Category: Nintendo News

Clan N, a new, beat ‘em up, arcade-style multiplayer game, is coming to all major platforms including Nintendo Switch in 2019, it has been confirmed.

The game is made up of seven “robust and challenging” levels, each containing dedicated minigames which help to tell the main story. This story is divided into 50 sections overall, all full of action-packed fighting gameplay, but you can also take the fight online or via local communication for some fast-paced multiplayer brawling.

We have a full feature list for you below:

– Four unique characters each with their own upgradeable attributes
– Assortment of fighting mechanics including dodging, blocking heavy attacks, light attacks, and special attacks all based on popular techniques
– A main story with 7 levels divided into more than 50 sections
– Casual minigames tightly integrated into the main story that can be played separately as well
– Challenging mid-to-end level bosses with varying degrees of difficulty
– A slick and clean visual experience with accompanying far East-inspired music and sound effects
– Local and online multiplayer gameplay

Özden Irmak, founder of developer Creamative, has also shared the following in a press release:

“We created the game with the classic arcade fighter in mind but wanted to bring more modern combat solutions to it. Clan N brings dynamic fighting styles among each of the four master fighters you can play as but distinctively separates the stylized fighting techniques so players have a diverse assortment of tactics to choose from.”

Do you think this one has potential? Will you be keeping an eye out for more news as we wait for its release? Let us know in the usual place below.

When you think of the Shinobi series, it’s hard not to think also of the legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro – despite the fact that his music is only featured in a handful of the Shinobi games.

Koshiro’s soundtrack to Revenge of Shinobi / Super Shinobi remains one of the best on the Genesis / Mega Drive, which is made all the more remarkable when you consider that it was a very early release, and that Koshiro was still finding his feet on the Yamaha YM2612 hardware.

Since then, Koshiro has continued to produce amazing music for a wide range of games – including ActRaiser, Streets of Rage and, more recently, Etrian Odyssey – but he’s also been involved in developing games via his company Ancient. Since its inception in 1990, Ancient has contributed titles such as Sonic on the Master System and Game Gear, Story of Thor / Beyond Oasis, Protect Me Knight and Gotta Protectors.

Koshiro has recently been showing off his copy of Revenge of Shinobi, which is actually signed by the famous Japanese actor Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba.

The story goes that Sega used Chiba’s likeness for Joe Musashi’s face on the title screen and cover, and later releases of the game altered this face to avoid legal action. Koshiro states that Chiba signed the copy because “he is very kind and has a sense of humour”, but what’s really interesting is a follow-up tweet about the chances of Ancient working on a new Shinobi game in the future:

Now, it’s often the case that idle messages posted on Twitter are taken as being more serious than they actually are, and we’re not for one second assuming Koshiro’s tweet means he’s knocking on Sega’s door 24 hours a day demanding the chance to revive Shinobi, but just think about it. The series has been dormant since the brilliant 3DS reboot from 2011 (and the 3D Classics version of Shinobi III a few years later), yet it still has a fair amount of fame with veteran players. If Sega was to decide to bring Musashi out of retirement, we can’t think of anyone better to guide that revival than Koshiro himself.

And given Sega’s recent announcement that it will focus on ‘existing IPs’ after posting a $17 million loss, what better franchise to lead with? We can dream, can we not?

Developer and publisher Rebellion has shared a brand new trailer for the upcoming Sniper Elite V2 Remastered today, providing seven different reasons why it believes players should upgrade to (or simply buy – for those who have only owned Nintendo systems) the new release.

This remastered edition of the game features vastly updated visuals, with new rendering effects, enhanced textures, and much more besides, and all of the previously DLC is included as part of the package. Of course, the 4K and HDR support available on other platforms can’t be offered on Nintendo’s machine, but it’s still looking rather lovely to us.

If you’d rather read all about those seven reasons, instead of watching the video, we have them listed for you below. The frame-by-frame photo mode seems like a cool little touch.

– Incredible Remastered Visuals – Sniper Elite V2 Remastered features beautifully updated environments, characters, weapons and vehicles, modernized rendering and post-processing effects, enhanced texturing and level geometry, a revamped lighting system, and dozens upon dozens of improvements and refinements.

– New Frame-by-frame Photo Mode – Pause and step through the action frame-by-frame, position the camera, apply a filter, adjust the lighting and take stunning photos to share with the community. Including your epic X-Ray kill camera shots.

-New Playable Characters – For the first time, play the campaign and multiplayer modes as one of 8 new characters from Rebellion’s Zombie Army series.

– Optional 60fps Performance Mode – On supported platforms, enjoy Sniper Elite V2 Remastered’s epic campaign in super smooth 60 frames-per-second.

– All DLC Included – Experience the infamous “Kill Hitler” mission. Take the fight to new fronts in three new campaign levels. Hunt your foes with a variety of iconic weapons including the Lee Enfield MK III, M1D Garrand, M1 Carbine and more.

– Multiplayer & Co-Op – Gather your squad and compete in 7 uniquely tense multiplayer modes, now for up to 16 players online [Note – Nintendo Switch supports up to 8 players online]. Including Deathmatch, Distance King, Dogtag Harvest and Capture the Flag

– 4K and HDR support – Stunning 4K HDR support transports you to the front line [Note – not available on Switch]

As a reminder, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered launches on 14th May for £29.99 / $34.99 / €34.99, although a 10% discount is available to those who choose to pre-order.

Will you be picking this one up? Let us know if you’re excited for the game’s release in the comments below.

Can you believe it’s May already? Where is the time going? Anyway, another month means more lovely stuff to buy, which is presumably why you clicked this link.

April saw the release of the lovely Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit, the fiendish Mortal Kombat 11 and not one but two Final Fantasy remasters but what’s next for Switch, you may be wondering as your hard-earned money burns a hole in your pocket. We’ve helpfully compiled a list of all the good stuff coming out at retail in May and June, so feast your eyes and get all those pennies together – you’re going to need them!

Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale which helps support the site. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.

Resident Evil Origins Collection includes remastered versions of the critically acclaimed Resident Evil and its popular prequel, Resident Evil 0. This is a must-buy for horror fans on the Switch.

Relive the American Revolution or experience it for the first time in Assassin’s Creed III Remastered, with enhanced graphics and improved gameplay mechanics.

Team Sonic Racing combines the best elements of arcade and fast-paced competitive style racing as you face-off with friends in intense multiplayer racing. Race together and work together as a team by sharing power-ups and speed boosts. Watch out Mario, a new challenger for the best karting game is on the way!

Fans of the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U will be well-served here. From what we can tell Super Mario Maker 2 is shaping up to be an essential purchase for the Switch with oodles of new level creation possibilities, including SLOPES!

More Awesome Nintendo Switch Games

Aside from the highlighted games above, there are lots more Switch retail games which might take your fancy in May and beyond.

Awesome Accessories For Your Switch

We saw a whole slew of interesting accessories released for the Switch in the past few months, but more are on the way. Here are some tantalising accessories coming up in May and beyond, which we found for your consideration.

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So that’s it for May and June – did we miss anything? Let us know with a comment and also tell us if you’ve pre-ordered any of these goodies!

Earthworm Jim is one of those series which really defines the 16-bit era. While it was a late release on the SNES and Genesis / Mega Drive, it really pushed the boundaries of those systems and built a solid fanbase which would endure over the years, despite some rather underwhelming sequels.

Now, a quarter of a century after the character first appeared, we’re getting a ‘proper’ Earthworm Jim 3 – and the original team is involved. That means Doug TenNapel, David Perry, Tommy Tallarico, Nick Bruty, Mike Dietz, Tom Tanaka and Joey Kuras are all on-board – the last time these guys worked together was Earthworm Jim 2, from 1995.

It’s all pretty exciting, right? Well, get ready for the catch: Earthworm Jim 3 will be an exclusive release for the upcoming Intellivision Amico. Set for launch on October 10th 2020, the Amico has the potential to shake up the home console war, but there are many within the industry that remain sceptical about its chances of carving out a significant portion of the market, especially when Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are so dominant.

Original Earthworm Jim composer Tallarico is now Intellivision Entertainment CEO/President, so that bit makes sense, at least. He’s clearly trying his hardest to secure some tasty exclusives for the console, and Earthworm Jim 3 – while not a AAA game by modern standards – has enough fame with veteran gamers to make the Amico a little more interesting.

Tallarico said:

We have been talking about this moment for many years, it’s a dream come true to finally get the entire team back together. We’re looking forward to sharing a small part of our reunion and initial design meeting with fans from around the world. Intellivision Amico is designed to bring friends and families together and we are excited for fans and those just being introduced to the series to get a first look as we kick-off the design of the game.

A 20-minute live interactive simulcast streaming event will take place on Saturday, May 4th at noon Pacific, and will showcase the first design meeting with the original team. The team will “engage with fans to hear their new vision firsthand” apparently, and original art will be hand-drawn by the artists and signed by the entire team before being given away to lucky viewers. In addition to that, 50 new watercolour posters by Earthworm Jim creator Doug TenNapel will be signed and numbered by the original team, and then given away during the live stream.

What do you make of this news? Are you keen to play another Earthworm Jim adventure? Will you buy a whole new console to get it? Let us know with a comment

Update: Just a couple of hours after we reported on the rumoured app, it became a reality. Pokémon Pass has now been officially revealed and is available to download right now on Android and iOS in the US.

We have a trailer and more information for you below:

The Pokémon Pass app connects you with great Pokémon digital rewards when you visit participating retailers in your area. Sign in with your free Pokémon Trainer Club account, and then get notified of upcoming events happening at a store near you. When you visit the store, use your phone’s camera to scan codes to unlock gifts, such as in-game items for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! and photo stickers for your phone.

Pokémon Pass is free to download and use for Android devices and the iPhone. To use the app, you’ll need to enable location services and grant permission for the app to use your phone’s camera. You’ll also need a free Pokémon Trainer Club account, which you can create on Pokemon.com. The features of Pokémon Pass are currently available only in the United States.

Download the app today to receive a POKÉMON Detective Pikachu photo sticker based on the movie! Place the sticker and snap a photo with the app’s camera function to add Pokémon flair to your shot!

With Pokémon Pass, add a little Pokémon fun to your next trip to the store!

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Original Article: It looks like a brand new Pokémon smartphone app called Pokémon Pass could be just days away from release, potentially giving those who download it a chance to grab rare, shiny Pokémon and other exclusive goodies.

Twitter user @Tsukento has shared the following two images online, seemingly showing new pieces of advertising released by The Pokémon Company. As you can see, Pokémon Pass has its own logo and looks set to be available on both Android and iOS devices.

@Tsukento notes that the marketing materials were spotted at Target and that the QR code featured on the advertisement currently leads to a dead link. If we’re reading into the advertisement correctly, it would appear that users will have to download the app and use that to scan the QR code shown to receive the goods – currently consisting of shiny Pokémon in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! and a Psyduck sticker based on the new Detective Pikachu movie.

The messaging states that these offers will start on 11th May, so we imagine the app will become available on that date or just before.

As always, it’s worth noting that we haven’t received any official word on this app just yet. We wouldn’t get too excited at the possibilities this app could bring until we know it’s coming for certain, but it looks like we’ll know soon enough in the coming days.

What do you think the app might provide? How would you like an app like this to be used? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

One slightly underrated fighting game on the Switch is Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid. When the title made its debut on the eShop back in March, it arrived with a limited amount of content. Since then, nWay has made a serious effort to add more to the game.

The latest update adds three new characters, four new stages, and a brand new story mode with along with new voiceovers by the original cast. Below is more information about the story and new voice-over work:

“Gamers can now play through an epic storyline written and voice directed by writer/director Kyle Higgins (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Shattered Grid, Nightwing, Batman: Gates of Gotham). The mode also features original artwork by Eisner Award-winning illustrator Dan Mora (Go Go Power Rangers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Klaus). In this new mode, players experience a re-imagining of the critically acclaimed Shattered Grid event from Boom! Studios’ Power Rangers comic book series. When Lord Drakkon, an evil alternate version of Tommy Oliver, sets off a massive campaign across time and space to destroy all Power Rangers, they must band together and fight back, before all of existence falls to his armies.”

The new content includes story and combat voiceovers performed by original Power Rangers cast members, including Jason David Frank (Tommy Oliver), Austin St. John (Jason Lee Scott), David J. Fielding (Zordon), Kerrigan Mahan (Goldar) and Meghan “Strawburry17” Camarena (Kimberly).

The characters, as previously announced, include Dragon Armour Trini, Udonna and Cenozoic Blue Ranger. Take a look at each one here. The new arenas include two new selectable ones: Corinth, Planet Earth: Cenozoic Era and the non-selectable arenas (exclusive to story mode) are Command Center (Malfunctioning) and Lord Drakkon’s Throne Room (Flashback).

Have you tried out this game yet? How about the latest update? Tell us below.

Following on from last week’s Labo VR spirit board event in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which gave players the chance to unlock all-new spirits, this week it’s all about long tails.

Unlike the previous five day event, this one only runs for three days and starts later this week:

The three-day spirit event “Tails You Win” starts on 03/05!
Spirits with long tails will trail their way to your Spirit Board! Defeat them in battle to earn more SP than usual. #SmashBrosUltimate

Are you still participating in these weekly spirit board events? How are you finding version 3.0? Leave a comment below.

In the past, there have been a lot of conversations about ugly-looking Switch HOME Menu icons. Arguably the biggest offender was Snake Pass in 2017. The game icon was perfectly fine until one day it was changed to resemble something that looked more like a mobile app. Months later it was restored to its original state.

While there was nothing particularly wrong with the Rocket League icon in the first place, the game’s developer and publisher Psyonix has decided to give it a slight makeover. As you can see above, the logo has been reduced in size and there are now three cars underneath it. For the sake of comparison, here’s the original one:

Apart from the new icon, Version 1.62 makes a couple of changes and updates to the game’s audio and also resolves a number of bugs. For the full patch notes, click here.

What do you think of the new icon for Rocket League? Tell us in the comments.

When he’s not paying off a loan to Tom Nook, Liam likes to report on the latest Nintendo news and admire his library of video games. His favourite Nintendo character used to be a guitar-playing dog, but nowadays he prefers to hang out with Judd the cat.