Category: Nintendo News

We almost didn’t believe it ourselves, but Sega of Japan is teaming up with the racy restaurant chain Hooters to promote the forthcoming Sonic Forces.

We can’t help but feel this kind of marketing would be better suited for Sega’s Yakuza franchise, but there you go. 

The full, lurid details of the campaign are yet to be fully announced, but we do know that the Hooters locations where the promotion is due to take place are apparently located in Akasaka, Ginza and Shibuya West.

The campaign also appears to be exclusive to Japan. Sorry to get your hopes up, Sonic fans.

Factor 5 enjoyed quite a unique relationship with Nintendo. Due to some bad fortune, we already know that the company had a complete Rogue Squadron game on the Wii that sadly never saw the light of day, and we previously reported on their plans for a new Pilotwings game on the same hardware.

Now former Nintendo Life contributor Liam Robertson – with his latest video through DidYouKnowGaming – has shown actual gameplay from the project that was called WeFly. It got quite far in development and seems like it could have been pretty much every Pilotwings fan’s dream game turned into reality.

From cockpit view head tracking AR, to using the Wii’s clock and Weather Channel to change the game in real time, it remains quite clear the abundance of talent that was available to Factor 5 back in those days. Just the prospect of prancing around on the Moon immediately gave us a silly smile.

The series has not been heard of since the 3DS debut title Pilotwings Resort. Maybe it’s time for Nintendo to finally let us spread our wings again, perhaps on Switch? Time will tell; in the meantime share some of your favourite Pilotwings memories in the comments.

The Switch has seen plenty of indies find success on the platform since the console’s launch back in March. Now Coatsink Studios is aiming to contribute to this by bringing 2D platformer Shu to the Switch, with the previously released Caverns of the Nightjars DLC included in a purchase.

With gameplay somewhat similar to aspects of platformers like Rayman Legends, the premise has you climbing up an ancient mountain whilst attempting to outrun the oncoming storm and rescue friends along the way. Taking Shu for a test-ride, the art style immediately stood out to us and has transitioned beautifully onto the Switch. Due to the characters being hand-drawn very little composition is lost, meaning that whilst on the go the difference is barely visible. Being swept up in the breeze as you traverse the obstacles, you’ll realise why the Switch is an ideal home for Shu. Expanding onto a large TV is nice, yet perhaps it’ll be on the move where Shu will truly shine.

Sprinting across the different terrains there is certainly a rhythm to playing Shu, which bodes extremely well when using the Joy-Cons. Rumble outputs signify the impending storm getting closer whilst adding to the tension of the scenario. Combine this with the atmospheric music, and it will be interesting to plug in headphones and get lost in the world altogether.  Learning to glide efficiently around the wind-patterns is also key for progression and is something that the triggers let you ease into.

At EGX this year, Nintendo Life got the chance to play the demo and then sit down with co-Lead Designer Jonathon Wilson to discuss Shu’s port to the Switch.

Shu is still scheduled to be coming to the Switch in 2017, is this still correct?

The idea is for Switch to have it out before the end of the year. It will be digital, it will come day one with all the DLC we’ve done for it as well. So you’ll have the additional worlds, you’ll be able to invest in leaderboards, time trials just like the base package did in the original game.

Can you tell us more about the DLC called Caverns of the Nightjars, which is included with the Switch release?

Yes, weird name but yeah. That will be there from day one. You play through the game and it unlocks at the end. Purely down to the fact that, playing the game first will help because you’ll meet all the characters and learn how to use them.

Is there anything you can tell us about the content?

So the changes fundamentally are that if you’ve played the base game, you obviously always have villager sets. There is always two characters you’ll encounter in each world which give you two different abilities. So what we do is we use different combos, so in the DLC it will be the same characters you already met but you will be using a different formation. You used to have Okoro and Keela in world 2 where you wall to wall jump.  

So what we do is take Lati from world one and Keela from world 2, so you now have wall jumping like a flower blooming. The difference with that is that in the world of the game they are both seen as sisters, so it was nice to marry them together. It gave us more gameplay variation to change the style of games you’re going to play through.

What was it like porting Shu to Switch as opposed to other consoles?

We tried a few things first. The Switch has more power than the Vita – so we knew that kind of thing. We also knew we wanted it to be as high of quality as we possibly could. So we took what we had from the PS4 version of the game which allowed us to optimise it a little a bit. The challenge was not getting it running because that didn’t cause many problems, it was the optimisation side because obviously every platform reads things differently. The controls came down to a new method because you have docked, undocked, but it is always duel Joy-Con as well so you need the two set of face buttons to play properly.

Are there plans for Coatsink to develop  more specifically for the Switch?

So as developers ourselves, it is a platform we are interested in. We wouldn’t be looking at porting other people’s games if not to learn from it. We are looking to learn from it, learn to develop for it and understand what is possible on the platform. It’s the co-op and local multiplayer side of it which seems to be the biggest sell of this device, which led to us to look at our most recent partnership with PHL – ClusterPuck99.

Wrapping up with the Switch version of Shu, are there any special features to look forward to, like HD rumble?

It does have rumble, we put that support in. Each Joy-Con can do the rumble by itself. It’s more apparent when you have the controllers in the dock; it’s used mainly for power activation, a little bit of rumble when you are being chased by the Storm and menu navigation. It’s that little bit of feedback that grounds the player a little more.

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A huge thanks to Jonathon Wilson and Coatsink for taking time out to chat to us and show us the game. Shu is scheduled for release before the end of the year on the Switch eShop.

On September 23rd, 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi established the Nintendo Playing Card Company in Kyoto. Over one century later and a couple of Yamauchi generations since, would he have ever believed that we are now associating the word Nintendo with a pair of plumbing brothers and their strangely compelling racing side gig,  a tie wearing ape, the epic adventures in the land of Hyrule, the space adventures of a talking fox, the hardest hitting female heroine in the whole industry, strange creatures you can keep in your pocket and even the greatest simulation of social life ever made? Probably not… but if he did, he would most likely be smiling.

Very few other companies can boast of such an incredible story as Nintendo, due to its extensive legacy and all the ups and downs, the failures and successes, the risks taken and the rewards reaped and the undeniable joy its products bring every single day to consumers worldwide. So we want to salute Nintendo and wish them another 128 years of success so we can all celebrate the 256th birthday next century. Now, time for an earworm.

Fill in the comments section below telling us about your favourite experiences with Nintendo. Also below and strangely appropriated for this anniversary: The “Super Mario 128” GameCube tech demo.

If only we’d seen the cake and all those candles…

The Tokyo Game Show isn’t just home to all the latest and greatest video games – like pretty much any gaming event these days, it also attracts hordes of cosplayers dressed as their favourite video game characters.

This year’s event has seen a bumper turn-out of Links, Marios, Princess Peaches and even Tingles, and we were brave enough to capture all of them for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

Earlier this week we introduced you to the two guest players that had qualified for Team Nintendo Life, which have been competing in the Splatoon 2 UK Championship at EGX in Birmingham. And there’s great news, they made it to the semi-finals! At the time of publication they’re about to go into battle for a spot in the final.

cF|Flare and BluRacer7 have joined staffers Alex Olney and Ryan Craddock as our crack Nintendo Life Splatoon 2 squad – will they triumph? Find out below (just hit Play).

Good luck to all teams taking part, of course…

One of the biggest Indie hits of 2016 was Inside by Playdead, a studio that initially forged its reputation with the release of Limbo. Inside received extraordinary critical praise – our colleagues at Push Square gave it 10/10 – and the Steam community reviews are ‘overwhelmingly positive’ with almost 12,000 submissions. The good bit is that it’s coming to Nintendo Switch, confirmed by Inside creator Arnt Jensen in an upcoming Famitsu interview.

Mechanically it’s a sidescrolling platformer, but plenty of players have been blown away by its storytelling and design. It will certainly be a pleasing addition to the Switch.

Are you excited about this title coming to the Switch eShop?

Super Mario Run was relatively successful for Nintendo on iOS and then Android, though it perhaps struggled to hit its expected heights; having a ‘premium’ mobile price didn’t help.

There are no deadlines with reviving mobile projects, however, and Nintendo seems keen to give the game another push. Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that a new world, mode and playable character are on the way in a 29th September update. On that same date the app will get a discount.

As for what the new mode entails, Eurogamer has outlined some specifics. Daisy will be the unlockable playable character, and you ‘rescue’ her by clearing Remix 10; in this mode you collect Rainbow Coins across small snippets from 10 different levels; with these sections changing each time you play the mode. A new world will also be added to the campaign – World Star – which will have nine levels once you clear the first six worlds.

Finally, you can play your own music while in the app, with characters having the cute touch of wearing headphones as you do so.

It’s a decently sized update, then, and the discount may just tempt more players to take the plunge. Will you be checking this out?

This weekend is one of the most anticipated periods in the Japanese gaming calendar, with the Tokyo Game Show halls being open to thousands of eager members of the public. Among the world’s most popular and renowned expo events, it’s a significant part of game promotion and reveals in Japan.

As we reported at the start of the month, CIRCLE Entertainment and Flyhigh Works – two entities that combine forces across markets – have one of the most packed line-ups at the event from a Switch perspective. Both names are familiar for publishing games like VOEZ and Kamiko in the West, but they’re also active bringing Western games to Japan. The following list is all of the games they’re publishing in the country that are on show in Tokyo, along with some snaps of their booth; some of these titles naturally have different publishers in North America and PAL regions.

We asked CIRCLE Entertainment’s Chris Chau for his perspective on Tokyo Game Show, and he talks of its vibe and the continued interest of gamers from around the world.

Tokyo Game Show has so much Western media in attendance, and also many Western developers show up; they seek entry into the Japanese market, plus Korean and Chinese markets for many platforms. Asia seems to be very interesting for these developers.

Nintendo staff went to many booths at the start and gave exhibitors a Switch label box to mark Nintendo Switch titles; that allows for very clear information to tell the public that a game will have a Nintendo Switch version.

Like a Western game show it’s loud because there are many stages with live shows, with high volume speakers. Most people are particularly hyped for Japanese traditional titles, many that are Manga styled.

One thing I feel is really good is you won’t be lost in the exhibition venue; the hall is connected with one straight way, it’s very clear – you can really walk from Hall 1 to Hall 8 step-by-step. The staff of exhibitors always smile and are pleasant when showing their games to visitors; they are positive, say hi and want to give you some free gifts.

Setting the game show in September also means it doesn’t feel too hot; it’s quite comfortable to wait in a queue or wait to purchase a ticket.

As an exhibitor you need to be positive to manage your table, keeping the space, headphones and controllers clean, and to also manually reset games for the next visitors. I think the service, positive attitude and professional spirit are a big part the week; they’re important for Japan and the Game Show.

Let us know if you’re at Tokyo Game Show this year, or if you hope to go in the future.

The past few months has brought a steady stream of good news for Nintendo Switch owners. For fans of the eShop it’s been a terrific period, with lots of varied and talented developers confirming their games for the hardware. We’ve also – gradually – seen an increase in third-party support from the big players in the retail scene, and that’s what we’re addressing today.

After the Wii U was dropped by most major publishers after around 18 months of its life, it’s satisfying to be back in a position where Nintendo’s latest hardware is gaining support. The powerful portable / home console hybrid has achieved its most important goal in its first half year – a stong start in terms of sales. In fact all that’s held it back, particularly in territories like Japan and North America, has been logistics and manufacturing. The big N has struggled to meet demand, though has been making encouraging noises about ramping up manufacturing; restocks have been improving, too. The Switch is hot right now, getting favourable coverage in the broader media (and not just dedicated gaming sites) and also on social media. It’s a cool little device, and plenty of people are interested in it.

Nintendo, undoubtedly, will try to capitalise as much as possible, which will mean trying to get as many units as it can onto store shelves. Yet in some ways the well-earned buzz clashes with the stark reality; right now – as of 30th June – Nintendo’s official figure for hardware sales is 4.7 million units, now it may be somewhere between 6 and 8 million, depending on restocks. Forget the fact it’ll hit the Wii U lifetime sales as quickly as Nintendo can manufacture the systems – we’re in the early days and have a small-ish userbase. Nintendo’s financial year estimate was still 10 million as of 30th June; that’ll likely climb if manufacturing picks up, but it’s a reminder that we’re in the early days and any developer bringing games to the system is gambling on two things – a high adoption rate from early buyers, and ‘evergreen’ potential.

That’s how it is for all systems in their first year, of course, but coming back to retail third-parties the situation is more complicated for Switch. Outside of unique titles on the 3DS, a lot of these publishers haven’t even attempted to sell to a Nintendo audience in a big way for 3-4 years, maybe even longer. People online like to criticise these publishers for not ‘backing’ Switch, but a bit of realism helps – these companies are gambling on a new system when its predecessor (in some cases) burned them quite badly. Add to that the fact Nintendo produces concept-based hardware that makes ports quite challenging to produce, and it’s not so simple as ‘lazy third-party publishers are naughty’. Some of them are, no doubt, but let’s not tar the whole lot with the same brush.

Yet some big companies are stepping up with Switch, which is the encouraging thing. Plenty hold a grudge against Ubisoft, but it’s delivered the excellent Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, while Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition is a pleasant option. Let’s not forget, either, that the company put Switch up first in its big E3 reveal of Starlink: Battle for Atlas, a game that looks like an enticing fit for the Nintendo audience. Then there are the tasty recent announcements. L.A. Noire raised eyebrows and will have Switch-exclusive controls, and Bethesda turned heads recently with DOOM and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. The latter two from Bethesda are bonafide current-gen big hitters, and they’ll be playable on a portable. DOOM on a portable, what a delicious phrase.

It’s a really good time, then, with others like Rocket League also on the way. Yet we’re also seeing occasional retail releases of the risk averse and sloppy kind – let’s peg NBA 2K18 with that label. On the one hand it’s impressive to get that on the Switch, but it’s not there yet; we had a good debate in our team on how to score it, or not as the case was. We’ve set a timed deadline (albeit loosely) for an update fix before we slap a score on, but our review certainly didn’t recommend a purchase – far from it, as we were rather damning of what it has to offer at launch.

That naturally makes us nervous about titles like FIFA 18 and WWE 2K18; will they be really solid ‘custom’ versions, or buggy messes?

It’s a minefield then, which is unsurprising. Yet with recent reveals we’ve seen borderline over-confidence from some Switch fans about third-party prospects; on social media, YouTube and comments sections we’ve seen language like “third-parties have no excuses now” and “I want all the games”, and we think a bit of context and sanity is needed. The Switch could have some enticing multi-platform games in the future, and if sales momentum remains high for the hardware publishers may even consider some left-field exclusives. But don’t start placing your bets on all the biggest triple-A multiplatform games of 2018 and beyond rushing to Switch.

Some will throw Wolfenstein II at us now, but let’s throw a phrase back – id Software. This team and their id Tech 6 engine are sensational, and DOOM is an example. It is gorgeous and mostly 60fps on PS4 and Xbox One, when many major games on those systems struggle to hit a solid 30; when playing DOOM on PC the scalability to support humble rigs is seriously impressive. It’s that fantastic technology that is helping bring the likes of DOOM and Wolfenstein II to the Switch, along with the seemingly talented Switch specialists at Panic Button.

Digital Foundry addressed this and did an intriguing video where they built a PC to mimic a Switch, a slightly inelegant but interesting idea. It demonstrated the sort of compromise required, and also showed how games using other engines toil terribly. As DF admitted the testing wasn’t perfect – for one thing console development allows talented teams to get ‘close to the metal’ and extract every ounce of performance, whereas a PC gets distracted more by background tasks. In other words, you can conceivably do more with a Switch than a PC build clocking similar numbers.

Yet still, there’s another factor. Every Switch release has to support its portable mode, even if an Indie game like VOEZ is portable only. When docked the Switch works harder because it has a solid power supply, but undocked the clock speeds are reduced in the interest of efficiency. In theory it helps that the handheld only goes up to 720p because of the screen, but the discrepancy between docked and portable resources is a factor. Sometimes the docked performance is only a little better – games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle are 900p docked, and other times there’s a bigger difference. At launch LEGO City: Undercover ran pretty well docked but was rather messy on the portable. Conversely, some games don’t quite nail the extra speed available docked and mess up the balance in boosting resolution, making games run better in portable mode. Mostly developers make it work, but any Switch game review needs to test a game in both configurations in case there’s a difference.

The overall picture seems to result in the Switch, even docked, not quite supporting all modern engines to make porting seamless, and then developers need to cater to the portable performance and perhaps prioritise that area. That may explain why the likes of Bethesda and EA continually focus on their upcoming games as ultimate portable experiences; EA focused on that angle with its FIFA marketing, and Bethesda showcased DOOM that way to the press, focused on tabletop / handheld demonstrations.

Take all of this together, and it’s over-optimistic to simply expect a golden future of major games making their way to Switch without hiccups – E3 should have taught us that. What we can hope for, provided the Switch maintains its excellent momentum, is cleverly targeted ports with some exclusive features, and in the longer term maybe more unique releases as publishers take more of a financial punt on Switch projects. Yet the Switch hardware has its limits, and with developers chasing the gravy train on PS4 / PS4 Pro / Xbox One / Xbox One S that drifts towards optional 4K and visual splendour, not all games will work on Nintendo’s hardware. Not all engines are as adaptable as id Tech 6, and no matter how talented the Switch porting houses are – that are making some of these third-party games possible – there will always be steps that are too far.

And you know what? That has to be ok. Besides, the Switch has a lot more going for it than this specific space. It has Nintendo games, first and foremost, and then particular development partners eager to work with Nintendo on specific types of Switch-exclusive games. It has a thriving eShop scene, and the potential for lots of unique and fascinating titles to download. Plus it has the system’s fundamental positives – intuitive multiplayer, the ability to share games with friends and family wherever you go, portable and TV play; you know, that Switch Life.

Add a select range of tasty current-gen multiplatform games to that mix, and we have a system that could be a huge success in the coming years for Nintendo.