Latest news with #Wipeout
Buzz Feed
2 days ago
- General
- Buzz Feed
27 Things That Will Make Your Backyard The Place To Be
A set of waterproof globe lights so you can make your backyard look like your favorite outdoor beer garden — and your guests will love that there's no cover charge! An inflatable hot tub with 120 (!!!) bubble jets and room to fit up to four people. This bb is more than just a glorified blow-up pool — the puncture-resistant design can heat water up to 104 degrees, and it includes a filter and a cover, so no curious neighborhood chipmunks accidentally take a dip. A fast-acting lawn repair formula if your puppy has a favorite pee spot and it shows... This stuff will get new grass growing in no time, so you can get back to hosting your legendary BBQs. A scent-free mosquito repeller that'll keep bloodsuckers at bay so you can enjoy being outside without feeling like you want to crawl out of your own skin. The gadget creates a 15-foot shield, so you don't have to hover right over it either. A bubble tent to make your garden feel like an exclusive rooftop bar. A bit of wind or summer showers are no problem here!!! A triangular sail that'll bring your backyard some much-needed shade *and* drop the temperature a few degrees so you can actually enjoy the outdoors instead of worrying about sprouting a sweat stache. A square iron firepit table so you can partake in your fave outdoor pastime: making s'mores! It sure beats cooking 'em over a regular stove — let me tell you that. Or a tabletop option if you don't have much room to work with but want to create the same ambience. The 1.4-pound smokeless firepit is ultra-portable, so you can even take it camping or to your friend's place when they host outdoor game night. Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers so your kids can launch themselves at one another without worrying about broken bones. If your fam loves watching Wipeout together, this is like having Wipeout at home. A pack of 1,000 sunflower seeds (with nine unique varieties) that can absolutely transform your yard. The low-maintenance flowers bloom annually and attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds so you can create your own botanical garden. And an easy-to-mount bamboo shoot bee house to attract solitary mason and leafcutter bees. In exchange for you providing them with a pretty dope penthouse, they'll return the favor by pollinating your flowers, berry plants, and fruit and nut trees. A mini tiki bar you can stock with everything you need to whip up tropical drinks. Don't forget the tiny umbrella toothpicks and a tip jar if you'll be playing bartender for visitors!! A pack of solar-powered mushroom string lights sure to add some whimsy to any outdoor space. And since they're cordless, you don't have to worry about being in proximity of an outlet. An electric power washer with a 2,000-watt motor you can use to blast crud off of your car, garage door, fence, patio, or outdoor furniture. Plus, it's a perfect excuse to throw on the Wellies you've been wanting to wear. A soft hammock because taking a nap outdoors just hits different. With this, you'll basically feel like you're using a mattress topper. A weatherproof Wi-Fi extender you can easily mount outdoors so you can take your WFH setup and convert it into a WFO (work from outside) setup without worrying about your internet speed. Interlocking teak tiles for renters who can't exactly rip out old pavers or remove their lawn to install sod. This solid wood solution requires no tools and can even be installed over uneven surfaces. Reviewers note that they last through years of use and can even be stained if you're going for a specific look. A battery-operated patio umbrella light that'll provide overhead light so you can continue your alfresco gossip sesh long after sunset. A ring toss game if family gatherings bring out your competitive nature. Round up the cousins and get to playing — winners get out of dish duty and get to sleep in grandma's guest bedroom instead of on the pullout couch. And a giant stacking game that'll provide hours of entertainment and even attract those who say they "don't play games." A sandbox with built-in bench seats that'll convert into a cover so when the kiddos are done playing, it doesn't become a big ol' cat box for neighborhood felines. A weather-resistant cedar pathway you can use to connect your patio to other outdoor areas like your garden or hot tub. A massive inflatable screen from which you can watch all your fave programs. Bust this out for all of your summer Bachelor in Paradise viewings, and I guarantee no one will be late. A propane patio heater so you can extend your backyard time even when the sun sets and summer wraps up. The 47,000 BTU output heats up an area of about 10 feet, so you can fit your table and chairs comfortably within reach. A canopy swing that basically looks like a Fisher-Price baby rocker — just for adults. If only it came with a motor to automatically rock you to sleep... A fully adjustable portable backyard mister you can coil along a railing, or umbrella, or even just prop up on the ground next to you. It might not look like much, but it can cool areas off by up to 20 degrees! And an aluminum patio gazebo sure to make you feel like you're in an exclusive VIP cabana at your favorite resort. Now to hire someone who can handle bottle service...
The Verge
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Fast Fusion scratches the hyper fast F-Zero itch
The Switch 2 technically launched with an F-Zero game, as F-Zero GX was available on Nintendo Switch Online's premium tier as part of the GameCube lineup. But if you're looking for a new F-Zero or Wipeout, the console has a spiritual successor that costs just $14.99: Shin'en's Fast Fusion. Fast Fusion pits you in futuristic sci-fi hovercraft races where you fly forward at hundreds of miles per hour. Races are all about managing boosts by collecting coins to build your boost meter and driving over boost zones on the tracks themselves. (You can boost into opponents to make them spin out to earn some extra coins, which never gets old.) The game looks great — it's the first time I've been really wowed by the Switch 2's graphics. The tracks are thrilling, with rolling hills and tight turns that sometimes make you feel like you're on a roller coaster, especially when you're barreling ahead at super-fast speeds. They all feel distinct, too: In one, you'll drive over a sandy desert as whale-like creatures jump above you. A course in space forced me to dodge meteors falling on the track. One stage set around a volcano was filled with magma. There's no online multiplayer, so you're probably going to be competing mostly against computer opponents. They can be tough, even at the lowest difficulty — sometimes it even feels like they can unfairly rubber-band ahead of you. But as I got more familiar with the tracks, knowing when to boost, and learning where to find alternate rounds, I found I was better at keeping up. Fortunately, you don't have to get first place in a cup to get a good chunk of in-game currency you can use to buy new tracks or vehicles. And you can play local multiplayer, if you want to take on your friends at home. If you tire of cups, there are a few other fun modes to play and earn money from. My favorite was 'Super Hero Mode,' where you have to get first place in a track without blowing up — with the added twist that your boost meter is also a shield meter, similar to F-Zero. It creates an exciting risk-reward dynamic, and I wish there was a mode where you had to complete a whole cup that way. The game's vehicles are much less interesting than the levels. They all looked pretty generic to me. You can pay a small fee to 'fuse' vehicles together to make better racers, though I honestly couldn't tell that much of a difference between the different options. Fast Fusion isn't exactly the same as F-Zero, and I really wish Nintendo would make a brand-new entry in that series. (F-Zero 99 doesn't quite count. Sorry, Wes.) And I'm not getting my hopes up for a new Wipeout game anytime soon. For now, Fast Fusion scratches the high-speed sci-fi racing itch, and it's a great showcase for what's possible with the Switch 2 — and what a new F-Zero might, someday, possibly look like. Fast Fusion is available now on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Fast Fusion review – anti-gravity racer offers brings 60fps fun to Switch 2
Shin'en Multimedia returns with another excellent, high-speed entry into its anti-gravity racing series, retaining what works with some small appreciated adjustments. Fast Fusion tears up the anti-gravity track for a fourth time thanks to improved visuals and framerate, which allows you to feel the high-speed thrill of futuristic racing like never before only on Nintendo Switch 2. It must be the law that whenever a new Nintendo console launches, so too will an anti-gravity racing game developed by Shin'en Multimedia soon after. For four – count them, four! – straight generations now the studio has been on hand to provide fast-paced racing nirvana, first launching its F-Zero and Wipeout inspired series with 2011's Fast Racing League on Wii, followed by Fast Racing Neo on Wii U, and then the simply titled Fast RMX in 2017 on Nintendo Switch. Fast forward to today and the studio is back (as is tradition) with the equally brilliant Fast Fusion for the Nintendo Switch 2. Surprising absolutely no-one it's yet another stylish futuristic racer that excels in delivering high-speed thrills with little to no frills – this time complete with a fresh new fusion mechanic. Anyone familiar with the series up until this point will feel right at home with Fast Fusion. You work your way through a series of three-circuit tournaments while trying to stay on the track racing a high-powered anti-gravity racing machine. With the ability to drive into orbs that enable you to engage a boost to let you race even faster, it's a clear harken back to the days when minimalist racers dominated the early 3D era of racers using stripped-back control schemes and super sleek aesthetic design. Given Nintendo itself hasn't released a proper console F-Zero game since 2003's GX, Shin'en Multimedia's continued attempts at recapturing this style of racer have been forever welcome. Doubly so on the Nintendo Switch 2 with Fast Fusion, it turns out, since for the very first time I got the sense while playing that this is the first proper Fast series entry to not have to compromise due to old hardware or technical limitation. The extra oomph in horsepower the new hybrid console provides is immediately noticeable upon firing up this latest anti-gravity racer, where playing in handheld mode means getting to enjoy silky smooth 60fps at 1080p, with the resolution increasing to 4K when played on the big screen. Such a difference in framerate and resolution truly benefits Fast Fusion, since the sense of speed feels the fastest and smoothest it has ever been. Even outside of technical performance, however, Fast Fusion brings the heat with a great selection of varied track designs and environmental course themes. While it's a tad disappointing to know that there's only 12 tracks in total to race on (less than half of what's available in Mario Kart World) all excel in making every bend, corner, and chicane matter. One thing that always surprised me the more I explored Fast Fusion's racing delights was the sense of weight these hulking, metal vehicles offer. Leaping into the air in search of more boost orbs or coins only to come crashing down onto the track feels satisfyingly hefty, giving races a sense of drama and intensity other indie racers could only dream of. Need for speed Speaking honestly, most of what Fast Fusion does well are elements that Shin'en Multimedia has already executed pretty perfectly with previous entries. Finding sly shortcuts by venturing off track early, engaging boosts at the correct time, and switching between blue and red modes to take advantage of on-track boost strips are all present and accounted for again. It's really only the new hyper jump ability that forces you to consider your actions on the track slightly more strategically. However, the number of vehicles you can pilot has been stepped up thanks to the new titular mechanic, which genuinely does bring a new level of excitement to the same familiar yet fun high-speed races. At any point in between tournaments you can visit the Fusion shop to not just unlock new vehicles boasting different, better stats using any money earned, but fuse any two of them together also. As such, while picking two higher-tier vehicles for fusion might see them taken off the track, it often leads to more powerful vehicles with increased speed, acceleration, and boost to become available in your racing roster. Competing without these beasts in the early hours works perfectly fine to maintain your lead in races across icescapes, neon cities, and abandoned woodland, but eventually new fusion vehicles become essential to hold your own in tournaments played on the toughest difficulty level. Thankfully, Fast Fusion encourages plenty of experimentation with its fusion mechanic thanks to the ability to break a vehicle back into two for a small cost. I didn't need to rely on this too much, however, since the game always provides a handy rating to indicate the kind of quality the outcome vehicle will be following fusion, although its exact properties are kept a mystery up until after. Overall, the fusion mechanic isn't significantly game-changing in terms of the way you should approach races on the track, but it does add another string to the bow of this already stylish racing package that makes for a good deal of personalisation that wasn't there before. To the extent that I'll be gutted if the mechanic doesn't return in the hypothetical Nintendo Switch 3's eventual instalment. Fast Fusion isn't too dissimilar to what's come before in the series, yet this hasn't stopped Shin'en Multimedia from nipping and tucking its anti-gravity racing formula marginally to find ways that make it more even more exciting but still pure. Careening around bends and clashing into rival vehicles is still as intensely thrilling as it has been for over 10 years. However, thanks to improved visuals and framerate that do real justice to the franchise's futuristic inclinations, the new hyper jump ability, and the surprisingly flexible fusion mechanic, racing through stylish circuits at a fast pace has been given additional depth and dimensions.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
1,800 Scouts take over theme park to enjoy day of fun
Nearly 2,000 Scouts were awarded bravery badges after enjoying a day at a theme park. The 1,800 Scouts from Norfolk and Suffolk took over Pleasurewood Hills at Lowestoft on Sunday. The youngsters, aged between four and 18, were among the first to try out the relaunched Wipeout ride, the UK's only Vekoma Boomerang which reaches up to 5G of forward force. George, eight, from Bowthorpe, said: "Wow, that was the most fun ride I've ever been on, I really liked the six loops." 'So special' - Scouts take over theme park for day out (Image: Supplied) "It felt really special having the park to ourselves." The event was organised by adult volunteers and gave the Scouts the opportunity to meet others from across the two counties and enjoy a day out different from their usual weekly programmes. Jane Warden, from Norfolk Scouts, said: "It's brilliant to see so many Scouts having so much fun. "It's so special to have the whole park to ourselves, our young people are really lucky to be part of such a large organisation that is able to do things like this."
Yomiuri Shimbun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Artist Accuses Playstation Game of Lifting Her Work; Studio Admits to ‘Oversight'
Sony 'Marathon,' the upcoming multiplayer game by Sony-owned Bungie, has been accused of using artwork from an independent artist without permission. Fern Hook, a 30-year-old independent artist in Scotland, noticed something familiar about 'Marathon,' the upcoming video game by Bungie, the studio that created the Halo series and is now owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment. 'Marathon,' she said, is 'covered with assets lifted from poster designs I made in 2017,' all in the alpha version of the game, which allowed the general public to play an early version of the multiplayer shooter. She became suspicious when the game was announced in a 2023 trailer, but nothing appeared to her to be derivative at first. In mid-April, content creators began publishing early videos of 'Marathon' gameplay. She said she 'very quickly' began to spot her work. Hook's futuristic iconography and font designs are posted on social media sites like Tumblr and X as far back as 2017, and similar features are seen all over the environment and the objects within 'Marathon,' she said, pointing out the similarities through her social media on Thursday. 'It was kind of vindicating to see direct plagiarism because it meant I wasn't crazy for feeling so uncomfortable with the overall direction,' Hook told The Washington Post. 'I kept quiet about it because I was advised to seek legal action, but … I don't have enough time or money to fly out to the U.S. to pursue an unwinnable court case against Sony.' When The Post contacted Sony about the allegations, a spokesperson pointed to Bungie's statement on social media. The 'Marathon' developer team said on X that it was looking into 'a concern regarding unauthorized use of artist decals in Marathon and confirmed that a former Bungie artist included these in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game.' 'The issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred,' the studio posted on X, adding that it had contacted Hook to discuss the issue and was 'committed to do right by the artist.' The studio said it is conducting a review of the game's artwork, specifically the images made by the former artist, and implementing 'stricter checks to document all artist contributions.' The allegations could be particularly damaging for Bungie and 'Marathon,' which has struggled to gain positive press during a financially challenging era for the studio. 'Marathon' is a classic 1990s computer shooter with a harrowing science-fiction narrative. The reboot, expected to be released in September, throws that out to instead focus on an always-online, multiplayer-only competitive shooting game. The most widely acclaimed aspect of the new game was its art design, which goes for bold colors and a 1990s futurism vibe. The art style is not original, especially in games, with PlayStation's Wipeout series being an early adopter. But the clean, shiny aesthetic is rare in a modern video games industry typically obsessed with gritty realism. This is not the first time Bungie has been accused of using the work of an independent artist. In 2024, a fan made art of a toy gun designed in the style of Bungie's earlier game 'Destiny 2,' which was then used as a model for a game-themed Nerf gun. Bungie later said it would credit and compensate the artist. Hook said this is also not the first time she has seen her work lifted, and she has made posts over the years alleging other organizations tracing and lifting her work. She said she relies on donations for her various online projects, and this recent incident has seen hundreds of people donating money in support. Hook also composes drum and bass music and sound design for games under the name N2, and produces freelance art work under the name ANTIREAL. She co-runs a design and software consultancy firm called Superstructure as well. 'I'd kind of had to learn to shut up about these cases because they've happened so constantly over the past 10 years,' she said. 'It was tiring to be viewed as 'someone who complains' more than as an artist. But the response this time has been overwhelmingly understanding and I'm extremely thankful for the support.'
