Daily Gaming News: September 4, 2020

I’ve been working on a redesign for the Big Meanie Games blog, loosely based on another-site-that-should-not-be-named, and still playing through Control.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars hits Nintendo Switch on September 18

Nintendo announced Super Mario 3D All-Stars yesterday, a new Nintendo Switch title that includes three “classic” 3D Mario games: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. It’s arriving on September 18 – preorder it on Nintendo’s eShop here.

An interesting thing to note about Galaxy: the game retains the “co-star” mode in the original that allows a second player to assist (it’s co-op, but very basic co-op). It also requires actual Joy-Cons if you’re playing on a Switch lite.

World’s End Club now available via Apple Arcade

Izanagi Games’ and Too Kyo Games’ World’s End Club (formerly Death March Club) is officially out – but only on Apple Arcade. That’s a bit of a disappointment for us Android users, especially considering that the game’s Switch release date is Spring 2021. There’s also no mention of PC or any other consoles (unlike the other Too Kyo Game Death Come True).

World’s End Club is a side-scrolling puzzle adventure game where eleven students find themselves trapped in a deserted amusement park and forced to take part in a “Death game” that involves sacrificing their fellow students. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the game was co-developed by Kazutaka Kodaka (Danganronpa) and Kotaro Uchikoshi (Zero Escape trilogy).

Epic’s free game this week: Into the Breach

Subset Games’ Into the Breach hits the Epic Game Store as this week’s free game. It’s an isometric turn-based strategy/puzzle/roguelike that puts you in control of three mechs against hordes of aliens.

Harmonix’s Fuser arrives November 10

So I don’t know if Harmonix’s marketing department is just non-existent or *unintelligible*, but their previous music-mixing card game DropMix was quietly released and basically dropped off the face of the gaming earth despite being published by Hasbro.

Now Harmonix has a new game in the pipeline, Fuser, and it’s coming out on November 10 for PC and all major consoles. I’d almost really hesitate to call it a game – it seems like a DJ simulator where you transition through different sets depending on the crowd. 

If I sound the slightest bit salty, it’s because I grew up playing Karaoke Revolution, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band, and I’m a little disappointed to see Harmonix burrowing deeper into these increasingly niche music-mixing genres.

All Lab Zero employees have been laid off

In the latest controversy surrounding Skullgirlz developer Lab Zero, owner Mike “MikeZ” Zaimont has laid off the entire staff of Lab Zero after a number of employees voluntarily resigned from the company.

The saga began after Zaimont made a racially-insensitive comment involving George Floyd during a Skullgirlz match: “would it be fair to say…you can’t breathe?”

This led to allegations by former staffers of a history of sexual harassment and workplace abuse, and a mass exodus after Zaimont took full control of Lab Zero, despite a plan to split equity with employees.

Source: Kotaku