Category: Nintendo News

According to a tweet from Japanese developer FlyHigh Works, the grid-based strategy-RPG frolics of Ambition Of The Slimes will be sliming its way onto the Nintendo Switch eShop in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand in the next 12 months.

If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it’s a cute strategy-RPG that uses a grid-based setup populated with a variety of monstrous blobs. Rather than placing you in the traditional shoes of a heroic knight or wizard, you’re in charge of the titular slimes and all the unusual powers they possess. It first popped up on mobile in late 2014 before making its way onto the 3DS eShop in 2016 and it’s proved a solid little adventure in the past.

So we’re expecting a new and improved version on Nintendo Switch, and considering how much we enjoyed the 3DS version, we’re excited to see how much of a fight the slimes put up in 2018. Question is, what do you guys make of this familiar isometric romp making a Switch-based comeback? 

Next week we’re having a double retro delight on the Switch eShop courtesy of Hamster: an SNK trilogy finally completed and Nichibutsu’s debut on the platform. The first, Art Of Fighting 2 arrived in 1994 bringing many improvements on the original AOF, including an extended single-player roster, featuring Takuma (aka Mister Karate) plus the debut of his daughter and fan favorite, Yuri. The game is legendary due to the insanely difficult AI – and if you somehow manage to get to the last battle without losing a single round, final boss Mr Big is replaced by none other than Geese Howard himself. Expect to test your stress levels with this retro classic.

---

Then there’s Crazy Climber, which not only introduces Nichibutsu to the Arcade Archives lineup on Switch, it will also become the oldest title available on the console. This game has been driving people mad since its arcade debut in 1980, predating Nintendo’s very own Donkey Kong by a whole year. The unique control method is what made this Nichibutsu classic such a distinct experience from other video games, with a dual joystick setup used to simulate each of the climber’s arms. Once you figure out how to properly climb and move sideways you will also need to be on the constant lookout for for closing windows, tenants throwing stuff out their apartments, birds and even a giant monkey whose mood swings can very quickly end your climbing shenanigans early.

Art Of Fighting 2 and Crazy Climber will be available on the Switch eShop from 11th January. Will you fight, climb or both next week? The comments section is yours.

Star Wars has a long and proud history in the realm of video games (as well as a few bum notes), but one of the most memorable interactive adaptations has to be the excellent trilogy of titles on the SNES.

We’d dearly love to see some of the modern movies recreated in this 16-bit style on Switch, but that’s not likely to happen – so we’ll just have to make the most of John Stratman’s superb animation.

Before we continue, it’s worth noting that the video should be considered spoiler-packed if you haven’t already seen the movie. 

The scene in question takes place at the end of The Last Jedi, where Kylo Ren (Ben Solo) confronts his uncle and former teacher, Luke Skywalker. It’s all rendered in a 16-bit style very close to that of Super Star Wars, Super Empire Strikes Back and Super Return of the Jedi, the three SNES outings released in the ’90s.

Let us know what you think by posting a comment below – and may the Schwartz be with you (TM).

While the recent explosion of mainstream interest in retro gaming can be partly attributed to the popularity of the NES and SNES Classic Edition micro-consoles, seasoned players will be aware that this sector of the market has been bubbling under nicely for the past decade, with firms such as Hyperkin, Retro-Bit and AtGames all producing “clone” hardware which replicates the performance of the most famous vintage machines of yesteryear.

AtGames in particular has made notable strides in this arena, and was one of the first companies to gain official permission to create such clone systems. It has produced a series of Sega-licensed devices which not only have that reassuring blue logo on the packaging, but also come with a wide range of popular games pre-loaded, including Sonic, Golden Axe and Street of Rage, some of Sega’s most beloved franchises. AtGames has been pumping out revised versions of the same basic products for what seems like forever, and the Mega Drive Ultimate Portable Game Player (also known as the Genesis Ultimate Portable Game Player in the US) is the latest in a long line of handheld offerings.

Taking into account that AtGames has had several stabs at this core concept, you’d expect the latest edition to be refined beyond all doubt. The first model – now almost a decade old – was saddled with a poor, low-resolution screen, required AAA batteries for power and lacked the ability to add more games using an SD card. Over time things have changed, but not as drastically as you’d imagine considering the number of years that have elapsed. The white-and-blue 2017 version we’ve covering is certainly better than what was being offered back in 2008, but not massively so.

Let’s get the positives out of the way first. The Mega Drive Ultimate Portable Game Player is small and lightweight, and comes with a six-button layout which ensures maximum compatibility with Sega’s excellent 16-bit library. The 2.8-inch LCD screen is actually rather good, viewing angles aside. Colours really pop and contrast is superb; the only fly in the ointment is that certain games have been “stretched” to fill the display, which causes a strange distortion effect. An SD card slot allows you to load up your own games (ROM images, naturally), and the internal rechargeable battery means you no longer have to rely on those pesky AAAs. Another big plus point is the addition of save state support for the host of RPGs included in this year’s version: Shining Force, Shining Force II, Phantasy Star II, and Phantasy Star III. In previous models, games of this type simply weren’t included as there was no means of saving your progress. In terms of emulation, things are also decent enough; games run smoothly, certainly smoothly enough to be nigh-on identical to how they perform on original hardware.

Now for the less welcome news. The audio emulation is hilariously broken, a fault which has been present in these “Firecore”-based AtGames consoles since 2008 and clearly will never be remedied. The music in certain games just sounds totally wrong, and in some cases the hardware seems unable to play multiple channels in tandem – sound effects get cut off by other audio noises, for example. This isn’t a limitation of Sega’s hardware, as these problems are not present on the original Mega Drive. As if the poor audio emulation wasn’t bad enough, the mono speaker on the unit is terrible quality and distorts alarmingly when the volume is higher than about 70 percent. A 3.5mm headphone socket gives you the best audio option, and doubles as an AV-out port so you can connect the device to your TV (no cable is included for this in the box, sadly).

Another negative is the D-Pad, which behaves itself most of the time but has a tendency to register incorrect inputs, presumably due to the shape of the pad and the way in which it touches the contacts underneath. It’s quite a shallow, rolling pad – something which makes it comfortable during long sessions – but the design flaw means that ‘down’ is sometimes registered as ‘right’, which can prove to be quite annoying. AtGames has used the same basic design almost since 2008, and it clearly needs an overhaul.

While the system is advertised as containing 85 games, less than half of that figure are Sega titles. The rest are made up of terrible, low-rent offerings to which AtGames presumably holds the rights for. Fish Tank Live? Cross the Road? Yawning Triceratops? While some of these games provide a moderate amount of enjoyment, they’re not titles anyone will recall playing back in the ’90s, which makes their inclusion here baffling. AtGames clearly just wanted to make it seem like you were getting more bang for your buck (it should be noted that this 2017 model costs around £59.99 in the UK, while previous editions were £39.99).

The most egregious fault of the console is the fact that one of its key selling points – save state support – only applies to the pre-loaded RPGs. You cannot load up other games using the console’s SD card slot and save your progress within them. This seems like a particularly puzzling omission, and one we can only assume is down to technical limitations. Whatever the reason, it means that AtGames has failed to properly address one of the biggest failings of previous versions of the same hardware. Sure, the included RPGs are amazing and would cost you an arm and a leg to purchase physically today, but at some point you’re going to want to sample other examples (Story of Thor, Shining in the Darkness and Landstalker, to name but three) and you can’t play them properly on this machine.

We’ve been following the evolution of AtGames’ Sega-licensed systems for some time and we have to say that it’s genuinely sad to see the proud legacy of this illustrious company squandered in such a way. Nintendo has shown with its Classic Edition line that when you give the past the respect it deserves, consumers respond in kind; the NES and SNES offerings have been massive commercial successes for the firm. Given Sega’s amazing back catalogue of games, we simply cannot fathom why the company is content to allow a third-party like AtGames tarnish its lineage with such lazy hardware releases; but then again, AtGames’ products regularly sell-out whenever they are released so this could well be a situation which Sega – and AtGames itself – see little reason to resolve. Oh, and Sega is too busy mining its library for mobile, of course.

There’s still some fun to be had with this device – being able to play Shining Force II on the toilet is a boon, for starters – but the Mega Drive deserves so much more than this.

Nintendo Switch has had plenty of success stories in the last nine-plus months, and now it’s got another thanks to the news that car/football mashup Rocket League has reached a staggering new milestone. As of this month, the indie wonder hit that keeps on growing has hit 40 million players worldwide. Phew, that’s a lot of flashy goals.

Originally released on PS4 back in July 2015, the instant classic has hit practically every other platform in the months and years that followed – which includes the excellent Nintendo Switch port in November 2017. Developer Psyonix announced the game had hit 33 million global players in July 2017, so it’s pretty safe to assume the incredibly well-received Switch version helped bump that figure over the 40 million mark since then.

We’re huge fans of Rocket League here at Nintendo Life – in fact, we put in way too many hours on the virtual pitch over the Christmas holidays – but what do you guys make of it?

Soapbox features allow our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Pokémon fanatic Arjun talks about his recent disappointment with the mainline titles in the series, and his hopes for the upcoming Switch version.

---

When it was revealed that a core Pokémon RPG is under development for a Nintendo Switch release last summer at E3 2017, it’s fair to say that the news was received with smiles all round. Around this same time, we also learned that a sequel to Pokémon Sun and Moon was set to release during November 2017, which delighted some, and sort of confused many. The reveal and build-up of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon caused something of a divide among the wider Pokémon fanbase because of how quickly a sequel had arrived and how similar it seemed to its predecessor, but the mouths of many were still watering from the former news regarding a main series game gracing the home console market for the first time ever.

With all of the above said, I felt compelled to write this opinion piece. Here, I’ll aim to express my thoughts and feelings on how I think the Pokémon franchise (as far as its video games are concerned) has evolved for the seemingly worse, due to the recent games possessing several new features, mechanics, and a general sense of direction that has arguably steered the series away from the core essence and key ingredients of what once made it so special – and what the upcoming Switch arrival could learn from these games to remedy them. It’s a tough topic to discuss, but I feel honesty is key when addressing a buildup of thoughts and feelings about a franchise I’ve been passionate about for nearly two decades – and I know I’m not alone with this mindset.

It’s difficult to pinpoint where this notable change occurred, but I think a good place to start would be 2013’s Pokémon X and Y. Being the first set of Pokémon games on the Nintendo 3DS system allowed for the developers to enhance the series’ aesthetics greatly, moving away from the traditional top-down view as well as avoiding some of the awkward 2.5D visuals we witnessed in Pokémon Black and White and Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. Keeping my nostalgia hat off my head here, this, for the most part, was a welcome change. It really showed how far the series has come, and it allowed for players to encounter Pokémon and their environments like never before. To many, it was also a tease of what a much dreamed about Pokémon console game could look like, and this fresh perspective almost became the sole selling point for Generation VI.

Naturally, however, with this art style came a slew of dialogue and cutscenes, which, to many, isn’t a problem. For me, however, this is where I feel I began to notice how these games changed, not in terms of the obvious gameplay mechanics and new monsters to collect etc., but more so their general feel and aura as Pokémon games. I think it really marked the transition of the focus and emphasis being on the game’s NPCs (non-player characters), plot, and as mentioned, cutscenes. Again, to many, this is a welcome addition as it helps add that ‘cinematic’ element to the adventure, but to me, it started to eat into the notion of me roaming and exploring the world with my trusty critters, as I felt that I had to care more about the many characters forcefully introduced and explained to me through the many presented cutscenes. It almost felt like the actual Pokémon took a backseat and were only needed as a catalyst to shift the game from event to event and from story point to story point. You may disagree, of course.

This wasn’t the case previously – two notable examples off the top of my head are Lance and Eusine in Pokémon Gold and Silver, and Pokémon Crystal for the latter, where we learn a little bit about them, but not to the point where the Pokémon themselves are almost overlooked. Instead, the Pokémon are the focal point, and while not taking ample amounts of time out from the game, we still get to learn about each character’s interests and motifs. I’m sure there are plenty more examples, but hopefully you catch my drift. Going back to my main point here, I’m not saying the art style is directly responsible for this, but I do feel it certainly influenced the decision of the developers to implement more of these cinematic cutscenes, which I feel didn’t always work as for me this took its toll on the flow of the game and shifted the focus away from what we, or at least I, really care about. With that said, perhaps the arriving new Pokémon game for Nintendo’s latest hybrid machine will revert back to focusing on the Pokémon and not flooding players with ample amounts of dialogue and cutscenes – as well as capture an even more evolved art style due to its hardware capabilities, of course.

Moving on, I really do feel that some of the concepts introduced in the last two generations have steered the series away from an adventure about you catching and raising Pokémon as creatures in natural habitats, and more towards a Digimon-esque franchise that almost reminds me of playing an RPG like Fire Emblem due to the aforementioned focus on characters, story, and plot. Mega Evolution is a neat concept in theory, but the fact that only certain ‘Mon can do so, with a select few being able to Mega Evolve into more than one form, sort of makes me frown upon the idea. Popular Pokémon seem to have been favoured over others, which I feel can certainly influence a player’s decisions during an adventure play-through. This notion also heavily impacts the competitive nature of the game, but I digress. Sticking close to the argument at hand, the fact that it’s conveyed as quite an “artificial process” stems the concept further away from Pokémon as natural creatures and more so about them as ultimate fighting machines. Of course, I’m aware that concepts such as Evolutionary Stones have been present from day one, and yes, we do have our Magnemites and Voltorbs throughout the series’ illustrious history of monster designs, but it’s hard to argue that Mega Evolution takes this concept to an entirely different level, to the point where Pokémon no longer feel like innovative takes on real-world animals and objects. Since when did Pokémon become Transformers? 

Now if we couple the previous point with Z-Moves and Ultra Beasts, then, well, the franchise for me has really started to feel like a game based off an anime, rather than vice versa (which is what it actually is). A standout moment for me was when I saw the release of Mimikyu’s Z-Move on the official Pokémon Instagram account. It’s called “Let’s Snuggle Forever”, and as I watched the video, I wasn’t best pleased. I couldn’t believe that that was the name of a Pokémon move, and even the presentation of the move’s text (and all Z-Moves for that matter) irked me. Much of the comments in the video’s comment section also seemed to share my feelings. I don’t think I’ve felt as disappointed since discovering Klefki, a Pokémon based on a set of keys introduced in Pokémon X and Y. That Pokémon still annoys me to this day, but I’ve learnt to accept it considering the aforementioned Magnemite and Voltorb argument. Anyway, what one thinks a Pokémon “should” be is an entirely different debate for another day. Even though we’re sticking with the video games here, the feelings I have towards Mega Evolution and Z-Moves are similar to my thoughts on the existence of Ash-Greninja in the anime – a Greninja that shares such a strong bond with its Trainer, that it grows more powerful and even takes on the characteristic look of its Trainer’s attire (in this case, Ash Ketchum). As you may be aware, it’s also available to obtain within Pokémon Sun and Moon. It’s all just a bit weird to me really, and once again makes me feel like the games are now starting to be based off, or at least take much more influence from, anime-esque concepts.

As for Ultra Beasts, heck, I still don’t know what they are exactly and why they exist. They felt so uninspired and I didn’t feel compelled or excited to catch them at all – or at least even research them a bit further. And to a similar extent, for me Legendary and Mythical have lost their aura as rare and powerful beasts that the player should be concerned with entirely. Maybe that’s just due to the developers constantly churning out these creatures over the years of Pokémon games – with each new one almost being depicted as the most powerful to date, rendering the previous ones somewhat second fiddle – leading to some of us feeling “desensitised” and a lack of awe when witnessing them, with no real reason to really care. Here’s an idea I had, though unorthodox. How about the new main series Pokémon game for the Switch acts as some sort of “celebration” of the entire franchise, with no new Legendary or Mythical Pokémon (and perhaps even no new regular Pokémon), and instead a focus on the current ones we have, and all the other Pokémon in general? Shoot my wings down if you must, but that’s what I’d like to see, instead of being forced to care about yet another pair/trio of Legendary Pokémon. I think a home console debut of a core Pokémon RPG is the perfect opportunity for this sort of game, celebrating the series’ entire history from Kanto to Alola (or thereabouts), with the console’s power and portability being the focal point in making up for the game’s lack of new creatures and/or regions. Of course, it’s unlikely – we’re probably going to get Generation VIII – but that’s just me.

As for how much Pokémon has grown outside of the adventure, I don’t have a problem with it at all. I think it’s great that Pokémon’s main series games are so special and unique in that they offer many avenues for the many different types of player to fulfil their inner Poké desires throughout their main adventure and post-game. And it’s never been more apparent since the past two generations of Pokémon game, and I commend these latest instalments for that greatly. Into breeding Pokémon? It’s there. Love contests? Have at it. Wanna catch ’em all? That can be achieved. Enjoy shiny hunting? With enough luck and perseverance, you can catch ’em all in a second colour palette. And of course, if you simply like to outshine the competition, there’s so much to learn in the competitive scene that it’s an entirely different monster altogether. And I think it’s vital that all of that remains captured in the franchise’s new Switch outing, especially due to its enhanced power and hybrid functionality.

However, my point being is that, though I’ve delved in these post-game activities throughout the years, I’ve never been one for them to a great extent. For me personally, the importance of a Pokémon game comes in its adventure and the feeling that you’re on an epic quest, with nothing but you and your beloved party of six – something I feel the generations of yesteryear captured so well, and the latest instalments have not. With this aspect of the games being somewhat dented for me personally, there hasn’t been much left for me to enjoy out of a Pokémon game recently. Of course, as mentioned, if I was extremely into some of the post-game activities such as filling the ‘Dex or competitive battling, the latest 3D games would’ve been much more worthwhile experiences for sure. After all, everyone wants different things from the games they play.

Regardless, come rain or shine, I’ll forever be a Pokémon fan, and despite me not taking the plunge with Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, I’ll continue to stick with the franchise as much as I can. The past few generations introduced some great ideas and concepts, and have taken the series to new heights, but they’ve also veered the franchise’s main series games a little too off course for my personal tastes. Again, please don’t read this and think I’m simply berating the franchise due to it not going down the route I’d selfishly prefer, but instead consider it to be an article where I voice an opinion about my disappointment in the recent direction of a series I’ve been a dedicated fan of for years – and that I’d like to see the new Switch title adopt the formula that won the hearts of hundreds of thousands to begin with. I’ve done my best to ensure that it’s not simply nostalgia talking, especially as I’ve played through Pokémon Y and Pokémon Sun thoroughly and have felt somewhat disappointed during both occasions. Let’s just see what the upcoming main series Pokémon game brings to the table on the Switch!

While Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle proved an unexpected fusion hit here in the West in 2017, the mashup of iconic plumber and Ubisoft mascots has yet to make its debut in Japan and the rest of Asia. With a release date tentatively set for 2018, one eagle eyed site has noticed the game may be getting some extra DLC in the summer.

The tweet from Switch Indies, which you can see below, shows a listing on the Japanese Switch eShop, detailing what looks to be a June release date for the anticipated story expansion. While we’re still waiting to hear when the continuing adventures of the world’s most bizarre team will hit the West, it seems Japan already has a date marked on its calendar.

Of course, this could be a placeholder, but a release date later in the year certainly makes sense to align the DLC schedule with the game’s arrival in the Asian market. So what do you guys make of it? Do you want more Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle on Switch? We certainly do…

It’s been immensely charming how Nintendo portables over the years have released in a broad variety of colors, giving consumers an opportunity to pick up hardware with a bit more of a personal flair. Much to Nintendo’s delight, it’s also been fairly common for people to pick up multiple different kinds of the same hardware, just because that new limited edition is so enticing. The Joy-Con on the Switch, then, have been an interesting iteration on this concept, as people can now deck out their hardware with whatever colors they like without breaking the bank.

When Splatoon 2 launched this summer, a special set of Neon Pink and Green Joy-Con released with it, though the distribution of this hardware was a bit hit or miss depending on your region. In North America, the only way to get your hands on them would be to pick up the Splatoon 2 Switch bundle, assuming you don’t want to import them. However, a new listing has appeared in the EB Games inventory that shows the Joy-Con will be released standalone on the 5^th, for the same price as usual Joy-Con. Whether the date is accurate still remains to be seen, but hopefully this means that we’ll be seeing them on store shelves soon.

What do you think? Have you already picked up these Joy-Con? What colors do you like to keep on your Switch? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Now that 2017 has been laid to rest, it’s finally time to turn our attention to 2018 and all the potential Nintendo goodness contained therein. Question is, how does Nintendo follow up a stellar nine-plus months of soaring Switch sales, renewed fan faith, red hot exclusives and (mostly) robust ports?

The answer is simple: it does the same thing, only bigger, stronger and even more confident than before. And, since the next Nintendo Direct showcase is heavily rumoured (but as yet unconfirmed) for 11th January, we’re fully expecting the Big N to come out fighting in 2018. So here are the things we think Nintendo could (and should) announce in just over a week’s time…

A solid launch date for the new online infrastructure

Okay, so let’s get the least sexy one out of the way from the off. As our very own Damien McFerran rightly pointed out in his 2018 prediction feature, buckets of praise and strong sales figures do not a robust online infrastructure make. Switch’s current online setup is half done at best, forcing developers to ensure their games launch with netcodes that can run without the solid matchmaking systems offered by Sony and Microsoft on their respective consoles.

So, we’re expecting Nintendo to banish this pretty considerable concern before it snowballs into a bigger issue by confirming a concrete release date for Nintendo Switch Online. The pricing will need to be in line with similar services offered elsewhere, with Nintendo soothing that cash request with a confirmation of some new free games. Which leads us into…

Virtual Console hits Switch (with added GameCube)

So we all know Virtual Console is going to hit Switch at some point, and what better time to make that arrival official than as part of the new Nintendo Switch Online account. With the Neo Geo ports having scratched that retro itch for a short while, we’re now ready for some suitably meaty dishes.

For a start, Nintendo really needs to announce Virtual Console, not just with the games you’ve already played on Wii U or 3DS, but those you haven’t had the chance to play in years. That’s right, we’re fully hoping that Nintendo goes all in and announces Virtual Console with some bona fide GameCube hits. Whether it’s Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion or Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Nintendo has so many first-party titles to choose from it’s a sure fire knockout. Whether you’re double-dipping from back in the day or experiencing these classics for the first time, it’s exactly the right kind of nostalgia to keep Switch’s good graces a-flowing.

Doubling down on ‘Nindie’ support

Much like Sony’s own wise choice with the indie scene in PS4’s rookie year, we’re expecting Nintendo to continue its embrace of the indie scene with a raft of new titles from smaller studios and developers. A recent Amazon listing (that was, naturally, subsequently removed) suggested 18 new titles were expected to be announced at a potential January Direct, so that leaves a big chunk of space for new games of an indie persuasion.

Expect games such as Super Meat Boy Forever (which just so happens to launch on the 11th January – coincidence?) to lead the way for more titles (including AWAY: Journey To The Unexpected and the newly-delayed Dragon Marked For Death). Nintendo went all out on its ‘Nindie’ announcements back in August 2017, so we’re confident of a similar result this month.

A first glimpse of Metroid Prime 4

Now that Mario, Link and the Inklings have had their mainline fun in 2017, it’s time for another member of the Nintendo royalty to have her triumphant return. Metroid Prime 4 was a huge announcement back at E3 2017, and since it’s been a long six-plus months since that fateful day in June, we’re ready for a proper showcase from Samus.

There’s been a lot rumours from various sources surrounding Metroid Prime 4, mostly centered around a trailer debut at the January Direct and the supposed involvement of Bandai Namco on development duties. We know that Retro Studios – the dev that developed the first three Prime games – isn’t working on the project, so having ‘Bamco’ on board is certainly feasible considering its strong history with Nintendo. We’re not expecting a firm release date at this stage, but a tentative ‘2018’ would do us just fine.

Expect Nintendo to go all-in on mobile

Nintendo may have arrived fashionably late to the smartphone/tablet market with its licensed properties, but that hasn’t stopped it from stealing both headlines and chart top spots. We’re pretty confident Nintendo will drop some more news on upcoming season events in Pokémon GO and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, (especially with the news that the former is finally coming to China in 2018) with some content potentially going live during the Direct itself.

Some new mobile titles may get also get an airing, but the question is, which ones? With AR having proved a sweet spot for Nintendo and other publishers before, there’s a chance we could see a Kirby-based title or even something with a splash of Yoshi. It’s almost certainly going to head down the free-to-play route, considering the mixed reception to Super Mario Run’s price tag. 

A Smash Bros. tease

While the likes of Brawlout have helped wet our appetites for some four-player fighting madness, it just serves to remind us that no one does salty dust-ups quite like the crew of Smash Bros. Whether this takes the form of a Deluxe version of Super Smash Bros For Wii U or a full-on sequel (we’re really hoping it’s the latter of the two), it stands to reason there’s a Switch-based version in development somewhere at Nintendo; it’s just a case of when it’ll come up for air.

We’re not expecting any sort of proper gameplay, or a release date of any kind, but a final tease to close out the direct on a high would give Switch just the right kind of hype to keep new Switch owners happy and prospective ones even more tempted to join the club.

So there’s some of our hopes and dreams for the rumoured Nintendo Direct this month, but we’re more interested in hearing your thoughts on the first big showcase of 2018. Make some noise below…

Kaiju and/or wrestling fans rejoice because Hamster is kicking off 2018 with quite the monster bash. SNK’s 1992 The King Of The Monsters will bring pixelated city wide destruction this on 4th January to the Switch eShop. Take control of a giant reptile not named Godzilla, a gigantic ape not called King Kong or even Ultraman wannabe Atomic Guy and use major Japan cities as improvised wrestling rings and you have the perfect setup for some mindless destruction. Bring a friend because the game supports tag team play, something rather handy when you’re being pinned by a Kaiju from the other team.

Sadly, we’ll need to wait until the superior sequel (King Of The Monsters 2: The Next Thing) to show up so we get to play fan favourite and memorably named Cyber Woo. Considering the current state of the only other wrestling option currently available on Nintendo Switch, you could indeed do worse.

Will you be stomping Tokyo buildings and throwing air planes, trains and tanks at each other this coming Thursday? Shake that comments section with your favourite Kaiju memories.