Starting out life as an entry for a game jam back in 2015, developer Matt Makes Games (of TowerFall fame) has brought Celeste to Nintendo Switch as a fully realised action platformer. Popularised by fellow Switch indie Super Meat Boy– which was in turn inspired by designer Matt Thorson’s freeware series Jumper – Celeste on the surface is another brutally challenging and fast-paced title. Traversing the titular and treacherous mountain by way of climbing, jumping and dashing over deadly traps, this formula is as popular as it is prominent on the eShop right now. Celeste does have more than a few tricks up its sleeve both mechanically and stylistically that give it a sure footing.
From the outset, it is clear that Celeste is a dangerous and hostile place, with a bitter cold and harsh terrain. However, there is a warmth and sincerity to protagonist Madeline, as she tries to reach her goal. In the early stages it feels like there is a greater, more personal journey that is waiting to be uncovered. She is vulnerable but determined. She doubts herself but supports others. Both you and Madeline will have to share determination and persistence to conquer both physical and personal challenges.
The game has plenty of atmosphere and tension, but there’s also hope and the cathartic sense of self-discovery is rich throughout. Internal voices clash, text judders with emphasis, Seemingly innocuous warning boards mistakenly dismissed as scenery actually have purpose. The game deals with complex personal themes with refreshing candor and nuance.
Aesthetically, Celeste is a mix of myriad art styles, but they compliment each other well. The simple pixel art levels and sprites hark back to its roots as a demo developed in ‘fantasy console’ PICO 8. That’s not to say they haven’t been given a bit of extra polish, as the characters have fluid and varied motion animations, the backgrounds and weather effects feel suitably unforgiving and various mechanical platforms have a great kinetic energy.
Just when proceedings feel like they are going to get into a groove of familiarity in terms of location, things start to get a little otherworldly and surreal. From here, Celeste really flexes its graphical muscles, moving on from the expected snow covered trail to present new and consistently more vibrant fantastical locations, as well as some truly stunning vistas and set pieces. The chapter select is a low polygon 3D model of the mountain and is as equally charming as the in game graphics.
When Madeline interacts with the people she meets along the way, it’s a different approach, as bold drawings convey a range of emotion and expression during dialogue presented at the top of the screen, and serene expositional illustrations document your journey beautifully. There’s more emphasis on exploration in Celeste than most of its contemporaries, as hitting switches and finding keys to unlock doors that can be a fair distance apart.
Level design and controls are great throughout, especially when secret areas and more unique tasks are factored in. Combinations and routes may initially look impossible, but every death is a lesson so you can observe and fully exploit the environment with Madeline’s move set. Whether you’re utilizing the environmental elements, perfectly placed balloons or crystals to replenish your dash (indicated by Madeline’s hair colour) or taking a breather on barley visible ledges, Celeste constantly feels more immense than its retro art style suggests.
Clinging to a wall within a pixel of your life, or spring boarding across a screen-wide chasm only to perform a perfectly timed dash to safety is incredibly satisfying, and with practise, the game rewards your ambition to take risks. The balance of timing, reactions, dexterity and momentum feel great, and it’s clear that there’s a hint of the hyper jumping mechanic that made TowerFall so good. Later, sparkling dream blocks refill both dash and stamina while thrusting you from one side to the other, and extra objects that effect your movement. We won’t spoil what they are, but suffice to say that they are integral to both the narrative and gameplay.
There are two main types of collectibles on your quest to reach the summit. While the practical use of strawberries is pretty negligible, the temptation to push yourself and gather every last one is very gratifying. In addition, each chapter contains a ‘b side’ cassette tape, which is where the real challenge lies. Find it, and an even harder, alternate of the chapter opens. They are definitely worth the effort. Speaking of cassettes, Lena Raine’s soundtrack is absolutely superb, with reflective and intricate piano being a particular personal highlight, as well as heart pounding grandeur during thrilling set pieces. Seriously, the soundtrack is best just experienced rather than explained.
The function of Madeline’s dash may vary from simply making it across a gap to triggering switch or platform. The complexity of the levels you’re playing might not be apparent early on, but they soon become sprawling and interesting puzzles within themselves, and sometimes it’s just as crucial to see the bigger, sometimes intimidatingly challenging picture (through a well placed pair of binoculars) as it is to play what’s right in front of you.
You’ll have to plan your route meticulously a genuine sense of achievement that could even change your outlook on life/ challenges faced once you’ve put your Switch down. There’s a big heart beating under Celeste’s harsh and unforgiving exterior. There’s a warmth to the characters and a personal conflict that’s as resonant as it is relatable, with surprises at every turn.
While games in this genre have a reputation for their difficulty, the Assist mode in Celeste is a master stroke. Unintrusive, highly customisable and excellently implemented. Categorising elements of the gameplay that can be adjusted in a non binary manner truly can allow a balance between difficulty and accessibility. In fullAassist mode, you’ll basically tear through the game for the story, as it’s possible to slow down the speed, have infinite dash and stamina along with complete invincibility. The game is challenging enough to make you go to the options screen regularly, but perseverance pays off as you’ll be missing out on a lot of what makes Celeste such a joy to play.
Mastering the game’s precision timing and having lightning quick reactions will take a lot of patience and persistence, but it’s worth every minute. With no aid whatsoever, Celeste as a game is a sadistically challenging yet immensely rewarding experience, to the point where you will want to put yourself through the hardships to reap the sense of satisfaction in an ‘art imitating life’ kind of way. While Celeste’s tight and tough platforming is highly competent if a little familiar, it’s the narrative and art direction that makes it truly special.
There are instances of true magnificence in Celeste, going beyond the core platform mechanics and it’s all in the details. An exquisite balance of incredibly well designed levels, conscious effort to make it accessible while still having a level of difficulty and potential speed running community will salivate over.
It’s a game of conflict. It’s a heartfelt story of determination and self worth, with a cherished handful of eccentric characters, personality and a thoroughly enjoyable experience regardless of your ability. As accessible as it is relentless, as cute as it is harsh. The exposition, while candid and relevant, is a bit unevenly placed and affects the pace. It’s a small niggle that it wasn’t a bit more evenly spread out somehow, but that doesn’t detract from its personal and emotional weight.
Conclusion
Celeste is an exemplary amalgamation of style, mechanics and character. A devilishly brilliant action platformer with enough skill required to excite genre purists and the speed running community, while at the same time featuring a breakdown of gameplay elements to customize and cater for all audiences. While the game mechanically is great, if familiar, the art style and narrative are truly special, showing both a visual and emotional range and depth that will resonate and inspire. Celeste is the absolute peak of personal exploration and discovery on Nintendo Switch.
Vesta is a witty 6-year-old girl who lives in a desolate underground maze ? the ruins of a once-bright city inhabited by humans and perfect machines. Although this world can be lonely, she is kept company by her friend BOT. It advises her and encourages her to do the tasks she is assigned, although it knows much more than it lets on.
In Railway Empire, you will create an elaborate and wide-ranging rail network, purchase over 40 different trains modelled in extraordinary detail, and buy or build railway stations, maintenance buildings, factories and tourist attractions to keep your travel network ahead of the competition. You'll also need to hire and manage your workforce if you want to ensure an efficient train service, whilst also develop over 300 technologies ranging from mechanical improvements to the trains themselves to workplace infrastructures and advanced amenities as you progress through five eras of technological innovations.
Iconoclast’s developer talks making a game that just ‘feels right’
Iconoclasts, out this week on Steam, PS4, and PlayStation Vita, is the product of developer Joakim Sandberg, who spent seven years tuning and tweaking the side-scrolling adventure game to his personal taste. The result is a game that’s strikingly precise, and one that reflects the passions and interests of its sole developer.
That’s a rare thing in games, which often benefit from being touched by many hands in the course of development. Today on the Gamasutra Twitch channel, we were lucky enough to talk to Sandberg about his influences and the decisions he made producing this game.
You can watch our full conversation up above, but just in case you’re *checks spreadsheet* trying to escape a iron-fisted theocratic government that’s angry at you for choosing your own career, you can read some quick highlights down below.
Building a side-scrolling action game with auto-aim
Most side-scrolling action games, while not relying on precision aiming, do ask players to pay some attention to where they’re pointing their gun/otherwise magical item. However, Sandberg told Gamasutra that he was largely interested in creating a game where players could keep moving, so he wanted to give a small degree of auto-aim to players so they wouldn’t be stopping to shoot all the time.
To that end, he explained he designed a cone-centered system that only asked players to be pointing the gun toward the correct 90 degree angle, and as long as they were in range, an auto-aim system would take care of the rest. There’s also a fairly limited degree of tools the player picks up in Iconoclasts, since Sandberg said the insane feature creep of some modern games (He jokingly references Batman: Arkham Knight) reduces the impact of what encounters can be meaningful to players.
Shooters shouldn’t have boss battles
Amidst our discussion about the game’s many creative boss battles, Sandberg shared his thoughts about what roles a video game “boss” has in modern game design, and how some action-oriented games shouldn’t be employing them. Sandberg explained that his game has bosses because he essentially designed his control system around 1 on 1 encounters, not battles against hordes of enemies. He argued that in games where players face hordes of enemies (like shooters, for instance), singular boss encounters tend to slow down the general flow, and thus become less memorable.
In Sandberg’s eyes, action games that currently use bosses as narrative crutches would benefit more from structured setpieces that can either accommodate large amounts of enemies, or are crafted with unique moments that don’t occur elsewhere in gameplay.
Iconoclast’s inspiration includes Metroid Fusion and…Monster World IV?
Again, since Iconoclasts is such a personal effort, we thought it was worth talking to Sandberg about his game design inspirations. Broadly, the game does feel reminiscent of the so-called “Metroidvania” genre, but Sandberg points out that the game’s linearity and lower emphasis on exploration means it doesn’t quite fit in that description.
One game that Sandberg wanted to call out was Monster World IV for the Sega Mega Drive. It’s a side-scrolling action game that manages to build a narrative world out of 2-dimensional space, and since we don’t hear that game cited often here at Gamasutra, we figured other developers interested in following in Sandberg’s footsteps may want to revisit its structure when studying other games.
Save up to 30% on select Nintendo Switch digital games
Save up to 30% on select Nintendo Switch digital games
Looking for something new to play? Download great digital games to play anytime, anywhere—and in a whole new way—with Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch system.
Right now, you can get up to 30% off select digital games for Nintendo Switch. My Nintendo members also earn Gold Points on qualifying digital purchases, so it’s a win-win. Act fast, though, as this sale only runs until 2/1 at 8:59 a.m. PT.
We know you’re busy and might miss out on all the exciting things we’re talking about on Xbox Wire every week. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can help remedy that. We’ve pared down the past week’s news into one easy-to-digest article for all things Xbox! Or, if you’d rather watch than read, you can feast your eyes on our weekly video show above. Be sure to come back every Friday to find out what’s happening This Week on Xbox!
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition Launches on February 20 When we set out to create the Definitive Edition of the original Age of Empires, our goal was to deliver the best possible version of this classic, from a top notch audio-visual presentation to multiplayer to core game systems. Everything needed to be as good as you remembered it (or better!) to deliver a compelling RTS experience 20 years after its original release. …and that took us a bit longer than we’d originally planned. But, it was important for the team to treat the Age of Empires franchise with the respect it deserves, so we took the time we needed to get features like attack-move and the improved minimap exactly right, and even… Read more
Xbox Game Pass: NBA 2K17, WWE 2K17, Halo Wars 2 and More Available February 1 Hello, fellow gamers! Welcome to your February Xbox Game Pass update. February brings a mix of eight new titles to Xbox Game Pass, with something for absolutely everyone to enjoy in addition to the over 100 great games already included in your Xbox Game Pass membership. You can look forward to playing NBA 2K17, WWE 2K17, Halo Wars 2, Darksiders II DE, Fable Anniversary, RIME, Riptide Renegade GP, and Letter Quest: Grimm’s Journey all available February 1. NBA 2K17 Xbox Game Pass members loved the stunningly realistic, world-class simulation basketball and engaging Spike Lee MyCareer story that NBA 2K16 had to offer — it was one of the most-played games in Xbox Game Pass when we… Read more
Explore Unknown Territory with the ID@Xbox Artistic Adventure Sale We’re going on an adventure! The ID@Xbox team has gone hunting for over 55 of our favorite indie adventure games and discounted them by up to 70% in the Artistic Adventure Sale. Now’s a wonderful time to shore up that game catalog with fantastic critically acclaimed games like: What Remains of Edith Finch (33% off). Winner of Best Narrative at The Game Awards and Best Adventure Game by Game Informer in 2017, What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she’s the last one in her family left alive…. Read more
Console Launch Exclusive Full Metal Furies Available Now as Xbox Play Anywhere Title Holy shlamboly, it’s actually happened. Full Metal Furies is coming out… today! To finally give gamers the chance to play a labour of love that we’ve spent nearly four years making is tough to put into words. There’s a lot of pride getting to this point, and while the journey getting here was far from smooth, in the end, it was totally worth it. We honestly hope you enjoy playing Full Metal Furies. As the game approached release, we unveiled a lot of info about it and received a lot of feedback. One of the most interesting comments were from people who questioned whether Full Metal Furies even qualified as a brawler. It just seemed too unfamiliar to them, and outside what they… Read more
Drive Australia’s Open Roads in Native 4K with Forza Horizon 3 Xbox One X Enhanced Since its release in 2016, millions of players have been exploring the world of Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, the highest-rated Xbox One exclusive. We are pleased to announce that, today, Xbox One X enhancements arrive for Forza Horizon 3, as a free download for players with an Xbox One X. Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One X is powered by the same state-of-the art ForzaTech engine at the heart of the Forza franchise, also used to develop Forza Motorsport 7 for Xbox One X which brought native 4K resolution racing to the new platform. Forza Horizon 3 enhancements let players experience the game in native 4K along with a host of additional visual updates, including improved car… Read more
Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered Coming to Xbox One March 20 and Enhanced for Xbox One X Assassin’s Creed Rogue returns for another voyage as Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered. Arriving March 20 for the Xbox One family of devices, it will be enhanced for Xbox One X, meaning you’ll be able to relive Shay Patrick Cormac’s Assassin-hunting adventure in glorious 4K. Giving players a chance to see the history-spanning Assassin-Templar war from the Templar side, Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered is an odyssey through 18th century America and the North Atlantic, where you’ll fight for law and order with a mix of nautical and on-foot gameplay. In addition to delivering native 4K resolution, Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered features new visual effects, better environmental… Read more
Fitbit Coach on Xbox Will Help You Achieve Healthy Goals Whether you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just plain feel better, experts agree that exercise should be part of your plan. But working out can be hard. Not only do you have to know what to do, you have to do it. And consistently, too. That’s where the Fitbit Coach app on Xbox comes in. This personalized training app delivers expert-designed dynamic bodyweight, run, and walk workouts that are tailored to your specific goals, making it easy to squeeze in a sweat session between rounds of NBA 2K17, just like Harrison Barnes. Here are some of the ways the Fitbit Coach app on Xbox will help get (and keep) you moving. Fitbit Coach meets you where you are. Upon joining… Read more
Inside Xbox One X Enhanced: Project CARS 2 Many of gaming’s most compelling stories come from those who’ve helped to create our favorite Xbox One games. In our Inside Xbox One X Enhanced series, these creators will share the behind-the-scenes accounts of the work involved in enhancing these epic games for Xbox One X, how they’ve helped chart the course of the world’s most powerful console, and what that means for the future of gaming. Today, we’ll be chatting with Kevin Boland, Lead Render Engineer at Slightly Mad Studios about enhancing Project CARS 2 for Xbox One X. What specifically is your development team doing to enhance Project CARS 2 for Xbox One X? We’ve worked hard to bring the authenticity and fun of… Read more
The Cartographer’s Fleet: The Alien Airframes of Inside Out Flying Game InnerSpace Greetings, Cartographer. It is I, the Archaeologist, your creator, your companion, and fellow explorer of the Inverse. As you look at yourself, your wings and your fuselage, you may very well ask, “Can I be more than this?” The answer is yes, Cartographer. You absolutely can. I have just developed the technology that will allow you to transfer your AI consciousness from your current airframe into another. A brilliant breakthrough, if I say so myself. I’m envious, I admit. I only have the one submarine. Of course, I’ll need your help finding the parts to construct these new airframes for you. They can be found scattered across the Inverse, lost relics of technology from the Ancients… Read more
Learning the Basics in Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition for Xbox One The countdown is over and Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition has arrived on Xbox One! This new version of Kerbal Space Program was built from the ground up with the help of the talented and experienced team at BlitWorks and includes a bunch of enhancements to the overall KSP experience on Xbox One. We have boosted performance, improved UI, and added three completely reworked controller presets designed specifically for consoles and optimized to be played on your Xbox One controller. We’ve also added features and content previously unavailable for KSP players on Xbox One. Rocket science seems overwhelming and difficult, but with Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition our goal is to… Read more
The Road to Victory in World of Tanks: TankBowl 2018 TankBowl has returned to World of Tanks for 2018! This clash of titans pits two mighty nations against each other, with tank commanders siding with either the USA or the USSR, and duking it out for honor, glory, and prizes. We know that going headlong into a battleground can be daunting, even when you’re backed up with a massive, heavy metal war machine. With that in mind, we’ve put together some tips to help you get the edge over your competition and dominate the battlefield during TankBowl. Here are five things to keep in mind before you join the fray in World of Tanks! Choose Wisely Whether you’re deciding to align with the USSR or the USA or just selecting your… Read more
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is Available Now on Xbox One The first thing you see when you start The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a black screen with only this message in the center: “This game is a narrative experience that does not hold your hand.” Pretty harsh, isn’t it? We always wanted to make a game about the excitement of discovery. The problem is, true discovery means it needs to be earned, and that the players need to be able to miss things. Imagine there’s something interesting to be found in a forest. It’s a different feeling if you reach that spot using an objective marker and a map where “X marks the spot,” or if you just stumble upon this discovery almost accidentally, exploring the forest, maybe even getting… Read more
Stay: a Story of Abduction, Loneliness, and Friendship Coming Soon to Xbox One It gives me great pleasure to be able to reveal our first ever Xbox One title: Stay. It’s a branching adventure game in which you play as yourself, but you happen to have found your way into an internet chatroom populated with one other person: Quinn. Stay takes place in real-time, so every second you spend in the chatroom is logged, as is every second you spend away from it (whether your Xbox One is switched off or you’re using it for other activities). Oh, and there’s the small matter of Quinn having been abducted and left abandoned in a dingy room, with seemingly nothing but a creaky old PC and an internet connection for company. What happens next is entirely down to… Read more
Neo Geo Coin-Op Retro Classics Available Now on Xbox One If you’re like me, you may have never owned one of the consoles but fondly remember gathering all available quarters to feed into the local convenience store’s Neo Geo arcade cabinet with cult games like the 2D fighting series classic King of Fighters, the never-ending and still challenging run-n-gun series Metal Slug, or the side-scrolling action-adventure game Top Hunter – Roddy & Cathy. During the original 14-year run (1990-2004), Neo Geo games like Metal Slug, King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Pulstar and more consumed quarter after quarter without ever showing their end credits to most players. With these new ACA Neo Geo releases, Hamster Corporation has faithfully recreated… Read more
Another week and another batch digital delights are winging their way down the pipes to the North American eShops. Whether you’re a Switch kid or an advocate for all things 3DS, this weeks menu is packed with tasty dishes for every kind of palette. We’ve got retro helicopter shooters, cutesy tennis games, Metroidvania platformers and much more.
So to ensure you know exactly what’s new hot and fresh on both platforms, we’ve collected every new game, piece of DLC, new demo and special discounts. Scroll down, pick the ones that catch your eye and watch your poor bank balance begin to tremble…
Switch eShop
Zero Gunner 2 For Nintendo Switch (Zerodiv Inc, $7.99) – Famous for its cool world and innovatively omni-directional shooting system, Zero Gunner 2, is coming back as Zero Gunner 2-. Let’s blast off every enemy’s planes from various sides of your screen. Read our review.
Tennis (D3Publisher, $7.99) – A tennis game that can be picked up and played by anyone. Enjoy the game by yourself, or play against family and friends. With 8 characters and 6 courts available, feel the excitement that tennis brings. The game can be played not only with the Pro Controller, but also by swing the Joy-Con or touch the screen.
Tachyon Project (Eclipse Games, $9.99) – Tachyon Project is an action-packed dual-stick shooter driven by a story. Through the story mode you’ll progressively unlock all the weapons, secondary weapons and perks available to configure your ship. You’ll need them to face the increasingly hard enemies you’ll find with over 30 different types. Read our review.
Super One More Jump (SMG Studio/Premo Games, $7.00) – Simple to learn one button controls. Hard to master levels. Test your muscle memory, concentration and sanity! Features: Now fully reworked & upgraded for the Nintendo Switch, including 100+ Hand crafted levels and insanely-hard challenge levels! Read our review.
STRIKERS 1945 II For Nintendo Switch (Zerodiv, $7.99) – The classic, long-run shooting game from the 90s has been perfectly remade! With its endless fun, STRIKERS 1945-2 is now available to enjoy again! Play it now!
FANTASY HERO ~unsigned legacy~ (Arc System Works, $9.99) – Save the world in “Fantasy Hero -Unsigned Legacy-“, by choosing from one of four heroes, and reclaiming what was lost to the Decoders! Set yourself on fire and charge head in and pulverize them with powerful throws or pick them off with projectiles, or send your robot in to do your bidding.
Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 (Invictus Games/Ratalaika Games, $14.99) – Jump into the hot seat of a combat helicopter and fly behind enemy lines under heavy fire as you search and rescue hostages! Play through 35 tense missions that include rescuing hostages, providing air support and more. Read our review.
CELESTE (Matt Makes Games, $19.99) – Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight, hand-crafted platformer from the creators of multiplayer classic TowerFall.
ACA NEOGEO WORLD HEROES 2 (HAMSTER, $7.99) – Players are able to take part in epic battles between 14 historic figures such as Hanzo Hattori and Jeanne. Players can enjoy numerous battle strategies via the simple but deep game system featuring mechanics such as Throw Back and Projectile Bounce Back. Who’s the strongest in history? A new World Heroes Tournament begins now!
Arcade Archives Kid Niki Radical Ninja (HAMSTER, $7.99) – Kid Niki Radical Ninja is an action game released in 1986 by IREM. Destroy the enemies in your way and defeat the boss that appears in each stage as you head to the castle to save the captured princess. Enjoy the colourful stages and unique enemies as you battle along and aim for a high score.
Tales Of The Tiny Planet (Joindots, $19.99) – Tales of the Tiny Planet tells the story of a Planet searching through the galaxies for his lost friends. You have the ability to manipulate the world elements to guide him safely through the galaxies in this Physics-Puzzle-Adventure.
EARTH WARS(One Of Eight, $4.50) – In the year 2020 the world has become a nest for the unknown hostile organisms (E.B.E.). No current weapons appear to make any impact on the E.B.E. leaving humanity powerless, and on the brink of destruction. However, humanity has now got one last hope for survival in the development of bioarmor which fuses the EBE’s body tissue with metal…
Space Dave (Choice Provisions. $9.99) – Space Dave!, the spiritual successor to the hit game Woah Dave!, is a modern take on the fixed shooters of yesteryear. Defend your ground against the alien onslaught! Protect your terrain from their endless arsenal of weapons!
Demos
INVERSUS Deluxe – Demo Version (Hypersect, Free) – INVERSUS Deluxe is a competitive and cooperative arcade shooter with a mind-bending twist. Player movement is constrained to opposite colors of a black and white grid. My walls are your paths and your walls are my paths. Each shot flips tile colors in an attempt to block, trap and close in on the enemy. Read our review.
eShop sales
Nintendo Switch eShop Sale – Looking for something new to play? Starting at 9 a.m. PT, you can get up to 30% off select digital games for Nintendo Switch. My Nintendo members also earn Gold Points on qualifying digital purchases, so it’s a win-win. Act fast, though, as this sale only runs until Feb. 1 at 8:59 a.m. PT.
3DS eShop
Pokémon Crystal Version – Originally released for the Game Boy Color system in 2000, the Pokémon Crystal game added several new features to the Pokémon franchise. For the first time, players could choose a female or male character, and Pokémon battles featured animation. And now, this game is available in 2D via the Virtual Console service and invites you to explore the Johto region again—or for the first time. The Pokémon Crystal Version game launches on Jan. 26 at 9 a.m. PT.
ZIG ZAG GO (RCMADIAX, $1.49) – Use the touchscreen to switch directions quickly and avoid oncoming shapes. It’s like Tetris, only in 3D! Endless fun for everyone!
Activities
Kirby My Nintendo Rewards: Let the battles begin! Kirby is back with pink ’n’ puffy My Nintendo rewards to celebrate the launch of the Kirby Battle Royale game. Visit my.nintendo.com for the latest reward information. Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu theme: Kirby Battle Royale: May the Best Kirby Win!
Kirby February calendar: My Nintendo Presents Nindie Game Gold Point Rewards Vol. 3: Got Gold Points? Get select digital games! My Nintendo users can redeem Gold Points for some of the hottest digital indie games on Nintendo platforms between Jan. 26 and March 25. During this limited time, users can redeem Gold Points to download select Nintendo 3DS and Wii U digital games from talented independent developers. Users will receive a download code that is redeemed in Nintendo eShop. Visit https://my.nintendo.com/news to see a list of the games.
What will you be downloading this week? (250 votes)
Random: Stay Dry Out There With This Amazing Zelda ‘Song Of Storms’ Umbrella
Don’t you just hate it when you go outside for a stroll and the heavens open, leaving you drenched? Soon you won’t have to worry about that any more as Merchoid are here to equip you with the stylish Legend of Zelda Song of Storms Umbrella.
This officially licensed brolly has a design modelled after Link’s famous Master Sword and amazingly it transforms into an umbrella at the push of a button.
Merchoid’s community manager, Jessica Adams cheerfully said:
With the Zelda Song of Storms Umbrella you can do battle with the elements, transforming your sword into an umbrella at a push of a button. In Breath of the Wild, when scaling a mountain in search of a mystical shrine, you knew you were in trouble if dark clouds start rolling in during your ascent. Worry no more!
The umbrella is deployed simply by pressing the release button located near the top of the molded handle. The waterproof canopy features a repeating pattern of triforce emblems in pale blue with alternate darker blue panels with a single larger crest. Upon closing the umbrella there is a tie tag to secure the canopy in place.
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale which helps support the site. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
It all looks rather lovely. If you fancy picking one of these up you can pre-order from Merchoid today for the princely sum of $34.99. They will be shipped just in time for the April showers. Now, if only we could get one of these in Breath of the Wild for those annoying moments when the heavens open, we’d be even happier…
