BANJO

@IceEarthGuard Both those packs are an absolute bargain at that price.. 👌 I have the Racer/Commando pack, I think that cost me £20, and that's a fair price.

It's always obviously good to strike a balance with these things, but 30 seconds is too short when some segments went on far too long. I can't see why 1 minute couldn't have been allowed for every acceptance speech. After all without the games, there would be no show 😅

None for months then 3 at once... 😅
I'll take that. Jet Force Gemini my favourite here, I played it throughly upon it's release and on Rare Replay. I'll now happily play it again...

@Olliemar28 Even MK1 ahead of Xbox on Switch... FC24 28% split is very good.

@MarcoP90 I got EA Sports FC 24 on Switch last week. Actually rather impressed with it. 👍

@Banjo- Hey, yes, let's hope something comes out of it. Microsoft has been on a bad run of late, so it's about time for a change.. 😆 Let's start with this. 👍
A remake of the first would do me, I wouldn't say no to that.
Ideally, a double pack of the first two with added extras like interviews, drawings, early footage, a duke box of the OST's and where the complete games are included on the physical media would be ideal, but I think I'm expecting too much 😄.

@Banjo- Yes, Rare and Playtonic should develop it. We can hope, right... 😄
It is a total shame what Microsoft is doing, or not doing in this case by just sitting on so many great dormant IP.

@Uncle_Franklin Yes, exactly this.. Banjo, Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Perfect Dark. While PC had Doom, Quake, Quake 2, Duke 3D. PlayStation had Spyro, Crash and the original Tekken games Wipeout etc...

A great time for gaming....

Being a massive Banjo fan I wish I was more confident. We need more than 'I hear you' unfortunately. 😆

I loved my Wii U too. Despite it's poor performance sales wise I still managed to build a collection of 67 retail games for it and download 38 eshop titles. I have purchased a further two Wii U's since as backups, so I'm a big fan of the console for sure.... 🤣

Many say the Wii U was a necessary step to ensure we got the Switch. I think they have a good point, although I just wish the Wii U could have still sold better and been around a year or two longer, but there we go....

The unfortunate failure of the Wii U brought out the required fight in Nintendo for them to succeed with the Switch. 😄

@NinjaNicky Glad you like it. I'm aware the other versions are better graphically but with the reduced price and the fact it got 8/10 on here I decided to give it a go.
My copy is in the black Friday post so it's not expected till Monday currently so I'm afraid I'm not sure about the online issue.
However, doesn't EA require you to create your own account with them to play their games online... 🤔

@JohnnyMind That's great news to hear, I still thought we would get it, but a December release is sooner than I expected. 😄
Looking forward to playing this. I'm hoping it controls better than it does on Rare Replay with the Pro Controller.

@jon128 No confirmation of Jet Force Jemini outside of Japan as it stands, itless I'm missing something...
(However, it looks likely it should arrive at some point) 🙄

@NinjaNicky I've just picked it up from Amazon UK, it was selling at number 1 here specifically for the Switch version so I thought I would give it a try... (It's £29.99)

Great news I thought at first, but this is currently only for Japan... It's like Nintendo is teasing us 🙄

@TtimeXP Lots if good ideas there. The Diddy Kong change is interesting. The further customisation idea is good. Also bringing in a new element as you say from Diddy Kong might work. They need to be careful about implementing new ideas but keeping within the winning formula they already have. It's a fine balance. 🙂

@JohnnyMind I certainly enjoyed tour too for what it was.. Although going down this route for the next console edition would be a bad decision, I agree. I think Nintendo would be aware of the backlash they would get from this.. (I would hope) 😄
I'm quite happy with more of the same, 4 new cups of new tracks with 4 cups of retro dlc..
I would have more multiplayer battle maps too next time, along with improved graphics and tweaked gameplay, sould make for a solid foundation for the next iteration.
Time will tell..

Super Mario Wonder (finishing off)
Mario Kart 8 wave 6
Tetris 99 (Super Mario RPG skin)
Plus some F Zero 99 too, if I get time.

@JohnnyMind Yes, fair point. For the next Mario Kart along with new tracks there is plenty of old tracks to still remaster. I'm certainly interested to see where the franchise goes next. Yes, I put a couple of hours into wave 6 now. It's a solid end to the game. I doubt we will ever get 96 tracks again in a single Mario Kart entry, but who knows... 😅

A great final update to finish off Mario Kart 8. Excited to see how the next version is on the next console, where do they takes the Series from here? 😃 Smash Bro's is in the same boat too... 🤔

Looking forward to getting this, I had forgotten it was coming out... 🤣
Great game to play over Christmas.. 👏

@JohnnyMind I can't wait to try these out. It seems like they have gone out with a bang.

@Spider-Kev It does, we won't get them unfortunately. However, I hope the next Mario Kart on Switch 2 )or whatever its called) will fix this.

These limited time skins bring me back in every time... Good work Nintendo!!

@EaglyBird Very true, I earlier checked the top 100 games on Amazon UK, it's nowhere to be seen... Narrowing it down to Solely Switch games it's only number 74 currently.
Now I'm sure it's doing better overall than this, but I can't see it charting that high in next week's chart... (I hope I'm wrong)

Silly Sega, Sonic doesn't even have a home anymore... Sega left the hardware business long ago. I'm glad Sega still have ambition but the basic truth is that the difference in success, gameplay, and sales between the two has never been greater...
Mario Wonders' first week sales in comparison to Sonic in Japan on Switch showed this fact...

Japan
Mario Wonder 638 thousand
Sonic Superstars 4 thousand

🤣🤣

Will be picking this up within the next few weeks. It looks basically as expected like another solid entry.

@nocdaes Same with me. I use the Pro Controller basically all the time. The joy cons have always felt a bit cheap for me. That's what is putting me off getting this, but I'm going to make an exception (But just because it's Wario) for once.... 😄
Knowing my luck, my Joy Cons will now get Joy Con drift.... 😂😂

Great news for Super Mario Wonder, it gets to number one 😀
Interesting to see the FC 24 split too, Switch selling more than the Xbox version... 😁

@sirlordrob The game seems well worth picking up on Switch. I will actually get it when it drops like you say in the new year..

@Haruki_NLI Exactly, the other physical versions for Sonic Superstars sold even less than the 4k the Switch version did. It deserves better, it's a good game..

Super Mario Wonder 638K
Sonic Superstars 4k

Admittedly this is on Switch, Nintendo's flagship console, but the difference is still simply astronomical...

SWITCH sales have certainly surpassed all expectations... Over 130 million and still going strong. 👍

Day one for me. This, Super Mario Wonder plus the additional Mario Kart tracks along with some Splatoon 3 will do me fine up till Christmas. 😀

@SBandy1 Yes, sounds about right. It will be the Switches 7th Christmas so I expect Mario Wonders sales to be a little lower than say a couple of years back... This should ensure Spidy pips it to number 1.

I really enjoyed the first one on both Xbox and Switch. This sounds like as solid a port as the Switch can possibly expect. I look forward to picking it up in the new year when on discount physically 👍

@Brack Exactly, they are a business at the end of the day. Also the Christmas line up is not too shabby either. Super Mario RPG Remake, Super Mario Wonder, Detective Pichachu Returns, Warioware Move It!.
They will want to sell as many systems and games as possible...
I could be wrong and they might announce it before Christmas if they are really confident, but I can't see it.

@Spider-Kev Very true, also it distances it a bit more from the Christmas purchase. I'm guessing then a late Jan announcement with a Sept/Oct 2024 release.. Switch although it's still doing well will have run it's course by then.

@Brack Mid January announcement I think is likely. They won't want to announce it before Christmas. Nintendo loves to make money, I don't think they wish to hamper the holiday season with a reveal of the successor before it. They have inventory to clear 😅

@Waluigi451 It bodes well for the next entry being alot quicker. The title is not nowhere near as niche as many thought. Admittedly the bulk of the sales are now in Japan but it's performing alot better than expected in Europe/Americas too...

@Mgalens The Series S for the price is an amazing piece of kit, no doubts there. As you say, their backwards compatibility is second to none out of the big 3. They have a great amount going for them.

Rare Replay is fantastic, only issue I had was with Jet Force Gemini's controls. Even with an update I couldn't get it to control as well as it did on the N64. Other than that, it's a great collection of games. 😃

@OldGamer999 I agree, the 360 for me was when Microsoft fired on all cylinders.
I had a Wii at the time and finally gave in and got a 360 as many other friends had one at the time.
Playing Gears 2/3 Halo 3, ODST and Reach along with Forza and Project Gotham Racing in HD really impressed me at the time.
I think I've been looking for Microsoft to match that ever since... and they haven't unfortunately.
Xbox One is a solid console, and it had some good games but not quite the same magic overall. It's the same story so far with the Series S/X

@OldGamer999 They certainly have the funds if they wanted to, but they seem to be in a strange position.
As you said, many of their studios seem to take a great deal of time to produce games, with the majority of the exclusives only being good at best and certainly not great.
That's the worry that Gamepass Ultimate brings. I have a 3 year membership to the service so am heavily invested in it, but agree that the quality of games may lessen as the service grows.
It's a strategy that in my view needs tweeking and they are still finding their way with it.
Time will tell if they succeed.
Part of me wants them to but part of me doesn't. In addition to Gamepass I still like to buy many physical games, especially on Switch, so I'm torn really 😅

@OldGamer999 Yes, Forza will likely not push saĺes that high. Xbox will as it stands come a distant third it seems.

The thing is, with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard looking likely to be wrapped up soon, plus all the other studios they already have, they won't be doing a SEGA anytime soon and leaving the console space.
They are here for the long haul, and the Series X/S is still pacing around or above the 360 numbers.
None of this is do or die for Xbox, in isolation Series S/X is doing more than enough numbers wise for it to Surpass the Xbox One generation.
It will be interesting to see how they play their cards going forwards...

@OldGamer999 It was even originally going to release a year earlier, I'm glad it didn't.
As you say, it has parts where it looks and plays great, but other areas where it's clunky and chunky.
It's still a good solid game, but just misses that requited spark to make it great.
I really hope now that next month's Forza Motorsport is a hit so that Microsoft has a good exclusive to promote going into the holidays, we shall see...

@OldGamer999 Technically, it's a solid game overall. You can tell a lot of work has been put into it, but for me, it just seems to miss that fun factor. It's certainly not a pick-up and play type of game..
It will likely be number one next week but then quickly go down the charts...
I wish it was better for Microsoft as they really need a hit currently...

To keep parity with the other versions up till now is about as much as we can expect I think at this point. It's had a good run and it is cheaper than the next gen versions, Switch does definitely seems like last gen now at this pint, it's had a good run but we need to move on soon.

Isn't that 4 weeks in the top 10 for Pikmin 4. Great success!!

@fenlix Dame for me, after a day at work this is not the sort of game I wish to play.. 😅
It seems like more work to me..

For me it's worth it as an avid Mario Kart player the additional tracks, and I've got 60+ hours out of F Zero X, Goldeneye, Zelda Majoras Mask, Mario Kart 64 and Wave Race 64...
The Megadrive titles have 45+ hours playtime too, SNES 40 + hours, so I have got value from the service..
Even Tetris online has 25+ hours, I think I must be in the few who think it's worth it. 🤔
That's 170 hours before adding in online for Splatoon 3 etc...