Sometimes, the biggest challenge we face as reviewers is in describing simple concepts – take Katamari, for instance. You play as a tiny green man called the Prince, and you’re tasked with rolling around a comically large and sticky ball. You navigate contained levels with the aim of rolling stuff up into that ball, and growing larger as a result. It sounds closer to a cheese-dream than a compelling gameplay loop, doesn’t it? Despite the outlandish premise, Bandai Namco’s Katamari series has garnered a sizable fanbase over the last two decades. While us super-fans collectively pine for a brand new entry in the series, a re-release of the franchise’s phenomenal second outing We Love Katamari has found its way into our lives courtesy of developer Monkey Craft. Out of all of the base expectations you can have for a remake or a remaster, matching or exceeding the original title in every metric is paramount. When it comes to We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie, we get a couple of hits, and a whole bunch of misses.

More: Bandai Namco, highlight, top, We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie

[Let’s Talk] June 2023 Nintendo Direct reactions

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

We’re a few days removed from the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, and now we’re interested in hearing your honest reactions to the event.

As always, Nintendo brought a few key announcements to the show. A week ago, many wouldn’t have guessed that Super Mario RPG would be getting a remake on Switch. The other big moment of the show was Nintendo unveiling Super Mario Wonder. We also heard about a new Princess Peach game and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon for Switch that are coming out next year, and WarioWare: Move It was revealed for November. Detective Pikachu Returns was unveiled after being teased years ago, too. Pikmin 1 and 2 for Switch were even revealed and announced on the same day.

On the third-party front, there were some announcements as well. Metal Gear Solid Collection Vol. 1, Batman: Arkham Trilogy, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, Star Ocean: The Second Story R, and Penny’s Big Breakaway were shown.

This wasn’t everything, but those were some of the notable games shown. You can catch up on everything in Nintendo’s recap here. And let us know how you felt about the Nintendo Direct as a whole, and what your favorite announcement was.

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Super Mega Baseball 4 exemplifies the need for lighthearted, fun-focused sports games

Posted on 1 year 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

10+ promising third-party games announced for Switch this summer

Posted on 1 year ago by Tom in Features, Switch, Videos | 0 comments

Just before the latest Nintendo Direct aired, we decided to wrap up all the exciting announcements for Switch this summer prior to the big event.

After a long few days of showcases from companies not named Nintendo, Sam breaks down all the notable announcements from the week including those from the Summer Game Fest, Devolver Digital, Future Games Show, Ubisoft Forward, and Capcom to see which amazing looking games are coming to Nintendo’s platform.

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[Preview] Fae Farm: a massive, magic-themed life sim with deep potential

Posted on 1 year 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.

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Persona 5 Tactica, Fire Emblem GBA, Ace Attorney 4-6 Remasters and more! | Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 057

Posted on 1 year 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!

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[Review] Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life

Posted on 1 year ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch, Switch eShop | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release date: June 27, 2023
Developer: Marvelous
Publisher: XSEED / Marvelous

Story of Seasons has had a series of ups and downs as the franchise has tried to find its footing in a genre it once had a monopoly on. It’s true that each new title has offered an exciting prospect of things to come within the series itself. It’s also always seemed to go against the idea of being a market leader once more in favor of keeping things traditional, but much that stubborn thinking may be to its detriment. This rears its head in the series’ new remake, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life.

More: highlight, marvelous, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, top, XSEED Games

A campfire chat about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Posted on 1 year ago by Elias in Features, Switch | 0 comments

With over a month under our belts exploring the expanded and more populous Hyrule, Tears of the Kingdom has had time to settle in as the newest title in the Legend of Zelda series. A direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, players will find maps to be vastly changed, even if a bit familiar. As one of the most-anticipated games of 2023, the team here at Nintendo Everything ended up picking up copies across the board – and for the first time, we’d all like to weigh in with our impressions and takeaways when it comes to Link’s latest adventure since we’ve had a few weeks to digest it all. Members of the team came together and discussed our experiences with Tears of the Kingdom, and you can see our various takes on the game below.

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[Preview] Hands on with Disney Illusion Island: an accessible, exploration-focused platformer with beautiful animation

Posted on 1 year 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 1 year 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.