Link’s First Person Glitch, Balan Wonderworld Concerns

Paradox Insider round-up

Paradox Interactive just broadcast an online event called Paradox Insider where the publisher and its studios made announcements.

The event was a small warm-up before the big event PDXCON Remixed, which is scheduled for May 21st-23rd. There were still a few morsels of information for dedicated Paradox fans, although Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 and its troubled development went unmentioned.

• Crusader Kings III: Northern Lords (DLC) – PDX Insider Interview | Feature Breakdown – March 16, 2021
• Empire of Sin – PDX Insider Interview
• Europa Universalis IV: Leviathan (DLC) – PDX Insider Interview – TBA 2021
• Stellaris: Nemesis (DLC) – PDX Insider Interview | Story Pt. 2 Trailer – April 15, 2021
• Surviving Mars | In-Dome Buildings Pack (DLC) – PDX Insider Interview | Release Trailer – Out Now

What was the first Zelda game without a Koji Kondo soundtrack?

a) Zelda II: The Adventures of Link
b) Link to the Past
c) The Wind Waker
d) Skyward Sword

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today's issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.

Ballsy deep cut in Colonial Marines

Gearbox Software’s infamous flop Aliens: Colonial Marines features an unlikely Easter egg referencing Sonic & Knuckles, of all things. Go to the large building in the sixth mission, For Bella, and find a room with a sentry gun on the left-hand side of the entrance.

Inside a locker in that room you can find three small balls: One red, another blue and the final one with a texture that looks suspiciously like the ground in the Chaos Emerald stage. Sega published the game, which explains the Sonic reference, but it’s an unusually opaque one.

Join our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss today's fact.

Stubbs the Zombie rises from the grave

Aspyr is bringing back cult classic Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, originally developed by Bungie co-founder Alex Seropian’s Wideload Games, while THQ Nordic finally brings Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning to Switch. Marvel’s Avengers is also finally out for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Tuesday – March 16th

• Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning for Switch
• Mundaun for PC, Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• R.B.I. Baseball 21 for PC, Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Samurai Shodown for Xbox Series X/S
• Saviors of Sapphire Wings & Stranger of Sword City Revisited for PC, Switch
• Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse for Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Wednesday – March 17th

• In Rays of the Light for Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One

Thursday – March 18th

• DARQ: Complete Edition for Switch
• Caravan Stories for Switch
• Gloria Union: Twin Fates in Blue Ocean FHD Edition for Switch, iOS, Droid
• Jack Jeanne for Switch
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV for Switch
• Maglam Lord for Switch, PlayStation 4
• Marvel's Avengers for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Friday – March 19th

• Can't Drive This for PC, Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville – Complete Edition for Switch
• Root Film for Switch, PlayStation 4

See the world through Link’s eyes

Fans have discovered a glitch in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild that lets the truly dedicated play the the whole game in first-person.

The exploit involves pulling the in-game camera view out while you hold an item from the menu, and then cancel the item holding, which locks the camera in place.

Look ma, no hands: While the game remains playable, it's not exactly designed to be played like this – and Nintendo could squash the bug with a quick update. Of course, they don't have any particular reason to, and Nintendo tends to leave bugs in (even in remasters!) if they don't actively prevent games from working.

Skyward, ho! Nintendo is hard at work on a sequel to Breath of the Wild, but fans can slake their thirst for adventure with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD in July, which will emulate the game's infamous motion controls – or let you play it with more typical controller input.

• Frantic couch co-op party game Very Very Valet hits Switch on May 29th with pre-orders open now
• A Hot Wheels Mario Kart Rainbow Road Track Set has suddenly appeared on Amazon and will be available on May 29th
• Experience first-troll perspective in Valheim by orienting the camera just right while you're being chased
• Day one patch for Balan Wonderworld following feedback, with developer apologizing that they can’t address all concerns from the demo
• Cinematic trailer for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Season 4 promises a neon-lit retro-futuristic vibe and a March 22nd launch date

What was the first Zelda game without a Koji Kondo soundtrack?

ANSWER: Zelda II: The Adventures of Link!

Sometimes it takes more than one sequel for a series to hit its stride. Castlevania 2, Super Mario Bros. 2 and – perhaps most famously – The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link are the outcasts of their respective families. Zelda II isn’t exactly bad, it’s just a major departure from the first game – and misses Koji Kondo’s magic touch.

Instead, its soundtrack was composed by Akito Nakatsuka, who wrote music for Excitebike and Ice Climber and later supervised the audio in many famous Nintendo games. His music still lives on, such as the remixed Palace theme used in the Smash Bros. series. Even if Kondo might be regarded as the true Zelda composer, Nakatsuka’s contributions certainly stand out.

Help Us Improve DailyBits

We hope you've enjoyed today's issue of DailyBits! Please feel free to send any feedback or news tips over to team@dailybits.news. In order to make sure you keep receiving these emails, we'd also like to ask if you could please add us to your contact list, so that we don't land in your spam or promotion folders. Thank you!

Today's issue of DailyBits was written by Gavin Herman, Erlend Grefsrud, Simon Priest, and Jamie Davey.