Hyperdimension Neptunia is a series that has been around for a long time now, and much like the video game industry that it shamelessly parodies, it is constantly changing, incorporating new ideas and gameplay mechanics into its premise to stay relevant. This has not always been for the better, however. Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, the latest entry in the franchise to make its way to the Switch, now features some of the series’ best writing to date, but is let down quite significantly in other areas, making it a tough sell for any but those already invested in the series.

More: Compile Heart, highlight, Idea Factory, Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters, top

How to trade with Coach Trainers in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Posted on 1 year ago by Ethan in Guides, Switch | 0 comments

Today, we’re talking all about coaches in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – how to invite them, the benefits of doing so, and the Pokemon each coach offers to trade you on their third visit.

Coach trainers are a mechanic new to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk DLC. Blueberry Academy is the home of the League Club Room, a special area that lets you extend invites to Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, and teachers from the base game. Once you’ve invited one of these coach trainers, you can battle them and eventually trade Pokemon with them after sending multiple invites.

More: Game Freak, highlight, Pokemon Scarlet, Pokemon Violet, top

Nintendo staffer reflects on N64 Switch Online controller development and trying to avoid leaks

Posted on 1 year ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments

Takemoto Hayato, who is a part of Nintendo’s technical development department, published an interesting piece a little while back reflecting on his work with the N64 controller for Nintendo Switch Online. He spoke about his role during development and even gave a little bit of insight into leaks that occurred prior to the reveal and how they were essentially unavoidable.

Some of you may recall how there was a great deal of speculating regarding N64 games coming to Switch after a game controller application was filed with the Federal Communications Commission. Hayato called leaks “unavoidable” given how Nintendo would have needed to “perform extremely precise calendar management and careful information control” if it were to avoid “unintended situations”.

Here’s our full translation of the piece:

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[Review] Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

Posted on 1 year ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release date: January 18, 2024
Developer: Snoozy Kazoo
Publisher: Graffiti Games

It’s not very often that you find a game that will actively encourage you to commit crimes, with most that even give you the option of doing so attaching a suitable punishment: placing a bounty on your head so that authorities will attack you on site, changing your name to “THIEF” so that everyone knows your true nature, or even outright killing you if you return to the scene of the crime in future. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank sees the titular hero returning to commit further crimes after his successful tax evasion, this time in the form of a roguelite experience that, despite its flaws, is as delightfully charming and nonsensical as its predecessor.

More: Graffiti Games, highlight, Snoozy Kazoo, top, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

Nintendo developer talks CG and amiibo work for Metroid Dread

Posted on 1 year ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments

In a post on Nintendo’s recruitment website, developer Uenaka Minoru shared insight into his work on Metroid Dread, including CG and amiibo. He’s been with the planning and production department since 2019.

Minoru’s post goes into working with MercurySteam and how the “finest details” needed to be considered since CG was used on Nintendo’s website, the boxart, and more. Working on E.M.M.I. was probably the biggest aspect of the project since it required “a sense of realism that required not just cooperation from the series development team, but also cooperation with other companies to get the fine details properly finished and as convincing as possible.” As for the amiibo, he wanted to create two poses so that it would look like Samus and the E.M.M.I. were squaring off.

More: highlight, MercurySteam, Metroid Dread, top

[Let’s Talk] Who’s your Smash Bros. main?

Posted on 1 year ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is making a slight comeback this weekend as new spirits are being added to the game. Let’s also not forget that Sora, the last DLC fighter for the game, gets an amiibo next month. Even more than five years later, there’s still an active fanbase as well.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate contains the series’ biggest roster yet. It also did what some may not have thought possible by bringing back every character from all past games – DLC included.

With such a big roster available, which fighter do you tend to go with in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Do you have more than one that’s in your rotation? Let us know in the comments.

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s creepiest Pokedex entries

Posted on 1 year ago by Ethan in Features, Switch | 0 comments

Today, we’re taking a look at the creepiest Pokedex entries in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet plus a few of the returning Pokemon in The Indigo Disk DLC.

To an extent, Pokedex entries have always been kind of messed up. But things took a turn sometime around Pokemon Sun and Moon – lots of Pokemon started getting particularly eyebrow-raising descriptions. For example, if Drifloon’s body were to burst, its soul would spill out with a screaming sound. We definitely didn’t need to know that!

More: Game Freak, highlight, Pokemon Scarlet, Pokemon Violet, top

[Review] Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Posted on 1 year ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments

System: Switch
Release date: January 18, 2024
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown came as something of a surprise when it was announced during Summer Game Fest last year. The series had been in an odd state of partially suspended animation up to that point, with the last mainline entry on consoles being 2010’s The Forgotten Sands, and the only other activity being largely ignored mobile spinoffs and the vague promises of a remake of the first game in the series. A brand new 2.5D entry was probably the last thing anyone expected, and while The Lost Crown won’t be the game that many fans were asking for, it nonetheless stands out as a fantastic entry in the series that is more than worth your time.

More: highlight, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, top, Ubisoft

Silent Hope devs on sequel interest

Posted on 1 year ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments

Could Silent Hope get a sequel in the future? That’s something a couple of the game’s developers touched on in a recent interview.

Producer Makoto Shioda and Moribo both seem interested in a follow-up, and they expressed as such while speaking with Nintendo Dream. Multiplayer is something that could end up in a new game as that unfortunately didn’t make it into the final version.

Shioda and Moribo said the following when asked about a possible Silent Hope sequel:

More: highlight, marvelous, Silent Hope, top, XSEED Games

[Let’s Talk] What are you playing? – January 2024

Posted on 1 year ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments

A new month – along with a new year – started up this week. Now that we’re in January, we want to know what you’ve been playing.

With game releases slowing down in December, have you started anything in your backlog? Maybe you’re now going through something you received during the holidays? No matter the case, let us know in the comments.