Category: Nintendo News

We know that Pokémon‘s pretty popular, and that the series tends to collaborate with other franchises, retailers, and anything else going, but this is one tie-in we never thought we’d see.

Introducing the Edvard Munch x Pokémon Trading Card crossover. With designs for Pikachu, Eevee, Psyduck, Mimikyu, and Rowlet, the cards are clearly inspired by Munch’s hugely famous art piece, ‘The Scream’.

The cards (which you can also see on the official Pokémon card website) have been created to tie-in with the “Munch: A Retrospective” exhibition set to take place at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum from 27th October to 20th January. The event will showcase the real art piece for the very first time in Japan, with the Pokémon cards acting as souvenirs which can be purchased from the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and Pokémon Center Online.

According to ResetEra member, Forkball, the attack featured on each of the cards is called ‘Scream’, with the descriptive text underneath saying “Make both battle Pokémon confused.” If you’re a collector of all things Pokémon, grabbing a full set of these cards will no doubt be going straight to the top of your to-do list.

Would you like to own your own copies of these cards? Let us know with a comment below.

The Switch is arguably Nintendo’s most premium-feeling handheld console ever released, with its smart and sleek design making earlier systems feel a little clunkier (and more able to take a battering) as a result. Thanks to this, as well as the fact that it comes with a whole range of extras that you wouldn’t usually need for a handheld (extra controllers, cables, the dock, etc.), it’s also the console most in need of some extra protection and storage space when out and about.

Whereas your 3DS can likely slide right into your pocket, protected by its own flip design, the Switch is too big to simply carry around and has a large, beautiful display just waiting to be scratched up by the keys and other bits and bobs inside your bag of choice. Luckily, tomtoc has released a new range of cases for the console that appear to suit every need and, even more luckily, they just so happen to be pretty great.

Each case is waterproof, made of strong, sturdy material (which tomtoc tells us has passed the latest military standard drop test), and has its own advantages and disadvantages over the other options. We’ve gathered our thoughts on each design below.

The Slim

The smallest of the bunch, and the best for quick trips or your daily commute, is the slim variant (which comes in black, red, grey, or camouflage colourings). Even with your Switch inside, the width of this case only measures in at around 4cm, easily slotting into your backpack for that extra layer of protection. Actually, this is where we found this case to be most useful; it only holds your Switch (with Joy-Con attached) and eight games, with no room for any extras, but it does serve as excellent protection when you just need to slot the console into a bag of some sort and avoid any scratches.

The case actually moulds around the design of the Switch, with the Joy-Con triggers sitting inside small indents on the bottom of the case and the control sticks and face buttons being protected by the raised parts seen on the front. This is a fantastic feature; applying pressure to these raised points has no impact on the Joy-Con’s delicate control sticks, and some of our official Nintendo-branded cases fail to offer that same level of protection. Having said that, we wish the part of the case sitting on top of the screen had a similarly robust design – pressing hard on the middle of the case, or dropping something heavy on it, does seem to press onto the Switch’s screen just a tad.

Speaking of Nintendo’s official releases, this small case from tomtoc retails at a considerably cheaper price point while actually giving you a greater amount of protection. A small pouch is included with the case, too, and while we didn’t feel was completely necessary, it does provide a nice way of carrying some small extra bits like an AC adaptor.

The Frequent Traveller

This one sees a significant step up in features, but a much smaller jump in price. This medium-range case holds your Switch (with Joy-Con attached), 18 game cards (six of which are hidden away), and has space for a Joy-Con grip and your AC adaptor, too. It features the same indents on the bottom of the case for your Joy-Con’s ZL/ZR buttons for a snug fit, and a centrefold rests on top of your screen. The same raised sections also appear on the front of the case, but these are purely aesthetic as the case is considerably wider this time around, and there’s a small handle on the top to help you carry it around.

The big selling point of this one, though, is that it doubles up as a way to play your console in tabletop mode. The centrefold we just mentioned has two straps on either side, which strap your Switch’s tablet section down nicely; the weight of the console keeps the folded material rigid – as long as you don’t wobble the case around too much as you play.

We wouldn’t recommend playing this outdoors under the sun for too long, for fear of the console burning up the fabric behind it, but the Switch’s fans are allowed to breathe at the top of the system and we haven’t experienced any overheating issues while playing inside. The best part about this is the fact that you can still charge your console while playing in tabletop mode – again doing something which Nintendo hasn’t allowed with its own kickstand.

The Professional Storage Case

Easily our favourite of the bunch, but also naturally the most expensive, is the professional storage option. This one features a large, suitcase-like section on the bottom with a chunk of foam padding nestling inside; almost everything you could possibly need fits in here thanks to the perfectly cut shapes. You can carry your Switch, two extra Joy-Con on your Joy-Con grip, your dock, the AC adaptor, a Pro Controller, and four wrist straps in this section, and there’s another mesh-type pocket on the opposite side for the HDMI cable, Pro Controller charging cables, game cases, and more.

In between the two sections is a flap of material which can hold 32 game cards – which should be more than enough to hold of your favourite titles – although you could theoretically throw more in that back pocket, too. Every item fits into its designated spot securely and neatly, with no wiggle room being given for things to slip out during travels, and you can even attach a shoulder strap if you prefer to carry it that way.

To test out its practicality, we took this case out on a weekend trip to see some loved ones and play lots of games in the process. Having everything neatly tucked away was perfect; previous trips had seen the dock, cables, and extra controllers simply thrown into a plastic bag for travels – constantly scaring us with thoughts of scratches or damage – but this almost fixed the issue completely. We still had to find somewhere to put extra Pro Controllers, but the case was more than enough to transport everything else securely.

The idea behind this one is for professional gamers who might attend championships or other events, and while we’re sure it would be great for that, too, we’d actually recommend this for anyone who finds themselves taking their entire Switch setup to friends or family homes. It’s a little more on the pricey side compared to the other options, but it’s absolutely worth it.

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If you’re interested in buying any of the cases shown above, you can find the designs on Amazon UK for £13.99, £18.99 and £37.99 respectively, or Amazon US for $16.99, $19.99, and $42.99.

Thanks to tomtoc for supplying the cases featured in this review.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! have been dividing the opinion of Pokémon fans everywhere since they were first announced; eager fans of the series in its current state – and especially those who play competitively – have expressed concern and even outrage at the games’ Pokémon GO-inspired traits, while those happy to partake in a quick stopgap for the sake of nostalgia, or those looking for a more gentle way into the mega-franchise, have been delighted to see the titles take a more relaxed approach.

Whichever side of the argument you happen to be on, the fact that the new titles are going out of their way to provide a simpler experience is undeniable. Catching Pokémon is easier than ever with the usual wild encounter style taken away (and this can be simplified further by adding a friend in co-op), and Gyms make sure that you have suitable Pokémon for the challenge before you even enter. All signs are currently pointing towards a game that gets rid of anything unnecessarily tricky to give the series a quick breather before jumping head first into 2019’s Generation 8.

But, for anyone worried that these games won’t offer anything remotely challenging, the games’ director Junichi Masuda has teased something that should be music to your ears. In a chat with Polygon, Masuda talked about the inclusion of these simplified features (noting that the co-op play should go a long way to help children or inexperienced players when they need a helping hand), before explaining that the game will naturally ramp up in difficulty, eventually resulting in encounters with “master trainers” who appear post-game.

“A good portion of the more difficult stuff is in the post-game. There’s ways to strengthen your Pokémon, and the reason you wanna do that is, you take on these master trainers these really powerful trainers that you encounter after the main story.”

Of course, it’s worth noting that all press, media, and other influencers have only had hands-on experiences with early portions of the game thus far; it’s completely possible that things get tougher after the main story, with Game Freak allowing newcomers to reach the credits without too much problem before giving the ‘hardcore’ fan base something to cheer about at the end. To provide a similar example, many recent Mario titles have felt a little on the easy side to defeat Bowser, but completely open up with staggeringly difficult post-game content.

One thing’s for certain – it will be particularly interesting to see how these games fair when we have the full products in our hands next month. Are you thinking of picking either title up on 16th November?

A Nintendo Switch ‘Game Console Safe’ has appeared on the market, giving customers the chance to rather literally lock their console to its dock for more security.

The item is currently being sold on Etsy from seller 3Dexpressions, with its product description highlighting just some of the situations in which it could be useful. One example suggests that it can prevent any children from taking the console out of the dock without permission; another considers the possibility of you running a tournament of some kind, with the safe acting as a way to keep your console safe from any thieves.

As you can see in the images below, the safe not only locks your console inside the dock, but can also be moved over to the right to completely cover the game card slot so that it cannot be accessed.

There are several issues that spring to mind upon first seeing the product, however; you can still turn the console on, so children will still be able to play in TV mode anyway, and the Joy-Con can still be removed meaning that thieves could still potentially run away with your expensive possessions. Still, if you are the tournament-attending type, we’re sure this would still go some way to deter any troublemakers.

If you’re interested, you can check out the product on its Etsy store page. It comes in a wide range of colours, is 3D-printed from “heavy duty ABS plastic”, and can be bought either with or without a lock depending on your needs (ranging from approximately £15 – £20).

Would this be a useful accessory for you? Are you tempted to buy one? Let us know in the comments down below.

In its opening weekend in Japan, Super Mario Party on the Nintendo Switch sold 142,868 copies. Joy-Con sales were also reportedly up by “+200%” (three times the regular amount) during this launch period. It’s likely no surprise to hear the game has now significantly outsold sales of the previous entry in the series, Mario Party 10.

According to Media Create, the 2015 Wii U release in Japan sold just 52,000 copies in its first week. It’s also mentioned how entries in the Mario Party series often sustain long-time sales. For example, the previous release went on to reach around 250,000 sales, despite an underwhelming launch and bumpy generation for Nintendo in general. In addition to this, sales tracker Dengeki has revealed the latest game on Switch has sold through 50 percent of its initial shipment.

Are you at all surprised to hear Super Mario Party is selling so well? Have you bought a copy yourself or are you holding out for the holiday period? Tell us in the comments.

It’s easy to forget Pokémon GO is an augmented reality mobile game if you don’t actually use this feature on a regular basis. Perhaps Niantic’s latest news might tempt you to reactivate it, assuming you’re an Android user.

Following last year’s iOS update which added support for the AR kit, ARCore can now be downloaded from the Google Play Store. With this app you’ll be able to access the Pokémon GO AR+ mode which scales pocket monsters to their accurate dimensions as you move closer to them. They’ll also be able to detect your movement in this mode, so it’s important to get up close before you throw a Poké Ball. Below is an image showing the differences between AR+ and the regular AR mode:

For more information about the AR+ mode, visit the help center.

Have you downloaded the ARCore? Have you tried out this new feature on your Android device, or have you been using it for a while on your iOS device? Are you still playing GO? Tell us below.

As Nintendo has nothing to say about the internet’s obsession with Bowsette, modders continue to take matters into their own hands by adding the fan-made creation to multiple games.

We’ve previously seen Bowsette as the final boss in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and now a modder by the name of Lynard Killer has added the character to the 2017 release, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’s another relatively convincing 3D model, with basic dress physics and different layers of clothing on display.

Is this as good as it’s going to get for Bowsette? Is it all downhill from here? Tell us if you’re still on the Bowsette bandwagon in the comments below, or if you’ve moved onto Gooigi.

Mojang and Microsoft are running a cat contest in Minecraft. Basically, it’s a chance for one lucky player to have their very own feline added to the game. Here’s how the competition came about:

Our excellent pixel artist, Jasper Boestra, has already designed loads of cute-tacular new cat skins that are coming to the game. But he was too lazy/untalented to make the final one. So that’s where YOU come in!

All you have to do to enter is take a photo or video of the cat you think deserves to be in Minecraft, then share it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #Minecraftcatcontest

Submissions can be made until 12th November. After this, the game’s community team will be deciding on the best three cats based on the following judging criteria:

• 33.3% Is the cat unique looking?
• 33.3% Could the cat be successfully rendered into Minecraft content?
• 33.3% Would the cat appeal to other Minecraft players?

The best three cats will then be posted on a social media site – to be announced – and the public will vote for their favourite entry by logging in. One vote is allowed per person and social media account, and the winning cat will be announced on 19th November. It will then be added to the game as part of the Village and Pillage update, arriving next year.

For more information about the competition, head over to the official rules page.

Will you be entering your cat in this Minecraft contest? Do you even like cats, or do prefer the company of other animals? Are you still enjoying Minecraft on the Switch? Tell us below.

In September, Zen Studios revealed it had acquired the Williams and Bally pinball collection for Pinball FX3. At the time of the announcement, the Managing Director revealed the development team had grown up admiring these pinball machines and were devoted to treating each of the beloved tables with a great level of respect.

Since the arrival of these classic tables in the game last week, pinball enthusiasts have noticed modifications have been made to each one. According to Ars Technica, scantily clad women have been covered up, violent imagery has been removed, explicit language has been censored, beer cans have been changed to soda cans and cigars have been completely removed from the mouths of characters. It’s all to do with ensuring the game can appeal to all ages and stay within the existing E10+ rating.

Speaking to Ars Technica, Zen Studios’ Vice President of Publishing Mel Kirk clarified why the changes were made:

We pride ourselves on Pinball FX being a very family-friendly game…People expect a specific type of game associated with certain types of content. I’m not going to jeopardize all those relationships, all that history, all those families that play the game for some bits of artwork.

Kirk said the ESRB did not ask for any changes to be made to the original artwork and stated how The Pinball Arcade versions of the exact same tables had essentially violated the ratings board:

I believe that The Pinball Arcade was in violation of ESRB and other ratings boards. We did a thorough review on this.

He went onto explain how the ability to turn off the “Family Mode” feature in the settings of The Pinball Arcade had obviously been missed by the ESRB and revealed Zen had been penalized last year when inappropriate placeholder artwork was featured in the VR version of Infinite Minigolf.

There’s no way they could get away with what they did under that rating. I do believe that somehow they flew under the radar and it was not caught.

We’ve been penalized ourselves by the ESRB previously…We made some mistakes. We can’t afford to be caught again.

Zen was aware when it acquired the Williams and Bally collection that certain tables would have to be changed and that it was likely to happen again in the future – making reference to the Champion Pub table and how a simulated gambling game within it might have to be completely removed.

Kirk summed up by saying while he didn’t want to minimise the importance of the vocal minority requesting an authentic pinball experience, he believed the censorship featured within these classic tables was for the best:

For all the hardcore players that don’t like what we’ve done, we have just as many people saying thank you for doing this, because now my kids can play too, and they now know these games…If the artwork and some of the things that are more mature are super important to people, we’ll hear them and we’ll try to make those available, maybe under a different label or a different game. But FX3 is a family-friendly game.

I have daughters myself that are 8 and 10 and I’m so excited that I can let them play Medieval Madness and not worry about some of the things that are in there that they’re not ready for.

Have you tried out the new Williams and Bally tables in Pinball FX3 yet? Do you regularly play this game on your Switch? Do you agree or disagree with these changes? Tell us below.