[Review] Have a Nice Death
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: March 22, 2023
Developer: Magic Design Studios
Publisher: Gearbox
Typically, when I’m craving some side-scrolling action, roguelike games aren’t my go-to. Simple procedurally generated levels, frustrating or unrewarding progression loops, and by-the-numbers combat have plagued my experiences in the genre, so I’m perhaps a bit more skeptical than others of run-based titles. Fortunately, Have a Nice Death is not only an exception to this trend, but also one of the tightest, most creative, and most satisfying roguelikes I’ve ever played. It’s an example of what a talented team with a strong vision can accomplish, and its fine-tuned concoction of charm and challenge resulted in constant fun.
Our favorite 3DS/Wii U Memories, LEGO 2K Drive, and more | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 048
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in 3DS eShop, General Nintendo, Podcast, Switch, Wii U eShop | 0 comments
It’s finally happened: the 3DS and Wii U eShops are no more. While this has been a bummer for many of us, in this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, we’re looking back on some of our favorite memories from Nintendo’s last-gen systems, reflecting on the games that impacted us the most, and sharing our thoughts on how these amazing systems will be remembered in the future. We’ll also dive into some of the big games announced or released over the past few weeks, including LEGO 2K Drive, Bayonetta Origins, and much more!
Super Mario Movie final trailer, Level-5’s new games, breaking Wii Us, and more | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 047
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in General Nintendo, Podcast, Switch, Wii U | 0 comments
This past week’s Nintendo Direct wasn’t focused on games, but it did give us a detailed look at the one thing we all wanted to see – Mario’s Boots (oh, and a new Super Mario Movie trailer). In this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, your hosts Nick, Nicolas, Dennis and Luiz will also talk about the most interesting games shown off during various virtual events this week, including Level 5’s MASSIVE slate of releases (Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, DecaPolice and more!). Stick around for some conversation about Wii U’s that are mysteriously breaking, the new RoboCop game, and more!
[Review] Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: March 9, 2023
Developer: Koei Tecmo
Publisher: Nintendo
After a whopping 15 years, the fourth mainline entry in the Fatal Frame franchise is finally accessible for English-speaking players for the first time, and as such, the release of Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse feels like something of an event for horror fans. These games have long been singular experiences, possessing a unique weight that is felt in each footstep, each click of a camera shutter, each piece of unsettling lore. I was excited to finally have a chance to experience this acclaimed piece of horror history on a modern platform, and to see why fans have been begging for a localization for so long. While I enjoyed unraveling the weaving, sinister story threads of Mask of the Lunar Eclipse and soaking in its atmosphere, the game’s unrefined pacing and desperate need for extra polish should make casual horror fans pause.
Scarlet/Violet DLC, Pokemon Sleep, new Mario Kart 8 DLC tracks, and more | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 046
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Podcast, Switch | 0 comments
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may still be in rough technical shape for some players, but that didn’t stop Game Freak from announcing a wave of new expansions last week for these controversial (but still widely loved) games. In this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, your hosts Nick and Nicolas will chat about the announcements from the recent Pokémon Presents showcase, including a new Poké Ball-style accessory that you are seriously supposed to sleep with, and a freshly announced Pokémon TV series. We’ll also discuss the upcoming Wave 4 of tracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the launch of Metroid Fusion on Switch Online, and much more!
[Review] Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: February 24, 2023
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
The original Wii launch of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land has always felt like a particularly important game for the franchise; at the time it released, it had been in development in some form for over a decade, after multiple attempts at creating a new mainline Kirby game never reached fruition. That’s a big part of the reason why Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, a remaster of the 2011 original, feels like such a fitting way to wrap up the pink puffball’s 30th anniversary celebrations – it’s a testament to just how much the franchise has grown and evolved since then. But how well does this classic Kirby game hold up after all these years, and is the new content added into this remaster strong enough to justify a full-price rerelease?
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe, Octopath Traveller 2, and more! | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 045
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Podcast, Switch | 0 comments
It’s a big week for Switch releases! On this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, we’ll be sharing our hands-on impressions of two MAJOR games, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe and Octopath Traveller 2. We’ll also dive deep into the major stories from last week, including Call of Duty’s (confirmed) return to Nintendo platforms, insight from Miyamoto on his philosophy on narratives in games, and more!
Retro’s Star Fox Armada pitch, Switch’s lifecycle, Super Nintendo World and more | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 044
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in General Nintendo, Podcast, Switch | 0 comments
Did you know that we could have gotten a totally different Star Fox game on the Wii U? In this week’s episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, we’ll share details about Star Fox Armada, a game pitched by Retro that could have been the direct sequel to Star Fox 64 that fans have been craving. (Visit DidYouKnowGaming for the full story!) We’ll also talk more about Splatoon 3’s upcoming expansion pass, Super Nintendo World, and much more!
The first Direct of the year was amazing – Metroid Prime, Pikmin 4, Zelda and more | NER Ep. 043
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Podcast | 0 comments
Well folks, it’s happened – Nintendo held their first Direct of 2023, and it was jam-packed with some incredible surprises! From the surprise launch of Metroid Prime Remastered to the triumphant return of Level 5, the showcase revealed info on a ton of new and upcoming games, with a little something for everyone! This week, join your hosts Nick, Nicolas and Luiz as they discuss all the announcements (big and small!) and which games from the showcase they’re most looking forward to playing. It’s time to get hyped up for a great year of Switch releases!
[Review] Rhythm Sprout
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: February 1, 2023
Developer: SURT
Publisher: tinyBuild
It takes a certain type of creative mind to look at the vegetables on display in their grocery store produce aisle and decide, “finally – the protagonist for my story-driven rhythm game!” That level of kookiness is the driving force behind Rhythm Sprout, a delightfully bonkers rhythm-action game in which an onion wearing headphones and a tracksuit slaughters various edible enemies to the beat of a wide range of music. As the debut release from Norwegian developer SURT games, Rhythm Sprout’s creative concept has maintained my interest ever since its initial reveal, but how does its beat-based gameplay live up to the rest of the experience?
