[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – July 2023
Posted on July 1, 2023 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Let's Talk, Switch
A new month started up today. Now that we’re in July, we want to know what you’ve been playing.
Are you going through the recently-released ports of Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2 for Switch? Still playing Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? No matter the case, let us know in the comments below.
Highlights from last week’s topic: June 2023 Nintendo Direct reactions
S_Mania999
Now that it has been a few days, I’m feeling much more positive about this Direct than I did while watching. The first 10 or 15 minutes, a combination of uninteresting games/DLC and things that had already been announced on the Xbox Showcase, put me in a “this is mediocre” mood so I didn’t give the rest of the Direct a fair shake at the time. Japanese Direct was FAR better by the way, in its pacing and in the order of games presented. Nintendo of America (who I’m assuming made the western one) did a poor job front-loading mediocrity.
Now I’m thinking “Hey, some good games!”, including remakes of a bunch of games I already own but that’s fine.
– Out of my Top 10 new game announcements during this year’s “not E3” month, 4 were newly-announced in this Direct: SMB Wonder, Penny’s Big Breakaway, Silent Hope, and DQ Monsters 3. There wasn’t enough to make Peach game top 10, but looks interesting and a fun/long-overdue idea! (The rest of my top 10 games newly-announced-elsewhere this month were: Metamor Refantazio, Prince of Persia Lost Crown, Sonic Superstars, Sand Land, the surprising Star Wars Outlaws, and Jusant.)
– Will certainly buy Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!! even if it’s JP-only.
– Wario Ware Move It is in my kids’ Top 5 most wanted LOL, fun game I’m sure!!
– We’re definitely pumped for Sonic Superstars as well, but I can’t decide whether to buy on Switch or XBSX. Most of my new-console-game Sonic purchases since Sonic Heroes (2003) have been on Xbox consoles. Not Sonic Mania though, that was Switch all the way!
– Will eventually buy (maybe on sale??) several of the remasters/remakes, all of which I already own on original hardware, but happy to see them here and especially great for new players: Star Ocean 2 (fantastic game!), SMRPG remake, Pikmin 1+2 (coming physically later), Luigi’s Mansion 2 Dark Moon. I personally will skip the MGS and Arkham trilogies (already can play on modern hardware, and both carts require huge downloads). But they are must-buys for people who can’t play those games elsewhere! MGS games in particular are all-time classics for a reason.
So overall some pretty great games in among a few less interesting announcements. PS and XB showcases were 7s for me. This Nintendo Direct, in hindsight, is 7.5 or 8.
Locky Mavo
Nothing amazing, but it was a good showing of games. Mario RPG and Wonder look amazing, Pikmin 4 looks great.
I’m interested to see more on the new Peach game and was delighted to see the MGS collection vol1 (and it seems vol2 as well) confirmed for the Switch. It seems Pikmin 1 & 2 was the GameCube port this time around, along with Luigi’s Mansion 2 from the 3DS, gives me hope for more GC and 3DS ports in the future.
I’ve preordered the Zelda amiibo already (which made me realise I hadn’t ordered the Pyra/Mythra amiibo), I guess we’ll see more content/dlc for TotK later. And the MK8D dlc looks fun too (more characters!)
My only gripes with the direct were no P3R confirmation, no Metroid, no Wario Land/World, no new NSO releases/expansions and no new details on Splatoon 3 dlc. But don’t really hold that against them.
It was good see that TotK wasn’t the Switch’s swan song, like some had thought and that Nintendo are still supporting it into 2024. Though I do believe now 2024 will be the year they’ll announce their next gen console, with a late 2024/ early 2025 release.
Fandangle
Penny’s Big Breakaway is the only announcement that really has me hyped.
Pikmin 1+2 ports and Luigi’s mansion ports look interesting and I’m happy Nintendo is finally starting to lower their pricing expectations after metroid prime sold so well. I still wish it was lower though.
Pikmin is probably the last franchise Nintendo has that hasn’t disappointed me yet. But I’m still cautiously optimistic for 4. The second they announce post launch DLC I’m out though.
Honest not a huge Mario fan. Wonder looks neat and the peach game has me interested but I wouldn’t say my expectations are high here.
Sonic superstars looks cool but with it being developed by Arzest, the Balan Wonderland and Hey Pikmin guys, I’ve lost all interest.
I want Prime 4 news or Astral Chain 2 or an RPG I actually care about.
