Home › Posts tagged Switch › Page 10

Switch

WonderBoy: The Dragon’s Trap Review (Switch)

Posted on by

Or Wonder Girl – don’t you forget it!


#567 – SEGA fans, rejoice – your time has come. This Master System classic has been remastered and released on the Switch! This is a RPG-ish, Metroidvania-ish, Zelda II-ish game that looks and sounds stunning in the rereleased version. Beautiful hand-drawn graphics are really on display here, so take a look at the footage as you hear our thoughts!

Footage credit: GiantBomb
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Exploring SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition

Posted on by


SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition recently released on the Nintendo Switch eShpop! It’s a single-player affair, but that doesn’t mean Simeon and Scott can’t take turns and have just as much fun! This is a stretegy game along the lines of Mario + Rabbids or Worms. By the end of this video, you should know if the game is for you or not! We also have a review on our channel if you need more information!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Zelda Escape Room Experience (VLOG)

Posted on by

Wait… if they didn’t solve the last puzzle, how did they get OUT of the Escape Room?


Recently, Scott was fortunate enough to make it to one of the Zelda Escape Rooms put on by SCRAP and Nintendo. He traveled to Seattle with his friends Joel and Meagan, and Vlogged the whole way! Well, no cameras were allowed during the puzzles themselves but you’ll still get lots of cool glimpses into their adventures. Music: Saria’s Fairy-Go-Round | ZipZipper & Harmony of Heroes

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

BOTW and ARMS are DONE!

Posted on by


In this week’s Nintendo News, it looks like two big Switch games aren’t getting any further content updates… Breath of the Wild and ARMS are both complete games as of today. We also take a look at some rumored upcoming Switch games that Amazon partially leaked. Hype!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What is a “Rogue-Like” Game?

Posted on by

Nothing more frustrating than dying far into a Rogue-like.


#521 – The 1980 classic Rogue paved the way for many a perilous journey to follow. But when we say “Rogue-like”, what do we actually mean?

Footage Credit: Tumbleseed – Polygon | Has Been Heroes – SwitchForce

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What’s New in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?

Posted on by

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, home of the lone cheap Switch accessory.


Mario Kart 8 is getting a facelift, and it’s coming to Nintendo Switch! In another show of Nintendo listening to their fans, they’ve completely updated Battle Mode in this entry of their kart racer series, while throwing in a bunch of extra characters, karts, and modes. All of the changes can be a bit hard to keep track of, and that’s why Simeon and Scott have gathered a comprehensive list for your convenience!

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Surprise Tumbleseed Challenge!

Posted on by

It’s nice to see the Illuminati branching out into video games for a change.


#523 – Simeon gives the simple-yet-challenging Tumblessed a shot! Will he be able to maneuver the potholes and Illuminati bugs to the farthest reaches of the forest?

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

How Should Nintendo Follow Up Breath of the Wild?

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been out for a month and a half now and I still haven’t beaten it. That’s because after 70 hours I’m intentionally not finishing it quite yet as I don’t want this amazing experience to end. Even now, before experiencing the end-game, I have to wonder: how in the world will Nintendo follow up this masterpiece?

Dungeons

The few main dungeons BotW does have are really good and unique, but their lack of themes that we’re used to combined with overall length of dungeons is something that could be improved upon. Majora’s Mask and Wind Waker both had fewer dungeons than your average Zelda, but thy had more character and intricacy. This is a common thing I’ve heard from fans, and I expect Nintendo to step up the dungeon game in Link’s next open-air outing.

Weapons

I love the wide variety of weapons available, but they don’t last quite long enough. I appreciate the fact that it forces you to use different weapons and switch up your playstyle, but if I find a really great weapon it’s always so hard for me to use it as I don’t want it to break. I hope weapons continue to break in future games as well, but once you leave the beginning area of the game the weapons should last much longer.

Items/Abilities

You get all of your key ways of traversing and puzzle solving before you leave the tutorial area this time around. Once again, Nintendo did the right thing for this game by giving all control over to the player. Next time traditional items such as the Grappling Hook, Mole Mits and Ball & Chain make could a return while still giving the player freedom. The way they could do this is color code the key items, and the entrance to certain dungeons and mini-dungeons that require certain items will be color coded (think colored doors in Metroid). The players can still explore how they want, but will have to leave areas for later once they collect the right items.

Nintendo has already said that Link will continue his adventures in an open-air Hyrule, so here’s hoping they can change up a few little things that will make a huge difference in the future. Until then I’ll have to finish Breath of the Wild… someday.

Switch Games – Remakes/Updates/Sequels?

Posted on by

SplaTWOn, coming to a Nintendo Switch near you, March 2017!


We saw a good handful of games during the Nintendo Switch reveal trailer, but it wasn’t exactly clear which ones were new games and which ones are making a return from the Wii U console. We look at all the clues and present compelling cases for which games are new and which ones are definitive editions!

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Switch) Review

Posted on by

Look what gem we dug up.


Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is available on Nintendo Switch, including the timed-exclusive Specter of Torment campaign! Ryan has been playing the title for review, and has completed the game and assembled all of his thoughts. Watch to see what he thought of this villainous twist on Shovel Knight!

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Are Classic Editions the New Virtual Console?

Posted on by

We will be attending Classics Anonymous.


“Virtual Console” isn’t a term that we hear much these days, especially compared to all the buzz surrounding the SNES Classic Edition and the NES version before it. We’re wondering: Are these special retro consoles here to stay, while VC takes a back seat? Will we ever see Virtual Console on Switch? Let’s discuss!Footage credit: Polygon

Footage credit: Polygon
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Come at Me, Super Meat Bro

Posted on by


Super Meat Boy is an older indie game, but it’s brand new to Switch AND has an exclusive Vs. mode for Simeon and Scott to try out. They’ll be racing, split-screen style, to see who can reach Bandage Girl first. Also, they might discover a few bugs and glitches along the way… but no matter what, be sure to enjoy the rage that’s induced by this incredibly difficult platformer!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nintendo Labo? Nintendo LABO!

Posted on by


Nintendo lifted the curtain on Labo, their new cardboard initiative. Simeon, Scott, and Producer Glen share their thoughts on Ninty’s newest innovation and take a look at the pros and cons of these first few sets being released.

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It’s True: Games ARE Made by Humans Scott’s Thoughts

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Something especially cool happened at E3 2017. If you only watched Nintendo’s press conference, you missed it.
Shigeru Miyamoto came out on stage and promoted Mario + Rabbids. But even Miyamoto-san wasn’t the star of that show; Davide Soliani stole the spotlight.

Davide was the lead on developing Mario’s crossover with the Raving Rabbids. As you’ll remember, his passion project got leaked onto the internet and was met with a collective “huh?” from gamers.

It was a demoralizing period for his team, having poured months and months into crafting the perfect crossover that no one knew they wanted. The premature announcement was met with uncertainty.

The team pressed onward, through the disappointing turn of events, and made it to E3 where Kingdom Battle had its proper announcement and another shot at recognition. Nintendo lent Miyamoto for Ubisoft’s stage, as well as dedicated a slot of time in their Treehouse stream to showcase the game.

Sentiment around the game started to turn, but nothing so critical happened as when the camera at Ubisoft’s press conference focused in on Davide.

The developer had given Miyamoto the honor of introducing his game on stage, but Miyamoto turned the praise back to Davide and the crowd got to watch his reaction as tears streamed down his face.

The French game designer was overcome with emotion as his sweat equity had finally culminated in a finished product. But most every developer experiences that sensation. Davide also had the unique opportunity of getting to work with an industry idol, and partner with Nintendo on their own property. To see Miyamoto himself introduce a game that he had conceptualized brought him to tears.

“Don’t cry Ubisoft man” became a meme, a tee-shirt, and a rallying cry for those who wanted to show their support for Ubisoft’s crazy mash-up and the people responsible for creating it.

Sometimes, gamers just need a small reminder that humans create the software. Behind every work is a team of individuals with families, needs, and dreams.

For Davide’s sake, and those like him, measure your tone carefully when offering criticism online. The status quo is harsh, and it takes more effort to be constructive. Go the extra mile.

Switch VR Prediction – For The Record

Posted on by

No, the Switch isn’t even on the market yet. (So close!)

Yes, I’m already looking ahead to what’s next.

I want to put a prediction down, timestamped and dated, so that I can say “I told you so!” when it turns out to be true.

Let’s start with the facts before we get into prediction territory (plus I want to keep you in suspense a little while longer.
Many aspects of the Switch were “leaked” by patent sleuths who were keeping an eye on what Nintendo was filing.
At the end of one particular and very long series of patents, we find this:

Ladies and gentleman, that there is a Nintendo Switch Virtual Reality (VR) patent filing!

Were this patent to become a product, its usage would be fairly simple: strap on the headset, slide the Switch tablet into the slot, and play! Individual Joy-Con would be perfect controllers for a VR experience, with motion control, analog sticks, and a handful of face and shoulder buttons.

Really, this filing is quite ingenious. But, Nintendo can’t be credited for this implementation of VR – plenty of Samsung and Google devices have been doing this for years. So, why is Nintendo trying to patent it?
I’m not sure about the answer to that question, but it could be that they are filing for protection of the idea of using a home console itself in a VR headset. Or perhaps, only making a headset for the Switch console would infringe this particular patent. I don’t speak the legalese to give a firm answer, but I can certainly deduce the gaming implications of this document.

After this leak occurred, many fans hoped they would see a Virtual Reality segment during the January Switch Presentation. I knew we wouldn’t.

There’s one big problem with making the above patent a real product: the resolution of the screen. For those that own a PS4 already, PlayStation VR is on the lower end of the cost barrier, and that solution provides a 1920×1080 (full HD) display, which could be considered the bare minimum for virtual reality.

With VR, the screen is mounted very close to your eyes. That’s why Oculus Rift and other VR-equipped smartphones have such high pixel density – you don’t want to be distracted by pixels in the screen a few inches away from your face.

This is what would happen if it was done with the current Switch model.

For this reason, I don’t believe we’ll see Nintendo step into the VR market with this iteration of their console… which brings us to my prediction:

I predict: Nintendo will release an upgraded Switch model midway through the console’s lifecycle.

Name: Switch Vision
Release Date: Holiday 2020
Resolution: 4k (allowing for 2k to be used on each eye)
Headset: Can charge separately, lends extra battery to the tablet
Backward Compatibility: Works with all existing games and accessories
Exclusive Software: Special VR-enabled games will be produced, 3 main titles from Nintendo (Mario spinoff, Metroid, New IP)
SKUs: Purchase the tablet-only for previous Switch owners, or a bundle option for new customers

Can you picture the marketing? Switch Vision – 2020.

The industry is well adjusted to mid-console cycle upgrades. Is this so far-fetched? I don’t believe so, especially with an official patent document showing that Nintendo is at the very least interested in this technology. Of course, many of their patents never see the light of day as finalized products that make it to the market… but…

Should it happen, remember that you heard it here first!

Home of the Indies: Nintendo Switch

Posted on by

After an incredible Indie Showcase that Nintendo aired before the launch of their new platform, the Nintendo Switch, I’m still left thinking about that reel of stellar indie software. The lineup looks fantastic, and in an otherwise barren stretch without software between Zelda and Mario Kart, the indies are going above and beyond in filling in the gaps.

Nintendo really stepped up their game in the way that they are courting independent developers this generation. You can tell. You can feel the excitement emanating from these smaller, self-publishing game creators. Not only is a slew of great games coming to Switch, but the indies are providing exclusives and timed exclusives by the handful.

Nintendo Voice Chat Indie Special

Recently IGN’s Nintendo podcast took a week off their normal format and interviewed some fine folks. They sat down and talked with many of the creators that were featured in Nintendo’s showcase, but also interviewed the employee of Nintendo in charge of managing these releases, all in one informative episode.

While you should definitely give the full show a watch or listen, I took two very important facts away from it:

1: Expect indie games to be enhanced with unique Switch features. Nintendo is helping indies implement the latest and greatest into their titles, and helping make these games more attractive on the Nintendo platform as well.

2: More selectivity is determining what appears on the eShop. It’s not an open invitation for indie developers anymore, but only the best of the best are being let in to the new eShop. This might seem like a step backward in Nintendo’s indie relations, but they’re really just taking an active step in keeping the shovelware out and wooing the best developers in. Damon Baker is the man in charge of Nintendo’s “portfolio management,” so he’ll be making a lot of calls, taking people out to golf, and not taking no for an answer when it comes to getting Nintendo fans access to the smartest indie titles.

Technology Implementation

Nintendo isn’t the only company taking advantage of HD Rumble or the other technologies packed into the Joy-Con controllers. Indies are crazy about this technology, and have reported that Nintendo’s documentation is off-the-charts helpful…

Let me say that again:

Nintendo’s development documenation for Switch is insanely good.

I know – sounds boring to you or me, but developers are going crazy about this. And it means we get better games, faster, so there’s that!

In one example of rapid technology implementation, Tomorrow Corp’s games (World of Goo, Human Resource Machine, Little Inferno) already take advantage of the IR-free Motion Pointer technology before it’s been seen from any other developer, first-party, third-party, or otherwise.

Indie games that allow full iPad-like touch-screen only controls as an option are also on the way.

Convenient Porting

Indie developers are having extremely efficient experiences in getting their existing games running on Switch hardware, which has historically not been the case with Nintendo platforms. In the IGN interview above, devs stated times between a single hour to two weeks when discussing port timeframes.

Not to mention that development kits are actually on the cheap end of the spectrum for indies! At approximately $450 per kit, it’s hardly a barrier of entry for anyone hoping to see their game running on Nintendo hardware. Finally, the Big N seems to have created a win-win situation with their development environment.

Support Them!

Switch is the perfect console for indie games. It’s easy to develop for, fully-featured hardware, that we can take with us anywhere! Let’s show independent developers that we respect their time and appreciate their efforts by voting with our wallets.

Watch for these upcoming (and some newly released) games:

  • Runner3 from Choice Provisions
  • SteamWorld Dig 2 from Image & Form Games
  • Yooka Laylee from Team 17 and Playtonic Games
  • Blaster Master Zero from Inti Creates
  • Pocket Rumble from Chucklefish Games and Cardboard Robot Games
  • Flipping Death from Zoink Games
  • Mr. Shifty from tinyBuild and Team Shifty
  • Wargroove from Chucklefish Games
  • Stardew Valley from Chucklefish Games and ConcernedApe
  • Shakedown Hawaii from vBlank
  • Graceful Explosion Machine from Vertex Pop
  • Tumbleseed from aeiowu
  • Overcooked: Special Edition from Team 17 and Ghost Town Games
  • The Escapists 2 from Team 17 and Mouldy Toof
  • GoNNER from Raw Fury and Art in Heart
  • Kingdom: Two Crowns from Raw Fury and Noio
  • Dandara from Raw Fury and Long Hat House
  • Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove & Specter of Torment by Yacht Club Games
  • World of Goo by Tomorrow Corp
  • Human Resource Machine by Tomorrow Corp
  • Little Inferno by Tomorrow Corp

VR with Switch & Head-Mount?!

Posted on by

This is probably the most exciting patent filing since the Switch started leaking!


What if Virtual Reality access was a mere plastic-headset away for Nintendo Switch owners? That dream could become a reality thanks to Nintendo’s latest patent filing. The mechanism described simply requires a Switch console to be inserted into a VR headset in order to immerse the gamer into a virtual world. Will the Switch’s specs be up to snuff for VR? Watch Scott and Simeon examine the patent and discuss the possibilities.

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

SteamWorld Dig Review (Switch)

Posted on by

SteamWorld Dig is indie developer Image & Form’s first claim to fame. Originally released on 3DS in 2013, Dig was universally “dug” around the industry. On February 1st, 2018, Nintendo fans get another chance to play this instant classic on Switch.

SteamWorld Dig joins its sequel and SteamWorld Heist, on the eShop. The main differences between the original Dig and Dig 2 are that, 1: this game is shorter, and 2: the underground labyrinths are randomly generated. It’s kind of like having your own village in Animal Crossing, where all the same features are present, but their placements are determined by an algorithm. This is helpful for people like me who have beaten the game before, to have a fresh experience upon revisiting the steampunk world.

You play as Rusty as you navigate the Earth’s underbelly, mining deeper and deeper under the surface. As you traverse, you’ll gather gems and ore along the way. Once your pouch is full, or your lantern runs out, you will return to the town above, sell your goods, and use the money you earned to upgrade equipment. (By the way, the non-playable robot who you sell to is Dorothy, who goes on to star in SteamWorld Dig 2.) Stronger tools allow you to dig deeper, unlocking more sections of the world in a creative spin on the Metroidvania gameplay loop. Continuing to advance, you will discover caves featuring puzzles that have a predetermined design.

This pattern of digging, mining, spending, upgrading, and repeating is the core of SteamWorld Dig. And it’s a strong core. Few games rival it in instantly hooking the player. The soundtrack is solid (even eliciting memories of Metroid Prime at times), controls and interface are extremely user friendly, and everything periphery melts away as you focus on your goal. However, one aspect of the game sticks out like a sore thumb—and that is combat, which is neither compelling nor rewarding. Rudimentary enemy patterns and limited offensive options leave you feeling lucky when you succeed, but more often, just wishing you could avoid enemies altogether. On that note, with the right tools you can hurry and strike some baddies before they hatch, preventing a cumbersome encounter.

Combat is a mere distraction and not an essential part of the experience, which continues to be a weakness in the series. That’s just about the lone complaint there is to find in this game. Although, I have to wonder if Image & Form could have spent longer to make this a more enticing package. The developers have come a long way and learned many lessons since this game was released. Originally, SteamWorld Dig was finalized at the point just before their team went bankrupt. They’ve gone on record saying that it wasn’t wholly completed to their liking. This port was an opportunity to enhance or add value, but the devs instead opted to do a quick and dirty port.

Okay—the port isn’t dirty at all, but how could I resist that pun with a game about digging? To be clear, the game runs and looks great on Switch. And with no additional bells or whistles, they’ve created an affordable entryway into the wonderful SteamWorld lineup of games. This is worth picking up if you’ve somehow skipped the series, or if you’ve been missing Rusty, his original adventure, and the grassroots origin of one of the best developers on Nintendo eShop. You’d be hard-pressed to play this game without a grin on your face.

SteamWorld Dig gets an 8/10.

Nintendo Quietly Updating Mario Odyssey?

Posted on by


Maybe you are still working through Super Mario Odyssey’s 999 moons! Perhaps you’ve managed to 100% the game… or have you? Who knows! When Nintendo can silently post new Hint Art online without fanfare, all bets are off!

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

“Arcade Perfect”

Posted on by

A few months ago, I decided to pick up an Arcade Archives title, Garou: Mark of the Wolves. I was feeling that fighting game itch, and eight bucks didn’t seem like that much scratch. Moreover, I’d never indulged in any of SNK’s classic fighting catalog, so I figured—if nothing else—it’d be an educational experience. So how is it? Arcade Perfect!

And that’s the problem.

For those of you who’re too young to remember when arcades were a big deal—which, come to think of it, largely applies to me as well—”arcade perfect” was a marketing buzzword used to describe home-console ports of arcade games. It meant that nothing was compromised (graphics, music, sound, and so on) when porting the game to consoles. See, arcade machines tended to be a bit beefier than home-consoles, as they weren’t just entertainment but also a business investment for store owners. As to be expected, the term has largely fallen out of use due to the declining relevance of arcades, but still gets thrown around from time to time, especially in arcade compilations like the upcoming Street Fighter collection.

“Arcade perfect” was a marketing buzzword that meant that nothing was compromised when porting the game to consoles.

Ultimately, my biggest gripe with Garou: Mark of the Wolves isn’t a design issue, it’s that the version on the eShop is literally just the arcade version running on an emulator. While there’s nothing wrong with that, per se, it does mean it’s missing many of the features that have been standard in home-ports since before the arcade version was even released. Honestly, it makes me question whether “arcade perfect” is really that good of a benchmark.

First of all, the game doesn’t have a training mode. The only single player content is arcade mode, meaning you have to learn the ins and outs of this game’s mechanics as the computer is mugging you for your (virtual) quarters. This wouldn’t be so bad if the game was a simple, straightforward one-on-one fighting game like Street Fighter 2, but that’s not the case. Garou was released in 1999, meaning it subscribes to the Street Fighter 3 school of design: master the incredibly precise timing of the parries and cancels or be content seeing your opponent’s win quote for the seventeenth time.

The game doesn’t have a training mode: you have to learn the game’s mechanics as the computer is mugging you for your virtual quarters.

Along the same lines is the lack of a proper move list. Granted, the emulator’s menu has a move list for each character, but each combatant only gets a limited amount of space, meaning that isn’t enough space for every move. If you want to know all of a character’s techniques, you’ll need to look up the commands online.

I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. Of course, I’m looking at this from a modern perspective; what were home-ports like back in 1999? Well, while arcade versions usually had better hardware, the home version gave the developers the opportunity to fine-tune the game and add additional content. New characters weren’t uncommon, and it was standard practice to remix/remaster the soundtrack for the home version: Virtua Fighter 2, the Tekken series, and Garou: Mark of the Wolves itself all had superior sounding music in their respective home-console versions.

I haven't played it, so I can't say whether there's an "insert quarter" button in this version.
More fleshed out versions of the game exist.

Maybe I’m taking the term a bit too literally, but the more I think about, the more I think “arcade perfect” is a pretty flimsy accomplishment. I by no means regret buying Garou: Mark of the Wolves, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the Arcade Archive series, but no matter how good the games or their emulation is, staying 100% true to the originals can leave a game lacking. Ultimately, what’s perfect for the arcades isn’t perfect for the home experience.