One of the highlights during the recent Super Mario Maker 2 Direct presentation was the confirmation of Undodog, a good boy who is one of the many helpful characters Mario will encounter in the brand new story mode.
If you’re not familiar with Undodog (also known as Undo Dog), he first appeared in the 1992 Super Nintendo title, Mario Paint on the Super Nintendo. Since then, he’s made cameo appearances in the WarioWare series and has also featured in Super Mario Maker on the Wii U and Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS. His primary function, if it wasn’t already obvious, is to undo the player’s last action.
Since appearing in Super Mario Maker 2’s 3D story world, the internet has once again gone wild for Undodog – with many Nintendo fans on social media creating artwork for the character and crying out for his inclusion as a DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Some even want him to be featured in his own standalone game, while others have theories he might be the villain in Super Mario Maker’s sequel. Here’s a round-up of the tweets about Undodog on Twitter:
One Smash Bros. Ultimate player even made a stage based on this underdog:
Were you excited when you saw Undodog pop up on-screen during the Super Mario Maker 2 Direct? How about Mr. Eraser? Tell us down in the comments.
After months and months of waiting, the last of the non-legendary Pokémon from Generation 4 have finally arrived in Pokémon GO. The update has introduced another two evolutions for the super versatile Eevee – Leafeon and Glaceon.
Both of these Pokémon were first seen in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, giving players more ways to make use of Eevee’s special evolution abilities. Having grass and ice-type traits respectively, Leafeon and Glaceon are well worth adding to your collection.
Luckily, we’re currently aware of two different ways to evolve your precious Eevee into one of the new additions. We’ve got all the info you need down below.
How To Evolve Eevee Into Leafeon And Glaceon With A Lure Module
The first way to evolve Eevee into Leafeon and Glaceon, and perhaps the most obvious way if you’ve had a look in the game’s shop recently, is by using a Lure Module.
Currently only available from the in-game store for 200 coins a piece, these Modules work just like the ordinary Lure Modules in the game. Simply buy whichever one takes your fancy (or both, if you prefer) and use it on a nearby PokéStop.
You’ll notice that it attracts specific types of Pokémon to your area, but go ahead and click on one of your Eevees in your collection. If you’re within range of the PokéStop, you should see that its evolution button has changed to indicate that you’re ready to go. Hit the button and you should see Eevee evolve into your chosen evolution right before your eyes (as long as you have 25 Eevee candy ready to go, of course).
Mossy Lure Module – Used to evolve Eevee into Leafeon (200 Coins)
Glacial Lure Module – Used to evolve Eevee into Glaceon (200 Coins)
Some players have reported instances of the Module failing to give them the new Eevee evolution. Make sure that the evolution button is indicating a new evolution before you press it, rather than displaying the usual Eevee question mark symbol.
It’s also worth noting that these Lure Modules behave just like the ordinary variants within the game. This means that if another player has used a special Eevee Lure Module on a nearby PokéStop, you can swoop in and use it to evolve your own Eevee. (Note that other players will also be able to benefit from your Module, too).
Niantic has revealed that the Modules will become available through special research tasks at a later date, so you could decide to wait if you’d rather not spend your 200 coins.
Eevee Names To Evolve Eevee Into Leafeon And Glaceon
Just like every other Eevee evolution before them, Leafeon and Glaceon can also be obtained by giving your Eevee a special nickname. This trick can only be used once, so make sure you’re certain that you want to go ahead with your chosen evolution.
To perform the name trick, all you need to do is change the name of your chosen Eevee before evolving it. Simply choose your Eevee from your Pokémon collection and click on the pencil icon – then type in one of the names below.
Nickname your Eevee ‘Linnea’ to get Leafeon
Nickname your Eevee ‘Rea’ to get Glaceon
Once your Eevee has its special name, you’ll notice that its evolution button will have changed to show the silhouette of your chosen evolution. Hit the button to spend your 25 Eevee candy and voilà! Leafeon or Glaceon will be yours!
If you like, you can go ahead and change your new Leafeon or Glaceon’s name to anything else of your choosing after the evolution has been successful.
Eevee’s Other Evolutions – Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Sylveon
If you’re still yet to get your hands on Eevee’s other evolutions – Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, and Umbreon – you can use a similar name trick for those, too. We have a full guide to Eevee names right here.
Eevee’s final possible evolution, Sylveon, is still not available in Pokémon GO. We’ll make sure to update our guides with more info when this evolution makes it into the game.
Part of what made the original Pokémon games so special on the Game Boy was the starter pocket monsters you could select from. You had the choice of the grass/poison-type Bulbasaur, the water-type Squirtle, and the fire-type Charmander. As your journey progressed, each of these creatures evolved into more powerful Pokémon.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like though if you could transform Charizard into a grass type? How about making Blastoise a fire-type or Venasaur a water-type? Well, that’s exactly what a talented Australian artist, known as @abz.art on Instagram, has done. Take a look at lava flowing from Blastoise, the branches on the back of Charizard and the coral formations on Venasaur in the stunning artwork above and below:
Abz has gone to the extent of transforming Pichu into a ferocious but insanely cute dragon-type. The original legendary birds also received a makeover and below these magnificent creatures you can see six varieties of Eevee evolutions on display:
Admittedly, Game Freak has already done type-swaps before. For example, in Pokémon Sun and Moon Vulpix is an ice-type in the Alola region. When it comes to the original starters, we’ve only ever seen Mega Evolutions, with Charizard even receiving two different forms.
Refocusing our attention on the exceptional artwork above, which starter would you choose? Would you like to see any Pokémon in-particular swapped to a different type in future entries? Tell us in the comments below.
To slightly quote Sundar Pichai’s opening line at the Google Stadia event; ‘I don’t play point-and-click games’, but for many, Silence can become the exception and one that players new to the genre will come back to time and time again. It’s a part-spinoff, part-sequel to The Whispered World, a game released in 2010 to much acclaim, and this entry was released back in November 2016 to similar acclaim. Almost three years on, it finds itself on the Switch.
Developed by ‘Daedalic Entertainment’, you control the character Noah, where the player guides him through the land of Silence once again – a place of limbo between life and death – to rescue his younger sister Renie from the land. The game begins with them taking shelter in a bunker during an air raid, where they find a path to the Whispered World, almost similar to the realm of Narnia.
To some players, point-and-click games won’t be the type of genre that they usually go for. Similar to those who don’t queue to play the latest FIFA or Call of Duty every year. But Silence gives you a gentle introduction to the genre, and by its close, it gives you the curiosity to play games that defined the genre, such as Grim Fandango, Monkey Island, and many more.
But most of all, Silence will remind you Telltale’s ‘Batman’ series of games from this genre, and using the Joy-Con gives you a means of interacting with a world full of character and curiosity, as is standard with these games. As you control Noah, you can’t help but stop and gawp at the general loveliness of everything around you, especially when you’re playing it in docked mode. Everything has a pleasing sheen to it, as though you’re walking through a painting. Every cut-scene demands your attention, and you can’t help but just sit through and see where the story takes you. The voice acting throughout is also fantastic and serves to draw you further into the story. It’s also available in Chinese, Polish and German, if you so wish.
As this is a sequel in all but name, there are references to the previous game which may be lost on newcomers, but returnees will lap these up and be glad to discover new details in this entry. The puzzles can be challenging, and when needed, there are hints available. None of the conundrums are too tiring to solve and most were fun to complete – especially when the solution ‘clicks’ in your mind – so you won’t need a notebook by your side to figure these out. Some can even remind the player of puzzles from Onimusha and Resident Evil 3, which is no bad thing in our eyes. These only make you want to go through the puzzles with no hints whatsoever and to have the fun of discovering them on your own with no help.
But there are faults to the game, starting with the price. At £30 in the UK, it’s a big ask when you can purchase the game on Steam for half the price, or Silence and its forerunner The Whispered World in a bundle for £27. It’s another victim of the infamous ‘Switch Tax’, where games are seemingly priced high to take advantage of that nostalgia, similar to how the upcoming Resident Evil re-releases are going to be on the eShop for £30 a pop. In Silence’s defence, it is also available as a physical release that comes on a game card, but if you’re going digital route then it still stings.
While we’re picking fault, it’s worth noting that throughout the game you will come across moments where you need to select the right conversation paths, and while this makes it varied and unpredictable every time you play, it eventually does converge into the right outcome. You do feel at times that there wasn’t really a consequence to your choices, and this gives the impression of a game that’s linear in terms of story, despite suggesting otherwise. It leaves you feeling slightly disappointed, and puzzled as to why the chats branched in the first place.
As this is a point-and-click game, it’s disappointing that Daedalic didn’t take advantage of the Switch’s touch screen to help with the immersion, instead of just limiting it to your controller of choice. It would almost emulate having a mouse once again, clicking through all the objects to see how Renie reacts to them. At least in terms of performance, there’s little to grumble about; in docked and handheld mode the game plays great. Everything is at a smooth 30fps and while there’s some slight blurriness in certain scenes in handheld mode, it didn’t take away from the experience.
Conclusion
Silence is a game that deserves to be played in docked mode on the Switch. It gives you a story you’ll be immersed in, while the vibrant graphics will keep you playing for just that little bit longer. You may feel like you’re wasting time when it comes to the multiple chat options, as they always conclude at the right outcome, but your curiosity will want you to keep going to find out more about the world of Silence, and to bring Noah and Renie home, whatever it takes. The lack of touch screen control is a disappointment though, and we can’t help but feel this should have been priced a little cheaper, considering its age and how much it costs elsewhere.
You’ve watched the Super Mario Maker 2 Direct multiple times over, found out a bit more thanks to the game’s eShop listing and perhaps heard more detailed explanations, so why not take the time out to listen to our lovely senior video producer, Alex Olney, talk about 19 secret details hidden in the latest presentation.
Yep, we’re referring to the interesting things that were actually featured Nintendo’s latest presentation but weren’t actually discussed by Nintendo. We’re talking about small pipes, angled pipes, Goombrats, clear conditions, the ability to dislike courses, medals – which appear to replicate an achievement system and much more. To hear what else you can expect to encounter in this upcoming sequel, make sure you watch the video above.
Did you learn anything new? Are you looking forward to the release of Super Mario Maker 2? Sound off in the comments below.
With that lovely Super Mario Maker 2 Nintendo Direct and the surprise launch of a new Pokémon smartphone game, it’s been yet another busy week for us here at Nintendo Life. Still, it’s now time to sit back and relax for another weekend, and we’ve gathered together to speak about our gaming plans. We’d love for you to get involved with our comment and poll sections below, too. Enjoy!
Gavin Lane, staff writer
After fighting my way through Final Fight and The King of Dragons, I plan to dip back into the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle this weekend. Overcooked 2 will also feature on my weekend menu – I’m surprised how substantial the Campfire Cookoff DLC is, and there’s still a bunch of stuff in the main game that we’ve yet to polish off.
I’d also like to get that Game Boy theme in Tetris 99, although I’m not sure I’ve got the time to score the requisite number of points. If that turns out to be too stressful, I may retire to Windjammers instead. I picked it up on sale last weekend and have only been through the Arcade mode once, but it sure is addictive.
Ryan Craddock, staff writer
In all honesty, I’m not entirely sure what to play this weekend. Lucky that we run this feature every week so that I can get inspiration from you lovely lot, eh?
We’re still making our way through Yoshi’s Crafted World (although I think we’re now in the final stretch) so that will probably take up some of my time this weekend. The recent Super Mario Maker 2 Direct has got me in the mood for some classic Mario platforming, though, so maybe I’ll have to go ahead and pick out an old favourite. I never got around to buying New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe actually, and wouldn’t mind playing through that. If only these video game thingies could be a little bit cheaper!
Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer
It’s been a while since I’ve really fallen down the Paladins well, but of all the shooters on Switch, this is the one I just can’t quit. Considering how well the Switch version has been supported since launch, there’s always something new for me to grind towards every time I log back in.
Outside of that, I’ll be putting the finishing touches to my For The King review and continuing my journey into the slightly wonky but oddly satisfying world of Blades of Time. And probably more Paladins. Because I’m a predictable bore.
Austin Voigt, contributing writer
This weekend, I’m excited to dig back into My Time At Portia; now that they’ve released an update the game has so much potential, but it was hard to get into it when the load times are as long as they were. Thankfully, they have now made some major improvements, and it looks to be a lot more fun.
I’m also getting back into my old 3DS library for some unknown reason, and planning to start Fantasy Life for the first time – as well as dig back into my old Pokémon games (I’ve got an appetite for Pokémon after seeing Detective Pikachu last week). All in all, should be a chill weekend of RPGs and sims.
Over two years was a small price to pay for the near flawless perfection that is Redout, my game of the week and surely my regular entertainment for the weeks to come. Just one more lap…
Liam Doolan, news reporter
I’ve refrained from playing My Time at Portia on the Switch for some time now, mostly because of the extremely long load times. Now that the Nintendo version of the game has received another update, I think this weekend might be the time to finally give it a go.
When I’m not playing this, I’ll probably be getting a more immediate gaming fix in Tetris 99. I must say, the new Game Boy theme is awesome! I love how it’s even got the old school music. For some reason, I just didn’t expect it to be so nostalgic.
Which games are you playing this weekend? (344 votes)
The recent Super Mario Maker 2 Direct presentation earlier this week bombarded us with a stack of new information about the upcoming Switch release, within the space of 17-minutes.
While Nintendo has made it clear the game will support 4-player online and local wireless multiplayer, the press release doesn’t clarify if you’ll be able to play the game alongside your friends and family on a single Switch unit. We know you can create levels with one other person in co-op making, but whether you can actually play them together is currently unknown.
Fortunately, it seems incredibly likely you will be able to do this after the eagle-eyed experts over at GameXplain noticed the official eShop listing references multiplayer three separate times in the Super Mario Maker 2 software details section. This covers the number of players for online play (1-4), local wireless play (1-4) and then one simply noting the “number of players” (1-4) – which is presumably the number of people who can play the game on a single system.
It seems even more likely when this eShop page is compared to the Splatoon 2 listing, referencing one to four players for online and local wireless play, and catering to just one player on a single Switch. If you’re still not convinced, there was a segment during the latest Direct presentation, where you can see Mario and Luigi moving through clear pipes together. Noticeably the screen keeps both players in the frame and there’s no edit button in the shot – suggesting this is more than a building test.
Do you think we’ll be able to create and play with others on the same Switch when Super Mario Maker 2 arrives next month? Tell us below.
If the World of Light cinematic in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate left you craving a proper story set within the Smash universe, this new fan-made mini-series might be worth keeping an eye on.
As Nintendo seemingly has no intentions to release its own movie or web series based on its all-star cast in the immediate future, a talented animator and modder, known as King Bob Gaming on Twitter, has decided to create their very own Super Smash Bros. mini-series.
According to the creator’s Reddit post, it took them “forever to model the city of Onett” from the EarthBound series in the below 18-second sample featuring Ness zipping around on his skateboard.
In the same Reddit post, the talent behind the project explained how the original idea was to get all of the characters to “organically” meet up in the series. It’s also required a lot of research:
“I like the idea of the characters organically meeting in their respective games as opposed to them just being trophies! So I’ve been working on a story to make that happen! It’s been fun, there’s so much about the character’s worlds I never knew about as I’ve studied each of their backstories!”
As for the finer details, a good portion of the first arc will be set within the Mushroom Kingdom and will feature the original eight fighters. In saying this, certain characters might appear sooner than expected:
“Certain characters may appear earlier! For example, a good portion of the first arc will take place in the mushroom kingdom. (4 out of the original 8 come from there) So there’s a possibility of some extra”
You can view more of King Bob Gaming’s previous work over on YouTube.
So, what do you think of the above video? Are you eager to see more? Tell us down below.
With all the hype surrounding the next Animal Crossing game, the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC and Super Mario Maker 2 more recently, we wouldn’t hold it against you if you forgot Luigi’s next spooky outing for the Switch is also due out this year.
In case it slipped your mind, Luigi’s Mansion 3 was first announced by Nintendo during a Direct presentation in September 2018. We got a teaser displaying the work in progress, but since then, there’s been little to nothing revealed about the game. In fact, every news item so far has been tied to a retailer listing.
Now, it’s been discovered the game has been rated by the Game Rating and Administration Committee in South Korea. This suggests a release for the game could be happening as soon as this summer. While this might not be the most surprising news given the fact E3 2019 is less than a month away, it’s reassuring to know the game is still on track, following the delay troubles with Metroid Prime 4.
In February, a UK retailer listed Luigi’s Mansion 3 for a July release, which would obviously follow on from the release of Super Mario Maker 2 in June, but would clash with Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The only information Nintendo has provided so far about Luigi’s third solo adventure is a “2019” release date. Even on the official website, it’s still listed as a working title.
Do you think this game will be released sooner rather than later? Are you looking forward to its arrival? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Despite appearances, Darkwood wants you to survive as much as it’s determined to kill you, but it wants you to earn every life-fortifying dawn as it emerges from the darkness. Much like the Five Nights at Freddy’s games and, to a less extent, the central crux of Minecraft’s Survival mode, Acid Wizard Studio’s top-down offering is all about fortifying a small hideout against things that go bump in the night, while attempting to avoid getting bumped off yourself by the time morning comes around.
This is very much a horror game, but not one that relies on the often cheap thrills of jump scares. Instead, Darkwood aims for a slow sense of dread that unfurls itself more and more with each passing night. It’s often the things you don’t see to begin with – or the ones that are half-glimpsed, like nightmares lurking at a glance – that are the most frightening; as are the long, dead silences that follow. Because you do eventually come face-to-face with what lurks in the thickets and bracken beyond, you’ll soon start longing for the days of audio-only terror.
What Darkwood does really well is that it emphasises your isolation. You’re a man lost in a set of corrupted woods somewhere in the Eastern Bloc, and it’s the densely-crowded of trees that are the game’s most compelling ‘character’. Looming from every corner, they’re a timely reminder that the world of Darkwood is indeed full of terrors, and they’re always getting closer. That feeling of utter helplessness and lack of direction extends from character to player. There’s a very brief tutorial designed to guide you on your first ‘quest’ to locate a stolen item, but after that, you’re very much left to work out what to do next and how best to defend yourself. Those first few nights are designed to spook you, but also to galvanise you to prepare sufficiently for the task ahead.
Of course, just because a game is purposefully obtuse doesn’t mean that the effect is always going to play out in its favour. For the first hour or so, that lack of direction and hand-holding really works, but after a while having to work out where you are on a hastily-drawn map based on not-so-easy-to-distinguish landmarks can sometimes make for a needlessly frustrating experience. Darkwood does, however, try to punctuate this sense of unknown exploration with the handful of characters you’ll meet along the way. Each one offers quests that will shape the final outcome of the story, and while you can opt to just treat Darkwood like a traditional survival game, there are some really compelling narrative beats to be earned that help flesh out the nightmarish story unfolding within that titular forest.
Working on a day/night cycle, it soon becomes clear you need to arm yourself and fortify the small house that serves as your base. A trader will visit you every day to help replenish specific items you need for crafting, but most of the things you’ll utilise will be found in cupboards, in abandoned cars and near the remains of some poor soul. The map itself – as well as the flow, timing and intensity of encounters – are all randomly generated elements so no amount of prior map knowledge will give you an advantage on each new run. So when day comes, and the monsters are banished back into the corrupted woods around you, you’ll need to head out and scavenge for parts and resources.
It’s these resources that become a vital part of your nighttime defences. Darkwood’s simple crafting system enables you to upgrade the strength of your hideout, construct new weapons, build traps and even brew potions with temporary effects. Resources are, unsurprisingly, rather limited so each night often boils down to using what you have most effectively – and how often things descend into anarchy once the beasts are unleashed. It’s at night that Darkwood really shows its true nature.
From rabid dogs and mindless savages to things of a decidedly more Eldritch nature, the enemies you encounter know where you are and they come for you without pause or mercy. There’s something intrinsically frightening about barricading windows, setting traps and even pulling furniture in front of a door in order to slow down an enemy’s pursuit of you. More often than not, you’ll take a few out with your traps, but there are always more that get through. Combat is simple but effective, so when you are forced to defend yourself – be it with an axe or a gun – every move as a deliberate weight to it. You only have so much stamina, so you can’t just spam the triggers in the hope of getting a lucky hit.
The Nintendo Switch port of Darkwood has had plenty of patches and support from the developer right up to the point of its release, and these updates have helped improve its overall performance. However, there are still a few technical problems, such as seemingly inexplicable periods of slowdown and the game’s physics often playing by a series of ever-changing rules. When items you’re trying to drag or interact with fail to respond, it can get very frustrating – especially when you’re trying to defend your ramshackle home in the dead of night. These niggles take the shine off what is otherwise a very assured experience, and we hope they can be ironed out over time.
Conclusion
Darkwood is, thankfully, rather unlike any other horror game on Switch. Those with a taste for survival games will appreciate the constant pressure to salvage parts and craft new items while a clock ticks down in the background, while those with a love for all things sinister will really appreciate some of the truly disturbing moments. Despite the occasional technical flaw, the result is a purposefully slow experience that rewards multiple playthroughs with a storyline that branches depending on just how far into madness you’re willing to tread.
