Posts By Mat Growcott

Banjo-Kazooie represents everything great about the golden age of Nintendo. Except for one thing: it’s owned by Microsoft. Everything about the bear and bird’s original 1998 adventure has Nintendo DNA in it. From the graphics to the sound to the gameplay, it is a first-party N64 game through and through. But it’s not 1998 anymore. Just like Banjo pushed on from Mario 64 back in the day, a top-quality Mario clone on Game Pass would need to ...

There’s an opportunity for games to be big in New Zealand and Australia. They’re not usually countries that we think of when we try to name development locations. Traditionally that was more based in Asia, America or central Europe. But the trade body for developers in New Zealand and Australia says there’s real potential for gaming to make a splash down under. Australia and New Zealand – Potential for Growth The Interactive Games & ...

It’s the hidden gem of the bus smashin’, double-decker car ridin’, lawnmower racin’ genre – and now Wreckfest has got that shiny next-gen glean to go along with it. Why aren’t more people talking about Wreckfest? It’s not only an awesome game, but it’s right there on Game Pass. Play it on PC, play it on Xbox – but play it. With a new 4K/60FPS patch on Xbox Series X, it’s worth taking another spin ...

Like so many interesting hobbies, the hardest part is often getting started – that’s especially true for gambling. Like with any new interest, there’s so much information out there. Often with differing details of what to try and what the smartest use of your money is. But with gambling there’s the added element of using real money. It’s not like buying something, where you usually have something to show for your expense. ...

Crash Bandicoot 4 finally gets its next-gen port. It’s About Time? Yes, it is. That barmy bandicoot is back on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X – but if you’ve waited this long, is it worth taking a plunge? That depends on how nostalgic you feel. Crash 4 is a throwback to a different time, and it pushes that idea often. It’s retro in almost every way that counts, including the difficulty. It’s a great game marred by occasional ...

Crash Bandicoot: Warped came out in 1998. My constant dull back pain and need to grunt every time I sit down shows just how long ago that was. Crash 4 came out last September – a little close to the launch of the new-generation consoles for comfort. Our very own Kevin Austin gave it an 8.5 at the time, but we all knew the real version would come to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. That port launched last week…

Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, with a doubled FPS boost, without any patching. Almost sounds too good to be true on console, right? Well, that’s because it is. To officially play these games at a desirable framerate on Xbox Series X, you have to choose between 4k resolution and 60fps, because if you choose the latter you’ll find yourself playing at 1080p. Why? There could be many reasons, although we know that a 60FPS mod does the trick with far…

After six months of waiting, it’s now official. Fallout, Doom, Elder Scrolls are all officially first-party games and Bethesda is owned by Microsoft. What a time to be alive. The biggest surprise of 2020 was the announcement that Bethesda was being bought out by Microsoft, which is clever because it will immediately start paying off. Games joined Gamepass, fans will buy into the ecosystem – the value of owning an Xbox has increased. There will be a ...

More than 24 million people have played Forza Horizon 4, making it one of the most successful racing games of all time. And you didn’t have to pay a penny for it. Gamepass allowed you access to the game – day one – without paying a penny extra than your subscription. An overwhelming amount of people decided to do so anyway. Even at £54.99, it’s still in the top ten on Steam a week after launch. This proves without a…

There’s no doubt Nintendo are dominating with the Switch. But where do they go from here? The biggest appeals of the Switch – its cost, portability and casual experiences – are areas that Nintendo will no longer dominate going forward. Do they double down, trying to stay relevant in a world where a 4k phone or tablet can stream a near-perfect recreation of the home console experience? Or do they try and take on Sony and Microsoft at their ...