Category: Nintendo News

Following our poll on the issue of cracked Switch systems, we’ve been contacted by several people regarding their attempts to get the issue solved under warranty.

In case you somehow missed it, the issue appears to be related to the type of plastic used on the console, and (we assume, as we’re no experts here) its reaction to the high levels of heat kicked out when the machine is running at full pelt, either in handheld or docked mode.

After publishing our original poll – in which 20 percent of over 1000 people stated their systems had developed cracks (that’s 1 in 5 Switch consoles, math-fans) – Nintendo UK issued us with a statement which said it had not received enough ‘confirmed’ reports of the issue to take any action at this time, but that anyone with the problem should get in touch immediately.

We’ve had several such individuals who have contacted us and reported exactly what happens when you get in touch with Nintendo about the cracks. Matthew Croghan – who got in touch via Twitter after seeing the original story – has detailed the chain of events that led up to him being asked for a whopping £180 to fix the fault.

According to Croghan, when booking your console in for a repair you first have to mail it to Nintendo for a screening – there is no indication at this point if your issue is covered by warranty. Once Nintendo had Croghan’s console, he was sent the following emails:

A second reader – Dan Brandon – got in touch with us via email with a similar tale of woe:

Recently I saw an article about Switch consoles cracking under pressure. Mine did this and cracked right near the power button, so I sent it in for repair to Nintendo UK. They emailed me, saying that it would cost £150 to simply put on a new back cover. Now this isn’t really that complicated of a job, so why it would cost so much is beyond me. I phoned them up and they simply said that the pricing was fixed, and that whilst they thought it was expensive, they didn’t get to decide. I told them that it wasn’t my fault, and it was a fault of the system, so really I shouldn’t have to pay, let alone pay £150, but they didn’t really recognise my point, so I ended up just asking for it to be sent back.

Again, we have copies of the emails sent to Brandon (click to enlarge):

We’ve had other reports come through via the site’s comment section, too:

It’s worth noting that this problem doesn’t seem to be present in North America, where we’re hearing reports that consoles with cracks are being replaced under warranty:

It would seem that Nintendo UK simply doesn’t see this as an issue which is covered by its warranty, and – in perhaps not so many words – it feels that these cracks are down to the fault of the user, rather than an issue with the console itself.

Interestingly, there was a similar issue with the Nintendo DS Lite many years ago where the screen hinge would develop a crack. At the time, Nintendo replaced impacted units at no cost to the user, and it may well be that in the fullness of time the company adopts a similar stance here.

Have you sent your unit in for repair, or are you one of the lucky ones who hasn’t been affected by this problem yet? Share your thoughts below.

Nintendo Switch will be getting a new action-RPG in the form of Fall of Light: Darkest Edition. This isometric adventure sees a brave knight fighting through a world of darkness to protect his daughter. There 20 different battle stances to choose from, 10 weapon classes and new enemies that are exclusive to the Darkest Edition. Sadly, there’s no word on an exact release date for Switch, but you can feast your eyes on its RPG wares below in the meantime.

What do you make of Fall of Light: Darkest Edition? A worthy addition to Switch’s growing RPG library? Share your thoughts below…

A while ago we heard the news that Dark Souls: Remastered – along with that lovely Solaire amiibo – would be delayed on Switch. The game has now been and gone on other platforms and we’re still yet to hear anything about the Nintendo version, but retailer Amazon has now taken things to a whole new level.

As this tweet below shows – from our ex-editor Thomas Whitehead, no less – Amazon has now listed the game as coming out on 1st January 2030. That’s only 4,191 days to wait! Yay!

Of course, we’re only messing around – this date will simply be a placeholder that covers Amazon from any complaints about the game not turning up on time. Setting a date that far in advance certainly is rare, however, and it does make you wonder whether the store has any confidence in the game appearing at all.

Will you be putting a pre-order in for this one? You might be waiting for quite some time before it arrives…

Finding the Risky Reels Treasure Map is one of the Battle Pass Challenges in Season 5 of Fortnite. 

Complete it and you’ll earn 10 Battle Stars that will help boost you up the tiers for those sweet Season 5 exclusive rewards.

In this guide, we’re going to help you find the location of the Risky Reels Treasure Map and subsequent treasure, then you can move on to the other difficult challenge this week, finding the Lightning Bolts Locations.

Fortnite – Risky Reels Treasure Map Location

Head on over to Risky Reels and you’ll find a Treasure Map. You have to figure out where the map is pointing to in order to find the treasure and complete this challenge.

The location you need to head to is the tunnel just south of Tomato Town. Look at our map above to narrow down your starting location and glide on over there.

When the tunnel comes into view, you’ll want to aim to land on top of it. Use our images below to help you determine where you need to land, and the location of the treasure.

Zerodiv’s mahjong game Taisen Hot Gimmick: Cosplay-Jan has recently made it onto the Switch’s Japanese eShop, previously being available exclusively in the country on PlayStation 2. Being the family-friendly company that Nintendo is, however, the game’s lead image on the digital storefront has been replaced with a much more innocent version.

If you’ve never heard of the game, it essentially plays as an adult-themed mahjong title – which we’d imagine is a pretty niche market, but each to their own. The game only supports Japanese language options, and is unlikely to ever be localised for western audiences, but this Switch version trailer should give you an idea of what the gameplay is like.

The first image below shows the game’s leading image on Switch, with the one below that showing how it looked originally. While some readers will have no issue with the second image, here’s your warning to stop reading if you’re easily upset or affected by adult themes.

And the original…

The changes certainly do make it seem more family-friendly, but this obviously doesn’t change the content of the game itself, so we’re not sure what this really achieves. Similarly, titles such as Gal*Gun 2 and Senran Kagura Reflexions have made it onto the platform with no issues, so Nintendo’s stance on what is or isn’t acceptable seems to be a little on the blurry side.

We imagine you’ve got something to say on this topic, so let us know by posting something below.

Finding the Lightning Bolt Locations is one of the Battle Pass Challenges in Season 5 of Fortnite. 

Complete it and you’ll earn five Battle Stars that will help boost you up the tiers for those sweet Season 5 exclusive rewards.

In this guide, we’re going to help you find the location of every single Lightning Bolt, then you can move on to the other difficult challenge this week, finding the Risky Reels Treasure Map.

Fortnite – What’s A Lightning Bolt?

A Lightning Bolt in Fortnite is very similar to the F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E Letters Challenge from Season 4. These are collectible treasures that can only be found in high up locations on the map.

Unlike the F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E Letters though, you can’t often land in a position where you can grab a Lightning Bolt. Most require you to build a structure to reach them.

Fortnite – Lightning Bolt Locations

You have to collect seven Lightning Bolts in total, but there are much more than that. We’ve found a total of 15 so far, and have included a handy map below detailing their locations.

Fortnite Season 5 finally introduced one of our most requested features: Motion Aiming for Nintendo Switch users. This allows you to finally play the game much like you would in Splatoon 2: by panning the camera about using the Gyroscope inside your Joy-Con or Pro Controller.

In a nifty touch, Epic allows you to choose between using motion controls all of the time, or just when looking through your scope or ironsights. You can even go more granular than that, and use it only with only one of the above.

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through how the new motion controls work in Fortnite on Nintendo Switch, so you can get those Splatoon 2 feels while blasting apart your enemies.

Fortnite – How To Use Motion Controls On Nintendo Switch

In the Fortnite lobby, press ‘+’ then go right and up on your d-pad or left analogue and press ‘A’ while highlighting the cog icon.

Scroll down a bit and in the ‘Input’ section, you should see three new options:

Option	What It Controls
Motion Sensitivity	Sensitivity of Motion Controls
Motion Targeting Sensitivity	Sensitivity of Motion Controls When in ADS
Motion Scoped Sensitivity	Sensitivity of Motion Controls When Using Scoped Weapons

As you can tell, that’s three different settings for three different instances in which you can now use motion controls. Motion sensitivity allows you to use motion literally all the time, while targeting and scoped allow motion controls while looking down your iron sights or a scope respectively.

Now, there’s no simple ‘On’ button to turn on motion controls. Instead, they turn on as soon as you’ve set a sensitivity option.

Fortnite – What Motion Controls Sensitivity Should I Use On Nintendo Switch?

That’s largely entirely up to you. You can tweak the settings while playing if you can find a safe spot to practice in, and we’d recommend doing that so you can fine-tune the settings for your own personal taste.

Our preference was to only use motion controls while aiming down the iron sights. Due to the lack of a reset button, we didn’t really get on with using them all of the time, like in Splatoon. We also found that they lack the precision required when using a scoped weapon, so avoided using it for them also.

But ultimately, it’s entirely up to you. We’d recommend setting a low sensitivity when using a scoped option if you really want to go with motion, and generally to not neglect the right stick. It still comes in very handy in most situations.

A brand new trailer has been released for Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, giving players an extended look at certain areas of the game.

The opening second of the trailer gives us a detailed look at the game’s updated map for the Kanto region. The map unsurprisingly follows the exact same structure present in the original Pokémon Red and Blue games, but a new lick of paint and a splattering of fan-favourite monsters being dotted around results in a lovely piece of artwork. You can check it out properly below.

Other small details reveal that Eevee will have a different appearance depending on its gender, with female Eevee adopting a heart shape on their tail in a similar fashion to female Pikachu. Elsewhere, spotlights are given to certain characters including your rival, Professor Oak, Brock, and Misty, we get a better look at some in-game Gyms and Pewter City’s museum, and we’re even treated to a quick look at battles and costume options for your prized monsters.

Oh, and then there’s this:

A shorter English-language trailer has also been released, although slightly less content is shown.

Are you excited for the new Pokémon games coming to Switch this November? Will you be giving them a go, or are you waiting for the next generation game(s) to appear in 2019? Let us know with a comment below.

The latest Nintendo Download update for North America has arrived, and it’s bringing new games, fresh DLC and discounts galore to an eShop in your region. Have a read down below and you’re bound to find something that’ll get your bank balance shaking with fear. Enjoy!

Nintendo Switch retail

Octopath Traveler (Square Enix) – Eight travelers. Eight adventures. Eight roles to play in a new world brought to life by Square Enix. And now, you can enjoy all of them in the new demo. Step into the shoes and live the stories of each of the eight travelers and freely explore the world of Orsterra. Then, carry your choices and adventure into the main game with save data transfer.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo) – Captain Toad stars in his own puzzling quest on the Nintendo Switch system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Our stubby hero must dodge dangers and track treasures across many trap-filled courses. Survive smoldering volcanoes, hazardous steam engines, haunted houses and even new courses based on the Super Mario Odyssey game. Luckily, in the Nintendo Switch version, a second player can join in to help toss turnips at enemies.

Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion (Outright Games, $39.99) – The Land of Ooo is underwater and it’s up to Finn and Jake to find out why. Join our heroes as they explore the high seas, search for hidden clues, interrogate shady suspects and fight pirates to solve the mystery and save their waterlogged world! Available July 17.

Nintendo Switch eShop

Fortnite (Season 5) (Epic Games, Free) – WORLDS COLLIDE! Drop into Season 5 of the Fortnite game on the Nintendo Switch system, where we’re introducing all kinds of changes to the map! A Viking ship, desert outpost, and ancient statues have appeared on the island, changing the world of Fortnite as we know it. The all-new Battle Pass can help you level up faster by completing Weekly Challenges, and unlock additional rewards like progressive outfits, sprays and exclusive cosmetics. Play the new Season of Fortnite from anywhere. Earn Gold Coins when purchasing V-Bucks in-game on Nintendo Switch. Read our review.

ACA NEO GEO THE SUPER SPY (HAMSTER, $7.99) – “THE SUPER SPY” is an action game released by SNK in 1990. Punch, kick, and use guns to fight off terrorists as you make your way through the building to rescue their captives. Defeating enemies earns experience, which can be used in a Role-Playing Game-like feature to level up.

ASSAULT GUNNERS HD EDITION (Marvelous Entertainment, $9.99) – ASSAULT GUNNERS HD EDITION puts you in control of the Peace Keeping Force known as DAT and along with your three allied Battle Mechs, you must attempt to save Earth’s Migrants and the Mars Colonies as a whole from the threat of the ANTS uprising. Who or what could be leading this threat against Mars, and the new planned perfect utopia for humanity? Read our review.

Darts Up (EnjoyUp Games) – Darts Up is a fun game of darts in which you will have complete control over aiming thanks to the motion sensor. You can play with your friends and family, up to a maximum of 4 Players. Available July 13.

Epic Loon (Ukuza, $14.99) – They were locked away in stasis, hidden from the human world, in an antiquated piece of obsolete entertainment tech known as a VHS cleaner tape. Their restful prison, where they would remain until the end of time, was foolproof. Available July 13.

Fill-a-Pix: Phil’s Epic Adventure (Lightwood Games, $7.99) – Create beautiful pixel art as you reveal 120 amazing photographs from Phil’s epic trip around the world! Fill-a-Pix is a new picture logic puzzle from the makers of Pic-a-Pix Deluxe, but with huge, scrollable puzzles up to 100 squares wide, you’ll reveal pictures much larger and more detailed than ever before!

Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Express Raider (FTE Games, $6.99) – Save the Old West, with your rifle and your horse, from thieving Train Robbers.

Hand of Fate 2 (Defiant Development, $29.99) – Hand of Fate 2 is a dungeon crawler set in a world of dark fantasy. Master a living boardgame where every stage of the adventure is drawn from a deck of legendary encounters chosen by you! Choose wisely – your opponent, the enigmatic Dealer, will pull no punches as he shapes you into the instrument of his revenge. Available July 17.

Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! (Rising Star Games, $14.99) – A hero isn’t a hero at all without the right weapon… or a shop to buy one from! Become the man (sorry, potato) behind the heroes, forging amazing weapons and selling them on for tasty profits in Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!, a hilarious mash-up of management and simulation.

Hunting Simulator (Bigben Interactive, $39.99) – A true simulation of hunting, Hunting Simulator offers players hours and hours of immersion in the open wild with single and multiplayer modes, a multitude of hunting areas, and hundreds of objectives to accomplish. Developed using the Unreal 4 Engine, the game presents some of the most well-known hunting regions such as the mountains of Colorado, the oak forests of France, and the snowy plains of Alaska. Each hunting area is populated by numerous different and realistic looking animals, each possessing an authentic set of behaviours.

Let’s Sing 2018 (Plug In Digital, $39.99) – Warm up those vocal chords, enter the virtual stage and experience the best Let’s Sing ever made! Available July 17.

Mugsters (Team17 Digital) – Mugsters is a physics-based, supercharged, action-packed puzzler with sandbox levels where you must outrun, out-manoeuvre and outsmart your enemies by experimenting with different vehicles, environmental traps and explosives. Available July 17.

Radio Hammer Station (Arc System Works, $6.99) – A popular radio station spreading its love of groove with some the best DJs in the world. Providing tunes to groove to throughout the day. Its true purpose is to serve as the radio station of justice, beating evil down with a ginormous hammer! To ensure peace and harmony, RADIO HAMMER continues to go live with style!

Red Hot Ricochet (Everook, $9.99) – It’s high noon in this barren wasteland, and only one of you is making it out alive. Sure, you could try and shoot them right between the eyes – but where’s the fun in that? Red Hot Ricochet is an intense game of ricochet duels, and you’ll need wise shooting, lucky bounces, and a bit of triggernometry to win.

Super Destronaut DX (Ratalaika Games) – Inspired by an arcade classic, Super Destronaut DX is retro space shooter that pits you against an enemy more dreaded than a UFO, a scoreboard. Available July 13.

Super Volley Blast (Unfinished Pixel, $8.99 normally $9.99) – Are you ready to have a blast and become the best volleyball player in the world? Super Volley Blast is an over the top beach volley game that provides plenty of fun for you and your friends.

Star Story: The Horizon Escape (Forever Entertainment, $9.99) – The archaeological research mission faced some unexpected difficulties. Your spaceship crashed. Can you escape from this planet? But how? No one can help you. You are here all alone. Or not? Do you have a plan? Will you find what it takes to be a hero?

The Mooseman (Sometimes You, $6.29) – You are the Mooseman and you have the ability to see all that is hidden to the mortal eye. Available July 18.

Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded (NIS America) – Set out on an all-new adventure with Reimu, Marisa, Sanae, and more of your favorite Touhou characters! The land of Gensokyo once again plunges into darkness as a new mystery unfolds. What mysteries await in the Tower of Desire? Available July 17. Read our review.

VERTICAL STRIKE ENDLESS CHALLENGE (Active Gaming Media, $4.49 normally $4.99) – A flight-based action game designed to be easy to pick up and enjoy right away, and playable over short timeframes. Available July 18.

3DS retail

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo, $39.99) – Captain Toad stars in his own puzzling quest on the Nintendo Switch system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Our stubby hero must dodge dangers and track treasures across many trap-filled courses. Survive smoldering volcanoes, hazardous steam engines, haunted houses and even new courses based on the Super Mario Odyssey game. Luckily, in the Nintendo Switch version, a second player can join in to help toss turnips at enemies. The Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker game will be available for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS on July 13. A free demo version is also available for download now. Read our review.

Demos

Ultra Space Battle Brawl – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)

Fill-a-Pix: Phil’s Epic Adventure – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)

Thanks for reading this week’s Nintendo Download update. Be sure to drop a comment below with your potential purchases…