The mobile and tablet game Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery was originally released in 2011 and is now making its way across to the Switch eShop at the end of this month on 30th November.
If you haven’t heard about it before, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is described as an action adventure game with an emphasis on audiovisual gameplay. You’ll traverse a mythic realm and use a sword to battle and evoke “sworcery” to solve mystical musical mysteries. Here’s the PR description:
Sword & Sworcery is an album-meets-adventure chronicling the woeful errand of The Scythian. In Sword & Sworcery, players will wander in the woods, solve strange puzzles & occasionally battle beasties as they seek to re-unite The Trigon Trifecta. The game is set to an award-winning musical backdrop created by celebrated composer and wonderful human, Jim Guthrie.
Alongside the announcement, the team behind the game – Capybara and Superbrothers – have released a strange “gameplay-less” video. Take a look below:
Have you played this mobile hit previously? What do you think of the weird video above? Tell us below.
In celebration of the meditative oceanic adventure ABZÛ arriving on the Nintendo Switch eShop at the end of this month, the creative director Matt Nava at developer Giant Squid and the team at publisher 505 Games recently held a Reddit AMA.
When asked about Switch development for ABZÛ, Nava said the port presented a lot of “technical challenges” and it was by no means an easy undertaking to get the game up and running. He also said the team at Giant Squid was astounded the developers at Room 8 were able to pull it off:
“The underwater environment posed a lot of technical challenges… We had a fantastic dev team at Room 8 port ABZÛ to switch, and it was not an easy undertaking. the game simulates tens of thousands of fish and an equally large amount of dynamic kelp leaves. It also has a unique fog accumulation technique that allows different spaces to have different colors and densities volumetrically. All these critical features were originally designed for the powerful specs of the PS4 and PCs, and hard to be drastically optimized to run on the Switch. I’ll be honest- a lot of the team was astounded that Room 8 was able to pull it off! I am super happy with it, it runs great and the game feels like a great fit for the Switch.”
He explained the technical side of development a little bit further when queried about the resolution changes in the game:
“Yes there were some pretty low level code optimizations, especially for the fog. There were also optimizations to the visuals, mostly LOD distance tuning. Fortunately, we were able to do extensive tests to make sure that there are no major LOD pops with the new settings!”
According to 505 Games, ABZÛ runs at 30fps, 720p docked and 540p in handheld mode. When asked if there was a plan for a physical release, 505 Games explained there were currently were no plans, but it would investigate this further. One rogue comment also asked about 505 bringing the Roll7 game Laser League to the Switch. Apparently, there are no plans to port it right now.
In one other interesting reply, Nava confirmed the Endless Ocean games were a key source of inspiration for ABZÛ alongside the underwater classic Ecco The Dolphin. Nava even went as far as saying he would like to see an Endless Ocean reboot:
“I played the Endless Ocean games before ABZÛ began development… the game aimed to do a scuba simulation, and it did a great job. However, they always left me wanting more freedom, smoother controls, and more focus on atmosphere, which is was what we tried to deliver with ABZÛ. but I am secretly still hoping for an Endless Ocean reboot.”
Are you looking forward to the release of this game? Would you also like to see Endless Ocean resurface? Tell us below.
Following her Nintendo Labo collaboration with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots (see video above), American singer, songwriter and actress Ariana Grande appears to have acquired her very own Switch. The only problem is, she had to sort out a few things before she could enjoy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with a friend who was in another location.
Taking to Instagram, Ariana asked her 123 million followers how she could play Mario Kart online with a friend:
“does anybody know how to playmario kart with a friend from different locations onnintendo switch? pls dm me it’s urgent. thank u so much.”
She obviously worked out friend codes needed to be exchanged and a Nintendo Switch Online subscription was required in order to get the race up and running. After this was solved, she posted the following picture acknowledging the “crazy” powers of modern technology:
While it’s not exactly mind-blowing a famous person is playing Mario Kart on the Switch, it helps reinforce the fact that this has been an incredibly successful generation for Nintendo so far.
Last week, Cristiano Ronaldo – the famous Portuguese football player – tweeted a picture of himself wearing a Super Mario Odyssey hat to his 75 million followers, and not long ago, American singer Lady Gaga was spotted tweeting about her love of Bayonetta to her 77 million followers.
All of this is a reminder of just how far Nintendo has come since the Wii U generation, which was an uphill battle from the very beginning. Now the company has some of the most famous people in the world actively tweeting about the Switch to millions of followers. Surely it will translate to even more sales success for the system over time.
You might recall how Everspace has been in development for the Switch eShop for some time now. In case you forgot, it was originally released by ROCKFISH Games in 2017 and is a beautiful single player space sim with roguelike features.
If you’ve been wondering when this game running on the Unreal Engine was going to land on the Switch, according to an Everspace: Stellar Edition listing over on the eShop, the space exploration title will be arriving next month on 11th December for $39.99. Below is the official eShop description:
EVERSPACE™ is an action-focused single-player space shooter, combining roguelike elements with top-notch visuals and a captivating story. It takes you on a challenging journey through an ever-changing, beautifully crafted universe full of surprises. Your skills, experience, and talent for improvisation will be tested continuously as you piece together the puzzle of your existence through encounters with interesting characters, each having their own unique part of the story to tell.
During an interview in March, ROCKFISH Games CEO and co-founder Michael Schade said the developer’s mobile background had been very helpful during the development process – with the team able to produce a super smooth game that also looked stunning in handheld mode.
Will you be travelling to the stars when this game arrives on Switch in December? Leave a comment below.
Super Mario Odyssey has achieved yet another significant milestone, this time in the United Kingdom. Following its release in October last year, the Switch title has since shifted more than 500,000 physical copies locally. It’s quite a feat for a game that’s only been available for just over a year.
As pointed out in the tweet below by Game Industry publisher Christopher Dring, Odyssey is now the second Nintendo Switch game in this location to sell more than half a million copies physically. The only one ahead of it is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
This is rather impressive when you consider games released well before Odyssey like Splatoon 2 and system launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild haven’t shifted this amount in-store.
Odyssey is what Nintendo defines as one of its evergreen titles, which are titles that maintain sales consistency and are often sold alongside new systems. Earlier in April this year, it was revealed Odyssey had sold more than 10 million units worldwide. We also know it has been right at the top of the global Switch sales charts in more recent times. At the time, this figure covered more than half of the Switch userbase.
Are you impressed by Odyssey’s latest sales milestone? Have you got this game in your own Switch collection? Tell us below.
Nintendo, alongside Pokémon development companies Creatures and Game Freak, has applied for a brand new trademark in Japan. The trademark is for ‘ミラクルツイン’, literally translating as ‘Miracle Twin’.
According to JapaneseNintendo, the trademark is hoping to cover purposes including “controllers, joysticks, chargers, and parts and accessories for household video game machines, cards, toys and more”. Interestingly, that list doesn’t appear to relate specifically to video games or software, instead focusing more on hardware and physical toys.
Of course, any guesses at new products, services, or games that this trademark might relate to would be just that – guesses. It’s impossible to know for sure what ‘Miracle Twin’ could be, but we’re sure that won’t stop you from speculating in the comments below. Here’s a look at the trademark application itself:
Any wild guesses as to what this could be for? Let us know your thoughts below.
As if the hype levels weren’t quite high enough already, Nintendo has shared three brand new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate trailers today, all under a “Chain Smashing” theme.
Don’t worry, these videos aren’t your typical 40 minutes’ worth of footage seen in the Smash Directs; instead, they present just quick glimpses at the action you’ll soon be taking part in on a daily basis. Each clip sets the scene nicely, with characters enjoying their favourite activities in a relatively peaceful manner, all before Mario comes along and ruins everything by punching everyone in the face. Tut tut.
You can see them all for yourself below.
As noted just a short while ago, Nintendo Life will remain a spoiler-free zone as we get closer and closer to the game’s 7th December release.
Feel free to share your excitement (or indifference) for that very release in the comments down below.
The recent news that one of the UK’s most well-known gaming celebrities had returned from the wild to begin a new YouTube channel caused quite a stir recently, but not just for nostalgic reasons.
Dave “The Games Animal” Perry might not be famous outside of the British Isles (and even then, Brits under the age of 35 are unlikely to be familiar with his work), but back in the ’90s his face was seen on GamesMaster, the massively popular TV show he helped to create, and he was considered to be one of the best players in the country.
His tenure on the production ended rather acrimoniously, and after opening his own magazine publishing business he eventually walked away from the games industry altogether to establish a very successful tattoo parlour.
We caught up with Dave to speak about his recent return to the world of video games.
Nintendo Life: After years away from games, you’re finally back in the industry. What’s the response been like from the gaming community as a whole?
Dave Perry: Absolute chaos and Perrymania! My return seems to have driven a wedge through the sleepy 21st Century Games World with people almost immediately choosing sides. Thankfully there seem to be more lovers than haters… but that can change! But there really is no need for all the madness. I love games. I want to help add a little colour to gaming again, and ultimately I am hurting no one, just doing my thing. If you don’t want to join me on this new adventure then don’t. Simples.
Back in the day, the industry was very much Sega vs Nintendo, then Sony got into the mix. What do you make of the playing field today?
Blurred. When I was playing competitively you had one console or the other, one computer or the other. An Amiga or an ST. NES or Master System. Mega Drive or SNES. Now people have so many different machines in their homes… where’s the brand loyalty? I loved all of that. Do your homework. Pick a side. It made you more enthusiastic about your format. But I guess some people would say it is good to have options… I’m not so sure.
Do you still game very much?
I am an avid iPad gamer. I play War Dragons three or four hours a day. I love it. But I also still play PlayStation, Xbox 360 and of course my Arcade Cabinet at the shop as often as possible. But I just don’t have the free time I used to. I still get MCV and keep an eye on the industry, but to be honest, it has become very dull and corporate. Where are the mavericks? The rebels? The characters, outside of the games themselves?
You obviously run a very successful business outside of games now; do you ever get anyone coming into your tattoo parlour who recognises you from your gaming days?
Yes, it happens all the time. But most of my regulars are really cool about it. They know me as Dave, not the Games Animal, and so we relate on that level. Occasionally someone wants a selfie, but not so much that it becomes a distraction. I am always amazed at how much those old TV shows meant to everyone. Amazed and proud.
You’ve said in the past that like so many UK players, you picked a side in the ’90s and that side was Sega. Why is it you’ve never really gotten on with Nintendo’s games and hardware, and do ever think that stance will change?
I don’t know. It was just how things turned out, with me working for [UK magazines] Sega Pro and Mega Power. If I remember rightly, the Mega Drive landed in the UK long before the SNES and so I ran with it. Great games, good vibes, I didn’t really consider another format at the time. Eventually games like F-Zero, Super Mario Kart and Street Fighter II had me cheating on my Sega console, but on the whole, I am not a fan of cute characters with huge heads (ironic really) and Nintendo always seemed to have too many of them. It just felt younger and less edgy. I am always open to change, but with products like the Wii and Switch, I have seen nothing to make me think I was wrong in my choices.
You’ve relaunched The Games Animal brand with a new YouTube channel. What are your long-term aims with this approach? Do you see this evolving into a full-blown show with guests, challenges and the like, or is it more of a personal project?
I was persuaded to do this by gamers who remembered the old shows and craved for something a bit more colourful and authentic than the current gaming media on tap. It was not something I ever wanted to do, but I listened to popular opinion and learned the basic skills so that I could put together a very personal and low key show together, that would appeal to fans of old games and ’90s gaming nostalgia.
I would love it to become bigger, but I have no budget and very little time. So this is just me, having some fun and giving something back. If people don’t want to watch it, all I’ve lost is time, but at least I put something out there for the loyal game fans that requested it.
You’ve gone for a rather risky tone with the first episode, aping the ‘in your face’ approach that was used so much in the ’90s. To speak candidly for a moment, was this a parody and was it done to get attention at a time when social issues like misogyny and sexism are being tackled everywhere, and will the format settle down in future episodes?
I plan to do whatever I want with the show. I am not trying to win awards, make money or please backers or paying viewers. This is me having some fun. If people want to watch, then they can watch. If not, then they can f*** off and do something else. I am not asking for anyone’s opinion, nor are there very many opinions that I would value anyway.
Social Issues and sexism have gone absolutely crazy, and to be honest they drive me crazy. I have no time for all this 21st Century bulls***. Let pretty girls be pretty girls, let clever girls be clever girls. If a girl in a bikini is now considered sexist, well, the world has gone to s***.
I have no format. This is just me, doing what I want. Having fun with people.
Is it fair to say that the whole ‘Games Animal’ approach is very much a persona; a mask you wear which was very successful back in the day at creating an image of cocky brashness and confidence that suited the prevailing tone of the time?
If you like. I grew up in the punk years. A time of great rebellion and strong attitudes. I don’t like rules, I don’t like bullies, I don’t like anybody who tries to enforce their will, beliefs or restrictions on anybody. So I don’t deal well with the idea that I can’t do something.
The Games Animal was a character that grew out of my cocky younger years. It was designed to stand out, to be memorable, to get noticed. And to wind people up. Add to this the fact that I was the best gamesplayer the country had ever seen and you had a winning formula – but one that drew massive negativity and jealousy from many of my peers. Today, I am still that guy, just a lot s****er at games.
I really don’t care what people think, which makes all the negative comments people write all the funnier. What a waste of time.
Given that you were involved in the games industry in several capacities – including retail, publishing and TV – just as it was on the rise in the ’90s, you’re ideally placed to share an intimate oral history of developments, at least from a UK perspective. Will you be doing that with your YouTube channel?
Absolutely, as you can see from the setup. A lot of this channel will be me sat there talking about the golden age of gaming. Changes in the industry. Old magazines, TV shows, my favourite games – that kind of thing. I have so many stories to tell to those who want to hear them. Remember, mine was a very unique career. There had never been a professional gamer like me before and there hasn’t been one like me since. National newspaper articles, style magazine awards, store openings, TV shows… I’ll tell you about them all if you subscribe. Not interested? No problem.
Let’s address the elephant in the room – Super Mario 64. We all know what happened that day and both you and Dominik Diamond [GamesMaster host] have shared your views on events. Setting all of that aside, do you really hate the game? Do you think you can ever appreciate it for the groundbreaking title many others consider it to be?
I can’t say that I hate or love the game… I just have no desire to play it. A dumpy little plumber with a cheesy Italian accent running around jumping on boxes is not my bag. I hate that kind of game.
Yes, the 3D environments were pretty groundbreaking at the time, but the basic gameplay itself was nothing new. It was a good flagship release for a new console at the time, but that’s as much credit as I will ever give it.
Will we see you tackle the game again on the show, as was hinted? It would make for some pretty incredible footage…
Yes, of course. That has to happen really. This time maybe I will know what the buttons do.
What would you say is your favourite Nintendo game, and why?
Super Mario Kart is just pure, unadulterated racing joy. The one thing Nintendo has always been good at is multiplayer gaming. Social gaming. Not the rubbish we see over the internet these days, but a bunch of people in the room together playing against one another. That is gaming at its best. And no game does this better than Mario Kart. It appeals to all ages, and despite still being cutesy, the gameplay is simple, yet demanding enough to bring out the Games Animal in anyone.
So you’ve survived being crushed by the mobs on Black Friday? The fun doesn’t end there, however – today you can grab some great online deals as it’s Cyber Monday, where the only injury you are likely to get is a repetitive strain injury.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best deals (for US and UK) and the most useful links for Cyber Monday so far, but we’ll be updating frequently through the day. Let’s see if we can find any great Nintendo Switch bargains this year.
We’ll be updating this guide every few hours as the discounts pick up speed.
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.
Black Friday may well have been and gone, but Nintendo Switch deals are still popping up all over the place to let consumers snag themselves a bargain or two. Today, to kick off Cyber Monday, you can get your hands on $35 worth of eShop credit when you buy a Switch console in North America. Not bad at all.
This deal is only available today, 26th November – starting at 12:01am PT and ending at 11:59 pm PT – and is taking place across a selection of participating retailers. Frustratingly, those particular retailers haven’t been shared, although we can confirm that Walmart is offering the deal and others such as Best Buy, Target, and Amazon are certainly worth a look.
It’s worth noting that the offer only applies to console purchases online – so visiting your local store isn’t necessary – and can be found alongside the original Grey and Neon Red/Neon Blue bundles. A $35 eShop voucher can go quite a long way towards a major release or a selection of smaller indie titles, so it’s well worth snapping up if you’re looking to buy a console.
Will you be hunting down this offer today? Let us know if you find one in the comments below.
