Klonoa The Door to Phantomile
While first and foremost respected as an arcadecentric developer, Namco has made several fascinating games for consoles. Their most impressive
non-coin-op game may be Klonoa, a slightly late attempt to get in on the Sonic-esque mascot platformer craze. Nonetheless, it turned out to be a gorgeous adventure, putting 95% of all Sonic ripoffs to shame. For starters, it barely even feels like a
Sonic game, with an art direction all its own. Playing in a 2.5D perspective, the graphics still hold up remarkably well today – something that can't be said for a lot of
PS1 games. With creative character designs and vibrantly colored landscapes, it's certainly more than just jagged polygons everywhere. Everything about the aesthetics, from its cute fodder enemies to the whimsical sound design, gives off an adorable charm (though things do turn remarkably more dark later on).
The main gameplay gimmick here is the "Wind Bullet", a short-range projectile that balloons an enemy a la Dig Dug, and allows Klonoa to either throw the opponent or bounce off of them for a double-jump. Enemies can be tossed into the background or foreground, and are often required to retrieve items or hit switches for puzzles. It's easy to figure out what to do for the most part, and save for the last few stages (and the insane bonus level unlocked for freeing all the prisoners), Klonoa is not a particularly challenging game. Its lack of difficulty is the only real complaint brought against it, and that's not even so bad if you're looking for a highly
artistic game that the whole family can enjoy. That is, until the heart-rending ending.
Klonoa is creative and cute until it wants you to cry.
After a great-yet-overlooked PS2 sequel and a handful of spin-offs, Klonoa stayed quiet for several years. before a remake of the first game was unexpectedly announced for the Wii. In honor of Klonoa's 10th anniversary, Namco surprisingly remembered their PlayStation-era mascot and gave the original an updated re-release, with enhanced graphics, slightly smoother controls, and unlockable costumes. It also features "reverse mode", which adds flipped versions of levels, and portals leading to challenge stages within them, These add some appreciated difficulty to keep down the "too easy" complaints. It may not be brimming with bells and whistles, but simply reviving Klonoa for a new generation is great enough. Sadly, neither the original nor the remake sold too well, and there haven’t been any plans for the series since. Regardless, it’s still a highlight of the 2D platformer pantheon.
While 3D gaming was on the rise, most early disc-based releases still stuck to conventional 2D appearances and playtypes, just with more horsepower. Rayman could have been made for 16-bit systems, but instead heralded the arrival of 32-bit gaming with some truly impressive art and animation. Featuring large and detailed levels that nearly rival Sonic's stages, Rayman also contained several elaborate boss fights that required you to do far more than just punch them repeatedly. It’s also a vicious game, where the obnoxious losing noise will purchase a condo in your nightmares. Still, if you can barrel through its high difficulty, you'll get to see the start of a great franchise (that went awry with some iffy 3D games before claiming redemption).
Top 15 Scariest Gaming Theories
Before we get started I wanted to give a quick warning for spoilers, and to let you know about my gaming countdown channel, GamerBrain. If you’re into gaming and these kinds of list videos, I think you’ll ready like it. The channel is practically brand new and any support is greatly appreciated. The link is at the very top of the description.
15. The Mysterious Stranger
Red Dead Redemption has been described as an atmospheric and beautifully written game, with strong characters, engaging storyline and addicting gameplay. During the game, players can find countless
Mysterious Strangers, for which they can do missions for. These usually range from running errands for them, intimidating others, and just simply talking with people.
However, one of these characters stands out among all others. A nameless, well dressed man can be found in all three regions of the game, and he speaks to John Marston in a somewhat condescending tone. He reminds John of his previous criminal life and that of his gang, before asking John to conduct missions of morality. Whether or not John completes the mission in a good way or bad way is up to the player,which the man seems to not care either way.
In the final encounter, John becomes enraged and attempts to shoot the man, but apparently misses before the gun jams and the man vanishes without a trace. Later, this becomes the site where John, his wife Abigail and the ranch hand Uncle are buried after the game's final mission. There are many theories as to who the man is, but three appear to be the most popular. People have suggested the man is God or some sort of angel, while others say he's the Devil.
However, the most credible answer seems to be the man is Death; evidence to support this is the man is neutral to John's actions, since he will collect his soul either way, he calls himself an accountant “of sorts”. Rockstar have not commented on the man, leaving it entirely up to players to analyze and interpret. Before we go any further, do you think video game theories could be true? Let me know in the comments with a simple yes or no. My answer would for sure be yes, there’s just too much evidence to support these theories. If you’re feeling generous, please leave a like as it really helps out.
14. The Pokemon War
Since its introduction in 1996, Pokemon has become an entertainment phenomenon, with a successful anime series and trading card franchise. While heavily targeted towards kids, there have been subject matter in the games seemingly targeted to an adult audience. The most famous is Lavender Towns original purpose of hosting the graveyard of deceased pokemon.
However, there is a major theory which brings the entire game into a different light. Fans have pointed out how the main character has no father, how his neighbour is an orphan, and how there are not a lot of adults found throughout the game, and those who you do encounter are either rather old, or act aggressive to the player. With the scarcity of people in the Kanto region, and an abundance of younger generations, fans have speculated there was a devastating war, leaving many people dead.
One of the gym leaders, Lieutenant Surge, is regarded as a respected soldier, and is even quoted saying “I tell you, kid, electric Pokemon saved me during the war!” This certainly puts a lot of backing behind this theory, and many people take is as credible. This even puts further explanation of the generations the
video game titles have used, since Red and Blue is Generation I, as in the first generation after the war. Whether it is meant to represent a devastated post-war society or present a hopeful future is up for players to decide, but it certainly puts a dark spin on the most beloved children's franchises in history.
13. Glados
The Portal games gained unexpected popularity upon the release of the first game Players found the unique puzzle mechanics and comedic narration enjoyable, leading to a massive fan following. Hardcore players have analyzed to storyline and the layout of the maps, and various theories have arose as to the backstory.
The most popular ideas is Aperture Science is a rival company of the Black Mesa facility in the Half-Life franchise, and that both games take place in the same universe. The big focus of analysis has been the antagonist Glados, a large super computer which, at first, guides the player through the various puzzles, but then turns on you after she attempts to kill you and as you attempt to escape.
When players find Glados at the end of the game, she is revealed to be hanging from the ceiling during the boss battle. In Portal 2, Glados's backstory is revealed; she was Aperture founder's, Cave Johnson, personal secretary Caroline, and she had her mind placed inside the computer. This has led to disturbing revelations about Glados's design, as she appears to resemble a women in bondage hanging upside down.
Furthermore, unreleased audio from the game shows Caroline was forced into undergoing the procedure. This has fueled credibility that Glados's design was made to purposefully resemble a woman in bondage, as Caroline was an unwilling participant in the dark happenings at Aperture Science. While the game is overall a comedy, this does shed a dark tone on a beloved game.
12. The Madden Curse
Sometimes, it's not the games themselves which inspire theories. The Madden NFL games have been widely popular since the first game was released in 1988. With every new game, a new NFL player from a different team is featured on the box cover. A series of coincidences have led people to believe the Madden games are cursed, and will go after anyone featured on the cover.
Initially, the idea started as a joke, but as strange things kept happening to the people on the cover, it ballooned into an entire superstition. The first instance occurred in 1998, when Garrison Hearst was on the cover and later broke his ankle. Out of the 19 players to be featured on the cover since then, 17 have experienced personal, physical and career trouble, and several have had injuries which prevented them from completing the season.
This has led many to attest the Madden Curse is real, and players should decline to be on the cover. However, both the NFL and EA Games have dismissed the idea as mass hysteria and imagination run wild. This hasn't deterred fans from attempting to figure out a way to break the curse, and allow players to safely pose for the cover of future Madden games.
11. Limbo, Purgatory or Hell?
Limbo was a
puzzle game released in 2010. It was praised for its simplistic, but beautiful artwork and immersive gameplay. The entire game contains no dialogue and minimal sounds, depending on ambient music and background noises to create the atmosphere of the game. While the story is largely left to speculation, it is believed the player is travelling to find his sister, but for reasons unknown.
There are subtle clues in the game which hint at the background story, and many theories have appeared since its release. The most popular explanation is the entire game takes place in either Purgatory or Hell, with the title being used as the main hint. Limbo is the first circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno, and is a place for those who were unbaptized reside, though not necessarily being punished.
Limbo is also a word used to describe being in between one plain of existence and another, which makes the idea it takes place in Purgatory as likely. Once the player completes the game, he walks slowly towards his sister, before the game abruptly ends. The main menu screen shows the area the game ends, but with a broken ladder and two groups of flies in separate areas. It is believed the main character died along with his sister, and he was somehow responsible for their deaths.
Therefore, he was sent to Purgatory, and must now navigate through the world to redeem himself. Another theory is the main character is on a mission to kill his sister, with the AI characters encountered along the way tasked with stopping you. Whichever the real meaning is is left up for speculation, but it certainly makes the simplistic storyline much more in depth and complex.
10. Luigi's Dead
Players of Luigi's Mansion will note that while the game is still very family friendly, it still has a darker tone than the rest of the Mario series. The game was a quick fan favourite, with the new game mechanics and with players controlling Luigi for a change. Ever sine its release, people have tried to analyze the game and it's strange storyline, leading some to believe Luigi is actually dead throughout the game.
Interestingly enough, this theory began as a result of a glitch found in the attic. Whenever lightning flashes, Luigi's shadow is cast several feet in the air and in the AI's default pose, not matching Luigi's stance at all. People thought it was meant to represent Luigi had hung himself in the mansion's attic, and now he is in some sort of Hell and attempting to escape.
Developers dismissed this claim, stating it was a glitch not caught during development and was too late to fix by the time of its discovery post-release. This has not dissuaded fans from adding to the theory, coming up with reasons why Luigi might be dead or have committed suicide.
A common theory is Luigi was tired of being in the background of his brother, so he took his own life. It is much too dark for a game meant to be child friendly, but it be the first time developers have added adult themes into video games. To this day, gamers continue to speculate about Luigi's Mansion, while the developers have stood their ground with the official explanation.
9. Satanic World of Warcraft
With a world as vast as World of Warcraft, it's no surprise various bizarre encounters occur. In the region of Goldshire, players have found a group of six children, who move together throughout the Elwynn Forest. The children seem to reside in a cottage, which they always stay near. The children spawn from the house at 7am server time, run to the Valley of Heros, then to Mirror Lake, and then right back to the cottage, where they stand in a distinct pattern before despawning.
Those who have explored the house have reported to hear unsettling music when in the house, and the children will sometimes stand in a pentagram pattern. Sounds heard in the cottage have also been a banshee scream, a ghoul call, growling, a woman crying, and a dark voice saying “You…will…die” and “Death is close.” This has caused speculation that the children are worshipers of some sort of Satanic entity in the World of Warcraft lore. One of the children has been rumoured to say “Remember C'Thun? Good ol' C'Thun.”
So far, no official explanation has been given about the children by Blizzard, but the community accepts them to be an easter egg meant to make players feel creeped out and speculate. There has also been comparisons to Children of the Corn and Village of the Damned, since both also contain creepy children conducting malevolent actions. However, the children appear to have no in game and real life consequences to players, but it surprising no creepypasta story has taken advantage of this to date.
8. Death and Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda series has a huge nostalgia factor on people today, and with each new game a new generation to admire its beauty. Back in 2000, Nintendo released Majora's Mask, a direct sequel to the critically acclaimed Ocarina of Time. Both games have similar themes in terms of time, but it is what aspect of time that have intrigued players. There is a huge theory about Majora's Mask that the entire theme is Death, and how people deal with the inevitability of death.
The five areas in the game is said to represent the five stages of grief: Clocktown is denial, with the citizens ignoring the falling moon in order to celebrate the carnival, the Swamp is anger, with the habitants blaming others for their despair, the Goron Village is bargaining, with the habitants begging Link to save them, the Great Bay is depression, with the people saddened by the circumstances befalling them, and finally the Ikana Valley is acceptance, with the spirits of the dead there accepting they are dead, and mainly keeping to themselves.
This has caused wide spread debate amongst the online community, and there is so much to discuss that it can't all be detailed here. There is so much speculation and analysis to give great credibility to this theory, and it makes for an interesting topic of analysis and discussion.
7. Braid and the Destroyer of Worlds
Back in 2008, Number None, Inc. developed the puzzle game Braid, and it quickly rose to the top of the Xbox Arcade charts. Game reviewers from Metacritic to Gamespot gave it overwhelming praise, furthering the games popularity. The game has you play as Tim, who is searching for a princess who was kidnapped by a monster. As the game goes on, it becomes more evident Tim is in fact the monster, which is revealed at the very end of the game.
Those who have analyzed the game have discovered links between the game's themes to that of the creation of the nuclear bomb. This has led people to theorize the game is an allegory of the guilt the scientists felt upon the bomb's creation. The evidence to suggest this are hidden messages players can find in the game, including the famous quote “Now we are al sons of bitches,” which was uttered by Kenneth Bainbridge after he witnessed the first nuclear test in New Mexico.
Furthermore, Tim is a scientist, and the main mechanic of the game is Tim's ability to alter the flow of time; it is speculated this is Tim's desire to reverse time so he would have nothing to do with the bomb's creation. While without this revelation, Tim appears to be the true antagonist, but now knowing what he wants to do and what the princess possibly represents, he becomes more of a sympathetic anti-hero rather than full blown villain. With the amount of hype and speculation surrounding this game, it is a further example of video games being an art form.
6. The Weighted Companion Corpse
Besides the non-existent cake which took fans by storm, Portal players also took a liking to the Weighted Companion Cube. It looks no different than the other cubes used for puzzle solving throughout the game, but this one has a heart on the sides, and is used in more than one of the rooms in the game.
However, once its purpose is complete, Glados asks you to dispose of the cube into an incinerator. Disturbingly enough, Glados warns the player not to listen to the cube should it begin to talk, even though it's an inanimate object. This has caused players to speculate there's more than meets the eye. The way Glados speaks about the cube almost makes it seem it has some sort of sentient being.
This evolved into people theorizing the Weighted Companion Cube is infused with the corpse of a previous test subject. The popularity the cube has taken outside of gaming has taken on a scary twist, since the real world literally grew attached to a fictional object, much like how Glados warns not to become too attached to the object in the game.
In the graphic novel Lab Rat, the story follows Dough Rattman, who has a Weighted Companion Cube with him wherever he goes, which talks to him unless he takes psychiatric medication. There is discussion in the book about the other subjects lost during testing, which have led people to believe the cubes and the dead subjects are related. In one of Rattman's hideouts, the companion cube is taped over the faces of people. The most compelling evidence is the achievement for incinerating the cube is called Fratricide, possibly hinting you have just incinerated a fellow test subject without hesitation.
5. Squall's Dying Dream
Final Fantasy has certainly redefined the RPG genre since the first game was released back in 1987. People have become engulfed in the Final Fantasy world, and its numerous cast of characters. The storylines have also been known to be complex and well written, even to the point where symbolism has been discovered within. By far the most popular symbolism discussion concerning the games is during the events of Final Fantasy 8.
The main character, Squall, suffers a grave wound during a fight, when he's impaled by an ice shard. However, in the next scene, Squall appears in good health and unphased, despite the severitiy of his inflicted injuries. Fans have wondered why this is, and have theorized Squall is in fact dead, with the remainder of the game being his dying dream before slipping into the afterlife. The dream is similar to the life flashing before ones eyes, but is instead representing Squall's regret of not living to his full potential, and him witnessing where he could have gone and what he could have been.
There are several points of dialogue which seem to support this theory, with Squall even acting surprised when he sees his wound is gone upon awakening.Also, during the ending, Squall is seated under a starry sky, as memories flash through his mind. This is believed to be Squall reliving his happiest moments before moving into the afterlife. As the Final Fantasy series continues, there is bound to be further deep meanings behind them, and the fans will certainly jump to analyze every bit and piece.
4. The Hell Valley Mystery
Mario Galaxy is a family friendly game, using the familiar Mario mechanics and implementing them in a space environment. However, one area has become a hotbed of discussion amongst players. In the Shiverburn Galaxy, the player must navigate over pools of lava, avoid fireballs and defeat enemies in order to progress. Players began to notice strange figures on the cliff faces looking down towards the player, and once viewed in first person, they appeared to be misshapen humanoid figures observing the player.
When checking the game files, someone discovered the name of the texture for the background above the cliffs is called “Beyond Hell Valley,” and the figures are labelled as “Hell Valley Sky Trees.” After this discovery, people began to dismiss the creepy figures, believing them to simply be bizarre trees, but their humanoid shapes still have provoked theories. The most common of the theories is these “trees” are actually aliens which inhabit the planet, and choose to study Mario from a distance rather than make direct contact. Nintendo developers have never made a statement about the Hell Valley Sky Trees, leaving the actual explanation hidden in the dark.
3. San Andreas's Mythical Creatures
With a game map as large as the ones in Grand Theft Auto, it is no surprise the developers have included hundreds of easter eggs. However, it is sometimes the fan speculation which becomes more intriguing than the actual content. When Rockstar released San Andreas back in 2004, it didn't take long for players to start writing about
mysterious sightings in the game's vast backcountry.
Several mythical creatures were rumoured to be in the game, most famous of which was Bigfoot. People swore they had seen an humanoid ape creature in the region Back-o-Beyond, which is a rather bizarre and creepy area on its own. Photos were uploaded to the internet claiming to be evidence of Bigfoot, but they were either to pixelated to be confirmed, or were proven to be a hoax, either through mods or a glitch. Rockstar issued a statement that Bigfoot was not present in the game, but this did not deter gamers from searching frantically for the beast.
Several mods were made to include Bigfoot, and other mythical beasts. The hype also led to speculation that there were Megaladon sharks, a lock ness monster, giant squids and even aliens somewhere in the game, but none were ever confirmed. Rockstar seemed to enjoy the publicity the mythical creatures were bringing, and even provided fan service years later. In the Red Dead Redemption DLC Undead Nightmare, players can find not only several Bigfoot in Tall Trees, but also hunt down the Chupacobra. Achievements await those who kill a Bigfoot, titled Seven Years in the Making in reference to the time between the release of San Andreas and Undead Nightmare.
2. The Tetraforce
The Triforce is a major plot element in the Legend of Zelda series. It is the most divine object in the
game's universe, holding the abilities of wisdom, courage and power. Zelda holds the triforce of Wisdom, and Link holds the Triforce of Courage, while Ganondorf usually takes possession of the triforce of Power in order to achieve his malevolent goals. However, fans have found hints of a possible fourth missing piece of the triforce, leading to the Tetraforce theory.
In several games, the number Four has a significance to the plot. Majora's Mask has four temples, Four Swords has you play as four different Links, there are four light guardians in Twilight Princess, and there is also a lot of discussion about Light and Shadow in the games. The Triforce itself has a blank space in the middle, which is also a triangle, though darkened. This is believed to represent the Triforce of Shadow, explaining all the evil in the world of Hyrule; evidence for this is the Shadow Medallion has an upside down triangle in Ocarina of Time.
In the Japanese language, the word for Four sounds similar for the word for Death, and so it is believed the fourth Triforce could in fact be the Triforce of Death. On a more positive level, there have also been references and use in the games mechanics of Time manipulation, leading many to believe the fourth piece is related to Time. This theory has gathered a lot of support simply because there are so many different theories behind what the fourth piece could be, and it could possibly be explained in future games.
1. The Earthbound Abortion
For the most part, Earthbound is a family friendly game. But once the game progresses, the story gets noticeably darker in tone. In the final level of the game, the main character, Ness and his companions travel back in time to fight the final boss, Giygas. Essentially the embodiment of evil, Giygas is a truly terrifying form, resembling a grotesque screaming face in its first form.
As the boss battle goes on, it becomes more and more terrifying and surreal. People analyzing the game noticed Giygas's final form seems to be the outline of a fetus, and people have speculated the final boss battle is representing an abortion. People have observed the Devil Machine, where Giygas dwells, resembles a cervix, with Giygas in an egg shaped vessel in the centre.
As the story goes, Earthbound creator Shigesato Itoi had a traumatic experience in childhood, when he accidentally walked into a showing of “The Japanese Policeman and the Dismembered Beauty.” The scene playing was disturbing, and Itoi believed he was witnessing a rape on screen. This has led some people to believe Itoi is using the game as a way to cope with the memory, and is literally having an a fetus aborted due to it being a production of rape. None of the theories have been confirmed, but it continues to lead to speculation to this day.
Top tips for your iPhone
Get more from your phone with our tricks
1.
Set a Live Photo as lock screen image
One of the biggest features of the iPhone 6s is the camera, namely the introduction of ‘Live Photos’, still images that animate when activated via force touch. These Live Photos are meant to give you a glimpse of what was happening when the photo was taken – a fantastic feature when you want to take a trip down memory lane. However, many iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users are unaware that these live photos can be used as the lock screen image and animated at any time. To set a live photo as your lock screen image, simply open the Photos app and browse to the image you want to use. Once opened, tap the Share button (square with an arrow pointing out of it) and scroll along until you find ‘Set as Wallpaper’, then tap it. Making sure ‘Live Photo’ is selected, set the image as your lock screen wallpaper and lock your iPhone. Now all you need to do is force touch the screen to animate the image.
2.
Quick access to multitasking menu
For years, iOS users have trained their brains to double tap the home button to access the multitasking menu, but that action has been rendered moot by the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Why? Because you can easily access the multitasking menu from anywhere in iOS, simply by force pressing the left side of the screen and swiping towards the center of the display. If done correctly, you should be taken to the multitasking center, where you can easily switch between your recently used apps. Though some users might find it a bit awkward to use at first, it’s a very handy gesture to have once you’re used to it. It’s also worth mentioning that a similar action can take you back to the last used app without accessing the multitasking menu. Simply force press on the left hand side of the screen, then drag your finger from the left hand side of the display to the right hand side. The app you were last using should be dragged onto screen, replacing the active app.
3.
Quickly reply to messages
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus also give you a new way to easily reply to text messages. Proactive was a big introduction to iOS 9, and lets the operating system learn your habits including the apps you use, people you speak to and even how you reply to text messages. This information can then be used to your advantage – in this case, ‘peek’ at the message thread to get a preview of the text conversation by force pressing on the message, then simply swipe up to reveal a list of predetermined replies,
and tap on the one you want to use. As well as a list of predetermined replies, it may feature contextual replies, that is if a question was asked, replies would include ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘maybe’, and so on.
4.
Access Camera shortcuts
3D Touch was the biggest feature of the iPhone 6s, enabling a whole new way for users to interact with their smartphones. One of the key features of 3D Touch was being able to force tap an app icon to display a menu with shortcuts to the most prominent features of the app. This means that instead of
having to open the Camera app and swipe to the recording mode of choice, you can force touch the icon and easily select which you want. You have the choice of taking a selfie, recording a video, recording in slo-mo or taking a standard photo. It’s not just the Camera app that offers 3D Touch shortcuts, as many stock iOS apps have shortcuts – experiment with what you can do! Third-party apps are slowly adding support too, with early adopters including Instagram (options to publish a new post, view your activity, search or access direct messages) and Tweetbot 4 (reply to last mention, access activity tab, tweet the last photo or write a tweet).
5.
Turn the keyboard into a trackpad
3D Touch isn’t only handy for accessing app shortcuts or previewing message threads – it can also make text editing on an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus less of a headache. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve misspelt a single letter of a word on our iPhones, and tried to insert the cursor mid-word to edit it (and failed a number of times before deleting the word and re-writing it). There’s no need to do that any more, as you’re now able to force press the keyboard to turn it into a trackpad, allowing you to place the cursor wherever you want. It doesn’t just stop at being able to move the cursor around either – once in trackpad mode, you can tap again once to highlight a single word, twice to highlight the entire sentence or thrice to select everything you’ve written.
6. Preview Safari links
Here’s another useful use for 3D Touch, this time allowing users to preview a link before opening it.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users can ‘peek’ at Safari links in-app by lightly pressing on a URL, giving you a preview of the page before applying more pressure to ‘pop’ open Safari and open the link. If you’re
not interested, simply let go of the display and the preview will disappear.
This feature can be found in a number of places throughout iOS, from the Messages app to the Notes app to third-party apps, including WhatsApp and Tweetbot 4. This gives users a new way to browse and preview links (and images if supported) before properly opening them. It comes in handy too,
as you can now see if the link your friend tweeted is something you’re interested in reading before loading it up in full-screen mode.
7. Hands-free Siri
Another exclusive iPhone 6s and 6s Plus feature is hands-free Siri, something that up until now has only been possible when your iOS device is plugged in and charging. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users can ‘train’ Siri to recognise only their voice, allowing them to activate Siri from anywhere simply by saying ‘Hey Siri’. Before you impress your friends with your always-listening virtual assistant, you need to set it up by heading to the Settings app > General > and toggling the ‘Allow “Hey Siri”’ option on. Once toggled on, you have to go through the initial setup process where Siri gets to know the sound of your voice. Simply repeat the phrases that appear on screen, then you should be able to
activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri” at any time.
8. Make darker strokes in Notes
Using the new 3D Touch technology found in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, users are able to make
darker strokes in Notes simply by applying more pressure on the display, much like when shading with a pencil. Though this is a slightly novel use for the pressure-sensitive display, I’m sure artistic users could find a use for it. It’s also worth mentioning that third-party app developers can also utilise the technology in the same way, so expect to start seeing pressure-sensitive drawing features added to
the likes of Paper at some point soon.
9.
Adjust 3D Touch sensitivity
3D Touch is a great addition to the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, but with the excess pressure used on the display, there is an issue – it can cause the oleophobic coating of the iPhone display to wear out sooner than usual. The oleophobic coating on the display helps your display stay relatively smudge free, keeping grease at bay by providing a surface it can’t ‘stick’ to it. It also makes your display feel
smooth to the touch, which also helps with scratch resistance – reduced friction will cause sharp/dangerous materials to slide off the surface, rather than damaging it.
It’s not permanent though, so excessive pressure may speed up the process of wearing it out. To help
combat the issue, you can turn up the sensitivity of 3D Touch to activate it without needing as much pressure. To do this, simply head to Settings >General > Accessibility > 3D Touch then adjust the 3D Touch Sensitivity from medium to light.
10. Peek into an entire album in Apple Music
Let’s say you have found an awesome song while listening to Apple Music’s ‘Hot Tracks’ section in the New tab. Using
3D Touch, deep press on the track to get a glimpse of the entire album that song is a part of. From there you can start playing the entire album, put it on shuffle or add it to My Music.
11. Add a new number to your Contacts
What happens when you get a new number sent to your Messages? Pressing the digits launches straight into a call, but deep pressing it gives you new options. You can now use 3D Touch to create a new contact or add a number to an existing contacts right from the Messages app.
12.
Switch apps with 3D Touch
Instead of double tapping your home button every time you want to pull up the App Switcher, try this: deep press on the left edge of the screen. Your background apps will come seamlessly into view. Just one more added functionalities of the new 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.
13. Siri can do accents now
Apple says Siri is getting smarter, so much in fact that she can now pull off three different English accents: American, Australian and British. Just a simple preference, really, but having an AI spout answers in a British accent just makes her sound more well informed.
14. Share location in Maps
You ask your friend to meet you at a coffee shop, but there are quite a few in the city? In Maps you
can deep press on a place to quickly share the exact location of where you want to meet. You can also
deep press on the you-are-here blue dot to share your current location.
15. Send quick replies in Messages
Similar to the Messages for Apple Watch app, you can now send quick replies on your iPhone 6s. Deep press on a conversation thread to peek into it and pull it up to reveal a list of short replies, like “Thanks” or “Talk later?” Different conversations pull up different quick replies. For whatever reason, some of them only have the option to text back with “OK.”
16. Enabling 4K video recording
The iPhone 6s can shoot 4K video, but that recording mode is not on by default. You have to enable it in settings. The 4K videos do take up a lot of space on your iPhone (about 375MB per minute), but they are totally worth it.
17. View recently taken pics in Camera
Don’t slow down your photo-taking rampage. The Camera app on the iPhone 6s lets you view your recently taken photos while still taking new ones. Just deep press on the photo thumbnail on the bottom left corner. After you’re done browsing through your recently taken pics, you’ll go right back to the Camera app so you can keep snapping away.
18. Activate Siri with your voice
Enable the new “Hey Siri” feature in your settings, and Siri becomes voice-activated. Just say “Hey Siri” whenever you have a query. Siri only responds to the sound of your voice, so here’s how you can set this up once you enable the feature.
19. Message your most recent contacts
Want to pick up a conversation with the contact you last texted? The Messages app has all your favourite people right at your fingertips. Deep press on the icon to launch a quick action to message one of the last three people you texted.
20. Peek into another city’s weather conditions
Planning a ski trip this weekend? You can peek into weather conditions from any of the cities saved you added to the Weather app by deep pressing on them.
21. Hide native apps
Every iPhone user has that rarely used folder hidden on a faraway home screen with titles ranging from “Apple Stuff” to “Crap I Never Use.” With the iPhone 6s you can now hide some of those native apps from your screen, like News, Podcasts, iBooks Store and even Safari for you Chrome
diehards. Go to the Restriction page in settings to toggle these apps off your iPhone. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get rid of Stocks or Compass yet.
22. Easier way to redeem codes in the App Store
If you want to redeem a code from the App Store, you have to scroll all the way down past all the app
collections to get to a Redeem Code button. With 3D Touch, however, you can deep press on the App Store app right on your home screen and launch a quick action for redeeming codes. This trick also works in the iTunes Store app.
23. Manually activate Low Power Mode
Your iPhone 6s will ask you if you want to enable Low Power Mode once you get to the last 20 percent of battery. But if you want your iPhone to last longer even when it’s fully charged, you can manually activate Low Power Mode in your settings. During Low Power Mode, you can’t use “Hey Siri,” background app refresh is turned off, and other visual effects are disabled to save battery life.
Top 10 Fighting Games to Play in 2019
The good old fighting games! There’s nothing more satisfying than those fine moments when you’re finally pulling off that super advanced, nearly impossible chain combo and, ohhh god, it looks so good and it’s taking a ? of the other guy’s health bar! DAMN! This is by far one of the most intense video game genres and if you’re just starting your adventure with brawlers, make sure to do it with the very best titles games available right now. Here they are: The
Top 10 Fighting Games to play in 2019 Oh and just so you know, many of the series included in the episode have a looong history, so we’ve decided to always focus on the latest entry.
Ready? Let’s Go!
1. Mortal Kombat 11
Let’s kick off with something super fresh– Mortal Kombat 11, released on the 23rd of April! THIS ONE IS BRUTAL! The series is famous for its mile long list of fatalities, X-ray attacks, crush blows and other fun ways to dismember or break the bones of your opponent. You wouldn’t want to play this on family parties BUT it’s the perfect way to unwind after a long and stressful day – just get yourself comfy and watch the heads rolling, spines cracking and blood spitting like crazy. Good times!
2. Tekken 7
One of the most popular series out there! Not without a reason, the mechanics are super tight and deep, the combos satisfying and the game actually requires a lot of learning, there are many nuances to get to know – if you’re new just don’t get overly optimistic and start with online – the players there will destroy you! Give yourself some time, choose your main character, train a bit – it’s one of those games which is getting better with time and totally worth investing hundreds of your hours.
3. Streeet Fighter V
Forward, down, down-forward and a punch – what is it? It’s a Shoryuken, of course! Welcome to Street Fighter V! Is it hard? Well, it can give the impression at the beginning. Then again, this is the most accessible game in the series – way less restrictive when it comes to imputing combos. There’s a lot of characters to choose from, each one with unique abilities, super moves and overall feeling and thanks to the crossplay between PS4 and PC, the player base is as alive as ever!
4. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Ok, let’s start with the numbers here because they’re pretty impressive - 74 different playable characters and over 100 stages (with even more available with the season pass) that’s a damn lot! Then there’s the possibility to arrange an 8 player battle which makes it a perfect party game. This title is just overflowing with content for both single and multiplayer, and you can easily tell that it was made with a lot of love. The only possible downside is that it’s a Switch exclusive. Otherwise, it’s one of the
best fighters game on the market right now.
5. SoulCalibur VI
Pretty similar to Tekken, again a 3D fighter – but in here, it’s all about swordplay – each character is equipped with a different original sharp object! There’s even the most famous Tekken swordsman, Yoshimitsu in here. The game is famous for its extensive character creator in which you’re limited basically by your own imagination. Still, as you can image it ended up with lots of lizards with giant penises… anyway the new SoulCalibur is oozing with fun, the mechanics are tight and the characters have lots of personality – you can’t go wrong with this one!
6. Dead or Alive 6
You might get this wrong impression that it’s just another generic
fighting game which got popular for its super advanced physics of certain female body parts. Still, it’s just a wrong impression though! This is another great 3D fighter with deep yet accessible mechanics and a cast of original characters, and yes - it’s true – most of them are women which you can dress up in tons of different clothes available in numerous DLC packs but you can totally skip this part and enjoy the fun combat.
7. Guilty Gear Xrd REVELATOR
By looking at some of the character design here, you might be thinking “Dang! How high were they to come up with this idea”. But that’s the whole beauty of this game – the distinctive and original design – it’s just something else. What’s more, the game has a little more complex mechanics compared to your typical brawler. At the same time though – one of the best tutorials you’ve seen – so just don’t worry, give it a little time – you’ll be fine! And once you know all the mechanics, you won’t be able to put it down.
8. Dragon Ball FighterZ
If you grew up watching Dragon Ball Z then this game might be nothing short of your dreams coming true. Most of the iconic characters from the series can be found in here. Combine that with the great fighting mechanics provided by the veterans from System Arc and you got yourself a hell of a title! Not to mention great visuals and stages that will take you way back to the most memorable places from the anime. Good stuff!
9. Injustice 2
A perfect game for DC universe lovers, offering an expansive roster of most popular heroes and villains. The most original thing about this one is implementing some lite RPG elements. Each character can be equipped with different parts of gear giving them specific stats and buffs…oh and looks – that’s important too! You can finds those In special boxes that can be earned by completing different events and challenges – that’s a lot of surprisingly fun grinding which can keep you occupied for hours!
10. Killer Instinct
Several hit combos are too short and boring? In here, you can pull of up to thousands hits in one combo, if you’re good enough of course. All thanks to the original system available in the game, the fights are super intense and visually impressive. This game has an overall rather darker vibe, similar to Mortal Kombat, including all sorts of monsters and bad ass looking characters to choose from here, including Rash form Battletoads who is one of the best guest characters ever. Highly recommended! And there you have it! Our
top 10 best fighting games on the market right now.
