08-26-2018, 06:31 PM
Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 25th)
<div><div class="media_block"><a href="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/large.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/small.jpg" class="media_thumbnail"></a></div>
<aside class="picture strip">
<div class="img"><a title="Hollow Knight" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/hollow-knight.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/hollow-knight.900x.jpg" alt="Hollow Knight" /></a></div>
</aside>
<p><em>It’s another lovely weekend (hopefully) full of relaxation, chilled vibes, and a good gaming session or two. As ever, Team Nintendo Life has banded together to chat about our plans for the next couple of days, with farming sims, Game Boy Advance classics, and online shooters making for an interesting mix this time around. But what about you? Take a read of our plans, and then share your own in the comments below. Oh, and leave a vote in our poll, too!</em></p>
<h2>Austin Voigt, contributing writer</h2>
<p>Today, I’m picking up my copy of <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/little_dragons_cafe">Little Dragons Cafe</a></strong>. I’ve been dying for a new sim game on the Switch (<strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/stardew_valley">Stardew Valley</a></strong> is awesome – but Yasuhiro Wada invented this genre, and I adore anything he makes). Funnily enough, although farming sims are some of my favorite games, I stumbled upon them completely by chance as a child: I’d ordered a <strong>Hamtaro</strong> game (shut up) on eBay, and they sent me <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/ds/harvest_moon_ds_the_tale_of_two_towns">Harvest Moon</a></strong> by mistake, like the hand of fate. I had never seen anything like it – it was love at first sight… Okay, gotta run – GameStop opens soon.</p>
<h2>Ryan Craddock, staff writer</h2>
<p>With <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/hollow_knight">Hollow Knight</a></strong> getting its final batch of free DLC – and going on a pretty mighty sale at the same time – I’m starting to feel the pressure from that bit of the brain that tells you to just go ahead and buy things. At the time of writing, I still haven’t entirely made up my mind, but something tells me that I’ll end up taking a leisurely, metaphorical stroll through the eShop’s jaunty alley of goods to pick up a copy.</p>
<p>I’m also in the mood for some couch co-op style play, so I might take a look through my collection to see what’s available. I have been eyeing up <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/overcooked_2">Overcooked 2</a></strong>, though – another highly rated game that I’ve somehow resisted so far – so maybe I’ll end up falling into a pit of spending misery by the time the weekend’s over. </p>
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<h2>Dave Frear, retro reviewer</h2>
<p>In truth, most of my time will be spent re-experiencing <strong>Shenmue</strong> via the remaster, but the GBA will also be keeping my weekend on a Dreamcast theme. I’ve been dipping back into the handheld’s port of <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/gba/chuchu_rocket">ChuChu Rocket!</a></strong> recently and have been enjoying it immensely. It’s a game suited to quick bursts of play here and there and I’ve been flitting between the stage challenges and battles which can require quick reflexes and get quite frantic, and also the more relaxed Puzzle mode. All have provided fun, and although there’s been frustration too, I keep finding myself diving back in for more.</p>
<h2>Liam Doolan, news reporter</h2>
<p><strong>Overcooked 2</strong> is my go-to game right now. Having purchased the title approximately a week after its release, I’ve now made it to world four. Progress has been slow and steady, with many retries along the way. So far, me and my co-op buddy have been able to three-star every level. I’d definitely say it’s more forgiving than the first game.</p>
<p>When I’m not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, I’ll be catching up on <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/dead_cells">Dead Cells</a></strong>. Another game I acquired shortly after its release. Based on what I’ve played of it so far, it’s incredibly addictive. I often sink an hour or two into it and it feels more like 10 minutes – it’s that fun.</p>
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<h2>Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer</h2>
<p>This weekend I’ll once again be pulling double duty as I leap into the hotly anticipated <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/blade_strangers">Blade Strangers</a></strong> for some 2D fighting action with the oddest crossover roster you’ve ever seen. I’ll also be pulling on my best ninja threads and unleashing feline violence in <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/claws_of_furry">Claws of Furry</a></strong>. Look out for reviews of both on the site next week. I’ve also been going back to <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/attack_on_titan_2">Attack on Titan 2</a></strong> quite in a bit in the last week, and I can already fill that deep urge to fire my hip-mounted grappling hooks and fight some naked giants. Don’t judge me, okay?</p>
<h2>Glen Fox, guides editor</h2>
<p>Been really into <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/paladins_-_founders_pack">Paladins</a></strong> this week – so much so that I’ve been playing it into the early hours of the morning. It’s so addictive, tweaking your loadouts to try and find an interesting new way to play, and messing around with different characters. There’s so much variety, and no two of them feel the same. I don’t know how much it will hold my attention in the long term, but there’s nothing else like it on the Switch at the moment and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.</p>
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<h2><strong>Dave Letcavage, contributing writer</strong></h2>
<p>So I kept my word and started that <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/snes/donkey_kong_country"><strong>Donkey Kong Country</strong></a> series playthrough that I mentioned last week. I’ve completed the original, and now I’m halfway through <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/snes/donkey_kong_country_2_diddys_kong_quest"><strong>Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest</strong></a>. But this weekend I think I’m going to take a break from monkey business to explore the depths of <strong>Hollow Knight</strong>. I was planning to wait for a physical release before doing so, but the current eShop sale has tempted me. Unless I buy <strong>Dead Cells</strong> first. That’s also a possibility. Decisions, decisions…</p>
<div id="poll-25aug-18-tpweekend" class="poll">
<div class="results">
<h3 class="heading">Which games are you playing this weekend? (265 votes)</h3>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Little Dragons Café</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Stardew Valley</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="12 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">5%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Harvest Moon</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Hollow Knight</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="70 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">26%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Overcooked 2</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="5 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">2%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">ChuChu Rocket!</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Dead Cells</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="30 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">11%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Claws of Furry</h4>
<p class="votes"><span class="bar accent-bg no-votes"> </span> <span title="0 votes">0%</span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Attack on Titan 2</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="4 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">2%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Paladins</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="20 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">8%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Donkey Kong Country</h4>
<p class="votes"><span class="bar accent-bg no-votes"> </span> <span title="0 votes">0%</span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Donkey Kong Country</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="4 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">2%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Something else (comment below)</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="108 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">41%</span></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="empty">Please <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/login">login</a> to vote in this poll.</p>
</div>
<p><em>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…</em></p>
</div>
<div><div class="media_block"><a href="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/large.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/small.jpg" class="media_thumbnail"></a></div>
<aside class="picture strip">
<div class="img"><a title="Hollow Knight" href="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/hollow-knight.original.jpg"><img src="http://images.nintendolife.com/71b979185fd57/hollow-knight.900x.jpg" alt="Hollow Knight" /></a></div>
</aside>
<p><em>It’s another lovely weekend (hopefully) full of relaxation, chilled vibes, and a good gaming session or two. As ever, Team Nintendo Life has banded together to chat about our plans for the next couple of days, with farming sims, Game Boy Advance classics, and online shooters making for an interesting mix this time around. But what about you? Take a read of our plans, and then share your own in the comments below. Oh, and leave a vote in our poll, too!</em></p>
<h2>Austin Voigt, contributing writer</h2>
<p>Today, I’m picking up my copy of <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/little_dragons_cafe">Little Dragons Cafe</a></strong>. I’ve been dying for a new sim game on the Switch (<strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/stardew_valley">Stardew Valley</a></strong> is awesome – but Yasuhiro Wada invented this genre, and I adore anything he makes). Funnily enough, although farming sims are some of my favorite games, I stumbled upon them completely by chance as a child: I’d ordered a <strong>Hamtaro</strong> game (shut up) on eBay, and they sent me <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/ds/harvest_moon_ds_the_tale_of_two_towns">Harvest Moon</a></strong> by mistake, like the hand of fate. I had never seen anything like it – it was love at first sight… Okay, gotta run – GameStop opens soon.</p>
<h2>Ryan Craddock, staff writer</h2>
<p>With <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/hollow_knight">Hollow Knight</a></strong> getting its final batch of free DLC – and going on a pretty mighty sale at the same time – I’m starting to feel the pressure from that bit of the brain that tells you to just go ahead and buy things. At the time of writing, I still haven’t entirely made up my mind, but something tells me that I’ll end up taking a leisurely, metaphorical stroll through the eShop’s jaunty alley of goods to pick up a copy.</p>
<p>I’m also in the mood for some couch co-op style play, so I might take a look through my collection to see what’s available. I have been eyeing up <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/overcooked_2">Overcooked 2</a></strong>, though – another highly rated game that I’ve somehow resisted so far – so maybe I’ll end up falling into a pit of spending misery by the time the weekend’s over. </p>
<aside class="object object-youtube">
<div class="youtube">[embedded content]</div>
</aside>
<h2>Dave Frear, retro reviewer</h2>
<p>In truth, most of my time will be spent re-experiencing <strong>Shenmue</strong> via the remaster, but the GBA will also be keeping my weekend on a Dreamcast theme. I’ve been dipping back into the handheld’s port of <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/gba/chuchu_rocket">ChuChu Rocket!</a></strong> recently and have been enjoying it immensely. It’s a game suited to quick bursts of play here and there and I’ve been flitting between the stage challenges and battles which can require quick reflexes and get quite frantic, and also the more relaxed Puzzle mode. All have provided fun, and although there’s been frustration too, I keep finding myself diving back in for more.</p>
<h2>Liam Doolan, news reporter</h2>
<p><strong>Overcooked 2</strong> is my go-to game right now. Having purchased the title approximately a week after its release, I’ve now made it to world four. Progress has been slow and steady, with many retries along the way. So far, me and my co-op buddy have been able to three-star every level. I’d definitely say it’s more forgiving than the first game.</p>
<p>When I’m not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, I’ll be catching up on <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/dead_cells">Dead Cells</a></strong>. Another game I acquired shortly after its release. Based on what I’ve played of it so far, it’s incredibly addictive. I often sink an hour or two into it and it feels more like 10 minutes – it’s that fun.</p>
<aside class="object object-youtube">
<div class="youtube">[embedded content]</div>
</aside>
<h2>Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer</h2>
<p>This weekend I’ll once again be pulling double duty as I leap into the hotly anticipated <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/blade_strangers">Blade Strangers</a></strong> for some 2D fighting action with the oddest crossover roster you’ve ever seen. I’ll also be pulling on my best ninja threads and unleashing feline violence in <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/claws_of_furry">Claws of Furry</a></strong>. Look out for reviews of both on the site next week. I’ve also been going back to <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/nintendo-switch/attack_on_titan_2">Attack on Titan 2</a></strong> quite in a bit in the last week, and I can already fill that deep urge to fire my hip-mounted grappling hooks and fight some naked giants. Don’t judge me, okay?</p>
<h2>Glen Fox, guides editor</h2>
<p>Been really into <strong><a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/switch-eshop/paladins_-_founders_pack">Paladins</a></strong> this week – so much so that I’ve been playing it into the early hours of the morning. It’s so addictive, tweaking your loadouts to try and find an interesting new way to play, and messing around with different characters. There’s so much variety, and no two of them feel the same. I don’t know how much it will hold my attention in the long term, but there’s nothing else like it on the Switch at the moment and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.</p>
<aside class="object object-youtube">
<div class="youtube">[embedded content]</div>
</aside>
<h2><strong>Dave Letcavage, contributing writer</strong></h2>
<p>So I kept my word and started that <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/snes/donkey_kong_country"><strong>Donkey Kong Country</strong></a> series playthrough that I mentioned last week. I’ve completed the original, and now I’m halfway through <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/games/snes/donkey_kong_country_2_diddys_kong_quest"><strong>Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest</strong></a>. But this weekend I think I’m going to take a break from monkey business to explore the depths of <strong>Hollow Knight</strong>. I was planning to wait for a physical release before doing so, but the current eShop sale has tempted me. Unless I buy <strong>Dead Cells</strong> first. That’s also a possibility. Decisions, decisions…</p>
<div id="poll-25aug-18-tpweekend" class="poll">
<div class="results">
<h3 class="heading">Which games are you playing this weekend? (265 votes)</h3>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Little Dragons Café</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Stardew Valley</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="12 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">5%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Harvest Moon</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Hollow Knight</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="70 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">26%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Overcooked 2</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="5 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">2%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">ChuChu Rocket!</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Dead Cells</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="30 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">11%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Claws of Furry</h4>
<p class="votes"><span class="bar accent-bg no-votes"> </span> <span title="0 votes">0%</span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Attack on Titan 2</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="4 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">2%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Paladins</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="20 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">8%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Donkey Kong Country</h4>
<p class="votes"><span class="bar accent-bg no-votes"> </span> <span title="0 votes">0%</span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Donkey Kong Country</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="3 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">1%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="4 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">2%</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="result">
<h4 class="heading">Something else (comment below)</h4>
<p class="votes"><span title="108 votes"><span class="bar accent-bg">41%</span></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="empty">Please <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/login">login</a> to vote in this poll.</p>
</div>
<p><em>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…</em></p>
</div>