Now that the final character has been added to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, we’ve apparently moved on from theorizing which characters would join the roster to theorizing which companies would be making their own platform fighter. Next up … Warner Bros.?

The genre started by Nintendo’s smash hit crossover fighting game has seen plenty of entries already, but with Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl entering the ring and marking a major brand taking direct aim at Nintendo’s franchise—including well-known competitive Smash Bros. techniques and the rollback netcode Ultimate is sorely lacking—it seems like we may be entering a new phase of competition. Now, it seems that Warner Bros., which made its crossover ambitions more than clear in Space Jam: A New Legacy, may be getting in on the fun.

Rumors began to fly earlier this week that the entertainment giant that owns properties from DC Comics to the Looney Tunes is already well underway with their own spin on the platform fighter concept. That started with a Reddit post claiming the game was coming, alongside a trademark for a game called “Multiversus,” and that it would feature a tag-team mechanic. (So … like a Mario Kart: Double Dash!! version of Smash Bros.?)

Then, what appeared to be a character select screen for the title was purportedly leaked, although EventHubs reports that it was quickly removed by copyright takedowns. While we’ve all seen our fair share of fake Smash Bros. leaks over the years that lead me to caution believing this image was real, if it’s true that it was subjected to copyright claims, well …

Who are the characters in this alleged Warner Smash Bros.?

The most important thing for most games in this genre is … who will appear as a playable fighter? That’s half the fun, and the supposed leak named Scooby Doo’s Shaggy, Gandalf, Tom and Jerry, Batman, Fred Flinstone, Mad Max, and Johnny Bravo. It also mentioned Harry and Ron but said they might not actually be in it, which we’d prefer at this point. Other characters depicted on the selection screen include Adventure Time’s Finn and Jake the dog, Harley Quinn, Superman, Wonder Woman, Steven Universe, Rick of Rick and Morty, and Bugs Bunny,

However, whether or not the rumored game is real, the question that remains is … will it be any good? Despite the competitive community’s arguments over the various finer points of the series, Smash Bros. remains the undisputed champion of the genre in terms of overall quality, and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, for all the promise of its developers’ experience, is hampered by some pretty glaring rough spots, including a complete lack of voice acting for the characters and iconic music from their respective properties.

As much promise as there is in the concept for many different companies’ stables of franchises, the genre practically begs for licensed cash grabs, and so far, there’s not much reason to think we’ll get something better.

(via EventHubs, image: Hulu)

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Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about the big matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. Both of these teams are really good teams. The Cardinals are 7-0 and the Packers are 6-1. Both of these teams are coming off with their wins. The Cardinals blew out the Texans 31-5. I predicted that the Cardinals were going to beat the Texans 41-17, but I got the pick correct! The Packers beat the Football Team 24-10. I predicted that the Packers were going to beat the Football Team 45-17, but I got the pick correct as well!

Now let’s get to the prediction and some injury updates, shall we?! So, for the Cardinals, a defensive player JJ Watt has been ruled out for tomorrow’s game. A starting center Rodney Hudson will still be out, and another center Max Garcia is questionable. If he is ruled out for the game, then the 3^rd string center Sean Harlow will be starting for the Cardinals. That may be a concern for the Cardinals offensive lineman. But for the Packers, they have a couple of players who have tested positive for Covid-19. Offensive lineman David Bakhtiari, wide receivers Devante Adams, Allen Lizard, a defensive coordinator Joe Barry, and defensive back Za’Darius Smith are the ones that tested positive and may be ruled out for the game. That should be a concern for the Packers as well. Now, the Cardinals need to get off to a great start, score touchdowns, pressure Aaron Rodgers, run out the clock, make the Packers one-dimensional, don’t let Rodgers have time to get down the field to score a game-winning touchdown or a field goal if the game is really close. The Cardinals should try and run down the clock and try to slide short of the endzone because the Packers may want you to score touchdown. Just like the 49ers did against them.

This should be a great game!

So, for my pick here, I will say the Cardinals will take care of business with a close game over the Packers 33-20. I am not going to underestimate the Packers too much though. The Packers without Adams are 6-0 somehow. They should not be better without him, unless they really struggle. Again, I am confident enough for the Cardinals to beat the Packers.

So, what do you guys think about tomorrow’s game pick?! I would love to hear lots of comments, thoughts, opinions, questions, or concerns down below!

Stay tuned for NFL updates.

The post Tomorrow, Night’s Game Pick! appeared first on The Nerd Element.

In his time on this Earth, Prince went by many names and personas. Whenever he used his high-pitched voice in a song? That was “Camille.” On the Love Symbol album, he was “Victor.” And most famously, there was the period where he had no pronounceable name at all. But to most people, they will always think of him as “the Kid.” That’s the main character in his iconic role in Purple Rain. The purple coat, the motorcycle, he was almost like a superhero. And just like a superhero, he’s now immortalized in a 1:6 scale statue from Sideshow Collectibles.

Sideshow Collectibles 

This fully sculpted and hand-painted 1:6 Scale Statue measures 10.5″ tall and 17.5″ wide. The Prince Tribute Statue comes with a discreet asphalt-effect base evoking a damp city street, presumably Minneapolis. But it puts all focus rightfully on Prince and his ride. This ultra-realistic statue embodies the flamboyant style and presence of His Royal Badness, the Purple One himself.

Sideshow Collectibles 

His purple jacket features a metallic shine and silver accents on the buttons and shoulder. The sleeves and long coattails have drapes and folds, giving the garment a realistic look. He wears a ruffled white blouse beneath, just like the “When Doves Cry” video. There’s also a unique paint application emulating the look of lace gloves. And Prince never forgot to wear his high-heeled boots, which fully completes the look. It really looks just like the album cover for the soundtrack to Purple Rain.

Sideshow Collectibles 

Sideshow also perfectly recreated Prince’s famous motorcycle in exact detail. Everything from the wheels, the engine, tire treads, and the fabric textures look screen-accurate. Even the metallic purple finish and red symbols throughout are spot-on. So if you want to “purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka,” as Prince said in the movie, you can pre-order this amazing statue now for $795 via the official Sideshow website. There, one can see even more photos of this deluxe collectible. We expect the Prince Tribute Statue to ship somewhere between December 2022 and February 2023.

The post Deluxe Prince PURPLE RAIN Statue Honors the Music Legend appeared first on Nerdist.

Writer: Kelly Thompson / Artist: Elena Casagrande / Marvel Comics

When emotion overcomes me while reading a comic book, said book immediately skyrockets to one of my favorite current books status. Kelly Thompson has already solidified herself as one of the dopest Marvel writers in the game, but after this issue, she is one of the better comic book writers at soliciting emotions. The opening pages of Black Widow #12 remind us of everything that a parent can lose and forces us to feel for the woman with a black hole of misery left in her heart. Don’t get me started on her ability to get the kid hype on the action side of things! Then you add some excellent artists to bring her scripts and ideas to life, and we’ve got ourselves a problem on our hands! The best problem possible. 

Tears and Fears

As I mentioned earlier, the opening pages of this book were absolutely draining. To see Natasha having the sweetest dreams about her long-lost boy, going into highly trained assassin mode when she thinks Bucky is an intruder, followed by her breakdown was disgustingly compelling. 

I wanted to jump into the panel and bring her family back to her, but that would be bad news for everyone involved. You don’t have moments like that when reading your average comic, but an Eisner nominated book just might do the trick!

Gals, Galas and Firepower

I could go on for days about those 4 pages, but Black Widow and the squad have some boujee black market Met Gala type fuckery to stumble upon and disrupt. And dam does the team look good while stumbling into their investigation turned life or death situation! The espionage activity is fun, the villainous behavior happening on the low is interesting, and the fight sequences that go down will keep the action heads happy.

I really appreciate that Thompson doesn’t let her supporting characters get lost in the sauce. If you have Clint Barton on your squad, you leannnnn into the jokes and rep the sharpshooting skills he provides. Or you make fun of him during a fancy ballroom dance while he can hear you loud and clear on the comms. Lesser known characters with their own brand of humor should be allowed to flourish, and that’s exactly what Thompson does for Spider-Girl. Bucky is his solid self, Yelena never stops being a prickly, pragmatic murderer, and newcomer Lucy Nguyen is mixed in well here and there. All the while, Natasha glides across every page looking stunning in a gown or ass kicking fit. Did I mention that Elena Casagrande absolutely crushes every panel in this book? I’m her newest stan, and Black Widow continues to be one of the few books that don’t feature mutants that I look forward to each month. Another excellent issue and amazing cliffhanger to keep us hungry for more!

9 Living Blades out of 10

Reading Black Widow? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.

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The post Black Widow #12 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.