Captain America: Another Avenger Makes His Way to Disneyland

Looking for Earth's Mightiest Heroes? Disneyland would be a good place to start these days!

On the heels of exhibits focused on Iron Man and Thor that made their way to the original Disney park in Anaheim, CA in the past year, Captain America -- whose new movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is not so coincidentally about to open -- is joining his fellow Avengers for the new "Captain America: The Living Legend and Symbol of Courage" opening on March 7th.

I got a chance to check out the Cap display at a press event, which is located in Innoventions in Tomorrowland, right next to the Thor and Iron Man areas, making for a nice Marvel-based gathering. Like the one for Thor, the Cap experience is primarily centered on a meet and greet opportunity, allowing fans to speak to Captain America and get photos with him - and making him the second Marvel superhero, after Thor, to appear as a costumed character at a Disney park. As you wait in line though, you get a fun look at Cap's history and as with the Iron Man and Cap exhibits, this includes some very cool props and costumes straight from the Marvel movies.

A timeline gives you a look at Cap's story, as see in the Marvel movies, so far, ending with his encounter in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (don't worry, it doesn't say how that plays out!).

In a display case is the uniform Cap wore during World War II in Captain America: The First Avenger, when he rescued Bucky and proved his worth as a soldier, along with his first shield.

And then, of course, there's the man himself...

I spoke to Disney's Jennifer Magill, who served as show director on "Captain America: The Living Legend", as well as "Thor: Treasures of Asgard", who noted how fun it is to see fans of all ages get to meet the iconic Marvel heroes. Said Magill, "I was able to bring my son to meet Thor and to go to Asgard a couple of weeks ago. That's the best part of it is being able to experience that with friends and family and see our guests enjoy that."

The actor playing Captain America did a great job, certainly looking the part, and conveying a friendly, earnest attitude, and I expect kids will be delighted by their encounters with him. When I went to take my photo with him -- you don't pass up a photo with Captain America! -- he asked me about my Boba Fett hoodie, having me describe the character a bit, which led to a chat about Tony Stark's arrogance, yet undeniably impressive tech.

Mr. Whedon, I await your phone call (Cap suggested the Iron Man pose).

While you get a glimpse while waiting in the queue, as you leave your meeting with Cap, you walk right by a display of shields, which includes several Howard Stark prototypes glimpsed in Captain America: The First Avenger - and, of course, Cap's famous, final shield with the "stealth" paint job seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

With both Captain America and Thor appearing as actual in-person characters at Disneyland, Iron Man stands out as the one Marvel-based exhibit where that's not the case - though there's a cool display of many of his armors. I asked Magill if that might change and she replied, "You never know. I do know, obviously, that Hong Kong Disneyland is working on a new [Iron Man] attraction and experience there that will open in 2016. You never know what's on the horizon. I can't speculate, but we're excited to have Captain America and Thor here."

"Captain America: The Living Legend and Symbol of Courage" will be open to the public on Friday, March 7th at Disneyland.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

The Cast of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Talks Marvel Crossovers

Show of hands: who among you would be interested in a Spider-Man/Avengers crossover movie? Pretty much everybody?

Well, you’re all in good company as director Marc Webb and the cast of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 are unanimously in favor of such an endeavor. Of course, the odds are against it due to licensing constraints (Marvel controls the Avengers, Sony has the film rights to Spidey) but it never hurts to dream.

22:31

IGN Rewind Theater

Rewind Theater: Will Gwen Stacy Die?

Yahoo! Movies UK put the question to Webb and Spidey 2 stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx. Everyone says they’d love to be involved in a crossover with the Marvel film universe, but they all seem to recognize the difficult logistics. As Garfield says, “Obviously big business and lawyers and rights issues are an obstacle for that.”

Webb does comment briefly on attempts to have some of the Marvel film universe characters show up in the first Amazing Spider-Man, which is interesting. With something of a knowing chuckle he demurs, “There were maybe efforts that were made, but obviously nothing came to fruition.”

Would you like to know more? Follow @adamdileo on Twitter or adam_dileo on IGN. Service guarantees citizenship.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

5 Useful Things to Know About Infinite Crisis

Superheroic MOBA Infinite Crisis is in better shape than it was when I played the closed beta a few months ago. It certainly wasn’t bad then, but moving, attacking, and casting spells all feel fittingly faster now. Also, since going hands-on with the newest characters on the latest map, I’ve identified five aspects of Infinite Crisis that, together, give it a more distinct feel in the ever-crowded MOBA genre. Here are the biggest takeaways you need to know:

One Hero Can Perform Different Roles

Imagine Green Lantern is your favorite superhero. Now imagine Green Lantern is a support class, but you prefer characters who dish out damage on the frontline. Disappointing, right?

02:24

Trailer

Infinite Crisis Atomic Green Lantern Trailer

Infinite Crisis sidesteps this problem by including multiple versions of some of its heroes, with plenty more on the way. To run with the Green Lantern example, one (Arcane Green Lantern) is indeed more support focused, while the original can provide respectable ranged damage. The different versions are not simple costume swaps, but different heroes entirely with their own styles of play.

New Content is Coming Quickly and Often

New, playable characters will be released every three weeks, and new outfits will be available weekly. Though the developers don’t have a completely free license to make whatever they want, it seems they’re already having plenty of fun with their freedom. One of the outfits I saw was “First Date Doomsday,” complete with shades, a suit coat, and a bouquet of roses.

Tuning the balance between all playable characters is hugely important in a competitive MOBA. With such a fast-paced plan, I asked Turbine’s executive producer, Jeffrey Steefel, how they’d make sure the new characters aren’t imbalanced:

“We have an in-house team that plays all day long,” Steefel said. “They see all kinds of games, and they understand the current state of the balance of the game.” He added that the development team is considering player feedback as well, and will continue to do so once the open beta launches.

04:22

Feature

Infinite Crisis - Mecha Superman Spotlight

Getting Gold is Easier

“Last hitting,” which refers to killing a unit by doing the last tick of damage on an enemy’s health bar, is a huge part of how most MOBAs work – especially in the early game. Skilled players who nab the last hits on their enemy’s drones are rewarded with gold. But in Infinite Crisis, if a drone dies and you didn’t get the last hit, a coin drops on the ground and you have a chance to grab it before it disappears. The dropped coins are worth less than a true last hit, though, so practicing is still in your best interest.

 If you’re new to the genre and you don’t have the timing down yet, this change improves your chances of getting your hands on some gold so the match isn’t a disappointing blowout. Also, if you’re in your lane with a partner, who’s perhaps a support class, that character could run up and nab the gold instead.

Support Classes Have More Freedom

In many MOBAs, you can purchase wards, place them around the battlefield, and gain vision on your minimap of the surveyed area. This task usually falls on support characters, as the core fighters often need to beef up their offensive capabilities in a more direct way. If the supports are having a bad game, however, they might only be able to purchase wards and little else in the way of equipment. It’s still useful, but it’s not the most exciting role to fill.

04:42

Feature

Infinite Crisis - Green Arrow Spotlight

Wards in Infinite Crisis are handled differently. When you travel back to your base to heal, you can grab a ward from a dispenser and head right back into the fray. Even as a damage-dealer, I was able to provide vision to my team with little inconvenience. This allowed the supports to focus more on locking down enemies or keeping the team alive in combat. It’s a smart way to spread out some of the housekeeping responsibilities across the whole team.

Buying New Items Isn't a Hassle

After getting last hits and killing your enemies, you’ll have gold to spend on new and better items. In some MOBAs, getting those items can be a chore. Some require you to go back to your base. Others let you deliver items on an animal courier, which can be killed by the enemy. Infinite Crisis chose a route that, while less tactical and demanding, keeps the action fast paced: You can buy items from any one of your towers on the map.

A system like this lets you keep the pressure on your foes, or conversely, it lets you defend a tower without having to leave and come back. The result, overall, is more and bigger clashes on the frontline.

What do you think of Infinite Crisis? If you've been playing the closed beta, let us know what you think in the comments below. And remember, the open beta kicks off on March 14. Check out our Infinite Crisis Wiki for strategies, character guides, and more.

Brian is an associate editor at IGN. He's crazy about MOBAs, and you should be too! Follow him @albinoalbert on Twitter.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

New Release Date Announced for The Purge 2

Universal Pictures has pushed the release date of The Purge: Anarchy from June 20, 2014, to July 18, 2014.

The Purge, starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey, was Blumhouse's first collaboration with Universal under their first-look deal. Jason Blum of Blumhouse will produce the sequel alongside Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes and and Sebastien Lemercier.

00:41

IGN NEWS

The Purge Director Returning for Sequel

Universal decided to move forward on The Purge: Anarchy shortly after the opening weekend success of The Purge, which, on a $3 million budget, earned an impressive $34 million at the box office.

James DeMonaco, director of the first movie, will helm the followup about dutiful citizens preparing for their country's annual 12 hours of anarchy.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Battlefield 4 Naval Strike Expansion Coming Late March

Battlefield 4's third expansion pack adds new weapons, gadgets, four new maps, a vehicle and a new game mode, DICE announced today.

The Naval Strike expansion takes players to the South China Sea in four new multiplayer maps and features the new hovercraft vehicle. Additionally, Naval Strike introduces the Carrier Assault game mode, which is a revamped version of Titan Mode from the 2006 Battlefield 2142.

01:01

IGN NEWS

DICE Announces Battlefield 4 Player Appreciation Month

In Battlefield 2142's Titan Mode, players were tasked with destroying the opposing team’s Titan by controlling Anti-Titan missile silos or boarding the enemy Titan. Naval Strike's Carrier Assault is a “re-imagined" version of this mode, but DICE has promised to release more information soon.

As with previous expansions, Battlefield 4 premium members will receive Naval Strike two weeks earlier than standard players. Though DICE has yet to reveal the release date, it said the expansion would be out sometime in "late March" for Premium members.

Miranda Sanchez a freelance writer who spends most of her time playing Rust and Persona 4 Golden. You can get in touch with her on Twitter.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Aaron Paul May Join Better Call Saul

Aaron Paul may soon reunite with his former Breaking Bad co-star Bob Odenkirk in the upcoming spinoff Better Call Saul.

According to AP News, the actor has had "serious talks" with Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan about returning to play his character Jesse Pinkman, who in the new show would be a low-level drug dealer before he met Bryan Cranston's Walter White.

"Anything Vince is involved with, I'm there," Paul said in a recent Need for Speed interview. "I owe him my entire career. And the idea of jumping into the skin of Jesse Pinkman again in his lighter days -- because it's all a prequel -- it would be fun."

06:10

IGN Conversations

Will Better Call Saul Be a Comedy or Drama?

Currently it's uncertain if Cranston will also make an appearance. However, one Breaking vet that won't be coming back is Dean Norris, who played White's DEA agent brother-in-law Hank Schrader. He's still committed to Under the Dome, which will begin airing its second season this summer on CBS.

"I don't think they'll let me do a little cable show," Norris said in an interview this week. "I think that experience was that experience. I'm not a big fan of kind of revisiting something that has already been done. But I think it's going to be awesome. So I can't wait to see it."

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Wii U is a 'Powerhouse,' Says Donkey Kong Country Developer

The Wii U is much more powerful than people give it credit for, according to Retro Studios president Michael Kelbaugh.

"Unfortunately, the perception is that it's not a very powerful machine," Kelbaugh told GameSpot. "That's just not true. It's a powerhouse. It's more than adequate to make great games on." He added that in working on a more powerful machine for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, his team felt free from the "traditional limitations" of the Wii.

"It was really fun being able to crack that open for the first time and learning HD techniques; pixel shading, having a lot more horsepower and how that impacts the team," he said. "It was really fun to watch our artists just go crazy because now they didn't really have to worry about polygons anymore. 'Make as many as you want!'"

04:56

Review

Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze Video Review

He said the studio has enjoyed working with Metroid, Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong, and they'd "love to come back to them sometime."

Producer Kensuke Tanabe confirmed that Retro is at work on a new game, and Kelbaugh added that it's been in development for a few months since Tropical Freeze was finished. Neither of them were willing to elaborate on what the project is, however.

Steve Watts is a freelance writer who remembers the DK Rap. You can read more of his keen insights by following him on Twitter and IGN.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com