Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 23rd)
Well, what a busy week we’ve had. There was the Nindies Showcase, which brought with it the Cuphead and Cadence of Hyrule reveals, the Animal Crossing tweet meltdown, and even a new gaming platform from Google, but it’s finally time for us to settle down with some games for the weekend. We’ve shared our plans below, but feel free to join in via the poll and comment sections. Enjoy!
Gavin Lane, staff writer
This weekend I’ll be settling down for a nice relaxed time with Yoshi’s Crafted World for review. I’m a big fan of his last escapades in Woolly World and an even bigger fan of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, so I have high hopes for his latest adventure.
Going by previous games in the series, I doubt it’ll be the most taxing game, so I might try upping the adrenaline levels with a little Rocket League. I fired it up for the first time in ages last weekend and it looks an awful lot sharper than it did when the game launched. God bless patches, eh? So, when I’m not waddling around a cardboard diorama as T. Yoshisaur Muchakoopas, you’ll likely find me chasing a big ball in my DeLorean. Magic.
Austin Voigt, contributing writer
To be quite honest, after seeing the trailers for the new Labo VR kits, I think I’m going to go try to finish up the rest of the Nintendo Labo Toy-Cons that have just been sitting in the box collecting dust. I never actually finished building all of the kits I bought the first time around, and now the completionist in me is feeling compelled to do so. Also, I’ve been on a bit of a building kick lately with LEGO and whatnot, so although the Toy-Con software isn’t entertaining beyond a couple of minutes’ worth of gameplay, I do get a kick out of the construction process.
Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer
This weekend is going to be a busy one for the ol’ Nintendo Switch. I’ll be taking Unravel Two for a co-operative spin to see if this charming platformer can really work on handheld hardware. I’ll also be shouting “I object!” and pointing my finger with riotous indignation while playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy. I’ll also be getting my freeform adventure on in the intriguing first-person promise of Windscape. Look out for reviews of all three next week on Nintendo Life.
Liam Doolan, news reporter
After the Nindie Direct earlier this week, this weekend I’ve decided to spend my time playing Crypt of the NecroDancer (for obvious reasons). Admittedly it’s a game I’ve purchased on multiple platforms, but somehow never got around to playing. So for the next few days, that’s my main goal. I’m also eager to try out Blaster Master Zero 2. It was probably my third favourite announcement of the recent presentation, right behind Cadence of Hyrule and Cuphead. Last of all, I intend to return to Wargroove. As much as I adore this game, I always feel I need more time to play it and this weekend will probably be no different even after I’ve spent multiple hours on it.
Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer
WARNING: A huge import package is approaching fast! This weekend will be spent revising RXN -Raijin-, World of Final Fantasy Maxima plus premiering Zoids Wild: King of Blast, Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank Match DX and, last but not least, Darius Cozmic Collection. All games in their physical plastic glory. Whenever Zuntata is blasting from my sound system you know that always equals a good time. Still no excuse to skip some Super Smash Bros. Ultimate action of course.
My game of the week is Blaster Master Zero 2. Inti Creates has this neo-retro formula down to a tee so having this out-of-nowhere halfway into a Nindies Direct was the Switch high point for me this past week.
Which games are you playing this weekend? (206 votes)
Random: Is State Of Play PlayStation’s Take On Nintendo Direct?
Sony has revealed it will be hosting a series of live broadcasts, with the first one kicking off on 25th March.
These ‘State of Play’ showcases intend to provide updates and announcements from the world of PlayStation. Here’s a bit about what to expect, direct from the PR:
State of Play will give you updates and announcements from the world of PlayStation. Our first episode will showcase upcoming PS4 and PS VR software, including new trailers, new game announcements and new gameplay footage.
As you can probably imagine, people have had an absolute field day on social media with this announcement. Most comments appear to be poking fun at PlayStation for seemingly copying Nintendo’s Direct presentations.
Even our colleagues over at Push Square seem to agree the Japanese entertainment giant has taken a page out of Nintendo’s book. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Sony PlayStation has shamelessly copied Nintendo.
What do you think about Sony building hype with its own live broadcasts? Are you surprised it didn’t happen sooner? Share your thoughts below.
2018 marks the 40th anniversary of legendary studio SNK! To celebrate this extraordinary milestone, a variety of classic arcade games from SNK's golden age are coming back together in one anthology on Nintendo Switch. SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is packed full of retro games and a treasure trove of features!
FEATURES:
* Collection of classics in your hands! Take a piece of SNK history with you wherever you go on Nintendo Switch. Choose from over a dozen titles and experience an intense blast from the past!
* Modern Meets Retro! Rewind and save at any time while you're playing, enjoy updated graphics at 1080p resolution, and experience redesigned control schemes for a modern feel!
* Enter the SNK Museum: A history of SNK and its games await in the Museum Mode. Explore the legacy of one of Japan's leading developers with high definition artwork and original promotional assets!
Microsoft Apes Nintendo, Announces Xbox One Indie Game Showcase Stream
Microsoft has taken a leaf out of Nintendo's book and announced a new Direct-style stream centered around indie titles coming to Xbox One. Named ID@Xbox Game Pass, the first episode will air on March 26 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 4 PM GMT (3 AM AET in Sydney).
"You can expect to learn more about some of the hottest ID@Xbox titles coming to Xbox Game Pass with new reveals, gameplay highlights, and conversations with the developers," the platform holder stated. It went on to tease information on Afterparty, Void Bastards, and Supermarket Shriek, as well as "new game announcements." You'll be able to watch on YouTube, as with Microsoft's Inside Xbox streams.
On the face of it, the show will be similar to Nintendo's regular Nindies streams, the most recent of which happened just a few days ago. The spring Nindies showcase even included a collaboration of sorts between Nintendo and Microsoft as a port of Cuphead for Switch was announced. It also brought a new Zelda game and some new Switch games available right now.
Microsoft's announcement comes just hours after Sony unveiled its new show, State of Play, which promises more information on upcoming PlayStation games and "new game announcements" of its own. That stream is also airing on March 26, just a few hours after Microsoft's ID@Xbox Game Pass show.
While Nintendo is known for making gaming as accessible as possible to the masses, a number of indie developers have made a name for themselves on the Switch by providing absolutely ruthless experiences. Cuphead by StudioMDHR will be no different. This game is already known as a punishing run and gun 2D platformer and it’s now been reiterated the critically-acclaimed title will be released in the same state on the hybrid platform.
In a recent interview with Kotaku at Nintendo’s 2019 GDC indie event, Cuphead’s co-director Jared Moldenhauer said the studio wasn’t about to make the notoriously difficult game any easier and wants the next wave of players to experience it exactly how it was intended:
“Some people wondered if we were going to tweak the balance or really adjust things, and I don’t see that as being fair…We wanted to let the next wave of gamers experience it exactly how we intended to make it.”
Even though the game includes a simple mode, it doesn’t provide the full experience and cuts a lot of content. As Moldenhauer notes, “the end result, where people are a little upset that you can’t beat the game” pays respect to a bygone era of gaming.
Are you glad to hear the difficulty of Cuphead won’t be watered down on the Switch? Are you the type of player who enjoys overly challenging video games? Tell us down in the comments.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-24-2019, 09:29 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Pokemon Go: Giratina Returning To Raid Battles Soon With New Form
Pokemon Go's first Gen 4 Legendary Pokemon, Giratina, is making an encore appearance in the hit mobile game soon. Niantic is bringing the Renegade Pokemon back to Raid Battles for another month beginning March 28, and this time around it'll appear in a different form.
From March 28 to April 2, players will have another opportunity to capture Giratina in its Altered Forme (pictured below). After that, the Legendary Pokemon will transform into its Origin Forme--the serpent-like appearance it takes in Pokemon Platinum--until it leaves Raid Battles on April 29.
Regardless of what form it takes, Giratina is a dual Ghost/Dragon Pokemon, so the same strategies you used to battle it when it first appeared during last year's Halloween event will apply. What's unique about this combination is that both Ghost and Dragon are susceptible to their own types, so Pokemon like Salamence, Rayquaza, and Gengar will prove to be effective against Giratina. Dark-types such as Tyranitar and Houndoom will also have an edge over it.
In the meantime, you still have a few more days to capture Pokemon Go's current Legendary, Dialga. The Temporal Pokemon will only appear in Raid Battles until March 28, meaning this is your last opportunity to add it to your collection before it leaves the game. Dialga is a dual Dragon/Steel-type, making it weak to Fighting and Ground Pokemon like Machamp and Groudon.
Pokemon Go is in the midst of its spring equinox event, which makes Grass Pokemon like Oddish and Sunkern easier to find. The game's next Community Day takes place this Saturday, March 23, and it likewise features a Grass Pokemon: the Gen 3 starter Treecko.
Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid Arrives Next Week On Switch eShop
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid had an incredibly rough start to its life when a YouTube channel uploaded the game’s trailer and press release ahead of schedule, resulting in the game being officially revealed on the same day as the first Mortal Kombat 11 showcase. It really wasn’t the best start to its fighting career, at all.
Now that the team behind the game has comes to terms with this, the release date has been confirmed. The Switch eShop version launches worldwide on 26th March (aka. next week). You can pre-order a standard copy of the game for $19.99 or Digital Collector’s Edition for $39.99 right now. Both versions include the bonus V2 Green Ranger skin and a digital artbook. The Collector’s Edition also contains the Season One Pass (including three new characters, their arcade story, and warrior skin), an exclusive Lord Drakkon Evo II fighter and a selection of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Pink Ranger character skins.
If you haven’t already seen it, here’s the latest game trailer, revealing the full character roster:
Watch the gameplay reveal of the full starting roster. See the signature attacks from Goldar, Ranger Slayer, Mastodon Sentry, Kat, Magna Defender, Gia, Jason, Tommy and Lord Drakkon. Check out the game’s real-time assist takeover mechanics, dynamic defense, juggle combos, and Megazord come back system in action.
Will you be joining the fight on 26th March? Tell us down below.
It’s a common trend for developers of upcoming releases to announce downloadable content ahead of time nowadays and NetherRealm Studios is no different. The first of six DLC fighters coming to Mortal Kombat 11 in the Kombat Pack is Shang Tsung. Interestingly, the character is voiced by the Japanese-American actor, martial artist and stuntman Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who starred as this same character in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie.
In addition to this, Noob Saibot has also been revealed in an official gameplay trailer. The character originally debuted as a secret fighter in the second Mortal Kombat game and became playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
How are you finding all of these Mortal Kombat updates? Are you looking forward to the game’s launch next month? Tell us below.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 03-24-2019, 03:27 AM - Forum: Lounge
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XCOM 2 Is Free To Play And 75% Off On Steam This Weekend
No matter how long and tiresome your week is, there's at least one thing you can look forward to by the time you make it to Friday: Steam's free-to-play weekend games will be live. This weekend, only one title is available as a free-to-play exclusive, but it's a big one: XCOM 2, a turn-based strategy game where you command a resistance group of soldiers fighting back against aliens who have captured and now dominate Earth.
From now until Sunday, March 24 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 8 PM GMT (or March 25 at 7 AM AET), you can play XCOM 2 completely for free on Steam--and if you love the game, be sure to grab it at its current steep discount of $15 / £11.37 / AU $21.16 (normally $60). It'll be on sale until Monday, March 25 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT (or March 26 at 4 AM AET). The XCOM 2 Collection, its Digital Deluxe edition, and various DLC are marked down as well.
XCOM 2 takes places two decades after XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the series' 2012 reboot. You play as the commander of XCOM, a military organization working to sabotage and bring down the alien regime that now occupies Earth. Stealth and strategy play an even bigger role in this sequel, which allows for sneaking around enemies and planning thrilling ambushes. The game earned a 9/10 in GameSpot's XCOM 2 review for its nuanced strategy, compelling characters, and the critical decisions you're forced to make.
"Time keeps ticking in XCOM 2, and the best we can do is make the right choices when we have the chance," wrote GameSpot's Mike Mahardy. "XCOM 2 imparts the weight of those decisions, and that's what makes it extraordinary. It's mathematical, emotional, and thoughtful all at once. It's exhilarating, even in the face of failure. It's compelling, even though we often lose. Victory is the goal, but that's just an afterthought here--it's the complex journey that counts."
This 3D Model Of Super Mario World Is Breathtakingly Beautiful
If you love Super Mario World anywhere near as much as we do, you’re going to love this 3D model based on the game’s overworld, too.
Shared on Twitter by Matt Brailsford, this gorgeous little creation features all of the key areas seen on the game’s famous map. Everything from the little world numbers, the Yellow Switch Palace, and all the familiar scenery is correct and present, and it looks absolutely adorable. Take a look.
There are some more pics, too:
Go ahead and tell us you wouldn’t want of these making your home look wonderful in the comments. We dare you…
