AIs Are Getting Better At Playing Video Games…By Cheating

Earlier this year, researchers tried teaching an AI to play the original Sonic the Hedgehog as part of the The OpenAI Retro Contest. The AI was told to prioritize increasing its score, which in Sonic means doing stuff like defeating enemies and collecting rings while also trying to beat a level as fast as possible.…

Now Your Keyboard Can Match Your Game Boy

The original Game Boy is getting a lot of love this week. There’s aSwitch remake of two of its greatest games, a tribute to its green screen inTetris Effect, and now there’s a deluxe set of keyboard keys based on its iconic white, navy, maroon and black color scheme. Currently running as a group buy…

Flashy Player Intros And Wild Comebacks At Red Bull’s Street Fighter V Invitational

Red Bull Kumite, which started with Street Fighter IV in 2015 before transitioning to Street Fighter V in 2016, often serves as a summation of the year’s competition. The event invites some of the most accomplished players in the world to compete in Paris, France, and also gives additional challengers the chance to earn a…

Tetris Effect Has An Amazing Throwback Game Boy Level

The first game I ever owned was Tetris for the Game Boy. I sucked back then, and I’m not too hot now, but nearly 30 years later I have a chance to go back to that experience thanks to an 8-bit level in Tetris Effect Tetris Effect’s Game Boy themed level was first seen during…

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy Preserves The Excellence Of A PlayStation Masterpiece

Back in 1998, Insomniac Games gave us a small purple dragon who’s a joy to control, colorful free-roaming playgrounds and backed with exquisite music. The Spyro Reignited Trilogy looks different, but it feels just as good. Released in 1998 for the original PlayStation and followed by a pair of sequels in 1999 and 2000, Spyro…

A Vegetarian’s Guide To Hunting In Red Dead Redemption 2

In real life, I turn a bit green at the sight of a butcher shop. In video games, I am a merciless killer of monsters and, in Red Dead Redemption 2, deer. If you want to get into the game’s hunting, allow me to be your guide. Video games are all about escapism, right? This…

This Role-Playing Game Event Logo Sure Looks Familiar

“Brave Ground” is an upcoming event for role-playing game GranBlue Fantasy. I feel like I’ve seen it before. Yes, yes I have. As My Game News Flash points out, the logo appears to resemble Final Fantasy XIV’s emblem. Fans quickly noticed the similarity.

Detective Pikachu Movie Version Of Mr. Mime Is Freaking People Out

In the Pokémon games and anime, Mr. Mime is slightly unsettling. But in the upcoming Hollywood movie, the character is freaky Don’t believe me? It doesn’t look out of place when compared with other horror characters. Goodness. This isn’t freaky per se, but it sure is odd! Okay, maybe it is. Maybe people are being…

Limited Edition Neo Geo Mini Just For The Holidays

This is the Neo Geo Mini Christmas Limited Edition, a special holiday version of SNK’s small-sized console. SNK hasn’t yet announced a release date other than saying it will be out “soon.” Pricing is also forthcoming. Here are the 48 titles that are included, which is more than the originally released version. The Neo Geo…

Void Bastards is a strategy-shooter inspired by BioShock and System Shock 2. In it, you guide a group of prisoners through “derelict spaceships and myriad dangers.” You plot a course, study ship layouts, infiltrate ships, and fight/sabotage/distract your way through them. Also, your distraction tool is a kitty. Oh, and if the aforementioned stew of…