Columbus Circle strikes back with the announcement of yet another old Super Famicom re-release, this time planned for early 2018.
The unlikely candidate is the 1995 Winds-developed, Virgin Interactive-published Gurume Sentai Barayarō, a zany side scrolling beat ’em up oddity which focuses on cooking. Think Cooking Mama but with an extensive dose of fighting in-between the food preparation, and you’re close.
There is of course an actual plot that justifies all this cooking. In the fallout of World War III, the citizens of Zeus Heaven Magic City find themselves living in a place of high technology but scarce food. As such, ingestion of proteins is a must for everyone, namely the three playable characters who would not look out of place in a Cho Aniki video game.
After every boss fight, you get to cook recipes with the ingredient you “liberated” from your foe. This is the only way to recover energy and when you’re down to zero, it’s game over.
This is yet another obscure Japan exclusive Super Famicom oddity that will be given another chance at the spotlight. Besides, how many other scrolling beat ’em ups can you name that have a single button dedicated to strike Super Sentai style poses that serve no purpose at all except looking good for the camera?
Long before Mario and the gang got violent on the soccer pitch in Super Mario Strikers there was Soccer Brawl on the Neo Geo. This futuristic footy game was released in arcades in 1992 and will be the next Neo Geo game headed to the Switch on 23rd November.
In Soccer Brawl you play as either cyborgs or bionically-enhanced humans, while the action plays out like a regular soccer match. There’s a element of violence on offer as the title might suggest; for example, defenders can launch electric charges to stop an incoming opponent on their tracks.
Soccer Brawl never did get a release on the Wii Virtual Console, so this fresh to Nintendo platforms. Do you plan on picking it up next week?
The first major update for the epic Pokémon fighting game for Nintendo Switch adds new features and gameplay tweaks.
Enjoy even more modes and a better fighting experience when you download the first major update for Pokkén Tournament DX for Nintendo Switch, available now. The update includes an online mode for the popular Team Battles in which each player chooses three Pokémon for battle. Choose your top Pokémon and have heated matches with players wherever they are.
Players can now receive special titles based on their ranking in Official Group Matches. Also, official groups from Pokkén Tournament DX will be available in the online battle mode.
If you want to practice specific techniques and rehearse cool combos, the update includes a function to record Practice Mode’s Free Training. This function lets you control the opposing Pokémon and record its movements so you can play them back during training. Then, take control of your own Pokémon to train against the Pokémon whose moves you just recorded.
If you haven’t played the game yet, you can download the Pokkén Tournament DX demo from the Nintendo eShop. To learn more about the game, you can visit the official site.
Enjoy more fighting fun with the Pokkén Tournament DX update on Nintendo Switch!
The Switch has been subjected to a lot of flak regarding its WiFi connection, and whilst reports are mixed in this regard, we don’t think anyone would say no to a little extra speed when downloading. This tip isn’t going to set the world on fire, but during our quick tests we managed to reduce a game’s download time from 90 minutes to 70 minutes, so it’s not to be sniffed at.
All you need to do is head to System Settings, Internet, Internet Settings, select your preferred network, Change Settings, and then highlight the MTU option. By default this is set to 1400, but we want to change it up to 1500.
This is the maximum transmission unit, and basically by increasing this number we’re allowing the Switch to download more stuff every time it requests a packet of data, thus reducing download times. Are you going to try this out for yourself? Let us know in the comments down below.
Over recent years Nintendo’s been making a major effort to expand its commercial efforts – there’s been merchandise and various tie-ins, most notably plans for a Universal Studios Japan attraction. That deal with Universal seems to have led to further opportunities, with The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reporting that a deal is close for a Super Mario Bros. animated movie.
It’s important to note that a deal is not yet done, and both Nintendo and Universal have declined to comment. With that in mind, here’s the general detail from the WSJ report.
The talks are around an animated movie by Illumination, which has produced the likes of “Despicable Me,” “Minions” and “The Secret Life of Pets”. Illumination produces its movies for distribution via Comcast-owned Universal, a potential relationship no doubt helped by the aforementioned Theme Park deals. The final agreement is yet to be signed, with Nintendo reportedly eager to ensure it maintains a degree of control – Shigeru Miyamoto would likely be a producer. The project is said to be in the “early stages of development”, so a release could be a number of years away yet.
We’ve seen reports along these lines before, but there certainly seem to be reasonable odds of this actually happening; it’ll be fascinating to see if the deal gets over the line.
Would you be excited to see an animated Mario Bros. movie?
The nominations for The Game Awards are out, and unsurprisingly Nintendo has fared pretty well. The Big N has often played a prominent role in the event over recent years, and this year is in the running for a broad range of awards.
The announcements are in the video below, and we’ve also picked out the relevant Nintendo categories.
That’s a hugely impressive set of nominations for Nintendo and also third-parties on Switch and 3DS. Some of the categories are particularly juicy, with both Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild having good opportunities to win multiple awards.
We’ll be live streaming and blogging the full event on 7th December – let us know what you think of the nominations in the comments below.
Indie studio We Are Fuzzy has announced that it is bringing the twin-stick shooter Sleep Tight to the Switch in Q1 2018.
Studio co-founder Maxx Burman – whose art and visual effects credits include Far Cry 5, League of Legends, Call of Duty, Destiny, Westwood and Titanfall – has assembled a team of “AAA and Hollywood” veterans which includes Disney artists who have worked on the likes of Big Hero 6 and Wreck It Ralph.
Sleep Tight is described as an “adrenaline pumping arcade-style, twin-stick shooter with base-building elements” and seeks to emulate the “charming” world of Pixar movies. In the game, you assume the role of a child who spends the day building pillow forts in preparation for the incoming flood of monsters that appears when the lights go out. Weapons include foam dart-guns, water balloon launchers and other toys. You’ll be able to upgrade these weapons to unlock new skills.
Here’s what Burman had to say about the game:
Since I was a kid, I always wanted to make games. After 10 years of working on other people’s projects, it was time to make my own, and I wanted to go back to that feeling of pure play. I feel fortunate to work with such talented artists to bring this Pixar-esque world to life. I think it’s an experience that will appeal to the young at heart, no matter their age.
Sleep Tight is being built using Unreal Engine and is also confirmed for Steam. Interested? Let us know with a comment.
Every now and then a cool Kickstarter campaign comes along which catches our attention, and GameShell certainly fits into that category. On the surface it looks like a humble Nintendo Game Boy, but this modular system has the potential to be a really interesting entry in the handheld arena.
While the makers of this system are open about their love for classic Nintendo hardware, what’s inside GameShell is pretty unique. The console boasts a modular design comprised of a 2.7-inch RGB screen, programmable gaming keypad, stereo speakers, 1050mAh battery and an ARM-based dev mainboard with WiFi, PMU chips and video output. Dubbed “Clockwork Pi”, this setup allows for impressive customisation. You can even pick the colour of your case or 3D print your own.
The GameShell comes with an open-sourced GNU/Linux OS which supports popular programming languages such as Preset C, Python, LUA and LISP. This will make the machine an emulation powerhouse capable of replicating the performance of systems such as the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, NES, and even SNES.
The GameShell will also play host to indie titles, and the creators hope that developers will flock to the console to create new games. It comes pre-loaded with both Cave Story and DOOM, and there are plans to add more free games in the future.
GameShell founder Hal Lui had this to say:
We loved consoles such as the Super NES and their groundbreaking games. But to recreate that experience for a new generation had its difficulties, especially when building a DIY platform using Arduino or Raspberry Pi. We wanted to create an intuitive and easy to use gaming platform that was easy to build, modify and program and of course, super fun to play.
As we touched on yesterday in our video above, RiME is a bit of a poor port on the Switch. The game’s bewitching atmosphere and rewarding puzzles are swallowed up by some irksome performance problems, and in conclusion it’s perhaps the worst way to experience the game – yet it’s also the most expensive, at the time of writing.
So what went wrong? In a recent Reddit AMA, the developer Tequila Works discussed some of the compromises made when porting the game to the Switch:
Rime runs at 30fps in 720p throughout most of the game while docked. This is a considerable improvement from where the game was at earlier this year when we announced the first delay.
With Rime being very open in many locations, it’s incredibly difficult to get these level segments small enough to not cause a hiccup in performance. We were faced with the choice of adding loading screens throughout the stages, rebuilding the game completely to be more closed in (undermining the product vision in the process), or living with these small hiccups to preserve what the game was intended to be. We chose the latter.
When looking at the handheld mode, we had to make a choice between lowering the resolution, removing/replacing major parts of the level geometry, or having a bigger hit in performance. We decided to go for the former, because it allows us to maintain the integrity of the gameplay experience. All the important details are still very visible, and we’ve had no issues playing the game in handheld mode ourselves.
We know that the Switch is capable of delivering some fantastic and near flawless experiences in games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but clearly third parties such as Tequila Works aren’t as experienced at developing for the platform. It’s even more challenging when you consider that the Switch version is just one port among many to other platforms. Even the PS4 and Xbox One version was a challenge for them to optimise.
Will you be picking up RiME for the Switch or has the performance issues put you off for good? Let us know your hot take on this with a comment below.
Just like games such as Pokémon Emerald was to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, or Pokémon Crystal was to Pokémon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are intended to be the definitive versions of the series’ 7th generation, building upon everything that Pokémon Sun and Moon produced by adding a bunch of new features, new story elements and more. Sun and Moon felt like a wonderfully fresh take on the Pokémon universe which, due to its immense history, can sometimes find itself on the verge of becoming a bit too familiar. We therefore had high hopes for these new, enhanced versions and, luckily, ‘Ultra’ seems to be just the right word to describe them.
It is perhaps unsurprising that an awful lot of the content here is exactly the same as in the original titles; you are tasked with travelling around Alola to complete your Island Challenge, taking on trials across the game’s four islands and meeting new Pokémon along the way. The whole cast returns, too – Professor Kukui, Lillie and Nebby, Hau and other familiar prominent characters will be supporting you on your journey just like before (although there are a couple of changes later in the game that we won’t spoil here). Team Skull are also just as present and mischievous as they were in the originals, doing everything they can to hinder you with their blend of comically poor evilness and ‘interesting’ dance moves.
Our initial impressions were full of concern that these games were going to be almost identical to their predecessors but, thankfully, we turned out to be completely wrong. Where Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon shine the most is in the new content that has been introduced – almost all of the new ideas that we saw had us thinking ‘oh, now that’s cool’ in just the same way that the original titles had done before.
One of the first new additions you’ll notice is the inclusion of Totem Stickers. These golden stickers are placed all over the Alola region and can be cashed in with Samson Oak to receive giant, Totem-sized Pokémon of your own. Whilst the prize of a supersized Pokémon may appeal to many, we’d argue that there is more fun in simply finding the stickers themselves – they are usually tucked away on the side of buildings or, in some cases, can be placed completely randomly on a table in someone’s bedroom on the third floor of an inconspicuous building. It gives the player more of a reason to explore every single nook and cranny of Alola, and that can’t be a bad thing.
Next up is Mantine, the water/flying Pokémon from the series’ second generation. Mantine has been added as a Ride Pokémon (Sun and Moon’s new mechanic that replaced HMs with Pokémon that could be called upon to help at any time) but it works a little differently. Rather than using them wherever you like, Mantine are stationed at particular spots in Alola and allow you to take part in a mini-game as you travel between islands – taking the place of the standard boat ride cutscene from the original games. Using the control stick, you guide Mantine over waves to perform tricks and aim for a high score, which is definitely a much more fun way to travel.
Perhaps the most interesting addition, however, is the Ultra Recon Squad – a new organisation that has arrived in Alola. At first you’ll only have very brief encounters with the characters in the squad (who change depending on which version you decide to play) but they instantly become one of the most intriguing groups that the series has ever produced. Their weird way of moving, their slightly out-of-place ways in conversation, and the musical theme that plays whenever they are encountered all tell you that there is something very different – and therefore compelling – about them.
The Ultra Recon Squad are also responsible for changes in the plot and storyline. Some scenes that play out in the original games have been recreated with new, or different, information coming to light from the new characters. Whilst you’ll already know many of the answers to Ultra Sun and Moon’s mysteries if you have played the original games, there will be twists and turns that play out differently and you’ll find yourself needing to know the answers behind this weird and wonderful bunch of people.
Beyond the new additions to the main story, Ultra Sun and Moon seem to want to throw everything that they possibly can in your direction in every other area, too. The Festival Plaza (which can now allow communication between Sun and Moon, and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon) adds a new facility called the Battle Agency, allowing you to rent powerful Pokémon and take on opponents – similar in a way to how the Battle Factory worked in generations three and four.
You’ll also find yourself able to challenge a whole plethora of villainous teams from games gone by – Team Rocket, Team Aqua and Magma, Team Galactic, Team Plasma, and more – as well as catch a crazy amount legendary Pokémon from every single generation (barring the mythical few such as Mew and Arceus) from directly within the game. In a way, these games feel like a ‘greatest hits’ – you wouldn’t want every release in the series to feel like such a fan-service behemoth, but having one every now and then and, especially having it in such an interesting region like Alola, is definitely something to be celebrated.
Conclusion
Taking the original games and bombarding them with a whole host of crazy ideas, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon have easily achieved their goal of becoming the definitive versions of the series’ final generation on the 3DS. Combining all of this with the fact that a small handful of new, non-mythical Pokémon have been added mid-generation for the first time in the series, and that the Pokédex has been expanded to natively include over 400 Pokémon catchable in the games without trading, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon have managed to make the region of Alola feel even more alive that it did before – and that’s quite the achievement.
In some ways, it feels like these games have come too soon; Pokémon Sun and Moon are still so fresh in our minds and we can’t help but feel that the Ultra versions would have felt more special – and therefore easier to justify purchasing – if a little more time has passed. You’d be forgiven for not wanting to jump back into the same world again so soon but, in their own right, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are truly incredible entries to the series that deserve to be sitting amongst the elite Pokémon titles. If you’re ready for another trip around Alola’s beautiful islands, this is the way to do it.
