If you love the Xenoblade Chronicles series, regardless of what your favourite game in the franchise is, there’s something everyone can agree on — the music is phenomenal.
Earlier this year, not only did we get a long-awaited release date for the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 soundtrack, but we also got the reveal stunning new ‘Trinity Box’ soundtrack that would contain music from every single Xenoblade game — from Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition all the way through to Future Redeemed, the final part of Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s DLC.
The Trinity Box is an absolute beast of a soundtrack collection — 20 CDs worth of music, over 350 songs, and over 20 hours of music from six interlinking stories. The cover reveal didn’t come until after the aforementioned DLC was released, and there was a reason for that — spoilers. Designed after the Trinity Processor, if you don’t know what that is, well… now is not the time to explain it, but it’s a crucial part of the Xenoblade franchise.
The Trinity Box was only available for pre-order at Procyon Studio — which is Yasunori Mitsuda’s (one of the many composers who has worked on the series) production studio — during April. This writer was lucky enough to snag one, and it came at a hefty USD$155 including shipping. And all six soundtracks are here — Definitive Edition, Future Connected, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Torna – The Golden Country, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Future Redeemed.
Also with the soundtrack is a booklet, which contains comments from many of the series’ composers such as ACE, Manami Kiyota, and Mitsuda. There’s also a note from series creator Tetsuya Takahashi, who gives a rather amusing anecdote on why he thought of using jazz music in Torna — thanks to Damien Chazelle’s incredible movie Whiplash for inspiring.
But that’s enough talk about the soundtrack itself — why not bask in this chunky box of music in our gallery?
Image: Alana Hagues / Nintendo LifeImage: Alana Hagues / Nintendo Life
While you can’t buy the Trinity Box anymore, you can purchase all of the numbered game soundtracks separately now on Procyon Studio’s website and other retailers. And some soundtracks are even available digitally on Apple Music or Amazon Music to purchase.
Which Xenoblade game has your favourite music? Vote in our poll below and let us know in the comments what you think of the Trinity Box.
What Xenoblade game has your favourite soundtrack? (355 votes)
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Browsing the Nintendo UK Switch eShop, we noticed a brand new game page for the upcoming action game — launching on Switch among other platforms. And on the page, there’s a release date of 22nd September 2023 listed. Well, we didn’t know that before, did we?
GameMill Entertainment hasn’t confirmed anything yet, but the release date is listed on both the UK and North American eShop. Of course, that could change — and we’ll wait for GameMill to confirm before we’re 100% certain that date is correct.
For a quick refresher, here’s what to expect from Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance:
Relive the epic adventure of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series, as you play as Aang and his friends and master the elements, explore the most unique locations from the series, solve challenging environmental puzzles and experience the most heart touching moments of Aang’s story. Play the story solo or with a friend through the game’s unique two-player co-op mode. Embrace Your Destiny and experience Aang’s original adventure. Replay any of the 18 thrilling chapters whenever you choose to experience your favorite moments from the series.
Explore the World of Avatar and travel across the four nations through a 1-2 player co-op 18 chapter adventure.
Play as 9 iconic characters including Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Katara.
Unlock the Mysteries and navigate challenging puzzles using bending and the unique abilities of water, earth, fire and air; upgrade your abilities throughout the story to unleash the full potential of Avatar!
Are you looking forward to Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance on Switch? Let us know in the comments.
If I had a nickel for every time that a long-rumoured remaster shadow dropped on the Switch eShop this year, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. Yes, with both Metroid Prime Remastered and Quake II landing on the Nintendo console out of nowhere this year, we Switch players have been eating good.
We were saddened to learn that in the former of these releases, the original development team was not credited alongside all those who worked on the remaster, with some members of that 2002 team calling the practice a “travesty”. Therefore, it was with great anticipation that we waited to see whether Quake II would get the same treatment. Fortunately, things are better this time.
Yes, the original Quake II dev team are fully credited this time around, it seems. Zoid Kirsch (a former engineer at Retro Studios who was notably absent from the recent Prime remaster) took to Twitter to share the news that he and his colleagues had made it into this one, writing “This is how it should always be done”.
While the final Metroid Prime Remastered scroll remains unchanged, we have seen some games’ credits get retroactively updated in the past — as was the case with Pac-Man World Re-PAC last year. Here’s hoping that the crediting practice used by id Software on this remaster is a sign of better things to come.
Have you rolled credits on Quake II yet? Let us know in the comments.
Episode one of the new Pokémon animation, Pokémon: Path to the Peak, is available to watch now on YouTube.
Announced during the Pokémon Presents August 2023 showcase, episode one — titled ‘The Club’ — is now available to watch on The Official Pokémon YouTube Channel. It premiered at the Pokémon World Championships in Yokohama earlier today. The show itself is named after a Pokémon card of the same name — Path to the Peak.
The new show follows Ava who has moved towns and joins a Pokémon TCG club at her new school. Her MVP is Oddish, and she soon discovers she has a talent for the game itself. The episode is around 10 minutes long and follows Ava as she adjusts to both her new life and the TCG.
The show’s animation has been handled by Taiko Studios, the company responsible for creating the wonderful short movie One Small Step, which was nominated for Best Animate Short Film at the 91st Academy Awards.
You can watch e[episode one of Path to the Peak below. Let us know what you think of this short animation in the comments.
Look, we already went and slapped a big fat 10/10 on Quake Remastered when it dropped almost exactly two years ago, calling it “a stellar port of one gaming’s true greats and an essential addition to your Switch library.” So what on Stroggos are we meant to say about this absolutely cracking remaster of its absolutely cracking sequel?
Well, let’s not beat about the Big Gun here, this really is another flawless victory for retro FPS fans, a truly exhaustive revamp of Quake II that respectfully tweaks and refines the core gameplay of a bonafide classic whilst making sure to pack in every bit of extra content we could have possibly asked for…and then some.
Let’s kick off with the main campaign itself and, depending on who you ask, this is perhaps the very best Quake game in terms of its single-player offering (Quake 3 is the still MP maestro, in case you were wondering). During its development, Quake II wasn’t actually intended as a sequel to Quake at all until it became clear that using the successful IP would help improve those all-important sales figures. And so, what we’ve got here is a game that’s an entirely separate narrative entity to the Lovecraftian monster-slaying of its genre-defining predecessor, with dank medieval mazes and cosmic horrors replaced by bleak sci-fi environs and biomechanical mutants.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
The core gameplay remains much the same at heart, of course, but it’s also seen meaningful improvements in several key areas. Not only do you get a bunch of sexy new guns to play with in the form of the BFG, Railgun, and Chaingun, but enemy AI has also been enhanced, your Strogg enemies running away, hiding, regrouping and even ducking for cover. Add to this a bunch of clever death animations which see dying foes fire off a few rounds in a desperate last-stand attempt to take you out, and you’ve got an experience that just plays that little bit better overall.
In terms of the multiplayer aspect of Quake II, you also had new additions in the form of a fully co-op campaign, 1v1 battles, and a stupidly addictive Capture The Flag mode which this writer may or may not have wasted an almost illegal amount of his youth fully addicted to. In its original form, Quake II was a beast, then, but with this remaster that beast has gone fully Super Saiyan.
Just like 2021’s Quake revamp, Nightdive Studios – who recently served up one of 2023’s very best games on other platforms in the form of System Shock – takes the reins here, and once again shows why it is the current master of the retro remaster. The team has expertly enhanced the original game’s graphics with fancy new lighting and shadow techniques, added detail and depth to scrubbed-up enemy models, thrown in an incredibly useful compass mechanic, and lots of lovely new touches to enemy behaviour that long-time fans are sure to note and love. Have you seen how the Parasite can get his tongue stuck to surfaces when it misses you now? Lovely, lovely stuff.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Besides this souped-up version of the original campaign and multiplayer modes, for the princely sum of £7.99 / $9.99 this package also includes the game’s original expansions, The Reckoning and Ground Zero, Quake II 64, and a brand new episode from MachineGames in the form of Call of the Machine. We’ve spent a bunch of time with this new content already and it’s as good as you’d expect from the Wolfenstein devs, classic Quake gameplay and level design that feels perfectly in line with the OG, whilst also bringing a more modern eye for level flow and environmental design into play.
There’s also been a huge effort put into accessibility options, with the game letting players know right from the get-go that it’s got a menu packed full of helpful aids to toggle on and off as needed. What else have we got here? Well, there’s a wealth of split-screen and online multiplayer and co-operative elements to dig into, crossplay with all other platforms to ensure you can always find a match, support for custom maps and mods, an enhanced soundtrack, and — yes — HD Rumble and gyro controls have both been added to the mix. Indeed, as with Quake Remastered, unless you just can’t live without 4K/120hz, we reckon the Switch version is actually the best one to plump for by virtue of portability, plus those gyro controls (also available on the PlayStation versions) as they just give you that little bit of extra fine-tuning to your aiming that makes pulling off headshots feel better than ever with a controller.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Besides all of this, you also get the iD Vault which is packed full of concept art and models of weapons, enemies, and pickups which can be rotated and zoomed as you switch between the original and enhanced graphics. Oh, and dive into the development menu here and you get to check out some super rare unused assets, original console print ads, and even fully playable demos of the game from E3 and ECTS 97.
Of course, in terms of the Switch, the most important aspect here is always going to be performance and, in both docked and handheld modes this port looks and sounds fantastic. The frame rate sticks resolutely to 60fps across the campaign, all DLCs, and that all-new MachineGames episode. Even in the brief tryout of split-screen mayhem that we’ve managed so far, we didn’t have any issues whatsoever.
Whatever way you slice this one, what we’ve got here is the definitive version of a classic FPS and one of the most impressive remastered packages we’ve ever had the pleasure of diving into. Quake fans will devour this, and short of packing in some real-world de-ageing tech to return us to our twitch-shooting ’97 prime, we really are struggling to think of anything negative to say about this fantastic slice of retro shooter sweetness. It’s time to jump into the boots of Bitterman and take the fight to the Strogg once more.
Conclusion
Quake II arrives on Switch in the form of one of the very best remasters we’ve ever had the pleasure of digging into. With enhanced graphics and audio, refined AI, all-new animations, the iD Vault, a brand new episode, and all previously released DLC in the mix — plus the N64 version — this is an exhaustive package that Quake fans are absolutely gonna eat up. Add in crossplay support, gyro controls, and lots of co-op and competitive ways to play locally and online, and you’ve got an absolutely outstanding release.
Back in March of this year, we heard that D-Pad Studio — the team behind the brilliant Owlboy — was working on a remaster of its debut title, Savant, to coincide with the game’s tenth anniversary. Well, that plan has grown a fair bit, it turns out, and the studio has today announced that what began as a little remaster project has now developed into a full-blown sequel: Savant – Ascent Remix.
We don’t have a precise release date for when this will fly onto Switch just yet (the studio has confirmed that it will be after the PC release on 15th September), but from what we have seen so far, this is looking particularly sweet.
Savant – Ascent Remix follows much the same structure as the original title — a platform shooter where you play as the Alchemist, attempting to get back to the top of his tower after having been thrown out by a mysterious enemy — though D-Pad Studio has added extra content which “more than doubles the size of the original game”.
These new features comprise of five stages to complete (over the original game’s two), an endless Survival Mode, new difficulty modes including an NES-style ‘Hardcore’ option and 22 newly-composed songs on the soundtrack. All of that is wrapped up in the gorgeous uber-detailed pixel art style that we would expect from the team behind Owlboy — laser sharks have never looked so good.
From remaster to full-blown sequel is a pretty big leap, but we’re excited to see what this one has in store when it comes to Switch — hopefully we won’t have to wait for too long.
Will you be picking up Savant – Ascent Remix on Switch? Shoot your thoughts in the comments below.
After being released on other platforms earlier this year, Zen Studios has today announced that ‘Marvel Pinball Collection 1’ will be ding-ding-dinging its way into Pinball FX on Switch on 24th August.
The announcement was made on the official @PinballFX Twitter account and a following ‘Pinball Bites’ video (above) on the Zen Studios YouTube channel gave a better idea of everything that will be in store for the Marvel collection.
The DLC will be comprised of 11 different tables including X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Moon Knight. All of these will be available to purchase in a singular bundle so you can bring a slice of superhero style to the free-to-play pinball title.
You can catch a glimpse of every table included in the upcoming Marvel Pinball Collection 1 in the above video, though we have also assembled the following list so you can see all those that will be bouncing over to Switch:
Thor
Iron Man
Fantastic Four
X-Men
Wolverine
Blade
Captain America
Moon Knight
Ghost Rider
Spider-Man
Doctor Strange
Will you be picking up this Marvel collection for Pinball FX later this month? Let us know in the comments.
Update [Fri 11th Aug, 2023 11:45 BST]: It feels like the weeks since the initial announcement of Splatoon 3’s upcoming Splatfest have gone by in a flash, so this is your friendly reminder that the latest event gets underway this weekend.
The question this time around is “What’s most important in life?” with teams Money, Fame and Love all being up for grabs — it’s a little more philosophical than the previous ice cream-themed events, we’ll admit, but hey, Inklings have feelings too.
You can find the precise times that the Splatfest gets underway in your region below.
North America – 11th August 8:00 pm EST – 13th August 8:00 pm EST
Australia – 12th August 10:00 am AEST – 14th August 10:00 am AEST
New Zealand – 12th August 12:00 pm NZST – 14th August 12:00 pm NZST
UK – 12th August 1:00 am – 14th August 1:00 am
Europe – 12th August 2:00 am – 14th August 2:00 am
Japan – 12th August 9:00 am – 14th August 9:00 am
Make sure that you have visited Splatsville to register your vote. Happy splatting!
Original article [Thu 27th Jul, 2023 10:30 BST]: Coming off the back of the ice cream-themed event from a few weeks ago, Nintendo has today announced that Splatoon 3‘s next Splatfest will be getting underway next month — running from 12th-14th August, to be precise.
Away from the bright colours of ice cream or battles for the Triforce, the upcoming event takes a much more personal turn, asking the question “Which is the most important to you?” The three different teams on offer this time are Money, Fame and Love, but which will come out on top?
Is this just the ‘Money vs Love’ Splatfest from Splatoon 2 with a third option thrown in for good measure? Yes, it is. But hey, we’re excited all the same.
We can expect voting for this one to open in the week before the event begins, so be sure to get yourself into Splatsville around 5th August to pick your team and get levelling-up that special Splatfest t-shirt.
For all of the information on the upcoming event and those that have come in the past, be sure to check out our full Splatfest guide.
Which team are you going to side with this time? Splat your thoughts in the comments below.
After plenty of rumours, GameMill Entertainment finally announced Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 towards the end of last month, so now — as is the case with many-a fighting game — we have entered the period of character spotlight trailers.
First up is Spongebob (obviously), a character with simple moves that is perfect for beginners and this opening spotlight trailer shows everything that is new for Bikini Bottom’s brightest. Chief among these is a fresh moveset that includes a series of distinct normal attacks and three charged attacks (ground and air). We also get a look at the character’s neural special, ‘Bubble Blow’, and side special, ‘Fish Bowl Strike’, which appear to be a good way to make up ground, especially given Spongebob’s lacking speed — he does only have little legs, after all.
What has once again struck us while watching this character spotlight is just how nice that visual upgrade is looking. Each attack looks different enough from the others while still being packed full of detail and we appreciate how the fighters look that bit more like their cartoon counterparts — heck, the reveal sure is packed with Spongebob references.
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
We would expect more of these reveals to be heading our way over the coming months before the game releases later this year. GameMill specifies that “All of our characters have been completely rebuilt from the ground up”, so it seems that no fighter will be safe from the spotlight treatment.
Who will you main in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2? Let us know in the comments.
Fedora test days are events where anyone can help make sure changes in Fedora Linux work well in an upcoming release. Fedora community members often participate, and the public is welcome at these events. If you’ve never contributed to Fedora Linux before, this is a perfect way to get started.
There are four test periods in the upcoming weeks:
Friday 11 August through Thursday 17 August , is to test DNF5.
Monday 14 August through Sunday 20 August, two test day periods focusing on testing GNOME Desktop and Core Apps.
Tuesday 5 September through Monday 11 September, is to test i18n.
Come and test with us to make the upcoming Fedora Linux 39 release even better. Read more below about how to do it.
DNF5
Since the brand new dnf5 package has landed in rawhide, we would like to organize a test week to get some initial feedback on it before it becomes the default. We will be testing DNF5 to iron out any rough edges.
The test week will be Friday 11 August through Thursday 17 August. The test week page is available here .
GNOME 45 test week
GNOME 45 has landed and will be part of the change for Fedora Linux 39. Since GNOME is the default desktop environment for Fedora Workstation, and thus for many Fedora users, this interface and environment merits a lot of testing. The Workstation Working Group and Fedora Quality team have decided to split the test week into two parts:
Monday 14 August through Thursday 17 August, we will be testing GNOME Desktop and Core Apps. You can find the test day page here.
Friday 18 August through Sunday 20 August, the focus will be to test GNOME Apps in general. This will be shipped by default. The test day page is here.
i18n test week
The i18n test week focuses on testing internationalization features in Fedora Linux.
The test week is Tuesday 5 September through Monday 11 September. The test week page is available here.
How do test days work?
A test day is an event where anyone can help make sure changes in Fedora Linux work well in an upcoming release. Fedora community members often participate, and the public is welcome at these events. If you’ve never contributed before, this is a perfect way to get started.
To contribute, you only need to be able to download test materials (which include some large files) and then read and follow directions step by step.
Detailed information about all the test days is available on the wiki pages mentioned above. If you’re available on or around the days of the events, please do some testing and report your results. All the test day pages receive some final touches which complete about 24 hrs before the test day begins. We urge you to be patient about resources that are, in most cases, uploaded hours before the test day starts.
Come and test with us to make the upcoming Fedora Linux 39 even better.
