Ever since I was a kid stomping his feet to pop songs in Dance Dance Revolution and getting pep talks from PaRappa the Rapper about how I gotta believe, I’ve been a fan of rhythm games. And while I love popular juggernauts in the genre like Guitar Hero, I’ll always prefer something with more originality than just simply holding down a button, such as Final Fantasy Theatrhythm.
Cue Patapon, a quirky blend of rhythm and strategy originality released exclusively on Sony’s PSP and now out on other platforms thanks to Bandai Namco. You play as a god to the charming Smurf-esque creatures and use drums to direct them during missions. Your controller buttons correspond to a rhythmic phrase. Want them to move forward? That’s easy! Pata pata pata pon! Need to attack? No problem; just hit ‘em with a pon pon pata pon combo. Keep the beat going and you’ll enter into a Fever, which increases your attack and defence.
Next Week on Xbox: New Games for July 28 to August 1
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
Available on day one with Game Pass! Shrunk again, but the world is much larger. Survive a perilous open world alone or better yet, co-op together with friends. Craft weapons and armor, build your base, and explore the park on your trusty Buggy mounts. Unravel hidden mysteries and face unexpected threats. But something else is out there — and it hasn’t forgotten you.
Achilles: Survivor is a fast-paced, single-player bullet heaven set in Ancient Greece. Play as Achilles – or one of the legendary souls freed from Tartarus – and face relentless waves of enemies. Build deadly structures, evolve your powers, and grow stronger with every run. Defeat your enemies… or die trying.
In (Dis)Assemble, moving blocks has never been so challenging… or so satisfying. You control two geometric shapes at once: one with each hand. Sounds simple? Wait until obstacles enter the scene. With clean, minimalist 3D visuals, each level reveals a new architectural surprise. One pushes… the other dodges… and you must think in perfect sync. Master the controls, master the space, and guide your duo of shapes to the finish line.
Day of the Shell is a fast-paced tactical roguelite, where each turn is played in a single click. The gods have brought down their wrath on humanity, and only a few remote islands remain. A lonely monster huntress has risen to challenge and appease the gods, traveling through what’s left of the world.
Dragons vs Balloons TD
Kanuni Games Oyun Yazılım Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi
Prepare yourself for an epic battle in Dragons vs. Balloons TD, where strategy, power, and mythical beasts meet in an exciting tower defense showdown! Take control of a legion of powerful dragons as you defend your territory from waves of mischievous and dangerous balloons.
Welcome to Cyber Clutch, a high stakes racing competition set in a neon soaked future. This is arcade racing with an edge. Fast, aggressive and loaded with abilities that can flip the race in an instant. Drift through city streets, weave past collapsing traffic and outplay rivals in a world where speed alone will not be enough.
Welcome Home, Hobbit! From the creative studio, Wētā Workshop, live the cozy life of a Hobbit in the wonderfully serene landscape of the Shire. Discover, decorate, and share in this idyllic corner of Middle-earth. Join friendly Hobbits and familiar faces awaiting your arrival in Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game.
Maiden Cops – July 30 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere
When Maiden City faces the fury of a secret criminal organization called The Liberators, seeking to control the city and its inhabitants through violence, fear, and chaos, it’s up to the Maiden Cops to bring the crackdown! Join Priscilla, Nina, and Meiga as they fight to eradicate crime and restore peace and justice in this old-school, side-scrolling beat ’em up packed with arcade-style action.
Each of the residents of Glasden has objects they have lost, and Morgan must search the island with her metal detector to find these lost treasures. Relax, explore and experience that childlike sense of wonder as you skip around the island. Traverse the island at your own pace, steadily solving the mystery your Grandpa couldn’t.
A side-scrolling Metroidvania by Halberd Studios. Travel alongside Europa, a brave warrior determined to enter the mechanical giant Talos and stop the corruption within before it swallows the world in darkness. Battle through tainted creatures, meet charismatic musicians and uncover the truth behind the curse that robbed the land of all color.
Step into a handcrafted Wild West-inspired world in this relaxing isometric adventure RPG with light survival elements. Build, explore, farm, and fight as you piece together your own unique journey across shifting biomes and mysterious threats.
Chop, stir, and sauté your way through the bustling solarpunk city of Helianthus. You play as Nori Kaga, a food cart chef aspiring to make it big like her role model, the Culinary Queen, Chef Rhubarb. Cook Serve Forever is a brand new, story-rich cooking adventure from the creators of Cook, Serve, Delicious!
Look for your car in a series of mazes and parking lots while you talk to your therapist about feeling lost. An interactive short story about trying to make sense out of the unreal. Based on real dreams!
From the acclaimed team behind Blasphemous, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound successfully unites the classic lore and gameplay of the Tecmo-developed (now Koei Tecmo Games) Ninja Gaiden series from the classic era with the depth and intensity of the modern 3D entries. The best of both eras come together to create an epic and thrilling adventure.
In a world of mysterious mazes, every move counts. Out of Moves: Another Try is a challenging puzzle game where you must carefully plan to reach the star before your moves run out.
Spell Disk is a rogue-lite action game with a unique synergy building mechanic so that your runs can never be the same. Strategize and create your own spell combo synergies to blast through enemies on your way! Each run is unique, so you must plan out how to build your power.
Being the Lord of Hell is hard. One minute you’re judging souls, the next you’re speed-dating devils and writing love poems to angels. You are the Lord of Hell, tasked with judging mortals who arrive for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes, you even have the power to resurrect certain individuals, changing the course of fate itself.
You are the Esophaguys, old folks with elongating necks! Stretch, bite, and swing yourself around in 1-4 player guttural mayhem: co-op, competitive, and solo. Progress across each mode, reuniting your lost kin!
A group of brave heroes must gather the fragments of the Magic Crystal to face the evil Black Knight and thus prevent the destruction of the kingdom. Be prepared to discover a huge open world to explore, with secrets and surprises in every corner. Embark on hidden dungeons, forge bonds with villagers and help them solve their problems, discover useful items to progress in your adventure, release imprisoned heroes, and unite them to your cause.
SOS OPS! is more than a game. Your task is to save the city. You will find yourself in the epicenter of madness, where co-op missions with friends will raise the adrenaline to the limit!
Dive into Tile Jong, a beautifully designed tile-matching game that blends relaxation with strategy! Solve engaging puzzles by selecting and matching sets of three identical tiles. Each level brings new challenges with increasingly intricate layouts that will test your concentration and problem-solving skills.
Top Driver – August 1 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere
Top Driver is a precision-based, top-down racing experience that challenges your skills in intense time trials across diverse tracks and terrains. It’s just you, the road, and the pursuit of perfection.
Join Ringo, a young martial artist looking for her brother, and Wolfe, a mysterious scoundrel running from his past, as they join forces in an unlikely partnership to collect the pieces of the fabled Wanderstar Map. Across 10 “episodes” of anime-inspired adventure, Ringo and Wolfe will have to work together to find answers, make up for past mistakes, and travel across the universe in search of their goal.
On PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is now only $34.99 — $25 off its $59.99 MSRP. That also puts it at the lowest price new physical copies have ever been, according to price trackers like CamelCamelCamel.
There are some exceptions to the deal depending on the platform and store. For instance, and Amazon only have the PS5 and Nintendo Switch versions bumped down to the new 42% off price, whilst the Xbox Series X versions are still marked at $59.94.
This multi-retailer deal hasn’t seemed to have hit all major stories either, with Walmart’s range of the game still around its regular price. Still, Best Buy and GameStop have the game on all three console platforms for $34.99 each, so you’ve got some good options — even if you’re playing on Xbox.
If you’re shopping in the UK, Hit has the PS5 and Xbox versions of the remake on sale as well, for £39.85 and £37.85 respectively. If you’re in the UK and you want to play on Nintendo Switch or PS5 stock runs out, Amazon UK has copies of the Dragon Quest III remake on sale too for £44.85 and £42.95.
Being a modernised remake of the start to the series’ beloved Erdrick Trilogy, Dragon Quest III is still an immersive treat in its HD-2D form that makes this a deal more than worth jumping on, if you hadn’t the chance to try it out already.
In our IGN review of the game by Logan Plant, he called it a “shining example of how to remake a classic RPG and a brilliant reminder of why the original is an essential work”. Granted, there a few areas that could’ve used a bit of extra modernisation, but those are few and far between — being an amazing remake effort for a 37-year-old game.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
“You OK babe? You’ve barely touched your boost?” mentions a helpful fish in the trailer for roguelike racer Reality Drift, thus setting the new standard for all reminder pop-ups going forward. I tabbed this one because the phrase “racing game where your choices matter” intrigued me. I was unaware of the helpful fish at this point. Or the road signs that offer you a choice between ‘space’ ‘cat land’, and ‘hell’. Here’s a visual compilation of suchlike images, with added movement.
Whimsy, grimdark, and gambling? And a roguelike to boot?! In my 2025 indie game? Eh, go on then. It looks neat. The trailer below features a desolate, hellish area called “The Pläins öf Päin” (umlauts mine) inhabited by lone egg idiot named ‘eggo’. A curse on the egg idiot and his cracked shell, and a curse on the world for allowing this kind of tomfoolery to proliferate unchallenged.
We reported on Bandai Namco’s naughty pup simulator, Doronko Wanko, back in December of last year, and not just because we were worried about what exactly this particular canine might be up to.
As it turns out, this very bold, but very cute, little doggy — who’s name actually derives from わんこWan ko, which is an informal or cute way of saying dog or puppy in Japanese — is into wrecking the place, messing up his owner’s stuff and causing havoc. Suddenly we are very, very interested.
The release date of Dying Light: The Beast has been pushed back by four weeks to “allow for extra polishing”. It will now arrive on September 19, 2025.
Developer Techland shared the news that Kyle Crane’s beastly zombie-killing story will be in players’ hands a little later than expected, having shifted from its original August 21 launch day.
It explained the decision via a blog post that said: “It has always been our goal to make Dying Light: The Beast the best Dying Light game we’ve ever released. To honor this promise, we’ve made the decision to move the release date to September 19, 2025 to allow for extra polishing work.”
“We understand that this may be disappointing, but our experience has shown how important the first impression is”, the Polish studio continued. “With just four additional weeks, we can address final details that make all the difference between good and great. Areas we want to improve include finetuning the balance of gameplay elements, looking into clarity of UI, increasing the quality of physics, as well as tweaking cutscenes and player animations further as well as adding last little details.
Alongside the announcement, it was also shared that The Beast will be playable via a public demo at this year’s gamescom, and that next week, updates on the game’s progress will continue with a look into its gore. Tasty.
For our latest impressions of Dying Light: The Beast, check out our recent hands-on preview where we described it as a “supercharged sequel”.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows will get a New Game+ mode on 29th July, Ubisoft have announced in a video about their summer plans for the feudal Japanese open world stab-me-do. They’re also working on a free Assassin’s Creed Shadows update that lets you fast-forward the time of day, an ability that would certainly serve me well right now, as I contemplate the seven grim hours of video game journalism that separate me from the weekend.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s patent infringement lawsuit in Japan against Pocketpair’s open-world survival game Palworld is ongoing. In the latest development, Nintendo has reworded one of the patents in the case, but what led up to this bizarre move?
Palworld is an open-world survival game that skyrocketed in popularity upon its Steam and Xbox early access launch back on January 19, 2024. It sold 8 million copies in just six days and racked up over 25 million players in one month.
The game world is inhabited by creatures called Pals, which you can capture and use (read: exploit) to carry out various tasks. The visual appearance of the Pals and the method of capturing them by throwing a ball (Pal Sphere), quickly drew comparisons to Pokémon, with the game even getting nicknamed “Pokémon with guns” for its darker, black humor-infused take on the creature collecting genre. With Palworld’s meteoric rise in popularity, it wasn’t long before Nintendo rival Sony got together with Pocketpair to form Palworld Entertainment in June 2024, a new business venture aimed at expanding the IP.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company showed signs of keeping an eye on Palworld (for example, this official statement from The Pokémon Company back in January 2024). But it wasn’t until September 2024 that they officially announced they were filing a lawsuit in Japan against Pocketpair for infringement of patent rights.
The case involves three patents granted by the Japan Patent Office (JPO): two related to monster capture and release, and one related to riding characters. All three patents were filed in 2024, after Palworld came out. However, they are actually derived from earlier Nintendo patents dating from 2021. In other words, it seems that once Palworld came on the scene, Nintendo filed divisional patents that were geared to fight specifically against Palworld’s alleged infringement of the original patents.
Since then, Pocketpair has made changes to Palworld’s disputed mechanics. The November 2024 patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pokéball-like Pal Spheres (now Pals just materialize next to you when summoned). In May, another Palworld update changed how you can glide in the game — instead of directly grabbing onto Glider Pals, now you just simply use Pal-buffed Glider equipment.
It’s worth noting that these changes by Pocketpair are not an admission of guilt. Rather, as Japanese patent attorney Kiyoshi Kurihara pointed out on Yahoo Japan news last month, Pocketpair is following the standard three-pronged defense against patent lawsuits, which is to “deny infringement, argue that the patents are invalid, and avoid infringement through design changes.” He also noted that Nintendo does not have the upper hand, as there seems to be a fierce back-and-forth with Nintendo pushing for patent infringement and Pocketpair pushing for patent invalidity.
In short, Nintendo’s ride mechanic patent (which got a sudden rewrite recently) covers a system for mounting and maneuvering pre-selected “boardable characters” (tōjō kyarakuta). Commenting on X, Japanese lawyer Ryo Arashida pointed out that it could be argued that the way Palworld’s Glider Pals worked prior to the May update infringed part of the patent’s specifications, namely those about the player grabbing onto and hanging from the boardable character, and their subsequent control of that movement.
Prior to the May Palworld update, you could use an actual Glider Pal to glide (by grabbing onto its feet). However, post-update, players have to use a piece of equipment — a Glider — to glide, rather than actually using the Pals themselves. Instead, Pals now act as passive buffs on your gliding.
Ironically, as Arashida noted, Nintendo’s major argument to get the patent granted in the first place was that a “boardable character” was specifically a character and not a tool, like a parachute. “For this reason, claiming in the lawsuit that a ‘Glider’ (which is a tool) is a ‘boardable character’ would create a contradiction.”
This month, Nintendo reworded the ride-switching mechanic patent. Rewording a patent mid-case is legal as long as it doesn’t introduce any new concepts or technical matter. However, as pointed out by IP consultant Florian Mueller at GamesFray, this only tends to happen if the litigant (in this case, Nintendo) feels the patent is “at a fairly high risk of being deemed invalid in its original form.” Nintendo’s rewriting of the patent makes it more verbose. Mueller focused on the addition of “even when” (-attemo in Japanese) to the wording, noting that “even” is rarely used in patents because it’s “too emphatic and subjective.”
Although it’s not clear exactly what Nintendo’s motivations are behind this sudden rewording, it’s possible that it is using this as a last-ditch tactic to make it harder for the patent claim to be dismissed as invalid.
The case continues. Meanwhile, Pocketpair continues to update Palworld with new features, such as the recently released Terraria crossover.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
Game
