Pokemon has long been known as a handheld-only series. Thanks to the hybrid nature of Switch, that’s finally starting to change. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu / Eevee got things started last year and allowed fans to experience the games on an actual television. Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are continuing the trend on Switch and will mark an entirely new generation that can be played on the big screen.
In the latest issue of Game Informer, producer Junichi Masuda was asked why it took so long for a Pokemon console game. He first noted the importance of maintaining an open experience in which players can connect with others in real-life, explaining:
A new month rolled right on in earlier this week. Now that we’re in October, we want to know what you’ve been playing.
Have you been playing any of the new Switch releases as of late such as Dragon Quest XI S, Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Daemon X Machina, or Astral Chain? Going through something in your backlog? No matter the case, let us know in the comments below.
Pocket Stables will be released on Switch next week, according to an eShop listing. It will be available starting October 10.
Pocket Stables is the latest game from Kairosoft, which has players managing a ranch and training racehorses. More information and a trailer can be found below.
Arc System Works released a new trailer for the Neo Politan character DLC coming to BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Take a look at the video below.
Those that have played The Alliance Alive feel that its a standout RPG on 3DS. However, the game came out pretty late in the system’s life cycle, and may have been overlooked. It’s now getting a second shot in the public eye as FuRyu teamed up with NIS America to bring The Alliance Alive HD Remastered to Switch.
At the Tokyo Game Show, we were treated to a big interview with several developers involved with the new version. We asked about why The Alliance Alive is returning, what’s new this time around, and more.
Here’s our full discussion:
System: Switch
Release date: September 26, 2019
Developer: THQ Nordic
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Earlier this year, THQ Nordic treated us to a rather lovely Switch port of Darksiders – titled Darksiders Warmastered Edition – that proved, if nothing else, to be a bit of a technical achievement. Being a fast-paced hack and slasher that relies on precise inputs and visual cues, it gave Switch owners the choice of either playing the game at high resolution and 30 frames per second, or at a lower resolution whilst running at 60 frames per second. This choice, and the work that went into making it possible, resulted in a technically magnificent game that drew plenty of praise across the Switch community. As we near the all-important holiday season, THQ Nordic has decided to bolster its late 2019 lineup with a Switch port of the game’s sequel, Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening had a strong debut in Europe, as Nintendo has said that the game sold 430,000 copies in its first three days. To put it another way, that’s over 100 games sold per minute.
As previously reported, Zelda: Link’s Awakening is the fastest-selling Switch game in Europe this year. We also know that it sold around 150,000 copies sold in its first week in Japan.
Source: Nintendo PR
Galarian Ponyta will be included in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, the recent 24-hour live stream for the games revealed. The Pokemon has a new look similar to other Galarian forms.
Here’s a quick look:
Compared to the some of the big developers out there, Game Freak is relatively small. Companies like Ubisoft, Activision, and EA have massive amounts of staffers working on their projects. Meanwhile, the core team at Game Freak has only around 180-200 people working on Pokemon Sword/Shield, which may seem small in comparison.
Junichi Masuda, who has been at Game Freak since the early days, told Game Informer that he’d work with just 20 employees if he could. He noted that having bigger teams results in having too many cooks in the kitchen. Masuda prefers small teams due to how key communication is, which can be challenging when developing games.
Game Freak established the Gear Project system in which it lets even smaller teams create projects outside of Pokemon. Little Town Hero, HarmoKnight, Pocket Card Jockey, and Giga Wrecker Alt. were all born from that initiative. If Masuda had a chance to do something within Gear Project, he’d make a shooter along the lines of R-Type.
