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Fight Night Round 4 among the next wave of backwards compatible games for Xbox One
There hasn’t been a boxing game available on the current generation of systems but it appears that’s about to change based on info that has gone out early through Amazon’s retail pages. Fight Night Round 4 will be made backwards compatible for the Xbox One along with Skate 2, Burnout Revenge, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and some others next month.
The official announcement likely wouldn’t happen until the Microsoft E3 press briefing on June 13. The backwards compatibility for new games could then go live soon after that takes place or on a schedule through the summer. Fight Night Rd. 4 would be the first major Xbox 360 sports game other than NBA Jam: On Fire Edition to be made backwards compatible for Xbox One.
Though it’s not a new boxing title, FNR4 was an excellent product that scored an 87 on Metacritic and should still hold up even today. It was plagued by issues and design missteps at and following release but eventually cleaned them up through multiple patches. The game is most remembered for its fantastic graphics, 60fps framerate, and strong online play.
Fight Night Round 4 can be purchased digitally by getting a code through Amazon for $15 that will go active on June 14 or through the Xbox Marketplace currently for the same price.
[Update 6/14] No announcements were made at E3. While still anticipated to go backwards compatible, it’s unclear when that will happen. Red Dead Redemption literally leaked out as playable over four months ago and that one still hasn’t been officially released.
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The Line Drive for May 22
The Line Drive is a weekly collection of news, links, deal alerts, and updates that didn’t necessarily warrant their own postings.
♦It’s now down to just three weeks until EA Play and E3 take place.
♦Pre-orders of Madden NFL 17 are live and 20% off for Amazon Prime members.
♦Pre-orders of NBA 2K17 are live and 20% off for Amazon Prime members.
♦Consider buying these 10 budget starting pitchers in MLB The Show 16 Diamond Dynasty.
♦Game Informer has details on some other improvements coming to Madden NFL 16.
♦Formation subs will not be in Madden NFL 17 at least for the game’s launch.
♦NASCAR makes its debut on the current generation with expansion to Forza 6.
♦Was interviewed for The 4 Verts Podcast make sure to check out the episode!
♦Press Row Podcast episode on the delay to the next NBA Live console game.
♦Press Row Podcast episode w/ Ian Cummings about his horse racing game and Madden.
♦The new season of Madden NFL Mobile will begin on August 16.
♦After 33 years EA’s chief creative director Richard Hilleman has left the company.
♦Carl Edwards earned the cover of NASCAR Heat Evolution with his All-Star race finish.
♦There will be new Tour de France and Pro Cycling Manager games out next month.
♦New developer blog chronicles the process that went into creating The Golf Club.
♦Last week’s Family Guy episode featured Tecmo Bowl and Double Dribble clips.
♦Blu-ray releases this week headlined by Zoolander 2 and The Finest Hours. -
New card pack in MLB The Show 16 highlights early season surprises and pitching
With the fifth limited-time pack of the regular season, MLB The Show 16 is offering up an opportunity at three unspecified players who have surprised early in the season, higher chance of Golds/Diamonds, and five new cards added to the player pool. The pack goes for 3,000 Coins and includes six player cards.
The new cards introduced with the pack are all pitchers: Mike Scott (Legend), Sergio Romo (Postseason), Stephen Strasburg (Rookie), and Steve Cishek and Drew Smyly (Prime). Check out details on their ratings and marketplace values over at Hit The Pass.
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Monster Games returns to racing with NASCAR Heat Evolution
Earlier this week NASCAR made its debut on the current generation of consoles as an expansion to Forza 6. Now the first standalone NASCAR game has been announced. Coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, it’s from Monster Games, the development studio behind the well-regarded NASCAR Heat and Dirt to Daytona games in the early 2000s.
NASCAR Heat Evolution will immerse fans in the door-to-door excitement of stock car racing and allow users to live the experience of taking the checkered flag. Whether a casual or hardcore gaming fan, NASCAR Heat Evolution will dynamically adapt to any skill level and deliver a true-to-life racing experience. The new game will feature all of the top drivers, teams, and incredibly detailed tracks and environments, giving fans the opportunity to feel what it is like to be a racing legend.
NASCAR Heat Evolution is being said to have been built from the ground-up and will include all 23 licensed tracks, Career Mode, and Chase Mode. The driver to appear on the cover will be determined by the Toyota driver that finishes highest in this weekend’s 2016 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The possibilities to capture the cover are Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr.
Because September wasn’t packed enough already with new releases the game has been scheduled for the 13th of that month. It can now be pre-ordered on Amazon where Prime members get it just $48.
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MLB The Show 16 roster update details for week six
The latest roster update for MLB The Show 16 went out early this morning. The biggest movers are those on the way down, with some big name players taking a major hit to their attributes.
Joey Votto has plummeted to 90 Overall which drops him out of the Diamond tier, having lost considerable points in Vision and both Contact and Power categories. He’s batting just .215 on the season and on pace for nearly 180 strikeouts. Justin Upton fell 8 points to 77 though a portion of that is just related to a position change. Down 10 points in Vision and 13 in Discipline are where he took the biggest hits. He’s on pace to strikeout over 250 times!
Bryce Harper has lost the 99 rating he earned earlier this month. He was dinged heavily in Vision (-18), Contact vs Lefties (-9), and Contact for Righties (-8). He’s batting just .200 for the month of May but with high on-base percentage due to all the walks he’s been taking.
Other notable changes include Andrew Miller (+1 to 92), Ben Zobrist (+3 to 87), David Ortiz (+2 to 87), Ian Kinsler (+2 to 87), Carlos Gonzalez (-2 to 87), Nelson Cruz (-2 to 87), Aaron Nola (+3 to 86), Odubel Herrera (+3 to 83), Howie Kendrick (+5 to 82), Jackie Bradley Jr. (+3 to 81), Nick Castellanos (+3 to 81), Mark Trumbo (+2 to 80), Trayce Thompson (+8 to 78), Prince Fielder (-4 to 76), and Jason Grilli (-5 to 76).
New Rookies
Tony Kemp, 2B, Astros. 73 Overall, A Potential
Alen Hanson, 2B, Pirates. 71 Overall, A Potential
Matt Reynolds, SS, Mets. 67 Overall, B Potential
Colin Moran, 3B, Astros. 65 Overall, A Potential
Tommy Joseph, 1B, Phillies. 61 Overall, B Potential
Tayron Guerrero, RP, Padres. 60 Overall, B Potential
Jarlin Garcia, RP, Marlins. 60 Overall, B Potential
Matt Purke, RP, White Sox. 58 Overall, B Potential
Dean Kiekhafer, RP, Cardinals. 54 Overall, B Potential -
Gran Turismo Sport to release in November
Today Sony officially announced Gran Turismo Sport will release November 15 for PlayStation 4. The game, which acts as a spin-off from Gran Turismo proper, will be the first appearance for the series on PS4. Gran Turismo 7 is in development and likely to release late 2017. Read more
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Extensive detail on the advancements to defensive AI in Madden NFL 17
The second of two developer blogs for Madden NFL 17 today – the first looked at the ball-carrier controls and abilities that have been added – is a more technical look at improvements that have been made to the defensive side of the ball. A new defensive AI system was promised along with the first features announced for the game.
Considerable advancements have been made to the AI based on alignments, assignments, techniques, as well as the blocking from the offense to keep things balanced. Read more
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Much more on the new special moves for ball carriers in Madden NFL 17
Though much of the initial reaction towards Madden NFL 17 has been positive based on the first stated features – Franchise mode as a focus, defensive AI enhancements, and work done to special teams, the one area that hasn’t generated a rousing reaction is the new ball-carrier controls. Madden has been instituting visual aids to various areas of Madden for years now (defensive line, WR/DB, tackle cone) to mostly forgettable results and this is the latest.
EA Sports released additional details today on what the moves will mean to Madden NFL 17. There are new mechanics to execute the moves, the capabilities for each individual are based on their ratings with fatigue potentially impacting what they can pull off, and there are new fake out animations for would-be tacklers. There’s also something called “Tackle Battles” (which can’t be turned off) and will potentially determine whether a ball carrier is taken down or breaks out of an attempted tackle. Most of the visual aids can be turned off if desired, and will be off by default on All-Pro and All-Madden difficulty settings. Read more
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