Nintendo News – Page 1640

Posted on February 5, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Nintendo Wants To Make Greater Use Of Downloadable Content In The Future

While last week’s Nintendo earnings call produced some huge news stories – including the announcement of a mobile Mario Kart title, the launch date of Nintendo Switch’s online service and Mario’s new movie deal with the makers of Minions – but another tidbit of news got far less coverage: the fact Nintendo wants to make greater use of DLC in its games in the future.

“To promote longer gameplay for individual software titles, we plan to implement even more downloadable content and events that build excitement for games,” commented Nintendo president and CEO Tatsumi Kimishima, as he shed light on the firm’s plans for extending the longevity of future titles. Such a statement isn’t a huge shock considering how well received Breath Of The Wild‘s Champions’ Ballad DLC was late last year, although it does make you wonder whether this means Ninty plans to get a little more aggressive with its implementation.

We’re all up for providing content that brings something new or worthwhile to a game on Nintendo Switch, but we’re still a little cautious. Season Passes have long remained a source of contention for gamers elsewhere considering their escalating costs, and the shadow of microtransactions is always going to loom just out of sight. Let’s hope Nintendo isn’t taking a leaf out of Ubisoft or EA’s book when it comes to DLC.

What do you make of these comments? Share your thoughts below and get the conversation going on all things DLC…

Posted on February 5, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Review: World Heroes 2 (Switch eShop)

Of the many one-on-one fighters released on Neo Geo (and now filling up the Switch eShop), World Heroes was far from top of the pile. It could still entertain however, and its colourful cast of characters inspired by historical figures helped it stand out. World Heroes 2 provides the same best of three rounds fighting action, while also making a few improvements.

The eight playable characters from the first game return as well as shape-shifting boss character Geegus, or rather Neo Geegus who this time morphs into the six new characters. These newcomers include pirate Captain Kidd, American Football player Johnny Maximum and mask-wearing shaman Mudman. After dispatching Neo Geegus there’s a final challenge in the form of new boss Dio.

As before there is a button to punch and one to kick, with the length of time held determining which of two strengths of attack is used. A third button is used for throws and when out of throw range it is used to taunt your opponent. If you are just out of throw range this can of course lead to an untended taunt and a smack in the face. There’s not as many moves as in other games, but each character has some special attacks that add to your options during a fight, whether trying to keep someone at bay or render them unconscious.

The 14 characters would also feature in World Heroes 2 Jet along with two more and a new boss character replacing the two from this game. Jet would also further increase the speed and add a dash ability. One thing not included in that game–or final instalment World Heroes Perfect for that matter – is the Death Match mode.

Death Matches were also available in the first game, but where there they played the same as the regular fights with hazards thrown in, here the mode has been reworked to give it a more distinct feel. Rather than 99-second rounds there is a single 199-second bout of play and also a single energy bar. A marker starts in the middle and shifts left or right as the combatants take damage. Should it reach one side that fighter doesn’t instantly lose, but they must engage in button bashing and joystick waggling if they wish to beat the referee’s 10-count.

The shifting energy bar gives a different feel to fights with many more going the distance and the hazards also give you something to consider during the fight. There are a number of different death matches during your playthrough including ones with spiked sidewalls, landmines and a circular sawblade that moves through the arena. While being something you have to keep an eye on and avoid, these hazards can prove extremely useful if you can knock your opponent on to them.

Whichever mode you play through, defeating Dio will reward you with your character’s ending, so there’s some replayability if you’d like to see them all. Get to know your character’s moves and the CPU fighters are not too difficult to beat, but as usual the difficulty can be increased, up to level eight (from the default four) if you’d like more of a challenge. As always there is an online leaderboard you can move up as you replay and improve your score, with further leaderboards available in the one-credit Hi Score and five-minute Caravan modes – although these can only be played with regular fights, not death matches.

If you are fed up with CPU opposition, a second player can buy-in to the arcade mode at any time to challenge you to a fight. After selecting your characters both players can chose the type of match; a coin toss deciding if you vote differently. Although you can’t pick a specific type of death match it can be any of the types available in the game and not just whatever you were fighting on when the second player joined in.

Conclusion

Offering a simple three-button setup World Heroes 2 may not offer quite as many offensive options as other fighting games, but there’s a good range of fighters and bouts can still entertain. Subsequent games in the series would add to the gameplay, however, with the already available World Heroes Perfect being the top World Heroes option for best of three round fights. What this game does have over the next two instalments is the revamped Death Match mode that provides a fun alternate way of playing as the energy bar moves back and fourth during the battles and you avoid the hazards or try to use them to your advantage. Fights can often go the distance with the marker shifting to the victor in the final moments. World Heroes 2 may not be the best fighting game available on Switch, but it can still entertain.

Posted on February 5, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Switch Scrapper Brawlout Is Getting A Physical Release

UK publisher Merge Games has revealed that it is bringing Angry Mob Games’ Brawlout to physical retail.

The fighting title has been compared to Smash Bros. and has already amassed quite a following via its recent eShop release.

Merge Games’ Managing Director, Luke Keighran, had this to say about the news:

We are delighted to have teamed-up with Angry Mob Games. Brawlout is an awesome title and partnering with Angry Mob Games has been a great experience. We believe Brawlout on the Switch will be warmly welcomed by retailers and fans alike.

Angry Mob Games’ CEO, Bogdan Iliesiu, added:

Brawlout had such an amazing reception on Nintendo Switch, with a dedicated community of over 80K players in its first month alone. It’s impressive, and humbling, to see people throw themselves so wholeheartedly into Brawlout and we hope to cater to even more types of gamers with the physical release!

We quite liked Brawlout when we reviewed the eShop edition not so long ago, giving it 7/10 and saying:

Some performance hiccups prevent Brawlout from being truly wonderful, but for an on-the-go, cheaper alternative to a game that hasn’t even been announced for the console yet, this isn’t a bad choice – just make sure to keep the issues we mentioned in mind.

The physical release will hit stores shelves in May. Will you be buying this one, or did you opt for the digital download?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Both The Room And The Amnesia Games Are Being Considered For Nintendo Switch

Horror could be the genre to watch on Nintendo Switch in 2018. Not only have we Layers Of Fear: Legacy on the horizon – check out our interview with the developers for more info – and the first two Outlast games, but now we’ve got the potential to add some more psychological fearscapes to the mix in the form of The Room series and the Amnesia games.

Both of the respective developers behind each franchise are considering bringing one or more of their games to the handheld console, if a set of tweets in response to fan questions are to be believed. Amnesia and SOMA developer Frictional Games says it, “can’t make any solid promises right now,” but that it promises, “to keep everyone on Twitter updated with further developments.” The Room developer Fireproof Games says it’s, “definitely something we’re considering!” So nothing set in stone, but considering the momentum Switch continues to build, it’s hardly a hollow hope.

What do you guys think? Would The Room and the Amnesia games make a good fit on Switch? Let us know in the comments section below…

Posted on February 5, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Review: Arcade Archives Kid Niki Radical Ninja (Switch eShop)

Kid Niki: Radical Ninja is a bright cartoony platformer that has you run and jump through levels, dispatching a range of foes with your spinning sword attack before a showdown against a boss character. This Arcade Archives release also offers those thrills and adds in HAMSTER’s usual options and extra modes, but the interesting thing about Arcade Archives Kid Niki Radical Ninja is that the game included is actually Kaiketsu Yanchamaru – the original Japanese version of the game. There’s even a warning screen informing us that “if you are playing this video game outside the country of Japan, you are involved in a crime”. Cheers HAMSTER!

Arcade Archives Traverse USA included Japanese and English versions of that game (as do HAMSTER’s ACA Neo Geo releases), so it’s a little unusual that hasn’t happened here where the regional differences are more than just a different title screen. Yanchamaru’s sprite has a tidy topknot compared to Niki’s ruffled hair look and the brief text explaining the setup for the adventure with our, “totally rad ninja swordsman,” is absent from this release.

There’s not much text in the game and although it’s in English there’s a different tone to that of the western release. For example title cards appear before each stage, but while here you are informed the first stage is, “VS Otafuku Tarou,” the Radical Ninja version tells you it is the, “land of the trees,” and that you should, “kill Death Breath.” One gameplay alteration of note is that the western release featured checkpoints in its stages, but here failure sends you all the way back to the beginning; disheartening if you struggle your way through to the boss before things go pearshaped.

Essentially though, this is the same fun game. With only a few pits to get across, it’s mostly focused on combat and it’s short, too (just eight stages). However, it can get tough so it’s not something that can be breezed through with ease. There are a number of different enemy types in the game and while some you dispatch and then they’re gone, others are replaced by new foes running on screen. New arrivals will continue to take the place of fallen comrades until you move on, but moving on can be tricky when you are being attacked on both sides.

There are a couple of time-limited special items that can be collected (spinning ball, large shuriken), but for the most part combat involves the spinning sword. Yanchamaru’s sword attack is very effective (able to take out foes above and below as well as directly in front), but he is glued to the spot when performing it and having defeated one group you often find you have to turn around and take out some running at you from the other direction. There are trees you can climb to avoid dangers, but as they often contain further enemies it’s usually easier to just run past.

The bulk of the enemies encountered are masked assassins (dressed in various colours), some of whom just run at you but others have weapons such as shuriken or small explosives. One type has a jump that can catch you off-guard and if there are several of them they can climb atop each other’s shoulders, requiring you to dismantle this tower from the top if you hope to get past.

Other bad guys include the likes of insects, small rock-pushing foes (hit repeatedly to smash this shield), aggressive kites and fire-breathing frogs. All of these behave differently, so you’ll need to learn how best to deal with them. Even then, the various combinations they appear in (plus the fact there’s a lot of them) means quick thinking is required to successfully navigate the levels.

There are some basic sound effects used such as for your sword attack, it’s impact noise and your springy-jump. The music is also simple, a little beepy and repetitive, but actually quite catchy. Visually it looks fairly good for its time (1986), with multiple shades of colour on scenery and some depth added by items placed in front of the sprites. Stage design includes uneven terrain and there are large sprites used for the bosses.

Boss battles are fun and see you trying to survive while looking to find an opening for an attack. For example, one stage ends with a guard advancing on you and only when his weapon is not blocking can you get in a strike of your own. Another attacks you with speech bubbles and there’s a large caterpillar-like boss who burrows through ground and ceiling. You sword can be lost during these encounters and there’s then a scramble to get it, while also being careful not to get hit.

There’s a lot that can go wrong during a playthrough, but once you’ve got the hang of the game, the biggest difficulty is the timer. It drops rapidly and you may find you reach the boss, but do not have enough time to defeat them. You then have to go back and do the level again, but figure out how to do it quicker.

In the options menu you can increase your lives from three to five, which would be welcome if playing in an arcade, but here is pointless if you are just looking to beat the game as you have unlimited credits. For a tougher challenge the difficulty can be increased to ‘hard’ or you could play the Hi Score mode which challenges you to beat the game on a single credit, while also trying to score as high as possible to move up the online leaderboard.

The online leaderboards (also available in the arcade and five-minute Caravan modes) work well with this game as there are a number of factors that determine your score such as enemies defeated and time left at the end of the stage. There are also a few non-aggressive birds that can be dispatched for a points bonus, but which are easily run past. Alternating two-player is also available on the arcade mode if you’d like to compare your scoring to a friend.

Conclusion

There’s only eight levels, but there’s enjoyment to be had from Arcade Archives Kid Niki Radical Ninja as you hop about and avoid attacks, take some enemies out on the left, then the right, jump to move forwards and smack some in midair too. The game can be challenging, but satisfying when you up your pace sufficiently to stop that timer hitting zero and the boss battles are fun too. If you are just looking to finish the game there’s not much replay value once cleared, but there’s a few ways to improve your score which adds to the replayability when combined with the online leaderboards.

Posted on February 4, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Review: Night In The Woods (Switch eShop)

Make no mistake about it, Night In The Woods will stay with you. There aren’t very many games out there that manage to leave an imprint on the people who take the time to experience them, but Infinite Fall’s emotional adventure into rural isolationism, palpable Americana and the melancholy of long lost youth does just that. It’s both tongue-in-cheek and deeply tragic, with one eye winking at the audience and another turned inward at the very real growing pains of finding your very own place in the world.

Our window into this world is Mae Borowski, a college dropout (and cat, naturally) who returns to her sleepy hometown and its anthropomorphic community, only to discover the rust belt town is both instantly familiar and inherently skewed. There’s an intriguing sense of mystery to the story just waiting to be unearthed, with the reason for Mae’s decision to leave education behind (and a life-changing tragedy from her past) hinted at subtlety throughout her interactions with the people of Possum Springs.

It’s a style of writing more akin to an art-house teen drama or a slow burning novel, a feel that pervades almost every facet of NITW’s six or so hours of story. It’s a game by the very nature of your interaction – you’ll explore its beautifully rendered 2D world at your pace, speaking to NPCs, interacting with everything from notice boards to laptops and using a little light platforming here and there – but its heavy focus on storytelling creates an experience that’s more of a visual novel projected through the prism of open-ended exploration.

There’s an intriguing dichotomy to Mae’s relationship with the hometown she now finds both alien and familiar. It’s a credit to Bethany Hockenberry and Scott Benson’s writing that we get to witness the threads of Mae’s slowly unraveling psyche play out in the Possum Springs of here and now. Her hometown is a living time capsule, sealed in the sedentary amber of an economy that’s left its long-dead mining industry behind. And yet we’re delicately invited to see how it’s our heroine that’s barely changed, her bohemianism more an analogue for her desire to hold onto the hedonism of her teens than a true reflection of her current state of mind.

It’s one of the best – and more importantly, most identifiable – stories we’ve ever played in video games as a whole, never mind on Switch. It’s a game very much of our time, one that deals in themes of sexuality, love, tragedy, mental health and the very real schisms that run through many a modern family. Mae may be a larger than life caricature at times, but the challenges she encounters are beats many of us will recognise and every thread is dealt with a deftness we’ve rarely seen outside of the likes of Life Is Strange.

It’s a narrative driven experience, and while there are other little elements thrown in to mix things up – including mini-games involving stargazing, shoplifting, knife fights (yes, there’s even a splash of combat, albeit briefly) and general social vandalism – it’s very much an interactive comic book linked together with some light exploring and a dash of platforming. That heavy focus on character development means NITW’s pacing can suffer as it indulges itself in long conversations between Mae and her friends, family and acquaintances. It’s a game that moves at its own pace, and the human drama of its plot benefits from such attention, but it’s a story that will occasionally feel like a slog.

The supernatural sub-story that runs alongside the post-teen angst of the game does feel a little out of place at times, often being left to the wayside in the wake of her emotional re-connection (or lack thereof) with her old friends, but it’s a narrative element that benefits greatly from the additional Weird Autumn content that was patched post-launch into versions of the game on other platforms. Mae now has a series of hallucinatory dream sequences that ramp up the platforming while adding a tangible phantasmagoria that reaffirms the stranger things at play beneath Possum Springs’ surface.

There are also some unexpected – and pleasantly surprising – genres folded subtly into NITW’s narrative heavy world. There’s a rhythm game mini-game (accessible through story-driven band practice and a bass guitar found in Mae’s bedroom) that will push your timing to its limit. It’s difficulty curves make it more frustrating than enjoyable to begin with – however, since Mae often points out she’s forgotten how to play most of the songs her old band know it’s more a purposeful product of design than a technical oversight.

There’s also a pixel art, top-down ‘roguelite’ found on Mae’s laptop. There are nine levels in total to explore in Demontower and it’s so robust in its enemy types, boss battles and character movement you’ll almost forget you’re playing a game inside another game. It’s just the kind of meta experience you’d expect from a game created in the homogeneous scene that gave us TowerFall and Celeste. Not bad for a mini-game hidden in the corner of laptop desktop.

Having the ‘director’s cut’ that is Weird Autumn already included in Switch’s version of NITW makes it feel far more substantial, thanks partly to the inclusion of some new NPCs to meet and those aforementioned criminal activities. They’re throwaway in terms of gameplay, but they fit smoothly into Mae’s attempt to reconnect with her friends. There’s even two companion stories – Lost Constellation and Longest Night – included for added stargazing fun (with the latter offering a cute little fairy tale that riffs on its own unique mechanics). The game also runs silky smooth on Switch, running at 1080p/60fps when docked, and 720p/60fps when in handheld. Bar slightly longer loading times when compared to other platforms, it performs like an angst-ridden dream.

Conclusion

Less of a game, and more of an interactive story with some light platforming and exploring to tie it all together, Night In The Woods is one of the most rewarding experiences you can play on Nintendo Switch. A curio better played for yourself than described by us, it’s an indie title that will no doubt leave an impression with its enchanting soundtrack, disarming story and instantly identifiable character arcs. Both strange and wonderful in equal measure, few games are as easy to recommend as this.

Posted on February 4, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Feature: Behind The Scares With Layers Of Fear: Legacy’s Bloober Team

Nintendo Switch has its fair share of platformers, shoot-em-ups and retro fighting games, but it’s taken a while for the grisly realm of horror to finally make its gruesome home on the handheld platform. Layers Of Fear: Legacy is one of the first to make horror portable, with its unique mixture of first-person exploration and psychological fear doubling down in its potency on Switch.

So to celebrate the game’s arrival on Switch in Q1 2018, we caught up with the game’s producer Rafal Basaj, to talk building a memorable horror game, the truth behind the development scene in Poland and the deeper psychological elements of the studio’s games…

When did development on the Switch version of Layers of Fear start?

We started slowly working on the project at the beginning of 2017, however, the workload increased around the middle of the year.

When was the decision made to bring it to Switch?

Probably the moment we heard about the console itself.

How was the development process?

I’d love to say that it was easy, but we had our share of problems. Because of the technical specs of Nintendo Switch, primarily the memory available, we had to do a lot of acrobatics to bring LOF:L to a steady frame rate count. Out-of-memory crashes were a nightmare for a few weeks for us, but slowly we managed to get rid of all of the problems while retaining high-quality visuals. All-in-all it was a really fun ride and we’re super hyped for the upcoming launch of the game.

How has your relationship with Nintendo been?

Frankly speaking, it was, and still is, great! We received a ton of help and support from the teams in all of the regions. LOF:L is our first game for Switch and a new game for a Nintendo system in a long time – obviously we needed some guidance, but support was always a single email away. It is a pleasure working with them and we hope to sustain that relationship for a long time.

What was your interest and exposure to the rumours of the NX?

Our CEO is one of the biggest Nintendo fans I know – back in the day he was one of a few people responsible for gathering Nintendo fans from Poland, a country where the Japanese company almost didn’t exist sales-wise, so of course we looked closely to what Nintendo was bringing to the table. The first rumours about NX fired up our imagination of the potential of the system and we knew back then that we would love to make an appearance on the platform.

How has Nintendo Switch been received in Poland?

I guess it’s a bitter-sweet story, Nintendo has never been ‘a thing’ here. The majority of gamers grew up on PC gaming and the first PlayStation system. Older players often chose Amiga or Atari as the platform to play on, furthermore, we never had a NES or SNES officially on our market, so Nintendo was at a disadvantage when it came to promoting their platforms to new generations of customers.

Unfortunately, this is still the reality, at least to some extent – when Switch launched in Europe, Poland was one of only a few countries, where the stock lasted on the shelves. With the success of the console more and more people tend to buy it and there is yet hope to grow as big as the recent renaissance that could have been observed in Russia.

What adjustments or additions have been made to Switch Legacy version?

The game was redesigned to fully embrace the capabilities of the Nintendo Switch system. The game will be playable both in docked and undocked modes, and will support HD Rumble and even the touchscreen if you’re using the console as a handheld. Gyroscopes and accelerometers have done wonders for us in terms of adding an additional layer of immersion into the game, giving us a more tactile way of showcasing gameplay. We’ve also made the Inheritance DLC a part of Legacy as well, so you’ll be able to enjoy the whole experience in one package.

So why horror?

Wow, can I write an essay on the topic? But in all seriousness, horror is one of the more open genres out there. We can mix everything into it: fantasy, sci-fi, classic art and it still will make sense. The creative freedom that horror gives us is immense and we want to explore it to its fullest! There’s also an additional reason here – horror in gaming for years have been diminished into the survival subgenre only, very few developers tried to do things differently. We want to change that.

Look at cinematography – there are all kinds of different types of horror films, from gore slashers to psychological movies. We want that diversity to be present in the video game industry as well. We aim to create immersive psychological horror games, focused on environmental storytelling and a thick, dark atmosphere that will scare the hell out of people. Scientific studies prove that we as people are most afraid of the unknown, and messing with the players’ expectations is what we do best.

What is the story of the game?

Without venturing into the ‘Warning, Spoiler Alert!’ section, the game is about a once successful painter, who after a series of tragedies has only one goal ahead of him – create a Magnum Opus – a masterwork painting. The player will follow his creative journey, but it won’t be another episode of The Joy Of Painting by Bob Ross, it will be a descent into madness and a story about making a choice between career and a family life. LOF:L will be a psychedelic wild ride through a dark narrative, where every move of the camera might change the players’ surroundings.

What works of popular culture or personal experiences influenced it?

We had two main influences: The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and a whole bunch of dark and gritty classic paintings from the past centuries: from the art of ugliness movement, to the work of Goya, van Eick and others. These might not necessarily sum up pop culture, but they definitely do wonders to the atmosphere and issues presented in the game.

Obviously, we don’t live in a vacuum, so a lot of the modern films, books and games found their way into Layers of Fear – Amnesia, P.T., works of Edgar Alan Poe, King, Carpenter, Koontz – we work as a team, so mentioning everything that inspired us would probably take at least a few full articles to cover.

How do the gameplay elements and the story play off each other?

You learn the story by exploring the ever-changing mansion, gathering clues and investigating items. It’s a wild ride through a deranged mind focused on attaining perfection, but the story itself has a deep and dark ring to it. I don’t want to go into the spoiler area, but I’ll say that taking the time to learn it and then process it, might give you a fresh perspective even on your own real life.

Obviously, LOF:L couldn’t be a horror game without a kind of a threat, but we approached this aspect differently – succumbing to the foe doesn’t mean you’ll get a game over screen, the mechanic is strictly connected to the story that branches out to three distinctive endings and every decision you make leads you to one of them, not necessarily a positive one.

There’s a deep psychological element running throughout Bloober Team’s games…

That’s our goal. We want our games to talk about something meaningful, to be more than pure fun for those players who take the time to ponder on the stories we tell. Horror has always been a means to keep social tensions in check; to face our fears, so we can handle the reality of life. We want to take this aspect to the next level, so we decided to follow two rules, when creating new games.

First and foremost, the game needs to have a subject, one psychological or philosophical in nature to jump-start a meaningful discussion. It also needs to not only relieve people of their tensions, but also make them think about the issues presented in the game and compare them to their own worldviews and lives. Throughout our work we often present dilemmas, hard choices and issues that have no right or wrong answers to them, this way we can make people start discussing the real world that surrounds them.

How has the creative process started each time?

With chaos! The chaos of ideas, references, plot twists… I’d say that it always starts with one particular concept, be it an idea for a plot or a single mechanic, stirring up our imagination enough so that the brainstorms can follow.

What were your favourite horror movies/games growing up?

Let’s start with games, I actually have a pretty unorthodox title to mention here: Diablo. Not because it was a scary horror game in itself, but the audio in the game… let’s say that I have been hearing the Khazra each time I wanted to get some sleep for many long weeks as a pre-teen kid. The other title was the Phantasmagoria games that I remember watching while my older brother played them.

I have one particular horror/ thriller that I adore for its concept – The Others, written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar. For some reason, I always preferred the mystery horror thrillers above the gore/funny flicks, which probably is the reason why now I’m part of Bloober Team, co-creating psychological horror games.

What were your favourite Nintendo games growing up?

Sorted chronologically it would be Donkey Kong, which I played on my now-dead Atari, from which I moved to the The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past and then the whole Zelda series as a whole. The most influential title for me would have to be The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker, which I treat as an unbeatable masterpiece of gaming to this date. I also have a special place in my heart for Star Fox and the Pikmin series. The last, but not least, would be The World Ends With You published by Square Enix, but I don’t know if it counts to the list.

How do you think horror as a genre is approached differently in Europe, America and Asia?

It’s all heavily rooted in our cultures. Based on myths, national and racial history, to how societies and religions changed and mixed. We just have different expectations of what we should be afraid of, but also what we like and enjoy. That’s why ghosts in Western societies are most often connected to one place or item that they haunt, which is the opposite of Asian cultures that tell stories of free roaming spirits.

How well do you think horror has been represented on Nintendo platforms?

It’s not that Nintendo had a whole lot of horror games on their platforms, but when they did… boy, talk about quality! From Sweet Home, released in Asia for Famicom, through Clock Tower (Super Famicom), to Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem exclusively published on GameCube. Even Luigi’s Mansion, a horror-esque take on Ghostbusters proves that Nintendo had ideas for how to present horror in style on their platforms. We’re extremely happy that we can be among those titles with our launch of LOF:L for Nintendo Switch.

Which horror games (especially on Nintendo platforms) are you fans of?

I think most of us in the office, when it comes to Nintendo systems, would agree that Eternal Darkness was a defining horror for a lot of us, with Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Zero as strong runner-ups. If we go beyond the Big N’s platforms we must mention Silent Hill 2, P.T., Amnesia, maybe Forbidden Siren, Phantasmagoria, Alone In The Dark and so many, many more. Most of the people here in Bloober Team almost breathe horror, so it’s an impossible task to name all of the titles.

What features of Nintendo Switch suit the horror genre and your games in particular?

Probably the ability to take the console with us to a dark basement! *laughs* The capabilities of Joy-Cons and HD Rumble make a world of difference when it comes to tactile senses and I think a lot of horror games will benefit from those technologies.

We would like to thank Rafal for his time. Layers Of Fear: Legacy will be available for the Nintendo Switch in Q1 2018.

Posted on February 3, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Talking Point: What Games Are You Playing This Weekend?

After a long vacation overseas, our weekly ‘What Games Are You Playing This Weekend?’ feature is back, refreshed, revitalised and ready to go it again in 2018. Talking of 2018, we’re barely a month in and we’ve already been treated to some great new games on Nintendo Switch, with countless more gems on the horizon in the months to come.

Question is, what games are the team at Nintendo Life playing on their respective days off? Whether it’s games we’re playing for review, or titles we’re catching up on from our respective piles of shame, our writers and editors are enjoying a veritable smorgasbord of games on Nintendo Switch, 3DS and beyond.

Here are this week’s hot picks…

Ryan Craddock, news reporter

In the last of these features back in December, I specifically remember saying that I wanted to have completed Metroid: Samus Returns over the holidays. In a twist that will surprise absolutely no one, I failed to do this and have only recently got back into the game’s murky depths.

This weekend will therefore be spent purging the world of those pesky Metroids and any left-over time will likely be given to some local multiplayer ARMS. We’ve been really enjoying some late-night matches in my house recently and I just can’t say no to some (almost) healthy competition!

Mitch Vogel, US news editor

I’ve been on a JRPG kick lately, due in no small part to doing the review of Lost Sphear. I understand why it divided opinion, but I’ve got a soft spot for traditional RPGs in that style, and I’ve been having a blast with it so far.

When I get bored of Lost Sphear, I’m going switch to something a little more modern and boundary pushing with Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I’ve been rather distracted by other releases since getting it in December and I feel as though I’ve barely begun to scratch the surface, despite being about 15 hours in.

Liam Doolan, Australia correspondent

With Rocket League still near the top of the charts on the Switch eShop, I’m guessing I’m not alone when I say I’ll be playing Psyonix’s arcade soccer/driving hybrid this weekend. Even though I own three copies, I find I’m still addicted as I was when I originally acquired the game on PC a few years ago.

In the Switch version, I’ve mostly spent my time playing the online mode. I normally tell myself I’ll just play a few quick rounds before I begin a more intense session on some other game. An hour or two later and I’m still boosting for goals.

Alex Olney, video producer

This weekend I’ve got that luxury of not having a whole lot to actually do; the flat’s been cleaned, I only need to head out at some point to get a plant, and that’s about it, so you’re absolutely right that I’m going to enjoy some lovely, delicious gaming goodness.

I recently downloaded Oxenfree for a bargain price, so that will undoubtedly be taking up some of the evenings, but for a lot of the time I can absolutely see myself delving into some over-the-top action in DOOM. I’ve actually been playing it online quite a bit and I’m really, really enjoying it. I haven’t really played many online shooters except Splatoon 2 since my Xbox Live subscription ran out about four years or so ago, so it’s a real treat to be diving right back into it with something as refined and ridiculous as DOOM on Switch.

Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer

To the surprise of no one I will be spending this weekend among the Titans Of Alrest. Yes, I was done with main plot from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on New Years Eve but much like it’s predecessors a very large chunk of the experience is in actually exploring the vast world for more content and as usual this is something Monolith never fails to deliver.

But when no one is looking, I must t admit to be quite hooked on the unlikely Dustoff Heli Rescue 2. Dom’s preview piqued my interest but I was pleasantly surprise to find under the casual game guise it hides a hardcore Choplifter experience that will both test your skills and nerves as you try to perfect each of the 35 missions. And I haven’t even mentioned the Stargate I found on mission 12…

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, editor

This weekend I’ll be returning to Possum Falls as I take Night In The Woods on Nintendo Switch for a ride. I only played it briefly on another platform, but retooled for the handheld freedom of Switch its mysterious take of identity, death, black humour and personal awakening already has me spellbound. I’m taking care of Nintendo Life’s official review, so look out for that on the site early next week.

I’ll also be playing more Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (my new favourite game on 3DS), which I discovered last month while spending a Christmas GAME voucher. It’s turn-based, third-person action is addictive to the point of being dangerous. I love it, so so much.

Damien McFerran, editorial director

In keeping with the fact that I’m an old relic who thinks retro games are better than modern ones, I’ll be playing Advance Wars on my trusty GBA SP this weekend. Alex’s excellent video listing the 26 games you simply have to play on your GBA inspired me to make this choice, but I’ve been meaning to drop back into Intelligent Systems’ seminal tactical series for some time now.

I’ve been spurred on by the excellent Tiny Metal on Switch, which is as close to a spiritual successor as you’re likely to get these days. I have fond memories of playing Advance Wars back in the day but I never did complete it; sounds like a challenge I’ll have to step up to now.

Dave Frear, retro reviewer

I hope to dive back in to The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. It was easily my most played game last year, but due to being busy with other titles later on, I’ve not really bothered with the last DLC that came out. The plan is to get stuck into that this weekend, but it’s the kind of game where plans quickly change.

No doubt I’ll get distracted by something off in the distance and go to investigate, perhaps stumble into a side quest I haven’t done or find a really good slope for shield surfing. I suspect there will be unplanned battles along the way, I’ll forget what it was I originally intended to do and ultimately pop by a stable and gallop off, singing the words to My Lovely Horse.

Jon Cousins, Japan correspondent

I’ll be playing through Celeste again, this time on my TV, trying to pick up the B-sides, extra strawberries and just in general take a bit more time and challenge myself with its mountainous levels. Apart from that, I dip in to Super One More Jump every so often. It’s great to pick up and chip away at, and it’s also a great way to see how creative your swearing becomes the more you go wrong!

Darren Calvert, operations director

This weekend I will mostly be playing the excellent Celeste on Switch. I’ve only put a few hours into it so far, but it’s totally won me over with its tight gameplay and retro charms… I can’t wait to risk life and limb in order to collect more of those fiendish floating strawberries. We’re so spoiled at the moment on the Switch eShop, there are so many amazing games coming out each week… but if you haven’t tried Celeste yet I would certainly recommend giving it a try soon.

Tony Stephenson, social media manager

As well as avoiding red shells frantically in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I’m also taking part in a Rocket League tournament, organised by Nintendo Players UK, as part of the group I also run. I am shocking at the game but it is so much fun! Also, I’ve seemed to have caught the ARMS bug so will be taking part in the Party Clash. I have no idea how that will go as I’ve only ever played as Min Min. Hey ho, let’s give it a go.

Glen Fox, guides editor

I plan to dig into The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the very first time. I’m not particularly comfortable going public with that, given that Zelda is in my top five favourite franchises of all time, but I have some serious unfinished business with Wii. I blame my bee in the bonnet about the lack of HD at a time when it was all the rage. Sigh.

Dave Letcavage, contributing writer

I feel such guilt. Three Switch games remain in the packaging (Xenoblade Chronicles 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and The End Is Nigh) and I’ve left a couple eShop games unfinished. So, this weekend, should I find the time, I’ve got to start checking marks off that list. I have no idea what I’ll decide on yet, but I do know that completing Shu is high priority. That’s if I can power up the Switch without “accidentally” booting up ARMS… That ARMS icon always calls to me from the dashboard, and I’m rarely strong enough to say no.

Which games are you playing this weekend? (550 votes)

Metroid: Samus Returns

Lost Sphear

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

10%

Rocket League

Oxenfree

Splatoon 2

11%

Night In The Woods

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.

Advance Wars

Tiny Metal

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Celeste

Super One More Jump

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The End Is Nigh

Dustoff Heli Rescue 2

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Something else! (Tell us in the comments.)

27%

Please login to vote in this poll.

So that’s our picks for the weekend, but which games are you most excited to play over the next couple of days? We’d love to hear which new (or old) games from Nintendo’s many libraries will be on your to-do list. Get commenting below!

Posted on February 3, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Next Week’s European Splatfest Is All About Gherkins

Nintendo has announced that the next Splatfest in Splatoon 2 will be kicking off next weekend, asking the age-old question of ‘gherk-IN’, or ‘gherk-OUT’.

Taking place in Europe only, this Splatfest will provide definitive proof as to whether or not gherkins deserve a place inside a delicious burger – something we’re sure you’ll agree is of utmost importance.

This pickle-themed war will be heating things up at 2pm UK / 3pm CET on Saturday 10th, giving you one whole week to make your decisions and prepare for battle.

Which side are you on?

Posted on February 2, 2018 by sick skills — Leave a comment

Random: Orchestra Pranks Conductor With An Impromptu Rendition Of The Mii Channel Tune

You know it’s Friday when you log onto social media and see a video about an orchestra playing Nintendo music is going viral. Oh internet, never change. The prank was pulled off by the Wind Symphony, a college orchestra based in Lynchburg, Virginia, who decided to troll their conductor with a rendition of the Mii Channel Theme…

Poor old Dr Stephen Kerr, the Wind Symphony’s unsuspecting director, was ready to hear the gathered young musicians perform Bach Chorale. What he got instead was a far more iconic tune! At least he found the funny side of it: “I can honestly say I’ve never, ever, ever heard that before,” he admits in the video. “You’re all number one in my book!”

That put a smile on our face. Let us know what you made of it below!