Sonic Mania is a pretty big deal. It’s the first true 2D Sonic game in a very long time.
According to Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka, the reception and reaction to Sonic Mania following launch will help SEGA determine the future direction of the franchise. Iizuka almost views the game as a gamble since the team is unsure if “it’ll be accepted positively in the market.”
Iizuka’s full words are as follows:
“[laughs] In the past two decades Sonic games have been trying to target a broader audience from kids to adults. And Forces has that same idea, so that means a wider range of characters that we know children like. Even if other fans may not be quite as keen.
But for Mania it’s kind of like a new approach. To target specifically 2D fans. So we don’t know whether it’ll be accepted positively in the market. We’ll find out after the game’s released, and we can figure out the direction of future titles after seeing the reaction.”
Implosion – Never Lose Hope is now available on the Japanese Switch eShop. To celebrate, a new trailer has come online. You can watch it below.
Super Ping Pong Trick Shot won’t be on the Japanese Switch eShop next week. Levels+ Addictive Puzzle Game is also due out on July 13, according to a new listing on the eShop. It will be priced at 700 yen.
Levels Addictive Puzzle Game originally released on mobile. You slide and match yellow, red, and blue panels of the same color and number to level up.
Here’s a trailer for Levels+ Addictive Puzzle Game
Source: Switch eShop
Yesterday, Inti Creates announced two new characters for Blaster Master Zero. Shantae will be available in the game starting tomorrow, followed by Shovel Knight in August. Check out the first actual gameplay from Anime Expo below.
Telltale Games is bringing Minecraft: Story Mode – The Complete Adventure to Switch at some point. Though a final release still hasn’t been announced, the European Switch eShop seems to believe it’s arriving later this month. A listing on the store has a release date of July 21.
Elsewhere on the eShop, Minecraft: Story Mode – The Complete Adventure is listed as a 4.3GB download (it will be sold physically as well). Touchscreen usage is supported.
Source: Switch eShop
The Nintendo UK store has opened pre-orders for the Neon Green/Neon Pink Joy-Con. Reservations can be done on the page here.
Originally, these Joy-Con colors were planned to release in Europe this fall. They are now launching with Splatoon 2 on July 28.
The next Nintendo Direct will air tomorrow. Nintendo is holding a special presentation dedicated to all things for its next Switch game, Splatoon 2. During the presentation, fans can look forward to news about “some of the new features, weapons and styles” in the game.
As for how long the Direct will be, Niconico may have some insight. It’s showing as a 25-minute presentation on the video site’s schedule. Some have questioned how accurate Niconico is with these timetables, though they were actually right on the money with the Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017 event last month. But… we’ll see.
The Splatoon 2 Direct will air on Thursday at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM in the UK / 4 PM in Europe.
This week’s Famitsu scans are now available. Highlights include Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Starlink, Dragon Quest XI, and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux. Scans of all games are below.
Layton’s Mystery Journey can now be pre-loaded on the Japanese 3DS eShop. To do so, you’ll need 5,768 blocks of free space. That translates to 721 MB.
Square Enix has sent out a new Dragon Quest X trailer that highlights the upcoming launch of the All In One Package on Switch. See the video below.
Dragon Quest X – All In One Package comes to Switch in Japan on September 21.
