When you stop and think about it, most video games have you cleaning up someone else’s mess. Exactly what that mess is will vary of course: you might have to make sure something you’ve inherited runs smoothly, help people out with their problems, or save a world you just happen to be part of from powers that are generally making life difficult. It’s never a problem you’ve created, but it’s always one that only you can solve. Developer Moon Lagoon’s Loddlenaut follows diligently in the footsteps of the likes of Power Wash Simulator by taking this general concept literally, giving you an aquatic planet to scrub down and some adorable creatures to rescue and nurture along the way.

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[Review] Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

Posted on 4 weeks ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release date: September 24, 2024
Developer: Purple Lamp
Publisher: THQ Nordic

I’ve had a 2010 Wii copy of Epic Mickey sitting on my shelf for years, and as much as I had intended to experience Warren Spector’s twisted Mickey Mouse tale well before this point, for one reason or another I’ve just never gotten around to it. In this case, my patience definitely paid off. Developer Purple Lamp – who is quickly garnering a positive reputation for their work in the 3D platforming space – has invested considerable effort to free this ambitious game from the Wii’s limitations and make it accessible to modern audiences. While the Switch version of Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed has some disappointing performance issues here and there, overall, this remake is a stunning effort that deserves to be experienced by fans of both Disney and platformers alike.

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[Let’s Talk] What’s your current Switch icon?

Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments

When you think about where Switch was for its launch compared to now in terms of user icons, it’s a pretty big difference. For awhile, certain system updates would slowly add new designs over time. Then at the very end of 2022, a new benefit was added for Nintendo Switch Online in which members could spend My Nintendo Points on icons. We now get new ones pretty regularly, often tying in to new game launches.

User icons are ultimately a pretty small thing, but allow fans to express themselves in different ways. Which are you using at the moment? Let us know in the comments.

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[Review] Reynatis

Posted on 1 month ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release date: September 27, 2024
Developer: FuRyu
Publisher: NIS America

Worlds of wizards and magic aren’t uncommon in the gaming world, but a setting as realistic as modern-day Shibuya, Tokyo does add a flavor that makes Reynatis stand out immediately. Flashy modern day outfits, blazing weapons, and flashy skills with fights breaking out on realistic representations of streets we could go and walk today. Reynatis is set in a prefecture bursting with commerce, the towering shopping malls, businesses, and bistros bustle with traffic of consumers and business people alike. Shibuya is the pinnacle of Japan’s fashion industry, boasts an incredible music scene, and the food is absolutely to die for. Also, for whatever reason, it seems to attract wizards.

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Strange moves you never knew Pokemon could learn

Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan in Features, General Nintendo | 0 comments

In the early days of Pokemon – we’re talking back on Game Boy – many Pokemon suffered from incredibly small movepools. For example, Scyther didn’t have access to a single Flying-type move in Red and Blue despite being a half Flying-type itself. Fortunately, the developers have fixed this issue over the years, and now many Pokemon have huge movepools. That being said, certain move decisions are questionable at best. Some Pokemon have access to certain moves that don’t make a ton of sense thematically, and today we’re going over a big list of some of the strangest movepool additions in the Pokemon series.

More: Game Freak, Pokemon

[Interview] Talking Reynatis and more with scenario writer Kazushige Nojima and composer Yoko Shimomura

Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Interviews, Switch | 0 comments

Ahead of the launch of Reynatis in the west, we were able to catch up with scenario writer Kazushige Nojima and composer Yoko Shimomura as part of a new interview. The two shared a few words about the action RPG and touched on a few other topics.

For Kazushige Nojima, his previous works includes Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. Yoko Shimomura also needs no introduction, as she’s had a long history in gaming having been involved with Super Mario RPG, Live A Live, Kingdom Hearts, and Final Fantasy XV – just to name a few.

Here’s our full Reynatis interview:

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Examining each of Nintendo’s launch titles

Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan in Features, General Nintendo | 0 comments

With Nintendo’s next console confirmed to be revealed before March 2025, we thought it’d be a good time to examine something that will be very impactful on whether it succeeds or not: its launch titles. Though launch titles don’t always make or break a console’s success, they definitely play a hand in what happens next. Today, we’re going over all of Nintendo’s strongest and weakest launch titles and how they affected their respective systems.

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[Let’s Talk] Where does Switch rank among other Nintendo systems?

Posted on 1 month ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments

It’s still wild to think that Switch has been around for well over seven years. If all goes well, it may very well end up as the best-selling gaming device ever. There are many reasons for its success, including its hybrid functionality, quantity and quality of games, and more.

We’re towards the very end of Switch’s lifecycle now, so how are you feeling about it? Where does it personally rank for you compared to other Nintendo systems? Let us know in the comments below.

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The best and worst Salmon Run rotations possible in Splatoon 3

Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan in Features, Switch | 0 comments

Every few days, a new Salmon Run shift starts in Splatoon 3. Each one includes four different weapons, a different stage, and a different King Salmonids. We’ve already written guides on all of the King Salmonids in Splatoon 3 (you can check them out here), but how can you tell if a given rotation is good or bad? Today, we’re going over what makes a Salmon Run shift “good” – in other words, viable for farming – and what makes a Salmon Run shift “bad”, too.

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The most forgotten Pokemon of all time, ranked

Posted on 1 month ago by Ethan in Features, General Nintendo | 0 comments

The matter of most forgotten Pokemon is always a subjective one. Everybody’s got different favorites, and they say that every single Pokemon is at least one person’s favorite. That being said, some Pokemon are more obscure than others – and there are bound to be instances where a specific Pokemon is the favorite of very few players.

Today, we’re going over a list of some of the most forgotten Pokemon of all time. Do note that we’re actually not including Lumineon on this list – it’s always on “most forgotten Pokemon” lists, and it’s so forgettable that it’s looped around into being memorable for being forgettable (if that makes sense). We’re including Pokemon who really aren’t talked about very much.