We here are Pocket Tactics love ourselves a good puzzle game, especially when they’re easy to pick-up-and-play on the move. Games like Threes! or deck-based dungeon games like Card Crawl are always a great way to spend a little time. So that’s why this week we decided to partner with Badbones Productions to give away codes for Cast – a fast-swiping, no nonsense, card-based puzzle game. Cast is free-to-play, but we’ve currently got codes for removing the in-games ads on Android and iOS.

In a similar vein to Threes!, the game centres around combining your cards to earn points, but there’s a little bit of a match-three component as card colour also becomes a consideration. The most important thing to remember, however, is that if you go below zero, you’re done.

Cast builds on a simple formula and escalates it, introducing new cards that damage your total, movement cards that push you in certain directions, and different colours that swap your type. When you round it all off with a lovely vintage aesthetic, it’s a decent little game!

So if fast-swiping card play sounds like your sort of thing, enter below and you might get your hands on one of our Android or iOS codes. If you do, though, please read our terms and conditions first!

iOS

PT – Cast – iOS giveaway

Android

PT – Cast – Android giveaway

If you want to start playing Cast now, you can find it on Google Play and the App Store. You can also check out our list of the best mobile card games should it please you. Good luck! (We’re rooting for you).

This week, Nintendo is hosting a special Super Smash Bros. Ultimate event featuring all sorts of blue characters.

While Sonic the Hedgehog didn’t make the cut, Metal Sonic and Chaos did. So did Krystal from Star Fox Adventures, Rover from the Animal Crossing series, Dialga from the Pokémon series, and Jack Levin from the F-Zero series. The blue Pikmin is also featured!

This event starts later this week on Friday and will run over the weekend. During this time players will be able to earn more SP than usual.

Today sees the release of the “beloved” Neptunia RPG, Megadimension Neptunia VII, on the Nintendo Switch eShop.

To celebrate the occasion, Idea Factory is offering a three-week-long launch discount of 20% off the $29.99/£26.99 standard price – reducing it to $23.99/£21.59 (offer expires on 17/08/2020). If you’d prefer a physical copy, Limited Run Games is also offering a hard copy of the game for $39.99 or your regional equivalent (not including shipping and handling).

This title was originally launched on the PlayStation 4 in 2015. DLC created for other platforms will be available for purchase on the Nintendo Switch as add-on content, minus Million Arthur – which is no longer purchasable. If you take the digital route, the game will require roughly 7GB of free space.

Is this a game you’ll be adding to your Switch HOME Menu? Leave a comment down below.

You see that mountain on the horizon? You can go there! That old gaming chestnut has been around for a long time now, but for old-school gamers who remember the compartmentalised kingdoms of yore, there’s a special magic still to be derived from being able to trek your way to a distant summit. Video games, eh? Marvellous.

In spite of the console’s diminutive size, Nintendo Switch has accrued a selection of vast kingdoms and open worlds to explore and enjoy since launch, and below we’ve collected our picks of the very best open-world games on Switch.

How do we define an ‘open world’? Well, exploration of a large overworld is fundamental, preferably with as little gating as possible. The ability to go anywhere, anytime, is a key part of the titles below – whether you’ve got the chops to survive or not. If you’re after 2D platformers that gradually reveal a large open map to explore, you should check out our guide to the best Switch Metroidvanias.

So, let’s take a look at a selection–in no particular order–of the best open worlds on Switch.

Publisher: CD Projekt Red / Developer: CD Projekt Red

Release Date: 15th Oct 2019 (USA) / 15th Oct 2019 (UK/EU)

We begin with one of the most impressive ports on Switch. The fact that CD Projekt Red’s action-RPG runs on Nintendo’s console at all is a minor miracle, but the experience the studio served up in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds up incredibly well thanks to the efforts of Saber Interactive. Geralt of Rivia’s epic adventure is a pleasure to play on a handheld, and cross-saves with the PC version of the game is the icing on a tasty little cake.

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Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom

Release Date: 23rd Apr 2019 (USA) / 23rd Apr 2019 (UK/EU)

What it lacks in epic narrative and lore it makes up for with tight, satisfying combat and the scope of its open world. Dragon’s Dogma might not be perfect, but Capcom’s action-RPG still manages to shine on Switch. This port of the Dark Arisen update won’t convert you if you didn’t get on with the 2012 original, but it still gets a strong recommendation from us.

Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft

Release Date: 16th Oct 2018 (USA) / 16th Oct 2018 (UK/EU)

Thanks to the inclusion of exclusive Star Fox content, Ubisoft’s multiplatform Starlink: Battle for Atlas is best experienced on Switch and is the closest thing to an open-world Star Fox game out there. Comparisons to No Man’s Sky are valid, and while the game didn’t set the charts alight when it released–arguably thanks to its reliance on bulky toys-to-like accessories at a time when most of us were up to our eyeballs in plastic peripherals already–it’s one of the most enjoyable dogfighting/space exploration games money can buy. You can find it for a pittance these days, and we strongly advise you pick it up next time you see it discounted.

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks / Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Release Date: 17th Nov 2017 (USA) / 17th Nov 2017 (UK/EU)

The game that set the standard for the modern open-world experience with its scope and ambition, the appearance of Skyrim on Switch was a welcome surprise when it popped up in the reveal clip for the console back in October 2016. If you’re after seamless, polished perfection, you’ll find Zelda further down this list; if you’re after an epic adventure filled with guts, glory and not a small amount of jank, this remains one of the very best examples out there.

Publisher: Koch Media / Developer: Volition

Release Date: 27th Mar 2020 (USA) / 27th Mar 2020 (UK/EU)

In the continued absence of the 3D Grand Theft Auto series on Nintendo consoles, Saints Row IV: Re-Elected steps into the frame and delivers a knowingly silly, thoroughly entertaining take on the urban open-world game. It runs far better than its predecessor on Switch, and while its sense of humour won’t gel with everyone, it’s definitely worth investigation if you like open-world games that don’t take themselves too seriously.

Publisher: Abylight Studios / Developer: Heart Machine

Release Date: 6th Sep 2018 (USA) / 6th Sep 2018 (UK/EU)

Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition is a top-down adventure that wordlessly presents a Legend of Zelda-esque kingdom to explore and puzzle through. It’s an indie classic filled with secrets which performs perfectly on Switch whether you’re playing in handheld or docked mode. If you’ve had this on your ‘to play’ list, we urge you to dive into its gorgeous pixel world as soon as possible.

Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft

Release Date: 6th Dec 2019 (USA) / 6th Dec 2019 (UK/EU)

Switch owners have a couple of options when it comes to Assassin’s Creed games, but there’s a clear correct answer if someone asks you which they should play. Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection contains both Black Flag (number four in the mainline franchise), plus the series spin-off/interquel Assassin’s Creed: Rogue. A feast for the eyes and ears, sailing around the high seas as Edward Kenway feels not dissimilar to the voyages of a young cel-shaded sailor we enjoyed first back on GameCube, and the beauty of the Caribbean waves and pirate settlements is displayed in fine portable form in this excellent port of one of the series’ high points.

And Rogue’s not bad, either.

Publisher: Klei Entertainment / Developer: Klei Entertainment

Release Date: 12th Apr 2018 (USA) / 12th Apr 2018 (UK/EU)

The procedurally generated open worlds of Don’t Starve give it the feeling of an unforgiving Minecraft, with pleasure coming from confronting and conquering the hardships and challenges of surviving in the wilderness. It might not be for everyone, and it can get a little repetitive, but the Switch version is a great way to experience the game, and once Don’t Starve sinks its teeth in, you’ll find it very difficult to shake.

Publisher: Electronic Arts / Developer: Criterion Games

Release Date: 19th Jun 2020 (USA) / 19th Jun 2020 (UK/EU)

The open-world approach of Burnout Paradise had a profound influence on the driving genre, although Nintendo platforms haven’t been blessed with an abundance of open-world racers. Criterion’s excellent Need for Speed: Most Wanted came to Wii U, but didn’t make the splash it should have thanks to that console’s disappointing sales. Having this precursor on Switch–and any entry in the beloved Burnout franchise–is a treat sullied only by the substantial price tag it carried at launch.

However, it runs at a lovely 60 fps and despite various elements showing their age a little, it’s still a super slick ride that performs well on Switch. We’d recommend keeping an eye out for a sale with this one.

Publisher: Mojang / Developer: Mojang

Release Date: 21st Jun 2018 (USA) / 21st Jun 2018 (UK/EU)

You know Minecraft, right? The open-world sandbox game where you mine and, indeed, craft materials to survive and shape the world to your liking. Not much else to say really. The Switch version is very solid, and portable to boot. All in all, rather good.

Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo SPD

Release Date: 3rd Mar 2017 (USA) / 3rd Mar 2017 (UK/EU)

Battling Skyrim for the title of ‘Most Painfully Obvious Inclusion’, if you own a Switch and it’s not simply an Animal Crossing portal, you owe it to yourself to get Breath of the Wild. Its version of Hyrule is one of the most cohesive, polished and watertight open worlds on any platform and we’ve lost literal real-life days exploring its hills and dales, peaks and valleys, nooks and crannies. It’s one of the best games Nintendo has ever made; of course it’s here.

Think we’ve missed something? Don’t agree with the selection above? Let us know below and we may massage the list above to include other open-world games.

This article is one of our Switch Essentials guides which cover a wide variety of genres, including the Best Switch FPS Games, the Best Switch RPGs, the Best Switch Games For Kids, the Best Switch Couch Co-Op Games and the Best Switch Fitness and Exercise Games. We can also help out hunting down the Best Switch Horror Games, the Best Switch Racing Games, the Best Switch Action-RPGs, the Best Nintendo Switch Roguelikes, Roguelites and Run-Based Games , the Best Free Switch Games, and even Games to Play After You’ve Finished Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Whatever your favourite genre, we’ve got you covered: Strategy Games, Metroidvanias, Puzzle Games, Party Games, Online Multiplayer Games, Shmups, Fighting Games, Hidden Gems, 2D Platformers, 3D Platformers, Sports Games, Beat ‘Em Ups, Chill Games, Family Games, Retro-Inspired Games, Short Games, and the Best Switch Exclusives, as well as Every Arcade Archives Game, Every ACA Neo Geo Game and Every SEGA AGES Game On Switch.

If you’re looking for the best Switch games regardless of genre, our reader-voted selection of the Best Nintendo Switch Games should help you out, and you can also find the Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2017, 2018, and 2019. And finally, if you’re interested in other Nintendo consoles and retro games, check out the Best Game Boy Games, Best Nintendo DS Games, Best Nintendo 3DS Games, and the Best GameCube Games, as well as Every Nintendo Switch Online NES Game and Every Nintendo Switch Online SNES Game.

Summary: You can accomplish one line exception handling with the exec() workaround by passing the one-linerized try/except block as a string into the function like this: exec('try:print(x)\nexcept:print("Exception!")'). This general method works for all custom, even multi-line, try and except blocks. However, you should avoid this one-liner code due to the bad readability.

Surprisingly, there has been a discussion about one-line exception handling on the official Python mailing list in 2013. However, since then, there has been no new “One-Line Exception Handling” feature in Python. So, we need to stick with the methods shown in this tutorial. But they will be fun—promised!

Let’s dive into the problem:

Problem: How to write the try/except block in a single line of Python code?

Example: Consider the following try/except block.

try: print(x)

except: print('Exception!')

Solution: Before we dive into each of the three methods to solve this problem, let’s have a quick overview in our interactive code shell:

Exercise: Run the code. Why are there only three lines of output? Modify the code such that each of the four methods generate an output!

Method 1: Ternary Operator

The following method to replace a simple try/except statement is based on the ternary operator.

Ternary Operator Background: The most basic ternary operator x if c else y consists of three operands x, c, and y. It is an expression with a return value. The ternary operator returns x if the Boolean expression c evaluates to True. Otherwise, if the expression c evaluates to False, the ternary operator returns the alternative y.

You can use the dir() function to check if the variable name 'x' already has been defined by using the condition 'x' in dir(). If the condition evaluates to True, you run the try block. If it evaluates to False, you run the except block.

# Method 1

print(x) if 'x' in dir() else print('Exception!')

The output of this code snippet as a standalone code is:

Exception!

This is because the variable x is not defined and it doesn’t appear in the variable name directory:

print(dir())

# ['__annotations__', '__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__loader__', '__name__', '__package__', '__spec__']

For example, if you define variable x beforehand, the code would run through:

x = 2

print(x) if 'x' in dir() else print('Exception!')

A disadvantage of this technique is that you need to know the kinds of exceptions that may occur. Also, it becomes harder to express multi-line try and except blocks. In this case, it’s often better to use the explicit try/except statements in the first place!

Method 2: exec()

The exec() function takes a string and runs the string as if it was a piece of source code. This way, you can compress any algorithm in a single line. You can also compress the try/except statement into a single line of code this way!

# Method 2

exec('try:print(x)\nexcept:print("Exception!")')

If you’d define the variable x beforehand, the result would be different:

exec('x=2\n' + 'try:print(x)\nexcept:print("Exception!")')

# 2

Now, the variable 2 is defined and the try block of the statement runs without exception.

Method 3: Contextlib Suppress + With Statement

If you’re not really interested in the except part and you just need to catch exceptions, this method may be for you:

# Method 3

from contextlib import suppress

with suppress(NameError): print(x)

You use a with block and write it into a single line. The object you pass into the with block must define two functions __enter__() and __exit__(). You use the suppress() method from the contextlib package to create such an object (a so-called context manager) that suppresses the occurrence of the NameError. The beauty of the with block is that it ensures that all errors on the with object are handled and the object is properly closed through the __exit__() method.

The disadvantage or advantage—depending on your preferences—is that there’s no except block.

Thanks for reading this blog tutorial!

Python One-Liners Book

Python programmers will improve their computer science skills with these useful one-liners.

Python One-Liners will teach you how to read and write “one-liners”: concise statements of useful functionality packed into a single line of code. You’ll learn how to systematically unpack and understand any line of Python code, and write eloquent, powerfully compressed Python like an expert.

The book’s five chapters cover tips and tricks, regular expressions, machine learning, core data science topics, and useful algorithms. Detailed explanations of one-liners introduce key computer science concepts and boost your coding and analytical skills. You’ll learn about advanced Python features such as list comprehension, slicing, lambda functions, regular expressions, map and reduce functions, and slice assignments. You’ll also learn how to:

•  Leverage data structures to solve real-world problems, like using Boolean indexing to find cities with above-average pollution
•  Use NumPy basics such as array, shape, axis, type, broadcasting, advanced indexing, slicing, sorting, searching, aggregating, and statistics
•  Calculate basic statistics of multidimensional data arrays and the K-Means algorithms for unsupervised learning
•  Create more advanced regular expressions using grouping and named groups, negative lookaheads, escaped characters, whitespaces, character sets (and negative characters sets), and greedy/nongreedy operators
•  Understand a wide range of computer science topics, including anagrams, palindromes, supersets, permutations, factorials, prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers, obfuscation, searching, and algorithmic sorting

By the end of the book, you’ll know how to write Python at its most refined, and create concise, beautiful pieces of “Python art” in merely a single line.

Get your Python One-Liners Now!!