The Community Spotlight - 01/07/2017

Image provided by neogaf user alr1ght

Well a lot certainly has happened since our last episode. After a brief hiatus to make way for Giant Bomb's AMAZING 2016 __game of the Year content the Community Spotlight is back in action! As you may anticipate, we have a ton of user created blogs and lists worth checking out this week. In light of that, let's just jump right into the site related housekeeping:

• Did you enjoy the Giant Bomb Crew playing Hitman utilizing "New Mexico Rules?" Of course you did, it was one of the best videos they made in 2016! Anyways, someone managed to create a Hitman rule generator which allows you too to play the __game using the crew's ridiculous rule set.
• Last weekend Brad streamed himself playing games for twenty-four hours in the site's final push to raise money for Extra Life. With donations now closed Giant Bomb as a team raised $264,310; Giant Bomb individually raised $138,847.
• matsemann08 crunched the numbers and found Giant Bomb provided over 35 days worth of video content throughout 2016!

2016 User-Created Game Of The Year Content

Blogs

• My Top Five Games of 2016 (By: @gamer_152)
• Top 10ish Games Of The Foul Year of Our Lord 2016 (By: @pezen)
• Things Games I Played This Year Did That I Liked 2016 Edition (By: @dudeglove)
• Mattallica's 5th Annual Top 10 Games Of The Year (By: @_mattallica)
• Arbitrarywater's Best Games Of 2016 That Didn't Come Out In 2016
• ArbitraryWater's Best Games Of 2016 That Did Come Out In 2016 (By: @arbitrarywater)
• JBG4's Top Ten Games of 2016 (By: @jbg4)
• Top 10 And 2 Runners Up, Plus 7 Games I Couldn't Play, And 3 Games I Had A Weird Time With In 2016 (By: @quid_pro_bono)
• MindBullet's Favorite Games of 2016 (By: @mindbullet)
• My Top 10 Games and Top 5 DLC's of 2016 (By: @zevvion)
• My Top 10 Games of 2016 (By: @joe423)
• IronSoul's 2016 Games of the Year! (By: @ironsouls)
• Uncle Lapti's 2016 GOTY-GO!(By: @bonbolapti)
• Joemotycki's Top 10 Games Of 2016 (By: @joemotycki)
• Jeff Rud's Best and/or Most Memorable and/or Favorite Games He Played in 2016 (By: @jeffrud)
• XenoNick And His Top 10 Games From 2016 (By: @xenonick)
• Shivoa's Top Games of 2016 (By: @shivoa)
• My Top Ten Games of 2016 (By: @danielkempster)
• I Played Too Many Video Games Again: Cav's Top 10 Games Of 2016 (By: @cav829)
• MetalGearBrawl's Top 10 Games of 2016 (By: @metalgearbrawl)
• Perfidious Sinn's Top 10 Games of 2016 (By: @perfidioussinn)
• Game of the Year 2016 (By: @aurahack)
• Top 10 Games I Played In 2016 (By: @generic_username)
• 2016 Defied Expectations - My Top Games (By: @ivdamke)
• StarvingGamer's Games Worth Starving For (or Otherwise) in 2016 (By: @starvinggamer)
• Favourite Games of 2016 (By: @jacobmccourt)
• The Moosies Part VIII! (By: @mooseymcman)
• 2016 Games Of The Year + Special Mentions (By: @hassun)
• The Best, Worst and Most Middling Old Games of 2016 (By: @morecowbell24)
• ZombiePie's 2016 Multimedia Award Show Extravaganza (By: @zombiepie)
• Disco 2000 and Video-games 2016! (By: @do_the_manta_ray)
• Game of the Year 2016 (By: @cjduke)
• My Top 10 Games of 2016 (By: @mikelemmer)

Lists

• GOTY 2016 (By: @wess)
• GOTY 2016(By: @leviticus128)
• GOTY 2016 (By: @humanity)
• Best of 2016 (By: @jensonb)
• GOTY 2016 (By: @phatmac)
• GOTY 2016 (By: @tandyq)
• Top 10 Games Of 2016 That I Ended Up Buying But Haven't Gotten Around To Play Yet (By: @darkbeatdk)
• GOTY 2016 (By: @jaypb08)
• HT101's Top 10 of 2016 (By: @ht101)
• Best of 2016 (By: @draugen)
• Soap's GOTY 2016 (By: @soap)
• Drew's Games of the Year He Played - 2016 (By: @artisanbreads)
• Best of 2016 (By: @mormonwarrior)
• GOTY 2016 (By: @infinitespark)
• Game of the Year 2016 Oh God I'm so late (By: @make_me_mad)
• Best of 2016 (By: @mikefightnight)
• TFP's Top 16 Games of 2016 (By: @thefakepsychic)
• Game Of The Year 2016 (By: @badseed)
• GOTY 2016(By: @thatfrood)
• 2016: The Year Videogames Made a Faustian Bargain to Be AWESOME While the World Died (By: @undeadpool)
• GOTY 2016 (By: @kanerobot)
• My Top Games Of 2016 (By: @wuddel)
• Game of the Year 2016 And Other Additional Viscera (By: @blzzzrrttt)
• GOTY 2016 - (Over)watch' You Play This Year? (By: @sessh)
• Landon's Games of the Year 2016 (By: @lando81)
• 2016 GOTY (By: @dethfish)
• Best of 2016 (By: @marino)
• GOTY 2016 (BY: @falconer)

Clips Of The Week

Giant Bomb - Best of Hitman: Season 1 (By: @mepsipax)

Mepsipax went ahead and compiled damn near every hilarious folly Brad and Dan had in Hitman last year onto one amazing video.

Nu-Beast and the Saga of Fireboylt (By: @aska)

Aska did a bang up job in hilariously animating Vinny's "fireboylt" pronunciation saga. Aska also provides some interesting insight on how he created this animated rendition of the "Fireboylt Incident."

Giant Bomb Galleria Of Art

Alex Sketch (By: @mathey)

Some people draw Alex because he is their "spirit animal." Others draw Alex for the hell of it. I'm not sure which of those two inspired mathey to draw this. Why not ask him yourself?

Community Activities

Tap Titans 2 Community Clans List (By: @krabat0903)

The official list of Giant Bomb community Tap Titans 2 clans has been updated!

Best Of Blogs

Paper Teams, Paper Cups (By: @shindig)

Shindig has been playing Championship Manager: Season 01/02 religiously for 15 years! Learn about his latest folly with the game, and why he still plays it.

Final Fantasy MEGA BLOG - Part II (By: @lawgamer)

Part two of LawGamer's long journey into Final Fantasy XV gets frank about Cindy, as well as the game's touching depiction of camaraderie.

Fried Flounder: Virtual Reality Is Being Marketed Poorly (By: @theflamingo352)

In response to recent events TheFlamingo352 discusses why he believes virtual reality platforms are being marketed poorly, and this hurts everyone involved.

Hook, Line And Tinker (Or How I Discovered I'm A PC Gamer At Heart) (By: @big_denim)

Big_Denim is in the process of making a new PC from scratch! Check out how the first phase of making it has gone, and how this has rekindled his love for PC gaming.

Trading Survivalist Brains For Gun-toting Braun: A Fallout 4 Critique (By: @bizarrozorak)

After months of hemming and hawing BizarroZoraK finally put his overall thoughts pertaining to Fallout 4 into words.

Rec's Video Game Song of the Year 2016 (By: @recroulette)

recroulette mixed things up today and annotated his ten favorite video game songs from 2016 over here.

Pokémon Sun Nuzlocke Challenge - Chapter Four (By: @danielkempster)

danielkempster continues his effort to complete the Nuzlocke Challenge in Pokémon Sun! Read about his progress and the challenges he recently faced.

Titanfall 2 Is One Of The Most Balanced And Yet Unbalanced Games I've Ever Played (By: @spaceinsomniac)

SpaceInsomniac comments on why he finds Titanfall 2 to be "one of the most balanced, and yet unbalanced games" in regards to its multiplayer experience.

When You Walk Through the Gotham, You Better Watch Your Back (By: @darth_navster)

Darth_Navster extrapolates why he found Batman: The Telltale Series to be an inconsistent, but interesting game.

Dota Character of the Year (By: @onemanarmyy)

Onemanarmyy felt inspired to award a "Dota Character of the Year." See if you agree with his selections.

All-New Saturday Summaries 2017-01-07 (By: @mento)

Mento's embarked on a slate of new features for 2017, which his "all-new" Saturday Summaries conveniently aggregates. As well as playing Uncharted 4, he found the time to consider his PS2 library, get irritated by the end-game of Flywrench and discuss the upcoming Awesome Games Done Quick charity streams via his wiki work in preparation for the event.

My 2016 Game of the Year: Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (By: @generic_username)

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE is Generic_username's 2016 GOTY. Check out the reasoning behind his choice, and why he feels so steadfast about it.

Fighting Final Fantasy IX Part 89-101: Final Fantasy IX's Greatest Enemy Is Final Fantasy Itself (By: @zombiepie)

Moderator ZombiePie comments on why Final Fantasy IX's biggest weakness is its need to pay homage to its namesake, Final Fantasy.

Join The Discussion

Early 2017 Looks Crazier Than Late 2016 (By: @horseman6)

Are you excited for the games coming out in the first months of 2017? Share and discuss what you are itching to play in the coming months.

What's One Thing That You Wish You Could Bring Back From The Gaming Industry That Is Missing Today? (By: @jec03)

What's one thing that you wish you could bring back from the gaming industry that is missing today? Be it passwords, manuals, or cheat codes; share and discuss your pick over here.

Frog Fractions 2 = Glittermitten Grove (By: @clagnaught)

Want to join our discussion about "Glittermitten Grove?" Discuss how you have helped "faeries" harvest berries and what tips you have for accomplishing this.

Games That Have A Good Winter Atmosphere (By: @jec03)

Which games have best utilized winter weather to establish mood and tone? Share and discuss your nominees for creating a winter wonderland.

Lovable Lists

Twenty-Shamin'-Teen (By: @mento)

Top 10 Games of 2016 that I ended up buying but haven't gotten around to play yet (By: @darkbeatdk)

The 2016 Backlog (By: @cav829)

These three user lists all share a similar theme: games from the previous year and beyond that they didn't get around to yet. Which of last year's games are you all hoping to try out this year? Be sure to knock together a list if there's more than a few.

Useful User Reviews

• @addfwyn wrote extensively about Rez Infinite and how it brings new life to a highly venerated classic.
• @zzombie13 comments on why Dead Rising 4's "toothless" zombie wonderland leads to a moribund final product.
• @riostarwind is up to his old tricks in reviewing old games you may have forgotten with Sonic Wings Special this week.

Filed under:

Game of the Year Edition

Rez Infinite

Dead Rising 4

Sonic Wings Special

Glittermitten Grove

Final Fantasy IX

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE

Dota 2

Batman: The Telltale Series

Titanfall 2

Pokémon Sun/Moon

Fallout 4

Final Fantasy XV

Championship Manager: Season 01/02

Tap Titans 2

Read More

The Community Spotlight - 03/18/2017

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and as always I, @zombiepie, am honored to be your host. As the boorish cruelties of Winter fall to the wayside to make room for the rejuvenating lights of Spring, the Giant Bomb Community has been up to great works of creativity this week. Whether it be vicarious fantasy adventure or science fiction role-playing the Giant Bomb community had a lot to process this week, and hopefully, this spotlight shows it! Without further ado, let's get on with the site related housekeeping:

• It seems like there have been multiple reports of Steam Key Scammers claiming to be representatives of Giant Bomb. Please be aware @giantbomb is the ONLY official Giant Bomb Twitter account.
• Still confused on how to subscribe to a Giant Bomb Premium Podcast? Here's a step-by-step guide to help you out!
• If you are experiencing issues with the Giant Bomb Roku App, there's a workaround you should know about!
• ATTENTION! There are new API endpoints for Giant Bomb videos! Learn all about it, and what it means for you.

PAX East 2017 Content

A bunch of tomfoolery happened at PAX East 2017. The archive of the Giant Bomb Panel has been posted on the site for those that are interested. Beyond that, here are other panels which featured Giant Bomb staff members:

• 404ing It: Breaking (Down) the Internet - Pat Baer's popular panel looking at hilarious videos featured Danielle Riendeau, Amarisse Sullivan, and Jeff Gerstmann as guest panelists.
• PAX East 2017: PAXAMANIA III - The Return Of Bad Video __game Wrestling- This was a thing which happened. I cannot feel my face after laughing about this panel.
• Jeff kicked Dan's Ass at NFL Blitz and NFL Blitz '99. Using "Sticky buttons" as an excuse will only get you so far in life Dan.
• Here's an archive of the Mixlr and Periscope of the "Live Drive" of Jeff, Vinny, Dan and Alex to PAX East 2017.
• LeagueOfHeels.com now has a full recap of what happened at PAXAMANIA III. It has plenty of images to boot as well.

Shit got real at PAX East 2017 (Image provided by Marino)

Clips Of The Week

Best Of Giant Bomb's Deadly Premonition Endurance Run--04 (By: @clagnaught)

clagnaught published part four of his "Best of Giant Bomb's Deadly Premonition Endurance Run" video series.

Best Of Film & 40s For The Fast And The Furious (By: @mendelson9)

Mendelson9 made a compilation video of his favorite moments from GB East's commentary for The Fast and the Furious.

Best Of Blogs

Is the "return to form" fans have been promised for over ten years?

Sonic Mania Delay And Sonic Forces Thoughts (By: @eder)

Eder comments on what the delay of Sonic Mania means for him, and his heightened excitement for Sonic Forces on his latest blog.

Does Buying A PS4 Pro Make Me A PlayStation Professional? (By: @jjweatherman)

JJWeatherman recently picked up a PS4 Pro despite thinking the PC would dominate his gaming this generation. Learn what convinced him to purchase Sony's latest console.

To Giant Bomb Duders: What Was Nier? The Basics (By: @vortextk)

Vortextk crafted a helpful primer on the Nier franchise for anyone interested in playing NieR: Automata, but did not play the first game.

What a weird thing....

Why Hyrule Warriors Is Such A Great Game; Or, How Nintendo Managed To Get Lunch Table Discussions Into Cartridge Form (By: @marzz4967)

marzz4967 articulates why Hyrule Warriors is a great __game on the 3DS, and what continues to draw him into the game to this day.

Playing Breath of the Wild Like a Wildlife Photographer (By: @mantonminnick)

mantonminnick blogs on how the a spectacular time he has had role-playing as a photographer in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Four Months Later, And I'm Still Coming To Grips To The Fact That I Found Dishonored 2 To Be A Resounding Disappointment (By: @jcracken)

jcracken details why Dishonored 2 is a "resounding disappointment" from a narrative and gameplay perspective, he's still coming to terms with.

On Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 And Being On The Wrong Side Of Gaming History (By: @darth_navster)

Darth_Navster uses Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 as a study on how games can be catastrophically on the wrong side of video game history.

The Tree and the Rhizome: Games and their Systems (By: @reubencosmo)

Darth_Navster wrote more about Vegas 2 than anyone did when it released!

reubencosmo uses the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari to discuss optimal narrative structure in recently released video games.

Switching To A More Social Link (GB.21) (By: @bonbolapti)

bonbolapti comments on the livable and social world The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild manages to craft on his latest blog.

Three Thoughts - Is PS Plus Bad?; Plus A Farewell to Spelunky (By: @devise22

devise22 openly questions if the quality of PlayStation Plus has worsened over the years, and if it ever justified the investment.

All-New Saturday Summaries 2017-03-18 (By: @mento)

In this week's round-up, Mento presents a new edition of the PS2-centric The Top Shelf, his lukewarm response to Hyper Light Drifter, the importance on first impressions, and a whole lot of Prague-crastination in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.

I ask myself "why?" more than I am willing to admit.

Fighting Final Fantasy X Parts 1-13: X Gon' Give It To Ya (By: @zombiepie)

Moderator ZombiePie is up to his old tricks and is playing Final Fantasy X for the first time. Here's a 7,000+ word blog on his first impressions of its baffling display of technical excellence.

Join The Discussion

Help community members in seeing visual awesomeness like this!

Basic Tips, Tutorials, and Tricks For Breath Of The Wild (By: @reasonableman)

What tips and tricks have you learned from playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Share them with the rest of the Giant Bomb community.

Problems With The Faces In Mass Effect: Andromeda (By: @joker8765)

Are the faces and animations in Mass Effect: Andromeda that big of an issue for you? Share your thoughts on our discussion thread.

Are You Using English Or Japanese Voices In NieR: Automata? (By: @shadow)

For those of you playing NieR: Automata are you sporting the English or Japanese voices? Vote and discuss the matter over here.

Have you been enjoying the cyborg action of NieR: Automata?

NieR on PC - Thoughts On The Port? (By: @humanity)

Speaking of NieR: Automata, what are your initial impressions of the PC version of the game given the negative scuttlebutt surrounding it?

Let's Discuss Your Thoughts On The Story (Spoilers Ahead!) (By: @sackmanjones)

We now have a SPOILER discussion thread related to Horizon: Zero Dawn! Feel free to discuss the ins and outs of the game's story and ending over there.

The Two Cabinets In Your Mini-Arcade? (By: @sparky_buzzsaw)

If you could have two arcade cabinets what would they be? Share and discuss your picks for your dream arcade with the rest of the Giant Bomb community.

Lovable Lists

Gold Mario is S-Tier in competitive Smash play by the way.

Top 10 Characters Nintendo Should Add To Mario Kart 8 DX Instead Of Gold Mario (By: @darkbeatdk)

Infuriated with Gold Mario being a new character in Mario Kart 8 DX, DarkbeatDK created this list of alternatives.

Brick Breaking Games (Breakout + Clones) (By: @reverendhunt)

ReverendHunt is attempting to create a list of every brick breaking game on the site. Help him out in listing every example!

Useful User Reviews

• @meteora3255's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review assesses the Wii U version of the game and the bumps and bruises of the port job.
• @humanity's assessment of Horizon: Zero Dawn praises its varied combat while critiquing its empty open world.
• @moonlightmoth discusses her disappointment and frustration with Horizon: Zero Dawn.
• @moonlightmoth's Tales of Berseria review articulates why she found the game to be a lazy and overwritten slog.

Filed under:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Deadly Premonition

Sonic Mania

Sonic Forces

NieR: Automata

Hyrule Warriors

Dishonored 2

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2

Hyper Light Drifter

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Final Fantasy X

Horizon: Zero Dawn

Mario Kart 8

Tales of Berseria

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Analogue, a boutique console designer based in Seattle, started selling high-end consoles back in 2012 with the debut of the CMVS Slim. Crafted from hardwood, the system fit the mold of SNK's NeoGeo home console from 1990 but with a decidedly sophisticated look. Unlike proper NeoGeo consoles, the CMVS Slim ran off of original arcade hardware, allowing the use of cartridges far more affordable than their retail counterparts. It wasn't the first console of its kind, but Analogue's eye for design ensured the CMVS Slim was the classiest, with a fetching look and all the essential bells and whistles a NeoGeo enthusiast could hope for.

The company's next project was the Analogue Nt in 2015, a custom system that played both NES and Famicom games. Unlike the CMVS Slim, the Nt was encased in an aluminum chassis. The $500 Nt, like the CMVS Slim before it, utilized original components--in this case, sourced from broken or otherwise unsellable Famicom consoles. Analogue designed a proprietary board, attached the chips it harvested from worn consoles, and paired its creation with an aftermarket video board that allowed for high-end RGB analog video output, or, HDMI support for an added fee; you couldn't have both. The Nt was yet another great-looking console and made it easy for the enthusiasts willing to shell out the cash to __play 8-bit Nintendo games on modern TVs without the usual video degradation or input delay that occurs when using a stock NES or other third-party consoles.

Now, Analogue is back with its follow-up, the Nt Mini. It's 20 percent smaller than its predecessor, $50 cheaper at $450, includes a wireless controller adapter and controller from 8bitdo, and supports both a range of analog video signals and HDMI--gone is the original Nt's HDMI-or-analog video dilemma. Otherwise, the Nt Mini retains the excellent build quality, four controller ports despite the shrunken chassis, and adds support for games from all regions, regardless of whether they were designed for PAL or NTSC video standards.

However, one big change isn't apparent to the naked eye: the shift away from original Nintendo processors. For the Nt Mini, Analogue went with an FPGA solution. FPGAs are, in simple terms, chips that can be configured to act in a variety of ways on a circuit level. In this case, Analogue opted for the the Altera Cyclone V FPGA, which has been programmed to behave exactly like an NES.

Among game collectors and historians, there's always the fear that playing vintage games on aftermarket hardware may result in an inauthentic experience. That's not to say that games are fundamentally different when played on emulation-based systems like Hyperkin's Retron 5 or even Nintendo's own NES Classic, but they aren't pitch-perfect. In other words, they aren't up to enthusiast standards.

The Nt Mini makes 8-bit Nintendo games look better than any other third-party console we've tested--and, of course, far better than Nintendo's decades-old systems on both analog CRT and digital HDTVs.

We've had an Nt Mini for a little over a month, and while it's obviously impossible for us to ensure that every NES and Famicom game runs at 100 percent accuracy, the dozens of games we tested played exactly as we expected, with zero suspicious behavior to report. Famicom games like Akumajou Densetsu (known as Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse outside of Japan) and Gimmick!, with typically difficult-to-account-for audio-expansion chips, stood the test and sealed the deal: Playing games on an Nt Mini feels, looks, and sounds exactly as it should.

More importantly, the Nt Mini makes 8-bit Nintendo games look better than any other third-party console we've tested--and, of course, far better than Nintendo's decades-old systems on both analog CRT and digital HDTVs. Kevin Horton, a legend among vintage computing communities and well-known for his dedication to comprehensive and complex projects, is the driving force behind the configuration of the Nt Mini's FPGA, with a reported 5,000 hours spent on development. His work is the reason the FPGA acts, in terms of computation, exactly like the original hardware. But with the flexibility provided by the chip and Horton's knowhow, the Nt Mini's special features breathe new life into 8-bit gaming.

The Nt Mini's user interface makes it easy to adjust the system's video resolution--only HD output is configurable, where analog signals are rightfully set at the NES' native 240p resolution. You also have control over the size of the onscreen image (with distinct settings for horizontal and vertical scaling), the choice to apply a scanline filter, a selection of color palettes that alter the overall look of games, and the option to double the system's sprite limit. Increasing the number of sprites per scanline will eliminate most instances of visual flickering, a common issue that plagues a large portion of the NES game library.

With myriad options for playing NES and Famicom games on the market, it's a relief to find the one system that can do it all and satisfy the lofty demands of passionate collectors and enthusiasts. Previously, to re-create the Nt Mini's basic capabilities using authentic hardware, you’d have to spend at least $400 to modify (read: physically alter) both a Famicom and an NES. Even if you did that, you’d be stuck managing two distinct systems with bulky power adapters and dated construction. There's nothing inherently wrong with going that route, but for anyone who wants a complete, all-in-one solution, the Nt Mini is the answer.

Previously, to re-create the Nt Mini's basic capabilities using authentic hardware, you’d have to spend at least $400 to modify both a Famicom and an NES.

That's to say nothing of the system's support for external add-on hardware. The Japan-only Famicom Disk System (the debut platform for The Legend of Zelda and Metroid), works as intended, and there's a Famicom expansion port on the back of the Nt Mini designed to work with devices like the Famicom 3D System (Analogue states this particular hardware works, though we didn't have a unit to test.) And for any games designed to take advantage of the microphone built into the Famicom's second-player controller, a familiar 3.5mm audio port allows you to connect any microphone, including earbuds with inline mics. Though you won't be able to use an NES Zapper on an HDTV with the Nt Mini, that has everything to do with how modern TVs operate and nothing to do with Analogue's hardware. That said, it does support the Zapper when connected to a CRT display.

While this level of compatibility already puts the Nt Mini ahead of its competition, the console goes even further than we'd expected. Like other devices, it supports the use of Game Genie cheat codes. We were, however, delighted to discover that it also has a built-in soundtrack player. Simply place NSF files onto an SD card, and not only can you listen to your favorite 8-bit tracks, but you can also view them in action via a multichannel equalizer that's divided to represent each of the NES' specific waveforms--and, when necessary, the aforementioned specialized audio-expansion channels. If you really want to dive deep into NES audio, you also have full control over the various waveforms, even during gameplay, which allows you to tweak or remaster aspects of NES soundtracks.

For all the aforementioned reasons, the Nt Mini is the best NES money can buy. However, it's worth addressing the existence of the RetroUSB AVS, another FPGA-based NES-like, priced at $185--far less than the Nt Mini's $450. It lacks many of the bells and whistles found in the Nt Mini and only supports 720p over HDMI (the AVS doesn't support analog video output). Unless you have a monitor with a native resolution of 720p, which is a rarity nowadays, the AVS leaves a slight margin for error due to the slow internal video scalers in most TVs, which could result in input delay depending on your monitor. That said, for the price, it's a viable option. But it's no Nt Mini.

Analogue has been busy (with Horton's help) upgrading the firmware of the Nt Mini in the months since its release, tidying up the user interface and adding small-but-meaningful quality-of-life options. On the side, however, Horton has taken the Nt Mini in an exciting new direction. When he wasn't busy perfecting his FPGA NES configuration (referred to as a "core"), he was also working on cores for systems like Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear, and Atari 2600, to name a few of the dozen systems he plans to support through the Nt Mini.

Inside and out, the Nt Mini is an incredible piece of hardware that serves its audience better than any other NES-related product on the market.

For nearly two months, on an almost-weekly basis, Horton has released unofficial firmware files for the Nt Mini that introduce support for a new 8-bit system. Without proper cartridge ports (Horton is working on custom adapters), the only way to __play games for these extra systems on the Nt Mini is through the use of ROM files loaded onto an SD card. Horton has extended ROM support to the NES core as well, including the ability to back up physical cartridges through the Nt Mini.

Inside and out, the Nt Mini is an incredible piece of hardware that serves its audience better than any other NES-related product on the market. Analogue has outdone itself, setting a new standard for retro gaming hardware. Its price tag will no doubt scare off some potential customers, but if you’re looking for a way to play NES games on your monitor of choice--without compromises--look no further than the Nt Mini.

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Nintendo Switch Production Doubled In Bid To Meet Demand, Says Report

Nintendo is reacting to the demand for Switch consoles by doubling the amount of units produced, according to a new report.

The Japanese company planned to manufacture 8 million consoles before the end of March 2018, states the Wall Street Journal (via GamesIndustry), citing "people briefed on the plans." That number has now been "at least" doubled to 16 million.

Though official Switch sales figures are yet to be revealed, Nintendo has stated that the hybrid device is the fastest-selling Nintendo console ever in the Americas, Europe, and Australia. One report said earlier this week that around 1.5 million Switch units were sold in the device's first week on the market, meaning it has nearly met Nintendo's first-month expectations of 2 million sales already.

Given the higher-than-expected demand, Nintendo now believes it can sell 10 million consoles in the next year. That demand has seen the Switch, along with its flagship game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, run out of stock at many major retailers.

In addition, the Switch Pro Controller is seemingly impossible to find right now, while Nintendo still struggles to keep up with demand for the miniature NES Classic Edition.

Nintendo will be hoping to maintain--and meet--demand for the console throughout 2017, with major releases such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Arms, and Splatoon 2 on the way relatively soon.

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Nintendo Switch Giveaway

GameSpot and CNET joined forces to give you a chance to win a Nintendo Switch. This giveaway ends on March 30, 2017.

Enter here:

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No Plans For Conan Exiles On Nintendo Switch

Conan Exiles, the new sandbox action game from Funcom, is unlikely to get a Nintendo Switch version, it seems. Game director Joel Bylos told DualShockers that the studio currently has no plans to bring Conan Exiles to Nintendo Switch and has had no conversations with Nintendo.

Also in the interview, Bylos confirmed that Conan Exiles is already running on Xbox One internally. The game "looks pretty good," DualShockers reported, though Bylos apparently said the control system still needs work.

An in-development version of Conan Exiles is due out for Xbox One through the console's Game Preview system later this year. The game is already available on PC through Steam Early Access; it sold 320,000 copies in just one week after it was released earlier this year.

Conan Exiles is also coming to PlayStation 4, but a release date for Sony's system has not been announced.

For lots more on Conan Exiles, you can watch every video and read all of our written content here.

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Titanfall 2 Dev Talks Game's Future, Says Star Wars Game Staying Under Wraps For Now

In a blog post today, Titanfall 2 developer Respawn talked about the future of Titanfall, addressed its communication shortcomings, and stressed that you shouldn't expect to hear anything about its Star Wars game soon.

On the subject of Titanfall 2, which publisher EA said failed to meet sales targets, Respawn said in its blog post that the game is "healthy and growing." It's adding more players every week, the developer said, though no official figures were shared. Looking ahead, fans can expect more free DLC for Titanfall 2, while Respawn is tinkering with ideas for future games in the series.

"Right now we're focused on the long term future of Titanfall and we're excited about it," Respawn explained. "The core Titanfall team is working away on lots of cool stuff, whether that be DLC for Titanfall 2, action blocks, and prototypes for future Titanfall projects, or other crazy science experiments."

For Titanfall 2 DLC specifically, Respawn admitted that it did not do a good enough job at communicating what the game's free expansions were all about. Most recently, Respawn launched a new mode called Live Fire; past DLC included a new version of the Angel City map.

"This is something that we will get better at and the studio remains committed to supporting Titanfall 2 with free content as well as new Prime Titans, store items, and more," Respawn said.

The developer will make specific announcements about future Titanfall 2 DLC on March 23, while, at some point in April, the studio will talk about what fans can expect "over the next few months."

There are ongoing Titanfall projects outside of Respawn, including games that are in the works at Nexon, one of which is a free-to-play version of Titanfall for Korea. Nexon's first Titanfall game, the free-to-play mobile title Titanfall: Frontlines, was canceled before it even left beta. More mobile games set in the Titanfall universe are in the works at Nexon and they will be announced "in the near future."

Outside of the Titanfall franchise, Respawn is working on a third-person Star Wars action game that's being directed by God of War veteran Stig Asmussen.

"That project is still wrapped in secrecy and we won't be talking about it for a while," Respawn said.

Finally, Respawn announced that it is launching efforts to communicate better with the community through efforts like a video series and blog posts from developers.

"Our goal is to start providing regular content that gives more insight into the people and work they do at Respawn and give a more satisfying feedback loop to players so that their voices feel heard," Respawn said.

What would you like to see from Titanfall 2 and Respawn in general in the future? Let us know in the comments below!

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Civilization 6 Now Has A Free Demo

Whether you've been hesitant to pick it up or have never tried a game in the series before, Civilization VI now has a demo to give everyone a taste of what it has in store.

The newly released demo is out now on Steam and allows you to __play as China with Qin Shi Huang as its leader. Given how long a full match can last, you're only getting a fraction of the full experience--you're limited to playing the first 60 turns. Once you're through, you can either start over again for another 60 turns or purchase the full game.

Those that are new to Civilization can take part in the full game's tutorial to make the experience less daunting. Additionally, Firaxis has published a new list of beginner's tips that may prove handy.

Coinciding with the demo's release, Civilization VI will be part of a broader 2K sale on Steam going live soon. You'll be able to pick up the base game for $48, down from the usual $60.

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Sonic Forces Debut Gameplay Video Has Death Egg Robots Destroying City

Sega has released the first gameplay video for Sonic Forces, the game formerly known as Project Sonic 2017.

The video shows the Blue Blur bolting through a city under siege, collecting rings, using his homing attack to destroy enemies and, of course, leaping between platforms. All the while, Death Egg Robot sentinels can be seen in the background toppling buildings and launching bombs.

Sonic Forces is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch in late 2017. It runs on a brand-new engine that Sega is calling "The Hedgehog Engine 2." The game's new name, meanwhile, is a reference to the battle between the forces of good and evil.

In other Sonic news, Sonic Mania has been delayed from this spring to summer. A more specific release date hasn't been provided yet, but Sega showed off the game again, teasing new enemies, preorder bonuses, a collector's edition vinyl album, and the return of the Flying Battery Zone. You can watch a video of that here.

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BTS Video | Christmas in RuneScape

Advent calendars, a two-part Christmas quest, and more. Mod Wolf and Mod Tomb are here � filled with the joy of the season � to tell you more about the festive fare on offer.

Enjoy, and feel free to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more video treats.

The RuneScape Team

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Gemerator Returns

Get bonus prizes based on the average rarity of your last five with Gemerator � including a unique cape, crown, necklace, and an all-new gem sack cosmetic.

The Gemerator is active from 00:00 UTC on 16th March until 23:59 UTC on 20th March. Read on for full details!

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How Does It Work?

Open Treasure Hunter chests as normal, and you�ll start to see a rarity history appear at the side of the screen.

Once the five history slots are filled, you�ll be able to claim an additional prize - of a rarity equal to the average of the five slots.

A video posted by Jagex Games Studio (@runescape) on Jun 1, 2016 at 8:12am PDT

Please note that the additional prize will go straight into your backpack when you claim it.

Don�t like the level of prize you�ve got? Keep opening chests and find the rarity level you�re after.

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Special Prizes

The cape, crown, necklace and gem sack are won in the form of tradeable tokens, which can be redeemed to unlock the cosmetic or sold, if you prefer.

Please note that the gem sack is a cape-slot cosmetic, so cannot be worn at the same time as the cape.

These prizes are only available from the Gemerator bonus slot, so get them while you can!

Behold:

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Enjoy!

Here's hoping for some epic prize gains for everyone. Have fun!

The RuneScape Team

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What is Treasure Hunter?

Treasure Hunter is playable from within RuneScape, allowing players to use Keys to claim in-game items as prizes. These range from useful resources to rare weapons and exclusive gear.

Playing Treasure Hunter is simple - click the treasure chest icon that pops up when you log in. If you've not played before, just follow the on-screen guide.

Everyone gets at least one Key per day, and RuneScape members get two. You can earn more Keys while playing the game, or stock up by redeeming Bonds.

If you'd like more, you can also buy Keys on the website, or by clicking 'Buy Keys' within the Treasure Hunter interface in-game.

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Ninja Update Week

While the other dev teams focus on Menaphos, Shattered Worlds and the Achievements system, our Ninjas are an ever-present force for good, tirelessly toiling to keep RuneScape ticking over smoothly.

Today�s update focuses on fixes and tweaks from everyone�s favourite shadow warriors. Highlights include:

• Spawn rates (with the exception of object spawns) will no longer scale with server player count. Instead, they are fixed at a rate equivalent to a half-full server prior to this change.
• Prayer potions are now tradeable on free-to-play worlds.
• You can now choose where your 'Attack' option appears:
  • Left-click
  • Right-click
  • Right-click (level-dependent)
  • Hidden
• Clues which require no equipment can now be completed with auras equipped.
• Keybinds have been added to the interface when building furniture in your POH.

See the patch notes for full details of today�s updates. Thanks Ninjas!

The RuneScape Team

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Name Release - Starts 13th March

Don't forget - the name release kicks off today! RuneScape members - you could claim that name you've been waiting for.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and the RuneScape forums for notification of new letters being released.

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Live Streams this Week

View our live streams over on Twitch. You can find a full streaming schedule on the channel, too.

Friday 17th March | 21:00 __game Time | Community update with Mod Shauny

Join Mod Shauny for a sneak-peek of some of next Monday�s updates.

Sunday 19th March | 19:00 Game Time | PvM with Mod Lee

Get your weekly dose of PvM goodness with Mod Lee � don�t miss it!

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The Community Spotlight - 03/11/2017

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, ZombiePie, am honored to be your host this week. This is the week of PAX East, and as you can expect there is going to be a bunch of Giant Bomb related tomfoolery to be had. Simultaneously, be aware that video content from the event takes a few days before it is posted on the site. Without further ado, let's get on with the site related housekeeping:

• Some users have reported issues streaming premium videos on PS4. If this issue has afflicted you feel free to let out a yelp over here.
• The Sisyphean reaction video factory that is the Fine Brother's recently published reaction video related to Jeff tasting a Nintendo Switch cartridge.
• Hopefully you can beatbox better than Dan:

Community Activities

A 2 vs 2 vs 2 vs 2 vs 2 Space Super Showdown (By: UpperDecker)

UpperDecker is trying to host a GB community "Space Super Showdown" for Empyrion: Galactic Survival! Learn how you can join the fun NOW!

Join the fun today!

Clips Of The Week

Giant Bomb's Drew Scanlon - Best Of - All the Feels Remix (By: Aaron Bratcher)

Did you want to watch a Drew compilation video set to "My Heart Will Go On" by Céline Dion?

I'm A Fan Of Drew Scanlon - The Cutting Room Floor (By: Mepsipax)

User Mepsipax created a SECOND compilation video highlighting his favorite Drew moments, and as you might expect, this is as good as the previous video.

I'm A Cop? - Giant Bomb: Best Of Film & 40s (By: Mendelson3)

Over on YouTube Mendelson3 decided to have fun with Film & 40s recent dive into Fast and Furious by compiling every time the Beastcast crew asked "I'm a Cop?"

Giant Bomb Galleria

Feel Old Yet? (By: Kl4rck)

As they sometimes say, why stop at one meme when you can have them all!

Dan And Goats (By: giantbombquotes)

Don't you love it when Giant Bomb Quick Look quotes are taken out of context and used for posters? I is a glorious thing to behold.

Best Of Blogs

What drives our nostalgia? That is the question sonatar seeks to answer.

Why Do We Play The Old Games That We Play? (By: sonatar)

sonatar directs the rather pointed question "Why do we play the old games that we play" on his latest blog. Check out his answer and feel free to share yours.

The Backlogbook - Weeks Seven, Eight and Nine (By: danielkempster)

This week danielkempster continues to tackle his gaming backlog by checking out Borderlands and The Walking Dead.

Thoughts On Divinity: Original Sin (Enhanced Edition) (By: krummi)

krummi's assessment of Divinity: Original Sin reviews why he thinks the __game falls victim to a death spiral in its concluding moments.

Salvaging an Xbox in 2017? Say it ain't so jeffrud!

Explain Yourself! Number Two (By: jeffrud)

jeffrud shares his rather dubious attempt to "resurrect" an original Xbox to working condition, and other gaming goings-on in the last week.

Confession: I Don't Enjoy The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild... In Handheld Mode & Fast RMX Is Sort Of An Ideal Launch Game (By: BigSocrates)

BigSocrates discusses why he thinks playing Breath of the Wild in handheld mode does the __game a great disservice. BigSocrates also blogs on why Fast RMX is an ideal launch game for the Switch and sets a standard for future games

New Retro Arcade is a Worthy Time Investment (By: BulletStorm)

BulletStorm's review of New Retro Arcade details who benefits the most from buying the package on Steam, and why it may be worth your time.

March Vita Lineup And Upcoming Titles (By: BlackLagoon)

And for reasons that I do not know the Vita made a comeback this week.

March is here and that means BlackLagoon is back with a convenient list of every game set to release on the PS Vita.

I Just Bought A Vita (By: Generic_username)

Generic_username defends his recent PlayStation Vita purchase, and articulates his first impressions of the handheld time forgot.

All-New Saturday Summaries 2017-03-11 (By: mento)

Mento returns with a week of new content, including new editions of The Top Shelf and Indie game of the Week. He's also disappointed by Just Cause 3 and a little put out by games that lecture completionists.

Join The Discussion

The internet seems to have "solved" Jeff's problem with the Switch.

Terrified Of Scratching Screen In Dock (By: AlisterCat)

This was a highly entertaining and "creative" discussion thread debating the legitimacy of scratching the screen for the Switch while putting it back into its dock.

PS4 Update 4.5 Discussion Thread (By: pauljeremiah)

Join our community discussion about the 4.5 update for the PS4 by sharing your thoughts and adventures playing around with it thus far.

What Price Does Project Scorpio Need To Be To Succeed? (By: liquiddragon)

What price does Project Scorpio need to be to succeed? Join our community poll and speculation thread by sharing your range and philosophy.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands Discussion Thread (By: JohnLocke)

Where do you stand regarding the rather divisive latest entry in the Ghost Recon franchise? Share your impressions and experiences with it over here.

Disc Jam Discussion Thread (By: Fredchuckdave)

Do you have early impressions of Disc Jam, the disc-based future sport game currently free on PS+? Share if you think it is a legitimate Windjammers replacement.

Necessary or optional? You decide!

What Accessories Have You Bought For The Switch? (By: LtTibbles)

Have you purchased accessories for the Nintendo Switch? Showcase what you have purchased for Nintendo's latest console, or detail why you have abstained.

Lovable Lists

We all know it is going to release this year, don't lie.

StealthRUSH's Top 100 Favorite GGPO Games (By: StealthRUSH)

Check out StealthRUSH's list of "Top 100 Favorite GGPO Games" over here, and feel free to discuss your favorites as well.

10 Games I Want To Get / Play In 2017 (By: Eder)

Eder recently whipped up a list of the ten games he is incredibly excited to play this year over here.

Useful User Reviews

• bhlaab's Deus Ex: Mankind Divided review details why he found it to be a noted improvement over Human Revolution.
• milijango's Gravity Rush 2 review discusses why reveled in the game's story and gameplay every minute he played it.

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