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  1. Twenty years after Pokémon Red and Blue launched in North America, sparking a wildfire of Pokémania in children across the US, Game Freak is ready to do it all over again with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! For many of us this will be a trip down memory lane as the games are enhanced remakes of Pokémon Yellow, but the game also represents a meeting point between traditional Pokémon trainers and Pokémon GO fans, as some of the mobile game's features are recreated here. No matter how the details change though, the core Pokémon adventure remains wonderfully charming and addictive. Let's Go, Pikachu! is essentially a retelling of Pokémon Yellow, so once again you have Pikachu as your main partner and Team Rocket's Jessie and James pop up as you explore Kanto and collect the eight gym badges needed to challenge the Pokémon League. While it would've been nice to have perhaps some of the story beats be a little different, there's something to be said for the charming simplicity of the writing here. After all, if this is meant to be an introductory game to the main series of Pokémon, perhaps it helps to keep things basic. Just like in every Pokémon game you capture wild monsters, train them to do your bidding, then pit them in battle against one another (but in a cute way). However, in this game you don't actually battle wild Pokémon, and don't have to weaken them in order to capture them. Instead, wild Pokémon are visible on the map, and when you touch them you're given a chance to simply catch them directly by placating them with berries and throwing Poké Balls at them—literally, thanks to the motion controls. This will feel more natural to Pokémon GO players but for veterans it's an adjustment, especially given how this new method can feel both finnicky and a little boring after a while, especially the way the game encourages you to capture duplicates as well. It's not entirely a bad change but it does reduce some of the game's challenge. And that's a theme throughout Let's Go, Pikachu! Small details have been adjusted to make the game friendlier to new players and erase some of the more technical video game-esque" elements. For example, you no longer have to use a PC to access your Pokémon Box—your entire collection is available to you at any given moment. There's no need to prepare a team of six to take on a certain route, cave, or gym because you can swap out your current six-Pokémon party between any battle. You also don't need to worry about using Hidden Machines (HMs) for the vital abilities that allow you to explore (such as cut, surf, or strength) because Pikachu will learn these abilities without wasting a slot on his four-ability move list. And for most gyms you can't even challenge the gym unless you have a Pokémon of an advantageous type or are at a certain level. Again, none of these are bad changes—they're all done to the benefit of the player—but they show how Let's Go, Pikachu! has been simplified for less experienced players. Pro trainers might scoff at some of these—and frankly the original games weren't so difficult that they really need all of these adjustments—but they're undeniably helpful and can mostly be avoided if you want to maintain a more classic sense of challenge. Possibly the biggest way that Let's Go, Pikachu! makes things easier is the fact that a second player can jump in to play along at just about any point in the game. Player Two can also throw Poké Balls at wild Pokémon and even join in battle using one of your six main party Pokémon. Such 2v1 battles can be overwhelmingly easy but still, this is a fun way to get another player involved without the need for an entire second Switch/game. It's a perfect way to help out inexperienced players or just pique someone else's curiosity about the game, and since you only need one Joy-Con to play you don't even need a second set of controllers. It's a great way for Pokémon to embrace a more accessible approach for any player. Speaking of controllers though, that might be the one area that Let's Go, Pikachu! went a little overboard on the new features. You only need one Joy-Con to play, which is pretty neat, but frankly not terribly comfortable to hold sometimes, and the game flat out doesn't support the Pro Controller. You also have to use motion controls when throwing Poké Balls at wild critters which is novel the first few times but quickly grows tiresome, especially since throwing isn't super accurate—you can aim left and right but it always felt pretty inconsistent to me. The only way to use more traditional controls is playing in handheld mode, though of course that means you don't get to enjoy Pokémon on the big screen; it really is a shame that even using the Pro Controller isn't an option in this game. The game's presentation might best be described as aggressively cute. This may not be the series' first foray into 3D models, but as the first HD home console title it's certainly a landmark entry, one that does a great job of capturing the charm of Pokémon in smooth HD without overdoing it on unnecessary frills. Instead it's the perfect translation of what we remember Kanto being like, even though we played it all those years ago in pixely monochrome. And being able to get up close and pet Pikachu is simply too cute. The soundtrack also does a great job of modernizing the classic tunes of the series, capturing the same fun, bubbly, exciting background music that we remember. The adventure is pretty much exactly the same as Pokémon Yellow, which means conquering the Elite Four of the Pokémon League takes about twenty hours or so. There are, of course, more things to do if you want to truly be a Pokémon master, including post-game challenges, collecting every Pokémon, and trading/battling online. The online interface could be a little more robust here—it seems like in an effort to keep things simple the developers went too far and made it a little more tedious than necessary to find the specific trade you want—but even so there's more than enough gameplay here to satisfy any Pokémon Trainer. Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! perfectly accomplishes what it set out to do: create a happy medium between Pokémon GO's more casual, capture-focused gameplay and the traditional main series Pokémon games. That means it's simplified some of the core aspects of the franchise's gameplay and includes a few features that make the whole journey much more forgiving, but these concessions don't spoil the enduring charm of capturing, training, trading, and battling pocket monsters. And for those of us that grew up on the original gen I games, Let's Go, Pikachu! also provides an adorably endearing trip down memory lane. Rating: 8 out of 10 Poké Balls
  2. Welcome to the 2nd annual Ninfora Game Awards, AKA Eliwood highlights a bunch of games he liked this year and no one else gets a say. Nintendo followed up their launch year for the Switch with a strong if somewhat less ambitious second year—though to be fair it's hard to top a launch year that includes a new Zelda game and a new Mario game. Still, 2018 saw plenty of great releases, including re-releases of some of the best Wii U games, a massive number of outstanding indie titles, and a little known crossover fighting game released just a few weeks ago. Like most years there were simply too many great games to include them all on this list, but here are some of my favorite titles of 2018. Best Crossover Event of the Year: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Sorry Avengers, but it's right there in the name of the game: this is the Ultimate package, a lovingly crafted ode to not just Nintendo but gaming in general. Smash is the perfect encapsulation of our beloved pastime, one that celebrates all of the incredible memories we've each built over the years as Nintendo fans—and then lets us beat the crap out of each other with them. Because for as much as Smash is an interactive museum of nostalgia, it's also one of the finest fighting games around, one that is so customizable to player preference that it works whether you're a pro competitive player or just picking up a controller for the first time. Not matter how you prefer to play, Smash Ultimate is an utterly addictive, mind-boggling display of fighting game design and Nintendo knowledge. Most Delightfully Original Game: Yoku's Island Express One part pinball game, one part Metroidvania, and starring a dung beetle working as a postmaster—apparently it's a formula just crazy enough to work, because Yoku's Island Express is undoubtedly a highlight of the indie scene this year. In addition to putting a fun and fresh spin on two game genres, Yoku features some of the most charming visuals and audio you can enjoy on the Switch. It's a game that just captivates you from the moment you start playing and keeps you enchanted throughout the whole experience. Best Comic Book Adaptation: Battle Chasers: Nightwar To be honest I didn't even know Nightwar was based on a relatively short-lived comic book series from the 90s when it first caught my attention, but Joe Madureira's distinctive artwork (also seen in the Darksiders games) is all over this, and was enough to pique my interest. Don't worry if you're not familiar with the comic either—the game stands perfectly well on its own and takes players on a uniquely engaging RPG adventure that blends elements of turn-based combat, dungeon crawling, and procedurally generated level design. The final product is certainly on the difficult side, but if you don't mind the challenge you'll find a deep and rewarding RPG that encourages you to craft your own strategies. Most Thought-Provoking Game: Iconoclasts When you first start Iconoclasts it seems like another cute, charming, retro-inspired Metroidvania, but it doesn't take long for the game to drop some heavy ideas on you. I suppose the title should've been the first giveaway that this wouldn't be your typical adventure story, but it's still a surprise when the game takes a turn for the more serious—a welcome surprise though, because Iconoclasts does a fantastic job of balancing compelling characters and their personal development with excellent 2D action/platforming design and incredible boss fights. It's an unforgettable journey, and the best compliment I can give Iconoclasts is: you've never played a game quite like this one. Most Funky Game: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze I couldn't very well compile a list of games from this year and ignore the funkiest Kong around, now could I? Okay, so the Switch version of Tropical Freeze has some underwhelming additions—particularly the fact that Funky Kong is relegated to his own "easy mode" so you can't just swap to him on the fly—but even so, the core experience remains an absolutely fantastic display of 2D platforming. In the world of platformers it's so easy to tell when something just feels off, when the platforming mechanics don't quite click, but Tropical Freeze is pure platforming perfection, one that isn't afraid to push the player with intense but rewarding challenges. Best Narrative: The Gardens Between How do you make a great narrative in a game that doesn't feature any text or dialogue? Well, you'd have to ask The Gardens Between developer The Voxel Agents about that, 'cause they nailed it. A short, sweet, melancholy trip through the shared memories of two children is one of the most emotionally affecting games I played this year, and to take it one step further the developers also slipped in a brilliantly original puzzle mechanic that revolves around time manipulation. It may not be a long game but it'll absolutely stick with you. Second Best Ultimate Game: Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate MHGU was so close to wrapping up that Best Ultimate Game award, and yet Smash just had to release this year. Still, in the same way that Smash Ultimate is an insanely jam-packed collection of Nintendo nostalgia, MHGU is an insanely jam-packed collection of Monster Hunter content. The massive roster, variety of weapons/hunter styles, and of course the fun of jumping online to team up on a hunt makes for a wonderfully addictive game, the kind that eats up an entire Saturday afternoon before you can blink. It'll be interesting to see where the franchise goes in the future as well, considering the success of Monster Hunter World, but for now MHGU is one incredible treat for classic MH fans. The "Frustrating Yet Rewarding" Award: Runner 3 From his first humble days as the star of Bit.Trip Beat, Commander Video has lead a unique video game career—who could have predicted that those early pixel days would lead to the insanely surreal landscape of Runner 3? Regardless of the setting, the Commander finds himself in another addictive rhythmic race, this time adding some helpful new features like double jumping. The game is still tough as nails though so it's not a game for the easily flustered, but the insane visuals, catchy music, and addictive "one more try" mentality of the game will keep players coming back for more. Best Surprise: Valkyria Chronicles 4 No, not because I didn't think it'd be good, I'm surprised we got the game at all considering the last numbered entry in the franchise was a Japan-exclusive PSP game and just last year Valkyria Revolution was released to overwhelmingly poor reviews. But VC4 recaptures all of the charm that made the first game a hit: a fun cast of characters, engaging strategy gameplay, and stylish presentation. There's something hypnotic about playing a strategy game, something that pulls you into the experience completely, and VC4 perfectly captures that feeling as well. Best "Nintendo Difficult" Game: Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition Hyper Light Drifter takes several cues from classic Nintendo game design—the Zelda influences are clear enough as you explore an open 2D environment initially armed only with a sword—and not least of which is the classic sense of difficulty that the game poses. Still, while some "Nintendo Difficult" games were unfairly challenging, Hyper Light Drifter finds the perfect balance of difficult-but-fair. No player death can be attributed to a cheap shot on the game's part, only a failing of the player to play carefully given the limited tools the game provides. And no matter how many deaths you rack up, there's always a driving incentive to try again. Most Beautiful Game: Gris There are a lot of beautifully made games on this list, but none of them can boast the same incredible combination of aesthetic and technical design that Gris has. Every screenshot of the game is captivating, combining surreal details with a gorgeous watercolor effect that truly makes the game feel like a living painting. The animation is mesmerizing, and to top everything off the soundtrack is beautifully moving. The gameplay itself is perfectly enjoyable as well, but the art and music of Gris stands out far more. Best Port or Remake: Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition This was actually a pretty competitive category with all of the Wii U games that have been ported to the Switch this year (and no, Smash Ultimate does not count as a port!). And while Hyrule Warriors may not necessarily be the best game overall out of the many ports released, I'm giving it a special mention for truly being the definitive version of the game: all of the DLC that has been released over the years and all of the features from the Wii U and 3DS versions combined into one game makes for a pretty fantastic experience at a great value. Even after playing for hours upon hours there's just a seemingly endless amount of content, and although it can feel a bit repetitive at times it's always fun to demolish groups of Bokoblins and Stalfos. Best Roguelike Game: Dead Cells Despite the growing resurgence of the Roguelike format, I'm often frustrated by the cycle of playing, dying, losing everything, and starting again from scratch, so it should be clear that I don't take an award like this lightly. Roguelikes distinguish themselves by focusing on the journey and not the destination, and that's something that Dead Cells does perfectly. There's a beautiful rhythm to the combat in this game, its speed, fluidity, and most importantly its variety which allows you to easily try new things playthrough after playthrough. You may not always reach the end boss, but it's always an exciting journey. Best Game Starring the Grim Reaper: Flipping Death Zoink Games returns to their roots with this spiritual sequel to Stick It to The Man, and it's just as bizarre, goofy, and absolutely charming. Flipping Death doesn't take itself seriously at all and the result is a hilarious game about the afterlife and the restless spirits that inhabit it. The writing is without a doubt the highlight of the experience—this is definitely the kind of game where you want to talk with everyone just to enjoy all of the dialogue—but in the midst of all of that oddball comedy the developers have crafted tons of unique and clever puzzles as well. With its exaggerated and cartoonish graphics and voice acting, Flipping Death is the definition of quirky, and it's also a must-play this year. The Award for Most Complicated Title: YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana Seriously, at a glance this title looks like someone just mashed their keyboard for a bit then submitted it as a video game. But crazy title aside, YS VIII is a fine addition to the Switch's slowly growing collection of RPGs, one that offers a fast, fun combat system, a richly engaging environment to explore, and a story that balances out its cliché elements with a satisfying mystery. It's a decent blend of classic and modern RPG elements—appropriate for a franchise that has lasted over thirty years now. Best Chicken-based Combat in a Game: Guacamelee! 2 For all of the addictive indie games released this year, there's only one that lets you seamlessly transition between a buff, masked luchador and a squawking, belt-wearing chicken. Guacamelee! 2 follows up the original game with an equally fantastic Metroidvania that combines addictive combo-friendly combat with tight, challenging platforming. If the game is perhaps too similar to the original, it can be forgiven simply because the gameplay formula is yet again so well polished, whether you're juggling enemy skeletons as a luchador or fluttering over hazardous pits as a chicken. Best Sci-Fi Adventure: The Fall Part 2: Unbound 2014's The Fall was one of the best examples of classic, thoughtful sci-fi, because while plenty of games have sci-fi settings, few actually explore sci-fi themes, the ones that question the nature of society, reality, and intelligence in an increasingly technological world. It's not an easy topic to translate into an entertaining game, but developer Over the Moon has once again managed it with the second installment of The Fall. Unbound expands on the heady topics of the original and adds a lot more unique and challenging puzzle gameplay as well, though fans will once again have to endure a cliffhanger ending. The wait was worth it for part 2 though, and hopefully it won't be as long for part 3. Best Nostalgia Trip: Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu & Eevee! It was almost exactly twenty years ago that I pestered my mom to buy me a copy of Pokémon Red after my brother received Pokémon Blue for Christmas, sparking a childhood love of Pokémon that has admittedly waned over the years. Returning to Kanto in Let's Go, Pikachu! was still a time machine though, one that meticulously recreates a landmark game of my childhood with beautiful, adorable new graphics. Not all of the changes made to cater to Pokémon GO players are necessarily improvements but it's still pretty heartwarming to see all of my old Poké friends in charming HD, even for this trainer who gave up trying to catch 'em all a long time ago. Most Culturally Unique Game: Mulaka "Educational" isn't usually a well-regarded quality in a video game, and even that label isn't quite right for Mulaka, but still, the game offers a fascinating window on a Native American culture that few people would have heard about otherwise. In the same way that so many other games draw upon Greek mythology, Japanese folktales, etc., Mulaka draws from the stories of the Tarahumara people of northern Mexico and builds a beautiful adventure game out of it. Some of the gameplay elements lack polish, but the overall journey is still compelling, and you're guaranteed to walk away with a new insight on a native Mexican people. The "Looks Aren't Everything" Award: West of Loathing If you only judged this game by its cover you probably wouldn't be impressed, but after a few minutes with West of Loathing you'd change your tune completely. This quirky, story-driven RPG absolutely delights in winking at the player, making fun of game mechanics tropes and generally just being as absurd as possible, and it's a genuinely hilarious ride while it lasts. That's something few games can truly boast: this is a comedy game through and through, and it works perfectly as one. Game of the Year 2018: Octopath Traveler Yes, I know this is my love of JRPGs shining through, but Octopath Traveler truly was an incredible experience on the Switch this year, one that beautifully plays off the nostalgia for SNES-era RPGs while also taking a chance on a unique system of eight characters with eight individual stories. Frankly, everything about this game is surprising, from its stylish HD-2D graphics to the fact that it's an exclusive third-party game for the Switch, but putting aside all of the quirky aspects of the game, Octopath Traveler is a fantastic RPG. It obeys the single most important rule of RPGs: make every battle interesting since otherwise exploration will just get tedious, and the game's shield-breaking and skill-boosting mechanics mean you always have to put a little thought into your attacks. The game also perfectly balances this with giving you the freedom to build whatever team you want to—with eight playable characters and twelve character classes there is a lot of room for variety and experimentation. Maybe some of the game's features get to be a little too quirky for some players, but it's refreshing to see a game take such an original direction with narrative, visuals, and combat mechanics, and most of all to see all of these aspects come together so well. Ultimately, just like the characters in its story, Octopath Traveler gathers disparate elements into a greater whole, one that takes players on a wonderfully unique and engaging RPG adventure.
  3. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: Xtreme Legends Definitive Edition – Immerse yourself in the vivid tales of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Play as the mighty warrior Lu Bu, and embark on a journey that depicts his way of life. The Definitive Edition includes all of the downloadable content from past versions of the game. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Splatoon 2 Frosty Fest – Fans of the Splatoon 2 game have plenty of reasons to start inkin’ online*. Frosty Fest will turn Inkopolis Square into a festive winter wonderland. Inklings and Octolings will even get to use some very fancy glitter-filled ink! In keeping with the season, this special Splatfest asks: Who do you get most excited to spend the holidays with: Friends or Family? Choose a side and battle it out from Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. PT to Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. PT. You can also get seasonal gear that will be distributed via the Splatoon 2 News channel on your Nintendo Switch system. Look for these free gifts in late December. Need a reminder? Redeem your My Nintendo points** now for a themed wallpaper featuring the special gear. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Piranha Plant – Don’t forget that My Nintendo users who purchase and register the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game by Jan. 31, 2019, will receive a download code for Piranha Plant, which will join the battle as a playable character when it’s available. Get all the details at https://smashbros.nintendo.com/buy/#piranha-plant. Also new this week: ACA NEOGEO PUZZLE BOBBLE (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives DONKEY KONG JR. (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Diggerman (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Gelly Break – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Jewel Fever 2 – Full and Demo Versions (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Mech Rage (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Revenge of the Bird King (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Xenon Valkyrie+ (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Jan. 1
  4. Few Nintendo games excite the gaming community as much as Smash Bros., and given a bit of time with the series it's not hard to see why. Each previous title has impressively balanced fast, intense fighting game mechanics with a wealth of gaming references to many of Nintendo's beloved titles, as well as select third-party games. As a result each game has had a lot to live up to, and yet Nintendo still had the cheek to dub the latest entry Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It really shouldn't surprise anyone that they've delivered on the promise of that title perfectly: this is the ultimate Smash Bros. experience, the ultimate multiplayer fighting game, and the ultimate collection of gaming references and nostalgia. The core gameplay feels as great as it ever has—Ultimate is fast, smooth, and there's no random tripping mechanics. Every Smash Bros. game does an amazing job of finding a happy balance of accessibility and depth, and that's certainly true here. You could put a controller in the hands of a brand new player explain the basics, and he'd be able to do okay. After hours of practice though, all of the depth of the gameplay opens up and the wealth of options shines through. Ultimate works as an intense 1v1 duel or as an insane 8-player mash-up; however you prefer to play, the gameplay manages to feel fresh and exciting every single time you start up a match. Ultimate also boasts a fantastic array of options for customizing your Smash Bros. experience, and a large part of that comes down to the sheer amount of content in this game. There are a whopping 76 characters to play as (with more on the way as DLC), and 103 stages to battle on (with, again, more on the way for a DLC fee). Just playing as every character once would take a significant amount of time, much less learning each one well enough to play at a high level. It's a little daunting perhaps, but the sheer variety this provides ensures there's always something new to try in Ultimate. The developers have also had a bit of fun at players' expense by making the starting roster a measly 8—the original 8 from the N64 game—and forcing players to unlock the rest. It may be a time consuming task but it's always exciting to see a new challenger appear, and giving players these characters piecemeal might actually help players acclimate to each character gradually instead of being overwhelmed from the start. Even without the insane size of the character roster, there are tons of little things to enjoy in Smash, including challenges and side modes. One of the highlights has to be the reworked Classic Mode. Now each character has their own themed journey based on their original game, and there are a handful of different final bosses which helps make each character's journey feel unique. It's just one of the many ways that Ultimate pays homage to the rich video game history represented here. And oh boy are there homages. The most unique new feature in Ultimate is Spirits, characters from other games who are not playable characters but are still represented by a uniquely themed fight. Chun-li from Street Fighter, for example, is represented by Zero Suit Samus with increased kicking power. There are some ingenious references in these Spirit battles, and they offer another fantastic way to pay tribute to the many amazing games that have graced Nintendo consoles over the years. You really can't help but shake your head at some of the clever twists the developers have cooked up here. When you win in one of these Spirit battles you're able to claim the Spirit as your own and use them to augment your power and abilities—just another interesting way to shake up the standard battle formula. Collecting every Spirit seems like a Herculean task but it's a fun single-player pursuit when you want a break from all of the multiplayer action. Solo play fans will also be excited to see Ultimate has a brand new, extensive single-player adventure mode called World of Light. In this mode you battle Spirits and possessed fighters to free them from the control of an angelic creature named Galeem. There's an extensive map to explore in World of Light and it really does get quite addictive as you gather more and more Spirits. It's also surprisingly long and offers plenty of challenges, even for experienced Smash Bros. players. It does get a little tiresome by the end but it's a great way to see the many unique Spirit battles that Ultimate offers. In addition to all of the different characters, stages, and rule sets, Ultimate also has you covered when it comes to finding your controller of choice. The game supports the same GameCube adapter that the Wii U used, so purists can dust off their GameCube controllers (admittedly, it doesn't really feel like Smash Bros. without a GameCube controller). The Pro controller also works well of course, and if you're a masochist you can try playing with a single Joy-Con—or maybe that's the best way to give your friend a disadvantage after she crushes you for the tenth time in a row. The one area that Ultimate disappoints is, not surprisingly, online play. Smash games have always had rocky online gameplay, but it's particularly frustrating now that Nintendo is charging an online subscription fee. First off, there's the ever present issue of button lag. It is, to be fair, the most understandable issue in a game like this where combat is so fast-paced, but it's still frustrating to have to deal with as it throws off the flow of gameplay so much. Although the much bigger culprit in that regard is connection lag. I'd consider my internet connection to be pretty decent—I've never had significant issues with any other online game I play—but just about every online match I've played has had some degree of lag. No matter what your connection is like though, there's no guarantee of smooth matches since, if your opponent's internet is slow, the whole match will be slow. At least it's easy to find a match—what can be trickier is finding the match you want, though. Ultimate has done away with the For Glory and For Fun modes of the previous Smash game and instead just has Quick Play which throws you into the first available match, and Battle Arenas where you're able to customize your preferences a bit more. Quick Play also allows you to set preferred rules so that the game will try to find the kinds of matches you want (1v1, items on, time matches, etc.) but Ultimate doesn't do a great job of adhering to your preferences. It'll find matches that are close, but you'll rarely get exactly the match up you want. That's where Battle Arena steps in, but even here there are some frustrating quirks. Arenas can hold up to eight players but can only have one match going at once, so up to four players are going to be spectating while they queue up. However, you can't change your character and retain your place in the queue—which is also a problem in Quick Play—so any time you want to make even a minor change you'll be booted to the back of the line. And of course, this being Nintendo, there's no way to notify friends in-game if you want to play—you'll have to use something outside of the game to message people to get a match going. Smash Bros. has always been at its best when you're in the same room with your friends battling it out, but it's still disappointing that even Ultimate, the culmination of the Smash series so far, leaves so much to be desired when it comes to online play. The presentation, however, is everything you'd want from Smash Bros. This game is gorgeous—you could easily spend a whole match just taking in the background details. Just like with all of the Spirit references, there's an insane amount of care put into all of the minor touches of the graphics and audio, such as Olimar's helmet cracking when he's knocked out. Naturally all of the amazing visuals are complemented by silky smooth animation that (at least offline) never suffers a single hiccup. And the final example of Ultimate's insane amount of content is the soundtrack, featuring over 850 songs, remixed and inspired by some of the most recognizable and catchiest tunes from games recent and old. Even if you wanted to just sit and listen to the music, you'd have hours and hours of content to enjoy, and every track sounds amazing. The numerous composers have done a truly incredible job of remixing and recreating all of the songs that will instantly spark nostalgia in your mind—there's no better soundtrack to battle to. With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the franchise continues to be one of the most addictive and satisfying fighting games around. It can't be understated though just how incredible it is that the developers have packed in so many references, so much love for gaming's history, into Ultimate. This is an interactive museum of Nintendo history, one whose scope truly is awe-inspiring between the intense, engaging matches with an amazingly large and varied cast of characters. Rating: 9 out of 10 Spirits
  5. It was only a few months ago that we got our first look at Nomada Studio's gorgeously animated game Gris, but for me that was enough to immediately put it at the top of my most-wanted games list. Everything about the game's aesthetic in that reveal trailer was completely mesmerizing, and I'm happy to say the full game lives up to that expectation fully. There's only one word appropriate to describe this game: enchanting. The game opens with a mysterious girl sitting in the palm of a giant stone statue, singing, when suddenly her voice goes quiet and the statue begins to fracture. Without any text or dialogue, Gris is an enigmatic game, but the atmosphere speaks worlds. This description is woefully overused when talking about indie games like this but it applies here perfectly: Gris is a work of art, one that emotes to the player and touches you with only visuals and music. The lack of a traditional narrative is in no way detrimental to the experience of exploring this beautiful, melancholy world with a young girl who has lost her voice. And this really cannot be overstated or exaggerated: Gris is a completely gorgeous game. In some games you'll get one or two moments where the camera pans back and gives you a beautiful, screenshot-worthy glimpse of the environment. Gris is literally filled with these moments. Every other minute of the game could be an absolutely beautiful poster. And it's the game's surreal, dreamlike aesthetic with its delicate, ruined buildings and serene environments that draws you into the game so fully. Each new level manages to top the previous one in terms of stunning environmental design. On top of all of this outstanding scenery is a striking watercolor effect that further gives the game a feeling of beautiful fragility. And finally, tying all of this together is the detailed fluidity of the animation. Rarely do you see a game where even just the movement animations are so mesmerizing, but in Gris you can spend minutes just watching how the girl's dress flows around her as her delicate, spindly limbs tap along the ground. The artwork of Gris is, in short, a masterpiece. I can't overlook how much the soundtrack adds to the emotion of the game as well. The visuals set the scene for Gris's surreal, melancholy world but it's the music that truly transports you there. From the airy, atmospheric melodies as you explore ruined structures to the more energetic songs during chases and boss encounters, the soundtrack offers one magical song after another. The group Berlinist supplied the music in Gris and it truly is every bit as emotional and moving as the art design. So now that I'm done gushing about the beautiful art and music of Gris, let's get down to the actual gameplay, which follows some pretty classic platforming elements. There are a handful of locations to explore in this two-dimensional world, most of which is pretty linear, and you'll need to progress by overcoming simple platformer puzzles and gaining new abilities that allow you to explore each area fully. There are plenty of good platforming challenges here, the basics of which will be pretty familiar to anyone that enjoys platformers, but Gris does them with an undeniable style. Occasionally you might get a little stymied by the game's lack of direction (again, no text or dialogue), but each level of the game is short enough that you won't feel lost, you'll just have to examine your surroundings a little more closely. There aren't many truly revelatory moments in the gameplay of Gris, but the experience remains engaging throughout. Gris is also a pretty short experience, lasting around four hours or so. To be fair though, the game does a great job of keeping every minute of the game engaging, through its stunning visuals if nothing else, so even at that length Gris doesn't feel too short. Completionists can also try to complete all of the achievements and find the hidden icons scattered throughout the game—plus, these would be great excuses to give the entire game a second playthrough just to take in the scenery one more time. Gris takes players on an unforgettably beautiful journey through one gorgeous, stunning scene after another. The puzzle platformer gameplay is solid, but its the emotive atmosphere that makes Gris such a unique, enthralling experience, one whose incomparable art design and music leaves a lasting impression. Don't miss out on one of the most exquisite games of the year. Rating: 9 out of 10 Stars
  6. WOW! This is freaking insane! You'd think that everyday items would be at the top (they are for almost every state), but in CA the Switch, which coast $300? ...For all of 2018?!!
  7. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Donut County – Donut County is a story-based physics puzzle game where you play as an ever-growing hole in the ground. Raccoons have taken over Donut County with remote-controlled trash-stealing holes. You play as BK, a hole-driving raccoon who swallows up his friends and their homes to earn prizes. Sundered: Eldritch Edition – Confront hordes of terrifying enemies in an ever-changing world inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Sundered is a challenging and unique take on a classic genre from the creators of Jotun, now with local co-op. The Sundered: Eldritch Edition game is available Dec. 21. Battle Princess Madelyn – Follow the journey of a young knight in training, Madelyn, and her ghostly pet dog, Fritzy. They set out on a journey to save her kingdom and her family from the clutches of an evil wizard. InkyPen – Get your hands on thousands of comics with a monthly subscription. InkyPen includes comics from across the globe, from big-name publishers to indies and webcomics – this includes comics like Hellboy (Dark Horse), Robotech(Titan), Transformers and Judge Dredd (IDW), and Sarah’s Scribbles (Andrews McMeel Universal). Either read InkyPen yourself or set parental control restrictions in the app so you can share age-appropriate comics with younger readers. Read great classics and standalone series. Read comics set in the worlds of your favorite games, TV shows and books. Read across the widest range of genres and tastes available in one app. Subscribe to read it all without limitation! New DLC: SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy – With the latest paid DLC* now available for the SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzygame, you can add the audacious Jeanne from the World Heroes series to your roster of heroines. Please click here for more information. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Earn Double Gold Points for a Limited Time! – Earn up to 600 My Nintendo Gold Points** – twice the normal amount – when you pre-purchase the digital version of the New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe game through Nintendo eShop or Nintendo.com (where available). The offer begins Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. PT and ends Jan. 10 at 8:59 p.m. PT. Click here for more information. Celebrate the Holidays with Animal Crossing Rewards – Hey, campers! Are you enjoying Jingle’s Toy Day Decor seasonal event that’s happening now in the Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp game***? You can collect bell ornaments to exchange for in-game furniture and clothing that’s perfect for the season – it’s super fun! To help celebrate this event, we’re offering My Nintendo members a printable 2019 character birthday calendar, printable holiday cards and a digital wallpaper featuring Animal Crossing characters. Visit https://my.nintendo.com/news for more info. My Nintendo 2018 Favorites – Happy holidays, Nintendo fans! My Nintendo members’ most wished gifts of 2018 have been announced. Check them out here: https://happyholidays.nintendo.com/favorites/. Have a wonderful 2019! Limited-Time Offer – Be sure to get Piranha Plant in your Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game! Get all the details at https://smashbros.nintendo.com/buy/#piranha-plant. *Full version of game required to use DLC. Sold separately. **Gold Points are awarded based on the amount you pay (excluding tax and any points or discounts used) and have no cash value. Bonus points will be issued on the game’s launch day, are earned based on the original list price of the game on Nintendo eShop, and will vary by country and currency. Terms apply. https://accounts.nintendo.com/term_point. ***Persistent Internet and compatible smart device required. Data charges may apply. Also new this week: Aaero: Complete Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 Abyss (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 25 ACA NEOGEO METAL SLUG 5 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives ATHENA (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 21 Awe (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Blacksea Odyssey (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 Bring Them Home (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Cake Laboratory (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Chronus Arc (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) City Builder (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Clouds & Sheep 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 21 Clue: The Classic Mystery Game (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Desktop Soccer – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Digerati Indie Bundle: INK & HackyZack (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 Dynamite Fishing – World Games (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 21 Funghi Explosion (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Guess the Character (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Horizon Shift ’81 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Kingmaker: Rise to the Throne (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Koloro (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 22 Leopoldo Manquiseil (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Mahjong Solitaire Refresh – Full and Demo Versions (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Mana Spark (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 22 MIND: Path to Thalamus (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 23 Nightshade/百花百狼 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Nippon Marathon (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Odium to the Core (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 25 Omega Strike (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 Party Arcade (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Pic-a-Pix Pieces – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Pipe Push Paradise (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 Rain World (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) RAZED (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Revertia (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Super Hero Fight Club: Reloaded (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 Super Treasure Arena (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 24 The Keep (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) TRYBIT LOGIC (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Uncanny Valley (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 25 Venture Towns (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Viviette (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Wondershot (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 22
  8. The original Guacamelee! was one of the best indie games to come out in the last few years, combining classic Metroidvania progression with a tight, satisfying combat system. Guacamelee! 2 brings back everything that made the first game great, and ups the ante with new features that make Juan's adventure throughout different dimensions of the Mexiverse even more compelling. Tie up your boots and get your mask on, it's time for some luchador action. Seven years after Juan rescued Lupita in the first game, the two are happily married with two kids and living a quiet life on the agave farm. But Juan's old mentor Uay Chivo suddenly appears with dire news: the entire Mexiverse is in danger when a rogue luchador attempts to steal the Sacred Guacamole from the realm of El Otromundo. In case this premise isn't indication enough, Guacamelee! 2 is just as packed with humor as the first game, and there truly are a hilarious variety of jokes and pop culture references to enjoy here. This is a game that delights in being light-hearted, even as Juan traverses different dimensions and travels to hell, and it's an incredibly fun ride throughout. It's a game that features a buff luchador transforming himself into a chicken, after all. Besides, stealing guacamole is a serious offense that can't go unpunished. With Juan's mighty array of punches, kicks, and throws, you'll travel across an interconnected Metroidvania style map, picking up new abilities along the way which allow you to explore further. It's a classic gameplay formula and one that Drinkbox Studios has now executed perfectly not once but twice. Both Guacamelee! games capture that addictive thrill of exploring new areas and unlocking new abilities to gather more items and power-ups. It's a formula that just doesn't get old, especially when it's as well polished as it is in Guacamelee! 2. What really makes this game a joy to play is how perfectly it nails the two key aspects of a Metroidvania: combat and platforming. Every fight is engaging in Guacamelee! 2 because all of Juan's attacks are so satisfying to land, and combos flow smoothly. You can hit enemies with a rapid barrage of punches, launch them into the air, then slam them back down before grabbing them for a suplex. Guacamelee! 2 finds a delicate balance between giving you a lot of combat options without overwhelming you, so even by the end of the game when you have a variety of attacks to choose from, combat never feels overwhelming and Juan feels powerful but enemies are still threatening. There are also plenty of fantastic platforming sequences in Guacamelee! 2. The same principles from the combat system apply here: tight controls and smooth transitions between jumps, wall runs, and aerial acrobatics makes the platforming sections of the game a blast—platformers are at their best when even just moving and exploring is fun to play. The platforming here can also be quite difficult, particularly in the optional challenge areas, but even so it's never difficult for the wrong reasons. These sequences may demand perfect platforming from the player, but they never rely upon cheap deaths. That simply wouldn't be the honorable luchador way. Like the first game Guacamelee! 2 also supports multiplayer, but this time it's up to four players at once, which can make things hectic on screen but also makes things a little easier. Taking out a room full of skeletons isn't as much of a challenge when you've got allies keeping them busy while you handle the leader, after all. Couch co-op for a full game isn't all that common these days so it really is great to see it put to such good use here. From Guacamelee! to Severed to Guacamelee! 2, Drinkbox Studios has cultivated an absolutely gorgeous visual aesthetic. The rough shapes of characters and scenery is stylish, and the color palette is incredible—every single scene of the game pops with vivid colors and beautiful environment designs. It really can't be overstated how well this game captures both clear Mexican art influences and humor with one unforgettable look—just the way that chickens are animated is probably example enough of how charming this game is from start to finish. It shouldn't be any surprise then that the music is absolutely fantastic as well, with catchy, upbeat songs throughout the entire adventure and a lot of great Mariachi influence that makes for fantastic guitar and trumpet tunes. The game lasts about ten hours or so, which ends up feeling like the perfect length—there's a good variety of power-ups to collect and regions to explore without any of it ever getting tiresome. There are also plenty of optional challenges you can tackle if you want, including the aforementioned extra-difficult areas of the game which can feel relentless but are still satisfying to conquer. And if you just can't get enough luchador action there's a hard mode that opens up after finishing the game once—perfect for those platforming pros that are eager for more. Guacamelee! 2 is a worthy sequel. It captures all of the charm, humor, and challenge of the original while building upon the core gameplay to create yet more satisfying combat and platforming scenarios. Sure it may not be significantly different from the first game, but there's something to be said for honing a formula and executing it well, and Guacamelee! 2 handles the Metroidvania genre just about perfectly. Rating: 9 out of 10 Luchadores
  9. Not sure why Nintendo would feel the need to rebrand the Switch eShop. The eShop was a nice unified brand they could use across all current and future systems. It's definitely better that just calling it the "Wii Shop" or the "DSi Shop". Calling it the Nintendo Switch Online Shop could cause some confusion with some people thinking you need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to use it. I really hope this doesn't mean that are planning to shutdown the eShop.
  10. In the midst of a heated war between two countries, the death of a priestess heralds the resurrection of a world-destroying dark god, sealing the fates of both sides—but what if there was a way to stop it? Omensight: Definitive Edition, from developer Spearhead Games, takes players on a time-traveling murder mystery where you relive the last day before the destruction of the world from different perspectives, gathering clues to figure out what really happened, and how the calamity might be avoided. Although hampered by some technical issues, the process of unraveling the mystery will keep you captivated. You play as the Harbinger, a mythical warrior who only appears in times of crisis. With the power to relive the last day before the calamity, you're able to visit four key characters and, with their help, gather clues for what really happened to the Godless-Priestess and discover the cause of the spreading evil infecting the land. It's a great premise for a game and wonderfully told with interesting characters and the overarching mystery driving your every action. The characters you meet are on both sides of the war so you get to see things from every perspective and sometimes fight against both factions, which gives a satisfyingly well-rounded view of the game's world. And like any good mystery story, every clue you find only leads to more questions and pulls you into the narrative—Omensight is definitely a hard game to put down once you're invested in the overarching mystery and how these four characters relate to it. Additionally, this definitive edition includes the extra ending accessible in the post-game, which is a nice inclusion for anyone that might feel the normal ending is a touch bleak. Each time the day "resets," you choose whose day you want to follow, and from there the game plays out like an action-RPG: you fight enemies in real-time with a sword and engage in light 3D platforming as you explore and gather information. Sometimes you might reach the end of a day and find you're lacking a key piece of information to progress because that clue is actually found in a different character's day. You'll have no choice but to restart with another character, but one of the nice features in Omensight is that, once you do have the necessary clue, it's possible to jump straight to the important part of a character's day that you've already played, so you don't have to replay the whole thing. This can be a huge help because, even though there are little things different in each day for each character you visit, there's still a lot of repetition in Omensight and skipping over some of the tedious aspects reduces it a bit. Aside from gathering clues, the main focus of the gameplay is combat. The Harbinger is equipped with a sword and you can also rely upon the character you've selected to help in battle a bit. Combat in Omensight is a bit tricky to grasp, partially because of its slow, stylish nature. The Harbinger's attack combos tend to be flashy, with lots of jumping flourishes, which can make attacks feel choppy since there ends up being quite a delay between hitting the button and the actual action on screen. It takes some getting used to and can be extremely challenging in large group fights when you've got enemies on every side. Your attacks and combos are generally suited to one-on-one fights so anytime there are more than a few targets around you battles can get obnoxious as you try to bait out or focus on single targets. The game's fixed camera and auto-targeting system don't help here either—both can mean it's easy to attack a target you weren't intending to, oftentimes leaving yourself open to counterattacks. And finally there's the level up system which unlocks helpful new abilities, but actually using them can be a bit finnicky since some require holding down the attack button—sometimes you'll end up accidentally using one of these abilities, or it won't seem to trigger as you're pressing the button. The whole combat system in Omensight is serviceable but it would have been nice to see the same kind of unique thought put into it as is found in the story. Omensight also suffers from some persistent technical issues, generally surrounding loading screens. There's a major loading screen at the start of each day or while transitioning to a new location and the stuttering visuals on screen as the game loads are incredibly distracting. Furthermore, you'll also encounter short loading screens while moving between doors, which can also make the frame rate drop for a bit while the game struggles to load everything properly. Thankfully these issues never truly interfere with the game, as even when the frame rate stutters you're almost never in combat, but the clunkiness can still be hard on the eyes. And it's a shame since the game's gorgeous art style deserves a silky smooth frame rate. Bright, vivid colors make every environment pop—the outdoor locations are easily a highlight—while the character design makes these anthropomorphic animals feel stylish and unique. The aforementioned flashy combat system makes for some great animation as well—even if it feels like it interrupts the flow of battle, seeing the Harbinger flip around to stab an enemy on the ground is definitely cool. The downside to the graphics is, of course, simply the fact that there really aren't too many different locations since you're reliving the same day over and over, but the distinctive art style makes up for it. The music isn't half bad either, with grand, epic songs to accompany your time-traveling murder investigation, and there's plenty of great voice work to bring the characters to life. At about seven or eight hours, Omensight feels like just the right length. Given its cyclical structure any longer might have been overdoing it, but its current length is just enough to make the story intriguingly elaborate but also engaging from start to finish with no unnecessary fluff. Plus, if you do want a little more out of the game, you can try to collect all of the hidden lore that adds to each character's backstory. For a game so focused on narrative these are definitely worth pursuing. Omensight: Definitive Edition mashes together time travel storytelling with a murder mystery, and the result is a unique, engaging adventure that keeps you eager for each new revelatory clue in the investigation. Parts of the game unfortunately lack polish, from the choppy loading screens to the somewhat awkward combat system that isn't quite as fluid as it should be, but the overall package is one that feels stylish and compelling from start to finish, and is certainly a must-play for anyone that enjoys a good mystery story. Rating: 8 out of 10 Omens Review copy provided by the publisher Omensight: Definitive Edition is available now on the Switch eShop for $19.99.
  11. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch GRIS: Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality. As the story unfolds, Gris will grow emotionally and see her world in a different way, revealing new paths to explore using her new abilities. Quarantine Circular: A group of scientists interrogate an alien discovered at the heart of a global pandemic. Work with your team, make decisions, and uncover the alien’s true intentions. Inspired by classic adventure games and modern dialogue systems, Bithell Games has created another single-session story which respects your time and intelligence. Firewatch: The year is 1989. You are a man named Henry who has retreated from your messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched high atop a mountain, it’s your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe. Your supervisor, a woman named Delilah, is your only contact with the world you’ve left behind. When something strange draws you out of your lookout tower and into the world, you’ll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have. The Firewatch game is available Dec. 17. Fitness Boxing – Demo Version – Get off the couch and get moving with fun, boxing-based rhythmic exercises set to the instrumental beats of songs by popular artists. You can personalize your workouts by selecting from different fitness goals. Train your way, whether you’re on your own, with a friend, at home, or on the go! Now you can work out anytime, anywhere on the Nintendo Switch system! The demo version of the Fitness Boxing game is now available for download from Nintendo eShop. Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online – These three games are now available in the service*: Adventures of Lolo – After the love of his life, Lala, is kidnapped by the devilish King Egger and taken to his haunted castle, our hero, Lolo, sets out to rescue her. The journey is perilous, as the Great Devil’s fortress is guarded by a massive army. But Lolo has a few tricks up his sleeve. Combining clever environmental puzzles with tricky enemies and an engaging style, Adventures of Lolo is a true classic. Ninja Gaiden – Take on the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a rising ninja in his family’s clan who travels to America to seek vengeance for his father’s death. Fight your way through six challenging side-scrolling chapters/14 stages (not including boss battles) while defeating gangs of street thugs, battling evil ninjas and fighting barbarian bosses by using the deadly Dragon Sword, ninja skills and ninja magic. Wario’s Woods – Control Toad as he scrambles along the bottom of the screen picking up monsters and bombs and arranging them vertically, horizontally and diagonally to clear the screen of enemies. This game features several modes of play, such as basic, lesson and time race. If you like puzzle games like Dr. Mario, you will definitely love this one! Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Also new this week: ACA NEOGEO TWINKLE STAR SPRITES (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Almightree: The Last Dreamer (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives DOUBLE DRAGON II The Revenge (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Atari Flashback Classics (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Big Bash Boom (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Blue Rider (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Football Manager 2019 Touch (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Gnomes Garden (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Hunter’s Legacy: Purrfect Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Hyperide: Vector Raid (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 17 INSTANT TENNIS – Full and Demo Versions (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Ivanych vs. Eared Beast (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Julie’s Sweets (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Knights of Pen & Paper 2 Deluxiest Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Knights of Pen & Paper Bundle (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Lazy Galaxy: Rebel Story (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 14 ’n Verlore Verstand (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Omensight: Definitive Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Oxyjet (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Peace, Death! Complete Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 14 Race Arcade (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 14 RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) SEGA AGES Phantasy Star (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Sheltered (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 18 Solar Flux (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Starman (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
  12. Play, die, repeat. Roguelikes have taken advantage of this simple gameplay loop since the original game that coined the term, Rogue, released in 1980. I'll be honest though, as a person that generally prefers narratives and a rewarding sense of progression, I don't often find a Roguelike that truly clicks with me. But Dead Cells, from developer Motion Twin, is one of those rare exceptions. By blending some Metroidvania mechanics into the extra challenging, procedurally generated game design of a Roguelike, Dead Cells is an experience unlike any other. Storytelling is not a priority in Dead Cells. You don't sit through long cutscenes, even when you first start up the game, and in fact your very reason for exploring the game's world isn't fully explained. In a way though, that kind of suits the game. Dead Cells is about exploring and trying new approaches, and the scant few details about the story and setting that you pick up while collecting loot and fighting monsters suits that approach perfectly. And even if you make it to the end of the game without fully understanding why you're there (or even what you are, exactly) the mysterious and derelict atmosphere of Dead Cells is undeniably compelling. As a Roguelike, every time you play the game the details are a little different. The stage layout, enemy placement, loot you can find—all of it is randomized. Roguelikes can be discouraging since, if you die, you have to start from the beginning without any of the awesome weapons and perks you've picked up along the way. Dead Cells is no exception to this and can be frustrating, but what keeps Dead Cells feeling fresh and engaging playthrough after playthrough is the fluid, satisfying combat system. The action in Dead Cells is fantastic and almost hypnotic when you get into a good groove, no matter what combination of weapons you're using. All of your attacks (and enemy attacks) are quick, and the potential for devastating combos makes every enemy encounter just plain fun. Even when you're discouraged by starting over there's a magnetic draw toward picking up your sword once more. Dead Cells also does a great job of balancing both breadth of content and easing the player into the core mechanics of the game. There are several different kinds of weapons you can use, shields, items, magic spells—enough that you can approach combat in a unique way in dozens of playthroughs. There's a lot of variability to enjoy as all of these weapons and items are useful, and the best part is that Dead Cells doesn't overwhelm you on your first few playthroughs. New weapons and items have to be unlocked as you play so your first runs will stick to more basic equipment while you learn best practices and suss out your own preferences. It makes the game inviting to new players but also include tons of depth for veterans. Additionally, although you have to chance upon specific weapons every time you play, you can earn permanent upgrades that help make the game a little easier—or at least give you more options as you try again. In a way, the game gets harder/more complex as you get better at playing it, which helps prevent the game from being too daunting at the start. Another unique aspect of Dead Cells is the way it incorporates elements of Metroidvania exploration into the game. In addition to randomly generating rooms and enemies, there are branching paths throughout the game that let you explore different environments—all with the possibility of different treasures to find. But again, Dead Cells eases players in by locking these branching routes off until you unlock certain permanent upgrades, so you won't just stumble into the harder regions of the game when you're just starting out. It's just another way that the game finds the right balance between randomized content and giving the player clear paths to follow that won't overwhelm. Dead Cells embodies careful and polished game design in every aspect. And that includes presentation, because the pixelated graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The background scenery is foreboding, the character/enemy designs are stylish, and most of all it's just impressive how well detailed everything looks while relying upon this pixely look. And all of that fast combat is displayed with gorgeous, fluid animation—including the occasional humorous touch for our mysterious protagonist. The art of Dead Cells never stops impressing, whether you're on your first playthrough or your hundredth. The music composition is sharp as well, even if the game more often relies upon a slightly muted background soundtrack. It would be hard to focus on the music anyway with all of the intense combat to enjoy. In perfect pick-up-and-play fashion, one run of Dead Cells only lasts an hour or so, which is just enough time to make the gameplay feel varied and engaging but not so long that it stings too much when you die and have to start over. That's an important balancing act for a Roguelike, where maintaining interest in trying again and again is vital, and Dead Cells handles it well. Dead Cells infuses enough Metroidvania exploration concepts into the Roguelike formula to make the gameplay feels fresh and engaging, even in a time where this genre swarms the indie landscape. More importantly though, the polished, satisfying combat, combined with the wealth of possibilities when it comes to weapons and items, makes every playthrough of Dead Cells wonderfully engaging and exciting. Roguelikes aren't for everyone, with their cyclical, ever-challenging gameplay, but this one might be enough to convince a few new players to give the genre a try. Rating: 8 out of 10 Cells
  13. Cat Quest from developer The Gentlebros captures the essential ingredients of an RPG adventure in a compact, adorable package. When the evil Drakoth kidnaps his sister, our feline fighter must unlock his potential as a Dragonblood cat and grow powerful enough to stop the mysterious figure. What follows is an enjoyable journey across a wide open continent rife with caves to explore and treasures to find—just don't expect too much depth from this lighthearted adventure. The developers have described Cat Quest as an effort to streamline the kind of open world experience found in games like The Legend of Zelda and Skyrim, and in that respect they've certainly succeeded. Cat Quest feels like every action-RPG you've ever played simplified down to its most basic roots: fighting monsters, exploring caves, and earning EXP. Your stats are kept to an easy to understand handful of numbers (HP, physical attack power, magical attack power), equipment management is streamlined so you aren't constantly juggling your inventory (for example, if you have a wizard's hat and pick up a second one it will simply improve the one you already have rather than giving you a duplicate), and the game world is large enough to encourage exploration but not so large that you're ever in danger of getting lost. Everything in Cat Quest has the feel of an epic RPG adventure but on a much smaller, more manageable scale, one that would be perfect for novice players. Of course, part of the appeal of open world games is their complexity, which allows two players to have significantly different experiences within the same game. By removing that depth, Cat Quest ends up feeling rather shallow. There is very little variety in the caves and dungeons you explore (all of them are short and simply require you to kill every enemy found within), your combat options are limited to choosing which spells you prefer to use which, despite some minor differences in their area of effect or status ailments, are all equally effective on any enemy, and equipping different weapons changes nothing about how you attack. There are also only a handful of enemy types in the whole game, and even then there's very little variety in their attack patterns or weaknesses. Occasionally you might see a jump in difficulty, but raising a few levels evens things out quickly. Cat Quest's gameplay formula is in no way bad but it'll likely leave some players wishing for more. If the game does click for you though you'll be treated to more cat puns than you can handle. Your main quest to rescue your sister leads you on numerous side quests as well, and it's clear the developers were having a blast thinking up every possible feline, fur, and purr related pun. It can make the dialogue feel incessantly goofy, but thankfully it's never obnoxious. Cat Quest stays squarely in charming, silly territory that will keep you smirking even if it doesn't make you laugh out loud. Perhaps it helps that the game isn't terribly long either. The main storyline only takes on a handful of quests, but you kind of have to spend time on side quests to level up enough to tackle the main challenges (oddly, side quests give you a recommended level but the main story never offers a similar helpful hint). But even working through the majority of side quests as well as the big baddie only takes six or seven hours, while the post-game side quests will extend the game's length a little further. One of the more valuable features in Cat Quest though is the Mew Game mode, available after completing the story once, which is essentially a challenge mode that lets you select difficulty mods like disabling EXP gains or limiting the number of times you can die/revive. More than most games these challenges add a decent incentive to replay the whole adventure, especially if you thought it was too easy the first time anyway. With bright, colorful, and cartoonish graphics Cat Quest only reinforces its appeal to the younger crowd. Anyone is likely to appreciate the overwhelmingly cute style of the game though—our hero's running animation is particularly adorable. As mentioned the game doesn't do much to make the different caves and environments feel unique but the game's look is undeniably fun. It shouldn't be any surprise that the music is much the same: not the most original score you'll hear in a video game, but it's bubbly and chipper and a nice aural backdrop for the experience. Cat Quest is a perfectly enjoyable little RPG adventure, whose only real fault is simply the fact that it doesn't try to be anything more than that. In an effort to streamline the open-world RPG formula, the developers might have gone a bit overboard, simplifying Cat Quest down to such a basic action-RPG that there's little depth to explore, outside of a repetitive cycle of taking on side quests and exploring identical caves. Still, even if the game lacks bite, the adorable feline world makes for a cute setting, purrfect for a young player's first action-RPG adventure or a relaxing, undemanding afternoon of gameplay. Rating: 7 out of 10 Cats
  14. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Gaming icons clash in the ultimate brawl you can play anytime, anywhere! Smash rivals off the stage as newcomers like Simon Belmont and King K. Rool join Inkling, Ridley and every fighter in Super Smash Bros. history. Enjoy enhanced speed and combat on new stages based on the Castlevania series, the Super Mario Odyssey game and dozens of other video game franchises. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be available Dec. 7. Fortnite Season 7 – Fortnite Season 7 has arrived on the Nintendo Switch system with the smash of a mysterious iceberg. Winter has brought many changes to the Fortnite map for you to explore. Ziplines are a new way to help you travel to and from high terrain. For you seekers of chills and thrills, the new Frosty Flights location and Expedition outposts are outfitted with the new Stormwing planes so you can take to the skies. There are tons of new areas to venture to and secrets to uncover, so stay frosty. Katamari Damacy REROLL – The stop-at-nothing pushing prince is back and ready to reroll. When the King of All Cosmos accidentally destroys all the stars in the sky, he orders you, his pint-sized princely son, to put the twinkle back in the heavens above. Join the King and Prince of Cosmos on their wacky adventure to restore the stars at home or on the go. The Katamari Damacy REROLL full game and demo versions will be available on Dec. 7. Carcassonne – Make your kingdom come alive with meeples, tiles and tactics. Draw and place your tiles to build your medieval city. Cities, roads, monasteries and fields will help you enlarge your landscape, where you can place your followers, the meeples. Whether they are knights, robbers or farmers, each meeple will help you control your territory and win points. Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online – Three games are coming to the service* on Dec. 12, including: Adventures of Lolo – After the love of his life, Lala, is kidnapped by the devilish King Egger and taken to his haunted castle, our hero, Lolo, sets out to rescue her. The journey is perilous, as the Great Devil’s fortress is guarded by a massive army. But Lolo has a few tricks up his sleeve. Combining clever environmental puzzles with tricky enemies and an engaging style, Adventures of Lolo is a true classic. Ninja Gaiden – Take on the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a rising ninja in his family’s clan who travels to America to seek vengeance for his father’s death. Fight your way through six challenging side-scrolling chapters/14 stages (not including boss battles) while defeating gangs of street thugs, battling evil ninjas and fighting barbarian bosses by using the deadly Dragon Sword, ninja skills and ninja magic. Wario’s Woods – Control Toad as he scrambles along the bottom of the screen picking up monsters and bombs and arranging them vertically, horizontally and diagonally to clear the screen of enemies. This game features several modes of play, such as basic, lesson and time race. If you like puzzle games like Dr. Mario, you will definitely love this one! Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Celebrate the Launch of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Game with My Nintendo Rewards – In honor of the release, My Nintendo is also offering a Super Smash Bros. themed January 2019 calendar and wallpapers. Redeem your points** to get this cool reward when it’s available on Dec. 7. Don’t forget that My Nintendo users who purchase and register the game by Jan. 31, 2019, will receive a download code for Piranha Plant, which will join the battle as a playable character when it’s available. Also new this week: 3D Billiards – Pool & Snooker (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO NEO GEO CUP ’98: THE ROAD TO THE VICTORY (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives ROUTE 16 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) ARK: Survival Evolved (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Atelier Arland series Deluxe Pack (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Atelier Meruru ~The Apprentice of Arland~ DX (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Atelier Rorona ~The Alchemist of Arland~ DX (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Atelier Totori ~The Adventurer of Arland~ DX (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Basketball (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Beholder: Complete Edition (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Color Zen (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Conduct TOGETHER! (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Desert Child (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 11 Everspace – Stellar Edition (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 11 Guacamelee! 2 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 10 Hello Neighbor Hide and Seek (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 7 Kingdom Two Crowns (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) LongStory: A dating game for the real world (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Monica e a Guarda dos Coelhos (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Rival Megagun (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Santa Tracker (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 7 SEGA Genesis Classics (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 7 Ultimate Runner (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Xenon Valkyrie+ – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) PixelMaker Studio (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS) Call of Nightmare (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
  15. It hasn't been easy being a Valkyria Chronicles fan. The first game released in 2008 on the PS3, but then the sequel jumped to PSP exclusivity. Even worse, VCIII was PSP only and was never officially released outside of Japan. That kind of tumultuous history normally wouldn't be a good sign for the future of a franchise, but thankfully Valkyria Chronicles 4 released worldwide this year, and on all major platforms at that. Just like the previous games VC4 features addictive tactical gameplay, beautiful sketchbook-style graphics, and a wealth of different challenges to face. Strategy fans take note: the franchise's formula is just as engaging now as it was ten years ago. Like the previous games, VC4 takes place in a world loosely based on reality during the Second Europan War (clearly based on WWII) between the Atlantic Federation in the west and the Imperial Alliance in the east. VC4 follows Squad E, soldiers chosen to spearhead a dangerous mission to push through enemy lines and attack their capital. Although there are plenty of likeable and entertaining characters (even if they're a bit tropey), the story really doesn't pick up until after the first third or so of the game. After that point things get to be a little more serious and engaging, and the game even flirts with some interesting thoughts regarding both warfare and sacrifice. Some of the characters' interactions are still a bit melodramatic, but even so it's easy to get invested in their journey. But one of the highlights of the writing is the Squad Stories missions—side missions that each focus on three different characters in Squad E, aside from the main protagonists. It's nice to see some other characters get a little time in the spotlight, all of whom have their own unique backstories, and oftentimes Squad Stories offer up the best comedic moments of the game as well. The Valkyria Chronicles games feature a unique blend of tactical gameplay and third-person shooting action. You begin a level by looking at the map and selecting a character to move—pretty standard stuff for a strategy game. However, at this point the view switches to a third-person view of that character and you're able to move freely about the map, limited by how many Action Points (AP) that character has (each class of soldier has a different max AP). Not only do you move like this but you shoot as well, so you have to have decent aim to play effectively. Don't worry though, it isn't as frantic as a typical shooter; while aiming, all enemy actions are paused so you can take your time lining up a shot. There are also plenty of opportunities to flank or fire from a distance so you don't have to get up close and personal, such as by using the new class of units, grenadiers. Another unique aspect of VC games is that you can move a single unit multiple times on your turn. However, each time you move them they'll have less AP to work with, and some units have limited ammo as well. Being able to move a single unit multiple times opens up a ton of strategy potential though and really allows you to adapt to the challenges in front of you or rely on certain favored tactics. There are also plenty of different characters to use, each with unique personal traits, including some that are helpful and some that are harmful. For the most part they're well balanced though, so it's easy to use whoever you like (and using lots of different characters helps unlock Squad Stories, so it's worth doing). The best part is that you don't have to level up individual characters. Instead you train all units of a specific class at once, so, for example, upgrading the sniper class boosts all of your snipers. This is a great way to let you experiment with characters and not feel tied to specific units like other strategy games. I may be throwing a lot of information at you here but it hardly takes any time at all to get used to this gameplay formula, and soon enough it proves incredibly engaging. It really blends the best of both worlds: the thoughtful tactics of a strategy game with the excitement of controlling the aim yourself. VC4 also finds a pretty accommodating balance of difficulty. Sure the game is going to punish you if you make mistakes (like leaving vulnerable units exposed) but there are helpful ways to bounce back, such as calling in reinforcements or even rescuing downed characters so they can return to battle. Possibly best of all is just the fact that the game allows you to save mid-level, so if you're ever unsure of a risky maneuver you can just save in advance (we've all done it while playing a strategy game). Plus, if you do want a bit more of a challenge, there are aspects of each battle that aren't necessarily side quests but are challenges you can impose on yourself, like taking out all enemy troops before capturing the enemy base. The game's ranking system is only based on the number of turns you take to complete a map—which is a bit strange since it means, in some instances, you can just rush the enemy base while ignoring a large portion of the enemy units—but taking the time to defeat all enemy commanders, ace units, tanks, etc. is a good way to push yourself. There is one aspect where the game's difficulty really doesn't feel as well balanced though, and that's any time you're fighting a boss enemy. Too often these battles are just overwhelming unless you use specific strategies, which feels antithetical to a strategy game. It's understandable that bosses would pose more a challenge, but it doesn't feel very rewarding or particularly well-balanced in VC4. Another mildly disappointing aspect of the game is the pacing, though that's not entirely unexpected when playing a strategy game like this, where one map can last over an hour. What's a little odd in VC4 though is the way that the cutscenes between missions are so broken up into little pieces so you have to click through each one constantly. Given how long these cutscenes can last though, maybe it's for the best. Just completing the main story will last a good amount of time, at least thirty to forty hours, and thanks to the RPG mechanics of leveling up units by class and buying new equipment it's worth taking the time to play some of the side content as well. In addition to the aforementioned Squad Stories there are skirmishes which are great when you just want to jump right into a battle. You can also replay missions if you want to try to perfect your rank or just try different tactics. On top of all of that there are paid DLC missions you can buy. Suffice it to say VC4 will keep you well occupied. The returning art style of the original VC game, a blend of sketchbook visuals in a 3D setting, remains a beautifully unique look that adds a colorful flair to a game that is actually about warfare. The setting doesn't really allow for much fancy detail in the environments—battlefields tend to all look alike—but the distinctive art style makes up for it and creates a truly visually interesting game. The soundtrack is somewhat less unique but still features some solid tracks that make for decent background noise while fighting a war. And finally the voice work is well done—particularly helpful for keeping the long stretches of cutscenes lively—but if you're a Japanese voice acting purist you can download the original voice work for free off of the eShop. Valkyria Chronicles 4 is just about everything fans of the franchise could hope for: a wealth of engaging, strategy-based gameplay with enough new content to keep every battle exciting. Aside from the unfortunate difficulty spikes around boss battles the gameplay in VC4 is wonderfully rich with possibilities, possibilities that let you adapt on the fly and move with the flow of battle. And despite that 4 in the title this isn't just a game for longtime fans. Any player could easily jump right into the action here and find an incredibly addictive treasure trove of tactical action. Rating: 9 out of 10 Soldiers
  16. We've all been there. It's late, you just want to get to sleep, but your neighbors are partying long into the night and just won't stop making a racket. While some of us would probably just grumble in bed or maybe call the cops, the protagonist of Party Hard takes matters into his own hands—by viciously murdering everyone at the party. From developer Pinokl Games and publisher tinyBuild Games, this stealth-based action game offers up a hilariously dark (and darkly relatable) crime spree full of inventive ways to ultimately get some peace and quiet. But while the concept is great the actual execution leaves something to be desired. Our protagonist in Party Hard might take the cake when it comes to grumpy neighbors. Who could blame him though, when the party next door just won't quiet down? The entire premise of Party Hard is delightfully macabre, and even as the killer expands from just killing neighbors to taking on extravagant parties around the country it's certainly an entertaining ride. The story is framed with a police officer interrogating a detective about the crime spree, and even if the writing itself feels a bit on the bland side it's a good set up for watching the vicious gameplay unfold. At its core the goal of Party Hard is perfectly simple: kill everyone at the party. Actually carrying out your murder spree can be complicated though. Thankfully the party goers are pretty oblivious to a lot of things, but if you murder someone standing right next to them they'll notice, call the cops, and that'll be game over. You have to think carefully about where and when to strike, which is what gives the game its stealth/tactical aspects. And like a lot of stealth games it's so rewarding to see your efforts pay off as you're the last person left alive, dancing alone in the midst of the mayhem. The catch is that Party Hard can be hard. Really hard. Party goers can move in quite random patterns, and isolating one for a kill isn't easy. Plus, even if they don't see you actually doing the deed, if you're found alone in a room with a dead body you'll still have the cops sicced on you. The biggest challenge in Party Hard is often just the number of people you have to kill. Some parties can have over sixty guests, and picking them off one by one is a tedious prospect. Also your murderer just moves. So. Slowly. Granted, clearly the game is designed to be more of a stealthy, methodical kind of game rather than just running in knife-swingin', but your slow movement can really stymie the variety of actions you take. It's incredibly difficult to get off a quick kill and escape unnoticed, so you have to err on the side of caution and take things slowly and carefully. It's fine to have a game that encourages you to be tactical but it just gets boring in Party Hard when you have so many targets and such poor means of taking them out. Thankfully the game does give you a few other tools aside from your knife. Each stage is littered with traps you can set (sabotaging the DJ's speakers to explode, poisoning the drinks, pushing someone into an open fire pit, etc.) which are both more stylish ways to execute guests and oftentimes helpful ways to clear out multiple guests at once, especially while you're somewhere else, clear of suspicion. The traps are a blast to use and easily the highlight of the game, but it's a shame that there are relatively so few of them. Certain traps are repeated often in different levels, and generally there are only a handful of them per level, so even though you can take out multiple guests with one trap they still only cover a fraction of the guest list. It's also hard to build a consistent strategy when the traps and their placement is randomized every time you retry a level. It would have been great to see an even larger variety of traps to really make the game feel unique. Each level can be completed in a matter of minutes—if you know exactly what you're doing and are lucky. Your first playthrough will likely require plenty of trial and error, so the game should still last a four or five hours, plus there are bonus levels if you just can't get enough party crashing. Additionally there's plenty of variation to keep you coming back. In addition to the slightly randomized traps, you can unlock and play as different characters with unique abilities. The police officer, for example, is able to carry around bodies without raising suspicion. There's also a local co-op mode to get a friend in on the mayhem which can be a lot easier at times—just be sure not to trip each other's traps. Considering how gory the premise of Party Hard gets it's probably for the best that the graphics are squarely in the retro pixel art style. Regardless of how bloody things get though the visuals look great, and offer plenty of humorous little touches and pop culture references when you pay attention to the details. The soundtrack isn't bad either—as you'd expect each level has a thumping dance party background song, most of which also have a certain retro, 80s synth flair to them. The game also features voice acting for its between-level cutscenes which isn't particularly noteworthy but is a pleasant surprise for an indie game like this one. Despite the satisfying sense of accomplishment that accompanies most stealth games, Party Hard squanders a hilariously dark concept with mediocre execution. The high challenge of picking off party guests isn't inherently bad but the relatively few options that your knife and traps provide makes the game tedious and plodding, like a monotonous cycle of waiting for a guest to wander into an area alone so you can get a clean, stealthy kill. A version of the game focused more on inventive kills rather than slowly eliminating the huge guest list would have gone a long way toward making Party Hard more engaging and rewarding. Rating: 6 out of 10 Parties Review copy provided by publisher Party Hard is available now on the Switch eShop for $14.99.
  17. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom – Can Jin save Monster World Kingdom? Help our young hero defeat challenging enemies, discover hidden locations and upgrade powerful equipment. You’ll also unlock special forms with unique skills used to open new paths where mighty bosses and secret treasures await. The Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom game is available Dec. 4. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP – Traverse a mythic little realm, use a sword to do battle and evoke “sworcery” to solve mystical musical mysteries. Experience a video game world that is affected by moon phases, and help a wandering warrior monk complete her woeful errand. The Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP game is available on Nov. 30. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Version 2.0.0 Update – A new Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp smartphone update* is now live! The version 2.0.0 update introduces a cabin, improved Friend List and an inventory increase. The cabin area can be accessed via the map once you reach level 15. The cabin is a new area that you can decorate with furniture, much like you do with the campsite. The improved Friend List lets you register a Fave Photo you took within Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for all your in-game friends to see, in addition to giving Kudos and helping your friends in Shovelstrike Quarry without leaving your Friends List. Furniture, clothing and collected items have all received max-capacity inventory increases, just in time for the upcoming holiday-themed events. Check out the game site for more information about the update. My Nintendo December Rewards – December is a big month for gamers, with the launch of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimategame on Dec. 7. To celebrate the release, My Nintendo is offering a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate themed December calendar. Redeem your points** to get this cool reward starting on Nov. 30. Also new this week: ABZÛ (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ACA NEOGEO KING OF THE MONSTERS 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Akihabara – Feel the Rhythm Remixed (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Animal Hunter Z (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Cattails (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Coffee Crisis (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 Crimson Keep (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Demetrios – The BIG Cynical Adventure (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 3 Dexteritrip (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Energy Cycle Edge (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 5 Escape Doodland (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 Freedom Planet – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Gear.Club Unlimited 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 4 Gelly Break (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) GensokyoDefenders (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Harvest Life (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 I Am The Hero (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 Marenian Tavern Story: Patty and the Hungry God (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Mordheim: Warband Skirmish (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) NAIRI: Tower of Shirin (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) OkunoKA – Full and Demo Versions (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 Professional Farmer: Nintendo Switch Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) ROCK BOSHERS DX: Director’s Cut (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 1 Screencheat: Unplugged (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) Secret Files: Tunguska (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) The First Tree (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 30 Toki (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Dec. 4 Just Dance 2019 – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
  18. What I'd like to see: Native voice chat on system messaging (even the Wii had this!) SNES, N64, GCN, GB/GBC, GBA and DS games Add Eathbound Beginnings as one of the NSO NES games MOTHER 3 as one of the GBA games Free games besides VC games like with XBL Gold and PS+ Free theme every month (if themes ever come) Discounts on any eShop purchase (not just discounts on games we already own like with My Nintendo)
  19. From June 1st, 6pm PDT to June 3rd, 11:59pm PDT Switch owners can join a free pre-launch tournament for Mario Tennis Aces featuring four playable characters: Mario, Yoshi, Peach, and Bowser. Starting May 24th there will be a free eShop download which will let players demo the game for the first weekend of June. By winning online matches players can earn points which can be used to unlock five additional characters for the demo. Players can also play offline in single-player mode against the computer. All participants in the demo will unlock Mario's classic outfit in the full game. Seems to be following in the footsteps of the Splatoon and Arms preview/demo weekends. Should be a good opportunity to test the game out though. EDIT: Updated thread title since people have been using this for general discussions of the game.
  20. Who else is ready to do the Odyssey this weekend? I've got my pre-load in already and am excited to play after work tonight!
  21. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Horizon Chase Turbo – Horizon Chase Turbo is a racing game inspired by the great hits of the ’80s and ’90s. Race your way through opponents and master the circuits as you relive the classic arcade gameplay. Horizon Chase Turbo has a retro soul in a modern body. You’ll drive your car through extraordinary places, watching the sunset and facing rain, snow, harsh sandstorms and even a volcanic eruption. Horizon Chase Turbo will be available on Nov. 28. This War of Mine: Complete Edition – In this game, you do not play as an elite soldier – rather, you are a group of civilians trying to survive in a besieged city, struggling with lack of food, medicine and constant danger from snipers and hostile scavengers. The game provides an experience of war seen from an entirely new angle. Make life-and-death decisions driven by your conscience. Try to protect everybody from your shelter or sacrifice some of them for longer-term survival. During war, there are no good or bad decisions. There is only survival. This War of Mine: Complete Edition will be available on Nov. 27. Nidhogg 2 – The next installment of the epic, award-winning, dueling tug-of-war is here! Stab, shoot, slice or stomp your opponent to gain control of the screen, then book it to your side of the arena. Before long, a new opponent will appear. If they kill you, they get control. Get all the way to your end of the arena to win … and be devoured by the Nidhogg. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop Cyber Deals Nintendo is making it easy to save this season with big savings – up to 50 percent off on select digital games for your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo 3DS system! Fans can purchase on Nintendo.com or directly from Nintendo eShop to purchase and download games to play over winter break or right away. My Nintendo members also earn Gold Points* on qualifying digital purchases, so it’s a win-win. This sale runs through 8:59 a.m. PT on Nov. 28. Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Activities: Pokémon: Let’s Go, Wallpaper! – My Nintendo members: Redeem your points to get a new wallpaper for your smartphone and PC featuring the stars of the Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! games. Also new this week: 99Vidas – Definitive Edition – Full and Demo Versions (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 27 ACA NEOGEO STAKES WINNER 2 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Adventures of Bertram Fiddle Episode 2: A Bleaker Predicklement (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives Atomic Robo-Kid (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) ATV Drift & Tricks (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Battery Jam (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Bibi & Tina – Adventures with Horses (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Bibi Blocksbery – Big Broom Race 3 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Coloring Book (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Destruction (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Energy Cycle Edge - Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Forgotten Anne – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 23 GEM CRASH (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Hot Springs Story – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) kuso (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Ms. Splosion Man (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Panda Hero (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Party Hard (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Please, Don’t Touch Anything (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) R-Type Dimensions EX (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 28 Spintires: Mudrunner – American Wilds (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 27 Steamburg (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) STUMP (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 23 Super Hydorah (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Swamp Defense 2 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Teddy the Wanderer: Kayaking (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) WAKU WAKU SWEETS (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Word Sudoku by POWGI (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Zeus Quests Remastered (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Crush Insects (Nintendo eShop for Wii U) Japanese Rail Sim 3D 5 types of trains (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS)
  22. Throwback and retro games aren't anything new, but so many developers manage to get it wrong, failing to capture the charm of classic 80s games, particularly the delicate balance of simplicity and challenge that made arcade shoot 'em ups so wonderfully addictive. Super Hydorah, however, manages to get it just right. From developer Locomalito and publisher Abylight Studios, Super Hydorah is a clear love letter to shoot 'em ups, and recreates the classic look and feel of the genre with the perfect modern touch to make it feel fresh and exciting in 2018. An evil bio-mechanical alien force has invaded the galaxy, and it's up to you to stop it. The story feels right out of an arcade, capturing the retro throwback vibe even better than many other modern retro-style games. Sure that also means there's not a ton of depth to the story but what more plot do you need when waves of alien ships are firing on you? Super Hydorah is a game about strapping in for frantic side-scroller action, not fancy cutscenes. In the proud tradition of side-scrolling shoot 'em ups, Super Hydorah is a simple to understand but challenging to master kind of game. There's really only one button you need to focus on (you'll fire both your main and subweapon with one button), aside from your super weapon which requires ammo so you're not going to be using it as often. Generally you're just going to be holding down the fire button as you dodge incoming enemy attacks, building that delightfully hypnotic fixation that shoot 'em ups have—don't look away from the screen for even a second or your ship might get blown up! A causal observer might make the mistake of thinking this kind of game is easy to develop, but to make a game like this truly balanced and engaging requires a perfect understanding of the genre, and the developers have nailed it with Super Hydorah. The game has just the right blend of challenge without becoming tedious, style and spectacle without being overly flashy, and complexity without bogging the player down with options. Super Hydorah does an incredible job of making a modern retro game that doesn't feel weighed down by clunky old mechanics nor inundated with pointless additions. Throughout all this there are still plenty of features that make Super Hydorah unique. There's the branching map system that allows you to choose what stage to tackle next—you can even go back to previous stages that you haven't completed yet. The map isn't terribly complex and obviously still leads to the same final boss every time, but there's enough variation that you can try building your own speedruns/playthroughs. There's also a solid selection of weapons you can use, which are unlocked as you complete different stages. All of the classic weapon formats are represented here—lasers, homing missiles, scattershot—but the ability to choose what to use is another invaluable feature for adding variety to the game. And every weapon can be powered up by items you collect while playing; plus the nice thing about Super Hydorah is that you don't lose those power-ups entirely when you die. You'll lose a percentage—there's still a penalty for dying—but it's not totally discouraging. Maintaining a bit of your weapon power after respawning helps maintain the momentum and flow of the game as well. One playthrough of the game won't last too long (assuming you don't die and retry as often as I do) but like many great shoot 'em ups there's a ton of replay value to enjoy with Super Hydorah. For one, there's just the classic challenge of earning a high score, which is no easy feat here. Each stage also has some sort of hidden secret to uncover, so completionists have a good reason to learn the game inside and out. There's also taking different paths on the map and using different weapons of course, plus there are two difficulty modes so you can ease yourself into the game before tackling the more challenging normal mode. Last but certainly not least, the whole game supports local co-op, and having a buddy along for the frantic shoot 'em up ride is a lot of fun. Plus there's even a side mode mini-game to enjoy. Suffice it to say, even if playing through Super Hydorah once doesn't take long, there's plenty to keep you coming back for more. With its emphasis on classic gameplay design, it shouldn't be any surprise that the visuals and audio in Super Hydorah are a throwback to old school games as well. The pixel graphics art style looks fantastic here—there's even an option to turn on a CRT filter to mimic old TVs and monitors. Retro fans will love it and even young players will appreciate the slick, pixel perfect artwork. To match the graphics there's an equally great old school soundtrack from Gryzor87 that feels like it was lifted straight out of the 80s, from synth influences to classic rock riffs. For what is a relatively short game there's an impressive number of songs to enjoy, each one perfecting the retro appeal of Super Hydorah. Fans of the shoot 'em up genre take note: there are still excellent games being made in this style, with all of the charm of the 80s classics we grew up on, blended with enough modern conveniences that the experience still feels fresh and accessible. Super Hydorah is a lovingly made, highly polished ode to arcade shoot 'em ups, one that doesn't pull any punches but will still keep you coming back for one more try. This one is a must for fans of the genre, and will likely inspire new ones as well. Rating: 8 out of 10 Spaceships Review copy provided by publisher Super Hydorah is available now on the Switch eShop for $19.99.
  23. Originally released for PC and mobile devices back in 2016, Mimpi Dreams from developer/publisher Dreadlocks Ltd makes its way to the Switch this week and brings with it a delightfully charming take on puzzle/platforming gameplay. It may not be the most complex game on the eShop, but its approachable, simple design makes it a fun, if brief, adventure. You play as Mimpi, a small dog who, when he sleeps, has big dreams of adventures. From forests and medieval castles to adventures on Mars, Mimpi's dreams always take him to places where nightmares need to be defeated and the locals need rescuing. Mimpi Dreams is ridiculously cute—Mimpi even dresses up in little themed outfits you can find in each stage—and the fact that its story points are all told visually makes it an ideal game for kids. You're not going to get much elaborate storytelling here, but Mimpi's charming heroics, reminiscent of classic platformer games, works well enough for this plot. The gameplay is a mix of puzzle/platformer: your goal is to reach the end of each level, but along the way you'll encounter all manner of obstacles that will hinder your progress. Sometimes it's a simple matter of knocking over a tree to make a bridge, while other times you need to solve something a little more involved to open the path forward. Mimpi Dreams does a solid job of throwing a variety of puzzles at the player, enough that it never feels like you're just doing the same things over and over. There are plenty of clever challenges as well, but generally the puzzles aren't too complicated. If you do need a helping hand though, there's a built-in hint system to help. There's a limit on how many hints you can use but it's possible to unlock more as you play, so even novice players can pretty comfortably progress through Mimpi Dreams. What makes the puzzle-solving a little more unique is that you're able to interact with a lot of the scenery in the environment. In addition to moving Mimpi you also have a cursor that can touch anything on screen, and this is typically your main way of solving a puzzle—oftentimes the biggest challenge is just figuring out what in the scenery you can actually interact with. With a traditional controller you move the cursor with the right stick and hit ZR to interact with things, which feels a little clumsy compared to the original touch controls on mobile or keyboard/mouse on PC. The good news is no puzzle requires such precise timing that you'll fumble it just because of the slow controls, so even though the controls don't quite feel ideal it won't inhibit the experience. Mimpi Dreams also supports motion control with the Joy-Cons, though trying to interact with puzzles this way has its own set of problems. The movement never quite feels as precise as you need it to be, and oftentimes will slow you down even more than trying to use the control stick. Of course, with the Switch you can also just go undocked and use the touch screen, which definitely feels more comfortable with certain puzzles. You'll have to keep your hands on the controls anyway to move and jump as Mimpi, but the trade off might be worth it at times. With a dog's mind as its setting Mimpi Dreams comes up with plenty of bizarre, surreal set pieces, and paired with the game's clean, crisp art style the visuals are a lot of fun. It's cute and cartoony, and the game's unique sense of style helps set it apart, even when Mimpi is traveling through more traditional video game locales like a forest or castle. And although the game can be a little light on background music at times, the main theme is catchy enough—and loops often enough—that it's sure to get stuck in your head. Just like the game's art the song is cute and charming, and helps lull you into the relaxed gameplay. There are only seven levels in the game but they get progressively longer and more complicated, culminating in an adventure on Mars that tests all of the skills the player has cultivated up until that point. Still, Mimpi Dreams isn't a long game, and the average player will most likely finish the whole thing in just a few hours. But completionists may enjoy finding all of the collectible bones in each level as well as tackling the challenge mode which tasks you with getting through as much of the game as you can with only one life. Even this isn't too hard with a little bit of caution, but it's still a decent way to challenge yourself. With engaging puzzles, a cute sense of style, and an adorable protagonist, Mimpi Dreams is an utterly endearing game, one that proves to be engaging even if not particularly complex. Despite minor control quirks Mimpi Dreams offers an adorable adventure for inexperienced players or anyone looking for a more relaxed game. Rating: 7 out of 10 Bones Review copy provided by the publisher Mimpi Dreams is available now on the Switch eShop for $9.99.
  24. This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! – Take your Pokémon journey to the Kanto region with your partner, Pikachu or Eevee! Become the best Pokémon Trainer as you battle other Trainers, Gym Leaders and the sinister Team Rocket. Catch Pokémon in the wild using a gentle throwing motion with either one Joy-Con controller or Poké Ball Plus accessory (sold separately), which will light up, vibrate and make sounds to bring your adventure to life. You can also use button controls in Handheld Mode. Share your adventure with family or friends using a second Joy-Con or Poké Ball Plus (sold separately). You can even connect to the Pokémon GO app* using a compatible smartphone to bring over Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region! The Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go: Eevee! games will be available on Nov. 16. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI – Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy game in which you attempt to build an empire to stand the test of time. Explore a new land, research technology, conquer your enemies and go head-to-head with history’s most renowned leaders as you attempt to build the greatest civilization the world has ever known. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI for the Nintendo Switch system includes the latest game updates and improvements, as well as four pieces of additional content, which add four new civilizations, leaders and scenarios. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI will be available on Nov. 16. Warframe – Warframe is a cooperative, free-to-play, third-person online action game set in an evolving sci-fi world. Play as the Tenno, warriors of blade and gun and masters of the Warframe exo-armor. Those that survived the Old War were left drifting among the ruins. Now they are needed once more. Warframe will be available on Nov. 20. Nintendo eShop sales: Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals. Also new this week: ACA NEOGEO THRASH RALLY (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Arcade Archives URBAN CHAMPION (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Art of Balance – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Circle of Sumo (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 16 Croc’s World (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Desktop Soccer (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 21 Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Heavy Barrel (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Just Dance 2019 - Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) M.A.C.E. Space Shooter (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Mahjong (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Mars: Chaos Menace (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 16 Mimpi Dreams (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Mother Russia Bleeds (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Moto Racer 4 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 20 ROCKETSROCKETSROCKETS (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Soap Dodgem (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) SOLITAIRE BATTLE ROYAL (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Storm Boy (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 20 Tinboy (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Toast Time: Smash Up! (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 16 Trailblazers (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Trine Enchanted Edition (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) UNO® for Nintendo Switch – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Valiant Hearts (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Word Sudoku by POWGI – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) Youtubers Life OMG Edition (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch) – Available Nov. 20 Last Soldier (Nintendo eShop for Wii U) Pinball Breakout 2 (Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS)
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