Nathaniel
May 9, 2017
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]o the Internet is talking and the rumor mill is spinning about a potential upcoming Direct. As we slowly make our way to June and the impending E3 conference, we wonder if we’re even gonna hear anything before then. After all, Nintendo hasn’t been a stranger to presentations in the month leading up to E3. Since they aren’t doing a physical presentation this year, we expect a wider spread of information density.
As such, it’s common around this time of year that we take a look at what might be just around the corner. Luckily, the internet already has some ideas. Nintendo recently updated their Direct page which can only mean that they’re planning a direct (or that we’re looking too deep into this.) Odds are that’s it’s coming very soon, which means we don’t have long to wait to see what’s next. In the meantime, let’s have fun speculating on what could be around the corner! Here are just a few possibilities we came up with or have heard.
Pokemon Direct
We’re starting with this, as it seems the most likely and because it’s the most popular theory. This week actually happens to be a hot spot for announcing new Pokemon games. As it happens, many Pokemon titles were announced on this week of the year in previous years. This happened with every major Pokemon title since Diamond and Pearl, barring Black 2 and White 2.
As if that wasn’t enough, the update to the Direct page actually took down the most recent Pokemon presentation. And with the rumors of Pokemon Stars running wild, it’s looking extremely likely. Even basic pattern recognition backs this up. Game Freak made announcements in early May in the years of ’06 (D/P), ’08 (Plat), ’09 (HG/SS), ’10 (B/W), ’13 (X/Y), ’14 (ORAS), and ’16 (S/M). Since years always seem to group up by at least two, the pattern suggests an announcement this year.
There’s one problem with that pattern, though. Platinum took two years after D&P. Many suggest that Stars is a remake of Sun and Moon for the Switch, but it’d be a year early. However, if Stars was a code name (like Rainbow for Sun and Moon), it may be intended to throw us off the trail of a Pokemon Platinum remake for Switch or 3DS. (Because at this point, Game Freak probably expects their projects to leak, anyways.) Of course, that’s just speculation.
This is just a mock-up of a potential logo for the third title.
Regardless, this definitely seems the most likely topic for a potential direct. It may be a glorified reveal like with Sun and Moon which would leave the meat and potatoes for E3. After this point, though, expect less evidence and more speculation.
Upcoming Games/General Direct
Now, you’re likely thinking this would be a bit odd. Sure, the last Direct was almost entirely focused on Splatoon and Arms. They still did a wonderful job of rounding up titles that would be coming out soon for both the Switch AND 3DS. So why would they do another Direct just to reannounce that same stuff?
We think it’s possible that Nintendo might see this as “getting the E3 ball rolling early.” Nintendo could use this opportunity to announce some titles that are on their way, soon. Perhaps the rumored remake of Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga? They could use this opportunity to remind us the system has third-party support, too. They’d give us a list of major multi-plats headed the system to avoid taking up time in an E3 presentation.
There are also plenty of games coming out this month that could use some attention from Nintendo. Games such as Disgaea, RiME, and Fire Emblem. Not to mention it’d be a good opportunity to reveal another Arms fighter. They could also put some focus on DLC for Zelda (and perhaps other titles, like Mario Kart 8 or Fire Emblem.) What we’re suggesting is more or less a general direct. This could clean up the mess before E3 so that Nintendo can focus on the big releases at the big show.
Another Fire Emblem Direct
This would be another odd decision. The last Fire Emblem Direct doesn’t seem that long ago. However, with Fire Emblem Echoes releasing in less than two weeks, it’s not too far-fetched. Fire Emblem Heroes could always use more coverage from the big N and Fire Emblem Warriors is closing in, too. The biggest kinks are that FE Warriors and the upcoming Switch title might be best saved for the big presentation. Still, it’s worth noting that there is still something to talk about!
New game coming out gives them plenty to talk about, we bet.
Pre E3 Direct
This time, we’re suggesting that Nintendo has big plans for E3, similar to their Best Buy demos from 2013. Nintendo would need a platform to properly announce this, after all. Honestly, this could just be rolled up into the general direct idea from before. We’d still like to acknowledge that Nintendo could be calling our attention just to announce E3 plans.
It’s also worth pointing out that Nintendo could actually give us an idea of what we’ll see at E3. Games that will be on the show floor like Arms, Splatoon, and Super Mario Odyssey. Of course, this doesn’t really suit their hush-hush attitude they usually take with these events. Therefore, it seems very unlikely that this would happen at all. We could only see Nintendo talking about E3 plans if it involved the viewers who can’t attend the show.
Nindie Showcase
Once again, this seems like a category you could slip in with “general Direct.” Only this time the Direct would focus on indie games coming to the Switch and 3DS. These are games that might not see much spotlight at E3 alongside bigger AAA Nintendo titles. They could even use this opportunity to announce that they’re bringing back Nindies at Home for this year’s E3. This one actually doesn’t seem so unlikely, in the end.
Final Thoughts
Nintendo likes their secrets. We’ll likely be told just days in advance if we’re gonna see a new Direct. We may not even know the actual subject matter until the Direct airs! Even so, no amount of speculation removes the seemingly high possibility of a Pokemon Direct within the next week. Only time will tell if we’re onto something or just complete lunatics, but it doesn’t seem like the wait will be too long.
Since we’re sure the readers will have some ideas, we encourage you to discuss them in the comments below. We’d love to hear what you think the Direct could be about.
- May 7, 2017
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t seems like we never really got too much info regarding how Ever Oasis would play. Thankfully, some people got some hands-on time with the game and have posted gameplay footage. GameXplain put up 10 minutes of gameplay from the game on YouTube.
What Does This Tell Us About Ever Oasis?
Most noticeably, we can see that combat is entirely in real time. Ever Oasis sports a team structure during dungeon crawling that’s reminiscent of Xenoblade. It seems like gameplay focuses mostly on combat when you’re in these dungeons. Other than that, mission and story structure are about what you’d expect from the average RPG.
Unfortunately, there’s no footage of how you build up the oasis. We only get to see the team of three, and later two, take on a mission where they need to retrieve a lost item for an NPC who actually accompanies the player. It seems like there will occasionally me doors that require certain party members to get through. However, we imagine the game makes this evident beforehand so you can be sure to have that party member with you.
Aside from that, we do see a good deal of the combat, which looks like it follows a pattern of the larger enemies having certain vulnerable spots and moments depending on what they’re doing. We can expect this to be very common throughout the game, but not everything seems to pose this challenge, as some enemies seem like you can roll right over them.
All-in-all, this seems very similar to Monster Hunter. Maybe we will see what differentiates it as more information becomes available. Be sure to check back, as we’ll be covering Ever Oasis and many other upcoming 3DS titles, especially with E3 coming up. We can’t wait to see what else Nintendo has up their sleeves.
You can get Ever Oasis on Nintendo 3DS / 2DS right here
- May 7, 2017
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nd so, another strong indie title has graced the Nintendo Switch. KAMIKO, developed by Circle Entertainment, Kan-Kikuchi, and SKIPMORE, looks and feels like a top-down Zelda in many ways. The game has that arcade feeling to it, but it’s far more forgiving. The game was published by Flyhigh Works in mid-April on the Switch in Japan only. Thankfully, it was out on North American and European eShops just two weeks later.
KAMIKO lets you play as one of three warrior priestesses, each gifted a different holy weapon to fight demons. You’ll make your way through four stages, purifying gates and solving puzzles until you reach each stage’s boss. The game is short, but it seems to be extremely replayable, so let’s dive in and see what makes this game work so well.
KAMIKO’s Familiar Gameplay
So it’s probably not hard to imagine how the gameplay works, already. You run around, smacking enemies with whatever weapons you have and try not to get smacked in return. That’s not wrong, but it severely under-represents what actually makes KAMIKO play the way it does.
First, you select a character to play. The girls you can pick vary in combat style. Yamato has a giant sword that’s very simple and works similarly to Zelda. Uzume is an archer, which gives her more range than Yamato, but her attacks are slower. Attacking three times in a row unleashes more arrows than just one. Then there’s Hinome. She throws her shield like a boomerang, which can one-shot opponents. However, this is slow and has some start up, which means you have to be careful using it. While her shield’s out, she can stab outwards up to two times with her dagger while her shield to returns. You can think of this as Yamato being easy mode, Uzume being medium, and Hinome hard.
Also, you have three meters to keep track of and your health works as normal. Getting hit depletes your health while finding gems will restore it. There’s your spirit or magic gauge, which allows you to open doors and chests, purify shrines, and use each character’s super move. You do super moves by holding down attack until your character lights up and releasing. Each one is different, but Yamato’s is essentially the Hurricane Spin attack from Wind Waker. The third meter is a combo meter that counts up each time you slay an enemy before the bar drops. If you get hit or fail to kill an enemy before the time bar is empty, your combo starts over.
How the Core Mechanics Change the Way You Play
So as we mentioned before, there’s a combo meter, but why? Each time you slay an enemy, you get spirit energy back. It costs 50 energy to open things, 100 to purify gates, and 150 to do a super move. Although you don’t need the full cost for the super move, it drains that much if you have it. As you start with a max of 200 spirit and can only get up to 400 by the end, it’s important that you keep collecting spirit energy as you go.
That’s where the combo meter comes in. The higher your combo is, the more spirit energy you’ll gain from each kill. By racking up a huge combo, it’s easy to refill your entire combo meter in a matter of seconds. There was one point during a boss, where using Yamato’s spin attack, we kept all of the spirit energy we used up because the combo meter was so high and there were plenty enemies.
This encourages players to emphasize speed. They dash around, rack up a higher combo, and won’t have to grind for spirit energy, later. This seems to work particularly well in KAMIKO because the game also tracks your time on each stage and overall. So, players get faster to get better times and it makes the overall game last a little longer! It left an overall good impression.
This only ever feels like it gets in its own way is during the timed bridges that appear in three stages. The controls are a little loose, which means you can run into a wall or doorway and get stuck for just a second and that’ll stop you from making it across. This hardly ruins the game, but it’s a small blemish on an otherwise perfect gameplay experience.
Visuals and Sound Design
On top of playing well, this game looks and sounds amazing. The chiptune soundtrack is absolutely one of the highlights to the point that I greatly recommend looking for the hidden item in each stage so you can unlock the sound test in the main menu. On top of that, the visuals are crisp and clean. Colors stand out, making this game very playable in tabletop or handheld modes. In fact, it almost feels like the game was designed to be played on a handheld. This is probably the one thing this game gets right more than anything else.
Story and Content
So even as much as this game got right, there had to be a weak spot, and that’s the story. The story isn’t especially compelling and will most likely just get skipped over after your first playthrough. The gods have come down to a warrior priestess of your choice to offer her a holy weapon so she can fight and banish evil spirits. She must travel to four gates in each stage to purify the land of evil. There’s one point at the end where the evil spirits call into question the motives of the gods, but nothing ever comes of that.
It almost felt like there was supposed to be a final stage unlocked at the end that utilized all three characters when you completed the game with each one, but nothing of the sort happened. That left the game feeling a little bit TOO short. KAMIKO could’ve really benefited from more stages or a secondary campaign. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t vary much of anything aside from enemy placement. Even then, the same enemies still appear in the same areas. They just shift around slightly based on where you enter from.
Thankfully, the gameplay feels so great that this minimal content is extremely replayable. After five or six runs, though, it still loses its charm.
Final Thoughts
Overall, KAMIKO is a really good game. The developers did an amazing job refining the gameplay and core mechanics to emphasize speed. The soundtrack is beautiful and the visuals really stand out on any screen. The only real drawback is that the story didn’t get the love it needed and left the content feeling really short. For the low price this game demands, however, I don’t think I could recommend this enough. The game is incredibly replayable, and you will more than get your $5 worth. Give it a look, if you haven’t, already
- May 6, 2017
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]IS, a Japanese game dev, will be releasing a new Japanese-style Horror title. That is, the game is focused on figures in Japanese horror, yokai. In the first game, titled Yomawari: Night Alone, you played a young girl looking for her dog and sister. She dealt with the spirits she encountered mostly by avoiding them whenever possible. Now, NIS has reached out and given us info on the new game and we’re more than happy to share it with you guys.
Could this me the same town from the first game? Or somewhere else
This shrine looks like the one in the Fields from the first game, too.
Key Features
- A Complete Town to Explore – Enter abandoned homes, climb through junk yards and up mountains, or venture into dark sewers in your search.
- Two Views of the Dark – Search the night and explore a town as either of Yomawari: Midnight Shadow’s two characters. What you find with one may serve as a clue, or even save the other.
- Horrors, Oddities, and Mysteries – When Japanese spirits come to life, you’ll encounter horrors birthed in nightmares, oddities that will make you question what is real, and mysteries that may just keep you up at night.
- Gorgeous Style – Enter the dark with haunting art to view the city and from above, and get close to the heart-pounding moments in beautifully imagined side-scrolling set pieces.
These are the notes that we were sent about the game. A quick look at them tells us some new and interesting things. For one, it seems we’ll actually be able to go inside some houses. In fact, it’s very likely that the girl with the blue-ribbon is inside one such house in some of the images.
Perhaps this is the abandoned house they mentioned?
We also know that these two girls are both playable, thanks to this blurb. Neither of them appears to be the same character from the first game. They’re right about the gorgeous visuals, too. The first game looked really good, given its simplistic isometric view, but this game looks visually improved in just about every way. It’s going to be exciting to see how Yomawari turns out.
Yomawari Release Info
We do have one last piece of info. Yomawari: Midnight Shadows will release in Fall of 2017. Given the trend of releasing as close to Halloween as possible with Night Alone, October is a safe bet. In fact, we may even see this game release on Halloween, since that’s the last Tuesday of the month. Midnight Shadows will be available on PS4, PSVita, and Steam, so keep an eye out for it.
NIS mentioned that a limited edition of the game would be available at a later date. We’ll be sure to let you know if any information comes up regarding that. And just in case you want to look at more screens or preorder the game, the developer’s website has a little more to look through.
- May 5, 2017
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]intendo recently held events in New York and London to allow the press to get a first look at the New 2DS XL that has recently been revealed. We weren’t able to go ourselves, but thankfully, videos and articles describing these events are not hard to find. So there wasn’t really a lot to look at that we couldn’t already figure out from the images. Still, we’d like to give a basic rundown of what to expect from this system. Check out our Nintendo 2DS XL Preview below!
So many to choose from!
So the New 2DS XL turns out to be roughly the same size as the New 3DS XL. It’s only a little bit slimmer, but surprisingly, it’s very light. Nothing like the brick that 3DS XL systems have been in the past. It outsizes the original 2DS by a longshot. Also, it can fit the original 3DS long ways between the circle pad and face buttons with ease. Now, the system IS dwarfed by the original 3DS XL, and the whole system, when closed, fits inside the area of the Switch’s screen.
Silly size comparisons aside, there are some other differences with the system. The stylus pen that comes with it is shorter, for one. There seems to be a focus on shifting most of the tech to the bottom half of the system. The volume slider, speakers, and cameras have all been moved down with the speakers now resting a the very bottom with the charger port and cartridge slot. The speakers also seem to be a bit quieter. The cartridge slot also has a plastic cover, similar to the Switch, which will likely help avoid accidentally removing your game.
All in all, the changes seem minimal. It’s a 2DS with a clamshell design and the extra power of the New 3DS. The advantages here will be similar to those provided by the original 2DS. It’ll be cheaper than a New 3DS while still allowing you to play all the same games. Its lighter design makes it more convenient for travel and probably more resistant to falling, which makes it great for kids.
These changes are also mentioned in GameXplain’s hands on video, as you’ll see here.
With that in mind, it looks like a great system to pick up if you need a New 3DS but would like to pay a little less for it. It’s also great if you don’t have a 3DS, yet or if you have children that want one of their own. The New Nintendo 2DS XL will sell for $149.99 in the US and release on July 28th. The Japanese will get the system sooner on July 13th. Australians will get it first on June 15th.
- May 4, 2017
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s a common complaint that video games have gotten too easy over the years. In-game deaths lack any real consequence and gameplay is streamlined for more casual players. Still, there is a slew of games out there that can give you a real challenge. If you’re looking for one, this list, while not comprehensive, may point you in the right direction.
In this list, we’re going to list five games on the Switch that might just try your limits. A few rules for this list will be in order. We’re not going to list games that haven’t released, yet. We’re not including Neo Geo games, as older games tend to be made by different rules. Obviously, everything in this list must be available on the Switch. Finally, the difficulty is based on potential, rather than average. The game when it’s at its hardest. So without further delay, let’s look at the Top 5 Switch Games!
#5 – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Challenge rating: 4/5
You probably knew at least one major release was going to make this list, yeah? There were a couple good ones but without the Hard Mode DLC, Breath of the Wild falls a little short. Nope, this spot goes to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!
Give the squids some love. They knew about 200cc before hand and still chose to put up with it.
Of course, most readers might be a little confused. People don’t usually think of Mario Kart as a major challenge. Why is this one any different? The answer is simple. While you may have a perfectly easy time with Smart Steering on, playing at 100cc against computers, the difficulty gets insane when you take the safety nets off and play on 200cc.
In 200cc, players are zooming across the course at speeds not originally intended on by the developers. Tracks are built with 150cc in mind, which means that raising the speed limit makes those sharp turns deadly. Combine that with the lunacy of doubling the active items and Mario Kart’s tendency to want to keep players from staying in the lead, and you’ve got a rough climb ahead of you.
For an even greater challenge, you can try beating staff ghosts in time trials on 200cc. These guys are like the Expert ghosts from previous games. Instead of just being good at the game, though, they’re good at the game and forcing you out of your element. Good luck!
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch is on a light sale here
#4 – Puyo Puyo Tetris
Challenge Rating: 4/5
So again, we’re listing a game when we gave no prior indication this game was actually all that crazy. This time, though, we did have a feature on it suggesting it might fit here. Puyo Puyo Tetris has many different game modes and expects a lot out of players.
Most notably Fusion expects you to keep track of two completely different games with completely different rules, at the same time. But then there’s Big Bang Mode, which will quickly start to put your skills to the test, requiring you to do crazy techniques like T-spins and L-spins to clear an otherwise impossible board. Even worse, the Puyo side of Big Bang makes you clear entire screens in one go.
Do ya feel lucky, punk? Do ya?
This mode is deceptive, of course. It starts off easy and scales in difficulty based on how well you do. But if you want to stay competitive online, you’re going to have to master some really tricky stuff! The main reason these two have stayed so low, though, is that the challenge is either self-imposed or based on the other players and your own skill. The rest of the entries in this list won’t follow this pattern.
You can checkout and buy Puyo Puyo here
#3 – Has Been Heroes
Challenge rating: 5/5
This game marks the start of a trend you’re gonna see throughout the rest of this list. Roguelikes are naturally very difficult, as they have a habit of resetting your progress whenever you meet your untimely end in each run. You’re unlikely to see much progress until you get a feel for the game’s mechanics and have enough static upgrades to really rise to the challenge.
Has Been Heroes is no exception to this rule. In this RTS roguelike, you have to control three heroes at once and manage your skills and abilities to take down any foe that comes your way. What makes things tricky is that until an enemy is vulnerable, any attack is as good as any other. The tank won’t knock away more stamina per hit than the rogue. And characters can and will swap very often. If any of your heroes falls, it’s game. You’ll have to restart.
You tend to get swamped easily in this one.
This game also likes to try and tantalize players with mystery. It tells you little about what each hero can do and lets you try them out for yourself. Power-ups in-game also come without much description. You’ll just need to experiment to figure things out. This game is on this list primarily for its difficulty and learning curves. It didn’t make any higher placing because it allows you to pause and strategize and even pauses after each hit to let you plan out your next steps. Still, this game will definitely give you a challenge, if you like strategy in your roguelikes.
Has Been Heroes is currently on sale here
#2 – The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth +
Difficulty Rating: 666/5
Ok, you had to know this game would be on here. The only thing less surprising is the one after it. The Binding of Isaac has always been a difficult title. As a roguelike, luck plays a very prominent role in how far you make it, each run. However, your skill determines how much you can make out of what you’re given. There are no cop outs, here. This game will push you to your limits, but if you lose, you really have no one but yourself to blame.
The Binding of Isaac uses a surprisingly intuitive system where you move with one control stick and aim with the other. As simple as that is, doing both in tandem is actually one of the first barriers to overcome. Once you can control Isaac adeptly, the real difficulty of the game kicks in. Sometimes you get amazing power-ups on the first few floors. Sometimes you get a bunch of monsters and some of the hardest bosses, instead.
So much at once!
What’s more, this game emphasizes knowing as much about the game as you possibly can. You could easily pick up a power-up that puts you in a very risky position without even realizing it. Or you could drop a card that you were probably going to need, soon. The game doesn’t explain everything, as with most roguelikes, and expects you to experiment to learn everything, yourself. That in context with how much there is to do in any given run makes this one of the harder games of the modern era, let alone on the Switch.
The Game with it’s second new cover can be purchased here
#1 – Tumbleseed
Difficulty rating: Oh God Why/5
Ok. Admit it. If you read our review of this game, you saw this one coming a mile away. It’s no surprise that as frustrating as this game is, we’d put it right at the top. This one is, again, a roguelike and it has many of the same problems. The reason this one is so much higher is that the odds are so stacked against you, many reviewers admitted they weren’t even able to finish it.
This is only level 2.
Just a few examples of what makes this game so hard. Any hit you take strips you of all your weapons. Falling into holes and dropping too far makes you take multiple hits of damage, potentially killing you. Which means if you didn’t set a recent checkpoint, falling into a hole will probably end your run. Sometimes just being set that far back without your weapons is enough to make you want to give up. Some enemies can appear under the ground beneath you, causing you to drop in a hole.
We could probably do an entire article just on what makes Tumbleseed so difficult, but we think you have the gist of it, by now
Note on Challenge
Before leaving this article where it stands, we’d like to make one point clear. Difficulty is and will always be subjective. You can like, dislike, enjoy, or despise any mechanics in any game that you like. Our opinion doesn’t make you right or wrong any more than your opinion affects anyone else’s. We designed this list based on what we felt made a game difficult. You may have your own opinions, and we’d actually like to hear what you have to say, in the comments below.
You can find a list of the most exciting Nintendo Switch Games coming this year right here.
- May 2, 2017
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]eems like just yesterday we put up an article about Emily Rogers spilling the beans on the rumored crossover. Since then, more info has come up about the Mario-Rabbids RPG, further corroborating Rogers’s claim. In fact, there’s actually a number of news sites piping up, including Kotaku, saying they’ve seen something of those claims. Upon closer inspection, it’s possible these were all sent images by the same source, which makes us wonder how believable this really is. But if it’s all accurate (and we have little reason to believe it’s not), there are a few things these sources wanted us to know about the game.
The game will be made using the Snowdrop engine, which was used to make Tom Clancy’s The Division. Ubisoft is planning to launch this game in either August or September. The characters do, indeed, all use futuristic weapons. On top of that, Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Peach will be playable. Even stranger, four Rabbids dressed as the familiar Mushroom Kingdom characters will also be playable! We don’t know what direction this game is going in, but it’s likely to be a heck of a ride. Most expect we’ll officially see this game at E3, perhaps during Ubisoft’s press conference.
- May 2, 2017
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]evelopers at Duck Block Games are working on an indie title that smacks of Symphony of the Night. They set a goal for $10000 and have since reached it, meaning Forsaken Castle will be coming to Steam. However, there are stretch goals for the game to make its way to PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Should the campaign receive $20000 and $35000 respectively, we will see this game come to consoles, as well. The game looks to be a love letter to SNES-era action-adventure platformers and anyone who’s interested can find a pre-Alpha demo download on the Kickstarter page.
Perhaps a boss or mini-boss?
Now, you’d be forgiven for thinking this just looks like Castlevania with anime girls. The developers explain on their campaign page that Forsaken Castle combines the aesthetics of Castlevania with the gameplay of Metroid. You can be the judge of that, however, as the demo seems to cover what we see in the trailer. That will help give players a good idea of whether or not they want to back this game.
Duck Block Games suggests that Forsaken Castle will be finished this year, citing a launch window of October 2017. Remember, though, that any unforeseen problems will likely set this back. If the game does reach its $35000 stretch goal, however; we will be eager to see how it fares on Nintendo’s new console.
Also, the trailer for the game can be seen below.
