
Historical hack and slash title Wulverblade is going on sale to mark the release of version 1.1, which brings a raft of new features to the title, along with changes based on player feedback.
The patch arrives Thursday and will be accompanied by a 33 percent price reduction on the US eShop for one week. It will be on sale in Europe a week or so later.
Wulverblade v1.1 will include the following, as explained by Fully Illustrated's Michael Heald:
+ Easy Mode – This was the single most requested feature that we heard from both Nintendo Life readers and the web as a whole. It was a tough at first as we were getting other feedback saying that the game was too easy. So this patch now gives you an easier mode to play with which includes…
+ Boss Checkpoints – The other big request was boss checkpoints. For the folks struggling with the difficulty the check-pointing was making things even harder, so there is now a checkpoint before each boss in easy mode!
+ BEAST mode – This is the extra mode that is currently locked on the main menu. Once you’ve complete the game this unlocks and, well, let’s just say you’ll be wanting to play the game through again! For those that have completed the game on other systems and had access to this mode, they’ve loved it and we hope you do to. It's seriously good fun!
+ Performance boost – We’ve been able to reduce the loading times between levels! We’ve also boosted the frame rate in a many areas too.
+ Missing achievements – A few folks had mentioned that their achievements had disappeared. Worry not, they’re not gone, they just weren’t visible due to a small glitch which has now been quashed.
+ Bug fixes – We’ve addressed all the known bugs in the game and they should all now be gone.
The update was originally supposed to arrive late last year, but was delayed due to the discovery of a bug which the team behind the game couldn't replicate for quite some time. With no idea of how to fix the issue, the launch was pushed back.
Here's Heald to explain:
This update was originally complete and submitted to Nintendo back in December with the plan of it going live whilst we were still in our exclusivity window with Nintendo. Sadly, we hit some HUGE roadblocks. Namely, one monster bug that only Nintendo could see. We’d bug tested the patch like crazy on all our available systems and it ran like a dream, but at Nintendo, they were seeing a crash bug that we simply couldn’t replicate on any device. You can imagine how hard it is to fix a bug that you simply cannot see nor reproduce. After many months of back and forth we finally got to the bottom of the issue. The bad news was that the sheer degree of changes we’d had to make to uncover this bug and then fix it in turn created some new issues. Many months and many changes later the patch has now been greenlit by Nintendo and is running like a dream.
We were gutted that we couldn’t get this out earlier, especially for the fact that the update flew through first time on all other systems without a hitch. You can imagine our dismay when this initial bug was still causing us issues months later on Switch. You can rest assured that the Switch version has had way more time lavished on it than any other version to date.
Heald also shared a little information with us about sales figures for the game:
Switch sales were MUCH higher than the other systems. In fact, Switch sales are way beyond all the other systems combined! And last but not least, one stat that still blows us away is that we don’t foresee Steam’s year one sales even matching Switches DAY 1 sales! The Switch certainly has proven to be a fab system for us. We’ve not got a point of breaking even yet but sales have been good in general and it’s just a joy to hear people’s enjoyment of the game.
So there you have it; if you already own Wulverblade then all of this new content will make it worth another look, and if you've yet to make the purchase then the sale gives you the perfect excuse.
Comments 77
But it hasn’t come to Japan yet!!!!! I’ve got the feeling that I’ll be waiting forever.
Hopefully they break even soon, playing this game you can see the love that went into it
Shorter load times are very much welcome, thanks
I was surprised to find out the guy who made Wolverblade lives only a few blocks from my house in a quiet little town in the north of England. The last time I passed his house he had a large Mario figure in his front window haha 😀
nice. was waiting for easy mode.
once updated i'm going to start playing again.
@maruse Watch this space. Having our game out in Japan has always been a dream and its a dream we're actively exploring. Never say never
@QwertyQwerty Yeah we did a timed Switch exclusive and then launched on the other platforms at the end of Jan. The Switch version took the limelight as its the one platform everyone chooses to buy games for if they have the option
@DrJoson Thank you and fingers tightly crossed
I had this on my wish list for a while, sounds like it's time to give it a go. I always thought it was a cool concept for a game.
Put me down as another ready to pull the trigger on this one.
@damo Any chance you review easy mode or update the old review? I just read your review and it sounds way too difficult for me as is, which makes me think even easy mode will be too difficult. But I'm a sucker for a 33% discount so... Thanks.
Wonderful to hear WULVERBLADE has done well and this update is much appreciated. Good job!
Once the sale hits Europe I am in. Been waiting for easier mode patch.
I was wondering where the update for this had gone, I wrongly assumed that it just hasn't sold well enough and that the update was cancelled. I am glad it wasn't though as the love put into this game from the start is clearly visible and makes it a joy to experience and learn some things in the process.
I must admit that the difficulty had put me off a bit and I never got around to completing it. The new update will bring it back onto my radar and hopefully get it completed.
Congratulations to the developer and hopefully he has started work on his next project.
Finally an easy mode for me who is rubbish at this type of game and has nobody to play with who just wants to finish it. Great news checkpoints will help also.
Wow!! Excellent news! Updates are always so welcome.
@Kiz3000 Yey thanks for that. Once you get to the last level you're in for a real treat and then once you complete it, yet another
I know its madness but I designed the very best part of this game to be right at the end as it's all hinged around the story.
Can't wait for more people to experience this!
@Fake-E-Lee Thanks Lee, it was your comments along with many others both on here and online in general that spurred the easy mode. You asked, we delivered
This has been on my radar for awhile and I think I'll finally check it out if I can pull myself away from Wizard of Legend.
I've read quite a few comments and reviews praising this game, but also warning that it was really hard. I'm not adverse to hard games, but with my limited playing time, I like to have an "easy mode" option, just in case the standard game demands too many retries.
"Wulverblade" was already in my wish list. With this update, I think I'm completely sold
This game sounds right up my alley. What is the original price point on this game before the 33% cut?
I shall definitely be picking this up now! Thanks, Fully Illustrated.
I've already played through this a few times (both alone and with the wife) so really looking forward to jumping in again with the Beast Mode!
@fullyilly - I hope you're all proud of making such a great game. Would love to see a sequel someday!
Awesome game folks! Sink your teeth and claws in..
Thank you so much for the Easy mode for those of us without the mad skills to do the challenge and limited time to invest in games. I am so excited to be able to see the story to the end and have been stuck on level 2 boss for 6+ months!! Thank you as I love the art style and gameplay of Wulverblade.
I’ve been waiting for a sale on this game and for the update. Now we get both which means instant buy for me tomorrow. Can’t wait to dive into this tomorrow
Easy mode, really? No problem with a game having an easy mode, but just can't believe this is something so many fans asked for. If it gets new players to buy the game, cool I guess.
@Dpullam I believe this is a 15 dollar game. So it would be around ten with the discount.
Edit: Nevermind it is 20 bucks originally
Definitely buying when the sale hits Europe
I can't wait to try it I wasn't able to beat the last boss but now I should make it!
@Dpishere Thanks man. That isn't a bad price if the game is as good as people suggest. Especially with an easier difficulty.
Thanks, I've been wanting a easy mode, was a bit to tough for me, which is a shame, because I think the game is great. What else is included in the easy mode ? maybe get rid of lives ?
welp time to pick up an eshop card...
Wow, this game is actually getting updated. Never thought I would see this happen.
I played it and it really scratched that Golden Axe itch. It's a fun game that I beat eventually but my biggest problem was the lack of a checkpoint at the boss, which is fixed with the patch. Haven't played the game in months but I'll check out the Beast Mode and new players should definitely jump in.
Now these are the kind of devs you want making games. Good on you guys!
Thx, I can now actually play this game again. I stopped playing after 1 hour due to hardly any check points and hard as hell and annoying gameplay. But I love the game visuals, concepts and historical notes and story.
@Kochambra Yey that's great to hear. The difficulty has been quite polarising. A lot of people told us how much they loved the challenge and how rewarding it was to complete the game, but in view of helping newcomers to the genre we thought it was best to add the easy mode.
I think were people get stuck is when they try to stand still and fight. The key in Wulverblade is movement, running, charging, rolling, double jumping and countering. Once you have those moves nailed, the game becomes very, very different
@parkinho Thank you very much! It certainly was a labour of love
@HAL9000 Thanks! Remember to keep moving, movement is key. If you stand still for too long you'll get pummelled. Run, roll, double jump and counter. Those moves will see you through any situation once mastered
Wulverblade has satiated that arcade brawler itch I have had since the Simpsons original back in the 90s.
Yes I have been waiting that long.
@MongolRaider Yeah we were surprised at how many people wanted this feature and it took some time to balance out, but when enough people ask, you have to listen
@mauhlin12 Yey great reference! Golden Axe was one hell of an inspiration!
@Jokerwolf
@Paraka Fantastic, that was always the dream for us! This genre is both under appreciated and also rarely seen anymore. We wanted to make the game that we've been wanting to play for decades!
@fullyilly - Good on you guys making it more accessible for people who don't understand the brutality of what the 90s arcades brought upon co-op brawling. X-Men, The Simpsons and TMNT all had quarter guzzling difficulties and was very unforgiving.
Probably why I enjoyed this game so much, brought a nostalgia tinge with it.
Also, not to be that guy, but edit your posts for multiple responses. You don't get to be THAT special you can neglect multi-posting.
@fullyilly Great to hear! But I hope it doesn’t end up being just that, a dream.
Did it really blow them away that their game sold more in a closed ecosystem of a couple hundred games than on a platform that releases thousands of indie games a year? Really?
YEEESSSS. This game already rules and all these new fixes/additions make it even better. Me and my buddy played it together at launch and never quite beat it. Time to replay!
@Silkyinsect_UK Wow! You need to go by and get a picture!
@fullyilly Just a quick question - On release, this was not available on the New Zealand E Shop. Is this still the case? Is it coming at some point in the future ? Or not?
If you coudl, I'd appreciate if you could let me know - cheers.
This is great news! I was so disappointed in jow hard i was finding it to just get through the single player. This totallg makes this gamd worth revisiting for me.
I've been wanting this since it released but was always hesitant to buy it due to the notorious difficulty level - yeah, I suck at action games, fight me bro - so this is a deal I'm definitely going to jump on. Cheers @fullyilly for being so responsive to the fans around here.
Was very interested in this game, but was turned off by what was reported as a brutal difficulty level. Sometimes when a game such as this is incredibly challenging, it makes it rewarding. Sometimes, it saps the fun from it.
Having options makes this game a cinch for me to purchase. Very happy they acted on the feedback they received and excited to try it out.
Will probably pick this up now. I wanted this from day 1, but I'm really not good at these kinds of games (even though I really like them - old reflexes and all). Easy mode makes it much more appealing for me.
Sounds like a good time to purchase it.
@maruse Why not just buy the US version? It's not too much of a pain.
@roboshort Well, except that it is... For starters I don't want to fragment everything among several accounts, then I need to create and account with a fake address and then there is the issue of adding funds to that account since Japanese credit cards aren't accepted in the US eShop...
For some people it is OK going through all that, but not for me. I'd rather wait until the game comes to Japan and if it never does... well, I guess I'll never play it then...
I forgot about this game. I need to finish playing my copy of it
Strong sales? I expect a retail release, then. I don't want to be suckered again into buying a digital game that later gets the physical treatment.
Vulvablade? I'm sure these names are done on purpose.
This really is a quality game, give it a go guys, its best sidescroller I've played on Switch and the best attempt at bringing this lost genre back.
@Paraka You learn something new every day, I didn't even know multiposting was a thing. I hope I do this right
@maruse we're speaking with people about it right now, its looking hopeful!
@RedMageLanakyn we expected higher sales of course, but not quite to this degree. Year 1 Steam sales being lower than Switch day 1 sales isn't something we could have ever expected.
@conman2012 Due to our gore level we have to go through some manual paperwork/application process which we haven't done yet. We need to look into it in more detail.
@JasmineDragon You're very welcome
@Moroboshi876 Getting a physical release would be a dream come true. Nothing lined up right now sadly but we're hoping it can happen one day.
@santaglause Thanks man!
Put me down as another one who will bite with the discount and easier difficulty. Chances are if I can beat it on the easier mode and enjoy it then I will go back and try the harder difficulty anyway.
Have been interested in this since the feature in NLife before it came out, but given my backlog I thought I wouldn't have time/patience to play a super-challenging game. Looking forward to trying it now.
@fullyilly Honestly, if the game ends up being released in Japan I won’t be able to thank you enough!
I’ve never been this hyped for an indie game since the original Shovel Knight and that’s not just flattery, it’s the truth.
If you could accept a suggestion, I really hope that the option to freely choose the game’s language is available.
A lot of games come with several languages but they don’t allow you to choose, they just pick up the default language of the system instead. A simple menu allowing you to choose would be very appreciated.
@maruse Thanks for the info, I'll pass that onto the guys. Something to bare in mind for sure.
@fullyilly
Really enjoying the game post-update! Thank you for making the game more accessible for us "older" gamers. Really glad that I have checkpoints before the bosses so I can retry them easier. Thank you! Great update!
I remember spending 4 hours trying to finish the final level, haven't played something so rock hard in ages, what a feeling when I finally done it tho, totally worth it.
@fullyilly
Thank you again for the update. I finally finished the two brothers bosses at end of level 2 after 6 months of being stuck on them. Yay for checkpoints!
@HAL9000 Fantastic, glad you're enjoying it
@santaglause We've heard this response quite a lot and its the response we always hoped for. There is a certain degree of satisfaction in finishing this beast. Thanks for sharing!!
@fullyilly
Appreciate the explanation. Makes Sense. If its worth it, I can give you one sale.
@maruse Sir, I have some good news for you! As of today, Wulverblade is now available IN JAPANESE!
http://wulverblade.com/wulverblade-is-now-available-in-japan/
When you asked last time we were in discussions with Kakehashi Games but hadn't finalised the details. But as of today, its complete and has just been released!
See, you didn't have to wait forever...just under a year ha haa.
Enjoy!
@fullyilly Thank you for reaching out to me! That was nice and unexpected.
These are great news and you brighten my day a bit but, unfortunately, it couldn’t come at a more terrible time. The typhoon and earthquake have hit us hard. This is becoming the longest and hardest week in my entire life. The typhoon has ripped half of my rooftop and we’ve been without electricity since Tuesday and still no clue when it’ll come back.
I’ll be extremely happy to finally be able to buy the game when things get back to normal but it’s going to take a while...
Anyway, thank you!!!
@maruse Oh god that's awful, I'm SO sorry to hear that! I hope everyone you know is safe and that you can sort everything out. Damn, I'd send you a free code but we don't have any international codes left, only EU ones.
Best wishes to you and your family, I hope things pick up for you!
@fullyilly Thank you and don't worry! At least this morning, power came back!!!! That's a start and now I can finally get back to work!!!!! Little by little everything will go back to normal. I just need to be patient a little longer.
@maruse Power is definitely a start, I hope things get back on track soon! Good luck with everything.
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