Category: Nintendo News

Team Sonic Racing may well have been delayed until May next year, but hopefully this sneak peek at its upcoming soundtrack will tide you over while you wait.

Sega has taken to YouTube to showcase a sample of one of the tracks you can expect to hear in this ultra-fast racer next summer, with Hyper Potions and Jun Senoue teaming up to create a remix of ‘Market Street’ from Sonic Unleashed.

If those names ring a bell, that’s likely because this is the same team who collaborated to bring us the remix of ‘Time Trials’ in Sonic Mania Plus. You can hear the new track down below.

Does this get you pumped up for the main event next year? Would you like to see remixes of other hits from the series make an appearance, too? Tell us below.

Nintendo has just released the fancy new Poké Ball Plus alongside Pokémon: Let’s Go! on Switch, but the orb-like device isn’t just used to control that game and earn steps while you walk – it can also be used to imitate the Pokémon GO Plus accessory that launched a while back.

Pokémon GO has been updated this week to include this functionality, so before you do anything, make sure you’re running version 0.37.0 or later. Done that? Then you’re ready to get started.

First up, ensure you’ve got Bluetooth enabled on your phone, then open the Pokémon GO application. Go to Settings and then scroll down until you see the Poké Ball Plus option. Don’t tap it yet, however; first, press the A button on your Poké Ball Plus (that’s the one on the control stick) so that the white LED flashes, denoting that the Poké Ball Plus is in ‘discoverable’ mode.

Once you’ve done this, tap the Poké Ball Plus option – the device should appear there, waiting for you to tap it to start pairing with your phone.

This might sound like an odd way of doing things, but we’ve found on three different Android handsets that if you enter the menu first without the device being discoverable, the Poké Ball Plus doesn’t appear. This may well be a bug that is fixed in future updates, so you may want to try both approaches if this one doesn’t work for you right away.

Once you’ve done this, you’re asked if you wish to enable the Poké Ball Plus with the app itself. You’re then given a message that confirms the connection.

The Poké Ball Plus is now linked to your phone and acts exactly like a Pokémon GO Plus. It will vibrate and flash when you’re near a Pokéstop (blue LED) or close to a monster (green LED), and saves you the bother of having to take your phone out of your pocket to play the game. To interact with the game, simply press the B button (that’s the one on the top, on the red section of the device).

It’s worth noting that the Poké Ball Plus can only be connected to one device at a time (obvious, really), so if you’re shifting between Let’s Go on Switch and Pokémon GO, you’ll need to make sure you disconnect the Poké Ball Plus from that device before you can link it to the other. To do this on Switch, press Home and then select the controller option to repair your console with a different controller. On Pokémon GO, simply tap the Poké Ball Plus icon which appears in the top-right corner of the screen. It will turn grey, denoting that the device has been disconnected.

Zen Studios is wasting no time putting its recently acquired Williams and Bally pinball licence to use. Following the arrival of Williams Pinball Volume One for Pinball FX3 in the first half of October, the developer has now confirmed it will add another three classic tables to the free-to-download game on 4th December.

The new tables include The Party Zone, Attack from Mars and Black Rose. Once again, this collection will set players back $9.99 / €9.99 / £8.99. Action cameras can now also be disabled and will be released alongside volume two. Below is the full rundown:

Just as Williams Pinball Volume 1 featured a dragon bursting to life (Medieval Madness) and a fisherman reeling ‘em in (Fish Tales), the remastered 1990s classics in Williams Pinball Volume 2 are enhanced in similar ways. In The Party Zone, host Captain B. Zarr comes to life as a 3D interactive character parading around on a giant rocket, while Attack from Mars fires missiles upon a flying saucer circling the playfield, thanks to the orders barked by a 3D-animated general. At the same time, Black Rose, Queen of the High Seas, captains her fully 3D-animated ship across a spinning globe as you loot a treasure chest and fire an interactive cannon. Of course, classic simulations are still available for anyone craving the most authentic arcade experience.

ATTACK FROM MARS™
Disable forcefields, destroy spaceships and save the country!
Classic Table Features:
• Spell “MARTIAN” to start the Martian Attack.
• Initiate “Total Annihilation” to unlock a 4-ball multiball.
• Altered ball physics to simulate physical game play.

Remastered Table Features:
• Features a 3D flying saucer and Martian pilot.
• The attack is brought to life with themed side wall art.
• 3 missile launcher arrays with missiles.

BLACK ROSE™
Queen of the high seas, looting treasure chests and firing cannons – Oh, it’s the pirate’s life for me!
Classic Table Features:
• Open Davy Jones’ Locker to load the cannon!
• Full speed ahead into Pirate’s Cove to unlock multiball mode.
• Altered ball physics to simulate physical game play.

Remastered Table Features:
• Fully animated 3D pirate woman with a cutlass.
• A compass that tracks the ball around the table.
• Complete with an interactive 3D ball firing cannon.
• Added Black Rose logo sidewall art.

THE PARTY ZONE™
You are now escaping to a parallel universe that’s way beyond Wisconsin! Enter The Party Zone. Classic Table Features:
• Get ready to make your song request when prompted by D.J. Captain B. Zarr.
• Altered ball physics to simulate physical gameplay.

Remastered Table Features:
• An animated football makes a touchdown when the End Zone Bonus is collected.
• Captain B. Zarr’s 3D animated character rides on a rocket – rodeo style!
• We’ve made the party even more fun with themed wall art.

Not long ago, Zen Studios came under fire for censoring volume one of this same collection. You can read about this in the previous Pinball FX3 article.

Will you be buying volume two of this collection on release? Do you play Pinball FX3 on a regular basis? Tell us in the comments.

Towards the end of October, an issue of V-Jump revealed Bandai Namco would be releasing another Dragon Ball title on the Switch in 2019. This one is a bit different from the usual offerings, as it’s actually a card game by Dimps Corporation. At the time of the reveal, there was no mention of a release outside of Japan.

In the latest development, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission has now been rated by the Australian Classification Board, receiving a rating of PG (for parental guidance). The classification reconfirms the developer is Dimps and publisher is Bandai Namco, and suggests a western announcement is on the cards (pun intended).

As explained in Japanese manga magazine V-Jump, World Mission includes more than 1,160 cards – covering Super Dragon Ball Heroes 1 to 8 and Universe Mission 1 and 2 (previously released on the 3DS). There are also over 350 characters from the Dragon Ball series to fight with. Super Dragon Ball Heroes is based on the original arcade version, which is a two-screen design. The Switch release will include seven-verse-seven card battles with multiplayer as well. Not long ago, a teaser trailer (see below) was also uploaded, providing the first glimpse of the game. Take a look below:

Are you excited this game is seemingly making its way across to the west? Tell us below.

Streaming has been touted as the way of the future by a number of video game industry giants. Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot believes this technology will become the primary way people play games in the future. Meanwhile, EA is investing heavily in cloud-based technology with the news it has more than 1,000 staff and dozens of studios working on a new platform.

Nintendo is taking a more cautious approach when it comes to this new-found technology. During an interview with Kotaku, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said the recent streaming efforts in Japan with titles such as the cloud version of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was an exciting development for the industry, but the technical infrastructure for it to happen outside of this region simply did not exist in other countries, including the United States.

It’s specific to Japan because of the internet infrastructure that exists in that country. Very high-speed wireless capability. The ability to have a great experience in Japan is profound. The technical infrastructure doesn’t exist for that to happen currently here in the United States.

When challenged about how other companies within America were already providing video game streaming services, Reggie clarified the current technology did not meet Nintendo’s requirements. He made reference to Google’s Project Stream (responsible for streaming Assassin’s Creed Odyssey through players’ Chrome web browsers) and said how this method of play was not suitable for serious players:

If you talk to really active gamers there’s a level of dissatisfaction, because of a lag and other things that happen currently. The question is: At what point will there be the technical infrastructure for that to be a truly compelling experience.

Do you think Reggie makes a valid point? Do regions outside of Japan need better technical infrastructure before game streaming is properly embraced? What do you think about streaming games? Tell us below.

The Messenger by Sabotage has been nominated for “best indie debut game” and “best independent game” at this year’s Game Awards, so it’s obvious this is a special release. So, how do you make an indie title like this even better? With a free quality of life update, of course.

If you missed the news on the weekend, the next update for The Messenger will include “new mystery” and a New Game Plus mode. There’ll also be a jukebox added and the ability to remap controls. In preparation for the release, Game Director Thierry Boulanger has uploaded a video on the official Sabotage YouTube channel showing off all of this new content. The video, which can be viewed above, runs for six minutes and contains spoilers.

Towards the beginning, Thierry also mentions how the team is holding off on a “big announcement” regarding what’s next for The Messenger and says it will be revealed at the ‘Kinda Funny Games Showcase‘ on 8th December. The quality of life patch update is expected to arrive “around” 20th November – with the date to be confirmed soon.

Have you been playing The Messenger? Are you anticipating this update? Tell us below.

Sony has surprised the rest of the video game industry, with the confirmation it will not be attending E3 2019. Despite the absence of the Japanese tech giant, the official press release notes how “industry momentum” will drive next year’s show to new heights.

On the Nintendo front, there’s nothing to worry about. In the same PR, Reggie provided a statement confirming the company would be present at next year’s event in Los Angeles:

E3 is an outstanding opportunity for us to share new games and experiences with fans and business partners from across the globe. Every year, we discuss what will be the best way for us to take advantage of the next E3 show in order to bring smiles to people’s faces.

As usual, multiple other companies will also be in attendance including Microsoft, Activision, Bethesda Softworks, Capcom, Epic Games, Konami, Digital Entertainment, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive Software, Ubisoft and Warner Bros. Interactive.

While E3 continues to be an incredibly popular event for publishers and developers to promote upcoming releases, in recent years, there’s been somewhat of a shift. Nintendo, in particular, has moved away from live presentations at the annual video game convention, instead opting with special Direct events. These online streams have arguably drawn more publicity.

Are you glad to hear Nintendo will once again be present at next year’s E3, or would you prefer to see it move away from the crowded show floor completely? Tell us below.

Strictly Limited Games, a Stuttgart-based publisher which specialises in releasing limited physical editions of digital games, has today announced the launch of a new release for Fox n Forests on Nintendo Switch.

The game has been described as a “stylish 2D action jump ‘n’ run title”, taking heavy inspiration from 16-bit retro goodness in all areas from its graphics to its music. Players take on the role of a clever fox called Rick who is searching for a mysterious forest. Rick can shoot, punch, and jump through the forest level by level, fighting countless enemies, solving puzzles, and even changing the seasons to eliminate foes along the way. We praised the game for its “fantastically accurate portrayal of 16-bit platforming” in our review, but noted how its “fiddly controls and its short length” ruined the experience a little.

Fox n Forests will be treated to both a Collector’s Edition and a Standard physical edition. The Collector’s Edition is limited to just 1,000 units, going on sale on 18th November for €49.99, with 3,000 Standard Edition copies following just one week later for the cheaper price of €29.99. As you can see in the images above, the Collector’s Edition appears to benefit from a gorgeous outer casing that seems to hold some extra goodies inside, but further details about the package’s contents haven’t yet been shared. You’ll be able to snag either version of the game directly from Strictly Limited Games’ website.

Do you love a good physical edition of your favourite digital games? Will you be keeping an eye on the release of this one to see if you want a copy for yourself? Let us know with a comment.

Following a recent update distribution across both Android and iOS, Pokémon GO developer Niantic has now implemented a splattering of changes and updates which add new features and a rebalancing of stats to the game.

For competitive players, the CP rebalancing will likely be the most interesting part of the update. All Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn – the first three generations – have been affected by the change, with almost all characters’ HP and defence stats seeing a decent boost. If you load up your app, you’ll likely notice that this has had a significant effect on the overall CP of your strongest ‘mon, with numbers shooting up in the hundreds.

New Pokémon have also arrived in the app, with a new ‘Hatchathon’ egg event running alongside it to help players in their quest to snag them. From now until 27th November, some Pokémon with evolved forms originally discovered in the Sinnoh region – such as Rhyhorn, Porygon, and Magby – will be present in 2 km eggs and, if you’re lucky, you might even hatch a shiny Elekid.

This is to support the inclusion of Rhyperior, Electivire, Magmortar, Togekiss, Mismagius, Honckrow, Weavile, Dusknoir, Roserade, Gliscor, and Porygon-Z, all of which are now live and require both 100 Candy and a Sinnoh Stone to evolve.

Elsewhere, fans eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s release of Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! might be interested to know that the update has brought with it a new setting to connect your Poké Ball Plus controller to the app. We knew this would be coming, of course, but if you’re struggling to contain your excitement, you can now gaze at that menu setting and dream about transferring your critters over the weekend.

Will you be working towards getting these new Pokémon in your game? Are you looking forward to connecting your account to Let’s Go? Let us know below.