Review: 2019 15-inch 8-core MacBook Pro – Refinement before redesign
Apple’s new flagship eight-core 15-inch MacBook Pro may not have a flashy new exterior, but it is a high-performing machine that is finally everything Apple envisioned for this design.
2019 MacBook Pro still looks striking years later
Apple released the new MacBook Pros far from a presentation stage, with nary an Apple executive standing under a spotlight. From the get-go, Apple was clear that the new iron is primarily refinement rather than anything new. They did get some nice spec increases and a refined keyboard —but the biggest news was that Apple was introducing the first eight-core processor in a mobile Mac.
If there was ever a justification for jumping on a Mac update the year preceding a likely redesign, the high end is it. So, we jumped on a maxed-out machine.
What we’ve got
There are several configurations of the 15-inch MacBook Pro available, though we opted for the most capable. We’re testing the 8-core 2.4GHz i9 processor variant that can Turbo Boost up to 5GHz, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and VEGA 20 graphics. This retails for $4,149.
Optionally, you can opt for even more storage. You can get a MacBook Pro with up to 4TB, but it will run you an additional $2,400 on top of everything else.
If that seems steep but you’d still like excellent performance, you could shave $200 off by going for the base eight-core 2.3GHz processor, or shave off $400 by going with 16GB of RAM.
Performance
We’ve already presented benchmark testing. That suite of tests demonstrated that not only did the new machine have incredible performance boosts over the last generation i9, but it had next to no issues with excessive thermal throttling.
To be doubly-certain about the thermal situation, we performed our own series of tests but we aren’t going to delve into that in any great detail here. The key takeaway is that the 2019 eight-core model runs cooler and faster than the six-core from 2018.
2019 8-Core 2.4GHz Geekbench results
Comparing the two machines, Geekbench 4 results showed scores of 5879 and 29976 in single and multi-core tests, respectively. The multicore test is a giant increase over the six-core 2018 model which scored 22620 on the multi-core test, nearly 30-percent slower this 2019 model. The single core faired better as well, with a not-quite-as-impressive nine-percent increase in this model.
Our next benchmark was Cinebench R20 — our new standard going forward following the discontinuation of Cinebench R15.
The highest score our MacBook Pro received in ten runs of the test was 3160, but the average across all the tests was slightly lower at 3096.
We felt it necessary to once more test both the graphics and the SSD performance even though we expected no changes. Our premonitions were spot on as there were no differences between the storage module or the Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics.
2019 Vega 20 Unigine Heaven results are similar to last years
In graphics, we ran the Unigine Heaven benchmark. In this test, we set the quality to medium, disabled tessellation and stereo 3D, turned off anti-aliasing, and ran it at full-screen. It pulled in a max FPS of 147.4 and an average of 82.3 with an overall score of 2072.
2019 MacBook Pro Blackmagic Disk Speed Test results are similar to last years
On the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test, we earned a 2627.4 Mb/s on the read speed and a 2626.3 on the write speeds —near identical year over year, which is what we expected. These numbers will be slower on smaller SSDs so if you want the best performance, be sure to opt for at least 1TB of internal storage.
The keyboard
Apple made a couple of material changes in the 2019 MacBook Pro keyboard that are, by Apple’s admission, designed to increase the reliability in the keyboard.
You can read further about these changes here, but they are quite minor and it is near impossible to say at this juncture whether or not these changes truly do make the keyboard more reliable. We will continue to monitor the repair data and compare to previous generations to see for ourselves but it is simply too early to tell with confidence.
Other than reliability, there are only minute differences when typing on the new keyboard versus the previous generation. They are the same size, the key caps feel the same, and they have the same amount of throw.
2019 MacBook Pro key membrane (Source: iFixit)
Internally, Apple even kept the controversial butterfly switch design. What they’ve done is refined the design once more with what appears to be a new process on the metal dome switch and replaced the silicone membrane with a nylon one.
That translates to slightly softer keys when typing, as well nearly imperceptibly less noise, which you need to break out an audiometer to detect. Those are likely just byproducts of attempting to make the keys more reliable.
If you enjoyed the keyboard before, you will enjoy it now. If you didn’t like it before, nothing here will change your mind. It is the same keyboard, just possibly more reliable.
But, we’ll see about that in about six months.
Our daily workhorse
The MacBook Pro is the daily workhorse of countless individuals from professionals to students. It is what very nearly everybody at AppleInsider clacks away on day after day. After years of using this design MacBook Pro, there is much we’ve come to love about it. It is quite compact, if not a bit on the hefty side. It is exceptionally portable and we love the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Thunderbolt 3 is the future and we’ve been living in it for a few years. Since the original debut, USB-C is all the more ubiquitous. We live entirely dongle-free thanks to the availability of new USB-C cables, like the new Lightning ones. New gadgets that get released also are using USB-C such as the latest GoPros, the latest Nikon and Canon cameras, and more.
Thanks to USB-C we also get universal battery packs that work just as well on our iPhone and iPad as they do on our Mac. We use the Zendure SuperTank as an easy portable power supply and the Zendure SuperPort 4 for a 100W USB-C charging port with three other ports left for our iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
We love USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 and haven’t missed other I/O in the slightest. And, if you embrace it instead of fighting it, you probably will too.
As for that Touch Bar —we don’t use it as often as we should. At times a touch screen for function keys and the like is less user-friendly than a simple row of physical keys.
At the same time, it is far more user-friendly for other uses such as a color picker, editing in Final Cut Pro X, opening documents and switching tools in Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer. There are absolutely cases where the Touch Bar doesn’t make as much sense, but in a surprisingly large number of pro use cases, it is beneficial.
Refinements, not redesigns
Everything about the new MacBook Pro is a refinement, but not a redesign. Apple tends — but isn’t tied — to redesign its MacBook Pros roughly every four years. We saw this overall design debut in 2016 and here we are three years later.
2019 MacBook Pro is a great daily driver
Over the course of those years, we’ve seen refinement over refinement, bringing us to this 2019 MacBook Pro. The cooling has been tinkered with, the butterfly keyboard has had subtle improvements, the specs continuously have been beefed up, all within the same shell.
That is both a positive and negative. On one hand, this MacBook Pro is the vision Apple has for this machine. This is what it looks like after all the kinks have presumably been worked out and Apple’s vision realized.
If you were going to grab a MacBook Pro in the past few years, this is the one you would want it to be. At the same time, the design — which looks still solid for its age — is starting to show its age. We’ve seen competitors with incredibly thin designs, much narrower bezels — even in Apple’s own iPads, and the Touch Bar still doesn’t see as much use as it should.
All of those could be in some way enhanced with a next-generation design, that may or may not arrive in 2020. Because of that future, many will wait it out. However one also has to consider that with a new design comes potential new issues for Apple to iterate on. We think that it’s a wise move to jump on board now after all of Apple’s iterating, and it’s not like your old hardware spontaneously combusts when something new is released.
There has never been a better time to choose a portable Mac rather than a desktop with the amount of power now packed into this machine.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Where to buy
Save up to $250 on 2019 MacBook Pros
If you want to grab a new 2019 MacBook Pro, Apple Authorized Reseller Adorama is knocking $200 to $250 off select 15-inch models with coupon code APINSIDER, plus no interest financing when paid in full within 12 months with the Adorama Credit Card. For a full rundown of the latest offers and product availability, be sure to check out our 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide.
Fortnite Downtown Drop Guide: Where To Search O-N-F-I-R-E Letters
Season 9 of Fortnite is well underway, and in addition to the usual weekly and Utopia challenges, Epic is holding a Downtown Drop limited-time mode, which comes with its own assortment of tasks to complete and rewards to unlock. Most of these challenges are fairly self-explanatory, but one that'll require a little more work is to search O-N-F-I-R-E letters. These are scattered around the map, so if you need help finding them, we're here to show you where to go.
The Downtown Drop LTM takes place in its own self-contained map, which greatly limits the area you'll need to search to find the letters. Even so, the map can be confusing to navigate thanks to all of the ramps and corners it features, especially since you're constantly slipping and sliding as you play the mode, so knowing exactly where to look for the letters will greatly alleviate the frustration of this challenge. You can see where each of the letters is located below:
O: Next to the red car in the southeast corner
N: Near the basketball court
F: Near the Durrr Burger food truck
I: Near the secret tunnel leading to the sewers
R: In front of the crane truck at the end of the map
E: By the subway turnstile
Once you've found all six letters, the challenge will be complete, and you'll earn a stylish back board for your troubles. If you need more help finding the letters, we show you exactly where each one is located in the video at the top of this guide. You'll need to hurry if you're hoping to unlock the back board, however; the Downtown Drop LTM is slated to end on June 3, giving you only a few more days to finish this challenge.
While most of the Downtown Drop challenges are fairly straightforward and should be easy enough to complete with a little persistence, another one that may give you some trouble is to find Jonesy. There are actually three separate challenges of this sort, and they task you with finding a cutout of the character in various areas of the map. You can see all of the locations in our video walkthrough.
Previously Unseen Footage Of EarthBound 64 Emerges Online
One Nintendo 64 game that never saw the light of day, in the end, was EarthBound 64 – also known as Mother 3. The project started out life as a Super Nintendo release before being moved across to the Nintendo 64 and was eventually axed in August 2000. It ended up arriving on the Game Boy Advance in 2006 and since then, all hopes of a 3D Mother game have been lost.
Taking a moment to reflect on the game we’ll probably never play, entirely new footage has apparently surfaced online, showcasing just seconds of EarthBound 64 on display at Space World in 1996. The credit goes to the YouTube channel kukun kun, which has previously posted various other classic video game clips. See for yourself below:
As brief as it is, we get a look at what appears to be a band playing in a bar, Ness making his way through a forest and the entire gang speeding through the desert. This is followed by footage of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. If you can’t quite keep up, here are some still images from the above video:
In an interview dating back to the time of this Nintendo 64 game’s cancellation and then translated in 2013, Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata discussed the extent of development. Iwata said 30% of the final product had been completed, while Miyamoto said about 60% of the game’s assets, scenario preparation and other development processes were ready to go.
Would you like to have played this game? Would you like to see another EarthBound game one day release? Imagine what could have been in the comments below.
Harmonix is seeking an experienced network-focused software engineer to join our team developing in-house backend services for our titles in development. As an integral part of our game development teams, you will work closely with designers and gameplay engineers to build out online functionality for brand new music-based games across multiple platforms.
This is a senior, experienced role. As such, you’ll have the flexibility to help define and extend our (already modern) technology stack. It also comes with a mentorship component; you’ll help direct a team of 3-5 network programmers, making sure they’re growing as engineers and supporting the company across our various projects.
This position will report to the Technical Director. Harmonix is an independent game development studio that has been developing music entertainment experiences for over 20 years. We’ve created major franchises like Rock Band and Dance Central, and we’ve got the next one cooking behind the scenes. Come help us make the next great music game.
Responsibilities:
Design, implement and maintain scalable backend services to support online features of Harmonix’s upcoming game titles.
Work closely with gameplay engineers to ensure interoperability and fulfilled requirements
Plan and run load and stress testing; optimize as needed
Plan and execute deployment of fixes and new functionality into live environments
Create tools to monitor, manage and debug online functionality
Desired (Not Required!) Qualifications:
A college degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field
Experience with a web application framework (such as Django or Rails)
5+ years of experience with server-side scripting languages (such as Python or Ruby)
5+ years of experience developing network systems and architectures
A deep understanding of object-oriented programming, design, and code portability
Experience architecting SQL database schemas
Experience with NoSQL data stores
Experience with PC, console, and/or mobile network backend development
Experience with technical and career-growth management
Harmonix is an equal opportunity employer. EOE/M/F/AAP
Harmonix is committed to inclusive excellence and strives to create the finest interactive music experiences in the world through the collaboration of diverse, talented individuals. We encourage women, people of color, and applicants from the LGBTQI+ community to apply.
Whether you’re just starting out, looking for something new, or just seeing what’s out there, the Gamasutra Job Board is the place where game developers move ahead in their careers.
Gamasutra’s Job Board is the most diverse, most active, and most established board of its kind in the video game industry, serving companies of all sizes, from indie to triple-A.
GameStop COO and CFO Rob Lloyd steps down amid executive shuffle
Newsbrief: GameStop chief operating officer and chief financial officer Rob Lloyd is departing the company, a move that comes amid a mild executive reshuffling at the retailer.
Lloyd spent nearly 23 years at GameStop and served as the company’s CFO since 2010. He picked up the responsibilities of COO on top of that in 2018, and will remain with the company until the end of June to help with the leadership transition.
Following his departure, GameStop is eliminating the COO role entirely and creating two others in its place: chief merchandising officer and chief customer officer.
Those two positions are set to be filled by previous chief marketing officer Frank Hamlin (now GameStop’s chief customer officer) and former Tile Shop board member Chirs Homeister (now GameStop’s chief merchandising officer). James Bell, former Wok Holdings CFO, meanwhile, steps into Lloyd’s former position as GameStop’s CFO.
In a press release, recently appointed CEO George Sherman said that the changes aim to “advance GameStop’s transformation as we work to position the company for the future and bring gaming culture and experiences to life in every community.”
Microsoft's E3 Press Conference To Showcase 14 Xbox One First-Party Games
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has announced his team's final E3 2019 rehearsal is finished and that Microsoft has "lots to show" this year. In fact, 14 of the games being shown at E3 this year are Xbox One first-party titles.
"Just finishing our final E3 rehearsal here with the team in Redmond," Spencer tweeted. "Feel really good about the briefing. Lots to show. We have 14 Xbox Game Studios games in the show this year, more first party games than we've ever had in the show. Fun times." All Microsoft first party titles now typically release as Xbox One console exclusives (so you can find them on PC as well). Microsoft also usually launches its first-party titles on Xbox Game Pass the day they release.
Microsoft's list of Xbox Game Studios includes 343 Industries (Halo series), inXile Entertainment (Wasteland series), Obsidian Entertainment (Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds), The Initiative, Turn 10 Studios (Forza Motorsport series), Undead Labs (State of Decay series), Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), The Coalition (Gears of War series), Mojang (Minecraft), Ninja Theory (DmC: Devil May Cry and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice), Playground Games (Forza Horizon series), and Rare (Sea of Thieves and Battletoads series).
Many of these studios are 2018 acquisitions. During E3 2018, during E3 2018, Microsoft announced it had acquired Undead, Playground, Compulsion, and Ninja Theory and had also established The Initiative. Microsoft acquired inXile in November 2018 and announced soon after that it had bought Obsidian as well.
Microsoft hasn't announced the full list of Xbox Game Studios that will be showcasing games at E3 2019, but a few have already been revealed. 343 Studios' Halo Infinite and The Coalition's Gears 5 have both been confirmed for E3 2019. InXile Entertainment's Wasteland 3 has been confirmed for E3 as well, although the game is not an Xbox One first-party title. Though they haven't been confirmed, there's a plausible chance Gears Pop and Rare's new Battletoads game make an appearance as well, as both were teased during E3 2018. There are also rumors that Ninja Theory will be announcing a new sci-fi game scheduled for 2020 called Bleeding Edge, a fourth Fable game will be announced to be released in 2021, Ori and the Will of the Wisps will get a final trailer and release date, The Outer Worlds will get a new gameplay trailer and launch window (which has seemingly been confirmed via an Obsidian tweet), and Gears Tactics will get a new trailer and 2019 release date.
But even if all of the rumors and speculation are true, that's still only 10 of the 14 first-party games, and Microsoft may have some third-party titles to showcase (such as Cyberpunk 2077). There are also rumors that Microsoft is unveiling at least one of its next-gen Xbox consoles during E3. It would certainly fit the announcement that Xbox is going to "go big" at E3 this year.
Guide: Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games And Accessories For June And July
Can you believe it’s June already? Where is the time going? It’s only gonna be flippin’ E3 soon! Anyway, another month means more lovely stuff to buy, which is presumably why you clicked this link.
May saw the release of the lovely Team Sonic Racing, the fiendish Resident Evil Origins Collection and the slightly underwhelming Assassin’s Creed III Remastered… but what’s next for Switch, you may be wondering as your hard-earned money burns a hole in your pocket. We’ve helpfully compiled a list of all the good stuff coming out at retail in June and July, so feast your eyes and get all those pennies together – you’re going to need them!
Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale which helps support the site. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
Just like buses, you wait for one kart racer and then two come along at once, it seems! If you’re after a more retro-fueled experience than Team Sonic Racing offers, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled just might be the answer when the Bandicoot once again comes to Switch after his debut in Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy last year. A remake of Naughty Dog’s PlayStation original, this looks set to fire up your nostalgia when it races onto Switch on Friday 21st June.
Not too much longer to wait now, the anticipation is killing us. Fans of the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U will be well-served here and there’s a plethora of additions to that brilliant foundation, including multiplayer and the Super Mario 3D World skin – gotta love that Cat Mario! From what we can tell Super Mario Maker 2 is shaping up to be an essential purchase for the Switch with oodles of new level creation possibilities, including SLOPES!
If you need a new Nintendo Switch Online subscription soon, we’d recommend picking up the bundle where you can get an extra 12 month subscription for only $10 extra with Super Mario Maker 2.
Avengers: Endgame may have come and gone, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is something to keep Marvel fans occupied until the next MCU film comes along (although considering the frequency of the films, there’s probably a couple scheduled for release before 19th July anyway). The sequel to – you guessed it – Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, this is a Nintendo-published exclusive and we’re jazzed to see the action roleplaying series come to Switch courtesy of Team Ninja.
Seeing Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus on Switch was a wonderful surprise, so we’re excited to see this spin-off/side-story coming to the console at the end of the month. You take on the role of one of B.J. Blazkowicz’s daughters in this new story that sees them heading to Paris, the City of Light, in search of their old man. It’s set in the 1980s and is shaping up to be one hell of a ride.
You can choose between the standard or deluxe versions, with the latter including a Buddy Pass and the Cyborg Skin Pack. Tinkety tonk old fruit, and down with the Nazis.
After the hack and slash antics of musou crossover Fire Emblem Warriors, it’s once again time to strap on your SRPG thinking cap and get ready for Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Channelling a little bit of Harry Potter and a little bit of Game of Thrones, Three Houses sees you join a school as a teacher to instruct students of one of three noble houses from the kingdom of Fódlan. With the turn-based tactics that the series is famous for, plus a peppering of new systems and surprises, this one is looking to be an essential purchase whether you’re a fan of permadeath or not.
More Awesome Nintendo Switch Games
Aside from the highlighted games above, there are lots more Switch retail games which might take your fancy in June and beyond.
Awesome Accessories For Your Switch
We saw a whole slew of interesting accessories released for the Switch in the past few months, but more are on the way. Here are some tantalising accessories coming up in June and beyond, which we found for your consideration.
So that’s it for June and July – did we miss anything? Let us know with a comment and also tell us if you’ve pre-ordered any of these goodies!
Feature: Here’s Why Perfect Dark Has Three Different Covers
Perfect Dark is perhaps one of the most accomplished games in the N64 library. It built on the solid work seen in the sublime GoldenEye 007, pushing the host hardware to its limits and making excellent use of the N64 Expansion Pak to deliver the kind of visuals that rival systems could only dream of. It remains one of Rare’s best Nintendo efforts, and is fondly remembered by fans even today.
However, there’s one mystery surrounding this game that has bugged us for years: why did such a high-profile release have three different cover designs for its regional releases?
Now, swapping cover artwork isn’t anything new; companies have been doing it for decades. Back in the 16-bit era, it was common to see perfectly good Japanese artwork get replaced by horrendous western efforts, the vast majority of which were almost always inferior to the original.
However, Perfect Dark is unusual in that the North American and European boxes have different (but thematically similar) designs, whereas the Japanese box opts for a totally unique red-and-black image which is perhaps the best of the lot; it shows Joanna Dark reclining on a sofa, gun in hand and sniper rifle nearby. It’s one of the most understated covers you’ll see for any home console AAA action title, and it works brilliantly – but why was it used for the Japanese version, and why did the western releases use two different takes on the same design?
We needed the US one ultra quick and there was no model at all to use for the artwork
Keen to get to the bottom of all of this (because we’re sad like that), we got in touch with former Rare Art Director Kev Bayliss. It turns out that Bayliss – who now works at Yooka-Laylee studio Playtonic Games, along with many other Rare alumni – was involved with the creation of the two western covers.
“We needed the US one ultra quick and there was no model at all to use for the artwork,” he explains. “So I had to quickly make some eyes and create a box art in about a day. That’s what we ended up with and as a consequence of that, I was given the task of creating a proper Joanna Dark model – so that’s when I got involved in the series. I made the model that was then used for the European box art and all promo material at the time.”
Open up the Japanese packaging – which includes the vital Expansion Pak – and you’ll find a somewhat less appealing cover design
Sadly, Bayliss is at a loss when it comes to explaining why the Japanese version of the game doesn’t use the same cover art. He asserts that the decision to use a completely different image was entirely Nintendo’s, not Rare’s. Still, Bayliss approves of the choice.
I love that there are three different pieces of artwork for the game
“I’d never seen the Japanese box art until I saw it on fellow Rare staffer Simon Farmer’s shelf one day, and I loved the artwork style,” he says. “In fact, I was really close to buying a mint condition boxed Japanese copy a few months ago for about £60 but I got wrapped up in moving house so I put it on hold. I love that there are three different pieces of artwork for the game, but I kind of like the European one I did. It was a bit more realistic than the Killer Instinct models I’d made Previously.”
So there you have it; the North American box has a different main image because there wasn’t a ‘cover-worthy’ version of Joanna Dark available until Bayliss quickly put one together, and the reason the European cover has different eyes is because it’s based on Bayliss’ more detailed character model – which, ironically, appears on the back of the Japanese packaging. We still don’t know who at NCL is responsible for that amazing Japanese cover, but perhaps one day we’ll find out.
Bayliss’ Joanna Dark render does appear on the Japanese back, but it’s on the back
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 06-02-2019, 08:08 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare DLC Comes To PS4 First
The newly revealed Call of Duty game for 2019, Modern Warfare, features some major changes to the usual formula: cross-play between Xbox One, PS4, and PC, and the end of the season pass format. But one important aspect is remaining the same. As has been the case for the past few years, post-release content for Modern Warfare will launch first on PS4 before coming to Xbox One and PC. This was confirmed in a trailer for the game posted on PlayStation's YouTube account.
The message states: "Play new content first on PlayStation 4." The fine print goes on to clarify that the exclusivity period is one week. "New playable content, when available, will launch on PS4 seven days prior to launch on other platforms." This matches the week-long duration in last year's Black Ops 4, which is less than the month-long window that Call of Duty games used to have.
What is different with Modern Warfare is that all post-release maps will be free, whereas in the past Activision charged for them. The publisher confirmed as part of the game's announcement that it will not sell the traditional season pass that locks new maps and content to only players who pay for it. There's no word on what might replace this, although battle passes have become increasingly popular thanks to Fortnite.
It remains to be seen how cross-play might be impacted when PS4 players have access to content that Xbox One and PC players do not. We've followed up with Activision in an attempt to get more details.
Modern Warfare--which is a reboot of sorts of the popular sub-brand that began in 2007--launches on October 25. GameSpot recently visited developer Infinity Ward's studio to learn more about the game; check out the story below for more.
This weekend, I’ll actually be digging into some old GameCube games, as I found an indigo system online for just $30 – and in fantastic condition, too. Insanity! So there will probably be some Animal Crossing, a little bit of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, and also Pikmin, Ocarina of Time, Luigi’s Mansion and Metroid Prime (I really went all out with the reclamation of my GameCube years). Should be a nostalgically good time!
Gavin Lane, staff writer
Having caved to Reggie’s scare-mongering, I picked up a SNES Classic Mini earlier in the week. So this weekend I shall be diving into that mini console to see what pearls I can find within. I’d like to think I’ll find the time to try Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the first time, but I’ll likely end up blasting around a few circuits in F-Zero and briefly testing Star Fox 2 before wishing my N64 could connect to my TV so I could play Star Fox 64.
Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer
Video games? How can you even think about them these days? Don’t you know what’s coming? Can’t you feel it? Like an electrical current buzzing, zapping, flowing through the air around you, whispers, rumours, leaks, dates… oh no, I got myself some dreaded pre-E3 jitters! Press kits, trailers, live events, news to cover… Will it be this year that we finally get a new F-Zero? Best not to think about any of that while playing F-Zero GX on Gamecube this weekend just to keep ye old reflexes razor sharp, you never know when they may come in handy…
Well, still had time to find a game of the week: Gato Roboto is proof you can still make a lovely fresh Metroidvania with just two colours. Good Kiki!
Liam Doolan, news reporter
As we get closer to yet another E3, I intend to play as many games as I possibly can before the annual event. You see, I have a very bad habit of boarding the hype train around this time of year and completely dropping all of the titles I’ve been slowly chipping away at for weeks or months on end to instead play some unproven release.
