After you save some serious Benjamins by following this advice, you might just head over to our Patreon page. ;)
#524 – We know how it is! Video games are expensive and cash is tight. That’s why you can’t just buy games from here, there, and everywhere all willy nilly! You gotta go in with a plan, know where you can score the best deal, and save some dough. Don’t buy another game until you watch this full episode!
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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We are not responsible for any first kisses that happen as a result of this episode.
#524 – If you were given the power to change one thing about a Nintendo console, which one would you pick and what would you change? Simeon and Scott are faced with many similar tough choices today – watch to see what they would decide! Comment below what you would change. Footage Credit: Super Smash Bros. Wii U Tripping – Master0fHyrule | Metroid Prime 3 Corruption SD vs HD – thepixelpress
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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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)
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Pre-high-speed internet culture may be foreign to you, and we may be nostalgic, but we’d never go back.
#520 – Unlocking stuff used to be the highlight of the gaming experience. It was like finding a buried treasure with each new character or stage discovered. Nowadays, especially with party games, the hunt is less and less exciting. Should Nintendo keep this pattern?
Footage Credit: Super Smash Bros. – The Co-Op Clan | Mario Kart DS – Thomas J. Ashwell
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
#519 – We agree that Nintendo has some serious shaping up to do when it comes to their Virtual Console. Will we ever get cross-console purchasing or a subscription service?
Footage Credit: Wii Shop Channel – Fan Man | Earthbound Beginnings – ColeNL112 “Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a special game. Is it perfect? Not quite. But in my humble opinion, it’s pretty close. Throughout the 100+ hours I have dedicated to Breath of the Wild, I slowly felt more empowered, more confident, and more ambitious. Finally feeling strong enough to storm the castle gate pumped up the adrenaline inside of me. Not to mention, most of the game I felt as though I was running and gliding through a Bob Ross painting. However, rather than writing a full review on this game, I thought I’d highlight something that just stood out to me. That is, all of the intricate references to past Zelda games.
Beauty is Everywhere
Wherever, you look, whether you know it or not, you are probably seeing an homage to a past Zelda game. Every other landmark is named after a past character or location, although a letter might be missing or displaced in the name. I felt an unusual sense of happiness when I discovered Tingle Island, even though Tingle was nowhere to be found. I find it crazy that just a name can invoke such a feeling of nostalgia even if the landmark itself does not. There are also specific regions in the map that primarily focus on one game. I found a Phantom Hourglass Area, Twilight Princess themed area, even a Wand of Gamelon area.
Kidding on that last one.
There were many times when I encountered a landmark that tugged on the nostalgia strings. For instance, I was riding on my horse, Lacey (named after my real-life cat), and while I heard the subtle melody of the main Legend of Zelda theme, I stumbled upon Ranch Ruins. I couldn’t believe the condition of this place, and then it hit me that it was a dystopian Lon Lon Ranch. After I disposed of the Guardian that called it home, I took Lacey for a spin around the track and actually started getting emotional as I recalled memories of playing Ocarina of Time and pictured Malon Singing Epona’s Song in the center of the ranch. Another time this hit me was when I discovered Eventide Island (by far my favorite area in the game) and felt as helpless as getting washed ashore in Link’s Awakening. Yet another favorite of mine was discovering the Master Sword. This took me back to a Link to the Past thanks to three blue nightshades in the background.
This game doesn’t forget about its roots, either. It was really nice to see the old man at the very beginning of the game, the only difference being instead of going into the cave to visit him, you go out of the cave. Maybe there is a deep meaning behind that? I’m not entirely sure, but when Link does leave the cave for the first time and overlooks the Dueling Peaks, I was instantly reminded of the artwork from the original game. The Master Sword shooting projectiles when Link has full health is also a nice touch.
Though these references may be a nightmare for people who are keen on placing this game somewhere in the franchise timeline, I view it as essentially a conglomerate of pinnacle moments in the series. For me, this aspect of the game is delicious icing on an already incredibly built cake. This is a special game not only because of its top-notch design, but because it doesn’t forget about how it came to be in the first place.
They would probably say the whole cheesy “5 to 105” line…
#515 – Who does Nintendo have in mind when they are developing their newest games? Is it people like you? Much younger? Older players? That’s the question that Simeon and Scott are examining in today’s episode of Two Button Crew!
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Over the years, Nintendo’s franchises have continued to grow, but many old games (F-Zero, Ice Climbers) may not see a new entry, and a few games (Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., Captain Rainbow) will likely never get a single sequel. There are a couple new strategies they’ve started using that are really elevating the new IPs right out of the gate.
Free Content
They don’t even call it DLC because it’s not optional. Updating new games instead of asking people to spend extra money on something new and unknown is such a smart move. You can purchase a game at launch knowing you’re getting the full experience… over time. There were a few things that should have been in Splatoon at launch (TEAMS!), but the map and weapon additions every Friday after the game came out that continued for months kept me going back. There’s no way I would have bought all the content in that game (as I tend to like certain weapon types), but giving them to me for free convinces me to try them out and dig deeper into the game. They’ve already confirmed that new fighters, stages, and arms will be available in ARMS following launch, so I know I’ll be throwing punches for a while.
Free content = Ongoing happiness
Tournaments
Splatoon was featured as part of the Nintendo World Championship and now both ARMS and Splatoon 2 have tournaments at E3 2017. This builds so much hype around their games and shows off the competitive side as well. Looking from the outside, ARMS and Splatoon appear to be casual games, and can totally be played as such, but for the gamers that want a deep and challenging experience, there’s no better way to show it off than on a big flashy stage.
Nintendo Directs
Having a Nintendo Direct specifically dedicated to a game has done WONDERS for Nintendo. For the day(s) from announcing the direct until the actual stream, I see Nintendo fans going wild with rumors and speculation of what the Big N has up their sleeve. Showing off new stages and modes plus announcing new characters in ARMS has reignited a spark for that game in a lot of people (myself included). There have been a ton of posts on social media about which fighter is someone’s favorite and planning which arm combos they’ll use with said character.
The possibility of more Reggie is never a bad thing.
Global Tests
Both Splatoons have had a Global Testfire and with ARMS set to have a Global Testpunch this weekend and the following weekend, it’s bound to get even more people interested and talking about the game. While it would be nice to have longer increments to check the game out, I think it’s smart to give people a taste with set times to play. It whets your appetite for the game just enough to sell it to you and makes you want to play the title right at launch to get back into it.
Here’s hoping to the success of ARMS and Splatoon 2. With all the hype that continues to build around them, I don’t see them going anywhere in the near future… but only time will tell.
Scott’s just dying to prove Simeon wrong on this one.
#513 – Don’t count ARMS out yet. A lot of thoughtful development is going into making this zany fighter a mainstay on Switch. With plenty of characters, modes, and customizations to choose from, the potential for competitive depth is bottomless.
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
We’ve got better games to play than Mario Kart! Close your eyes and pick something off the eShop.
#510 – Zelda Breath of the Wild is a tough act to follow, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe certainly falls short in that regard. The racing game has its charm and its place in the Switch owners’ collection, but it also has some major design problems that frustrate the player, and makes them want to go back to Zelda!
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
#506 – The lines have been blurred. Where once there was a clear distinction between a home console title and a portable one, the Switch has made everything far more vague. Where will the sequels to Nintendo’s traditional handheld titles live? Will there be a price difference for these experiences on Switch? And what truly defines a handheld game in the current gaming generation? All this discussion, and more, in this episode of the Two Button Crew show.
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
#505 – It’s the burning question on Nintendo fans’ minds as we approach E3 2017 – is the next first-party offering going to have enough depth to sink my teeth into? Is it worth the $60 price tag? In this show, Simeon and Scott examining the evidence to support both sides of the argument.
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
1-2-Switch, to say it gently, had mixed reactions after its release. We’re going to start this article by analyzing why there seems to be people giving it positive reviews, and many critics bashing it. Once we’re finished looking at that, this article will rank the 1-2-Switch games from best to worst, and sort them into three categories!
To me the issue is simple. It all comes down to audience. League of Legends is a wildly popular strategy game that has taken the world of gaming captive. I’ve tried it, and it’s not my cup of tea. 1-2-Switch is judged harshly because it is being judged by gamers. If you were expecting 1-2-Switch to be a gamer’s game, or even on the level of Mario Party, you are sadly mistaken. From its reveal its intention was clear; don’t look at the screen. With a goal like that, you immediately understand that it’s not aiming to be a video gamer’s game.
This game is PERFECT for any sort of gathering. It is more accessible to everyone than Wii Sports was. It is instantly “get-able”, and most mini-games can be jumped into without any explanation. I have yet to find a non-gamer that did not find it to be a blast.
All these things about audience being said, that does not mean that this game is completely without flaw. There is enough here to keep the crowd entertained for some time, but some experiences were clearly missteps. I believe that all of the 1-2-Switch mini games fall into one of 3 categories: 1) enjoyable games, 2) games, at least, 3) unplayable messes. We’ll start with the best and work our way down to the worst.
Good Mini-Games:
1. Fake Draw: This is the genius of the Switch all in one mini-game. It’s a super simple premise with a little extra strategy added. You need a quick wrist and a trained ear, and it’s perfect to test reaction times.
2. Quick Draw: Surprised to see this next? Don’t be! It’s just a simpler version of Fake Draw that’s 100% about speed. This is the game that everyone should start out with. It’s exciting, and it’s the one to which everyone wants to have a go.
3. Ball Counting: This game by itself made me believe in HD rumble. It may not be the most exciting game, but it requires patience and a gentle hand. Seriously, it makes me believe there are marbles in the Joy-Con.
4. Sword Fight: Sword fighting on Wii Sports Resort was fun, but usually turned into a waggle-fest. The motion sensors in the Joy-Cons are much more accurate, and this combat game is the best of them.
5. Plate Spin: It doesn’t sound like a very exciting game, but your goal is to keep your plate spinning while you knock off your opponent’s. Very entertaining. I only wish I could find more people to play with me…
6. Safe Crack: Another game that does the HD rumble really well, Safe Crack requires precision. The right rumbles become more difficult to detect as the game goes on, making it quite the challenge.
7. Wizard: Is this one cheesy? Yes, yes it is. But it is fun, and requires strategy.
8. Gorilla: I like this mini-game, but few others are in my camp, so I rarely get to show off my apely prowess.
9. Treasure Chest: Once again, a simple premise, but shows off the motion controls of the Joy-Con well.
10. Shave: This one is fun to play and entertaining to watch especially if they throw you the buzz cut challenge!
11. Copy Dance: Give the Joy-Cons to the goofiest and most flexible people in the room for this one. Trust me, it’s hilarious.
12. Air Guitar: This one definitely had to be made, and it is fun to play. Most of the times I’ve played this game the Joy-Con seemed to track the beat well and not reward waggling, but in more recent play sessions, it seemed like the biggest waggler won… Try it a few times for yourself.
Well, They’re Games…:
Now we take a step down from the good into the… meh.
13. Milk: Yes, it looks ridiculous, but people enjoy laughing at each other. It’s inevitable that this mini-game will continue to be a staple and will be immediately associated with 1-2-Switch till the end of time.
14. Boxing Gym: Requires quick reflexes, but I’m not really certain how well it reads the different punches.
15. Baseball: The presentation on this one is nice. It’s like Wii Sports Baseball, but without looking silly, and you use your ears as opposed to your eyes. It’s all about reading your opponent.
16. Zen: Not moving as a game… I think the premise works, but it’s not exactly a rip-roaring time.
17. Eating Contest: It’s fun to watch people play, but can be really frustrating if you are playing and it does not read your movements. On Nintendo’s behalf I did try putting the camera in front of my hand and puppeting mouth movements and it didn’t work at all, so the camera CAN tell the difference between my mouth and my fingers.
18. Dance Off: It’s a good premise, but copy dance is more entertaining.
19. Samurai Training: Maybe it is just because I am a sore loser, but I do not really care for this game.
20. Beach Flag: Beach Flag is kind of a waggle-fest that wears you out. I enjoy it, but I haven’t found one other person who does.
21. Runway: Once again, humorous to watch, and it requires technique! I brought 1-2-Switch to school for my students to play one day. One of the boys won EVERY time because he had the hip sway portion absolutely pinpoint perfect.
22. Signal Flag: JUST making the cut as an actual game, this one is about concentration and not plunging a pencil into your ear at how annoying the voices are.
Broken Head-Shakers:
The Switch acting as a mirror of the person playing this mini-game.
None of these are playable. Turn back now.
23. Telephone: Pick up the controller when you hear a certain sound. That’s it. Also, be careful when you do. It is easy to drop the Joy-Cons.
24. Soda Shake: I understand the premise of this game, but apparently, the developers didn’t. The demonstrational video doesn’t explain it at all! When the last guy loses, they all rejoice, including him! I guess they’re just excited to have whatever’s in that bottle… and to be done with this non-game.
25. Table Tennis: Good idea, poor execution. You’re always going to be missing the timing. The Wii Play version was better. And yes, I meant that.
26. Sneaky Dice: This game is so complicated that I had to explain it to anyone I played with after the instructional video, and they still didn’t understand. Flip a coin. You’ll have more fun that way.
27. Joy-Con Rotation: THE most frustrating thing. You play on a table, someone will bump it. You play on the floor, it had better be hardwood and no one should be moving. Like, at all. Even after that, it will give you hypertension, then make you question your life decisions. My recommendation is to dupe two friends into playing it, then standing behind them saying, “Careful, Spongebob. CAREFUL, SPONGEBOB!” and laugh hysterically after they impale your eye with the Joy-Con because it was worth it.
28. Baby: Why? Why did they think this was a good idea. Better yet, what audience were they going for? For people who don’t have kids, is it supposed to be a method of birth control? For people who have had kids, why would they want to relive the most annoying part about having a baby? It’s baffling that anyone thought this would be enjoyable for any audience. Why? WHY!?!?
All in all, there are more good games than bad in this collection, and I think it is the new must-have for any party or large get-together. It showcases what the Joy-Cons can do so well, and for that reason, it is the next necessity in the Nintendo Experience as well.
Gaming tournaments! If you haven’t tried to attend one, you’re missing out! But sometimes, the scene just isn’t there… until you start it. There are probably more Nintendo enthusiasts in your area than you realize, and it just takes some effort and organization to bring those people together. In this episode, Simeon and Scott give you some handy tips for starting your own gaming competition! | Handy Dandy Checklist – Bring: System, game, adapter, controller, TV, laptop, charger, speakers, permanent marker (for marking hands), name tags
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
This episode was a real BLAST! We were so happy, it was like we were floating on BALLOONS!
MARIO KART 8 DELUXE! It’s all the rage, being Nintendo’s latest first-party release on Switch! And it’s an outstanding game, but we knew that of course, from playing the Wii U version. You may have caught us streaming online, but what you’ve yet to see is Scott and Simeon facing off in a kart duel. That’s right, with our Patreon supporter’s input, we’ve picked two battle modes to duke it out in. Are you #TeamSim or #TeamScott?
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
As you can see, our childhoods were clearly very entertaining.
Sometimes, plain old Rock Paper Scissors gets really boring. That’s when you have to invent your own version! And with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe releasing in North America yesterday, what better way to play RPS than with Mario Kart items? Indeed, the weapons in the Mario Kart series are balanced not unlike rock, paper, or scissors, where some are more effective against others, and can be countered by others still. Join Simeon and Scott as they do what they do best – goof off!
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
As gamers, it can be easy to let fantasies of game worlds spill into our daily lives. One of those situations takes place behind the wheel. Have you ever wanted a red shell for that jerk in front of you on the highway? Things would sure be a lot more interesting on the road if drivers were given Mario Kart items and Mario Kart rules to play by. Imagine with us! Footage Credits: Super Mario Kart – NintendoComplete | Mario Kart Double Dash – PoisonCranberry | Mario Kart 8 – XCageGame
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Most fans of Nintendo have come to accept the “fact” that 3rd party support is weak on Nintendo systems. It’s mostly true, and it’s very unfortunate. We wish other companies would support the Switch more, and there are some great games we feel that we’re missing out on! We’ve made a list of all the best, hot 3d party games that we want to play on our Nintendo hardware!
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Breath of the Wild is gearing up to take even more of our money! Ooh boy!
DLC is just a fact of life now! The gaming industry has fully adopted the post-launch expansion practice, and Nintendo is finally on board. We’re not too far off from our first dose of expanded Zelda content, so let’s start dreaming of what it could be like!
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
