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  1. Firmware update 4.0.0 is now available for Nintendo Switch! Link: http://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22525/p/897 I really wished the added themes like on the 3DS, but I'm looking forward to testing out the video capture feature. Also, nice to see they finally added system transfers.
  2. For all of the advances in gaming technology over the years, there's something to be said for a good ol' fashioned side-scrolling shooter. Earth Atlantis from developer Pixel Perfex and publisher Headup Games brings players back to a simpler time in video game design, one where the goal was just to destroy every other thing on the screen. Although the core gameplay stays true to the basic goal of destroying wave after wave of enemies, the adds in a bit of exploration and a variety of boss fights to spice up the action. Earth Atlantis could have used a few more modern tweaks though, as the cycle of fighting enemies and bosses grows a little stale as the game wears on. The premise of Earth Atlantis is that a cataclysmic climate shift has shaken the planet, and now ninety-six percent of the earth's surface is underwater. If that wasn't bad enough, machines have risen up to attack humanity, and have adopted the appearance of sea creatures to hunt humans in the depths of the ocean. That's kind of a lot to take in all at once, so suffice it to say there are mechanical sea monsters in need of destruction. As a hunter it's your job to blast apart the mechanical marine monsters that now infest the earth's waters. The setting may be a little complicated but it builds up the gameplay well, and since storytelling isn't a major feature in Earth Atlantis that's all it really needs to do. Earth Atlantis has few frills in the gameplay department: your job is to shoot monsters, and that's pretty much all you do—be prepared to hold down the fire button pretty much the entire time. There's a bit of exploration involved as there are no separate stages in the game and instead you just explore new areas—and backtrack to old ones—in order to find the boss enemies marked on your mini-map who, once defeated, open up parts of the map for new boss encounters. It's a pretty simple cycle, and one that admittedly gets pretty repetitive after a while. There are a good variety of bosses to fight, each with unique properties, and even the standard enemies come in a number of marine animal shapes and sizes, but the game doesn't do much else to keep the gameplay varied and engaging after you've defeated a dozen or more bosses. You do end up backtracking quite a bit as well, which can be a little tiresome. There are a couple of small aspects that can keep you engaged, but they can fall into a repetitive cycle as well. Enemies will sometimes drop power-ups to improve your submarine's attacks, so you always want to be on the lookout for these offensive improvements (as well as health recovery items also dropped from enemies). Additionally, you can find sub-weapons in marked barrels and crates, which can significantly improve your firepower, especially since your standard attacks only allow you to aim left and right, and enemies will attack from all angles. You can only carry one sub-weapon at a time though, which is a shame since, depending on the boss you're currently fighting, some sub-weapons can be better suited to the task than others. It's hard to play around with finding the best weapon for the job when you can't hold more than one and they have to be randomly found in crates. And hunting down sub-weapons and power-ups is the most repetitive and tiring aspect of Earth Atlantis. When you die you are sent back to the last checkpoint you activated—and since there's a lot of circular backtracking these checkpoints can really be anywhere—and you're back to square one: no power-ups, no sub-weapon. On one hand this is just Earth Atlantis being true to its old school shooter roots: you've got to start over and try again. However, it is pretty discouraging to start at zero, especially since power-ups are randomly dropped from enemies and sub-weapons can be scattered anywhere on the map (though thankfully you can see where on the mini-map). Rebuilding yourself up to fighting shape just isn't much fun when you have to do it over and over, but it's pretty much a necessity since your basic attack is terribly weak. And it is very easy to die against some bosses. Several of them have one-hit kill attacks, the main submarine in the game is pretty slow when trying to dodge, and since healing items randomly drop like power-ups you can't rely upon a health stash or a quick way to recover. It can be particularly discouraging to die in Earth Atlantis, even if there's no real "game over" system. Note: Just yesterday the developer announced that there is a patch coming to make it easier and faster to recollect power-ups after dying and restarting, so that aspect of the game will be adjusted in the near future. This cyclical nature of recollecting your power-ups each and every time means the game's length can be pretty varied from player to player. If you're skilled enough to avoid dying completely, you can complete Quest mode in a few hours or so—there's even a scoreboard for your best time. Although it's more likely that you'll need several tries on some bosses and hence a lot more time to finish. Earth Atlantis also features a Hunter mode for a bit more replay value, as well as four submarines with different weapon properties. None of this fixes the repetitive nature of the gameplay, but they at least add a little variety. Although the game's backstory is a bit convoluted it allows for some truly unique and stylish visuals. The artwork in Earth Atlantis is gorgeous: in keeping with the game's theme of nautical exploration the graphics are in the style of an old sketchbook, the kind an explorer would have used to document the strange creatures he encountered. It's a really cool effect, especially for the larger and more detailed boss creatures, and it's unlike anything else you'd see on the eShop right now. The background scenery is also beautiful—you can recognize some global landmarks, now sunken beneath the waves, and the sense of depth looks great in motion. On top of all this the music is top notch as well, and also a little surprising for a shooter like this. The first song you here is oddly serene, not the kind soundtrack you'd expect from a fast-paced shoot 'em up, but it does a great job of setting the tone for underwater exploration. Some of the other songs ratchet up the energy to match the frantic shooter gameplay, but that initial music really stands out. Earth Atlantis takes a unique setting and fleshes it out with a gorgeous art style and catchy music. The gameplay, though, leaves something to be desired, as the simple yet satisfying shooter action becomes a little too repetitive as the game struggles to offer new or unique challenges aside from one boss after another. Without more forgiving checkpoints or a more engaging way to build up your power levels Earth Atlantis too often falls into a tedious cycle of attempting to fight a boss, dying, then spending far too long to prepare yourself for another attempt. If you don't mind that repetition Earth Atlantis is a great shooter, but anyone without that level of patience will find the game discouraging. Rating: 7 out of 10 Mechanical Sea Monsters Review copy provided by the publisher Earth Atlantis is available now on the Switch eShop for $14.99 / €14.99 / £13.49.
  3. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Super Mario Odyssey – Join Mario on a massive, globe-trotting 3D adventure, and use his incredible new abilities to collect Power Moons and rescue Princess Peach from Bowser’s wedding plans. This sandbox-style 3D Mario adventure – the first since 2002’s Nintendo GameCube classic Super Mario Sunshine – is packed with secrets and surprises. With Mario’s new moves like cap throw, cap jump and capture, you’ll have fun and exciting game-play experiences unlike anything you’ve enjoyed in a Mario game before. Get ready to be whisked away to strange and amazing places far from the Mushroom Kingdom! Super Mario Odyssey will be available on Oct. 27. Nintendo Mobile Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp – In the first Animal Crossing game for mobile devices, interact with animal friends, craft furniture items and gather resources while managing a campsite. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp launches on iOS- and Android-compatible mobile devices in late November. To register to be notified as soon as the game is available, visit https://events.ac-pocketcamp.com/en-US/notify_me. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Start your adventure off right with the official Super Mario Odyssey Starter Guide from Prima Games. Get the game, then redeem your My Nintendo points to get the guide! For more info, visit https://my.nintendo.com. The Fire Emblem Warriors game is here. My Nintendo members can earn 100 Platinum Points by finding the hidden Gleamstones on the game’s website. Plus, members can redeem points for new Fire Emblem Warriors wallpapers and rewards for Nintendo smart-device games at https://my.nintendo.com. Also new this week: Violett (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ZOMBIE GOLD RUSH (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Poi: Explorer Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Nights of Azure 2: Bridge of the New Moon (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO MUTATION NATION (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Moon Hunters (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Time Recoil (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Splasher (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Piczle Lines DX – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) King Oddball (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 30 Monster Jam Crush It! (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 31 Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 31 MONOPOLY for Nintendo Switch (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 31 Heroes of the Monkey Tavern – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 31 Worcle Worlds (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) Halloween Night Archery (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) GALAXY BLASTER CODE RED (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) Creeping Terror (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) – Available Oct. 31
  4. Nothing shown except for a release trailer; again, no release date either. Seemingly Switch exclusive as well.
  5. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Fire Emblem Warriors – Clash with legions of enemies as Marth, Xander, Corrin, Chrom and other Fire Emblem warriors by unleashing over-the-top-powerful Dynasty Warriors-style moves. Take control of characters with distinct attacks, issue strategic commands and pair up warriors for stunning moves in an epic tactical action game from the Hyrule Warriorsteam. The Fire Emblem Warriors game will be available on Oct. 20. Just Dance 2018 – Whether you’re a party starter, a dancer in the making or a seasoned pro, get ready to turn up the volume and unleash your inner dancer. Dance to 40 of the hottest tracks of the year, including hits like “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars, “Side to Side” by Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj and “Chantaje” by Shakira ft. Maluma. Great for family gatherings, parties and holidays, the Just Dance 2018 game brings family and friends together like no other game. Additional accessories may be required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately. Just Dance 2018 will be available on Oct. 24. DLC: The Fire Emblem Warriors Season Pass will be available Oct. 20 in Nintendo eShop. Purchase the Season Pass for $19.99 for either the Nintendo Switch or New Nintendo 3DS version of the game and download each pack as it’s available. Plus, players will receive a bridal costume for Lucina immediately upon purchase. Individual DLC packs will also be sold separately at $8.99 each, and are scheduled to launch in December, February and March with content inspired by Fire Emblem Fates, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and Fire Emblem Awakening, respectively. Each pack will contain three new playable characters, three new History scenarios, new weapons, costumes and support conversations. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Also new this week: JYDGE (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) The Mummy Demastered (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – available Oct. 24 The Jackbox Party Pack 4 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Spelunker Party! (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO ROBO ARMY (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Revenant Saga (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Party Golf (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Syberia (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – available Oct. 20 Knight Terrors (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – available Oct. 24 This Is the Police (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – available Oct. 24 Elliot Quest (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Super Ping Pong Trick Shot (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) The Count Lucanor (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) GALAXY BLASTER CODE RED (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) Just Dance 2018 (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
  6. Springtron is his name. I can buy springs of some kind being considered in this game considering the other arm types they have used. My only beef is he looks like a Springman recolor/alt skin kind of fighter rather than something totally new.
  7. Sony has announced that under Sony Music Entertainment they will be opening a game publishing division, called Unites. One of the game slated to hit the Switch next month is Tiny Metal, an Advance Wars style game... Kind of odd that Sony is using their music division to publish games. ..But a SONY published game on a Nintendo system? WHAT?! I never thought I'd see the day. Yeah, like when Sonic hit the GBA and GameCube back in the day. I know this isn't their games division, but it still is Sony as a whole. This should be great for indie devs who want to get their games on multiple platforms.
  8. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Yono and the Celestial Elephants – Many adventure games have a distinct lack of elephants … but that’s all about to change because Yono is here. The Yono and the Celestial Elephants game is a grand adventure, featuring carefully designed puzzles, treasure hunts, a sprinkling of combat and a world full of people. Play as a young elephant tasked to save a world he’s never seen before, and explore the rich history of a kingdom where humans, zombies and robots live side by side. Wulverblade – Help Britannia defeat the Romans in Wulverblade, a hardcore side-scrolling beat-’em-up game inspired by old arcade classics of the ’80s and ’90s. Go it alone or team up with a friend in local two-player co-op.* It’s time to show the Ninth Legion what you’re made of! Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth – The Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth game chronicles the quest of a new adventurer as he or she attempts to reach the crown of the towering Yggdrasil Tree. Personalize your party to work to your advantage! With endless character customization, adventurers will cast and create their own party from four unique races and 10 different classes to explore the uncharted labyrinth. Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth will be available on Oct. 17. Activities: New My Nintendo Activities – A new fall color has arrived for the New Nintendo 2DS XL system, and we’ve got the perfect Home menu themes to go along with it! Whether you have a New Nintendo 2DS XL (White + Orange) or another member of the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, you can redeem your My Nintendo points for these seasonal and spooky Halloween themes to decorate your Home menu: Mario’s Halloween NES Halloween Link Animal Crossing: New Leaf Autumn Leaves Don’t forget to check out other Halloween-themed rewards, too! Fire Emblem Heroes – A New Update and More Events! To celebrate the free 1.8.0 update for the Fire Emblem Heroes mobile game, you can collect free Orbs up to 10 times from a Log-In Bonus until Oct. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT. A new option, Sacred Seal Forge, has been added to the game. Using it, you will be able to both create new Sacred Seals and enhance existing Sacred Seals. See more details about the update here. Participate in the Voting Gauntlet: The Blood of Dragons until Oct. 14 at 8:59 p.m. PT. Experience Bound Hero Battle: Minerva & Maria until Oct. 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Special event Summoning Focus: Minerva & Maria’s Battle can be enjoyed until Oct. 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Super Mario Run – The new Super Mario Run free update is here, and there are LOTS of new things to discover. Remix 10, made of some of the shortest Super Mario Run courses you'll ever play, is here! There are also some new courses, a new playable character and a new feature that lets you listen to your favorite music while you play. New to Super Mario Run? Download it from the App Store or Google Play at no cost, and try elements of the game’s three modes for free. Save up to 50 percent off the full game price to celebrate the new version until 11:59 p.m. PT on Oct. 12. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Theme Shop on Nintendo 3DS: New themes this week include: Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth Theme Also new this week: Neon Chrome (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Oceanhorn – Monster of Uncharted Seas – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) UNBOX: Newbie’s Adventure (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) 88 Heroes – 98 Heroes Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’95 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Don’t Knock Twice (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 17 The Flame in The Flood: Complete Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Squareboy vs Bullies: Arena Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Rogue Trooper Redux (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 17 Putty Pals (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 18 Little Adventure on the Prairie (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) Volgarr the Viking (Nintendo eShop on Wii U) Legend of Hero Tonma (Virtual Console for Wii U) Digital Champ Battle Boxing (Virtual Console for Wii U) MOTOROADER (Virtual Console for Wii U)
  9. The 3DS is getting its third Mario Party game, and possibly the most interesting one of the three. I can't help but wonder why it's making its way to the 3DS instead of the Switch, is it because they're working on a Mario Party 11? even then, I'd rather have two Mario Party games on the Switch instead of three on the 3DS. They could easily delay and polish Mario Party 11 to release at another date and Mario Party: The Top 100 would hold people over for at least a year. This game is just going to feel awkward getting released on the 3DS, combining the franchises home console and handheld mini games into one, that's 100% what the Switch is. I feel like they just decided to be lazy and not invest time into polishing the game to Switch standards.
  10. Today developer Atooi announced their first game for the Switch: a 3-in-1 collection of Mutant Mudds games. The collection includes Mutant Mudds Deluxe, Mutant Mudds Super Challenge, and a new puzzle game called Mudd Blocks (which some Renegade Kid fans may recognize as a re-skin of their 2012 3DS game, Bomb Monkey). Atooi hasn't announced a firm release date but the game should launch Q4 of this year. ******************************* It may not be technically new content but all three are great games, even Mudd Blocks/Bomb Monkey, which @XCWarrior and I got into pretty heavily for a brief time a few years ago. And although they haven't announced a price yet either a 3-in-1 offer will most likely be a pretty good deal for anyone that still hasn't tried these 2D platformers.
  11. In only a few months the Switch has already played host to a number of excellent indie titles. Troll and I is not one of them. In fact, I won't mince words: Troll and I is the worst game I've played on the Switch, by a large margin. It might be the worst game I've played in the past few years. Maybe the game's issues stem from its rocky development cycle. Maybe the developers aimed too high with a third-person adventure concept that simply does not deliver on any front. Maybe it's just a poorly designed game. Whatever the specific reason, Troll and I is a wholly unsatisfying and unpolished gaming adventure. It's almost depressing how every single aspect of Troll and I is poorly designed. Let's start with the story: after his village is seemingly attacked and burned down, a young boy named Otto befriends a massive troll in a quest to…survive, I guess? Things are already falling apart when you realize the core relationship, the very title of the game, comes across as completely flat. The fact is there's no good reason for any of the things that happen in the game. Every scene seems to be just a loosely connected idea that the developers never bothered to flesh out. There are literal monsters roaming the forest. Why? The game never explains. A group of hunters have journeyed to the forest to find the troll, so why do they have a giant concrete warehouse as a base in the middle of a forgotten Scandinavian forest? Although my personal favorite: Otto is shaken and expresses remorse the first time he kills a hunter in a cutscene, then immediately after that you can go on slaughtering hundreds of men without a second thought. Nice characterization of our protagonist. So not every game has a great story, surely there's something in the gameplay that is worthwhile, right? Nope. First there's the game's main hook, where you play as both the troll and Otto and the two work together to progress and solve puzzles. I say "puzzles" but that's really overselling Troll and I's gameplay as most of the time there's a pretty linear path to follow in order to progress. Otto and the troll at least have unique abilities to help each other—for example Otto can disarm traps that would kill the troll—but don't expect many of these sequences. In fact, I don't understand why the game even has a co-op option since the two characters rarely work in tandem. There are long sequences where only one character can do anything to progress, so the other is just standing around. The only reason to bring a friend along for this ride is to have someone to insult the game with. Then there's the game's combat system which is, unsurprisingly, completely mindless. Otto's attacks are awkward and choppy; there's no lock-on aiming but Otto does tend to auto-target whomever you don't want to hit, so that's a fun struggle to hit the target you're actually aiming at. Even Otto's stealth attacks aren't worth the effort, and then there are his spears—which can be thrown as a ranged attack—which always take multiple attacks, kind of defeating the purpose of a silent ranged attack. The troll, however, can kill most enemies in a single hit, so there's no reason to even use Otto's attacks outside of the handful of times the two are separated. Clearly the developers didn't think any of this through, which is so frustrating because the basic idea of two characters working together with different strengths/weaknesses isn't a bad concept for a game. It's just that Troll and I is executed so, so terribly. There are a handful of other little touches that just make the game a chore. The few times that the environments warrant a little exploration you have to deal with the atrocious little mini-map in the corner of the screen (there's no full map system). There's a whole crafting system for Otto to make weapons, but as mentioned using Otto to fight is pointless so collecting supplies just feels like a waste of time. And here's another fun logic leap for the game: Otto can sneak up on a hunter, slit his throat from behind, and then pick up a few metal shards from the body to make a spear, but apparently he can't just take the hunter's gun, sitting right there? This game can't even get basic controls right. Every action is context sensitive, which just adds to the plodding, awkward pace of the game. There's no respect for the natural flow of gameplay, the kind of flow that is meant to keep a game engaging and interesting from one moment to the next. Instead this game feels clunky and awkward right from the start. Troll and I really does feel like a rough draft pushed out as a retail release. All of this doesn't even touch upon the numerous technical glitches in the game. There were times where I wasn't able to change the Troll's abilities—the cursor just wouldn't move. At one point I cleared out a group of enemies and nothing happened, I was just stuck in an enclosed area with no exit. I reloaded to fix the issue and Otto immediately fell through the scenery, so I had to reload again. The first time I loaded up the game the frame rate was so bad that it was like watching a slide show. A lot of games have little issues that fall through the cracks, but the lack of quality control in Troll and I is really indicative of the game's quality overall. It shouldn't be any surprise at this point: the presentation in Troll and I is pretty abysmal. Even when the frame rate is "normal" the game still looks choppy. Frankly it's hard to look at the game when the characters run and the screen starts shaking violently. Then there's the game's terrible concept of shadow, which is blocky swatches of darkness that are genuinely difficult to see in even with the brightness turned up. Technical problems can at least be alleviated a bit by good art design, but Troll and I fails there as well. Every single environment is what I'd describe as aggressively bland. Bare forest scenes, gray caves, and then the design of Otto and the troll themselves—the game would've looked poor fifteen years ago, much less today. Troll and I does feature some voice acting, which is a bit surprising considering the quality and care given to the rest of the game. However, like everything else, the voice work is terrible. It's almost a textbook example of lifeless voice acting. Otto delivers every line as if someone had a gun to his head in the recording studio. I'm truly struggling to come up with any positive aspects of Troll and I. I can't even credit the game for running smoothly. It has some ambitious ideas but without any of the technical execution to back them up. Instead every aspect of the game comes off as half-baked, and when there isn't any purpose or thought put behind a game's development you end up with a clumsy adventure that seems to regularly waste the player's time. That's all you can expect out of Troll and I: a waste of time. Rating: 2 out of 10 Trolls
  12. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Stardew Valley – You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. With a little dedication, you might just be the one to restore Stardew Valley to greatness! Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions – There are so many surprises, thrills and laughs in store for Mario and Luigi that it isn’t even funny … except it is! Every hee-hee and ha-ha in this classic RPG adventure has been remade in 2D for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Plus, a new squad-based strategy tie-in sees Bowser’s Minions on a quest to stop Fawful. “Have you readiness for this?!?” Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions will be available on Oct. 6. LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy – The renowned Layton series returns to Nintendo 3DS with the seventh installment, LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy. A new adventure packed with puzzles, mystery and humor introduces Katrielle Layton, daughter of the famous Professor Layton, in a casual, comical quizzical quest. Full of ingenious challenges, charming characters and clever plot twists, the newest installment will prove that “The truth is always stranger than fiction.” LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracywill be available on Oct. 6. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Halloween My Nintendo Rewards – Get set for Halloween with these spooky new rewards from My Nintendo. Here are our picks for Halloween and fall-inspired rewards for the month of October. Three days to save the world – Link’s shadowy tale: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (Nintendo 3DS) – 40 percent off Try out a new look for Halloween: Splatoon (Wii U) – 20 percent off Yoshi’s New Island (Nintendo 3DS) – 20 percent off Horribly scary battles: Sin & Punishment (Wii U) – 30 percent off Sin & Punishment: Star Successor (Wii U) – 40 percent off Epic adventures battling the darkness: Golden Sun (Wii U) – 30 percent off Golden Sun: The Lost Age (Wii U) – 40 percent off Halloween brain teasers that are frightfully challenging: Brain Age: Concentration Training (Nintendo 3DS) – 30 percent off Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition (Nintendo 3DS) – 30 percent off A pulse-pounding plummet down a well: Kersploosh! (Nintendo 3DS) – 40 percent off Special offers for RPG fans: Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (Nintendo 3DS) – 40 percent off Theme Shop on Nintendo 3DS: New themes this week include: BOXBOY! 2.5th Year Anniversary Also new this week: Axiom Verge (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Earth Atlantis (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 10 Tiny Barbarian DX (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 10 OXENFREE (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 6 Tumblestone (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Volgarr the Viking (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Ninja Shodown (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO METAL SLUG X (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Symphony of Eternity (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  13. I'm not going to be anywhere near these locations but a trailer with a giant inflatable Cappy would certainly be something to see.
  14. Developer Over the Moon Games announced a project update for their upcoming game, The Fall Part 2: Unbound. Unfortunately the news isn't that the game is releasing this week. The game is nearing completion but rather than releasing in the middle of the holiday season the developer is pushing the release slightly and the game should launch sometime around February 2018. It's always disappointing to hear that a game is releasing later rather than sooner, but I appreciate their candor in explaining that they don't want to release right next to all of the other AAA games coming out in the next couple months. Check out the video above to see a bit of the game in action (full disclosure: I didn't watch all of it since I'm already completely sold on the game and I'd like to keep as much as possible as a surprise when I play it).
  15. Finally got my switch on Monday, the AC is plugged into a power bar which I turn off when I sleep/go to work, but it's still charging for 7 hours every single day when I'm home, and despite not even using the Switch for the past 3 days and ensuring it's powered off and not just in sleep mode, when I went to go play in handheld mode just now, the battery was nearly dead at 2%. Could this be a defect? Between this and my kickstand not staying closed and having to order a $14 (shipped) replacement, noticing a scratch on my bezel from using the dock with extreme care only single time before applying a protector that arrived late, I dunno about this thing.
  16. PICROSS S is coming to Switch on Sept. 28th for $7.99. It will feature a 2-player more, where users can cooperatively solve puzzles.
  17. No matter what kind of new hardware is out or what the latest technology is, there's something satisfying about simply blasting apart everything on screen. The basic premise of Graceful Explosion Machine is right out of an 80s arcade shooter: rack up a high score while destroying every alien ship you see on screen. But the game's simplicity doesn't make it any less addictive or entertaining. Sometimes you need a break from exploring massive environments or tackling strategic challenges, and Graceful Explosion Machine on the Switch fills that role beautifully. There's not much of a story to be found in Graceful Explosion Machine—another aspect reminiscent of 80s arcade games. The basic premise is that you pilot the GEM, a single pilot fighter, and you are trying to find your way home. To do so you'll need to cut through wave after wave of hostile aliens using all four of the GEM's unique weapons. The lack of storytelling isn't much of a blow to Graceful Explosion Machine, because blowing up hostile aliens is just so much fun. Side-scrolling shooters are pretty accessible to any level of player. All you really need to know is: shoot the bad guys and don't get hit yourself. Graceful Explosion Machine also cuts down on a lot of the nitty gritty features that might make other shoot 'em ups complicated. You don't have to worry about power-ups or about switching weapons here, and your main blaster only fires forward (you can face left or right) so aiming is pretty simple. The GEM is outfitted with four weapons, each mapped to a different face button (ABXY). You're never stymied by the need to flip through a weapons menu or worry about what power-up you currently have—Graceful Explosion Machine ensures the gameplay flows perfectly smoothly. At least, as long as you can keep up with the waves of enemies. But to add a bit of balance three of your weapons require ammo, and you standard blaster can overheat if used too much in a short period of time, so you can't just go hog wild with the powerful sniper beam, but there's still plenty of wiggle room to let you play how you want. Every enemy you defeat drops ammo, and it's easy to build up a little reserve for yourself. The weapons themselves are also well designed in their simple but useful functionality. You can rapidly switch from one to another and they each serve a distinct purpose, and that kind of quick-reflex-action is often necessary. Each weapon is generally best suited to certain types of enemies. For example, quick enemies are easily killed with homing missiles, while your energy sword is useful when you're surrounded or when you need to destroy incoming enemy bullets. However you're never required to use any specific type of weapon. There may be a best tool for the job at hand but you always have the freedom to blast away every enemy in your own way. You're free to dive right into the action as quickly as possible, which helps make the game incredibly addictive. Of course, just defeating enemies is too simple of a goal to sustain the entire game, so Graceful Explosion Machine features an online scoreboard so you can compare your skills with the world. It's super satisfying to build up a score multiplier from chaining enemy kills—this adds just the right touch of challenge without making the game too complex. After all, you can play through the game not worrying about your score, but it's a lot more satisfying when you try your best on each stage and rack up the points. It's also nice to see that the game has a realistic level of challenge for earning top marks. You don't have to play perfectly, so it doesn't feel like high scores are impossibly difficult. If there's anything negative to say about the game it might just be the fact that the stages can be a little repetitive after a while, but that's more an indictment of the genre than Graceful Explosion Machine itself. There are only so many ways to make a high-score-chaser like this reliably appealing after several hours. And Graceful Explosion Machine does feature some variation in stage hazards and enemy types, so it doesn't completely feel like the same experience in every stage. Still, this is just the type of game that's probably best played in short bursts in between other game sessions. But since the real meat of the game is in perfecting your high scores, there is a ton of replay value to be enjoyed here. Bright, bold colors with sharp geometric shapes may not be your first idea when thinking of a shoot 'em up like this but Graceful Explosion Machine makes it work. The color design alone is great, but from a gameplay standpoint it helps give every enemy, hazard, and bullet a clear visual style so you can focus on shooting and dodging. And every destroyed alien bursts with a satisfying yet simple colorful explosion. It's rhythmic, which is only buoyed by the synthesizer soundtrack. You may be hard pressed to remember the songs very well after turning off the game but while you're dodging attacks and blasting away aliens the music nicely adds to the flow of gameplay. Graceful Explosion Machine isn't trying to reinvent the arcade shoot 'em up genre. Instead it focuses on doing one thing and doing it well. The gameplay may seem simple but the beauty of an arcade game like this is that it doesn't need to be complex, it just needs to be fun, and blasting away wave after wave of alien baddies and watching your score multiplier climb higher and higher is a lot of fun in Graceful Explosion Machine. When you start feeling that shoot 'em up itch, look no further than this game. Rating: 8 out of 10 GEMs
  18. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch EA SPORTS FIFA 18 – The most immersive, social and authentic soccer game out there can be played anywhere on Nintendo Switch. Players can now play the world’s game anytime, anywhere and in unique ways when EA SPORTS FIFA 18 launches on Nintendo Switch on Sept. 29. Golf Story – Most role-playing games are about slaying dragons or retrieving mystical crystals, but what about an RPG that lets players equip golf clubs instead of swords? In this golf RPG (yes, it’s a thing), play through a dramatic story with a diverse cast of characters to meet, golf challenges to beat, upgrades to wear and equipment to collect. Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS YO-KAI WATCH 2: Psychic Specters – Get wicked and complete the definitive YO-KAI WATCH experience. The strange but friendly troublemakers, Yo-kai, are back in a time-traveling adventure, and this time their mysterious world is packed with exclusive quests, Wicked Yo-kai to befriend, new areas to explore and a revamped Blasters mode featuring new bosses. YO-KAI WATCH 2: Psychic Specters will be available on Sept. 29. Activities: My Nintendo Presents Nindie Game Gold Point Rewards – For the first time, My Nintendo users can redeem Gold Points for some of the hottest indie games on Nintendo platforms. For a limited time, you can redeem points to download select Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games from our talented independent developers. Users will receive a download code that can be redeemed in Nintendo eShop. BIT.TRIP Presents... Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (Wii U) Zen Pinball 3D (Nintendo 3DS) Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (Nintendo 3DS) Art of Balance (Wii U) Super NES Classic Edition My Nintendo Rewards – The Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition system launches Sept. 29! Play 20 classic Super NES games, plus – *gasp* – the never-before-released Star Fox 2 game! To celebrate the launch, My Nintendo is offering these rewards: Super NES Classic Edition Wallpaper Ultimate NES Remix (Nintendo 3DS) – 40 percent off NES Remix Pack (Wii U) – 30 percent off NES Jumping Mario Nintendo 3DS Theme We’re also celebrating the launch of Star Fox 2 with the Star Fox 2 wallpaper! Also check out these great deals: Star Fox Zero (Wii U) – 30 percent off Star Fox 64 3D (Nintendo 3DS) – 30 percent off Star Fox Command (Wii U) – 40 percent off Fire Emblem Heroes – Special Heroes are Here! – As part of the “Performing Arts” Summoning Event, running from Sept. 29 at 12 a.m. PT until Oct. 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT, receive special heroes that are part of a 5★ Focus. Add Azura: Lady of Ballads, Olivia: Festival Dancer, Shigure: Dark Sky Singer or Inigo: Indigo Dancer to the team and use their Sing and Dance skills to give other units an extra action in battle. No Orbs are needed for the first summon. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Also new this week: Conga Master Party! (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Tower of Babel (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) INVERSUS Deluxe (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO Burning Fight (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Brave Dungeon + Dark Witch Story: COMBAT (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) PICROSS S (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Deemo (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Sparkle 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Oct. 3 Astro Bears Party (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Physical Contact: Picture Place (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Pankapu (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ONE PIECE: Unlimited World Red Deluxe (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 29 Binaries (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) BUTCHER (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Culdcept Revolt (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) – Available Oct. 3 Hive Jump (Nintendo eShop on Wii U) Super Ultra Star Shooter (Nintendo eShop on Wii U) Double Dungeons (Virtual Console on Wii U)
  19. Tumblestone was one of my favorite Wii U eShop games last year so I'm glad to see it getting a re-release on the Switch. If you like match-3 puzzle games Tumblestone should be right up your alley. Here's the review I wrote for it last year:
  20. In 2013 developer Image & Form introduced players to a wonderfully addictive world of mining and robots in SteamWorld Dig, a game centered around a simple but oh-so-satisfying cycle of digging and exploring. After a brief detour into space-based larceny with SteamWorld Heist we're back to good ol' fashioned subterranean excavation with SteamWorld Dig 2 on the Switch eShop. Not content to just repeat the gameplay of the original, the developers have expanded the mining adventure with a Metroidvania exploration twist, making SteamWorld Dig 2 a larger but just as addictive adventure into robot mining. In virtually every aspect Image & Form has managed to make an already excellent game formula even better. Dig 2 is almost a direct sequel to the first game, but stars a different protagonist. Rusty, the hero of the first game, has gone missing, so Dorothy—whom fans may remember as the bot that bought the ore and gems Rusty dug up—has set out to find what happened to him. Her search leads her to El Machino, another mining town, but not before she meets an unlikely ally in Fen, a floating ball of light that may be connected to previous SteamWorld titles. In fact Dig 2 adds a lot to the lore of the SteamWorld universe which fans of the series will surely appreciate. Dig 2 also has the same quirky sense of humor as its predecessors—expect plenty of delightful puns—which adds a lot of personality to a game that is mostly about a solitary robot digging in the dirt. However the highlight of the writing is definitely the artifact descriptions. Dorothy can find a variety of strange artifacts while digging—often in hidden corners of the mine—and each has a bizarre little item description reminiscent of Captain Olimar's descriptions of the treasures he finds in the Pikmin series. The artifact descriptions are tongue-in-cheek, chock full of pop culture references, and absolutely worth taking the time to read. Just like in the original game it's incredible how the developers have made a concept as simple as digging so much fun. The core gameplay is based around a fiendishly addictive cycle: you dig in the mine to collect ore and gems, return to the surface to sell your findings, buy better equipment to make digging easier, then dive right back into the mine. It's simple but incredibly rewarding, and in Dig 2 there are some important additions to make the game even more engaging from your first dig to your last. For one thing, the environments are more elaborate than in the original. The first game used procedurally generated maps to add a degree of variability, but Dig 2 is more carefully and specifically crafted. This trade-off means that the maps are more elaborate and interconnected, which adds a Metroidvania sense of exploration. Additionally, Dig 2 adds some new equipment that makes Dorothy far more mobile than Rusty was, which makes backtracking more convenient—and more fun. Plus the controls are better mapped than they were in the original game, which just makes the gameplay flow more smoothly. Every time you unlock a new piece of equipment you'll be eager to return to a previous area to find what new secrets you can discover now. And Dig 2 is packed with secrets. In addition to the previously mentioned artifacts there are upgrade gears hidden throughout the game. You still expand your digging abilities by buying new equipment back in town, but upgrade gears can be used to modify your abilities. For example, you can equip a few gears to increase the radius of your lantern, or to ensure that your bombs don't damage you. Pretty much every gear ability is super useful, but you most likely won't have enough gears for every ability you want, so you have to pick and choose a bit. The good news is that gears can be moved around freely while in town, so if you decide an ability isn't worthwhile after all you can put those gears to better use. This adds a great touch of customization to Dig 2, so even though the maps aren't randomized anymore you'll still end up with a slightly different experience compared to other players depending on how you use your gears. There are even gear abilities that are specifically designed to make the game harder, further customizing your playthrough and adding a little extra challenge in your mining adventure. Finally Dig 2 adds a small touch of RPG mechanics with an experience points system. The first game had levels that were tied to the amount of money you earned by selling items, but now Dorothy can gain experience points by defeating enemies. The higher level she is the more equipment she can buy in the shop, and she'll get an additional percentage bonus when selling items—pretty soon you'll be earning cash hand over fist. At first glance this doesn't seem like a big change but it adds one important detail to Dig 2—fighting enemies is worthwhile. It's tempting to simply ignore the creepy crawling hazards that lurk underground, but now there's a valuable reason to fight. And don't think that means monsters take it easy on you. You can die if you're not careful, but the rewards of battle added to Dig 2 make the venture well worth it. The production values of Image & Form's games have only gotten better and better with each title, and the original Dig already had some pretty charming designs. Dig 2 is a beautiful game, using the same art style as the original but with much more highly polished designs that are gorgeous on the Switch, on the TV or in handheld mode. The level of detail in the environments is beautiful, and the developers have developed a real knack for robot character designs, from Dorothy herself to the adorable Penny Kettlebottom and every other resident of El Machino. And when it comes to the game's presentation, El Machino is the real jewel of Dig 2. The scenery in the town is just wonderful, and the music is some of the most memorable in the game. Image & Form partnered with musician El Huervo, perhaps best known for his work on the Hotline Miami games, and the result is one excellent, atmospheric soundtrack. With all of its new features and interconnected map, Dig 2 is a longer game than its predecessor. Unless you choose to completely bypass all secrets and collectibles—and why would you want to do that?—you can expect around ten hours to finish the game, potentially more to reach 100% completion. It's absolutely worth your time to seek out all of the cogs and artifacts, not just for their beneficial effects but for the joy of exploration and discovery, and the fun of playing with the abilities you get late in the game. Although however long you spend with the game it won't feel like enough; the game could be twice as long and I'd be clamoring for more dirt to dig. SteamWorld Dig 2 is everything you could want in a sequel: it retains all the best elements of the original game while making it bigger and better. The cycle of digging, selling materials, and buying better equipment is just as addictive as it was before, and now has the benefit of upgrade cogs to spice up the gameplay in new, customizable ways. The sense of exploration has branched out to a more Metroidvania system that makes every new upgrade even more compelling and gives you a rich environment that you won't want to stop exploring. With its track record of fantastic games I can't wait to see what else the SteamWorld universe has in store. Rating: 9 out of 10 Steam Bots Review copy provided by the publisher SteamWorld Dig 2 is now available on the Switch eShop for $19.99.
  21. So, a while back dataminers found an NES emulater in the Switch's code. Now, they have found the full game of Golf for NES, but don't know how to access it as of yet. Link to article: https://gonintendo.com/stories/290396-nes-golf-with-two-player-joy-con-support-found-hidden-on-the-swit Personaly, I think Nintendo put this in there for testing purposes for the VC. Maybe along with online, we'll get motion controls for some VC games? Then again, why is this hidden away on everyone's Switch? Maybe they'll make it a freebie or something later on? Nintendo does love their easter eggs after all.
  22. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Pokkén Tournament DX – Take direct control of one of more than 20 prized Pokémon fighters to defeat other Pokémon in arena fights. Call upon Support Pokémon to assist in the fight, then unleash your Pokémon's unique Burst Attack to climb atop the ranks. With new modes and new ways to battle with friends*, this is your chance to become champion of the Ferrum Region! The Pokkén Tournament DX game will be available on Sept. 22. SteamWorld Dig 2 – The SteamWorld Dig 2 game takes you on a platform mining adventure. When an old trading town is struck by mysterious earthquakes, it’s up to a lone steambot and her unlikely companion to uncover what trembling terrors lie beneath. Dig your way underground and explore vivid worlds riddled with treasure, secrets and traps. Flip Wars – Software Update – Fans that are enjoying the multiplayer fun of Flip Wars can now enjoy a free update. Once downloaded, the update adds a new stage, new mechanics, local wireless multiplayer, Class Matches and a new online** battle mode. Virtual Console on Nintendo 3DS Pokémon Gold Version / Pokémon Silver Version – When initially launched on the Game Boy Color system, the Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version games continued to expand the Pokémon universe, adding 100 Pokémon, held items, Pokémon eggs and real-time events thanks to an internal game clock. Now, a new feature lets you trade and battle Pokémon in 2D using local wireless on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version will be available on Sept. 22. Also, as a bonus for purchasing one of these great games for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, Trainers will get a code*** that unlocks the Mythical Pokémon Celebi in their Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon game. Or, Trainers can hold on to the code and use it in either of the upcoming Pokémon Ultra Sun or Pokémon Ultra Moon games when they launch on Nov. 17. Purchase the Pokémon Gold Version or Pokémon Silver Version game in Nintendo eShop by Jan. 15, 2018, to receive a bonus digital code for a Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu theme inspired by the version you bought. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Pokémon Gold Version / Pokémon Silver Version – If you purchase Pokémon Gold Version or Pokémon Silver Version at either GameStop, Best Buy or Amazon.com, you will receive a bonus Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Versioninspired Nintendo 3DS HOME menu theme.**** Also new this week: LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 22 DRAGON BALL Xenoverse 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 22 Sine Mora EX (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 26 ACA NEOGEO Art of Fighting (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives Mario Bros. (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 27 Thimbleweed Park (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Soldam: Drop, Connect, Erase (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Frutakia 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) GUIDE THE GHOST (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) 36 Fragments of Midnight (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS) Chew Man Fu (Virtual Console for Wii U) Shockman (Virtual Console for Wii U)
  23. It's almost here! SteamWorld Dig 2 is out tomorrow on the Switch, and promises even more digging action than the first game. Image & Form has a launch trailer (above) as well as a new Engine Room video (below) to tease some of the new features in store. Or if you don't want a single detail spoiled, just wait for the game's launch tomorrow on the Switch eShop for $19.99/€19.99. And finally, Image & Form has some new merchandise available at FanGamer if you want to wear your fandom for SteamWorld Dig. I'm super excited to see a new SteamWorld game release soon and I'm already working on a review for the game, so expect that in the next few days!
  24. Nearly thirty years ago Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick made names for themselves developing Maniac Mansion and later The Secret of Monkey Island, both point-and-click adventure games critically acclaimed for their unique style and humor. The genre fell out of fashion for a while but lately has been gaining traction with players once more, and in 2014 Gilbert and Winnick launched a Kickstarter for Thimbleweed Park, a brand new point-and-click adventure in the same style as their classic games, down to the multiple command options and wealth of comical items. For longtime fans Thimbleweed Park will feel like the return of an old friend, and for new players it may open the door to a whole world of meticulously crafted puzzles, charming pixel art design, and an absolutely delightful sense of humor. A dead body turning up in the simple little town of Thimbleweed Park sparks the story as two federal agents arrive to investigate the crime. Thimbleweed Park isn't so simple of a town though, and the two agents have their own reasons for visiting outside of the criminal investigation. It's a good mystery plot, strong enough to keep your interest as you're drip-fed new bits of information about the curious happenings around town, but this wouldn't be a Ron Gilbert game without a ton of humor sprinkled throughout the story. And the humor is on point in Thimbleweed Park. It's just the right blend of goofiness, pop culture references, and fourth wall breaks that keep the game funny and charming without being groan-worthy. It's often the simplest jokes that manage to resonate the most, such as the numerous pointed jabs at point-and-click adventure game quirks that longtime fans of the genre will appreciate. There are times where it feels like the humor and in-jokes get in the way of the mystery a bit, especially since a few threads are still left dangling by the end of the game, but ultimately the game ends on an oddly appropriate note. If you haven't played a point-and-click adventure game before the essentials are right there in the name. You explore environments, pointing at and clicking on objects, which are used to solve all manner of puzzles. Of course, pointing and clicking is a bit more accurate of a description with a mouse, but Thimbleweed Park retains the old structure, complete with separate command options for looking at an item, opening it, using it, etc. This kind of interface can feel clunky with a controller, and when you're using the regular ol' Joy-Cons the controls can be slow or unwieldy. Moving the cursor over a small object with a control stick will never be as quick or easy as it is with a mouse. There's good news for this Switch version of the game, though. Using the Switch's touchscreen (in handheld mode, obviously) makes for a pretty great replacement of the old mouse and keyboard. It is much faster and smoother, and even while using your finger it's easy to tap on small objects just a couple pixels wide. You won't have the benefit of playing on the big screen but using the touch controls in Thimbleweed Park is definitely the way to go for sheer control convenience. However you want to play the game though, what really matters in a point-and-click adventure game is how the puzzles are designed. It can be a precariously delicate process finding the right balance of difficulty in a game like this. Make the puzzles too hard and the game is discouraging, but make the puzzles too simple and the game will be boring. Thimbleweed Park nails it with puzzles that are challenging without being obnoxious, and solutions that are logical from multiple points of view and not just the singular tunnel vision the developers were thinking of. I can't stress how important that is for a point-and-click adventure game—even when I was stumped, once I found the solution I was kicking myself for not thinking of it or overlooking some detail, not cursing the developers for overcomplicating things. And let's be clear, Thimbleweed Park isn't some sort of walk in the…park. You have to play it like a classic point-and-click adventure game, which means picking up every random object you find because it might be useful at some point, and talking to every single character because they might offer some vital clue as to what to do next. The solutions are logical but you have to keep your thinking cap on the entire time. Thimbleweed Park also throws a little wrench in your puzzle-solving plans by giving you control of multiple characters, all of whom have unique abilities, items, or access to parts of the map that may be important. Sometimes the solution to a stumbling block is as simple as using the right man—or woman—for the job. You'll even need to use multiple characters in tandem at times. In fact, the game could have used more of these types of unique puzzle scenarios. It's great that Thimbleweed Park gives you a lot of freedom to use any character to investigate, especially early in the game, but it would have been nice to see even more puzzles that leverage characters' specific abilities. To be clear that's a minor nitpick—even as is the game is packed with a great selection of puzzles that'll make you laugh, cry, and question why you didn't think of that twenty minutes ago. Don't feel daunted by these descriptions of classic puzzle design. Thimbleweed Park is an incredibly self-referential game, but there are a couple of important aspects that are here to welcome newcomers to the genre as well. The game offers two difficulty levels, casual and hard, the latter of which is more like the familiar point-and-click games of yesteryear, while the former is streamlined to cut down on the more complicated puzzle solutions. This is a great feature if you're not confident in your puzzle solving prowess, but casual mode also cuts some of the character interactions, story details, jokes—it's not just a simpler version of the puzzles, it's a simpler version of the entire game. Hard mode is really the full experience, as the game is meant to be played. If you're starting up a new game, be brave and go with hard mode. Especially because the developers have made one incredibly useful safety net. Thimbleweed Park has a built-in hint system. No, you're not coughing up coins like Professor Layton or jumping through any other hoops. There is a literal help line in the game that you can call and receive hints toward your immediate goals. This is super convenient—no need to run to the internet to look up a walkthrough—especially because, although puzzle solutions are largely logic-based, it can be overwhelming to figure out exactly what to do next once you have access to the entire map and can pick up dozens of items. In fact, one of the best parts of the in-game hint system is that it will tell you if you're trying to do something that you can't actually solve right now, and that you need to progress further before you have access to the solution. The hints also come in gradual steps from vague to explicit, so if you just need a little nudge in the right direction you can ask for one hint, but if you're well and truly lost you can get the exact answer. Purists may feel a little dirty resorting to hints but it's fantastic that the developers built this into the game itself. The abrupt halt of momentum when you're stuck on a puzzle can be so frustrating in a game like this, but now, without even resorting to a walkthrough, you can keep playing and enjoying the adventure at the pace you want. It can be hard to nail down an exact length for a puzzle game like this since your playtime largely depends upon how quickly you solve the puzzles, but you can expect a good ten or twelve hours minimum, more if you're the type to mull over every puzzle. You could of course speed things up by using hints every time you're even remotely stuck, but where's the fun in that? More importantly, you can extend your playtime by being a little more playful within the game. Click on everything you see, try every item combination. Some items seem to be in the game strictly for joke purposes, so why not find everything the game has to offer? Just like the gameplay the graphics are pulled right out of the late 80s, early 90s. Well, they're a little more complicated than the simple limitations of 80s game design, but the pixel art style will still tickle the nostalgic part of your brain in the best way. The distinct big-head design is charming, and the little details tucked into the corners of the scenery are great to find. Plus the style suits the 1987 setting of the story, which in itself is one of the more meta aspects of Thimbleweed Park. Thankfully the music isn't restricted to mimicking 80s sound design though. The soundtrack is okay for setting the mystery mood—the opening theme is particularly catchy—but the star of the audio show is the voice acting. All of the dialogue is acted, which only adds to the fun of the writing's humor. Some of it does stretch into excessively goofy territory, and a couple characters in particular just suffer from flat delivery a little too often, but the voice work is still a great touch for bringing the game's charm to life. Thimbleweed Park isn't just an homage to a classic type of game, it manages to take the best of the genre and further refine it to be more accessible and convenient. The result is a wonderfully polished adventure with all of the quirky characters, challenging puzzles, and flat-out absurd scenarios that fans have come to expect of a good ol' fashioned point-and-click adventure. The entire game feels like a love letter to the players that were passionate enough about the genre to help fund the venture, and those fans should be well-pleased with the result. If you're already a fan of point-and-click adventures, Thimbleweed Park will click all of the right points for you. If you're not already a fan, this game will make you one. Rating: 9 out of 10 Pixels Review copy provided by the publisher Thimbleweed Park is available today on the Switch eShop for $19.99.
  25. UPDATE: Apparently FFXV is not coming to Switch. It was all just a joke...? Link: https://gonintendo.com/stories/289732-final-fantasy-xv-director-says-his-switch-teases-were-kind-of-a I'm not sure what to think about this.They could have very well leaked the Switch version at Gamescom when they weren't supposed to and that's why they're now saying it was just a joke. I guess only time will tell. Link to article: https://gonintendo.com/stories/288138-final-fantasy-xv-very-strongly-hinted-at-for-switch-release OMG! They literally confirmed it, without actually confirming it. ...But damn, a current mainline FF game coming to a Nintendo system? Did I just some how get wake up in the early 90's?
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