Nintendo has updated its maintenance schedule for the coming week, though there’s not too much action going on. There’s still just one session officially planned involving the eShops, and that won’t be happening until later in the month.
Here’s a look at the current schedule:
Nintendo introduced a program awhile back for Switch Online subscribers in which certain games were made available entirely free for a period of time. In Japan, the next one to be included is Celeste.
Nintendo Switch Online members can access the entire game between May 18 and May 24. Those who are using the 7-day trial can also participate. Also, all progress can be transferred to the full version.
The open-world farming adventure Stranded Sails has received a major “Exploration Update”. The patch, which includes new features, changes, and bug fixes, is live on Switch.
As far as what’s new, fast travel ‘portal stones’ have been added which allow you to travel around the world with ease, Quality of life improvements include the ability to craft and cook multiple items at once, improved introduction and tutorial quests, and a new ability to row faster across the world.
The full patch notes are as follows:
When Nintendo announced the delay for Animal Crossing: New Horizons last year, it probably couldn’t have anticipated the massive impact that move would end up having. The game couldn’t have launched at a better time as it’s taken off in light of the global pandemic we’ve all been facing over the past few months, leading to massive sales and causing a buzz on social media. Many players have also been connecting with friends and family online in ways that normally wouldn’t be possible right now.
Over on Twitter today, Nintendo staffer Rob Heiret – who worked on the localization – spoke about the comfort and positivity that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has provided. He also commented on that sea bass joke you’ve probably seen if you’ve given the game a shot.
Below are Heiret’s full words:
Hello my lovely Boos and Sheikah! This week on Nintendo Everything Podcast, we muse over Retro Studios’ old concept art for Sheik and Boo projects—we really get excited about the Boo one. We cover the Switch’s growing success with the 2019 financial briefings, then talk Mario Kart Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath and the bitter reaction online to the pricing structure. This evolves into a larger discussion of these trends in the gaming industry among many publishers. Is the industry incentivizing consumers to wait to buy their games until after all post-launch content is available? And to respond to this situation they’ve created, do they exploit consumers’ dedication to franchises and FOMO? And finally, we theorize how we could’ve saved the console that was met with a terrible fate: the Wii U.
Check our links and timestamps below, and come hang out.
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Back in 2015, Hammer 2 was added to the Unity Asset Store. It was intended to be used by developers as a base to make their own games. It has now popped up on the Switch eShop without much in the way of changes – aside from a different title, The Bullet: Time of Revenge.
Jim Sterling reported on the news in a video published today. It seems that the approach used by Art Games Studio has been done previously as these releases merely use the Hammer 2 asset pack, are renamed, and then sold under the guise of an original game. It’s apparently legal, though admittedly unethical.
We have a trailer for The Bullet: Time of Revenge below. You can also get a feel for the game under the Hammer 2 name by playing it in your browser for free.
Summoning Focus: Weekly Revival 9 is up and running in Fire Emblem Heroes. 5-star Heroes who appeared before the start of Book II appear as focus Heroes.
In other news, Resplendent Hero Hector: General of Ostia is now available to Feh Pass subscribers. Feh Pass Quests have also been updated and can be accessed until May 24. Sanaki: Begnion’s Apostle will be distributed as the next Resplendent Hero on May 25.
Another trailer for SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is in that focuses entirely on Sandy Cheeks. We’ve gone ahead and attached the video below.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated will be hitting Switch on June 23.
A new update is now available for the Switch version of Darksiders Genesis. It includes an improved map, a number of adjustments, and fixes.
Here are the full patch notes:
