Category: Nintendo News

Flying Tiger Entertainment is trying out something different next week with the Switch eShop release of Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Heavy Burger on 4th October. Instead of another port, this is apparently a new game making use of Data East IP.

As described on the American Nintendo website, Heavy Burger is a team battle mashup across a retro arcade of iconic Data East games. If you’re interested, it’ll set you back $19.99. The game supports up to four players, with two players on each team. Below are some screenshots:

Earlier this month the Johnny Turbo Twitter account revealed the 1993 arcade beat ’em up Night Slashers would also be coming soon to the Switch eShop. The Data East game was often compared to Capcom’s Final Fight series and is set in a much scarier world occupied by horrifying creatures and monsters. Unfortunately, there’s still no launch date for this one.

Do you like the look of Heavy Burger? Or are you more interested to find out when Night Slashers will be released? Tell us below.

Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Guides Editor Glen wonders why we’re constantly asking for new games when the ones we already have offer so much…

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There are two opposing sentiments that I’ve both uttered myself and have heard gamers express many, many times: “I can’t wait until that game comes out!” and “Man, I’ve got a massive backlog of games that I should really work through before I buy any more games.” They don’t really sit comfortably next to each other, do they? It’s also not really a problem shared anywhere else in our lives. We don’t go looking for more food when our plates are already full.

Similarly, I recently had an argument with a friend of mine about why he’s not getting a Nintendo Switch because there “Aren’t enough games on it yet”. When pressed, he did clarify that he meant exclusive games, but this is a guy who plays maybe one or two a year, tops. If that’s all he cares about, Super Mario Odyssey and Splatoon 2 alone would keep him full until the next big first party exclusive comes along – and that’s not to mention The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, of which his Wii U version has remained in its shrink-wrap since he bought it on day one. The ability to play it anywhere would be a game changer for him, but he cares more about what the Switch doesn’t have instead of what it does.

I think both of these gaming attitudes are related, because we seem to have reached a point where we want more, more, more, and we haven’t really stopped to consider why. Why is Pokémon Let’s Go more appealing than Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which hasn’t left its shrink wrap since you excitedly bought it on day one last year? Why do we consider a console that has ‘more games on it’ more worthy our time and money than another that offers a far better way to play when we don’t even have the time to play all of the ones we want to anyway?

Another contradiction we gamers commonly express is that we miss the halcyon days where we completed Final Fantasy VII four times in a year. We really seem to have a hankering for the times when we got maybe three games per year but we played the absolute Bowsette (I’m coining the term, OK?) out of them. Granted, some of these complaints are a matter of timing – as adults, we have responsibilities to take care of now, and our spare time is more precious. But there’s still no reason why we can’t spend all of our gaming time scouring every nook and cranny of Hollow Knight, is there?

Instead, we’re already obsessing over Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Metroid Prime 4, and the next F-Zero, which might not even end up happening. Why? Why do we value these games that we haven’t played yet, which we’ve put on a pedestal, over games on our shelves that have rave reviews and that we also haven’t played yet (or at least not played to destruction)? Also, is it genuinely more appealing to smash through several different games a month than just enjoying the scenery in Zelda? Just stop and ask yourselves these questions next time you boot up your Switch.

Before you fall into a cycle of self-loathing though, this mess really isn’t your fault. That’s on capitalism. Publishers and developers need this consumer drive to support their bottom lines, so all that really matters is that you buy their game. Spending time getting 100% on it? That doesn’t matter – unless it’s a game that’s run as a service, in which case you need to remain hooked on the grind so you (hopefully!) keep spending.

To be fair, not all those working in games are like that, and it was actually Nintendo itself that made me realise the error of my ways. Each time we get a new Direct, Nintendo spends a big chunk of time highlighting free updates to games we already have. Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis Aces, and ARMS see regular content updates that don’t cost us a single penny.

And I remember wondering why. Why support a game that’s a year old with new DLC that doesn’t cost the end user anything? It could be cynical – a tool used by Nintendo to drive sales towards an older game – or it could be an act of appreciation towards the players. Either way, it doesn’t really matter. What it did was give me pause for thought for just a second to pick up one of last year’s Switch games and give it another chance. To invest in it – much like I did back when I played games as a youth.

There’s something about the Switch that makes spending quality time with a game a lot more appealing, and I’m convinced that it lies in portability. When I’m sat on the couch, I’m making a conscious decision to play a game, and I generally want to stick on something that I can invest a solid chunk of time in. When I’m out and about though, this all goes out of the window. Instead, I generally just want to do something quickly – be it a dungeon in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or a quick round of Paladins. That’s something that the PS4, Xbox, or PC will never offer as comfortably as my Switch does, and it often drives me to once again invest in these games during my couch time, too.

To tie this all up, let’s go back to an earlier point. No, it’s not your fault that you have a greater urge to buy the shiny new thing than play an ‘old’ game that’s sitting on your shelf. However, it is your responsibility to try and change that mindset, and the Nintendo Switch affords a far greater possibility to do so than any other console on the market. You can play it anywhere, which means you’re more likely to boot up something you wouldn’t normally on your TV, and the fact that Nintendo is actively reinvigorating older content will keep you coming back to those, too.

So I’d invite you all to break your habits. Crack out that shrinkwrapped copy of whatever this weekend and just play it. Or actually dive back into Breath of the Wild and finish off all of the Shrines instead of just saying you’re going to. You have absolutely no excuse – the Switch can go where you go. You might just find that you stop obsessing over the next big thing because you’re too busy having fun – just like the old days.

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Can you relate to the sentiments expressed in this Soapbox? Have you found that the Nintendo Switch’s portability has allowed you to invest more time in your favourite games? Are we just talking a load of old Bowsette?! Let us know in the comments section below!

A famous Pokémon GO player has recently had his account suspended by Niantic for breaking the rules of the popular mobile game. According to Nintendo Soup, Singapore-based player Brandon Tan has made a name for himself by becoming the best Pokémon GO trainer in the world. As committed to the cause as he is, it appears he’s also been caught out for violating the game’s terms of service.

The player has reportedly been selling Pokémon online for as much as $400 and is also in possession of more than five Pokémon GO accounts. Tan allegedly became an easy target for Niantic when he made all of this information publicly available online. This includes promotion of his “Mewtwo service” via Twitter – offering to trade the rare Pokémon for a high price to his 26,000 followers.

A few days prior to his suspension, Tan tweeted about how he had completed 485 Mewtwo raids this week – participating in an average of 69 raids a day from 6:00 am through to 9:30 pm. It’s basically a full-time job, making it even more surprising he would publicly violate the rules and put himself at risk like this.

What do you think about this? When you’re the very best, should you be allowed to violate the terms of service in a game? Are you glad Niantic has made an example of such a well-known player? Tell us below.

Prior to the 2018 Tokyo Game Show, Sega ran a poll asking what games fans wanted to see adapted to the AGES line. In case you missed it, the Jet Set Radio series was at the top of the list. This covered the original game released on Dreamcast in 2000 and also Jet Set Radio Future launched on Microsoft’s Xbox in 2002.

Right below this was the 1999 AM2 classic Shenmue along with its 2001 sequel. As noted at the time, the demand for the first two entries in this series are likely because of the recent two-pack HD remaster made available on multiple platforms. Speaking to 4Gamer around the same time of this year’s Tokyo Game Show, Sega localisation director Hiroji Noguchi said he was flattered fans had shown such strong support for the Shenmue series and said it would be great if the games could be played on Nintendo’s new hybrid device:

The fans have really shown their love for Shenmue – and for that, I really am grateful. Personally, I think it’d be great if you could play Shenmue on the Switch anywhere…

Localisation producer Eigo Kasahara was more direct with his response, saying how both Dreamcast classics were in consideration now that the fans had spoken:

Whether or not we can do something like that in reality, we’re taking the fans’ opinions into consideration. Following up on that might take some time, but it’s definitely something I want to consider.

Would you like to see Shenmue I and II released on the Switch? Have you played these games previously? What did you think about the results of the Sega AGES poll? Tell us below.

As brief as the 3DS showcase was in the latest Nintendo Direct broadcast, there were still a number of new announcements. Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn – a remake of the charming Wii game from 2010 – was one of them.

Due out in 2019 for 3DS, all was rosy until a listing on Nintendo’s official website suggested the game would only be compatible with New Nintendo 3DS systems. Oddly, there was no mention of this during the Direct presentation and even the game’s box art referenced no such compatibility requirements. The PR also reinforced this, by saying it would be released on the “family” of 3DS system.

At the time we said the chance of it being an incorrect listing on Nintendo’s website was plausible, and sure enough, Nintendo has now amended its web page for the game. The listing simply shows “Nintendo 3DS” with the word “New” finally dropped. It’s safe to say, the game will be playable on every 3DS system.

The new version of Kirby’s Epic Yarn will include features such as the ability to craft even bigger yarn balls, summon bead-collecting wind, outrun a demon in a new Devilish Mode and play two all-new mini-games featuring King Dedede and Meta Knight.

Are you planning to buy Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn now that it’s coming to all 3DS platforms? Do you own a New 3DS and this was never a concern to you in the first place? Did you play the original Epic Yarn game on the Wii? Tell us below.

Octopath Traveler might be the most popular JRPG released on the Nintendo Switch in recent times, but that doesn’t mean other games within the genre haven’t been performing. Monolith Soft Executive Director Tetsuya Takahashi has revealed Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and the game’s DLC, Torna – The Golden Country, have both surpassed the company’s expectations. Speaking to US Gamer via a phone interview, Takahashi had the following to say about the game’s market performance:

From a sales perspective, I have to say Xenoblade Chronicles 2 exceeded my expectations…We really saw more people pick the game up and experience it in the North American and European territories than we thought would do so…It’s still early days for the Torna DLC, but from what we’ve seen in Japan, the sales of the Torna DLC are exceeding our expectations as well

While Takahashi wasn’t willing to provide any concrete details about the future of the series, he did say the new entries could take a different direction – a bit like how the Wii U entry Xenoblade Chronicles X adopted a harder sci-fi setting with mechs and planet exploration.

I’m someone who gets bored of whatever it was I did last…If the [Xenoblade Chronicles] series continues, you just might see it take a third option. It might go down a path it hasn’t gone down before.

Did you pick up Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on release? Have you bought the new DLC for the game yet? Would you like to see a third entry? Tell us in the comments below.

As Saturday slowly but surely creeps into view, team Nintendo Life finds itself once again exploring the games that will be blazing out of our TV screens. We’ve got some co-op fun, RPG action, sports-based shenanigans, and much more this time around, so make sure to join in the fun by giving our entries a read, and providing your own in the poll and comment sections below. Enjoy!

Ryan Craddock, staff writer

This weekend I actually find myself in that strange phase where you’ve just finished something and have no clue what to tackle next. This past week, my partner has been playing through The Gardens Between, using me as her second pair of eyes during any confusing moments. The puzzles were a delight to play through (or watch, in my case), and we were both hit pretty hard by what turned out to be a shockingly emotional ending.

Similarly, we’ve both also been tackling Overcooked 2 over the last couple of weeks. I’ve never really been that big on co-op, but we had an absolute blast in the ever-moving, shockingly dangerous kitchens as we flung chopped up fish at each other from across the room. We just grabbed the last star yesterday, so we probably need to think of something else to play this weekend. Maybe we’ll just wait for the Overcooked 2 update that’s just around the corner?

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer

This weekend I’ll be continuing my renewed love affair with Attack on Titan 2 (who knew swinging around buildings and attacking naked giants could offer such lasting fun, eh?) as well as popping into Paladins for some more team shooter action. I’ve also got plenty of side-quests and community stuff to pick up in Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country so my weekend should be well and truly stocked with digital to-do lists.

Jon Cousins, Japan correspondent

After the quite frankly astonishing number of people I waded through last weekend at Tokyo Game Show (albeit good fun and I met a couple of my heroes) I’m settling back into normality nicely. First, I’m digging deeper and deeper into Undertale. I’m certainly not one for RPGs, but a mix of quirky characters, a plot that teases a resonant ending and a dynamic battle system has me hooked right now.

After being on the fence about investing in this year’s offering, the excellent review of FIFA 19 by gentleman and scholar Chris Scullion has convinced me to stick with FIFA 18, at least for the time being. It’s great to see a decent game of footie on Switch again, but playing against friends isn’t enough to warrant an upgrade (of sorts) just yet.

Liam Doolan, news reporter

I had no intentions of picking up Dragon Ball FighterZ prior to release and barely even touched the Switch beta, yet somehow, here I am now in possession of a physical copy of the game. So far I’ve spent about three hours in the training mode playing as Goku, Trunks and Gotenks while trying to get my head around the basics. I’ll admit I’m hopeless at the majority of fighting games, so I’m not sure how I’ll perform in this one. When I’m not playing this over the weekend, I’ll probably be in Rocket League or Fortnite following the big updates earlier this week.

Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer

Once I secure two shiny Misango badges (I’m upwards of 150 now!) in the latest ARMS Party Crash, I will continue to fail miserably at not getting attached to the main characters of Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country, because we all know some of them won’t have a happy ending.

Another strong retail week for Switch means I have two dream games running alternately on the system: the incredible feats of Squad E during the Second Europan War in Sega’s Valkyria Chronicles 4 and the video game my very young self always dreamed one day become a reality, Arc System Works’ DRAGON BALL FighterZ, the ultimate Saiyan lifestyle/screaming simulator on the ultimate hybrid console. The eShop isn’t exactly giving a break to my bank account either; not only will I sneak in some Debris Infinity sessions because I have a very odd concept of ‘relaxation’, but I am very happy to find at long last the fantastic Rise & Shine on Nintendo’s console. Truly we are living in blessed days of plenty, live it up while you can!

Glen Fox, guides editor

I’m still on Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and finding it a lot more palatable since beating Torna. I still just can’t escape the feeling that Monolith Soft should have stuck with Baten Kaitos though. As much as I do love the Xenoblade franchise, it just pales in comparison to Baten Kaitos. There’s just nothing else like it. The world design is by far the best of any game I’ve ever played, and I’m not just talking JRPGs. Then there’s the battle system, which was a mixture of a card battler and a turn-based RPG with absolutely gorgeous special effects.

When rumours sparked up this week about a potential Baten Kaitos 3, to say I was excited is an understatement. In the meantime, though, Xenoblade 2 is a more than competent JRPG with a ton of gameplay to dig into, so it’ll keep me occupied. I’m enjoying it enough to make it worthwhile.

Alan Lopez, contributing writer

If I grow up, I want to write dialogue for a videogame. But not a video game like Reigns: Kings & Queens, a compilation title released on the Switch that encompasses both the king and queen mobile titles that famously beckon you to the oligarchy. There is just way, way too much content here.

The setup of Reigns is a video game “Tinder-ized”: swipe left for an affirmation, right for denouncement. Here’s an example: “My lord! There are too many people to execute. I need help from the army!” Seems like a fish in barrel response, but the hook of the game is balancing your four meters up at the top: religious power, social power, military power, and economic power. You rarely get a moment to vote with your conscious because, if your meter runs out? You’re dead.

Sure, this game is best suited for the phone, but it works great on the Switch as well. Given the low price point and that both games are jam-packed on here, I’ve been having a pretty good time with Reigns: King & Queens, a game I personally didn’t have to write infinite dialogue for. Praise the Queen.

As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to leave a vote in the poll above and a comment below with your gaming choices over the next few days…

A few days ago, a Nintendo spokesperson said the company had nothing to say about drawings and “other things” uploaded to the internet. This was a response to a question about social media superstar, Bowsette. That wasn’t enough to stop one fan from starting a petition to make the fan-made character a legitimate thing – asking for her inclusion as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The latest news related to the subject of Bowsette this time comes from an official Nintendo source. Twitter user Sakusuru has tweeted an interesting photo of a Super Mario Odyssey art book that has just been released in Japan. Inside, is allegedly a scrapped concept of Bowser who has taken over Peach’s body with his own version of Cappy. As can been seen in the image, she’s basically the official Nintendo version of Bowsette, created long before the fan-made one.

In case you haven’t heard about Bowsette, the character became a superstar on social media over the past week when an illustrator located in Malaysia tweeted a comic featuring the Peach and Bowser mashup inspired by an item set to appear in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

What do you think about this discovery? Are you a Bowsette fan? Are you still hopeful Nintendo officially recogonises her in the future? Tell us in the comments below.

Earlier this week, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime visited the DreamYard Preparatory school located in the Bronx, New York. As explained by the New York Videogame Critics Circle founder, the students in this location are part of an “underserved community in the poorest Congressional district” in the US. The non-profit organisation itself supports the less fortunate in the area who want to learn about games and technology.

While at the school, Reggie took the time to discuss the need for diversity in the video game industry and how hard work is the way to achieve goals in life, rather than luck – which he reportedly does not believe in. He touched on these subjects by discussing his own upbringing, including how he had grown up “literally a mile” from the school in the Bronx and how his family was originally from Haiti.

He also took some time to explain how there are more roles at Nintendo than just coding – ranging from art to accounting, and even spoke about working with Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. After his talk ended, he took questions, signed autographs and even played some Mario Tennis Aces with the students.