Still killing off my backlog [Mash Tacticsairs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific onDtoid.TV. Watch King Foom play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you may be as much a part of the show as anything else.] With my trip to CES 2013, coming up at the end of the week, things are going to be pretty laid back onMash Tacticsfor the next few days....

The quest for tiny Rhino, round two [Mash Tacticsairs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific onDtoid.TV. Watch Rick ‘King Foom’ Olson play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you may be as much a part of the show as anything else.] So, last week I got into a bit ofLEGO Marvel SuperheroesonMash Tactics, and I was on a mission to unlock one of my all-time favorite villains, Rhino, before the show was over....

With theStars Warslicense and money behind LucasArts, the studio only needed to follow. Instead, they innovated for 31 years. Not only did the studio have a hand in adventure, first-person shooter, real-time strategy, and flight sim games, it changed how developers that followed would approach these genres. Innovation aside, the studio and its many teams turned out original worlds with characters, quotable quips, and locations we would love as much as those ofStar Warsand Disney....

Get your 3 Doors Down jokes out of the way It’s been slim pickings for Nintendo 3DS owners over the past year. While Nintendo has remained steadfast in its support of the handheld through 2019, other developers have already flown the coop. Indie devs, in particular, have seen the 3DS dry up as a revenue source, moving their projects over the much more bountiful Switch. It’s why that Nintendo system sees more than 20 games released every week while the 3DS is lucky to get one a month....

Business Insiderreports that this new program would add more games that brands can advertise in, and allow more developers to sell ad space. Their sources indicate these ads could show up as billboards in a racing game, for example. Insider did not learn if other options, like cosmetic skins for characters or video ads in lobbies, are in the works. They also couldn’t confirm if Xbox is pitching the service to advertisers yet either....

No more Nemesis Forge or Vendetta missions Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordorwas a really strange game that came out of nowhere in 2014. Although many designers hit considerable roadblocks making big changes to Middle-earth source material, Warner Bros. coasted into massive departures from Tolkien’s legendarium with ease; both from a practical and thematic standpoint. It was a weird release, made even stranger by a controversy regarding some content creator’s failure to disclose that they couldn’t disparage the game in exchange for cash....

That’s a lot of monsters being hunted Japan likesMonster Hunter.It likesMonster Huntera lot.The series sometimes doesn’t get the love it deserves in the West, but in Japan it’s a bona fide gaming phenomenon. Japan likesMonster Hunterso much thatMonster Hunter X, which only came out a few days ago, has already outsold last year’sMonster Hunter 4Gon the Nintendo eShop. Nintendo doesn’t release concrete sales figures for its games, and even thenXcame out less than a week ago so it would be too early to announce anything anyway....

The marketing people at 2K Sports confuse me. EA Sports has been promoting the hell out ofNBA Live 365, a brand-new part ofNBA Live 09that includesDynamic DNAandNBA Live Rewind, presumably because those features differentiate the game from its competition. Dynamic DNA in particular sounds like a potentially revolutionary addition, providing data like player streaks and tendencies so that the game is literally “made fresh daily.” But apparently,NBA 2K9comes with an essentially identical feature called “Living Rosters” — check out the video above for details....

So yeah, it’s not a big surprise or anything, but it is a big deal to a lot Wii owners out there: the new Wii System Update 4.2 de-installs the Wii Homebrew Channel, and blocks most methods of reinstalling it. Anyone who values the ability to play import Wii and Gamecube games, Homebrew-only games like Portii, or any of the other various applications and emulators that the Homebrew Channel provides may want to stay clear of new Wii games for a little while....

Getting answers straight from the horse’s mouth The first and secondNo More Heroesgames were obviously inspired by the hardware they originated on. That idea rings true for the third installment. The capabilities of the Switch are playing a large role in how the game is being developed, and that includes using the full functionality of the Joy-Con controllers. “The first two games had mechanics that were based off what the Wii could do and the functionality of those unique controllers,” Suda explained through his translator....

PS4 and Xbox One later this year Party Hardhas its flaws, but the concept is pretty interesting. You’re basically taking revenge on various annoying partiers, Jason style, and the game is procedurally generated. It will be out on PS4 and Xbox One in spring 2016, with the “After-Party” DLC. The developer notes that Twitch features, like the power to alter the party by way of commands, will be intact. This sounds like a perfect PlayStation Plus game....

$49.99 with all DLC included Prototypeand its sequelhave released for Xbox One on Xbox Live as thePrototype Biohazard Bundlefor $49.99. The bundle includes all the DLC from the original games, but it’s unknown whether or not these are HD remasters and what the resolution and frame rate are. This stealth release has happened afterrumors that the games were coming to PS4. The originalPrototypeclocks in at 7.38GB while the sequel is a bit larger at 10....

I forgot it was recalled in the UK Mario Partymight be accused of producing the same concepts over and over again, but it has a storied and interesting history to it. Most older gamers will likely remember the “glove” incident, where the Nintendo 64 controller was so tough that it damaged player’s hands, forcing Nintendo of America to provide protective gloves and paid $75,000 in legal fees. One of the most interesting sections is easily the controversy dealing withMario Party 8....