New images of a revamped Xbox-style controller point to a heavily rumored, more affordable Xbox Series S next-gen console.

While it may seem that we’ve known of the “Series S” for months now, it’s the first time “Xbox Series S” (reportedly codenamed “Lockhart”) has been seen on official Microsoft Xbox product packaging out in the wild.

Tech site The Verge has images of the new cross-gen compatible white controller, which is smaller than Xbox One controllers, sports a share button, and an updated d-pad. Like current-gen Xbox controllers, the leaked controller requires two AA batteries.

Twitter user Zakk S, who was able to actually purchase the controller, posted up-close images of the device. Microsoft declined to elaborate further on the leak.

Xbox series X controller found in the wild!! pic.twitter.com/TEns4z45CB

— Zak S (@zakk_exe) August 9, 2020

The shape of Microsoft’s hardware strategy is becoming more concrete as days go on. With the current-gen Xbox One X now out of production, it seems that the Xbox One would serve as the entry-level Xbox, with the Xbox Series X serving as the next-gen, lower-powered but more affordable version, and the Xbox Series X, due out this holiday season, topping out the lineup.

Amazon-owned streaming giant Twitch announced today it would rebrand its Twitch Prime premium service to “Prime Gaming.”

The rebranding brings the service closer to Amazon Prime, which has 150 million subscribers who can access Prime Gaming benefits such as in-game content, a rotating library of PC games, and more.

From Twitch’s official announcement:

So for the TL; DR: new name, same Prime subs, lots more awesome in-game content ahead (plus free games every month!), and even happier gamers, publishers, and Twitch streamers. 

The new Netflix video game documentary series, High Score, isn’t out until later this month, but one story that airs in the final episode is already doing the rounds within the Nintendo community.

According to the former Argonaut Software developers Dylan Cuthbert and Giles Goddard (the team behind Star Fox on the Super Nintendo), the one and only Shigeru Miyamoto would regularly enter their section of the office in Nintendo HQ, light up and share his thoughts. Cuthbert explains in detail:

The only place in the office where they allowed Miyamoto to smoke was in the place, the area where we were. He’d light up behind us and he’s, like, smoking away. And we’re, like, programming away and we’re like, ‘Oh, is he back again?’ So we’d be trying to implement something quite interesting, and then he just starts talking about trees or something, or, you know, just something completely out there. But we realized after a while that that’s actually the reason why he’s so much a creative genius. It’s because his brain is kind of thinking about all these different things at the same time.

Keep in mind, this was many years ago when smoking indoors was commonplace in Japan. As of April this year, new laws have taken effect “banning smoking indoors in principle at restaurants, offices, hotel lobbies and other public places” (via The Japan Times).

Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about this. It’s also been publicised how the creator of Mario used to play pachinko machines. Thankfully, he’s now a reformed gambler and smoker.

High Score arrives on Netflix on 19th August – will you be watching it? Let us know in the comments.

Stardew Valley keeps growing and the next patch on the way is version 1.5. We got a minor update about it last month when the creator ConcernedApe teased new end-game content and shared an image of a new door behind Willy’s counter.

Now, the one-person team has shared a minor but rather exciting detail. In the next update, you’ll be able to move your bed!

As you might have guessed, this has raised a lot of questions. Does moving your bed mean you’ll be able to completely relocate it? ConcernedApe hasn’t shared any other details about it at the moment, so we’ll just have to wait and find out.

Are you excited for the next Stardew Valley update? Have you always wanted to move your bed? Tell us down below.

Problem: You use Python in a terminal and you want to replace a string 'example' in a text file file.txt:

xxxxx example xxxxx

Your goal is to accomplish the following text:

xxxxx replaced_example xxxxx

In particular, you want to open the file, replace the text, and rewrite the result into the file—all in a single line of Python code!

Can a Python one-liner accomplish this?

Answer: Yes! You can compress any Python script into a single line. For computer science nerds: the single line of Python code is Turing complete.

Let’s see how you can accomplish this task as a Python one-liner!

Method 1: Print to Standard Input

The first method is best if you want to replace all occurrences of "example" with "replaced_example" and print the result to the standard input.

python -c "print(open('file.txt').read().replace('example','replaced_example'))"

The replace method replaces all occurrences of the first argument with the second argument. It returns the new string. You can now print the result to the stdin or write it back to a file.

Method 2: Print to File

The second method is best if you want to replace all occurrences of "example" with "replaced_example" and write the result to a new file "file2.txt".

python -c "print(open('file.txt').read().replace('example','replaced_example'), file=open('file2.txt', 'w'))"

The replace method replaces all occurrences of the first argument with the second argument. It returns the new string. You can now print the result to the file with means of the file argument of the print function.

Method 3: exec()

You can always convert a multi-liner into a one-liner using the exec() function. Say, you have the following multiline script to replace all occurrences of a string in a file:

with open('file.txt', 'r') as f: s = f.read().replace('example', 'replaced_example')

with open('file.txt', 'w') as f: f.write(s)

You first open the file in read mode reading all its contents and creating the new string with replaced occurrences of the string 'example'. After that, you open the file in writing mode to overwrite its contents.

You use the exec() function to one-linerize this script:

exec("with open('file.txt', 'r') as f:\n s = f.read().replace('example', 'replaced_example')\nwith open('file.txt', 'w') as f:\n f.write(s)")

All you did is to replace the new lines with the new line character \n. This resulting script is a not-so-concise one-liner to replace all contents of a given file!

Where to Go From Here?

Enough theory, let’s get some practice!

To become successful in coding, you need to get out there and solve real problems for real people. That’s how you can become a six-figure earner easily. And that’s how you polish the skills you really need in practice. After all, what’s the use of learning theory that nobody ever needs?

Practice projects is how you sharpen your saw in coding!

Do you want to become a code master by focusing on practical code projects that actually earn you money and solve problems for people?

Then become a Python freelance developer! It’s the best way of approaching the task of improving your Python skills—even if you are a complete beginner.

Join my free webinar “How to Build Your High-Income Skill Python” and watch how I grew my coding business online and how you can, too—from the comfort of your own home.

Join the free webinar now!

The Paper Mario series began two decades ago when Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64 launched in Japan on 11th August 2000. Since then, we’ve seen five more mainline Paper Mario games of different flavours, plus a 3DS crossover with AlphaDream’s Mario & Luigi series.

Branching off from the role-playing path put down by Super Mario RPG on SNES, the Paper Mario series has evolved and moved away from its traditional roots over the years, with the latest entry on Switch introducing a ring-based battle system alongside with its origami antagonists.

We recently asked Nintendo Life readers to rate the games in the series by assigning a score out of ten via our User Rating system, and you’ll find the ranked results below. We’ve included crossover title Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam for fun; if its inclusion feels like sacrilege of the highest order, simply pretend that it isn’t present and you’ve got your ranking of the six mainline Paper Marios right there!

Our thanks to everyone who voted. Remember that the order below is updated in real time according the each game’s corresponding User Rating. Therefore, it’s entirely possible to influence the ranking even as you read this. Simply click on the game you wish to rate and assign a score on the Game Page.

If you’re after more information about this colourful collection, you may want to check out our complete history of the Paper Mario series. For now, let’s dive into this ranked Paper Mario list, starting at the bottom…

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 11th Nov 2012 (USA) / 7th Dec 2012 (UK/EU)

Paper Mario: Sticker Star is often funny, thoroughly charming and a joy to play, but it’s also a touch too familiar and unwilling to go out on a limb and do something crazy, even if the potential to do so is immense. Despite its inhibitions, the game keeps a pace so delightful and fun that you can’t help but crack a smile at the metric ton of whimsy folded into its rock-solid foundation, rendered all the more impressive thanks to beautiful use of stereoscopic 3D. Sticker Star might elicit some déjà vu from veterans of the series, but a memory this vivid and bright is worth remembering.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 7th Oct 2016 (USA) / 7th Oct 2016 (UK/EU)

Paper Mario: Color Splash isn’t just painting by the numbers. The series still straddles that awkward middle ground between pure RPG and adventure title, but this entry found a comfortable niche that silenced many of our gripes. Almost everything was polished to a papery sheen, showcasing some of the series’ best writing and presentation to date. The battle system and the overall plot are the weaker aspects of the experience unfortunately, but even when we were left unsatisfied by enemy encounters, Prism Island was always a joy to explore, with diverse environments and catchy tunes to keep you engaged from start to finish. It’s a game of memorable moments and, taken as such, and you might just find it to be a messy work of art.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: AlphaDream

Release Date: 22nd Jan 2016 (USA) / 4th Dec 2015 (UK/EU)

Adding Paper Mario into AlphaDream’s Mario & Luigi mix, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam totally succeeds as an accessible, entertaining and lengthy crossover for fans and newcomers alike. This is an enjoyable romp that introduces a solid list of mechanics, plays with the battle system in exciting ways, and breaks exploration up with random quests. Although it doesn’t quite nail its environmental design and storytelling, Paper Jam’s simplicity makes it a great starting point for people looking to dip their toe into either series. Fans should be aware, though, that this crossover is closer to a mainline Mario & Luigi game than an entry in the Paper Mario series.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 17th Jul 2020 (USA) / 17th Jul 2020 (UK/EU)

Paper Mario: The Origami King tries to do something different with its combat system and, to be honest, we aren’t really feeling it. That doesn’t mean the rest of the game isn’t thoroughly entertaining, however, and while the puzzle-based battles aren’t quite what a new Paper Mario game needed, they aren’t so awful that everything else shouldn’t be experienced as a result. It still isn’t the new Thousand-Year Door fans will have been hoping for, but it’s still one of the funniest games in the series and it’s got a truly likeable companion character, and while the combat is far from ideal the fact that we still thoroughly recommend the game regardless should speak volumes.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 9th Apr 2007 (USA) / 14th Sep 2007 (UK/EU)

Super Paper Mario blends classic platformer with some of the RPG elements of its predecessors and throws in a world-flipping mechanic that gives you a whole new perspective on traditional 2D platfoming courses. Originally planned as a GameCube game, it perhaps makes more sense that it diverges from Thousand-Year Door’s way of doing things, and it certainly divides series fans. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of fandom, the Wii entry is a beautiful game with fiendish puzzles and an intriguing, unique flip mechanic.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 5th Feb 2001 (USA) / 5th Oct 2001 (UK/EU)

Two decades on, Paper Mario might not look as sharp as it once did, but it holds up very well where it matters. The N64 original does very well to ease Mario fans into a new style of adventure while providing a depth for RPG gamers that you might not expect from the paper-thin premise. With a great supporting cast and buckets of trademark Nintendo charm, the original is almost the best.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Intelligent Systems

Release Date: 11th Oct 2004 (USA) / 12th Nov 2004 (UK/EU)

The power of GameCube enabled greater fidelity of its paper-based art style than the original, but otherwise Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door stuck closely to the original’s blueprint. It’s a wonderfully colourful adventure packed with clever callbacks to the portly plumber’s history and the same irreverent spirit which makes so many Mario RPGs refreshingly different from the mascot’s platformers. Where other entries have dropped the ball in an area or two, Thousand-Year Door gets everything right; plot, writing, battles, presentation – the lot. Prices for a GameCube disc–still the only way to play–have skyrocketed in recent years and given the quality, it’s not hard to see why. Treasure your copy if you’ve got one, and perhaps lend it to a trusted friend who never visited the town of Rogueport.

Any surprises there? Remember, if you haven’t rated any or all of the games above, you can still do so via the corresponding Game Page – and it will still count in the ranking above.

If you really must, feel free to vent your uncontrollable fury at the inclusion of Paper Jam, but we’d rather hear about your personal favourite Paper Mario(s) in the comments below.

And a wide shot of the lab: pic.twitter.com/asec9R2jfj

— Avatar (@officialavatar) August 12, 2020