Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon aren’t far away on 3DS, and the more we learn about the new titles the clearer it gets that they’re offering more than minor expansions. The Pokémon Company and Game Freak have emphasised that there’ll be an expansive storyline, and in a new twist to previous expansions these games will also introduce entirely new Pokémon.
Recently we got a chance to ask Game Freak’s Kazumasa Iwao and Shigeru Ohmori (both serving as Directors on the title) some pertinent questions about what these games will have to offer, and why Pokémon Sun and Moon fans shouldn’t look past the new releases.
Check it out below.
For those of you that prefer text to video, the transcript is below – enjoy!
What made you decide to introduce new Pokémon in the middle of a generation, for the first time ever?
Iwao-san: So one of the big things of Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon is exploring the Ultra Wormholes that appear. By going through there you’ll ultimately discover some new Ultra Beasts that you haven’t seen before, and gradually solve the mystery that is the Ultra Wormholes. Naturally as part of that we decided to add in the new Pokémon.
Why have you returned to the concept of an “enhanced version” rather than a straight sequel?
Ohmori-san: I worked as the director on Pokémon Sun & Moon, and as such worked on creating the new Alola region, and I really thought “can’t we expand this world even further?”. So I went to Mr Iwao and said I’d like to be the director of Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, so we could explore the Alola region even further. In terms of the games themselves, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon are probably closest to Pokémon Emerald in its relationship to Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire in terms of the core concept, but to give a new experience in surprising some of our players we decided to make the two new different versions as if we’re making a new game, and that way people can still enjoy battling and trading in the same way that they do with a new entry in the series.
What key elements do you feel differentiate Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon from Sun and Moon?
Iwao-san: If we go too far into this it could get quite long, but the first real big point that you’ll see is that the story is quite different. This time around it focuses on the character you’ll see on the boxes, Necrozma, and the two different forms of it; as that appears the story develops from there. You’ll also see returning characters in Hau and Lillie from the original Sun & Moon, and this time around we get to see a new side of them, so that’s quite different from Sun & Moon. There are also some gameplay additions, you can see the Mantine Surf feature has been added, so players can enjoy riding on top of Mantine, and there’s also the Alola Photo Club, where you can take pictures of the Pokémon that you’re adventuring with, turn those pictures into decorations, and share those with other players through the Festival Plaza, so there’s quite a lot of big differences.
What element of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon do you think will surprise fans the most?
Iwao: There are lots of features and one in particular that I’d love to be able to talk about, but unfortunately I can’t right now. Something that’s really great is that after you finish the story, there’s a big post-story scenario that the players can really get into and enjoy, and another feature that’s hopefully something that’ll be really good for players to discover is that you can go and visit other worlds through the Ultra Wormholes. There’s Pokémon you can encounter and amongst them is actually Mewtwo, a strong Pokémon that players will be very familiar with who’s appeared in the past, and they can encounter and catch that, so hopefully players will really enjoy those aspects.
What would you say to those Sun and Moon players who have perhaps dismissed Ultra Sun and Moon already?
Iwao: This time around in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon you’re able to explore the Ultra Wormholes from which the Ultra Beasts appear, so by playing these games you’ll finally be able to solve the mystery of the Ultra Wormholes. In addition to this is the Pokémon Necrozma; in the first games it was a bit of a mystery as to what Necrozma was, so by playing Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon you’ll be able to find out exactly what’s happening there, so we really hope players will play Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon and solve these mysteries for themselves.
We’d like to thank Kazumasa Iwao and Shigeru Ohmori for their time.
RiME comes to Switch soon, and while the wait has been quite a long one we’re hopeful that it will have been well worth it.
Interestingly, it has been discovered that RiME on Switch – despite being portable – takes up more storage space than it does on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
According to the game’s eShop page, RiME gobbles up 6.9GB of storage, while the Xbox One version takes up 4.29 GB and the PS4 edition 4.25 GB.
What does this mean, ultimately? Perhaps Tantalus – the team behind the Nintendo port – hasn’t been able to compress the game data as effectively, or maybe the Switch version has extra content we don’t know about?
It’s anyone’s guess, but let us know what you think by posting a comment.
Nintendo Switch update brings video capture and more
The latest system update (4.0.0) for the Nintendo Switch™ console is here, bringing with it the ability to record 30-second video clips and share your great gaming moments with friends.
To capture video in compatible games, hold down the capture button during gameplay. This will create a video clip of the last 30 seconds. You can then view the saved videos in your album, trim the beginning and end of each clip, and post videos to your Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Currently you can use this feature in the following games:
The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild (version 1.3.0 and later)
Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe (version 1.3.0 and later)
ARMS™ (version 3.1.0 and later)
Splatoon™ 2 (version 1.1.1 and later)
The system update also includes:
New profile icons featuring characters from the Super Mario Odyssey™ game and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game (check out all the mustaches).
The ability to transfer user profiles and save data to another Nintendo Switch system. You can find this feature in System Settings –> Users –> Transfer Your User and Save Data.
A pre-purchase option is available for certain games on Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch. This option also lets you pre-load the digital version of a game to your device, so you can play right away when the game is released. (The pre-downloaded game won’t be playable until its official launch.)
Additional adjustments and features for a more pleasant user experience.
If your Nintendo Switch is connected to the internet, it will download the update automatically. You may also start the update from the System Settings menu, if needed. For the full list of updates, please visit support.
Fire Emblem Warriors for Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS launches on Oct. 20
When the Fire Emblem Warriors game launches Oct. 20 for the Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS family of systems, it will do so with a wealth of content and action-packed gameplay. The new game offers a twist on the acclaimed Fire Emblem series by uniting fan-favorite characters from Fire Emblem history to participate in over-the-top battles focused on real-time, tactical action rather than turn-based strategy.
Fire Emblem Warriors offers action-filled combat through an epic campaign starring more than 20 playable warriors, including two new characters, Lianna and Rowan, battling alongside beloved heroes like Marth, Lyn, Xander, Corrin and Chrom. Fans who want to get even more out of the game can download the free DLC Japanese voice pack and free software update on launch day, as well as purchase upcoming DLC.
“Whether you are a super fan of the Fire Emblem franchise, new to the series or played and loved the previously released Hyrule Warriors game, Fire Emblem Warriors offers a fantastic adventure filled with great gameplay,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The action-filled game is another solid addition to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS lineups.”
At midnight ET on Oct. 20, both the free DLC Japanese voice pack and a free software update will go live. The DLC voice pack adds the ability to experience the game with Japanese voice audio and English subtitles. The free software update adds battle results to the game’s History mode and a new feature for sorting in-game weapons.
Starting in December, a series of three paid DLC packs will also release for the game. The first DLC pack launches in December, the second in February and the third in March, with each pack adding three new playable characters, three new History scenarios, new costumes, new weapons and new support conversations inspired by Fire Emblem Fates, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and Fire Emblem Awakening, respectively. Each DLC pack will cost $8.99, but a Season Pass can be purchased starting on Oct. 20 for $19.99. The Season Pass includes all three DLC packs, which become available as they release, as well as a bonus bridal costume for Lucina that can only be obtained by purchasing the Season Pass.
Fire Emblem Warriors launches for Nintendo Switch on Oct. 20 at a suggested retail price of $59.99. A special edition will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch system on the same day at a suggested retail price of $79.99. The special edition includes the game, a premium character-card set with a slip case, a double-sided poster and a three-CD music set. The game also will launch on Oct. 20 for New Nintendo 3DS, New Nintendo 3DS XL and New Nintendo 2DS XL systems at a suggested retail price of $39.99. (This version of the game is only playable in 2D.)
Also launching on Oct. 20 are two new amiibo figures based on popular characters Tiki and Chrom from the Fire Emblem series. (Each figure is sold separately at a suggested retail price of $12.99.) These, along with other compatible Fire Emblem themed amiibo figures, including Marth, Ike, Robin and Lucina, grant players weapons or in-game materials when tapped. All other available amiibo figures are compatible as well. Up to five different compatible amiibo figures can each be tapped once per day.
The Switch eShop has been inundated with a whole slew of great games lately, our resident video producer Alex even argues that it’s become a problem, in a nice way. Like any store, especially now that curation has evidently well and truly ended, there will also be releases that are less appealing. We’ll have to wait and see which category Super Ping Pong Trick Shot falls under when it lands on Switch tomorrow.
As you can see in the trailer the concept is pretty simple, and it’s aiming for a budget price point; here’s a bit more info from the game page:
Try throwing a ball across a room filled with moving platforms and obstacles and into a cup!
Test your throwing skills across 80 challenges with mission and sub-mission objectives such as making the ball bounce twice, or using at least 75% power.
Use the L-Stick for traditional controls or the more energetic motion controls that simulate throwing a ball.
In addition to the single player Mission and Time Attack modes, there’s also a 2 player competitive mode! Go head-to-head with a friend to see who can throw the most balls into the cup and use special items to get an advantage over your opponent!
Based upon the Nintendo of America game list (which isn’t always 100% accurate ahead of the official download day), this one could have a lot of competition.
The Japanese Media Create chart results are out, and it proved to be a relatively quiet week in the market – there are some reasonable results for Nintendo, nonetheless.
Starting with software we have Middle-earth: Shadow of War taking top spot on PS4, though its actual sales numbers weren’t great in what was a slow week all around. The rest of the top five includes some evergreen titles, though there may be some disappointment with the performance of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions and particularly Fire Emblem Warriors, which have both failed to add too much to modest launch sales. Further down we have Lost Sphear, a spiritual successor to I Am Setsuna; it did better on PS4 but still only managed four figures, while it took 9th place with 5,770 sales on Switch.
[PS4] Middle-earth: Shadow of War (Warner Bros., 10/12/17) – 20,144 (New)
In terms of hardware we see a continuation of recent trends, with the Switch staying comfortably on top and increasing its sales slightly; the New 2DS LL and New 3DS LL (XL) swap places but still sit 3rd and 4th. Results are below with last week’s sales in brackets.
Switch – 40,803 (38,204)
PlayStation 4 – 16,933 (16,680)
New 2DS LL – 10,569 (8,534)
New 3DS LL – 8,369 (12,658)
PlayStation 4 Pro – 5,773 (5,869)
PlayStation Vita – 3,938 (3,545)
2DS – 1,565 (1,594)
New 3DS – 242 (265)
Xbox One – 71 (186)
PlayStation 3 – 65 (72)
Wii U – 58 (45)
A rather quiet week, overall, and Nintendo may be slightly disappointed with the low momentum of a couple of recent game releases – in terms of hardware, though, there’s plenty for the Kyoto-based company to celebrate.
For fans of the anime the original Attack on Titan console game was an exciting release, while there was also an interesting 3DS title localised out of Japan. With the Switch now getting some cross-platform games, however, it was particularly pleasing to hear recently that it’s getting Attack on Titan 2, the next ‘main’ game in the series.
Koei Tecmo has now confirmed that the public will get its first chance to try the game (we’re betting on PS4 or PC builds) during the upcoming Paris Games Week. Running from 1st to 5th November, the game will be playable at the Koei Tecmo booth.
Will any of you be lucky enough to attend Paris Games Week and try this out?
Koei Tecmo’s Warriors franchise – also known by its Japanese title of “Musou” – has fans the world over, but we’d be willing to bet that quite a few of the people who picked up the superb Hyrule Warriors on Wii U and 3DS had never played any of the previous entries. Combing the hack-and-slash gameplay of the series with the lore of Zelda was, in retrospect, a masterstroke; it unlocked a whole new generation of potential Musou fans and perhaps even awakened a few lapsed Zelda followers, too. Nintendo has allied itself with Koei Tecmo (as well as development teams Omega Force and Team Ninja) for another collaboration, this time featuring Intelligent Systems’ beloved Fire Emblem franchise.
Like some kind of mathematical equation, adding Musou to an existing property has exactly the kind of results you’d predict. The turn-based approach Fire Emblem is famous for is gone in Fire Emblem Warriors, and in its place you’ll find hordes of enemies to cut your way through (in real time, naturally), screen-filling special moves and a surprisingly deep character development system which not only allows for levelling-up, but permits you to augment each protagonist’s abilities on a more granular level, such as selecting and improving their weaponry. None of this will be news to seasoned Musou players, but there are some elements here which are unique to this particular instalment.
While the turn-based tactics of the Fire Emblem series may be gone, there’s still a strategic element to proceedings – even more so than is usual in a Warriors game. As ever, controlling bases, defending allies and opening up routes through the battlefield are key concerns, but in Fire Emblem Warriors things are given more depth by the fact that you can issue orders from the pause screen and instruct units to attack certain enemies, heal themselves or proceed to points on the map. It’s also possible to switch between units at the push of a button, which gives a much grander feel to the conflict. Instead of being a single super-soldier dealing out death (a tonal hallmark of the Musou series), you’re part of a larger army; indeed, if you fail to switch to other units in some missions then failure is a very real possibility, as it’s often the case that to reach a particular objective in the fastest time you have to shift control to another character.
The story, for what it’s worth, is largely hokum; its main objective is to give the developers an excuse to have these almost entirely unconnected characters all on the same battlefield. As a result we have eyebrow-raising scenarios where allies viciously attack allies simply to prove their trustworthiness, and one particularly confusing mission where it’s genuinely hard to remember who is fighting who, or to what end. Despite the often preposterous nature of the plot, it culminates nicely with a largely unexpected twist that leaves you rooting for our heroes – something that doesn’t always happen for the majority of the quest as it’s difficult to feel anything but indifference for enemies who become allies at the drop of a hat.
Speaking of characters, Fire Emblem Warriors has a few. The vast majority are plucked from Fire Emblem Awakening and Fire Emblem Fates, a fact which may annoy some seasoned fans of the series. There are some protagonists from earlier entries – as well as all-new faces, such as lead characters Rowan and Lianna – but this is clearly a package aimed at modern followers of the franchise, and thanks to the focus on switching between units during battle, you’ll get more of a chance to familiarise yourself with each one than you perhaps did in Hyrule Warriors.
Another aspect of Fire Emblem that the game borrows is the famous weapon triangle. Certain weapon types have the advantage over others, creating a triangle which means no single weapon is dominant. When fighting against certain types you may find that your character is weaker and therefore takes longer to dispatch them – something which gives you even more impetus to switch to another character, especially during some of the more tense moments when you need to kill certain enemies and move onto the next objective quickly.
In terms of combat, Fire Emblem Warriors will offer few surprises – but that’s not to say it isn’t ridiculously entertaining all the same. Standard and strong attacks can be chained together to form many different combos – all unique to each character – and by building up your “Warrior” gauge you can unleash a powerful special attack by pushing the A button. After filling your “Awakening” gauge, a stab of the R shoulder button means you’ll benefit from a short period where you’ll always have the advantage, irrespective of the weapon triangle. You can roll out of trouble using B – handy for outflanking stubborn enemies – and the L shoulder button allows you to lock onto a target and circle them. The camera can be controlled using the right-hand analogue stick, and you can snap it behind your character instantly by pressing the ZL button. ZR opens up a sub-menu from which you can use items to heal both yourself and your allies, but its most important use calls to mind another Fire Emblem staple: bonds between allies.
Simply fighting in close proximity to another friendly character is usually enough to enhance the bond between them, but using ZR you can choose to join forces with them. During this time they are effectively removed from the battlefield, but you can call them in for special attacks and they lend their power to yours when you unleash a special with the A button. You’ll also find that some characters automatically step in to defend you at certain points, and it’s possible to call them in using ZR + Y for an assist attack. You can toggle between the two characters at any point – ideal for when you’re at a disadvantage against a certain enemy and need another weapon type – or decouple entirely so they return to the skirmish, which comes in handy when the tide begins to turn and you need to get more bodies on the battlefield.
The tactical side of the game isn’t just for show; poor planning can lead to units being killed, and in traditional Fire Emblem fashion there’s a “Classic” mode in which fallen allies cannot be used in future battles, but the edge has been taken off this mode by the fact that you can revive them (at a cost) at the temple in-between missions. The “Casual” mode – where fallen characters simply retreat until the next battle and therefore need less mollycoddling – is a much gentler option, but even in this mode we found ourselves having to re-play certain missions after failing to meet our goals.
It’s also worth mentioning that the battlegrounds in Fire Emblem Warriors borrow ideas from the main Fire Emblem series. Dragon Veins are present in some forts, and triggering these usually opens up shortcuts or removes obstacles, such as fog which covers the map or poisonous gas. You’ll also find that certain routes are only accessible by flying units, making the need to switch between allies even more important. These shortcuts are ignored at your peril, as they often allow you to complete an objective or reach a certain point of the battlefield faster than on foot. In typical Warriors fashion, you’ll spend most of your time in Fire Emblem Warriors fighting for control of forts dotted around each level. These are guarded by a powerful enemy who must be defeated to claim ownership; during some of the longer skirmishes you can expect these bastions to change hands many times over as each side fights to gain the upper hand.
Outside of the battlefield you’re given the chance to evolve and grow your characters using some tried-and-tested Musou techniques. Using materials gained in combat you can create “badges” which increase your attack power, give you longer combos, boost your defense against certain weapons and even unlock new skills. If you have a Master Seal you can also change a character’s class, which not only gives them a healthy stat boost but changes their outward appearance. Unique skills can be learned as well, usually when you’ve formed a strong bond between two characters – another incentive to get your units working closely on the battlefield. Weapons are also found on the battlefield and can be equipped in-between missions; it’s possible to reforge certain weapons so they gain additional bonuses, such as increased item drops or extra damage. You’ll spend a lot of time upgrading your warriors and unlocking new badges, but thankfully the developers have included an “optimise equipment” option which takes some of the effort out of that side of things. It’s worth noting that amiibo functionality is included, too – you can scan up to five amiibo a day to earn materials and weapons.
The main story mode will keep you occupied for quite some time, but in addition to that there’s the “History” mode, which allows you to replay famous battles from the Fire Emblem series. These are unlocked as you progress through the main narrative, and offer the chance to not only boost your experience, gain more items and earn more gold, but also sate your competitive side – your performance in each mission is ranked depending on how well you do. It’s a neat little aside which expands the longevity of Fire Emblem Warriors, but it does feel a slightly tacked-on – especially when you consider that unrelated characters from other Fire Emblem games appear in each mission (Chrom is in the opening clash between Nohrian and Hoshidan forces, lifted from Fire Emblem Fates, for example).
Hyrule Warriors could hardly be described as ugly, but when placed alongside Fire Emblem Warriors the gulf in visual quality is remarkable – especially when you consider that the Switch is a totally mobile system. In its default “Quality” mode – which runs at 1080p / 30fps docked – the game ticks along nicely, with impressive visual effects and loads of enemies on-screen at any one time. However, the “Performance” mode drops the resolution down to 720p and boosts the framerate to 60fps (needless to say this only applies to docked mode); whether or not this is an acceptable trade-off for you is all down to personal taste, but the smoothness of the action really does make a difference, and we opted to play in Performance during the whole adventure. On the audio side of things, Fire Emblem Warriors features copious amounts of voice acting and the option to toggle between English and Japanese speech. The music is typical of Musou crossovers; notable Fire Emblem tunes played on screeching guitars. It’s not entirely unpleasant and certainly fits the action, but it lacks the subtlety associated with Fire Emblem’s music.
Conclusion
Despite their enduring fame and commercial success the Musou games have, in the past, come dangerously close to self-parody, and it’s easy to see why critics of the series consider them to be little more than repetitive button-bashers. Thankfully Fire Emblem Warriors is anything but a mindless brawler; it combines enjoyable combat with real-time tactics, faithfully paying tribute to the two franchises it fuses together. Musou fans will love the fantasy setting and blade-based action, while Fire Emblem followers will appreciate the strategic wrinkles that series adds to proceedings. While the story is largely forgettable there’s plenty of fan-service for Fire Emblem lovers here; granted, the cast list focuses on the more recent outings on the 3DS, but we imagine that DLC will redress the balance moving forward. Despite the addition of deeper tactics we fear that Fire Emblem Warriors may still be too samey for those who have struggled with Koei Tecmo’s franchise in the past, but everyone else should definitely give this a try; it may well be one of the best Musou outings yet seen.
After smashing its Kickstarter goal, Digital Sun Games’ action RPG title Moonlighter has been steadily getting closer to release. Until now there had been no inclination of a release on Switch but, thanks to a rather epic reveal trailer, we now know that the game is indeed coming to the console.
The game sees you lead a double life of sorts – in the day time, you lead an ordinary life of a shopkeeper, conducting your business in the local village and getting to know the residents; under the moonlight, however, you’ll be fighting off enemies and opening gates to different worlds. You can get a quick taste of what the game has to offer, as well as seeing the confirmation for the Switch version, in the trailer below.
The game’s Steam page indicates an “Early 2018” release but there is no word yet on when the game will launch on Switch. It does feel like it could be a perfect fit for the hardware, though – you could play through your shopkeeping duties during your daily commute and then get stuck into the rogue-like combat when you get home in the evening.
Do you like the look of Moonlighter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
During the Summer we shared the news that Monster Jam: Crush It! is heading to the Switch, and now the eShop pages (via the ever reliable ‘Coming Soon’ section) has backed up online retail listings to pin down a release date – 31st October. Yep, we reckon they’re trying to be a bit clever with that release date.
It’s worth remembering it’s a retail game (which had a mixed critical reception for its PS4 / Xbox One versions in 2016), so it has a budget retail price. It’ll be $39.99USD in North America and £34.99 on the UK store, as two examples. A quick look online shows the same price for the boxed version on Amazon.com, but a more palatable £23.99 (at the time of writing) on Amazon UK. That UK listing gives a date of 14th November, however, so there’s clearly a bit of a delay for the cartridge in some territories.
For those that like over-sized vehicles and crushing things, it might be quite tempting.
