Harry Styles’ Solo Album: A Track-by-Track Breakdown
Harry Styles’ solo album might be the most anticipated debut this side of the millennium. Following years as the bullseye in the global behemoth that was One Direction, the singer is taking center stage with a self-titled effort that’s a classic cocktail of psychedelia, Britpop, and balladry. If it was a color, it would be the baby blue of Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster or the soft pink of Mick Jagger’s suit when he performed on “Top Of The Pops” in 1971. It’s rock and it’s roll, but it’s also soft and sensitive. Produced by Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Fun.) it’s a record that could force the position of mainstream radio by ushering in a reprise of proper music — ensembles, verse-chorus-verse, rich instrumentation, or, basically, Adele’s bag of tricks.
Despite the red herring of lead single ‘Sign Of The Times’ (it clocks in at just under six minutes in length), the album is a short shrift 40 minutes and contains ten songs that are largely about women. Unlike Robbie Williams and Justin Timberlake before him, there’s a deepened millennial sensibility to being a leading man. Harry is a sensitive soul; A post-Drake phenomenon; A serious pop performer with enviable vocal chops and a gifted ability to convey a song’s emotional heft. He oozes class, ease and a sense of import without thrusting forth from the hips, or wreaking of a self-satisfied sense of boyband emancipation. Both respectful of his past and nervous for his future, “Harry Styles,” the album, looks both ways.
Read on for a track-by-track:
1. “Meet Me In The Hallway”
“2…3…” Styles verbally counts into his opening track to add a sense of unveiling; a sense that he’s come prepared; a sense that this is no longer a rehearsal. When Styles was younger, he told Rolling Stone, he was exposed to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon.” This track does possess some Floydian tendencies with a psychedelic acoustic guitar strum that recalls the likes of “San Tropez” on “Meddle.” In fact, Styles’ album artwork wouldn’t look out of place on a shelf next to some Floyd vinyl. You imagine it’s been crafted to look, feel and sound like an instant British rock classic, preened to slide alongside your prized records library. As Styles sings about walking the streets all day and being left in some cold, random hallway, he kicks off proceedings with a plea to an ex: “I gotta get better/And maybe we’ll work it out,” he sings, dreamily.
2. “Sign Of The Times”
You already know this one. It’s an apocalyptic overture that conversely began its life in the least apocalyptic of settings, within the serene paradise of Jamaica. Allegedly it was written in three hours. The music video, which arrived earlier this week, paints Styles as a walking-on-water Jesus figure, while also confusing him with another Harry (Potter) as he flies over British seaside cliffs. Arguably it’s his answer to Robbie Williams’ “Angels.” With a running time of six minutes, however, it’s unlikely to become a karaoke favorite. A musing on the end-of-world Armageddon we are living in, he welcomes us to “the final show, I hope you’re wearing your best clothes,” over lofty piano chords before lift-off on a chorus that seems aching to channel Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes” but probably lands somewhere around Starsailor’s “Silence Is Easy” or “Just Looking” by The Stereophonics. The post-Britpop force is strong in Styles.
3. “Carolina”
Unlike “Sign Of The Times,” you can feel a waft of relaxed Jamaican island life immediately on this jauntier, guitar-driven, rhythmic affair, which, true to title, is about a girl in Carolina (North or South is not specified). “She’s a good girl, she’s such a good girl/She feels so good,” sings Styles. Despite its simplicity, the way he wraps his voice around the phrasing completely eradicates any of that cloying awkward clumsiness possessed by Ed Sheeran – the competition for this kind of thing. The production searches for the funky weirdness possessed by Beck on “Midnite Vultures” or “Odelay” (think: “Peaches And Cream” from the former). With a breakdown that nods to The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life,” Styles’ attempts at the classic canon of British songwriting means he sometimes falls into the kitschier territory of Britpop also-rans such as Space and Kula Shaker. However, any Britpop fan knows that Space and Kula Shaker are not to be sniffed at.
4. ” Two Ghosts”
Apparently Nicholas Sparks’ novels inspired much of the songwriting on this debut, and it’s very easy to imagine an extended hyper emotional scene from “The Notebook” in the background while listening to Styles unwind this tragic, mystifying tale. “We’re not who we used to be / We’re just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me,” he coos. “Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat…” Blimey. The slide guitar and country-folk leanings will place you in the heart of Styles’ second home of Laurel Canyon, among the company of David Crosby, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell. There, I said it.
5. “Sweet Creature”
The third song to be released ahead of the album, “Sweet Creature” attempts to ape the sort of picked-out acoustic strums of a “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s, “Norwegian Wood”‘ by The Beatles or Fleetwood Mac’s “Never Going Back Again.” This particular track was entirely self-penned by Styles in collaboration with Kid Harpoon [Florence & The Machine, Jessie Ware]. He croons, “We don’t know where we’re going but we know we belong” over warm guitars, like he’s serenading his lady while realizing he’s lost his way on one of London’s many grassy heaths as the sun begins to set. The level of earnestness and honesty here is mimicked in the way he holds himself onstage right now. Styles’ hair, his suits and the caressing of his microphone will no doubt lend odes such as this one added swoon factor.
6. “Only Angel”
It’s the halfway point and all has changed! Suddenly the album bites back with raging rock riffs, Styles springing to life while being given temporary bail from the prison that is his aching heart. Owing a lot of his current poise to a certain Rolling Stone, he wears the soul claps and ‘woo-hoo’s of “Only Angel” as though he’s the lost child of Jagger himself. Styles’ vocal leaps and yelps, pounding with liberated, natural sex appeal. ‘Only Angel’ is a reminder to all listeners that this is a chocolate box of an album. It’s just not obvious at first what’s contained under each layer but everyone’s tastes will be attended to.
7. “Kiwi”
Like something of a one-two punch, “Kiwi” picks up from “Only Angel’”s amped-up guitar grooves, bettering the banger that’s just lodged itself in your hips. The lyrics seem weirdly like a new take on the concept for Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”: “This girl is crazy / I think I’m losing it,” he confesses, before chiming, “I’m having your baby / It’s none of your business.” Tongue-in-cheek perhaps, it’s nevertheless delivered with gravelly tones that suggest Styles isn’t messing around. There’s also a distinct mid ’90s Britpop appeal to “Kiwi.” One track that reminds of Kula Shaker could be a fluke. Two is definitely not coincidence.
8. “Ever Since New York”
The second song to debut on “Saturday Night Live,” ever since its unveiling the world has been wondering to whom it’s addressed — while largely pointing to former flame Taylor Swift. “Choose your words ’cause there’s no antidote,” he sings, vaguely, perhaps nodding to Swift’s own songwriting (many have surmised that songs such as “Out Of The Woods” and, er, “Style” are about Styles). The song is pure rock troubadour. Think: a young Ryan Adams singing about forlorn swimming pools and talking to walls. “Tell me something I don’t already know,” Styles pines, longingly questioning the loss of a love.
9. “Woman”
“Shall we just search romantic comedies on Netflix and see what we find?” says a voice at the start of this track. Like Frank Ocean on “Super Rich Kids,” Styles seems to borrow from Elton John’s “Benny And The Jets,” seemingly interpolating those same R&B piano stabs. The track also possesses hints of Electric Light Orchestra’s “Evil Woman.” “Selfish I know but I don’t wanna see you with him,” Styles sings, scorning another old flame. “I hope you can see the shape I’ve been in while he’s touching your skin.” Ouch.
10. “From The Dining Table”
We began in the hallway and end at the dining table. What have we learned during our stay in Styles-land? His lyrics are so clouded in mystery (likely to avoid endless gossip column inches) that it’s hard to say precisely. Sonically, however, “From The Dining Table” works as a coda, bringing us back to that warm acoustic confessional style that almost veers into Laura Marling territory. “Fell back to sleep I got drunk by noon / I haven’t felt this cool… Even my phone misses your call by the way…” You’re put in the mental state of a global superstar who still gets painfully dejected by the object of his desire. By the time Styles nears the album’s end and blurts out the line, “Maybe one day you’ll call me and tell me you’re sorry, too” you’re rooting for him to receive some kind of karmic vindication.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Is This Summer’s First Box Office Bomb
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword bombed in its opening weekend, placing third at the domestic box office with an estimated $14.7 million.
As noted by Variety, director Guy Ritchie’s fantasy drama, starring Charlie Hunnam, is this summer’s first box office flop and has a long way to go before recouping its hefty production budget of $175 million. Read IGN’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword review, or watch the video below, to find out why the film’s “incessant desire to be clever and funny, go too far and become off-putting.”
Leading the box office for its second consecutive week is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which earned an estimated $63 million. With a $145 million debut last weekend, the domestic total for director James Gunn’s sci-fi sequel is nearing $250 million.
Just ahead of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword in second place is Snatched. Fox’s R-rated comedy, starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn, debuted to an estimated $17.5 million. Meanwhile, Lowriders, the Ricardo de Montreuil-directed drama about a teenage graffiti artist, played by Gabriel Chavarria, had a limited release this weekend, placing eighth with $2.4 million.
Rounding out this weekend’s top five are The Fate of the Furious and The Boss Baby, which earned an estimated $5.3 million and $4.6 million, respectively.
Here are this weekend’s Top 10 North American box office estimates via comScore:
1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 $63 million
2. Snatched $17.5 million
3. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword $14.7 million
4. The Fate of the Furious $5.3 million
5. The Boss Baby $4.6 million
6. Beauty and the Beast $3.9 million
7. How to Be a Latin Lover $3.8 million
8. Lowriders $2.4 million
9. The Circle $1.7 million
10. MET Opera: Der Rosenkavalier $1.7 million
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Is This Summer’s First Box Office Bomb
‘King Arthur’ Bombs: Why Guy Ritchie’s Latest Was a Royal Miss
“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” is a massive flop; let the pointing (and wagging) of fingers commence!
The project from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow landed with a thud after earning only $14.7 million domestically during its opening weekend off an estimated $175 million production budget, not to mention marketing costs. Not even overseas grosses — which have propped up big-budget films, not in the least limited to “Pacific Rim” and “Warcraft” that would have been considered bombs otherwise — could save “Arthur,” which brought in $29.1 million internationally this weekend. Audiences have received the movie relatively well, earning it a B+ CinemaScore, but the same cannot be said for critics, who sliced and diced the picture down to a 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The weekend tallies and critical and audience consensus are the result of a years-in-the-making story, eventually directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Charlie Hunnam. So how did the big-budget film become what could be remembered as the biggest flop of the summer, or even the entire year?
Was the IP too tired? The legend of King Arthur is one that has been told and retold in various forms, not unlike many of the superhero movies that dominate the modern-day box office. But this flop feeds the narrative that Warner Bros. is banking too much on reviving stale ideas after misfires including “Pan,” “The Legend of Tarzan,” and, most recently, “Chips.” Still, Ritchie has made good money off an old idea with his take on Sherlock Holmes in 2009 and its sequel in 2011, which both grossed over $500 million worldwide. Ritchie addressed the idea in an interview with Variety’s Kris Tapley.
“It didn’t occur to me that it was a dusty or unexciting title,” Ritchie said. “To me, I fancy the challenge of — a bit like ‘Sherlock Holmes’ — I thought, ‘Oh, I’m familiar with that. I think I can do something with that.’”
Did the delays kill buzz? When Ritchie signed onto “Arthur” in 2014, he attached himself to a script by Joby Harold that was conceived as the first part in a six-film series set in one contained universe. Three years later, the film was finally released.
“King Arthur” was originally slated for a July 22, 2016 release, which ended up belonging to Paramount’s “Star Trek Beyond.” Warner Bros. released the low-budget supernatural horror film “Lights Out” instead, which was a surprise hit. “Arthur” was pushed to a Feb. 17, 2017 release, only to be pushed again to March 24, and then finally to its ultimate date of May 12. If IP already causes rumblings of being tired, delaying a film’s release several times might only hinder potential excitement.
Did recasting get in the way? Starting in 2011, years prior to Ritchie’s involvement, Warner Bros. was adapting an Arthur-based project with director David Dobkin called “Arthur and Lancelot.” At the time, Kit Harington and Joel Kinnaman were attached to star, and later Colin Farrell was thought to bring the star power necessary to see the project through. Neither iteration was brought to production.
When Ritchie reignited talks of reviving the property, Idris Elba’s name was floated to play a Merlin-esque character. Neither the actor nor his character made the 2017 release.
Does Charlie Hunnam lack star power? Charlie Hunnam is a relatively untested star. Although he toplined “Pacific Rim,” the actor is most well-known for “Sons of Anarchy,” which ran for seven seasons on FX. Whenever a film tanks, the star shares some of the responsibility. But Hunnam’s role in “Arthur’s” lack of draw seems more like a small piece of a large puzzle.
Was it the recutting? Ritchie’s original cut of “King Arthur” was three and a half hours long. The final product clocks in at two hours and six minutes, which some critics, including Variety’s Peter Debruge, have identified as feeling more characteristic of Ritchie than a sprawling Arthurian epic.
“I was desperate that it would be an entertaining three and a half hours,” Ritchie told the Ringer’s Sean Fennessey. “Two hours into it, I knew I was in trouble.”
But Ritchie defended his process of trying to make the “worthy, extended version” before chopping it down to a movie that fits within his own oeuvre. “If I went to the studio and said, ‘This scene is going to cost me $3 million and it’s going to be ten seconds long,’ it’s very hard to get your nut around that,” Ritchie said.
So what? Despite this catastrophic flop, Ritchie has a potential reputation rehab project in place with Disney’s live-action “Aladdin.” The studio has had nary a miss recently with remakes of “Jungle Book” and “Beauty and the Beast” each topping $1 billion worldwide. Warner Bros., too, has several shots at redemption with titles including “Wonder Woman” and “Dunkirk” in the summer pipeline and “It” hitting theaters in early fall. But while the residual effects of “King Arthur’s” financial losses have yet to be seen on a grand scale, the jab of earning title of “summer’s first big flop” can only be felt once a year
‘King Arthur’ Bombs: Why Guy Ritchie’s Latest Was a Royal Miss
Diane Lane: Justice League Won’t Be Better Than The Avengers
The DCEU has not been without controversy and Diane Lane may have accidentally added to that by saying Justice League won’t be better than The Avengers. Warner Bros. has made a big push to get the DCEU off the ground and running, and one of the biggest ways to jump start the universe has been the formation of the Justice League before each character gets a solo movie. This strategy allows for Justice League to come out years before and capitalize on the boom in comic book movies, which can be largely equated to the success of The Avengers.
However, even though studio executives and most people agree it is in everyone’s best interest to see all comic book movies succeed, there is another section of fans that have divided the genre into a Marvel vs DC fight. This has caused somewhat venomous factions that believe only their side is good and think every Marvel or DC film – depending on their stance – needs to be better than any other film from the other side. But, the DCEU’s Diane Lane doesn’t think Justice League will ultimately be better than Avengers.
This statement came about during an interview Lane – who plays Martha Kent in the DCEU – had on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen After Show. The interview allowed for fans to call in and when one asked if she had any Justice League spoilers and if she thought it will be a better movie than 2012’s The Avengers, Lane had a quick response that is sure to be divisive saying, “No and no. [laughs] Short but honest. I hate to disappoint.”
First things first, this is simply Lane’s opinion and not necessarily a jab at the quality of the film that will mark Zack Snyder’s third entry in the universe. Also, there is no telling how big or small of a role Lane has in the movie to truly know how much she knows about the overall direction, and she has most likely yet to see anything close to a finished cut of the movie. She could simply be a big fan of The Avengers and understand how highly regarded the film is for many.
Even with her saying she hates to disappoint, that too may very well not be an indicator of the film’s quality since she may be referring to being unable to divulge spoilers. Justice League has high expectations to meet – possibly the highest for any DCEU film – so she could simply be tempering said expectations so everyone can come out loving the film and not slightly disappointed that it didn’t meet every ridiculously lofty expectation. Even if Justice League doesn’t wind up being better than The Avengers, there is nothing wrong with that. Not every movie can be the best film ever made – not to say Avengers is – so the goal here should be producing the best Justice League movie.
The comparisons to Avengers have stuck with Justice League ever since it was announced. Both movies will bring together various heroes in a team-up fashion. Avengers was a true kick starter for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Justice League wants to have a similar response without question. Those similarities aside, the build up to each has been quite different. Avengers saw all of the characters previously introduced in better received films, while Justice League is marching forward with an established divisive past. Hopefully when the dust settles on Lane’s statements and the release of Justice League, both Marvel and DC will have their own successful team-up movies.
Diane Lane: Justice League Won’t Be Better Than The Avengers
Superman’s Mom Hates to Be Honest, But Justice League Is Worse Than Avengers
Looks like Superman’s mom doesn’t think he’s the most special boy in all the world, or at least shes’s not that impressed with his superpowered friends. When asked whether the Justice League movie will blow Marvel’s The Avengers out of the water, Diana Lane simply said: “No.”
In an appearance on Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen Live, Lane was asked by a viewer whether she could spoil any secrets about the upcoming superhero crossover, as well as whether Justice League will be better than The Avengers, which continues in 2018 with Infinity War.
“No and no,” Lane replied. “Short but honest. I hate to disappoint.”
Lane, who plays Superman’s mom Martha Kent, joins a growing list of Man of Steel actors who’ve poured salt on the wound that is the DCEU— barring Wonder Woman, which we hope is the shining light in a sea of meh. Laurence Fishburne (who played Perry White in Man of Steel) previously admitted that Marvel is kicking DC’s ass, and Amy Adams (Lois Lane) seemingly brushed off the fact that she was in the upcoming film last year.
Justice League comes out November 17. Ma Kent will presumably check it out once it comes to Netflix or something.
Superman’s Mom Hates to Be Honest, But Justice League Is Worse Than Avengers
Minecraft Gets Free Skin Pack to Celebrate 5th Anniversary on Xbox
It was just five years ago that Minecraft made its way to Xbox 360. The game had already become a huge hit on PC, but no one really knew the massive success that was coming both for PC and for consoles. Now Minecraft has spread to Xbox One and a bunch of other consoles, but that first release is still celebrated every year with the release of a new, free skin pack.
Minecraft players on Xbox 360 and Xbox One can grab the 5th anniversary skin pack for free from the Xbox Store. These new skins feature differently styled characters with Minecraft themed T-shirts that depict things from the game. Along with this, 4J Studios has made the last four skin packs available once again as well. Be sure to grab them while you can, because they’ll not be available forever.
Minecraft just continues growing every single day. Not only are developers Mojang and 4J introducing cool new features, but the playerbase continues to grow by leaps and bounds. It is one of the best selling games of all time across its many iterations, which stretch from the PS Vita, PS3, and PS4 to the Wii U, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. There are also special mobile and Windows 10 versions with some unique features, most of which are planned to make their way to consoles and standard PC at some point.
Those on PC have been playing Minecraft for even longer than the five years it’s been available on consoles, and that is where the game seems to be at its best. Still, the console versions have sold exceptionally well and offer a very streamlined and worry-free experience that seems to draw in a lot of players. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses and both are huge successes. Which do you prefer, and when did you first pick up Minecraft? Let us know in the comments.
Minecraft Gets Free Skin Pack to Celebrate 5th Anniversary on Xbox
16-year old CEO creates Tesla Model 3 in Minecraft after meeting Elon Musk
Internationally acclaimed Minecraft studio Block has released a Tesla Model 3 build of Minecraft, aimed at engaging with a new segment within the gaming community that follows Elon Musk’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
CEO Brandon Relph, age 16, and 19-year-old youth marketing expert Florian Funke first had the idea to create the Tesla-focused Minecraft world after meeting Elon Musk at Minecon in London in 2015. Capitalizing on the early release of Minecraft Marketplace, the team rushed in to create their vision, pixel by pixel.
To highlight the new creation, the Block team created the video below which features a rendition of a Tesla Model 3 that’s immersed into a digital world. The creators were interested in using the new world as a platform to advance the message of sustainable energy and to connect a new segment of the population with clean technologies.
This isn’t the first time we’re seeing passionate Minecrafters bring the world of Tesla into a digital landscape. We have previously seen crowd-sourced creations documenting The Boring Company’s tunnel system beneath SpaceX and a proposed Gigafactory in Lithuania.
Musk had shared in the past that he is an avid Minecraft fan which certainly has helped boost the popularity of using the platform as a way to pitch and connect with the serial tech entrepreneur.
What Tesla product or idea would you like to see created in Minecraft? Chime in!
16-year old CEO creates Tesla Model 3 in Minecraft after meeting Elon Musk
Minecraft Nintendo Switch NEWS: Reasons Switch game might be BEST version yet
Minecraft Nintendo Switch NEWS: Reasons Switch game might be BEST version yet
MINECRAFT joins the Nintendo Switch games list on May 12, complete with new features exclusive to the Nintendo version.
Nintendo switch owners can download Minecraft later this week, as the Mojang blockbuster gets a May 12 release date.
And it looks like the Nintendo Switch version of Minecraft might just be the best one yet.
Minecraft Switch contains the base game, as well as the Super Mario Mash-up Pack from the Wii U version.
The Super Mario Mash-up Pack contains additional content inspired by Super Mario World, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.
This includes 40 new Super Mario-themed skins such as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, as well as Bowser, Wario and all seven Koopalings.
There’s also a selection of Super Mario textures, a Super Mario World to explore and music from Super Mario 64.
But what really sets Minecraft Switch apart from its predecessors is the ability to play in lots of different ways.
Ahead of Express Online’s Minecraft Switch review, check out these screenshots below…
Minecraft Nintendo Switch NEWS: Reasons Switch game might be BEST version yet
Minecraft on Nintendo Switch does the trick, hides most of its compromises
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe only needed a few days to prove that good Wii U games play better—and sell better—on the Nintendo Switch. Coincidentally, the next major game for Switch seems poised to capitalize on the same idea: Minecraft, which officially goes on sale this Thursday, May 11, for $30.
How big of a whoop can the zillionth port of Minecraft really be? Consider this rough VGChartz estimate for Wii U game sales worldwide. Minecraft is the only true third-party game to crack Nintendo’s ironclad grip on the console’s top 20 games (yes, Nintendo produced the other 19), and it did so despite being available for less than two years.
Add in the sales proposition of splitting your Minecraft time of creating and adventuring between home and portable use, and you’ve got a potential super-hit. Unless Mojang or Microsoft screwed this up.
I have very good news: our cursory look at the game’s launch version revealed nothing in the way of red flags or giant alarms. Consider this a confirmation that your $30 will not be wasted if you or yours hunger for a Switch-specific Minecraft, along with an elaboration of what differences and quirks you can expect.
The biggest thing to confirm is performance, which hums at a 60-frames-per-second refresh in both portable and docked TV modes. I don’t have pixel-counting gear handy, but I am confident that Minecraft on Nintendo Switch renders in native resolution however you play it—meaning, 1080p resolution when docked and 720p resolution on the go.
In addition, you’re getting a lot more Minecraft to play than on the Wii U version. Each generated Switch world can be as big as 3072 x 3072 blocks, which is roughly 13 times larger than the Wii U’s pokey 864 x 864 world limit. That’s a bit more than a third the size of the PS4 and Xbox One versions’ 5120 x 5120 limits—which, honestly, seems about right when comparing those systems’ specs.
The Switch’s clock speed dips so much in portable mode that Minecraft also has to sacrifice portable draw distance. The above gallery shows the game’s maximum rendering in the Super Mario universe while looking at the same chunk of terrain. You can see which distant details get reduced or outright removed in portable mode (the first image). It looks a little tacky when flying around in the game’s easier “creative” modes, but it certainly doesn’t break the game—and is barely noticeable when you’re running around on the ground or in caves.
Even when pushing the system in local three- or four-player split-screen modes, frame rates and resolutions remain locked. However, I have one big warning to offer families who want to jump into a group session on the couch: you may need more controllers. Minecraft for Nintendo Switch does not support playing with a single Joy-Con. All players must have at least two joysticks. So, for now, everyone either needs their own pair of Joy-Cons or a single Switch Pro Controller. I wish that the port’s developers, 4J Studios, offered a “tourist” mode for a single Joy-Con, which would have let kids and novice players fly around with only one joystick. Alas.
Additionally, Ars’ Kyle Orland and I tested the Switch version’s online modes, and they worked fine. You cannot issue an invite to a friend to join your own Minecraft session; instead, anyone on your friends list will automatically see your instance is live if you’re both connected to the Internet, and they can jump in via the default “join” menu. It’s actually much easier than having to rely on an invite system. However, 4J didn’t step up with any sort of emote or chat system for this launch version, and the Nintendo Switch does not yet support voice chat in online modes, so it’s a little solitary to play this way. Better than nothing… but barely.
This is apparently derived from other console versions’ late-January build, and the series’ producers at Microsoft have pledged to get the game version up to the current April build post-haste (which Wii U players are currently enjoying). 4J and Microsoft have also pledged to patch in the ability to port your existing Wii U worlds and saves to the Switch version, but that functionality is not yet live. Perhaps all of those updates will be timed for Minecraft on Nintendo Switch’s boxed launch, which is still “TBA.” Right now, you can only buy this via the Switch’s eShop. (The Wii U’s disc version was staggered in similar fashion.)
Listing image by Mojang / Microsoft
Minecraft on Nintendo Switch does the trick, hides most of its compromises
Minecraft is coming to Nintendo Switch on May 11th
Minecraft is making its way to the Nintendo Switch. Today Nintendo revealed that the best-selling crafting game will launch on its new console on May 11th. The Switch edition looks to be much the same as the Wii U version, complete with Super Mario Bros.-themed content exclusive to Nintendo platforms. And while Minecraft is already available on a huge range of devices, the portable / console nature of Switch could potentially make this an ideal version.
Patriot Place theater puts Minecraft on the big screen
FOXBOROUGH — On April 29, local gamers were given the unique opportunity to play on the big screen at Showcase Cinema de Lux at Patriot Place as part of Super League Gaming’s Boston Revolt City Champs: Minecraft tournament.
Instead of playing the popular 3-D online game at home, participants were able to go to the theater and compete.
“The idea is to take Minecraft and make it a more communal environment where kids can play together,” said Showcase Vice President Mark Malinowski.
Players brought their personal laptops to use during the event and then played against each other on the giant screen for 90 minutes.
Most associate movie theaters with watching movies, but Malinowski said the environment is ideal to get gamers out to socialize and play together.
“It’s really fun to play at home, but in the theater, on the screen with the sounds, those are things you can’t get at home,” Malinowski said. “The goal is to get (kids) out having fun, and competing together in a social environment. More and more these days creating a communal and social experience is important.”
The three-day event will continue on Saturday, May 6 and again on Saturday, May 13. The grand final is scheduled for Saturday, May 20.
Tickets cost $60 per player. Parents get in free.
Showcase Cinema de Lux is located at 24 Patriot Place, Foxborough.
For more information visit, https://superleague.com/events/2686.
Mojang Wants to Hear Your ‘Minecraft’ Stories
One of the best things about Minecraft: Pocket Edition [$6.99] is how it can become a canvas for your stories, like how you went about building your “masterpiece,” or how you and your friends have created this very cool Realms server. If you have a cool Minecraft-related story to tell, Mojang wants to hear it and, if it’s cool enough, post it on the Minecraft webpage. If you haven’t been checking this webpage, Mojang has been posting some pretty cool stories that talk about various community builds, mini-games, and all kinds of other things. Now, the developers have put out a request for things like cool building projects, accounts from people who play Minecraft differently than most others, and so on.
If you do have a story to tell, you can go here and email Mojang (Microsoft), and who knows, your story might end up on the front page of Minecraft.net, which wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. Any stories you want to share?
Minecraft Marketplace offers a new place to buy maps and more
Microsoft is planning to launch a new Minecraft online store for third-party generated adventure maps, skins and texture packs.
Minecraft Marketplace, due to arrive this spring, will also host the company’s own goods. It’s planned as a curated store that offers the best Minecraft-related worlds and assets. Mods, which have traditionally been free, will not be included.
In the past, the company only sold its own first-party goods via an online store. Third-parties sold goods via their own online sites, but were restricted to only a few platforms.
Purchases will be made using a virtual currency called Minecraft Coins that can be bought with real money. The Marketplace will be attached to the user’s Xbox Live account. The currency cannot be earned through in-game activities. Third-party content creators will take at least a 50 percent share of income, according to a spokesperson for Microsoft, after retail fees have been extracted.
The Minecraft Marketplace will be available for all PC, tablet and mobile platforms, though not games consoles. These may be added at a later date.
At a press event last week, representatives from Microsoft’s Minecraft team demonstrated some of the packs that will be available for purchase. Nine creators have been chosen to launch the service including Sphax, Blockworks, Imagiverse and Noxcrew. New packs include:
- Skyfair: A set of floating islands featuring funfair-style mini-games.
- Pastel Skin Pack: Play in a pretty pastel art style.
- Pirate Map: Sunken galleons and swashbuckling combat map.
- Fairy-tale Adventure Map: Explore a world inspired by well-loved tales.
- Stone Age Texture Map: Dinosaurs and cave-dwellers.
- Scorching Sands: A post-apocalyptic role-playing map.
- Automaton Dreams: Cyberpunk adventure map.
A Microsoft spokesperson said that the company has been working on the store almost since it bought Mojang, back in 2014. The team decided on a curated offering in order to avoid IP issues and large numbers of poor user-generated offerings. Map-making is extremely popular in the Minecraft community
The company hopes the new store will inspire quality additional content, such as adventure maps and stories that use Minecraft almost like a game engine. Would-be creators can find out more at a website that launches today. Microsoft is only accepting applications from registered businesses.
Minecraft Marketplace will launch alongside the 1.1 Discovery Update, which includes concrete and glazed terracotta blocks, llamas, ability to effect behavioral changes to mobs (such as allowing zombies to fly), new evil villagers and an option to export in-game creations for 3D printing and editing in Microsoft Paint.
Minecraft Marketplace offers a new place to buy maps and more
Minecraft Code Builder In Beta
As part of a campaign to expand its share of the educational marketplace, Microsoft has created a new Code Builder tool that works in conjunction with Minecraft Education Edition and also integrates with Tynker, MIT’s ScratchX and the Microsoft MakeCode open source platform.
CodeBuilder was unveiled at a MicrosoftEDU event that took place in New York on May 2nd as one of several initiatives to spread Microsoft learning tools across K-12 classrooms – including Windows 10 S which we have already reported on.
At the event Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said:
“Democratizing education opportunity must be inclusive of everyone, not just a select few. To me this is extremely personal. This includes students with disability and different learning styles.”
Microsoft’s Minecraft Education Edition, an educational version of Minecraft specifically designed for classroom use, was announced in January 2016 and released in November after a beta test that opened in June. It costs $5 per year per user but is only available for purchase by schools, libraries, museums, and “participants in nationally recognized home-school organizations”.
The Code Builder add-on allows users to drag and drop commands to a virtual assistant, in the guise of a robot, who will perform tasks in the Minecraft world. It also supports switching into Javascript.
The beta of Code Builder for Minecraft is now available for schools to try with both the Windows 10 and macOS versions of Minecraft Education Edition. New users can get a free one-year trial from the Microsoft Store for Education and both Minecraft Education Edition and the Code Builder add-on.
Another new facility for Minecraft Education Edition is to use it with Microsoft MakeCode, which is described as:
an open source is a platform that combines the magic of Making with the power of Coding as a more inclusive approach to computer science education.
This video from the team shows the new MakeCode for Minecraft in action:
The restriction with taking advantage of this is that you’ll need an Office 365 for Education account, and so have to be an educator, administrator, or student at an eligible institution, something that has attracted adverse comments from people who don’t have this access. However, at the Windows 10 S launch it was stated that:
All new machines that ship with Windows 10 S will also come with a free Minecraft Education Edition subscription.
which might provide a new way in for those willing to buy new hardware.
Magic: The Gathering Skin Pack Out Now On Minecraft
Fan of Magic: The Gathering? Me neither! But the guys at Microsoft have come to some conclusion that a huge amount of their player base are, by releasing a skin pack for the card game.
Now obviously I’m kidding, Magic: The Gathering is actually really fun, and has amassed quite a huge following all around the world – which obviously constitutes the release.
The pack essential lets you play as a legendary Planeswalker Including favourites like Liliana Vess, Avacyn, Ajani Goldmane, and more. Some of the skins are available for free, but If you do, however, end up loving them, you can buy the remaining skins for just a few bucks.
Unfortunately, It’s currently only available for download on the Pocket and Windows 10 editions of Minecraft. However, the developers promised that console versions would be on digital shelves in the near future — so hopefully that includes the PS Vita Edition.
For only $2.99 CAD comes a total of 15 skins to choose from.
In other Minecraft news, the Switch will reportedly run at 60fps and will feature “Medium Sized Worlds”
If you are looking at getting Minecraft of the Nintendo Switch, we have some exciting news for you: Mojang has announced that the Minecraft Switch Version will run at a glorious 60FPS, will feature “Medium Sized Worlds” compared it’s Xbox One and PS4 counterparts) and will have Wii U world transfers.
According to Microsoft, developing on the Switch has been rather easy, and the game will be updated to Minecraft‘s January update when it’s released on May 11.
Finally, the Switch will feature world transfers from the Wii U so that you can keep working on your existing projects – however, this functionality will, unfortunately, not be available on the launch date.
Students can now learn how to code directly in Minecraft
The latest new feature in Minecraft: Education Edition makes it possible for students to learn how to code while playing the game.
Known as Code Builder, the feature is available today in beta for Minecraft: Education Edition. Code Builder is a tool that shows up in the game as a robot. Users can interact with the game through the robot via learn-to-code platforms such as Tynker, Scratch and MakeCode. In essence, they program actions that the robot performs.
“I can build a wall by making a for loop, and then that wall is going to show up in the game,” said Michelle Dauphiny Becker, executive producer on Minecraft, in a video about Code Builder.
The feature isn’t limited to those introductory platforms — Becker added that “you can go as far as you want with the tools that we provide in Code Builder.” For instance, people who know JavaScript can code directly in that language without the in-game robot, according to The Verge.
Minecraft: Education Edition is open to students, teachers and staff at K-12 schools, colleges, universities, libraries, museums and other qualifying institutions. It is available on Windows 10 and Mac OS.
Powered by Your Toilet Paper Purchases – The TouchArcade Show #304
We kick off this week’s podcast talking about the drama of the week surrounding Apple cutting affiliate payments, making us entirely dependent on our Patreon. We’ve also got an Amazon referral link set up on http://toucharcade.com/amazon, and would really appreciate it if you do your shopping on Amazon through that to support the site! It costs you nothing! (Well, other than what you’d buy on Amazon anyway.) From there, we get into a pretty awesome podcast featuring the following games: Robot Unicorn Attack 3 [Free], Match Land [Free], Family Guy: Another Freakin Mobile Game [Free], Penarium [$1.99], Super Senso [Free], and Suck It Up [Free].
Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!
Patreon backers get access to a ultra-rad video version of the podcast (you can get a taste of what they’re like above), which you can view by clicking here. It includes us playing the games we’re talking about as we’re talking about them, and other fun surprises.
iTunes Link: The TouchArcade Show
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Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-304.mp3, 75MB
Powered by Your Toilet Paper Purchases – The TouchArcade Show #304
Branching cities and floating pirate ships make Minecraft fresh again
Drifted away from Minecraft? It’s time to take a rocket-powered flight back.
The first thing I saw when I logged into Minecraft after a year’s absence was my friend dressed in a chicken costume flying through the air with magic purple wings on his back, the unmistakable fizz of fireworks propelling him forward. Naturally, I was hooked at once.
The wings-fireworks combo was introduced toward the end of last year, and like most of Minecraft’s updates these days, it passed me by. After playing the game religiously for its first few years I now dip in and out occasionally, and every time I expect to be confused by new additions, fall back into old routines, and then give up after a week.
But the wings have changed everything. They cut travel time across the world, so you can zip between your bases in no time at all. They’re also great for exploring—if you need to find a particular biome, just choose a direction, strap on your wings and take flight.
The wings and rockets let you explore another huge addition that arrived toward the end of last year: End Cities. These are sprawling sets of connected rooms found in the outer islands of The End that contain a new enemy type, floating pirate ships and—most importantly—some of the best loot in the game.
My Minecraft experience now revolves around them. When I log in I’m not thinking about what my next build is, or what resources I need to collect for my long-term project. I’m wondering how many End Cities I can loot in that session. To reach them, go The End and use an ender pearl on the gateway portal that spawns after you defeat the Ender Dragon. Then, pick a direction and hurl yourself off an edge, double-tapping space to spread your wings and firing rockets to gain speed.
It’s genuinely relaxing to glide between the islands, grazing the tops of the tall chorus plants below as the wind rushes in your ears. I especially like flying in third-person view (hit F5) and gradually sweeping left and right in gentle arcs. If you change direction quickly you slow down, which is useful for landing and gives you a sense of realistic physical movement—you feel like more than just a floating head. Trying to keep your speed up and manage your reserves of fireworks is like a stress-free mini game in itself.
Eventually, an End City will emerge from the darkness. They’re vast, impressive complexes connected to the ground by a thin room. Their tops branch up and out like twisted purple trees. Sometimes, a floating End Ship will spawn at the end of a pier which lets you ender pearl across if you don’t have yet have wings.
These ships are usually my first target, because they contain the best loot, and popping their two chests rarely disappoints. There’s diamonds abound, and you’ll often find diamond tools and armour with top level enchants alongside iron ingots, armour, and other goodies.
They’re also the only place you can find wings. If you don’t have a buddy who can lend you a pair like I did, you’ll have to find an End City on foot, climb up the tower, and use an ender pearl to get across to the ship. It’s a bit of a faff, but it won’t take very long and it’s well worth it in the long run.
Next it’s a smart idea to head for a treasure room, which you can identify by stairs leading down into their vaults. They, too, contain top-tier items as well as the new enemies, called shulkers. When their shell opens they fire what look like zero gravity cotton balls that home in on your position, dealing minimal damage but causing you to levitate on impact.
Provided you’re geared up with some decent armour, they don’t pose a threat, and they’re easy to take out. The levitation can actually be useful for climbing up towers or reaching new areas. As long as you have ender pearls or wings with you (or chorus fruit, which cancels levitation when you munch it) it’s easy to avoid any fall damage.
With no real enemy threat you’re free to move around the city, and this itself is fun, too. You can use the wings to glide between different rooms, or use ender pearls to clear gaps. And if you miss a shot the wings serve as a safety net that prevent you from dying, respawning, and having to traipse back to where you died (a cycle we all know too well).
It’s pleasant. You arrive at a base, grab diamond gear, muck about a bit, and then glide off to the next one. The feedback loop of fly, loot, fly is really addictive, and feels like a much more active way of tooling up than digging mine shafts miles under the surface, scrabbling through the dirt in the hope of finding a glint of blue.
But more than that, it’s rekindled my love for the rest of the game. Having access to high level tools and a reliable reserve of diamonds cuts down the time it takes me to complete other projects. Combining some of the enchanted diamond tools I’ve found in chests, including an Efficiency V, has given me a pick that rips through stone as soon as it touches it, allowing me to carve out an underground space for a substantial new tree farm in a matter of minutes.
I’m now a month in to this style of play, and I haven’t stopped thinking about what I can do with the loot I’ve plundered from End Cities. If you, like me, haven’t played it in a while, then its worth giving it a go—this might just be the update that makes you fall in love with Minecraft all over again.
Branching cities and floating pirate ships make Minecraft fresh again
Minecraft Patch Fixes “Glide” Issues As New DLC Hits The Store
Last month, the latest minigame “Glide” was added to Minecraft: Xbox One Edition and Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition. Launching with only a single map, Mojang promised later updates would include additional maps. Some will be free, while others will be available for purchase in various packs or as part of the Glide Season Pass.
The first paid pack, “Glide Beast”, launches today on both consoles at US$2.99 or your local equivalent, with the promised Season Pass turning up simultaneously at US$9.99. “Glide Beast” draws inspiration from mythological creatures and contains three maps.
YetiYou can choose to dodge yetis and ancient fossils in the Ice Biome inspired map “Yeti” or fly alongside fire-breathing reptiles in “Dragon”. Alternatively you can face the “Kraken”, flying straight past the terrifying beast as it takes on two ships.
KrakenAlongside the release, a small patch fixes some bugs and makes minor improvements. The patch notes are identical for both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions of the game.
- Added Glide Beasts Track Pack (Dragon, Kraken and Yeti Glide tracks)
- Added new Glide music tracks for the new Glide Tracks
- Change to Glide to require passing through all Checkpoints before reaching the end of the track
- Glide Solo Mode can now be played for longer before being automatically returned to the Lobby
- Fix for spectator not hearing Glide ring or thermal sounds for the player they are spectating
- Fix for Glide round timer continuing to tick while the Pause Menu is displayed in Solo Mode
- Decreased the respawn delay in Glide
- Added coloured particles when you cross the finish line in Glide
- Showdown in Glide now says “Hurry Up”
- Fix for Interface Opacity setting not affecting the HUD in Glide
- Fix for some Boat item textures in the Mass Effect Mash-up pack not matching the entity textures
- Fix for an issue that caused the damage sound to be repeatedly played at the end of a Glide round
- Fix for an issue that caused the body of player models to be set back from the other limbs
DragonThe patch is already live across all platforms.
Minecraft Patch Fixes “Glide” Issues As New DLC Hits The Store
‘Minecraft PE’ Got ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Skin Pack in Latest Update
Minecraft: Pocket Edition [$6.99] continues to prepare for the introduction of the Minecraft Marketplace, but in the meantime it continues to add new skins. This week, we got an unexpected Skin Pack based on the iconic CCG Magic the Gathering. The skin pack includes some of the most iconic figures of Magic, including necromancy master Liliana Vess, Ajani Goldmane, and archangel Avacyn. The skins looks pretty cool and definitely add a different tone to your Minecraft adventures. Even if you don’t care about Magic, you might still want to grab these skins.
According to Sarah Kisor, one of the Minecraft skin artists, this pack was quite an interesting challenge because they had to translate these very complex characters into the simplicity of Minecraft. It took time to make it so these skins are instantly recognizable for fans of Magic. The Magic skin pack is available now on the Minecraft Pocket Edition Store.
‘Minecraft PE’ Got ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Skin Pack in Latest Update
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