Accessory maker 8Bitdo is launching a new Bluetooth adapter which allows you to use all manner of controllers with your Nintendo Switch.
The device – which sports a brick-like design that is no doubt inspired by Super Mario Bros. – plugs into the USB port of the Switch dock. Once connected, it allows you to link up a variety of pads, including 8Bitdo’s own range of controllers and – most interestingly – Sony DualShock 3 and DualShock 4 pads. Support for the Wii Remote and Wii U Pro Controller is also included, if you’d rather keep things strictlyNintendo.
It can also be used with other systems, like Android-based TV boxes, Raspberry Pi units and the CyberGadget RetroFreak console.
The USB Bluetooth Adapter costs $19.99 and is available now from Amazon.
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In the absence of official release dates we often rely on retailer listings to get an idea of when a particular title is launching, and while many of these are usually incorrect guesses, Amazon – by and large – gets things right most of the time.
That’s why we’re willing to believe that a recent listing for Project Octopath Traveler on Amazon’s German site is legit. The retailer has the game scheduled for launch on 17th August this year, which is a Friday – the day that Nintendo-published games traditionally launch on.
We certainly can’t say for sure that this is correct, but given the length of time the title has been in development, it would make sense in terms of timing. The game doesn’t have a final title as yet, so we’d imagine that we’ll be hearing more about it in the not-too-distant future – in an upcoming (and long overdue) Nintendo Direct, we would imagine.
We’re all for wonderful, whacky, homemade brilliance here at Nintendo Life, and this little oddity falls perfectly into that category.
Introducing the best homemade pinball machine for Nintendo Switch using pretty much only an Amazon Prime cardboard box we’ve ever seen:
Perfect for games such as Pinball FX3 or Stern Pinball Arcade, this setup uses a TV laid down flat on a table, with a cardboard box acting as a pinball cabinet’s case. A cheap third party controller is placed inside the box with various plastic buttons (that are attached to the outer frame of the box) hooked up to it to trigger its inputs.
Apparently the entire setup (not including the Switch and TV, of course) cost the creator Stemage only $26. We salute you on your fine work, sir!
Are you inspired to craft your own cardboard masterpiece at home? Do you think this is what Nintendo Labo should really be all about? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The Switch’s incredible commercial performance has not only given Nintendo a much-needed boost; it has also created opportunities for publishers and developers of all shapes and sizes, too.
The console’s eShop is packed with indie titles and we’re seeing a number of those getting released in physical form as well as digital – all of which adds to coffers of the industry’s smaller studios.
UK publisher Curve Digital is one company which has seen the positive impact of the console. Gamesindustry.biz has been speaking to some of the firm’s key staffers, and the message is clear: Switch is really driving business right now.
The Switch community is absolutely thriving. It is a fantastic platform for indie games.
Curve chairman Stuart Dinsey adds:
There has been a rush of games coming out on Switch. It’s very competitive, and we were worried we might be a bit late to it with Flame in the Flood and Human: Fall Flat last year, which is why we’re so pleased with how they’ve done. Switch is great, but we are also really happy with PC, Xbox and PlayStation. All of them.
Curve scored a significant success with No Brakes Games’ Human: Fall Flat, which has now sold 2.5 million units worldwide across all formats. The company is also releasing a physical edition of the game for Switch.
Dinsey concludes:
There has to be an understanding of what the consumer wants. People aren’t buying indie games just because they’re indie games anymore. We feel that to stay competitive, we must invest in bigger titles and run with market trends. Human: Fall Flat was our first online co-op patch. Bomber Crew DLC was our first DLC. And streamers, of course, are key. You need so much to take even the best games to market successfully – brilliant producers who can help the developers, an energetic marketing team, good relations with the platform holders and digital stores, some financial muscle and some luck. It’s relentless. We’ve had a good few months. But we can’t rest easy.
What do you make of Curve’s contributions to the Switch so far? Do you think the indie goldrush can continue in 2018? Let us know with a comment.
Without any sort of trophy or achievement system in place, Nintendo Switch owners only have one metric (apart from their pride, that is) to measure their dedication to a certain game: the play time activity tracker. However, a recent bug that’s reset the timer for launch games such as The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild has caused many a heart to break. But worry not, Nintendo is on the case and it’s assuring users that all activity is still being recorded and that a future update will restore any time stamps lost thus far:
In a recent tweet, here’s what Nintendo of America had to say:
So a fix is coming, and more importantly, all that time spent grinding for the Master Cycle Zero in Breath Of The Wild wasn’t for nothing. The arbitrary numbers will live on!
Has your play activity timers been reset? Are you still playing Breath Of The Wild? So many questions, so little time…
Rocket League continues to be one of the most popular titles on the Switch eShop, and it’s about to get even popular as the much-anticipated new update is rolled out across all versions of the game. The new version 1.42 adds in the DC Super Heroes DLC, which includes:
Battle-Cars
‘’89 Batmobile’
‘The Dark Knight Rises Tumbler’
Rocket Boost
‘Speed Force’
Decals
‘Aquaman’ (Breakout)
‘Batman’ (Paladin)
‘Cyborg’ (Roadhog)
‘Flash’ (Venom)
‘Green Arrow’ (Hotshot)
‘Green Lantern’ (Merc)
‘Superman’ (Octane)
‘Wonder Woman’ (X-Devil)
Player Banners
‘Aquaman’
‘Batman’
‘DC’
‘Cyborg’
‘Flash’
‘Green Arrow’
‘Green Lantern’
‘Superman’
‘Wonder Woman’
Wheels
‘Flash’
‘Wonder Woman’
Along with all these Justice League-themed vehicular add-ons, Psyonix has made a few tweaks, changes and bug fixes, including:
Map Rotation
Replaced ‘Snowy’ map variants with ‘Stormy’ versions
Mannfield (Stormy), Beckwith Park (Stormy), DFH (Stormy)
Spectator Mode
Spectators can now chat during matches
Competitive Season 6 Rewards
The appearance of the ‘Season 6 – Diamond’ Reward Wheels has been updated
Bug Fixes
Fixed a bug preventing players from being able to change Presets in the Endgame screen between matches
Division/Rank Up/Down animations now successfully display on the Endgame screen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kthv7D_zPcw
Are you still a Rocket League-er? Have you been working on your boost flips and over-the-top set-pieces? Comment below and share in the RL love…
Taking your Nintendo Switch out and about can be a dangerous business if you haven’t got it safely tucked away inside a case of some sort and, luckily for us, we’ve seen numerous offerings from various companies to suit our portable gaming needs. While budget-priced cases are also available, San Fransisco-based WaterField is a specialist in the premium side of the carry case world, and a brand new product for the Switch has recently been revealed.
Responding to customer requests, WaterField’s new product – called the SwitchPack – has been designed in such a way so that players need not worry about losing power while on their travels; you’ll find enough space inside the case to hold a power charger and a thin battery pack, as well as space for extra controllers and cables to ensure you have enough juice for your trip.
The SwitchPack’s dual waterproof zippers provide quick access to interior pockets that are soft and adjustable, allowing gamers the flexibility to pack for various play set-ups. These padded pockets hold the Nintendo Switch console with Joy-Cons attached, a Pro Controller or Joy-Con Grip, Joy-Con Straps and a power adapter. The main compartment accommodates extra Joy-Cons or a game card holder and a thin battery. The Switch console pocket is fronted by an extra-slim, Ultrasuede®-lined pocket that can store a few extra games, and actually helps clean the Switch screen.
Available in black ballistic nylon or rugged tan waxed canvas, each with premium leather details, the SwitchPack is undoubtedly an attractive option for your Switch-carrying needs. Of course, quality does come at a price, as the SwitchPack will set you back a handsome $129USD. For comparison’s sake, this sits towards the higher end of the company’s product range with other options – such as the Arcade Gaming Case – costing a little less.
It’s definitely a hefty amount of money to be handing over just to carry your Switch around, but does the quality of the product tempt you? Let us know in the comments.
Now available: Use Gold Points on digital games for the Nintendo Switch system
My Nintendo members can now redeem Gold Points for digital games and DLC for the Nintendo Switch™ system. It’s as easy as applying your points during the checkout process, whether you buy on the Nintendo website or Nintendo eShop on the system.
Ready to earn and redeem your Gold Points? Here’s how:
Buy a qualifying digital game for Nintendo Switch, Wii U™, or Nintendo 3DS™ family systems, or a physical game for the Nintendo Switch system.
Earn Gold Points based on the amount you pay (excluding any points or discounts used). * 5% for eligible digital purchases on Nintendo.com or Nintendo eShop (Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U) * 1% of the Nintendo eShop price for physical purchases (Nintendo Switch)
Redeem those points on your next eligible digital purchase (including games and DLC) for the Nintendo Switch system. Just look for the option to apply your points during checkout.
That means that if you buy a $59.99 game on Nintendo eShop, you’ll earn 300 Gold Points. Those points can then be redeemed for $3 toward your next purchase…which will earn more Gold Points, according to the amount you paid (excluding any points or discounts used)!
For more details, check out the new page about Gold Points.
Not yet a member of My Nintendo? Sign up for free today with your Nintendo Account.
Details:
Purchases of Nintendo 3DS or Wii U DLC do not qualify to earn Gold Points. Additionally, service items/tickets, in-game items or virtual currency do not qualify to earn Gold Points.
Gold Points can be used toward all eligible digital game and DLC purchases for the Nintendo Switch system, excluding automatic subscription renewals, service tickets and in-game items.
My Nintendo Gold Points expire after 12 months on the last day of the month in which they were earned. Visit My Nintendo Rewards Program Terms of Service for the full terms and conditions.
Both pixel art and platformers are very well represented on Switch right now. Whether it’s indie darlings such as Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove and Super Meat Boy, or third-party mascots Sonic and Rayman. Jumping, running and combat feel as ubiquitous to the system as the legendary first-party side-scrollers of yore, at least until Mario gets bored of his globe-trotting antics and returns to the two-dimensional Mushroom Kingdom. Next in an increasing line of retro inspired titles comes A Hole New World from Dolores Entertainment and MadGearGames.
Playing as a mysterious cloaked hero, you are trying to save Versee from the evil Lord Baduk and a slew of mythical demons, beasts and other such nastiness across half a dozen themed stages. To restore peace and harmony you must also slay the huge end of level bosses and acquire a set of magical potions to use to complete your quest. These potions can be switched on the fly with a press of the trigger buttons. The controls are very simple to grasp, but the trajectory of throwing the potions will take some practice, especially when taking on fast moving enemies or during boss fights.
While the story is pretty derivative and negligible, the game does try to employ a few presentation and mechanical hooks to make it stand out from the crowd. First of all, in attempt to subvert (more more fittingly, invert) the age-old genre trope of avoiding gaps so as to not plummet to your doom, AHNW’s main crux is exactly the opposite. Falling down a hole to enter the dark world is unfortunately not so much encouraged but necessary to progress, as there aren’t any alternate paths or many secrets to discover, save for increasing your score by collecting crystals or regaining health by eating chicken drumsticks.
You’ll go between the ‘regular’ world and the ‘dark’ world where you continue your adventure with opposing gravity, a moodier colour palette and more vicious creatures to take out. When it works well, alternating between the two to traverse platforms and dodge environmental hazards is a satisfying test of timing and skill, it’s just a disappointment that with the tease of a portal like reliance on momentum, there isn’t much in the way of puzzle ideas or secret areas to explore.
For as faithful as it is to the NES era of challenging side-scrollers such as Ghouls ‘N Ghosts, the parallax scrolling and effects are accomplished. The environments are detailed, animations are smooth and even though the bosses do employ the traditional methodology of studying limited attack patterns, they are pretty impressive in size and variety, if not quantity. Likewise, the rich and catchy chiptune soundtrack is solid and each track fits the environment well. Unfortunately, it’s almost too faithful to the era, as we experienced intermittent framerate stutters that were inconsistent with the nature of the action on screen. Curiously, it would hold up well during more chaotic action, but chug in the aftermath.
As with other retro inspired titles (and in fact proclaimed by the developers), A Hole New World has a degree of difficulty that some would call old school, but others might just call unfair. The lives system has been rejigged a little, as quite generously spaced checkpoints or being revived by your fairy companion deceivingly make proceedings more manageable.
It isn’t long before frustration sets in, as you’ll be bombarded with swooping bats that are barely distinguishable from the dark background, ambushed by lightning-quick pouncing wolves, or even just zapped by lightning, all while hordes of lumbering monsters take several well-timed hits to take down. It can become an exercise less in strategy or skill, but just taking a hit, being temporarily invincible and running for your life. In line with more modern trends, there is a new game plus mode, boss rush, challenges and multiple endings to stretch out the initial hour or two play time.
Conclusion
A competent and authentic 8-bit experience, A Hole New World will be enjoyed by many a retro fan out there, but the some of its mechanical elements are faithful almost to its detriment. Travelling between the dual worlds is cool, but utilised without much ambition or variety. While certainly not a bad game, the methods employed to enforce difficulty feel cheap and frustrating, rather than motivating or rewarding. A few of the bosses are visually impressive, but there isn’t much here structurally or gameplay wise that particularly stand out . If you’re looking for another title with more nostalgia and ‘traditional’ challenge rather than sadistic, fast-paced, twitch-based platformers, then A Hole New World is an adequate game that will bring back many memories of the 8-bit era, for better or worse.
