There have been some concerns raised about how this partnership will potentially impact other console manufacturers’ presence within GameStop. Fortunately, for Nintendo – at least in the short term, it shouldn’t be a problem.
As you might recall, Reggie Fils-Aimé (the former Nintendo of America President) joined GameStop’s board of directors in March this year, and it seems Switch stock has been increased since then. GameStop CEO George Sherman made the following comment in a previous earnings call:
“We receive more than our fair share of Nintendo Switches and we sell those very rapidly.”
Seeking Alpha notes how GameStop’s allocation of Nintendo products in the past hasn’t been great, so it’s interesting to hear from the company’s CEO how there’s now a healthy supply – even if it does sell out fast. Perhaps Reggie has played a part.
Switch shortages have been a problem throughout the system’s life, but this year in particular has taken a serious toll on Nintendo. The pandemic has at times stalled production and games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons have only increased demand for the system.
Have you had trouble finding a Nintendo Switch at GameStop or any other store this year? Tell us down below.
If you’re a fan of great big robots mercilessly smashing each other’s massive metal heads in – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – then RocketPunch Games’ superbly stylish 2D side-scroller Hardcore Mecha would like a very loud word. This is an absurdly overwrought anime adventure spread across a solid seven-hour campaign which sees you strap in for some hot mech-on-mech action as you blast across space with a motley crew of mercs on a dangerous contract to rescue a missing intelligence officer. Do you like Cybernator on the SNES? Imagine that turned up to eleven and you’re almost there.
From the get-go, Hardcore Mecha fully embraces its overblown anime influences, telling a ludicrously OTT tale that’s full of twists and turns, cheesy dialogue, guitar riffs, death, drama and multiple epic face-offs between main protagonist Tarethur O’Connell and his newly-found nemesis Vulphaes Bonaparte. What starts out as a relatively simple rescue mission to Mars for our colourful cast of rebel scum soon escalates into a full-scale Gundam-style war between the New United Nations and a mysterious terrorist cell known as Steel Dawn.
There’s no shortage of shadowy villains, vengeful protagonists, plot twists or unexpected tragedy with this one, and we were pleasantly surprised by just how much story has been crammed in here. This is an unexpectedly meaty tale populated by hugely likeable characters and more than enough high-octane cyborg slapping to keep you properly hooked over its running time.
Hardcore Mecha’s action-packed gameplay takes place over an impressively varied and wonderfully detailed selection of locales that see you strap into your mighty mech and battle hordes of robot foes on the hostile red surface of Mars, through bright and sunny futuristic cities, labyrinthian enemy lairs, deep under the ocean and across the vacuum of space itself. There are tricky platforming sections to navigate, zero gravity elements, stealth levels which see you abandon your mech for some sneaky on-foot sabotage and even a side-scrolling space battle that hands you control of a massive frigate as it punches its way through Steel Dawn’s intergalactic forces.
In terms of the actual mech combat on offer, there’s also a surprising level of depth and variety to proceedings, with the game’s intense robot action backed up by RPG mechanics that see you unlock a steady stream of new weapons, suit upgrades, support mods, gadgets, melee moves and a handful of screen-shattering ultimate attacks that charge up as you fight and can then be activated in order to cause critical damage to anyone dumb enough to get in the way.
You can also pick up any defeated enemy’s guns during battle, a smart little gameplay wrinkle that gives you access to absolutely loads of superbly high-powered weaponry on the fly, something that really helps to add a ton of spice to the moment-to-moment action. Mechs feel satisfyingly heavy and involving to command, too, although it does take a little bit of time to find your feet and get a handle on the basic rhythm of battle, your offensive options and the speed at which you move around arenas – something that’s facilitated by early levels which take it relatively easy on players, easing you in before really cranking up the heat.
Getting a proper grip on the combat requires you to master boosting in tandem with your mech’s ability to hover in order to zip up and around levels to dodge incoming damage, holding ZR at any point to lock your position in the air and using the right stick to aim your weapons and attack from an advantageous position. You can dodge and boost on the ground, dish out devastating CQC combos via the X button and block by holding in ZL for a temporary shield that can soak up massive amounts of incoming damage.
There’s plenty of variety in the foes you’ll face too, with rank and file enemy mechs easily despatched while heavier shielded forces wielding massive weapons require forward planning, quick manoeuvring and clever use of anti-mech mines, deployable turrets, smart missiles and any other gadgets you can get your hands on if you’re to emerge victorious. Fighting really is all about timing, both in terms of your movement around arenas and when taking into consideration the cooldown timings of each of your weapons, your melee attacks, shield defences and that all-important boost function.
Boss battles in Hardcore Mecha are also uniformly well-designed fare. You’ll come up against your nemesis Vulphaes Bonaparte in several ridiculously OTT sequences over the course of the story, and these central setpieces are complemented by a handful of other boss encounters that see you face off against some ludicrously large enemy death machines. These are nicely-balanced fights, too; a couple of them saw us take a good few poundings before we had a read on our enemy’s entire move set, but overall, there’s nothing that’ll stall your progress for a frustratingly long period of time.
Each of the eighteen missions that make up the game’s main campaign are scored and you’ll need to charge through chapters whilst taking absolutely minimal damage if you want to earn yourself an illustrious S-rank, something that’s far from straightforward given the scale of some of the battles here. Adding further to the replayability factor, there’s a wave-based survival mode unlocked when you complete the game’s main campaign which allows you to slowly unlock and pilot any one of the many awesome mechs from the story mode, and gives you a ton of bits and bobs to upgrade and add to each and every one of them to keep you coming back for more. There’s also a PvP online mode and up to four-player local multiplayer battles which we, unfortunately, haven’t had the chance to sample yet as the online aspect of things has yet to be activated pre-launch.
Overall, Hardcore Mecha really is an impressive package. This is some of the best mech action we’ve sampled in a very long time and it all looks and sounds stunning, with lots of variety in mech and level design and some fantastically OTT sequences woven into proceedings. However, unfortunately, there is a slight spanner in the works here in the form of some persistent stuttering during hectic battles that can see things turn into a bit of a slideshow from time to time on Switch. It’s not something that affects too many parts of the game, but when it does rear its head, it’s pretty noticeable and can make it quite tough to manoeuvre out of harm’s way during more intense sequences.
We’re really hoping RocketPunch Games has a patch incoming that’ll sort this issue out because what’s here is a genuine delight to blast through; a brilliant combination of knowingly overwrought anime narrative elements and explosive mech action that truly deserves a Switch port that does it proper justice. For now, though, we’re still happy to recommend mech fans jump in as, for us, the stuttering doesn’t detract enormously from the fun overall, just be forewarned that things do get a little janky from time to time in heated battles.
Conclusion
Hardcore Mecha is a superb 2D side-scrolling adventure that marries some spectacularly OTT anime storytelling with explosively satisfying robot combat. There’s a surprisingly meaty story here set across eighteen wonderfully varied levels with plenty of depth to RPG elements allowing you to customise your mech’s attack and defence capabilities. An unlockable survival mode, online PvP, local multiplayer and mission rankings also add plenty of replayability to proceedings. It’s a shame that this Switch port has some framerate issues that can see intense battles stutter, however, if RocketPunch can rectify this with a patch pretty sharpish you can feel free to add a point or two to the score below.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla has reached a new milestone in its development lifecycle, as Ubisoft's latest game in the long-running series of historical assassins has gone gold. Scheduled for a November release date, Ubisoft took to Twitter to reveal the news and uploaded an image of a pair of Viking axes resting on an ornate engraving of the word "gold."
In the gaming industry, going gold means that the base game is ready to be pressed onto a disc and shipped out to stores across the globe. A studio will then spend the remaining time between then and the launch of the game ironing out any lingering bugs and preparing a day-one patch. It also means that a game is likely to meet its release date deadline and no more delays are expected.
Officially revealed on April 30 in a livestream event, the development of Assassin's Creed Valhalla wasn't all smooth sailing. Creative director Ashraf Ismail stepped down from his role amid allegations of misconduct, while Ubisoft also faced accusations of fostering a toxic workplace environment.
Claim free in-game rewards in Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire this weekend
Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire, BHG team’s first ever game, launches this Sunday on October 18. Blending together the turn-based, hero collector, PVP, and MMORPG genres, Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire aims to immerse players in the world of Kairasia as they battle against Morganter, the Demon Lord.
Morganter’s reign of terror on the people of Ertos looked like it would be the end of civilisation as they knew it, but the Goddess of the Initial Fire stepped up just in time. Shining her light of hope on humanity, the heroes of Ertos felt the power of the Initial Fire. With the leadership of the Gods, the heroes of Ertos face Morganter for the final time. As a Phantom Master, it’s up to you to bring peace to Ertos once and for all.
In this dungeon crawler, you assemble a squad capable of toppling Morganter. There are hundreds of unique heroes scattered around the world called Phantoms. Defeating these powerful Phantoms may lead them to pledge their allegiance to you, so it’s worth battling these strong opponents once you have prepared for battle.
If you start playing Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire, be sure to enter code PocketTactics at the character creation screen to get some powerful in-game rewards. The items include experience buffs, summoning books, an SS Rank Phantom, and even gold. Don’t worry, this code doesn’t expire so feel free to use it at any point.
Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire will be arriving on Android and iOS devices at the end of the week. Players can pre-register their interest to play on the Google Play Store and App Store right now.
Want to play a different MMORPG while you wait for Summers Glory: Eternal Fire to launch? Check out our best mobile MMORPGs guide which highlights some of the best games available on Android and iOS.
Thankfully, then, the weekend is upon us, and it’s time to discuss our weekend gaming plans. Members of Nintendo Life have done just that below, and we’d love for you to join in via our poll and comment sections. Enjoy!
Jon Cartwright, video producer
Howdy folks! I’ve played through a handful of Dragon Quest games in my time but for whatever reason I ignored the original trilogy – maybe I was worried they’d feel dated. However, over the week I chipped away at the original Dragon Quest on Nintendo Switch and was pleasantly surprised by how cosy it feels. It’s a basic RPG that helped pioneer the genre but it contains a certain charm I haven’t felt in some time. It’s still worth playing!
This weekend I plan to dive straight into the sequel. I’ve heard mixed things about this one but either way I want to understand its legacy. I’ve played and adore both Builders games which are essentially sequels to these respective entries, I need to at least play DQ3 before they get to Builders 3 (please make Builders 3).
Ryan Craddock, news editor
Over the last few days, I’ve been getting stuck into a game that I’ve always kind of wanted to play but never gotten around to: LEGO Harry Potter Collection. The LEGO games have never exactly been something that I’ve found myself itching to buy, but I saw a copy going cheap and I can’t help but love the Potter universe so I thought I’d finally jump in.
I’m actually having a decent time with it and will no doubt complete the story of the first of the two included games over the weekend (it includes Years 1 – 4, and Years 5 – 7). Then I’ve got a decision to make – go for 100% on the first game, or ignore that and play through the story of the second?
Gavin Lane, features editor
I’ve been on a bit of an N64 fix over the last week and managed to track down a loose cart of Space Station Silicon Valley. It’s one of those games I always meant to play but never got around to – I think it reviewed in the mid-80s when it released, but I couldn’t afford to spend my birthday and Christmas cash on anything that wasn’t 90%-plus. It piqued my interest, though, so I’m looking forward to investigating.
Otherwise I’ll be hunting down a Ranchu Goldfish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s available from 9am – 4pm in ponds but I’m never around at that time to go fishing. Once I’ve snagged that, I’m only two fish and two bugs away from completing my Critterpedia. Boom!
Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer
With another music album done I can actually just relax and play some video games this weekend. Still playing Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions because I’m still missing the USA team, some more adventure of probable alcoholic Juno in Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, some ’80s cartoon solace with G.I Joe: Operation Blackout and much space ship management mayhem in Space Crew. Hardcore Mecha will sadly have to wait: I picked up a Japanese physical copy instead of going digital so now I play the waiting game.
My game of the week is Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. There is absolutely no way that the combination of this and cats isn’t my new Internet favourite thing. Now they only need to make Toad and Koopa Troopa for it…
As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to leave a vote in the poll above and a comment below with your gaming choices over the next few days…
Video: The Best Nintendo Switch Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of (Part 2)
When he’s not paying off a loan to Tom Nook, Liam likes to report on the latest Nintendo news and admire his library of video games. His favourite Nintendo character used to be a guitar-playing dog, but nowadays he prefers to hang out with Judd the cat.
Five Years of Rock Band 4 Means Free Songs for You
Wow, Rock Band 4 was released five years ago. That’s half a decade! Rock Band 4 has grown a lot in those years. We’ve added features, introduced new character customization options and, of course, hundreds of songs. We’ve completed 17(!) seasons of Rivals, our competitive multiplayer feature, and counting. We’ve hosted parties, played at festivals, and enjoyed nights at home with family and friends and none of that would have been possible without the support of our amazing, passionate community. So thank you!
Not Much for Tradition
Wikipedia tells us to expect wooden gifts for our fifth anniversary but we’ve never been one for tradition so we got you all something – a free pack of DLC that features four local bands that we really love. Blame it on Whitman is from Boston, our hometown, and we really love the belted vocals and upbeat emo and punk-like rhythms in their song “Some1Else.” Radio Compass is from nearby Salem, Massachusetts. Home of the Salem Witch Trials and several non-witch (we’re pretty sure) Harmonix staffers. The female-fronted powerhouse band brings us “Run with You,” a song that’s sure to invade your brain for days to come. South of us, in Rhode Island, reside the good folks in Ravi Shavi. Their song, “Masquerader,” has a uniquely retro pop-meets-new wave sound that we can’t get enough of. Rounding out the pack is “Stevie Sees” from Rhode Island’s Toad and the Stooligans. Packed with a catchy flow, a funky horn section, and exciting riffs, “Stevie Sees” is sure to be one of your new favorites.
Can’t Stop Now
As for what’s next for Rock Band 4… there’s no end in sight. We’re gearing up for a few more anniversary surprises this week and a steady stream of new music, seasons, and more over the weeks and months ahead. Thanks again for your support and we look forward to rocking with you for a long time to come!
Rock Band™ 4 – 5th Anniversary Free DLC Pack
Harmonix
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
Add Rock Band™ 4 – 5th Anniversary Free DLC Pack to your Rock Band™ song library. Pack includes “Some1Else” – Blame It On Whitman, “Run With You” – Radio Compass, “Masquerader” – Ravi Shavi, “Stevie Sees” – Toad and the Stooligans. Compatible with Rock Band™ 4 only. For music credits, visit www.rockband.com.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-18-2020, 09:51 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Video: How Criterion Games improved its studio leadership
In the last few decades of game development, studios have begun to experiment with different methods of production and more importantly, company leadership.
In this 2018 GDC talk, Criterion Games’ Steve Cuss breaks how the studio began to rethink the concept of leadership, how that helped producers better support the developers who rely on them.
In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.
Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 10-18-2020, 09:51 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Unity creates Social Impact Division to support non-profits
Engine maker Unity has created a Social Impact Division funded by 750,000 shares of company equity two support non-profit organisations.
The fund will be worth close to $70 million based on Unity’s current share price of 93.11 per share, and that cash will be used to “empower employees and creators of all backgrounds to foster a more inclusive, sustainable world.”
Outlining its vision for the new department, Unity said the Social Impact Division has been founded on three key pillars: education and economic opportunity for all, sustainability, and health and well-being.
To support those pillars, the division has established the Unity Charitable Fund in partnership with non-profit accelerator Tides Foundation, which will provide direct grants to non-profits in the areas of education, inclusive economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, safety and accessibility, and human wellness.
“By coalescing social impact efforts into its own division at Unity, we’re now able to do more to have a positive impact for creators and communities around the globe,” said Unity’s vice president of social impact, Jessica Lindl, Vice President, in a press release.
“Unity has long made strides to make education and economic opportunity widely available, to ensure privacy and online safety, and to demonstrate environmental responsibility through sustainability initiatives. Unity Social Impact allows us to centralize these efforts, so we can identify new opportunities to foster a cleaner, safer, and more equitable world.”
You can find out more about the Social Impact Decision by clicking right here.
