[Preview] Hands-on with Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch | 0 comments
2021’s Hot Wheels Unleashed was a huge surprise for fans of arcade racers and the die-cast toys alike; I had a great time with it when I reviewed it, even if I felt the game could have benefitted from tweaked vehicle handling and more variety overall. Now, two years later, developer Milestone is gearing up for the release of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged on October 19, and I had an opportunity to check out an early build of the game at Summer Game Fest. While some of my critiques of the first game – like environmental variety – look like they may not be resolved at launch, I enjoyed some of the new mechanics and modes the team is adding this time around.
Super Mega Baseball 4 exemplifies the need for lighthearted, fun-focused sports games
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Features, Switch eShop | 0 comments
Sports video games have been a part of my DNA since I first picked up a controller. My dad had an NES hooked up to the TV while I was young, and so I was graced with some incredible arcade-style sports games – the likes of Blades of Steel, Tecmo Bowl, and RBI Baseball. When I was a little older, I got some great mileage out games like Backyard Baseball, and after the Wii launched, I jumped into the obvious hits – Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. I’m probably forgetting a few, but all those games have one thing in common; none of them are simulators of the sports they represent. That’s why I love them, and why we need more games like Super Mega Baseball 4.
More: EA, highlight, Metalhead Software, Super Mega Baseball 4, top
[Preview] Fae Farm: a massive, magic-themed life sim with deep potential
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch | 0 comments
It’s becoming more difficult for games in the increasingly crowded farming/life-sim genre to stand out from the pack. Fae Farm – the next release from Phoenix Labs, who previously released Dauntless – is trying to carve its own niche by embracing a magical setting and promising exciting features like drop-in-drop-out online multiplayer and combat-focused dungeons. The game has had some prominent marketing, but it would be unfair not to mention that several thematically-similar indies have also been announced recently, including Garden Witch Life, WItchbrook, and Fields of Mistria. After getting hands on with Fae Farm, though, I was surprised at just how massive this game’s scope appears to be – it seems poised to be one of the densest, most mechanically rich attempts at this type of game that we’ve seen in a while.
More: Fae Farm, highlight, Phoenix Labs, top
Persona 5 Tactica, Fire Emblem GBA, Ace Attorney 4-6 Remasters and more! | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 057
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Podcast, Switch | 0 comments
In this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh (which, fun disclosure, was recorded BEFORE that killer Nintendo Direct!), join your hosts Nick and Tom as they discuss some exciting Switch-bound games announced last week, including of Persona 5 Tactica, the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (which contains HD remasters of Ace Attorney 4-6), and much more. We’ll also discuss the upcoming Switch Online release of Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, and why this might be a great entry point into the series for new fans. Stick around for chatter about some creative recent releases, including Dordogne, ProtoCorgi and much more!
[Preview] Hands on with Disney Illusion Island: an accessible, exploration-focused platformer with beautiful animation
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch | 0 comments
Disney Illusion Island feels like the type of game that Disney hasn’t made in ages. It’s not only the first original Mickey Mouse platformer that we’ve seen in about a decade, but it’s combining some of the best gameplay elements of many of its inspirations with gorgeous character animation, and a rhythm that’s especially tuned for local multiplayer. While perhaps not seeking to innovate the genre, Disney Illusion Island feels like it’s built with incredible care and respect for its IP; while I’m sure fans of Mickey and friends will appreciate this game the most, there’s a lot to love here for fans of platformers in general, and I think its exploration and puzzle elements will resonate with many.
More: Disney Illusion Island, Dlala Studios, highlight, top
[Interview] Disney Illusion Island’s lead designer discusses making a combat-free game, working with Disney, and more
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Interviews, Switch | 0 comments
After a surprise reveal at D23 Expo last year, Disney Illusion Island - an upcoming 2D Metroidvania from the makers of the recent Battletoads reboot – is set to launch exclusively on Switch in late July. After getting to spend nearly an hour with it at Summer Game Fest, I spoke with lead designer Grant Allen about its development, what it’s like working with such iconic characters, and what players can expect when the full game releases.
More: Disney Illusion Island, Dlala Studios, highlight, top
[Preview] Thirsty Suitors: skating, berating and ruminating have never felt so stylish
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
My demo with Thirsty Suitors had me battling an ex-boyfriend by slinging insults, racking up combos at an abandoned skatepark, and cooking food to win my parents’ approval. Credit where credit is due: I don’t think any other game has tried to do those three specific things at once! It feels like exactly the type of game you’d expect to see Annapurna publishing these days – a little surreal, very experimental, and handcrafted to surprise you at almost every turn. While I’m a little unsure about how Thirsty Suitors will manage to tie all its ideas together into a cohesive package, I’ve enjoyed the rollercoaster ride that I’ve experienced so far.
[Preview] Cocoon’s “worlds within worlds” mechanic is incredible, alien sci-fi
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Features, Switch eShop | 0 comments
Cocoon is enrapturing. A few minutes into my demo, I had already managed to completely block out the noise of the bustling Summer Game Fest crowds around me – no small feat – and found myself completely absorbed in the mysterious desert landscapes of the alien planet I was exploring. While ostensibly a game about solving puzzles, playing Cocoon felt less like working out solutions to brainteasers, and more like trying to interpret and learn the rules of the world around me. Or, worlds, to be more precise. While its developer, Geometric Interactive, isn’t revealing too many of the game’s secrets just yet, I’m captivated by what I’ve played so far, and can’t wait to untangle the web of its interconnected pieces.
Everything we played at Summer Game Fest (Sonic, Disney Illusion Island, and more) | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 056
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Podcast, Switch | 0 comments
There may not have been an E3 this summer, but it sure as heck felt like it! Between Summer Games Fest, the Xbox and PlayStation showcases, the Wholesome Direct, Future Games Show, and even more presentations than we can list here, there have been hundreds of games announced or shown off in the past few weeks. Fortunately, we were able to visit LA last week to get hand-on with a wide range of exciting Switch-bound games, including Sonic Superstars, Oxenfree II, Mortal Kombat 1 and much, much more! In this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, join your hosts Nick Serpa and Tom Chaplin as they talk about all the games big and small that Nick got to demo at Summer Games Fest. Then, stick around for some other freshly announced Indies you should keep on your radar, several irrelevant tangential conversations (our favorite), and more!
Our podcast is available on most major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Audible, or you can check out the video version on YouTube. Direct downloads are also available for free through our friends at ListenNotes.
[Preview] Mortal Kombat 1: A silky-smooth, hyper-violent reboot that’s (somehow) coming to Switch
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch | 0 comments
Mortal Kombat 1 is perhaps the most jaw-dropping fighting game I’ve ever had the privilege of playing. And not just in a figurative sense, because there’s literally an X-Ray attack in which Sub-Zero skewers his opponent’s brain through their mouth with a shard of ice, rendered in a shocking amount of detail. Between the new Kameo mechanic, an increased focus on aerial play, and some of the most stunning visuals I’ve ever seen in a fighting game, this is a game that feels next-gen from edge to edge. That’s a polite way of saying: I have no idea how they are going to get this running on Switch.
