Tag: Soapbox - Page 6
Soapbox 'I'll Play It On Game Pass' Is Becoming Common, But Does That Affect Switch eShop?
The stats say perhaps not
Though the Nintendo Switch is my most-played system, I have a confession, dear readers. I also play a fair bit on the Xbox Series X, which I somehow pre-ordered in the distant time of 2020, and it actually arrived. Sure enough the devil is banging on the door demanding payment of my soul, but I'll just keep playing games...
Soapbox After 17 Years, Monster Hunter Rise Finally Made Me Kind Of Competent
Rising up
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. Today, Kerry looks at how Capcom's latest Monster Hunter game empowered her for the first time to feel adequately skilled when it comes to hunting big ol' monsters... I have been terrible...
Soapbox It's Time For Nintendo's Sonic Mania Moment
Go on, cheer us all up
I remember a strange night live blogging the worst Anniversary celebration ever. You know the one, Sonic fans! But it wasn't all bad; we didn't know it at the time, as the widely leaked Switch hadn't even been officially revealed as the NX at that point, but Nintendo fans weren't far away from playing the best Sonic game in...
Soapbox The Insect Glaive Is Still Awesome In Monster Hunter Rise
Wirebug Deluxe Edition
A little before the release of Monster Hunter Rise I looked up a few weapon tier lists, not to influence my choice of starter weapon but to affirm my choice. At that point, the lists were based off demo impressions, and it was ugly reading. The Insect Glaive was considered to be 'nerfed', and was sitting at the uncool table...
Soapbox Monster Hunter Rise Is The Perfect Hybrid Game
Rising to the challenge
A little game called Monster Hunter Rise launched last week, shipping an impressive four million copies through its opening weekend. Its release was so significant in Japan, particularly, that many players tried to book days off, with one CEO getting attention for giving in to
Soapbox How One Large Vegetable Highlights The Issue With Japan-Only Merch
I want the Big Turnip
While perusing news on the upcoming release of Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town - a game I am reviewing, and a series I love - I stumbled upon something special: a limited edition turnip plushie, available only in Japan. I... love the big turnip... And, you see, the thing is, I want the Big Turnip. But more than just...
Soapbox I Somehow Bought Over $800 Of Animal Crossing Crap In One Year
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, stop foolin' me.
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. Today, Alan grabs his accountant visor and tots up how much money he wasted wisely invested in the Bank of Nook over the past year. On the...
Soapbox One Year On, Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is History
Learn from the past
I wish for vaccines If you asked me the question, "where were you when you found out about 9/11", then my answer is "in a car park in Loughborough". I remember it crisp and clear: the gravel underfoot, the way my mum's voice trembled a little when I asked her, with childlike sincerity, if there would be a World War Three. "I...
Soapbox Life Is Strange Belongs On Switch. So Why Isn't It?
Nintendo's console seems like a great fit
The Square Enix Direct Presents stream went up just a few hours ago, and despite knowing that we'd be left disappointed, a few of us at Nintendo Life tuned in, hoping to hear about games coming to Switch. Balan Wonderworld was featured, but we already knew about that, and the only other Switch game was...
Soapbox This Accessibility App For Animal Crossing: New Horizons Shows How Companies Must Do Better
Gamer Biggy is able to play the game with the use of a touchscreen
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. Today, Kate asks why the games industry is still so far behind in accessibility features. It's something you never have to think...
Soapbox It's Time To Normalise Giving Up On Games Early
Real gamers quit
Ganon, you say? Hm, not sure I've met him, sorry Back in the day, a single video game would set you back a decent chunk of change. Most people would get just a couple a year, like Charlie Bucket and his single birthday chocolate bar, and they'd have a grand old time rinsing those games of content. I'm not here to say "games these...
Soapbox I'm Tired Of Ports And Remakes - Where Are All Nintendo's New Ideas?
I don't want to relive the 2000s! Once was enough!
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. Having argued a defence of March 31st yesterday, Kate decides to take on another hot topic: Why is Nintendo so focused on remaking old games?...
Soapbox There Might Be A Bright Side To Mario's March 31st Doomsday, After All
The termination of various Super Mario games looms, but it's not all bad news
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kate argues that Mario's Doomsday might not be as bad an event as you think... Let's begin with a tally of...
Soapbox Why Do People Love Games Like Stardew Valley And Animal Crossing?
Playing games shouldn't feel like work, right?
One of my favourite things to do after a long day of nine-to-five work is crack open a beer, get cosy on the sofa, and play two to five hours of a game where I have a nine-to-five job. It seems ludicrous to spend my free time doing exactly what I do in my non-free time, and yet, here I am - one of...
Soapbox The Nintendo Switch Was My Companion As I Travelled The World
Reflecting on four turbulent years with my steadfast console companion
Not my actual suitcase - mine had way more shoes, and no pliers (why do they have pliers?) When the Nintendo Switch came out in early 2017, I was adrift. I had moved out of London, I had gone freelance a few months before, and I was what people at the time called a "digital...
Soapbox Pokémon Diamond And Pearl's Greatest Contribution To The Series Was The Underground
And sort of inventing Pokémon God
There's a Pokémon Presents tomorrow - the Pokémon-flavoured version of a Nintendo Direct - and I should be feeling like a kid on Christmas, since the announcement of a remake for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl seems almost certain. But I feel more like a kid on someone else's birthday: wishing I could
Soapbox The Modern Games Industry Has A Hype Problem, And It Needs To Stop
When will it be enough?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Mitch talks about the problem with video game hype... Look up any news about the upcoming Bayonetta 3 and you’re sure to notice a fascinating trend. Even...
Soapbox Zelda: Skyward Sword Is Good, Actually
The Titled Groose Game
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kate defends The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword against its many critics... I bet some of you clicked on that headline to yell "IT WAS ALWAYS GOOD", and you know...
Soapbox There's One Thing I Want To See In Tomorrow's Direct, And It's Pullblox
Smash Bros. who? Give me Mallo
To be a Nintendo fan is to be intimately familiar with disappointment. Each one of us has a particular game or series that we cling to like Rose on the Titanic door, desperately hoping that Papa Ninty will eventually notice us and give us the sequel (or at least a remake) we crave. It's their fault for making such good...
Soapbox Super Mario 3D World Is The Closest To A Super Mario Bros. 2 Sequel We'll Ever Get
Sub-consciously influenced
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot games, trends and topics — opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Jon Irwin discusses how Nintendo seems reluctant to return to the mechanics of Super Mario Bros. 2... When Super Mario 3D World first...
Soapbox Time Loop Games Are Strangely Comforting In Times Like These
Every day feels the same, so let's play games where every day IS the same
Right at the end of last year, Natasha Lyonne — star of Groundhog Day-inspired TV show, Russian Doll which sees her character Nadia (a software developer, no less) stuck repeating the same night over and over again — shared a tweet that made everyone collectively start...
Soapbox Grinding Is Poor Gameplay Design That Doesn’t Respect Your Time
Who wants to spend hours mowing down low-level enemies?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Henry discusses how he's fed up of being ground down by grinding... We really are spoiled for choice these days and, in part...
Soapbox I Never Completed Breath Of The Wild, And I Never Will
Sorry, Zelda, you'll just have to keep waiting
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kate makes a groundbreaking admission about one of the Switch's most popular titles... I put at least 150 hours into Breath of the Wild...
Soapbox Video Game Injuries Are No Laughing Matter
Technology is incredibly unfriendly to our frail human bodies
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kate discusses the issue of video game injuries... It's a little embarrassing to say that I permanently messed up my...
Soapbox It’s Time For A Pokémon Trading Card Game Reboot On Switch
But only if it's done right
My old, beloved (and slightly grubby) copy of Pokémon TCG on Game Boy. Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Ryan explores the idea of a Pokémon TCG video game reboot and why now could be the...
Soapbox The NYT Thinks We're Gaming Too Much, But It's One Of The Only Things Keeping Me Sane
This again?
It's that time of year again: a large publication has had decided that kids play too many games, and this time it's a COVID-flavoured special, courtesy of the New York Times, designed to make parents feel guilty for letting their energy-filled children play video games after being cooped up all day doing online school. I won't pretend...
Soapbox I Wasn't Going To Play Monster Hunter Rise, But The Game Art Is Too Cute
AND YOU CAN PET THE DOG
You know those friends that you communicate with entirely through gifs and TikTok links? Well, last week, my best friend sent me this: I've only ever played one Monster Hunter game, and it was Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate on 3DS. I was enjoying it, for the most part - I played with a few friends that were a lot more...
Soapbox Oh No, I Accidentally Made Animal Crossing Into A Time Capsule Of Misery
Also, I haven't paid my mortgage in MONTHS
It's fairly safe to say that we were all pretty depressed at the start of 2020, what with all the *gestures at everything*, and in March, I was in the same boat. I had just come back from a trip to Boston for PAX, a gaming expo, and the whole COVID thing started happening for real about halfway through the...
Soapbox When Is The Next 'Big' Nintendo Direct? Oh, Does It Really Matter Anymore?
No Direct-ion home
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Gavin wonders aloud if the old-style 45-minute Nintendo Direct format might have run its course... It’s been 495 days since the last Nintendo Direct. A proper one,...
Soapbox Since When Did Physical Releases Stop Being About Physical Games?
To have and to hold
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kerry Brunskill explains why the current trend for expensive (and expansive) limited edition releases is overshadowing the games contained within... Digital...
Soapbox An Ode To The 3DS, Nintendo's Workhorse Console
Kate Gray explains why this dual-screen wonder will be missed
Some people remember where they were when they found out about the assassination of President JFK. I can't tell you where I was when JFK was shot, but that's mostly because I hadn't been born, and therefore wasn't watching the news at the time, but I can tell you where I was when the...
Soapbox Mario And Zelda Were Great, But GoldenEye Really Switched Me On To Nintendo
It caught my 'Eye
These days, I'm very much living the Nintendo life, but rewind thirty years and I was a SEGA Mega Drive kid. I enjoyed Super Mario Bros. 3, Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Duck Hunt and of course the seminal Rareware classic, Battletoads & Double Dragon on my brother's NES, but given the choice between Mario or Sonic back then,...
Soapbox There's No Shame In Playing On Easy, Even If You're A Pro
It’s still thrilling when you’re chilling
It’s time to make a ‘confession’ that will potentially see me getting shunned by some gamers. I have no shame in doing so, though, and I hope that by making this known about myself maybe others will also have the confidence to come forward too. Right, here goes. Sometimes I play games on Easy...
Soapbox I've Been Playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons Wrong All This Time, But No More
Take a walk on the (re)wild side
Do whatever you like, however you like – that’s the Animal Crossing: New Horizons mantra. There’s no big bad boss to defeat, and no final destination to struggle towards. Instead, New Horizons offers players complete freedom to create and develop their island paradise however they like. Or so it might seem...
Soapbox Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is Easily My Most Nerve-Racking Game Of 2020
Cute and calming, but there's a catch
If you're a fan of nerve-shredding tension, there are plenty of video games that'll get your pulse racing. Love a steep challenge? Why not test your reflexes against a rock hard shmup or grind through an intimidatingly expansive RPG? Want to give your grey matter a workout? There's no shortage of mind-bending...
Soapbox If The Smash Community Wants To #SaveSmash, It Needs To Start From Within
The community needs to deal with the abuse scandals of 2020 first
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Alan Lopez discusses the recent online campaign to "save" Super Smash Bros., and why it's papering over a far more...
Soapbox 10 Years On, We Need More Brave, Worthwhile Experiments Like Epic Mickey
The Brave Little 'Failure'
In some ways, the Wii era feels further away than it actually is. The modern gaming landscape, though certainly influenced by Nintendo's approachable little console, seems so laser focused on pixel counts, framerates and raytracing that Wii feels incredibly old-school in 2020. The idea that just ten years ago we were still...
Soapbox 10 Years On, Kirby's Epic Yarn Is Still The Pink Puffball's Finest Outing
Fluff and nonsense
It's time for a Nintendo Life Soapbox confession. Ready? While the majority of the gaming world takes Masahiro Sakurai's most cherished child heartily to their collective bosom (squeezing his squidgy body in their embrace, no doubt), I've always found Kirby a bit... what's the word? Oh yes: rubbish. I'm not talking about how he...
Soapbox Astral Chain Was The Game Nintendo Needed Most In Its 2019 Switch Lineup
And Platinum, for that matter
Astral Chain is now a year old. In this soapbox piece, Mitch Vogel explains why he thinks it's one of the most significant Switch titles yet. This past weekend marked the first anniversary of the release of Astral Chain, the latest product of the long-standing collaboration between PlatinumGames and Nintendo...
Soapbox Nintendogs Prepared Me For Life As A Dog Owner, And Now I Want A Switch Version
Doggy stylus
Nintendo's cute canine sim first came bounding onto Nintendo DS just over 15 years ago in the US, way back in August 2005. In this Soapbox article, Rebecca remembers how the original game took over her life and ponders where the series has wandered off to... When I was eight years old, all I wanted was a pooch of my own to love and...
Soapbox We've Reached The Point-Of-No-Return In This Nindie Love Affair
There's no going back... thank goodness!
In this Soapbox article, Gavin discusses the warm familiar feeling he experienced while watching this week's Nintendo Indie World Showcase... I was planning on beginning this with a big 'list o' shame'; all the indie titles I've got backlogged on my Switch that I still need to play, many of them purchased...
Soapbox After Paper Mario: The Origami King, I Want More Comedy On Switch, Please
More funny business, thanks
In all honesty, I dropped off Paper Mario: The Origami King quicker than I hoped I would. But whilst I may not remember the last checkpoint I reached during my second playthrough, or exactly who was accompanying me, I do remember how much the game made me laugh. In the end, it was the lacklustre battle system that...
Soapbox It's Time For WWE No Mercy To Make A Comeback On Nintendo Switch
The champ deserves a comeback run
In case you haven’t been keeping tabs on the WWE video game scene, it’s currently in a state of complete anarchy. Ever since THQ went bust and 2K Games took over the licence in 2013, the games have been gathering a steady flow of criticism, which has been rapidly gaining in pace as each instalment is released...
Soapbox I’m Super Excited About The Future Of Animal Crossing: New Horizons
But what exactly is beyond the new horizon?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons director Aya Kyogoku recently said that she sees New Horizons as the beginning of Animal Crossing’s third generation. That begs the question, how will this generation develop as we move forwards? After all, Animal Crossing superfans are still going to be playing New Horizons...
Soapbox Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Wedding Season Is A Reminder That Marriage Is Hard Work
Reese, Cyrus and my gamer brain = a hell of a union
In this Soapbox, Gavin discusses the fine line between enjoying his Animal Crossing dailies and grinding through chores. For anybody prone to compulsive behaviour, video games can be a dangerous pastime. Whether it's grinding away just to get a Platinum trophy, completing a collection of digital...
Soapbox Wii Party Is 10 Years Old, And I Really Want A Switch Version
This is a (Wii) Party political broadcast
The party game is a seriously underrated genre. Unfairly written off as overly simplistic or even shovelware by some gamers, party games can, in fact, be immensely enjoyable for casual players and hardcore gamers alike. After all, I’ve 100% completed numerous Zelda and Resident Evil
Which racing series would you most like to ride again?
In this Soapbox feature, Gavin reminisces about the old days when Nintendo made multiple racing games... Earlier this week was the 20th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, but there's another Nintendo 64 game that debuted exactly two decades ago, albeit on the other side of the...
Soapbox This Little Plastic Disc Has Enriched My Animal Crossing: New Horizons Experience
Should you also join the (N2) Elite?
The arrival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons has predictably triggered a surge in demand for Animal Crossing amiibo cards required to invite certain villagers to your island, so much so that some of them are now trading hands for
Soapbox Confounded By The Animal Crossing: New Horizons Cloud Save Situation? You're Not Alone
Clear as mud
The launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons creeps ever closer, and fans are absolutely gagging to set themselves up on Tom Nook's island and once again place themselves under the yoke of the tyrant raccoon and his Mini-Mes. It's gonna be amazing! Yet despite a steady flow of new information bringing excitement at seeing
Feature In Praise Of Save States, Rewinds And Walkthroughs
A personal journey to make peace with gaming's mod cons...
The year was 1991. My dad had gone to now-defunct UK electronics retailer Dixons and purchased a Sega Mega Drive with Castle of Illusion for the princely sum of £144.99; I know this because I still have the receipt stapled in the console's manual. Beyond a dusty Atari 2600 which resided at...
