Category: Nintendo News

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Back in 2012, the gaming world was taken by storm by the announcement of the OUYA, a crowdfunded attempt at creating a major console platform geared specifically towards indies. Though we could easily write a thesis on all the reasons why the OUYA ended up being an enormous failure, the hardware did have some saving graces, such as the excellent Towerfall. Towerfall was a couch multiplayer favourite thanks to its fast-paced, arcade-like gameplay and surprising depth, and we’re happy to report that absolutely none of that magic has been lost in the transition to Switch; in fact, given the console’s focus on local multiplayer, you could argue that it’s the perfect home for the game.

Towerfall is a relatively simple game from the outset, best described as something of a cross between Super Smash Bros. and Balloon Fight. A standard match consists of up to six players each taking control of an archer, battling for supremacy in small, one-screen maps that have wraparound physics; if you drop through a hole on the bottom of the screen, for example, you’ll pop out at the equivalent location on the top. Killing another archer is a simple matter of either impaling them with one of your arrows or jumping on them like a goomba, but dexterous players can avoid elimination by usage of the dodge, which has the handy second function of catching all otherwise fatal arrows during the animation. Rounds typically last a little less than a minute, depending on how many players are involved, and once there’s a ‘last man standing’ situation (or none, if a sneaky last arrow found its mark), the next round starts on another map.

Though the core premise of a game of Towerfall is quite simple, there’s a considerable amount of strategy that goes into winning. For example, you have to retrieve arrows if you want more shots, so players that empty their quiver early on will be relatively defenceless compared to those who have played more defensively. Another example is how arrows can be shot through the sides of the map, meaning that a potentially risky shot may just manage to catch an unassuming opponent off guard. Every second of Towerfall is an elaborate dance, an intense and thrilling period of jostling for superior positioning while being constantly mindful of everything happening around you on-screen; make one mistake, and you’ll find yourself dead before you’re even aware the mistake was made.

Towerfall would be a fantastic game if it were just the standard three-arrow setup, but much of what makes this such a high pick for a local gaming session can be found in ‘Variants’, various parameters that can be set before each match to change the playstyle. There’s a large suite of power-ups and items to randomly spawned in battle, for example, like shields, running shoes, or explosive arrows, and getting these can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Rules can be changed from the outset, too, such as giving arrows greatly increased homing capabilities or allowing felled players to take revenge on their opponents post-mortem by controlling a ghost. There are dozens of options on offer in both categories, allowing for a nearly limitless amount of combinations and game types, and the ability to randomize the Variants for each match makes the experience feel fresh every time you play.

The maps add a notable element to mixing up the gameplay, too; although they all adhere to roughly the same overarching design principles, different stage gimmicks give each map its own personality, sometimes necessitating different strategy. For example, one map has Thwomp-like rock enemies crashing back and forth, while another has pits of green goop that limit your speed, jump, and dodge. It’s inevitable that some maps will become favoured over others, but the distinct gimmicks that characterize each map go a long way towards keeping the experience from getting too stale; they’re just different enough that each one feels unique, but not so much that one has to completely change their playstyle each time.

All of this combines to make for an experience that has a surprising amount of layers for such a simple arcade game. No two games are quite the same, not just because of how different each match can be due to Variants, but also that all-important luck factor that often determines the victor. Regardless of how thoroughly you may have mastered the mechanics, it’s quite likely that a random arrow may miss its intended target and bury itself in your back instead, or a misfired bomb arrow may blow up in your face. Matches are so quick and so organic that all involved players can hardly keep from howling and shouting at every major play that happens, whether it be a split-second dodge that decides a match win or a desired power-up being scooped by a quicker opponent. That constant promise that the next round will likely prove to be just as dynamic and surprising as the last round is what hooks the players, as personal vendettas and the relatively quick runtime of each match lead to someone demanding ‘just one more’ over and over.

Though Towerfall is best experienced with friends locally, there’s also some relatively in-depth single-player content to keep solo players interested. Quest mode acts as Towerfall’s horde mode, seeing the player choosing a map and doing their best to hold their own through a fixed series of rounds against an onslaught of monsters and AI controlled archers. Dark World mode is similar, but instead sees the player battling through a series of levels to reach a boss fight at the end. Wrapping it all up is Trials mode, which challenges the player to find the quickest and most efficient route way to destroy a series of scarecrows placed on a map. Each of these modes does a great job of offering up supplementary content that helps one to hone their skills for when friends aren’t around, and though there’s plenty of challenge on offer here, it must be said that there isn’t a whole lot of depth, certainly not enough to justify buying the game if you’re not one to play with friends on the Switch much.

There’s something to be said, too, about the way in which Towerfall handles the concept of mystery, gradually introducing new maps, characters, powerups, and more as you put in more hours. Upon winning a match, for example, a victor may find themselves suddenly challenged by a new character controlled by AI, and defeating it unlocks that character for use. Or perhaps selecting the ‘random’ option on the map screen will see a brand-new location suddenly rise from the sea, ready for use. The way in which Towerfall introduces this new content to you, through a mixture of randomness and paying attention to subtle clues the game leaves, is something that isn’t done enough in games nowadays, capturing a certain sense of wonder as it makes the player think what else the game might be hiding, or what a new cryptic hint could mean. We would highly suggest you refrain from spoiling these unlocks and mysteries by looking them up on the internet, as the process of finding the content naturally has a certain kind of magic that can never be recaptured.

Now, what may come as a drawback to some players is the lack of online play, which does seem to be a bit of a strange omission for a game so heavily geared towards playing with multiple people. Indeed, the inclusion of online would’ve made for a more well-rounded package, but its absence isn’t something that necessarily detracts from the experience, as much of the enjoyment comes from playing with people you know, sitting in the same room as you. Towerfall feels like a complete experience as is, and it more than justifies the cost of admission, but those who prefer to play games online may be disappointed by the focus on local play.

Naturally, the Switch version of Towerfall is the definitive version to play, not just because of its portable nature and the split Joy-Con for multiplayer, but because there’s some extra content to sweeten the deal, too. Madeline — the starring character of the sublime Celeste — is now a playable character (along with her alter-ego, Badeline) and a handful of new Variants have been added to change up the gameplay further. Though this new content isn’t a game changer, it definitely does make this the most complete version of Towerfall to date, and coupling that with the portability of the Switch means that there’s never been a better way to play Towerfall.

Matching the stellar gameplay of Towerfall is the equally excellent presentation, particularly showing a keen attention to detail. Graphics are presented in a colourful 16-bit style that’s both functional and eye-catching, making for a visual experience that seldom becomes boring. Each map is memorable and detailed in its design, such as an undersea city encased in glass or a village of huts suspended on stilts in a rainforest, and little things like cracks in the undersea glass or torches flickering in the trees make for environments that feel organic. All of the action is backed by a triumphant soundtrack, leaning hard into soaring melodies and pounding percussion to get players pumped during each play session, expertly creating an air of excitement and intrigue.

Sony has pulled a dramatic about turn and allowed Fortnite to support cross play on every single platform, including Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac. Not only will this allow you to play with your chums on PS4 while you’re on your Switch, but it will also let you use a single account across multiple platforms.

For example, you might want to play Fortnite on your PS4 Pro at home, taking full advantage of that gorgeous 4K, but then play on your Switch when you’re out and about without losing any of your progress. That’s exactly what you’re able to do now.

However, it’s a bit of a complicated process – especially if you didn’t actually register for an Epic account when you started playing Fortnite on Switch. Not to worry though, for we’ve figured it all out and created this guide that will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Fortnite – How To Link Your Epic Account To Switch And PS4

This process is going to be super simple or a little bit complicated depending on one factor: whether or not you have an Epic Account. You see, when playing Fortnite on a platform for the first time, you don’t have to set up an Epic Account. Instead, it will just tie your progress to your PSN ID or NNID. This isn’t a problem until you want to carry your progress over to a different platform.

Complicating this matter further, is the fact that you couldn’t previously connect an Epic Account to Nintendo Switch if you’d previously signed onto PS4 with it – or vice versa. As of today (September 26th) this restriction has been lifted.

Now that the history lesson is out of the way, let’s go through the steps you need to take to tie your Nintendo Switch progress to an Epic Account before you can link it to PS4. If you know you have an Epic Account with your Switch progress tied to it, skip these steps and head to the ‘How To Connect Your Epic Account To PS4 And Switch’ section below.

How To Sync Your Fortnite Switch Progress To An Epic Account

So you want to sync your Fortnite progress to an Epic Account so you can carry it over to PS4? Here’s how to do it in steps:

• Visit the official Fortnite site: https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/.
• Hit ‘login’ at the top right of the page.
• You will be asked ‘Do you already play Fortnite?’. Respond ‘Yes’.
• Choose the ‘Nintendo Switch’ icon.
• A new page will open requesting you to log in to your Nintendo Account. Do so, as this will allow Epic to access your Switch progress.
• Next, you’ll have to create an Epic Account. Fill in the form.
• If successful, you should be prompted to validate the email address you provided. Head to your inbox, find the email, and follow the link to validate it.
• If you followed the steps properly, your Switch progress will now be saved to an Epic Account.

How To Connect Your Epic Account To PS4 And Switch

You have an Epic Account that is linked to your Fortnite progress on Switch? Great. Follow these steps to link it to your PS4.

• Visit the official Fortnite site: https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/.
• Hit ‘login’ at the top right of the page.
• Sign in with your email and password.
• Hover over your username at the top right of the screen, click on ‘Account’.
• Click on ‘Connected Accounts’.
• Scroll down and you should see the following image:

• Switch should have the word ‘Disconnect’ underneath it. This means that your Switch progress is synced up.
• PS4, on the other hand, should have the word ‘Connect’ underneath it. Click it.
• Next, you’ll have to login with your PSN ID credentials.
• If successful, you should now have both accounts linked together. Sign into Fortnite on PS4 and Switch and your progress should cross over.

How do you feel about Sony’s about turn? Are you annoyed that this happened in the first place? Or just grateful that you can progress no matter where you play it? Let us know in the comments section below.

Nintendo Labo is, undeniably, an incredibly creative concept. Getting hold of all this creativity, though – along with the software and bundles of cardboard included – naturally isn’t cheap, and some people are now falling victim to numerous fake products being sold by seemingly reputable companies.

A number of fake boxes have been spotted around Asia, including Nintendo’s home nation of Japan, with slightly different packaging that looks very similar to the real thing. The boxes use official artwork, simply removing any trace of Nintendo’s name, and we can imagine that many people could easily assume these to be the real thing.

The folks over at Nintendo Soup have shared the story of Reagan, a Nintendo Labo buyer from Asia who recently found himself accidentally getting one of these fakes. Purchased from popular electronics retailer Lazada, the fake Nintendo Labo Variety Kit box had no game card inside.

“All the fake product had were sheets of cardboard, but without the game, they were completely useless.”

While we imagine many of you reading our pages would spot the differences between the real versions and the fakes, it’s worth putting the message out there to avoid any potential upset. Here’s hoping the fake versions never manage to spread too far.

Any thoughts? Feel free to share them in the comments below.

As more and more games arrive for the Nintendo Switch, we find ourselves needing more and more space to store them. Luckily, some amazing deals have appeared in the US that could help you with this problem, with great savings now live across a selection of large capacity MicroSD cards.

Available from Amazon’s US store, you can now grab a 200GB card for $34.99, a 256GB version for $51.99, or a whopping 400GB card for $99.99. To put that into perspective, the 400GB card usually costs $249.99, saving you around $150.

You can find each of the cards mentioned above right here (bear in mind that these deals are set to end at midnight tonight PT / 3am ET / 8am BST / 9am CEST).

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.

Unfortunately, the prices on the European version of the site are still fairly high for the most part (although you can grab a 200GB card for £39.99 on a deal of the day offer), but Amazon US do deliver to select European countries so you could always have one shipped over. If you’re looking for a super-large capacity Micro SD card, this will likely be your best bet for a very long time.

Are you currently on the hunt for more Switch storage space? Are you happy switching between smaller SD cards? Let us know below.

Whether you love or hate her, Bowsette is now a popular thing on the internet. Over the past week, the Nintendo community has been sharing drawings of the fan-made character via social media. In case you somehow missed this trend when it originally took off, she is a mashup of Peach and Bowser.

As we previously noted, the creation seemingly originated from Twitter user @ayyk92, who shared a comic strip featuring the character. Apparently, she’s inspired by an item set to appear in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe which transforms Toadette into ‘Peachette’.

If you happen to be a fan of all-things Bowsette, the video above might be worth checking out. DIY YouTuber GandaKris has uploaded a video showing Nintendo fans how to create their very own custom Bowsette amiibo. All it takes is a basic Super Mario Peach amiibo, some clay, paint, glue, an oven, and some artistic flair.

Have you been following this recent social media trend? Do you like the idea of Bowsette? Should Nintendo embrace this idea and make it their own? Tell us in the comments below.

Telltale Games has now been hit with a class-action lawsuit. A disgruntled former employee is suing the San Francisco-based company on behalf of himself and his fellow laid-off workers. In the filed complaint, Vernie Roberts said Telltale let go of the employees without cause and without providing them advanced notice in writing.

Roberts’ complaint confirms there were approximately 275 employees laid-off. This figure includes the layoffs which took place on 21st September. In addition to this, the complaint states Telltale dismissed the employees without severance.

As explained by Polygon, a federal act states businesses with 100 full-time employees or more must provide at least 60 days advanced notice when undertaking mass layoffs or closings, or are subject to financial penalties. In this scenario, the company would have to provide employees with back pay and benefits for each day of the violation.

In his complaint, Roberts said Telltale provided no advance notice to the terminated employees. It means Telltale could potentially have to provide each of the 275 employees salary and benefits for 60 days following their dismissal.

According to GameDaily, Telltale may be able to fight the lawsuit based on an exemption linked to “business circumstances” located within the federal act. The catch, as explained by an attorney, is the California-equivalent of this act does not contain any such clause.

The mobile video game market is absolutely massive. If you’re still not convinced, the latest Pokémon GO data might make you realise just how big smartphone gaming has become. According to an estimate by Apptopia, GO players have now spent a whopping $2 billion dollars on the game (via in-app purchases) since it was launched in July 2016. This follows player spending reaching $1.8 billion a few months ago.

Apptopia breaks down this milestone further, explaining how it took the game 302 days to hit $1 billion, and 811 days to hit the $2 billion mark. Clash of Clans was at the top – taking 768 days to reach $2 billion and behind GO was Candy Crush – reaching this amount of revenue in 1,509 days. In terms of in-app purchases, Japanese players spent the most on Pokémon GO – providing 33.5 percent of revenue for the game. The United States is the country with the most downloads and Brazil – a developing mobile market – is a spot below.

Are you still playing Pokémon GO? Are you impressed it’s reached the $2 billion mark? Have you ever made an in-app transaction in GO before? Tell us below.