment 626, check out our roundup of Stitch manga and graphic novels. Stitch has been a mainstay in the Disney collectible scene for decades, and the live-action remake has naturally led to an assortment of new toys and licensed merch, including an adorable interactive Stitch plush. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Overwatch 2's latest update brings the most significant changes to the game's new Stadium mode yet, with tweaks to the mode's mercy rule, major item price adjustments, the introduction of Freja, and hero balance changes. It's all detailed in the patch notes, which can be found below.Stadium sports a "mercy rule," where if one team has a significant cash advantage and wins three rounds in a row, that team will immediately win. However, Blizzard notes that the need for a 15,000 cash disparity between teams to trigger the rule was making it so games weren't being ended early when they probably should have.In order to make the mercy rule more effective, Blizzard has lowered the cash disparity needed to trigger it down to a 10,000 cash difference. Blizzard said it will keep an eye on the change and will consider making additional mercy rule changes in the future.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The road for Mario Kart World has been a long one, as its developers have revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 launch title started development in 2017 as a Switch 1 game.Details about the history of Mario Kart World's development were just one detail of many to come from Nintendo's Ask a Developer interview series, where one of the game's producers, Kosuke Yabuki, said that prototyping for Mario Kart World began eight years ago in 2017 and that the decision to move the game to Switch 2 was "truly a ray of hope.""We were thinking about what to do for the next Mario Kart game even during the development of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and we began prototyping in March 2017," Yabuki said. "It was at the end of that year when we officially started work on it as a project."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone are set to expand in a big way this week with the arrival of Season 4. In this post, we're running through everything that's announced so far including new weapons, more maps, and the arrival of Ballerina star Ana de Armas as a playable charatcer.Activision shared all the details in an extensive blog post.Table of Contents [hide]Season 4 release dateSeason 4 release dateSeason 4 for Black Ops 6 and Warzone will launch on May 29, and it should arrive that day around 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The long-in-development Street Fighter movie may have just landed some undisputed star power, as a former WWE champion and DC Comics hero have reportedly been cast for the film.According to Deadline, WWE superstar Roman Reigns, Jason Momoa (A Minecraft Movie), Andrew Koji (Bullet Train), and Noah Centino (Warfare) are currently in talks to star. If the actors are involved, then the Street Fighter movie will have recruited some big acting muscle. Mamoa previously appeared as Arthur Curry/Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe of live-action films and he'll be playing the legendary intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which is scheduled to arrive in June 2026.Reigns is another well-known face on television, as he held the Undisputed WWE Championship for a staggering 1,316 days. The former champion also appeared on the big screen in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Meanwhile, Koji has appeared in multiple movies and TV shows over the years, flexing his martial arts skills in projects like Warrior. Representatives for the actors have declined to comment to Deadline on whether they are or are not involved in the project. As for Centino, he appeared in the gritty action film Warfare, which was directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

PowerA Pac-Man Special Edition Wireless Controller for Xbox and PC $75 (was $100) See at Amazon PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller - Pac-Man Neon Arcade (Switch) $48.74 (was $65) See at Amazon Amazon has a pair of great limited-time deals on the new limited-edition Pac-Man controllers by PowerA. Officially licensed by Bandai Namco and created for Pac-Man's 45th anniversary celebrations, both of the wireless controllers have pro-style features, cool designs, and dynamic lighting effects. Most notably, Xbox Series X|S and PC players can get the Pac-Man Special-Edition Wireless Controller for $75 (was $100). Customizable wireless Xbox controllers with as many features found here are rarely available for this low of a price, so this deal is definitely worth checking out.Nintendo Switch users can also save 25% on the Pac-Man Neon Arcade Wireless Controller with remappable back buttons and unique lighting effects.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Activision has confirmed the next crossover character coming to Call of Duty in Season 4, and it's none other than Ana de Armas' character from the upcoming John Wick movie, Ballerina.The Ballerina Tracer Pack lets players become Eve Macarro, the character de Armas plays in Ballerina. The bundle comes with two operator skins, the first of which, "Eve Macarro," shows Eve in a red sequin dress. The second, "Ruska Rogue," depicts Eve in a black fit. The bundle also includes three weapons, including the "Releve" AK-74, the "Plie" Saug SMG, and the "Arabesque" 9MM pistol.Ballerina comes to Call of Duty.What's more, the DLC includes a "Dance With Death" finishing move, as well as the "Pirouette" emote, the "Keepsake" weapon charm, the "Caged Grace" emblem, the "Pas de Duex" calling card, and the "Take a Bow" loading screen.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

In 2022, Sony unveiled its PlayStation Stars rewards program, which gave dedicated players a chance to earn digital collectibles. Now, less than three years later, Sony has announced that it will be ending the PlayStation Stars program in the near future.Sony praised PlayStation Stars for fostering "a deeper connection with fans around the world." However, the video game company went on to say that after evaluating PlayStation Stars, it decided to bring it to a close. As of today, PlayStation Stars is no longer accepting new members. Existing members who close their membership also won't be able to re-join.The end of the program won't come all at once. Members are still able to level up their PlayStation Stars status and earn more digital collectibles through July 23 at 7:59 AM PT / 10:59 AM ET / 3:59 PM BST. No additional rewards or campaigns will be available after that time. Players will still be able redeem their PlayStation Stars rewards until November 2, 2026. Sony also assured players that they will still be able to access their digital collectibles, "even after these changes take place."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition (Nintendo Switch) $50 (was $75) See at Amazon See at GameStop See at Walmart (sold out) See at Target (sold out) See at Best Buy (sold out) Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition (PlayStation) $50 (was $75) See at Amazon See at Walmart Final Fantasy fans might be running out of time to add the the Pixel Remaster Collection to their Nintendo Switch or PS4 libraries. The Nintendo Switch version of Final Fantasy I-VI Anniversary Collection, in particular, is becoming increasingly scarce. Multiple retailers are have been sold out for weeks, but you can still snag a copy at Amazon or GameStop. Amazon just dropped the price back down to $50 (was $75). Recently, the Switch edition had been listed for close to full price. The PS4 physical edition is also up for grabs for $50 at multiple retailers, though we've seen this deal more often than the Switch offer.Released last October for Switch and PlayStation, the Anniversary Edition comes with a sticker sheet of Final Fantasy character sprites. It's worth emphasizing that this is a true physical release, with all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters on the Switch cartridge or PS4 disc (fully compatible with PS5). Square Enix initially released the physical in 2023, but the small print run sold out extremely fast. Last fall's re-release brought the collection to major retailers for the first time as the Anniversary Edition.RPG fans can take advantage of several other deals on Square Enix role-playing games for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox at Amazon this week, including last year's Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. For a modernized overhaul of a Square Enix classic, check out Romancing SaGa 2, which is discounted to an all-time low price of $30.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Jet Li Collection (4K Blu-ray) $107 (was $130) | Releases July 29 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart If there was a Mount Rushmore of action stars, you can bet that Jet Li's face would be on it. A legend of Hong Kong's golden age of filmmaking and the star of several cult-classic Hollywood movies, Jet Li's movies are as enjoyable today as they were over 30 years ago. Five of the best Jet Li movies are being collected in a new 4K Blu-ray box set. Preorders for The Jet Li Collection opened in April, and now Amazon and Walmart are offering a nice discount that drops the price to $107 (was $130).If you already preordered a copy at full price, the new discount will automatically be applied to your order when Amazon or Walmart charges your payment method. Both retailers wait until preorders ship to charge, so if the price drops even lower before The Jet Li Collection's July 29 release, you'll be eligible for additional discounts thanks to the preorder price guarantee. The Jet Li Collection (4K Blu-ray) $107 (was $130) | Releases July 29 This collection is part of Shout Factory's new Hong Kong Cinema Classics line, and inside, you'll find the following movies on 4K Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray.Fist of LegendTai Chi MasterFong Sai Yuk AKA The LegendFong Sai Yuk 2 AKA The Legend 2The Bodyguard from BeijingEach movie is a new 4K restoration from the original film negatives, and they all come with brand-new extras. Not every movie here offers a massive number of bonus materials, but there's still a lot to dive into overall. You can check out all of the special features at the end of this story. Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart These movies are essentially a highlight reel of Li's career during the '90s, with three of them being filmed in 1993 alone. Earlier films like Once Upon a Time in China and Swordsman 2 helped turn him into a rising star thanks to his talent and well-choreographed fight scenes, and the Fong Sai Yuk movies--known as The Legend and The Legend 2 in the US--alongside Tai Chi Master showcased more of his graceful ability to smash faces. Fast-forward to 1994, and Li's work on The Bodyguard from Beijing and Fist of Legend were two more instant classics that garnered international praise.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie $14 (was $27) | Releases May 27 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart The first fully animated, feature-length Looney Tunes movie releases on Blu-ray next week, and preorders are up for grabs for a ridiculously low price. Amazon and Walmart have The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie for just $14, which is nearly 50% off the Blu-ray's $27 list price. The Day the Earth Blew Up will be added to HBO's Max streaming service on June 27, but the Blu-ray edition currently costs less than the price of one month of Max's standard ad-free plan ($17). The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie $14 (was $27) | Releases May 27 Since the current preorder deal at Amazon and Walmart already saves you nearly 50% compared to the film's MSRP, we'd be surprised to see it drop even lower. That said, you will be eligible for additional discounts at either retailer thanks to preorder price guarantees.The Day the Earth Blew Up is also releasing on DVD on the same day. The DVD edition is on sale for $13 (was $25). Considering Looney Tunes was created in 1930, it's rather remarkable that The Day the Earth Blew Up became the first animated, full-length movie starring the zany cast of cartoon icons. Prior to its theatrical debut last year, the most notable Looney Tunes feature films mixed live action with animation (Space Jam and Space Jam: A New Legacy). Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart The Day the Earth Blew Up follows Daffy Duck and Porky Pig on a quest to stop aliens from taking over the world. It earned mostly positive reviews from critics and fans. After its limited theatrical debut last year, the film released in theaters across the US in March.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition Guide (Hardcover) $25 (was $45) See at Amazon Zelda: Breath of the Wild Complete Guide - Expanded Edition $19.68 (was $40) See at Amazon Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Guide (Paperback) $18.74 (was $30) See at Amazon The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel Tears of the Kingdom have remained popular since their respective releases on Nintendo Switch, but the active player count will certainly increase in the coming weeks. Enhanced versions of both open-world Zelda games launch alongside the Switch 2 on June 5. If you're looking forward to playing these two masterful games in 4K at 60fps with HDR, you should check out Amazon's deals on the official hardcover strategy guides. Whether you've played the games already or plan on experiencing them for the first time, these well-designed books are handy reference manuals and beautiful collectibles.With the looming resurgence of both games, it's possible that these two hardcover strategy guides could either sell out or increase in price again. As of May 21, though, you can get Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Collector's Edition Guide for only $25 (was $45) and Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Expanded Edition Guide for just $19.68 (was $40). Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition Guide (Hardcover) $25 (was $45) The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Collector's Edition Official Guide is a weighty 496-page hardcover with display-worthy cover art featuring the Corrupt Master Sword.Published by Piggyback and created in collaboration with Nintendo, Tears of the Kingdom's guidebook covers virtually every aspect of the sprawling open-world sequel. Along with an overview and tips for all of the main quests, side missions, shrines, and caves, the book offers comprehensive reference sections for all of the game's enemies, weapons, armor, shields, items, and more.All of the game's key systems, from crafting and cooking to using Zonai devices to build vehicles and other gadgets, are detailed alongside helpful tips and overarching strategies.The included World Atlas map section provides the locations all of the Koroks, Dragon's Tears, and collectibles scattered across mainland Hyrule as well as the Sky and Depths. See at Amazon Zelda: Breath of the Wild Complete Guide - Expanded Edition $19.68 (was $40) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Expanded Edition Guide looks great when displayed next to the TOTK hardcover. It also happens to be every bit as comprehensive as Tears of the Kingdom's strategy guide.Piggyback published this updated hardcover edition roughly a year after the game's original launch. The Expanded Edition adds chapters on Breath of the Wild's pair of DLC expansions. In addition to walkthroughs for the DLC, the 512-page hardcover features a concept art gallery showcasing in-progress illustrations and sketches by Nintendo's designers.The guide offers an overview of all main missions and side content, including every shrine. You'll also find solutions to all of the game's many puzzles and an in-depth look at the combat system. Catalogs of enemies, gear, and items let you use this book as a reference manual. The 36-page World Atlas reveals locations of collectibles, including every Korok seed. The book also includes a double-sided map of Hyrule with annotations. See at Amazon Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Guide (Paperback) $18.74 (was $30) Circling back to Tears of the Kingdom, it's worth noting that the paperback edition of the official TOTK guidebook is available for $18.74 (was $30). If you think you'll use the guidebook frequently for reference or want a display piece, the more durable hardcover Collector's Edition is the way to go.Breath of the Wild's paperback edition guidebook is out of print, likely because it launched alongside the game in 2017, so it doesn't include coverage of the Expansion Pass. See at Amazon If you already own Tears of the Kingdom and/or Breath of the Wild for Switch, you will be able to purchase $10 Switch 2 upgrades for each game from the eShop. But if you're a new player or simply want to own physical editions for Nintendo's new platform, check out our preorder guide for the Switch 2 versions of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. For a look at all of the Switch 2's launch games and accessories, check out GameSpot's comprehensive Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com