It’s summertime again (at least in the US), and around the time that Nintendo partakes in their sporadic tradition of creating renders of their characters in summer scenes. These are most commonly used for promotional images and can vary from individual renders of characters in a void space (such as this image of Peach with ice cream) or detailed scenes of characters in a natural environment (such as Mario lounging on the beach with sailboats in the background).

However, regardless of the content and the intended use of these images, they almost always cause speculation on upcoming game releases. An example of this comes from 2019 when this artwork of Mario eating a watermelon had people swearing that Super Mario Sunshine was coming to Switch. Since these theories never seem to bear any fruit (Super Mario Sunshine did eventually come to Switch, but there was no relation to the watermelon render), we figured instead of analyzing past renders that Nintendo has released, it might be fun to make our own.

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[Review] Mario Strikers: Battle League

Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release date: June 10, 2022
Developer: Next Level Games
Publisher: Nintendo

With its previous outings on GameCube and Wii, Mario had his own take on soccer (or football) that felt exciting and fresh at the time. A cast of characters from the franchise made up a roster for players to choose from and jump into a field with the basic rules of the sport in place, but with a few more mechanics that would further excite the gameplay – elements like specials, tackles, and specialized stadiums that certainly made the entire experience feel very, well, Mario. With little to no fouls to worry about, Mario Strikers was always a frenetic perspective on the traditional sport. Mario Strikers: Battle League has increased that chaos tenfold mechanically but does little elsewhere to warrant any sort of prolonged investment that prior entries to the series had before. While the game has a lot going for it, there feels like untapped potential has been left on the table.

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Nintendo Everything Refresh Ep. 013 – Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core announced for Switch, new mainline Fire Emblem rumors, and more

Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Podcast, Switch | 0 comments

Finally, Switch owners will get to do something we’ve all always dreamed of – play PSP games! Seriously, though – we’re all very excited about to talk about the recently revealed Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII remaster, which looks shockingly good as an upgrade of a 2007 handheld game. We’ll also discuss the rumors that have been going around that Nintendo has a new mainline Fire Emblem game ready to go, as well as the leaked details and images that are adding some fuel to the fire. After that, stick around for discussion about Overwatch 2, the recent Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak demo, and so much more!

Our show is available on most major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Audible, or you can check out the video version below:

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[Review] Lost Ruins

Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release Date: June 6, 2022
Developer: Altari Games
Publisher: Dangen Entertainment

As I navigated the dark, sprawling catacombs and trap-filled dungeons of Lost Ruins, I was always deftly aware of the stakes at play. My protagonist – a plucky, somewhat oblivious schoolgirl who had somehow gotten herself transported to this strange land – was almost always a few missteps away from a grisly demise, be that via a hidden environmental trap or by the claws of a fast-moving zombie-like beast. Inevitably, I would falter and reload at my last checkpoint, often frustrated at myself for getting cornered or something similar – but every time, I was eager to jump back into the challenging world of Lost Ruins to explore more of the map and uncover its many secrets.

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Sonic Frontiers’ marketing has been a rollercoaster

Posted on 2 years ago by Luiz in Features, Switch, Videos | 0 comments

Sonic as a franchise is in a curious situation right now. When we look at the hedgehog’s popularity, it is definitely at a high-point thanks to the successful movie sequel that was recently in cinemas. However, when we talk about the actual games, some would argue it’s been a while since we saw a solid release from Sonic Team.

Sonic Frontiers is the next mainline game coming out and expectations are all over the place. Thanks to a weird first impression, people are already worried about it. Right now, however, things are getting progressively better, with new footage and information about the game constantly being revealed and giving some hope for us fans.

I discuss this rollercoaster of events in today’s video, sharing my opinions on the matter. Feel free to check it down below.

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[Preview] Desta: The Memories Between is dreamlike strategy dodgeball game where words can (literally) hurt

Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch eShop | 0 comments

I’ve played games about dodgeball, and I’ve played games set in the subconscious dreams of their protagonists, but I would bet money that Desta: The Memories Between is probably the first game to combine those two concepts. It seems like a strange marriage at first glance, but after sitting down with one of the game’s producers to see the title in action at a Summer Games Fest media event, I’m at the very least intrigued to see how it will all play out.

More: highlight, top, Ustwo Games

[Preview] A Little to the Left makes organizing household objects satisfying

Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Previews, Switch eShop | 0 comments

As much as big, cinematic games tend to steal the show around this time of year, perhaps the most interesting game I played at Summer Game Fest this year was A Little to the Left. It’s a quaint, tactile puzzle game about arranging and straightening everyday household objects. The title is a passion project for Max Inferno, a two-person studio that has been developing the game for a little over a year now.

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[Review] Neon White

Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release Date: June 16, 2022
Developer: Angel Matrix
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive

A couple of months ago, we had the absolute pleasure of being invited by Annapurna Interactive to a private showing of Neon White with creator Ben Esposito to showcase everything the game had to offer and pick his brain about all of the creative inspirations. It was a telling and exciting preview event that increased excitement tenfold about what to expect. The game was immediately striking thanks to its flashy art direction and fast-paced nature of platforming and speedrunning that saw a group of people referred to as Neons that were formally alive be introduced into heaven and having to compete to prove their worth by ridding of all the demons that have been plaguing heaven. The most impressive part about it all is that Neon White feels like a divine adrenaline rush that is proud of its finesse and panache without ever feeling like it’s being cocky or overbearing, creating a seamless speedrunning experience that surprisingly lends itself to the Switch beautifully.

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Nintendo Everything Refresh Episode 12: The Not-Quite-E3 Mega Episode

Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in News, Podcast | 0 comments

The gaming industry has been absolutely drowning in game announcements the past weeks or so – it’s almost like it’s E3 or something! Just because we can’t technically call it that, though, doesn’t mean that there isn’t a ton to talk about. In this extra-large episode of Nintendo Everything Refresh, your hosts Nick, Nicholas, Dennis and Luiz will sift through the mountain of announcements and highlight their favorite games that were showcased this past week. After that, they’ll discuss some hand-on impressions from a recent Summer Games Fest event, including brand new details about Sonic Frontiers and Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course. There’s even more crammed into this episode, so be sure to stick around to the end!

Our show is available on most major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Audible, or you can check out the video version below:

Sonic Frontiers first hands-on impressions: a Sonic game with substance

Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Features, Switch | 0 comments

Sonic Frontiers is ambitious – that much has always been clear. The game’s initial gameplay reveal may not have painted the fruits of that ambition in the most polished light – technically, it was all a bit rough around the edges – but even still, I’ve been excited and curious about the potential this new concept has to redefine what a modern, 3D Sonic game could look like. I was very fortunate to have an opportunity to go hands-on with the game recently at a Summer Game Fest press event, and after spending almost an hour with it, I feel like I have a much more complete picture as to the potential this title has. Sonic Frontiers plays much, much better than it looks at the moment, and I fully expect that players will have a lot of fun exploring its intricately designed world once the full game is released.