Examining what went wrong with Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Posted on 7 months ago by Ethan in Features, Switch | 0 comments
Whether you like Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl or hate them, you can probably agree that something did indeed go wrong during their development. Though the games do have some merit as faithful Sinnoh remakes, many dedicated Pokemon players consider BDSP among the worst of the main series entries. Today, we’re taking a look at the state the games were launched in, the kind of content that was added to them via updates, and how the games hold up in 2024.
8 of the most useless amiibo figures ever released
Posted on 7 months ago by Ethan in Features, General Nintendo | 0 comments
Ever since their original release, amiibo figures have been more popular as fancy little shelfwarmers than in-game content bonuses. Nintendo certainly acknowledges this, too – whereas characters like Mario work across multiple games, other, more specific characters only serve a single purpose. Today, we’re looking at the most useless amiibo ever released and what they do in their corresponding game. Do note, there are several Super Smash Bros. series amiibo whose only purpose is amiibo training. This compatibility is actually too useful for our purposes, so we’ll only be talking about useless amiibo that do even less than that.
[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – April 2024
Posted on 7 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments
A new month just started up this week. Now that we’re in April, we want to know what you’ve been playing.
Did you recently start up Princess Peach: Showtime? What about other recent releases like Pepper Grinder? No matter the case, let us know in the comments below.
10 of our favorite 3DS and Wii U online games
Posted on 7 months ago by Ethan in 3DS, Features, Wii U | 0 comments
The 3DS and (to a smaller extent) the Wii U are some of Nintendo’s most beloved systems of all time. Both got off to something of a slow start, but the 3DS eventually steered itself back on-track and became a success. The same can’t be said for the Wii U, but both consoles are home to top-quality games. With online services shutting down for these platforms, we figured now would be a good time to list ten of our favorite games with online functionality in no particular order.
[Review] Princess Peach: Showtime
Posted on 7 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: March 22, 2024
Developer: Good Feel
Publisher: Nintendo
I’m not sure if Princess Peach has a rivalry with Kirby or something, but she’s picked up a shocking amount of skills in the nineteen years since her last solo game. In short order, Princess Peach: Showtime tasks the Mushroom Kingdom’s longstanding ruler with displaying all sorts of feats of talent, from figure skating to baking to lasso-wrangling – well, either that or she’s apparently a really good actress. Peach’s second-ever starring role is an approachable, varied, fast-paced adventure with plenty of memorable moments, and while it didn’t exactly leave me hoping for an encore, it’s refreshing playing a modern Mario-verse game that shines the spotlight on someone other than the plumber himself.
More: highlight, Princess Peach: Showtime, top
Pepper Grinder dev on inspiration, the game’s graphics, and more
Posted on 7 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Interviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
Pepper Grinder, the latest notable indie title for Switch, just released on the system this week. It was one of the standout games during Nintendo’s November 2022 Indie World Showcase. While it took a bit longer than expected, it certainly seems to have been worth the wait.
We’ve now dug a bit deeper into Pepper Grinder as part of an interview with developer Riv Hester. He spoke about the game’s inspirations – which include the likes of Ecco the Dolphin and games Nintendo fans will recognize – as well as how the graphics came together and more.
Here’s our full discussion:
More: Ahr Ech, Devolver Digital, Pepper Grinder
Kirby and the Forgotten Land lore, explained
Posted on 7 months ago by Ethan in Features, Switch | 0 comments
Of every franchise Nintendo is involved in, Kirby is the one with a reputation for its in-depth lore. Unlike other games, however, Kirby lore is rarely spelled out to the viewer – instead, it’s often implied with things like pause screen descriptions and the like. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first main series game in quite some time that lacks pause screen descriptions for bosses. This means that, compared to the other games, the game’s lore is a bit more front-and-center. There’s a lot to unpack here, and we figured we’d round up all the lore Kirby and the Forgotten Land has to offer. Do note that we’ll be discussing full game spoilers, so if for some reason you haven’t beaten the game, you might want to bookmark this page and come back later.
[Rapid Review] Pepper Grinder
Posted on 7 months ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: March 28, 2024
Developer: Ahr Ech
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Cute girls and giant drills are like the ultimate combination of adventure, cuteness, and the ability to get through just about anything. Pepper and Grinder are an incredible duo: a young pirate, Pepper has a dream to amass mountains of treasure. Her side arm and companion, Grinder, is just the one that can help her get it all done – able to blast right through the earth and find gold and gems galore. Together they make a pretty tough pair, but is their adventure worth all that sand?
More: Ahr Ech, Devolver Digital, highlight, Pepper Grinder, top
[Preview] Roman Sands RE:Build
Posted on 8 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
Roman Sands RE:Build is one of the strangest games I’ve played in a while, and that’s saying something, because I’ve played a lot of weird games lately. On a surface level, this first-person adventure appears to be an eccentric experience about performing menial tasks for the entitled guests of a strange luxury resort. It quickly becomes apparent that there’s much more going on behind the scenes: time seems to be looping, and also, the apocalypse might be nigh – or did it already happen? Despite having demoed this game twice now, I’m still not entirely sure what it’s about, but I can confidently say I’ve never played anything quite like it.
[Preview] Two Strikes brutal ballet of bloody combat is a blast to play
Posted on 8 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
Typically when I’m playing a fighting game, it doesn’t take much to recover from a sloppy combo or a mild beating from an opponent; there are usually plenty of chances to get my fighter back on their feet when my skills inevitably lapse. Two Strikes, on the other hand, isn’t quite so merciful. This upcoming fighting game from Retro Reactor promises exactly what it says on the tin: take damage twice, and you’re dead, often in gloriously gory fashion. I had the chance to demo the game briefly at Day of the Devs in San Francisco, and while I didn’t have enough time to get wholly acquainted with the nuances of battle, I enjoyed familiarizing myself with the tense, careful dance of Two Strikes’ vicious combat.
