Category: Nintendo News

Nintendo News

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Soapbox: It Took Nintendo To Turn Me Into A Smartphone Gamer

I love smartphones. From the very first moment I scooped up my T-Mobile G1 (AKA: the HTC Dream) way back in 2008, I knew this piece of technology would change my life forever. Over the years I’ve changed smartphones more often than I have my socks (that’s not actually an exaggeration, which is why my wife and kids find it so hard to occupy the same room as me) and the allure of a shiny new phone (which does exactly the same things as the last one, but ever so slightly faster) never ceases to get my pulse racing. In short, I’m an unashamed slave to smartphone technology.

Given my gaming background you’d logically assume that over years I’d have fully embraced the entertainment potential of the smartphone, too; granted, the lack of physical buttons is an issue when it comes to traditional games, but the likes of Angry Birds, Threes and Canabalt have arguably overcome this to present addictive and compelling gameplay experiences which as rightly snared millions of players. But not me.

I’ve found that gaming always tends to be forgotten on my smartphone; I typically have very few – if any – games installed on my device, with apps such as Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp being the first things I download when taking stock of a new handset (the exception to this rule being my beloved Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, which quickly became packed with emulators for a whole host of retro systems – that doesn’t really count as smartphone gaming, though). I prefer to game on dedicated hardware, and right now that naturally means Switch. The console’s delightful portability – combined with its amazing library of AAA games – presents a pretty intriguing gameplay proposition; the idea of playing a smartphone title designed to do little more than cynically empty my wallet via in-app purchases doesn’t exactly thrill me in comparison.

Despite this, I’ve found myself increasingly turning to my phone for my gaming fix, and it’s all thanks to Nintendo. The company’s decision to move into the realm of smartphone games with partner DeNA was met with skepticism when it was first announced, and its debut – the non-game Miitomo – did little to change that. However, Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes have delivered polished experiences which, while still subject to traditional smartphone tropes such as in-app purchases and cool-down timers, have enough of that all-important Nintendo magic to be addictive, compelling and entertaining. Add to this the Niantic-developed Pokémon GO – a game that I have booted up every single day since it launched last year – and it’s impossible for me to ignore the fact that Nintendo, of all companies, has turned me into a dedicated smartphone gamer.

I was perhaps a little in denial of this fact until recently, when I downloaded Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp to my phone. I’ve never been what I’d call a massive fan of the series, despite thoroughly enjoying past entries on the GameCube, DS and 3DS. I could clearly see the appeal of the game, its daily tasks and its massive selection of talking animals. However, having it on my phone takes things to a whole other level; I’m addicted in a way I’d never before believed was possible, certainly not in the smartphone arena. 

Every spare second I have each day is now devoted to running errands, chatting with campmates, trading goods with other players and – most importantly – paying off that accursed loan so I can pimp out my camper van. The cycle of work and reward is perfectly pitched, and while cool-down timers are used quite excessively, it’s not an issue when you can put your phone down for a couple of hours safe in the knowledge that when you next pick it up, there will be more tasks to complete, friends to hand gifts to and items to craft.

Nintendo’s smartphone output may make some of the same mistakes that other mobile games are guilty of – in-app purchases are, sadly, a core part of the experience in the free-to-play market (and are becoming part of paid games too, as those who have been following the Star Wars: Battlefront II debacle will attest) – but I’ve so far managed to play all of the company’s smartphone games without spending a penny. That might make me Nintendo’s worst smartphone gaming customer – the company is in this to make cash, after all – but given that I’ve previously kept mobile games at arm’s length, the Japanese veteran has clearly done something right.

What’s your milage been with Nintendo’s smartphone games? Let us know with a comment.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Poll: Have Your Say on the Best Main Series 3D Mario and Zelda Games

It’s hard to deny that the Nintendo Switch has been a monumental success since its launch back in March of this year, and that’s not only due to the console’s innovative design and functionality, but also thanks to some of the tremendous software we’ve received on the system. Two notable entries, however, are its launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and of course the recently released Super Mario Odyssey. The two flagship Nintendo franchises have certainly lived up to their standards – if not exceeded them – with these inspiring entries, and it’s likely that they’ll battle each other for numerous “Game of the Year” awards in the coming weeks. This got this scribe thinking about the different eras of main series home console 3D Mario and Zelda games, and which franchise “won” each period of time, if any. 

Of course, it could be said that the two shouldn’t be compared, due to one being of the platform genre and the other of adventure, but it’s interesting to see which Nintendo frontrunner is hailed as offering the best single player experience of each era. With that in mind, we’d like to ask you the same using our series of polls below. Keep in mind, we’re only counting each franchise’s main series 3D adventures on home consoles – not surrounding/spinoff games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Hyrule Warriors, handheld titles such as Super Mario 3D Land and A Link Between Worlds, or entries that can be played on a different console to the game’s original release (such as on the Virtual Console) – exceptions are made for later ‘HD’ iterations.

So, let’s go back to when the true main series home console 3D battle began.

The Polygonal Period (1996 – 2001)

The Nintendo 64’s release proved to be both evolutionary and revolutionary for Nintendo’s two franchise giants; Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time marked the first time each series graced our screens in the three-dimensional space. But it wasn’t just the transition to 3D that turned heads, for both titles have been – and still are – regarded as two of the greatest games of all-time due to them simply being stellar titles all round. It came as no surprise that both games were eventually ported onto Nintendo’s handheld systems for the newer generation of gamer to experience for themselves.

It’s no secret that Super Mario 64 was the stepping stone for which Mario has been conveyed in a 3D space ever since – just look at the basic controls of Super Mario Odyssey, a game released more than two decades later from Mario’s first 3D outing. In addition, it’s a known fact that Ocarina of Time used the base engine of Super Mario 64 throughout its development, further demonstrating the Nintendo 64 launch title’s brilliance as a 3D game both from player and developer perspectives. However, many of us who lived through this fantastic era of gaming were lucky enough to experience two Zelda 3D adventures, the second being The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – another game that was ported onto a handheld Nintendo system. Majora’s Mask used the same engine as its predecessor (it can therefore be argued that Super Mario 64 technically also played a pivotal role in shaping Majora’s Mask), and despite its relatively short development time proved to be one of the most unorthodox and therefore memorable titles in Zelda history. 

So, the Nintendo 64 received two sensational main series Zelda entries, but they arguably wouldn’t have been where they were if it weren’t for the console’s single stellar main series Mario entry, Super Mario 64 – which has paved the way for Mario games ever since. With that said, which franchise do you think won this era? 

The Legacy of the Lunchbox (2001 – 2006)

The Nintendo GameCube was a fantastic system and is arguably one of the most underrated Nintendo consoles to date, offering some of Nintendo’s greatest games. Unfortunately though, the much anticipated new Zelda release back then wasn’t met with smiles all round, due to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker presenting Link and his world in the form of cartoon. In hindsight, The Wind Waker is arguably one of the best 3D Zelda experiences to date, so much so in fact that it was remade on the Wii U in delightful HD. Speaking of which, the GameCube saw the release of yet another Zelda game towards the end of its run, and that was Ocarina of Time 2 – just kidding, it was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (we love this game, so don’t get too annoyed at that joke). Twilight Princess was a welcome addition to the system’s library (and like Breath of the Wild, also served as a launch title for newer hardware, with the Wii), for back then the release of The Wind Waker – and the GameCube’s cutesy design for that matter – drove some gamers away due to it all seeming childish and aimed at children. Twilight Princess helped change this perception, for it presented the series in a much “darker” and “more realistic” tone, which delighted many. And just like the aforementioned, Twilight Princess also received the HD remake it deserved on the Wii U due to its popularity.

The GameCube also received The Legend of Zelda: Master Quest, a reworked version of Ocarina of Time containing remixed puzzles and dungeons with a steep difficulty curve that was intended for the N64. It came bundled with The Wind Waker in some regions – though sold separately in others – and was part of a two-game disc in which the original Ocarina of Time was also contained. Not sure if that counts, but hey it was technically still a – albeit slightly – new Zelda offering and experience to play on Nintendo’s latest system. It should also be noted that the GameCube also saw the release of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, though it’s debatable whether the game is more of a spinoff Zelda title as opposed to a main series one due to its reliance on the Game Boy Advance and completely different take on core Zelda entries.

As for our favourite – or only – plumber in red, the Super Mario series continued with Super Mario Sunshine. Ultimately it’s gone down as a great 3D Mario adventure, but in general seems to be lost in the shuffle when the best home console Mario games are compared. However, many have been vocal about a “Super Mario Sunshine HD” remake, so maybe it’ll get the same treatment that The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess did – except on the Nintendo Switch. Of course, though it was the system’s launch title, we’re not counting Luigi’s Mansion here due to it simply not fitting within the category of main series Mario games.

So again, we got two incredible main series Zelda games (and an additional reworked version of an existing 3D Zelda game if you want to count that) and one main series Mario game on the Nintendo GameCube. Was it Mario or Zelda who took this period in gaming history for you? 

An E-motion-al Era (2006 – 2012)

The Nintendo Wii seemed to be a console that aimed to cater to a wide demographic, but this didn’t stop the big N from releasing some bar-setting titles within its two flagship franchises. The system was also the mark of Nintendo revolutionising once again, for its motion control approach played a part in its Mario and Zelda outings – for better or worse.

For starters, Twilight Princess was a launch title on the console, a similar approach to what we’ve seen with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on both Wii U and Switch platforms. Twilight Princess was originally planned for a 2005 GameCube release, but was delayed by a year so that it could be refined with additional content and also ported onto the upcoming Wii, leading to its dual-release. The game was virtually the same as its GameCube counterpart, though it’s been argued that it’s the inferior version due to the whole world being flipped to compensate for its implementation of motion controls. The combination of many believing that the GameCube version “plays better” and that it was dual-released with the Wii version is a large reason as to why the GameCube version is so rare and sought after. Nevertheless, Twilight Princess was a welcome addition on the Wii in general due to allowing the many who would seemingly miss the adventure on the console’s underperforming predecessor to experience Link in almighty wolf form on a shiny new commercial system. 

Where the Wii really stood out, however, was in its two 3D Super Mario adventures, that being Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. This was the first time Nintendo launched two main series Mario games on one system, a formula that The Legend of Zelda franchise was accustomed to since the aforementioned N64 era. Galaxy 1 & 2 were groundbreaking titles, both from gameplay and game design standpoints. Sure, you had your motion controls squeezed in here and there to remind players of the Wii’s flashy new capabilities, but the general consensus was that they were very well implemented and didn’t greatly impact on the player’s experience, unlike Twilight Princess and the other Zelda that came to be, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Skyward Sword received mixed reactions due to its overall direction on the series, but more importantly due to its motion controls (YouTube Miyamoto’s unfortunate demonstration of it at E3 2010 if you haven’t already). Nevertheless, it was still enjoyed by plenty and took the Zelda franchise to soaring new heights – literally and figuratively.

Isn’t there a title we’ve missed, you ask? Well of course! In the midst of Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 came New Super Mario Bros. Wii, an adventure that allowed players to relive the classic 2D side-scrolling platformer Mario games that rose the Nintendo mascot to stardom in the first place. Despite what many argue, it’s hard not to count NSMBW as a main series home console 3D Mario game since the game is far from a spinoff title, and although presented in 2D, is of course technically a game developed in 3D. It’s arguable that it was actually as “main series” as Mario could get, for Nintendo took the franchise back to its core roots. It was a change of pace from the 3D Marios we were used to within the era of modern gaming, yet the concept still achieved high praise all round due to its innovative take on the classic formula – capturing the attentions of both oldie and newbie Mario players.

Now in this case, we had three titles from Mario and two from Zelda grace the Wii. Was it red or green that stole your heart?

Feeling Blue with U (2012 – 2017)

The Wii U is something this writer likes to call the “GameCube 2.0”. It’s another underrated system of Nintendo’s – with a divisive design, confusing marketing, and a lacklustre scheduled release of games in its opening years that ultimately led to its abysmal sales performance. One title that did the console wonders from the get-go, however, was New Super Mario Bros. U. Much like the aforementioned NSMBW, NSMBU took the NSMBW formula and added a welcomed lick of shiny new HD paint – a first for Nintendo’s flagship series. Nintendo also released New Super Luigi U, a game that was both released as bundled DLC with NSMBU and a standalone retail version, containing redesigned levels specifically for Luigi’s abilities and play style. Both were brilliant games in general, but collectively wasn’t the 3D Mario experience everyone was licking their chops for (as they were 2D platformers in gameplay), and after the buzz around NSMBU and NSLU faded away, the Wii U’s library wasn’t looking too exciting.

Thankfully, sooner or later, along came Super Mario 3D World, a game that’s been hailed as one of the best well-rounded Mario experiences to date due to its hybrid take on both classic and modern Mario game mechanics. Near enough the same time, the aforementioned The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD came into existence too. It was another first for Nintendo’s other big franchise, for this was the first time any Zelda game could be played in glorious HD. The formula worked so well that Nintendo decided to do exactly the same thing with its other 3D main series Zelda title on the GameCube, resulting in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD. Despite both games being ports to a new system, they more than helped keep the Wii U somewhat afloat during its drowning existence, and were received well. Again however, the Wii U’s poor scheduling of new releases led to many complaints, and Nintendo were in dire need to develop and publish some new heavy-hitters.

Cue a trailer that gave the Wii U a sudden glimmer of hope. It was the announcement of the upcoming new Zelda game (then unofficially known as “Zelda U”). It made those growing frustrated with the system hang in there for that much longer, even though the Wii successor offered some incredible titles in Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Splatoon, and Super Mario Maker, to name a few. Unfortunately though, as you all know by now, “Zelda U” was delayed year after year, and as mentioned earlier eventually launched alongside its Nintendo Switch counterpart on March 23rd 2017. Yes, “Zelda U” became The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – an absolutely stunning and fresh take on the much-loved Zelda series – but it took far too long for those clinging onto their Wii U consoles for its inevitable release.

Right, so we received two 2D and one “2.5D”-styled main series Mario games, two HD ports of existing main series Zelda entries, and one new and epic 3D Zelda adventure title. Who walked away with it this time round?

The Hybrid Happening (2017 – present date)

So here we are now, the era of Nintendo’s latest hybrid console: the Nintendo Switch. Let’s cut to the chase – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are already being compared for “Game of the Year”. It’s this notion that motivated the creation of this article, for both games take the Mario and Zelda franchises to never-before-seen horizons – and are even more impressive considering that they can be played on both the big screen as well as on the go in stunning HD. As mentioned, Breath of the Wild was the Nintendo Switch’s launch title, and has kept many sticking around for hours due to its vast lands to explore and copious amounts of current and upcoming DLC. The game shook up the traditional Zelda formula a lot, which both delighted and disappointed many. Regardless, it can’t be argued that the game wasn’t a revolutionary entry in the franchise’s history, though it’s often likened to the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES due to its open world setting – albeit a helluva lot more beautiful to marvel at. 

Despite the world only having a month or so with Odyssey, it’s clear to see that the game is almost a must-have for any Mario fan. Sure, it’s been criticised for a somewhat short campaign, but that’s largely dependent on how the player wishes to play the game – and there’s lots to do post-game too. The game plays tremendously – Mario has never felt better to control – and its worlds are some of the prettiest sights we’ve ever seen in any Super Mario title. It almost feels like a celebration of the entire Mario series, for it – without getting into spoiler territory – contains nostalgic moments and gameplay elements that should put smiles (and perhaps happy tears) on the faces of many who grew up with the moustached hero in his previous adventures.

So, as of the date of this publication, which Nintendo giant deserves to sit on the throne? Yes, it’s been less than a year for both titles, and we’re not sure what the big N will cook up next for each franchise’s main series games – so this one’s extra tough!

Final Verdict

And now for the ultimate poll. Taking everything mentioned above, we ask you to determine which franchise you feel has “won” the main series home console “battle” overall.

Do you agree with some of these results? What’s your favourite main series home console 3D Mario and Zelda game, and era in general? Let us know your thoughts on all of this in the usual spot below.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Review: Snipperclips Plus: Cut it out, together! (Switch)

When the Switch launched in March three games were picked by a hefty percentage of early adopters – pretty much everyone bought The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, plenty purchased 1-2-Switch despite some sensing they were potentially making a mistake, and the most successful download title was Snipperclips – Cut it out, together!. All were published by Nintendo, but the latter was created and developed by two brothers and a small team called SFB Games, based in the UK. As a vehicle for promoting co-op and multiplayer on the Switch it was a puzzle-filled delight.

Its impressive sales on the eShop encouraged Nintendo to ‘go retail’ and release Snipperclips Plus: Cut it out, together!, though in practice the real addition is a reasonably priced DLC add-on; those that already own the game can simply top up with that extra content for $9.99USD. As we’ve already reviewed the original release we’re going to summarise the basics and then focus on what the ‘Plus’ content provides.

Though occasionally launch hype and excitement can encourage kind eyes on early games, our thoughts on Snipperclips – in terms of our glowing praise for what it has to offer – remain unchanged. It takes a simple but smart idea, wraps it in cute visuals and executes it with terrific skill; in fact before we realised it was developed by SFB Games we thought it was a ‘typical Nintendo game’, which is quite a compliment.

Snip and Clip are still cute and also delightfully mischievous. The stationery aesthetic is enhanced by the devilish streak of the characters, with hilarious facial expressions and animations. Through snipping, crouching and going on tiptoes, you manoeuvre these basic but brilliant characters in smart ways to fill gaps, create makeshift tools and more besides. As was the case in March you can play solo but, let’s be blunt, this is a multiplayer game. If you have friends and family up for the task it’s borderline irresistible, but it’s awkward and unsuited to single player.

While it is accessible for all players, that’s not to say it’s not a genuine challenge. By the time you get to World three of the main mode it gets tricky, and that’s where the new ‘main’ content comes in. There are two new Worlds, ‘Cosmic Comics’ and ‘Toybox Tools’, and they match the difficulty of what was previously the ‘last’ world. You need to clear about half of World three to get four, and then the same again to unlock the last World, ensuring you at least master the game to a reasonable degree before advancing.

The new Worlds offer plenty of playtime, especially as it can take 20 minutes+ to figure out some of the trickier stages, and even once a method is surmised the execution is still – at times – tricky. There are some lovely puzzle ideas in these new stages, with most of them standing up well and even introducing smart new ideas. There were a few we didn’t like and ended up skipping – you can unlock ‘star’ levels by clearing about two-thirds of the levels – because they crossed the line from ‘tough’ to ‘frustrating’. One level had falling parts to redirect, but the margin for error was so tiny that we gave up – it felt harsh rather than clever, but moments like that are rare.

That’s a lot of game, then, but the additions can be found elsewhere. There are some new levels in Party mode, which are larger levels where up to four players can tackle the challenge. The minigame-based ‘Blitz’ mode has a few new additions too; these are still fun in short bursts but otherwise are rather throwaway additions – the Hockey remains our favourite.

There’s also an unlockable option – it makes you earn it – to replay stages and modes with random shapes, a nice addition for extra challenge. ‘Stamp’ mode is also a decent arrival for artistic types with time on their hands, as you can attempt to create clever artwork using the characters. The main attraction of the DLC is the two extra worlds in the core 1-2 player campaign, but the extras in the 2-4 player modes also add to a welcome sense of value.

Another change worth mentioning, though it’s part of a free update with the original too, is the addition of controller support. At launch you were forced to use sideways Joy-Con – a fun way to pitch the controllers, but not the best solution for those with other options. Now you can use conventional control options – such as Joy-Cons in a Grip or the Pro Controller – which is a neat touch.

What Snipperclips Plus offers, then, is more of a very good thing. The original offered excellent value – considering how tough some of the puzzles were – to keep players busy, and for an extra ten bucks you get more of the good stuff. The game is fundamentally the same – so remains unconvincing at best for solo players – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and the Plus campaign levels will certainly test a duo’s team spirit and puzzle-solving ability. The party-style extras elsewhere add to the package too, fully justifying the budget retail price for the original and that ‘Plus’ content.

Conclusion

Snipperclips was a lovely launch game perfectly suited to puzzle-solving multiplayer, and in its Plus guise you get more content to enjoy. This is still not particularly suitable for solo play – though it’s possible – but it’s a game that is clear about its status as a multiplayer experience. When playing with friends and family it’s still charming, humorous and also challenging, and the extra price for the DLC content is well worth the investment. As a definitive version of a high quality game this is worthy of any Switch collection.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Spring Man Triumphs in First ARMS Party Clash

It was an interesting week in ARMS, with Nintendo running the first ‘Party Clash’ event in the game. It was nicely implemented when it went live, transforming the ‘Party Match’ area and throwing some fun ideas into matches with quickfire specials and boosts.

In a Splatfest-style approach it also pitted two sides against each other, in this case Spring Man against Ribbon Girl; if you used either character you got extra points and contributed to the team’s cause. The prizes of badges and money were decent incentives, and this writer had fun battling on behalf of the charismatic, stylish and fabulous Ribbon Girl.

The result was clearly a gross injustice, and we’re calling shenanigans.

In any case it got us into playing ARMS again, which is the whole point of the event. Did any of you get involved in the Party Clash?

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Review: Batman – The Telltale Series (Switch)

Long-time fans of Telltale Games will no doubt remember when the independent publisher and developer – specialising in the creation of episodic point-and-click games – hit its stride. Having worked with various IP including Sam & Max and Monkey Island since its inception in 2004, the company became more widely known within the video game community when it was able to acquire licenses for the comic book series – The Walking Dead and Fables (commonly known as The Wolf Among Us).

Since then, Telltale has worked with Game of Thrones, Borderlands and even Minecraft. It’s also been hard at work porting these episodic games across to every device that can handle them. The Switch is now next. Having already seen the arrival of Minecraft: Story Mode – The Complete Adventure, it’s now the caped crusader’s turn. Enter Batman – The Telltale Series.

This five-part episodic point-and-click series of the first season of Batman doesn’t stray far from the design of existing Telltale Games releases. The template that has made its games so popular since the company’s breakout success – when it released The Walking Dead – remains mostly intact. What’s different here is obviously the story. You enter the fractured psyche of billionaire Bruce Wayne as he slowly discovers the consequences of his choices as the Dark Knight – aka. Batman.

Similar to past Telltale Games titles, for every action there is a reaction; each episode is crammed with scenes focusing on Bruce Wayne and also his secret identity. The choices made as Batman often have an influence on Bruce Wayne’s personality, and vice versa. It’s very much a clash of the two personas throughout the series, with the character’s closest to Wayne (such as his loyal butler and long-time family friend, Alfred) willing to question his morals on a regular basis.

In this series Telltale has crafted a gritty and violent story that is a perfect match when applied to the Batman universe; it draws inspiration from the film noir style present in The Wolf Among Us. Gotham City in this story has darker themes – including corruption and brutality – to align with this and play up the turmoil. Throughout the series, Bruce Wayne and his alter ego deal with these key themes at all levels.

The first episode focuses on accusations aimed at Bruce’s family name, with a shocking revelation about the livelihood of his deceased father and his business operations made public. From this point onward, the plot thickens with a series of incidents woven together over time – with cameos along the way from well-known characters such as Cat Woman. The general unrest and crime infestation within Gotham City leads to Batman seeking out who is behind his problems while also attempting to prevent the city from becoming a haven for illegal activity. Telltale’s Batman works off Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s character, which has not been previously adapted to film or media.

For the most part Batman emulates the same tried and tested Telltale Games formula seen in past episodic releases. Telltale has got the pacing of its titles down to a fine art. Each episode lasts a few hours on average and is divided up into cinematic sequences incorporating quicktime events and static environments where either Bruce Wayne or Batman moves around while the player surveys the surrounding area for crucial information, items or evidence. In some cases you’ll link points of interest together within crime scenes. There are also the trademark Telltale cutscenes involving one or more characters interacting, and the player is required to make certain choices on Batman or Bruce Wayne’s behalf. A conversation could have Bruce agreeing with another character’s motives, or disobeying law enforcement as Batman.  

Whatever the choices are, it’s these decisions you make as the two identities that shape the outcome of each episode. Like past Telltale entries, it means entire episodes can be replayed and you may witness scenes play out differently each time. Although, in some cases, certain choices you make do not have as great of an impact on the final outcome or over-arching story as you might hope. It’s very much trial and error, but you do gain a subtle idea of how a specific scene might unfold. Commonly, players will make at least one decision during a playthrough they may regret, so it’s important to remain attentive in order to get your desirable outcome.

Whichever series the company is dealing with, Telltale has a real knack at writing an absorbing story and creating a captivating universe filled with appealing characters. Even if you don’t like the main subject (in this case, Batman) if you give the game at least half an hour to convince you it is worth your time – you’ll at the very least see out the first episode. Much like a television show, each episode typically ends on a cliff-hanger, or at least with a certain level of mystery surrounding the plot.

While it’s not as gripping as the likes of The Wolf Among Us – perhaps because Batman is so well-known – it still does an admirable job of drawing the player in. You don’t have to have any prior information or understanding of Batman, and you can be a first time player and still have a strong grasp on the plot. If you do however need some help, the game’s codex located on Bruce’s super computer within the Batcave gives players a rundown on Gotham City and also Batman’s allies and adversaries. In saying this, it’s admittedly a more enjoyable title if you are a fan of the source material.  

The minor downfall of Batman on the Switch is the game’s technical drawbacks, including a lower frame-rate and watered-down character models and environments that do not compete with the more detailed presentation of the title on certain other platforms. Normally it would be easy to overlook these problems in other genres, but given the fact this is an episodic point-and-click title where you arguably watch more than you play, it’s hard to ignore these graphical blemishes. Gotham City as a result feels a little bit more lifeless than possibly intended.

The animation within the game appears to be up to the usual standard – with the title rendered using a non-photorealistic style inspired by comic artists  – but the current Telltale game engine is admittedly beginning to show its age. While the docked mode on the Switch version of the game is not the most stunning, in handheld mode the game is crisply presented but struggles to perform as smoothly during more intensive scenes. Fortunately, these graphical and technical shortcomings do not detract from the overall experience – it’s still playable and therefore enjoyable.

In contrast to this, the voice acting in this series is a lot better. While Batman sounds a bit odd at first, you quickly adapt to it. All the other characters sound convincing enough, and none particularly break the immersion. The soundtrack when present always adds a sense of mystery or thrill to cutscenes and cinematic sequences, to further draw the player into the world of Batman. 

Conclusion

If you’re a fan of Batman and don’t mind the style of Telltale’s episodic point-and-click games this title is worth checking out. Despite its underwhelming technical performance and watered-down visuals, it’s a gritty and violent story that captures Gotham City in a similar way to other modern stories about Batman. Else, if you’re not really interested in Bruce Wayne or his late night activities, maybe hold out until another episodic Telltale game based on a different series is released.  

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Hardware Review: Hamy NES And SNES HD Classic

Love them or loathe them, clones of retro systems are here to stay. Over the past few years we’ve seen numerous unofficial attempts to replicate the performance of vintage systems, some more successful than others. In recent years the arrival of authentic takes on this concept – such as the NES and SNES Classic Editions – has triggered a renewed gold rush with a flood of clones appearing to capitalise on the refreshed interest in all things retro.

The SNES Classic remains in high demand and companies like Hyperkin are getting in on the act with their own offerings, but if you’re willing to head off the beaten track a little then you’ll find some truly intriguing machines being sold. The Hamy NES and SNES HD Classic is one such device; as the name suggests, it runs 8 and 16-bit software via HDMI, giving you the chance to play software from the libraries of two of Nintendo’s most beloved systems.

The unit is a rather unassuming plastic device with two slots on the top, one for NES games (sorry, no Famicom support here) and another for SNES and Super Famicom – the machine is capable of playing American, European and Japanese 16-bit titles. A three-stage power switch toggles between off, SNES and NES, while on the front you’ll find two SNES controller ports. On the left-hand side there are two NES ports, and the system comes with one third-party pad for each system. Sadly, you can’t use the SNES pad to play NES games or vice versa, so if you want to play two-player games, you’re going to have to potentially invest in two more pads.

The controllers that come bundled with the console are your typical knock-offs; the SNES controller imitation looks different enough to avoid being confused with the real thing, and while it looks and feels a bit cheap, the buttons are responsive and the D-pad is accurate and precise. The NES controller is a little closer to the original design and has a “softer” feeling D-pad, but it’s perfectly acceptable. Naturally, if you have your original controllers then they’re work just fine.

Around the back of the console there’s composite out and a HDMI port, the latter of which allows you to output a 720p image to a modern-day television set. The quality of the image isn’t quite on par with the NES and SNES Classic, but it’s a definite step up from the fuzziness of composite. While pixels have a slightly soft feel to them, colours are excellent and – perhaps most importantly of all – emulation is solid enough. We tested several different games and none suffered from any kind of faults or performance woes; the only real complaint is that the music in some NES titles (Ninja Gaiden and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles especially) sounds off; the drumbeats drown out much of the audio, which is something that doesn’t happen on original hardware.

As well as offering a decent level of performance – NES audio issues aside – it’s worth noting that the console deals with Super FX perfectly and is even capable of playing flash carts, if that’s your bag. While we haven’t torn the unit apart to check, we’d guess it’s running a system-on-a-chip rather than using FPGA – the latter being hardware emulation rather than software – but we’d gladly go out on a limb and state that most people who play this console wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between it and the real thing. Sure, look (and listen) close enough and you’ll no doubt uncover some discrepancies, but for a machine that costs £80, runs carts intended for two different consoles, comes with two controllers and offers HDMI capability, it’s not a bad deal. If you’re an absolute stickler for accuracy then you’re perhaps better off investing in one of Analogue’s amazing FPGA-based systems, but if you simply want a way to play your NES and SNES carts in HD, then Hamy’s plain-looking challenger is worth considering.

Thanks to Tom’s Retro Shack for supplying the unit used in this review.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Guide: Best Nintendo Switch Black Friday 2017 Deals In The US

It’s that time, once again, when shoppers around the world prepare to brave the crowds in search of bargains. The Black Friday festivities are mostly based in crowded stores, though plenty of deals can also be hunted down online. For gamers, it’s often a time of year for stocking up on goodies ahead of the festive season; the official day is Friday, 24th November, but discounts arrive over the broader Black Friday ‘weekend’.

From a Nintendo perspective this festive season has a few big hitters aside from the obvious with the incredibly popular Nintendo Switch. One of which is the Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition, which has unfortunately been difficult to track down after initial stock sold through; more is promised before Christmas. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is also big news, and as a result 2DS and 3DS bundles and deals are sure to be prominent. On top of that, game discounts and neat merchandise will be ever-presents for Nintendo.

We’ve compiled some of the best deals and most useful links for Black Friday so far; we’ll be updating frequently so be sure to bookmark this page if you’re keen to find a bargain. Read on for the best savings in the USA, and don’t forget to refer to our alternative guide for the Best Nintendo Black Friday 2017 Deals in the UK.

We’ll be updating this guide every few hours as the discounts pick up speed.

Please note that some of the links below 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.

Hardware Deals

2DS Consoles

Game Deals

Switch Games

Accessory Deals

Switch Accessories

Other

Books

Found a deal we don’t have? Tell us about it so we can add it!

Here are some quick links to US retailers with the biggest deals:

Nintendo Switch Black Friday Deals

The Nintendo Switch has been hot all through the year. Launched back in March, the portable console hybrid has really begun to pick up pace in recent months. While we doubt there will be any crazy deals on Switch hardware this year, you may well be able to get a good deal on a bundle that includes some games.

Super NES Classic Edition – Will I Be Able to Get One?

If you want a Super NES Mini all hope is not lost, but it’s going to be difficult. More stock roll-outs are expected through December, so it’ll be a case of keeping vigilant and being ready to pounce. The Nintendo of America Twitter account will hopefully be quick with any stock announcements, and when retailers give advance warning we’ll share news.

Don’t give up yet!

New 2DS XL or New Nintendo 3DS? Which is the Best Deal?

For the most part the ‘original’ 3DS and 3DS XL aren’t seen too often nowadays, though some XL models may be available at bargain prices.

The choice of whether to go for a New Nintendo 3DS model is about convenience, primarily. If you have amiibo and enjoy those features, New systems are ideal with their in-built scanner, whereas the older 3DS XL and 2DS require an accessory to use the figures and cards. Aside from that the main benefits of the New 3DS (that are actually used) are improved 3D stability, making it far more effective than older models, and slightly quicker performance with eShop downloads.

New this year is the New 2DS XL, with a price that sits snugly between the standard 2DS and the New 3DS XL. It has all the same functionality as the New 3DS XL with the exception of 3D visuals on the top screen, and Nintendo will likely push hard with this model. 

If you can live without those New extras or are buying for a young gamer in particular, the 2DS is still a good bargain option. With a low price and deals / bundles taking it lower, it strips away the 3D effect and clamshell design but delivers a sturdy and solid bit of kit.

When Is Black Friday 2017?

The big day is set for Friday, 24th November – a day after Thanksgiving in the US. That said, there are pre-Black Friday deals, especially online; we’ll report some of the better deals in news articles. Cyber Monday is also a time for discounts, which will take place on Monday, 27th November.

Looking for PS4 bargains? Our buddies at Push Square can help you with their US Black Friday PlayStation Deals guide.

As always, point us to any great deals that are missing, and we’ll update this guide right up to and during the big day as more discount deals go live.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Review: Koi DX (Switch eShop)

The Nintendo Switch has enjoyed one of the most exceptional launch years for any console, going from strength to strength with its software and building up plenty of hype. Even so, it’s inevitable that not every game on the eShop is going to turn out great, and Koi DX is a perfect example of this. What we have here is essentially a glorified demo, a jumble of half-baked ideas tossed into a functioning piece of software and sold for a few bucks.

Koi DX is a relatively directionless experience; even the menus are just a series of bizarre symbols that require you to decipher their meaning. You play as the titular koi fish out on a journey to purify the water of mankind’s pollution by leading other koi fish to lotus flowers that match them. Along the way, evil “Black Fish” and miscellaneous puzzles will stand as obstacles to your progress. Once all the fish have been escorted to their place, the Black Fish are purified and you move on to another section to do it all over again.

Though the game’s concept is initially intriguing, it’s all show and no substance; Koi DX quickly devolves to a series of easy, meandering chores that have little connection to each other and even less reward. The key problem seems to be the utter lack of any challenge or tension whatsoever. Levels primarily consist of swimming around broad expanses in search of the other koi so you can guide them to the lotus flowers and find more koi to guide to more lotus flowers. The only things that bring any consequence are the Black Fish; if one spots you, it’ll ram into you, which renders your koi essentially motionless for a few seconds. The lack of any challenge takes away even the most basic sense of accomplishment, as there’s nothing to really prevail over other than the game itself.

To mix up the experience a bit, a handful of puzzles are tossed in to trip you up, but these are mindless endeavours that don’t seem to follow any sense of purpose. For a game that pitches itself as a smart, artistic experience, Koi DX sure doesn’t show it when it asks you to match similar-looking lizards, or to remember a short sequence. And if you somehow do manage to fail a puzzle, you can just keep trying it until you get it right.

From a presentation perspective, Koi DX performs a little bit better, but it still comes off disappointing. The simplistic, colourful visuals are nice at first, but they don’t hold up very well under closer inspection. Whether it be blurry, poorly-upscaled images of rocks or shadows of lily-pads that impossibly extend past the water surface they’re supposedly cast on, we weren’t all too impressed with what we saw. The soundtrack — for its part — does a decent job of creating a somber atmosphere through the light piano notes and bells that play, but it’s hardly anything memorable.

Those of you hoping for a more in-depth experience will be sorely disappointed as Koi DX can be cleared in about two hours if you’re taking time to smell the roses. Each of the eight levels hides a few stars and puzzle pieces that you can find by swimming around a bit. The puzzle pieces unlock paintings that reveal a bit more of the story through brief phrases and sentences, and it all ultimately serves to preach the cliché and well-worn message that mankind is polluting the purity of nature. Different skins for your Koi can be also be unlocked by achieving certain goals, like finding all the stars, but these are nothing but palette swaps and the game will have long since outstayed its welcome by the time you unlock them.

Conclusion

All told, Koi DX is a cheap, uninspired game that has the beginnings of some good ideas, and it fails to execute any of them in a meaningful or memorable way. Boring gameplay, mediocre art direction, and an anaemic amount of content dooms this one to insignificance. We would strongly advise you to steer clear, as you very clearly are getting what you pay for, if not less. With so many other quality games available on the eShop right now, this is one to miss.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Digital Foundry Gives Its Analysis of L.A. Noire on Nintendo Switch

L.A. Noire has always been a fascinating game, despite some fundamental design flaws that hold it back from its true potential. Incredibly ambitious in the last generation and pioneering in terms of its approach to storytelling and motion capture, it also had a difficult development that became a story of its own. For some it’s a game that’s hard to ignore, especially now it’s been re-released on current-gen hardware.

To have it on a Nintendo system is particularly exciting, especially considering its hybrid nature. To have a game of this type on the go is quite something, and generally it’s transitioned well to the Switch. Of course, when it comes to technical analysis Digital Foundry is the place to go, and the team has now gone into detail into what the game delivers on Switch in comparison to PS3 and PS4, in particular.

It’s an interesting watch, with Nintendo’s system coming out quite well.

Let us know if you’ve picked up L.A. Noire on the Switch and, if so, what you think of it.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Review: Karnov’s Revenge (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)

Hamster has done a good job of providing a variety of genres with its ACA Neo Geo series, but SNK’s machine had a lot of one-on-one brawlers and consequently Switch owners are not exactly short of options when browsing the eShop. Here’s another one, this time from the Fighter’s History series. Interestingly, SNES owners will soon have a chance to replay the third game and a port of the first on an upcoming compilation cart, but for now Switch fans can play the second entry (the only one on Neo Geo Hardware), Karnov’s Revenge (AKA: Fighter’s History Dynamite).

The game gives you a choice of thirteen fighters and features the usual best-of-three rounds mechanic as you work through the opposition en route to the ending. There’s a “weak point” system, but otherwise nothing to make it stand out from other fighters of the time, often coming across as “like Street Fighter II, but not as good”. Indeed, back in the day Capcom found the first Fighter’s History a bit too similar and took developer Data East to court (unsuccessfully, it should be noted).

There are similarities here too, with the announcer, HUD elements and other screens having a similar style to the Capcom game. Actually playing the Data East’s effort also results in a little déjà vu, as while there’s no out-and-out clones, moves much like Sonic Booms, Flash-kicks and Hundred Hand Slaps feature throughout, with the titular Karnov calling out “fire” with his fire breath attack. Of course, a number of games from this period feature similar special moves (and this one does at least have some unique attacks) but even a few of the regular, non-special moves seem to have been blatantly copied from Street Fighter, including some Zangief-style grapples and a Blanka-like slide. There are less options available however, as there are only two strengths of punch/kick rather than three.

Despite these similarities, the brawling is not as fluid, moves don’t flow together well and fights become a series of odd taps here and there, although the weak point system adds a little bit of strategy. Each character has a spot where they’re especially vulnerable to attacks and should hits be repeatedly landed the character gets stunned, leaving them open to further attack. Weak points are certain items of clothing (such as a headband) which flash the more they are hit, but some are easier to get than others; they are often struck without really trying.

Other games may provide better fighting, but the rounds are not devoid of entertainment and you can still have fun from turning a bout around with a well-timed special move. There’s some replayability in trying to clear the game with each character to get the different endings and should you get really good then there’s a bonus fight against an Ox for you. The usual adjustable difficulty (8 settings) is present in the options menu if you’d like a tougher/easier path through the game, and a second player can join in at any time to challenge you to a fight.

The usual ACA Hi Score and Caravan modes are here giving you one credit/five minutes to rack up as many points as possible to try and move up the online leaderboards. Like most fighters these modes aren’t as appealing as in other genres (like shmups), but do provide you with some alternative ways to play.

Conclusion

Karnov’s Revenge can provide some entertainment, but attacks don’t flow together with ease, sometimes making button mashing more effective (and quicker) than a well-timed series of planned moves. The weak point system can add a bit of strategy as you target certain spots on an opponent, but with some characters more susceptible to attacks than others it’s not a system that works that well or is particularly balanced. Ultimately, more accomplished fighters are available on the Neo Geo (any entry from Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown or King of Fighters series will do), and a number of these can be downloaded on Switch. Pick one of those over this rather limp and uninspired title.