Overview
- Website
- vvisions.com
- Average Review Score
- 7.14/10
- Average Game Rating
- 7.01/10
Latest Reviews of Vicarious Visions Games
Review Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (Switch) - A Rock Solid Switch Port For A Pair Of Pros
Vertuous Mission
If there's ever been a pair of videogames that need little to no introduction, whose glowing reputations proceed them to the extent that everyone from tired old pros to fresh-faced newcomers has surely heard of them by this point, it's the genre-defining Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and its sublime sequel. The first two entries in a...
Patience you must have
The Switch is finally getting itself some Star Wars games! With last week’s release of the rather excellent Star Wars Pinball being very quickly followed by this, a barebones port of 2002’s Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Quite rightly regarded as one of the very best Star Wars games – certainly in terms of its...
Review Skylanders SuperChargers (Wii U)
Articulation, That’s What You Need
While other toy-game hybrid makers are moving on from older Nintendo hardware this year, Activision has doubled down on Wii, 3DS and Wii U Skylanders with bespoke versions and cross-over dual action Skylander-amiibo. This year's Skylanders Superchargers novelty is a good one. The articulated vehicles not only...
Review Skylanders SWAP Force (Wii U)
Swap ‘til you drop
It’s no secret that collecting and gaming go hand in hand — how else can you explain the popularity of special editions of games that come with physical content as well as toys and figurines? Taking this into account, it’s no wonder that the Skylanders series has become so popular and successful since its inception just...
Review Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure (3DS)
The great gig in the sky
There's something magical about a good toy. Be it an action figure, doll, transforming truck, projectile-spitting dragon or a wooden block, it doesn't matter how many removable parts or points of articulation they have once burrowed into your imagination and destined for Great Adventure along with the rest of the toy chest...
Review Jet Grind Radio (Game Boy Advance)
Funk on wheels
Sega's Dreamcast died in an explosion that sent the company's intellectual property flying all over what was left of the gaming landscape, and few consoles of that generation received more surprise ports than the Game Boy Advance. Not only did it see Sonic return to his former 2D self in the Sonic Advance series, the handheld also...
Review Transformers: Decepticons (DS)
Transformers: Decepticons is practically the same game as the Autobots edition told from the angle of the “evil” Starscream as opposed to the “heroic” Optimus Prime.
All the gameplay flaws are present (see our review of Transformers: Autobots for the full details) the only difference being you are treated with a whole new set of cut-scenes...
Review Transformers: Autobots (DS)
I, like most other Transformers fans was pretty upset to hear that my “backpocket interest” was to be thrust into the mainstream once again.
Having loved The Transformers since I was very young sometimes it’s pretty irritating hearing all the tweens talking about something you’ve loved so much longer than them. It must be some kind of...
Latest Vicarious Visions Articles
News Alleged Concept Art From Cancelled Donkey Kong Project Emerges
What could have been
Following details of a cancelled Donkey Kong project at the now-defunct development studio Vicarious Visions, supposed concept art has now surfaced online. Known online as 'Donkey Kong Freedom' (though an extensive video from Did You Know Gaming claims that this was never the working title for the project), the game was...
News Details Emerge Of A Cancelled Donkey Kong Project From Vicarious Visions
Rope burn'd
Of all the studios to potentially work on a Donkey Kong project, Vicarious Visions (now known simply as Blizzard Albany) admittedly wasn't particularly high up on our list. However, details have emerged of a now-cancelled DK project at the studio via a new video from Did You Know Gaming (with prior reporting from DK Vine). According to...
Random This Fan-Made Crash Bandicoot Game Remakes A Hidden GBA Minigame
Aku Aku-knowledging the past
After having a lot of fun with Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time when we reviewed the game last year, we have been eager to hear more news about the orange blur. An upcoming fan project from Unknown Door Games seems to do just that, though in a slightly less official release/full game kind of way. Posting their...
"I wish I could say we had something in the works"
Fans of the Birdman (that's Tony Hawk) got quite a shock earlier this year in April when it was revealed the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater developer Vicarious Visions had been absorbed by Blizzard Entertainment. Concerns were raised about the future of the series at the time, and if remasters of the third...
News Vicarious Visions Staff Left "Blindsided" By Reported Merger With Embattled Blizzard
All is not well at the Diablo II: Resurrected studio
Vicarious Visions – the studio behind multiple Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero and Skylanders entries – is to be merged with Blizzard, it is being reported. According to Polygon, which has spoken to various staff at the studio, the decision to abandon the Vicarious Visions name and...
News Blizzard President J. Allen Brack Is Leaving The Company
Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra to replace him
Content warning: Please be aware that the following article and the sources linked within touch on topics including discrimination, sexual harassment and assault, and suicide. On July 21st, Bloomberg Law reported that Activision Blizzard — the multi-billion dollar company behind Diablo, Ov
Guide Best Tony Hawk Games Of All Time
As ranked by you
The arrival of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 on Switch back in June 2021 ended a decade-long drought (on Nintendo consoles) of ollies, nollies, kickflips, and grinds from the master Mr. Anthony F. Hawk. The games and their iconic soundtracks were a formative part of many gamers' lives in the late '90s/early 2000s and we were thrilled...
The 200-person studio now only works on Blizzard games
Vicarious Visions is no more. As of today, the 31-year-old company has been fully subsumed into Blizzard, and will be "fully dedicated to existing Blizzard games and initiatives" from now on. In an interview with gamesindustry.biz, a representative for Vicarious Visions said the following:...
News Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Is Out Today On Switch
As seen in the Direct Mini
Update 2 (Thu 26th Mar, 2020 16:00 GMT): And there we have it! Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is being made available today on Nintendo Switch. The game was shown off in today's Nintendo Direct Mini, where it was also revealed that Star Wars Episode I: Racer will be getting a Switch remake. Here's a feature list:...
Rumour Crash Bandicoot Might Be Returning In A Completely "New" Game
Comeback king
At the start of this year, Activision revealed the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy had shifted more than 10 million units worldwide. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled followed this and managed to finish in first place on multiple occa
Video Here's How Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy On Switch Compares To Other Versions
It's a close call
Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy is available now on Switch but has previously been released on Sony and Microsoft's consoles. If you're mulling a purchase and already own a PS4 or Xbox One system, you may well be wondering how the Switch version compares - and whether you should choose portability over performance. As we said in...
Rumour Spyro Trilogy Coming To Multiple Formats Next Year After PS4 Exclusivity Ends
Hot stuff?
According to Kotaku UK - which has consulted sources close to the project - we'll be getting a Spyro the Dragon Trilogy Remaster this year similar in scope to the wildly-successful Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. The games included will be Spyro the Dragon, Ripto's Rage!, and Year of the Dragon, and there's a chance that...
News Skylanders Developer Vicarious Visions Is Now Working On Destiny
Backs up rumours of series cancellation
It has been confirmed thatSkylanders developer Vicarious Visions is helping Bungie with Destiny, adding credence to rumours that Activision is pulling the plug on its defining toys-to-life franchise following disappointing sales of the latest entry, Skylanders Imaginators. Vicarious Visions has worked on the...
News Skylander SuperChargers Racing On Wii And 3DS Will Offer Bespoke Tracks And Progression
Racing experience "unlike" anything you'll see on current-gen systems
Activision may have unveiled a lot of the Wii U version of Skylanders SuperChargers at Gamescom 2015, featuring heavily the platform-wide addition of its Kart Racing mode, but we are still light on details relating to the Wii and 3DS versions of the game. Talking to Vicarious...
Starter packs for both consoles getting hybrid figures
One of the shock announcements from Nintendo's Digital Event yesterday was the news that Skylanders Superchargers on Wii U would be getting two brand-new amiibo figures. Donkey Kong and Bowser are both joining the cast of Activision's forthcoming toys-to-life sequel, complete with special...
Developer Interview Eric Carter on Skylanders: SWAP Force for Wii U
Producer discusses UI differences and developing on Wii U
At the time of writing, the launch of Skylanders: SWAP Force, the third instalment in the highly successful Skylanders game series, is just a few short weeks away. In preparation for its release, we were generously invited to tour Vicarious Visions headquarters in Albany, NY to learn a little...
Hands On Skylanders: SWAP Force
We visit Vicarious Visions HQ to check out Skylanders: SWAP Force
It’s difficult to believe that the Skylanders franchise — a series that has sold millions of copies worldwide and has spawned a multitude of sequels and spin-offs — is only just turning two years old. Since the 2011 release of the series debut, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure,...
News Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock to Expand Wii and DS Connectivity
Now with double the cross-platform players
It seems Vicarious Visions and Activision are trying to add a much-needed key-change to the Guitar Hero melody, and as if a new story mode isn't enough, the creators are expanding the connectivity between Wii and DS players with a selection of play modes and multiplayer functions. The Roadie Battle mode...
News Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock to Feature All-New Story Mode
Activision re-designs the guitar controller (we wouldn't be surprised if it looks like an udder)
To an extent, as long as gamers are satisfied with the track selection on the Guitar Hero brand of games, they are probably more than happy to carry on buying the continuous stream of new instalments that keep the franchise alive. If you don't mind the...
News Alleged Concept Art From Cancelled Donkey Kong Project Emerges
What could have been
Following details of a cancelled Donkey Kong project at the now-defunct development studio Vicarious Visions, supposed concept art has now surfaced online. Known online as 'Donkey Kong Freedom' (though an extensive video from Did You Know Gaming claims that this was never the working title for the project), the game was...
News Details Emerge Of A Cancelled Donkey Kong Project From Vicarious Visions
Rope burn'd
Of all the studios to potentially work on a Donkey Kong project, Vicarious Visions (now known simply as Blizzard Albany) admittedly wasn't particularly high up on our list. However, details have emerged of a now-cancelled DK project at the studio via a new video from Did You Know Gaming (with prior reporting from DK Vine). According to...
Random This Fan-Made Crash Bandicoot Game Remakes A Hidden GBA Minigame
Aku Aku-knowledging the past
After having a lot of fun with Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time when we reviewed the game last year, we have been eager to hear more news about the orange blur. An upcoming fan project from Unknown Door Games seems to do just that, though in a slightly less official release/full game kind of way. Posting their...
"I wish I could say we had something in the works"
Fans of the Birdman (that's Tony Hawk) got quite a shock earlier this year in April when it was revealed the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater developer Vicarious Visions had been absorbed by Blizzard Entertainment. Concerns were raised about the future of the series at the time, and if remasters of the third...
News Vicarious Visions Staff Left "Blindsided" By Reported Merger With Embattled Blizzard
All is not well at the Diablo II: Resurrected studio
Vicarious Visions – the studio behind multiple Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero and Skylanders entries – is to be merged with Blizzard, it is being reported. According to Polygon, which has spoken to various staff at the studio, the decision to abandon the Vicarious Visions name and...
News Blizzard President J. Allen Brack Is Leaving The Company
Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra to replace him
Content warning: Please be aware that the following article and the sources linked within touch on topics including discrimination, sexual harassment and assault, and suicide. On July 21st, Bloomberg Law reported that Activision Blizzard — the multi-billion dollar company behind Diablo, Ov
Guide Best Tony Hawk Games Of All Time
As ranked by you
The arrival of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 on Switch back in June 2021 ended a decade-long drought (on Nintendo consoles) of ollies, nollies, kickflips, and grinds from the master Mr. Anthony F. Hawk. The games and their iconic soundtracks were a formative part of many gamers' lives in the late '90s/early 2000s and we were thrilled...
The 200-person studio now only works on Blizzard games
Vicarious Visions is no more. As of today, the 31-year-old company has been fully subsumed into Blizzard, and will be "fully dedicated to existing Blizzard games and initiatives" from now on. In an interview with gamesindustry.biz, a representative for Vicarious Visions said the following:...
News Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Is Out Today On Switch
As seen in the Direct Mini
Update 2 (Thu 26th Mar, 2020 16:00 GMT): And there we have it! Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is being made available today on Nintendo Switch. The game was shown off in today's Nintendo Direct Mini, where it was also revealed that Star Wars Episode I: Racer will be getting a Switch remake. Here's a feature list:...
Rumour Crash Bandicoot Might Be Returning In A Completely "New" Game
Comeback king
At the start of this year, Activision revealed the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy had shifted more than 10 million units worldwide. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled followed this and managed to finish in first place on multiple occa
Video Here's How Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy On Switch Compares To Other Versions
It's a close call
Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy is available now on Switch but has previously been released on Sony and Microsoft's consoles. If you're mulling a purchase and already own a PS4 or Xbox One system, you may well be wondering how the Switch version compares - and whether you should choose portability over performance. As we said in...
Rumour Spyro Trilogy Coming To Multiple Formats Next Year After PS4 Exclusivity Ends
Hot stuff?
According to Kotaku UK - which has consulted sources close to the project - we'll be getting a Spyro the Dragon Trilogy Remaster this year similar in scope to the wildly-successful Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. The games included will be Spyro the Dragon, Ripto's Rage!, and Year of the Dragon, and there's a chance that...
News Skylanders Developer Vicarious Visions Is Now Working On Destiny
Backs up rumours of series cancellation
It has been confirmed thatSkylanders developer Vicarious Visions is helping Bungie with Destiny, adding credence to rumours that Activision is pulling the plug on its defining toys-to-life franchise following disappointing sales of the latest entry, Skylanders Imaginators. Vicarious Visions has worked on the...
News Skylander SuperChargers Racing On Wii And 3DS Will Offer Bespoke Tracks And Progression
Racing experience "unlike" anything you'll see on current-gen systems
Activision may have unveiled a lot of the Wii U version of Skylanders SuperChargers at Gamescom 2015, featuring heavily the platform-wide addition of its Kart Racing mode, but we are still light on details relating to the Wii and 3DS versions of the game. Talking to Vicarious...
Starter packs for both consoles getting hybrid figures
One of the shock announcements from Nintendo's Digital Event yesterday was the news that Skylanders Superchargers on Wii U would be getting two brand-new amiibo figures. Donkey Kong and Bowser are both joining the cast of Activision's forthcoming toys-to-life sequel, complete with special...
Developer Interview Eric Carter on Skylanders: SWAP Force for Wii U
Producer discusses UI differences and developing on Wii U
At the time of writing, the launch of Skylanders: SWAP Force, the third instalment in the highly successful Skylanders game series, is just a few short weeks away. In preparation for its release, we were generously invited to tour Vicarious Visions headquarters in Albany, NY to learn a little...
Hands On Skylanders: SWAP Force
We visit Vicarious Visions HQ to check out Skylanders: SWAP Force
It’s difficult to believe that the Skylanders franchise — a series that has sold millions of copies worldwide and has spawned a multitude of sequels and spin-offs — is only just turning two years old. Since the 2011 release of the series debut, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure,...
News Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock to Expand Wii and DS Connectivity
Now with double the cross-platform players
It seems Vicarious Visions and Activision are trying to add a much-needed key-change to the Guitar Hero melody, and as if a new story mode isn't enough, the creators are expanding the connectivity between Wii and DS players with a selection of play modes and multiplayer functions. The Roadie Battle mode...
News Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock to Feature All-New Story Mode
Activision re-designs the guitar controller (we wouldn't be surprised if it looks like an udder)
To an extent, as long as gamers are satisfied with the track selection on the Guitar Hero brand of games, they are probably more than happy to carry on buying the continuous stream of new instalments that keep the franchise alive. If you don't mind the...