[Review] Ufouria: The Saga 2
Posted on 9 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: March 1, 2024
Developer: Sunsoft
Publisher: Red Art Games
Back in 1991, video game developer Sunsoft – perhaps best-known these days for its Blaster Master series – was trying to get a new franchise off the ground, in part to help cement a new mascot for the company. Ufouria: The Saga was the result – a quirky 2D platformer whose main gimmick was its ability for players to swap between four different characters. While the game did well enough to spawn a series of puzzle games featuring the same oddball cast and charming presentation, the original title been almost entirely unavailable for western players outside of a now-inaccessible Virtual Console rerelease and a limited run in Europe. That’s why it’s such a delightful surprise that now, over thirty years later, Sunsoft has released a sequel – and fortunately, an excellent one. Ufouria: The Saga 2 not only tightly modernizes the satisfying gameplay of the original, but imbues its world and characters with a sense of whimsy and humor that had me smiling from start to finish.
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[Review] Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island
Posted on 10 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 27, 2024
Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Publisher: Spike Chunsoft
After dreaming of a strange mountain island, Shiren and his ferret friend Koppa embark on yet another journey. Following an unfortunate battle with the biggest baddy on the island, he awakens at the base of the mountain with no memory of his journey to the top. Spurred onward by Koppa’s recap of the events, Shiren and his companion decide to ascend once more and unravel the mysteries of Serpentcoil Island once and for all. Now with Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, does this adventure change up the long-lived series, or is it just another tried and true entry in the series we love?
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[Let’s Talk] February 2024 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase reactions
Posted on 10 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments
The first Nintendo Direct of 2024 is in the books with this week’s Partner Showcase. It may not have been the general presentation with many first-party announcements that some may have wanted, but there was still plenty of news.
Nintendo did manage to have an announcement of its own with the reveal of Endless Ocean Luminous, the first entry in the series since the Wii era. Speaking of Wii, Epic Mickey is back with a remake titled Epic Mickey: Rebrushed. Xbox made some announcements with ports of Grounded and Pentiment, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble and Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist were revealed (plus others like Gundam Breaker 4 and Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream), and we got a number of shadowdrops including five Rare titles on Nintendo Switch Online, Penny’s Big Breakaway, and Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On. You can catch up on the full recap here.
What did you think of the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase? What was your favorite announcement? Let us know in the comments.
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[Review] Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Posted on 10 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 16, 2024
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
For as much as Mario’s continued success can be traced back all the way to his debut in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong, outside of the occasional professional sporting tournament, kart race or fistfight, he and the famous ape rarely share the screen these days as much as they used to. And it really isn’t Mario’s fault, now is it? How concerned can we expect him to be with a banana-obsessed gorilla while Bowser is off transforming into floating sentient castles in Super Mario Bros Wonder? That said, I’m pleased to report that the characters’ rivalry is still alive and well, brought to the forefront once again with this release of Mario vs. Donkey Kong. A remake of the titular 2004 Game Boy Advance puzzle-platformer that spawned its own series, this game sports both enhanced visuals and some new stages and modes. But is that enough to warrant a revisit and bring in new players, and how does this enhanced package hold up twenty years after the original?
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[Review] Sympathy Kiss
Posted on 10 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 27, 2024
Developer: Idea Factory
Publisher: Idea Factory
Akari Amasawa is someone that I’m sure plenty of us can relate to: she wakes up in the morning, she goes to work after breakfast, and she comes home in the evening. Rinse and repeat. Her job is one that could be done by basically anyone, and her life is unremarkable. But really, what else can you expect? That’s just life. But even unremarkable circumstances can change, and for Akari, who has been with IT company Estario Corp. as a designer for almost a year, her work life (and, of course, her personal life) is suddenly turned upside-down when she is recruited as part of a small team to save one of the company’s founding apps, which has been losing momentum as it is pushed out by the competition. Her new role is uncertain, and her new colleagues are strangers. In Sympathy Kiss, a new otome title from Idea Factory, you’ll be joining her on her journey to navigate the perilous trenches of work, romance, and life. The choices you’ll make along the way are probably not what most people would do in her situation, but it’s certainly a nice break from the stressors of everyday life.
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[Let’s Talk] What’s your favorite amiibo?
Posted on 10 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
With the Sora amiibo releasing yesterday, that wraps up all of the figures for Super Smash Bros. That line alone offers nearly 100 different products. There are also many other IPs and dedicated franchise with amiibo including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Animal Crossing, and more.
Aside from how many amiibo are out there, something that may surprise you is that it’s turning ten years old this year. It’ll be a decade of the figures as of November.
Since we’re coming up on a big milestone here, we wanted to take a moment to talk about amiibo. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments, and feel free to share any other thoughts you have about amiibo as well.
[Let’s Talk] Predict the Switch 2 launch date and price
Posted on 10 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Let's Talk | 0 comments
We’re only one full month into 2023, but many Nintendo fans are already thinking about the possibility of new hardware arriving this year. Previous rumors have pointed to a Switch successor launching sometime in 2024. You can never really predict what Nintendo will do, but based on factors such as the release schedule for Switch, that does seem likely.
When do you think Switch 2 will be launching? How much do you think the system will cost? Share your predictions will us in the comments.
[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – February 2024
Posted on 10 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
A new month just started up a few days ago. Now that we’re in February, we want to know what you’ve been playing.
Have you been going through the Golden Sun games on Nintendo Switch Online? Maybe you’re sinking your teeth into Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy? No matter the case, let us know in the comments.
[Interview] Apsyr on Tomb Raider I-III’s updated graphics, new controls, and more
Posted on 10 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Interviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
The original Tomb Raider trilogy is about to make a comeback on Switch in the form of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft. To learn more about the project, we caught up with Chris Bashaar, director of product at Aspyr.
This release is more than a simple remaster as players can switch between the new and original graphics at any time, experience updated controls, and more. We spoke about these features and a few other topics in our interview.
Here’s the full discussion:
[Review] Another Code: Recollection
Posted on 10 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: January 19, 2024
Developer: Arc System Works / Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
It’s really a bit remarkable that, of all the long-dormant franchises Nintendo could have chosen to resurrect next, it was Another Code that they decided to give another chance. I’m totally here for it, both as a fan of narrative-driven adventure games, and as an advocate for the preservation and accessibility of older titles; I’m just surprised that it actually happened. Another Code: Recollection is a full remake of the 2005 DS game Another Code: Two Memories, as well as its Wii sequel, Another Code R: Journey into Lost Memories – the latter which never released in North America. While these puzzle-tinted mystery games have always been well-regarded by fans for their compelling premises and overall atmosphere, they never sold particularly well globally and generally received mixed reviews from critics; furthermore, the original development studio no longer exists, and both games were built around hardware features unique to their original platforms. Well, against all odds, we now have a reimagined collection of both titles sporting improved visuals and presentation, and even some narrative and gameplay changes. While I ultimately enjoyed my time getting to know the game’s charming protagonist and unraveling a moderately captivating mystery, Another Code: Recollection’s toothless writing and shallow moment-to-moment gameplay makes it a slightly niche recommendation.
