I like it, and use it. It's funny watching someone's face spin and bounce above their vehicle in Mario Kart World. It's easy to catch up with family on the other side of the country and see them on the telly. We share a family subscription to online anyway so it just feels like a value add extra to me.
The audio quality is fine and the console microphone is particularly excellent with it's clever noise reduction and gain. I can chat over it from the other side of the room as easily as I can on a headset.
Regarding privacy, I wouldn't touch Discord or WhatsApp for that reason, and not enough people use Signal, so I'm content enough with GameChat as a solution.
@Joe11 It was this culture, and the fact that they used Balinese talent for the cast and music, that particularly piqued my interest in this game. Very refreshing.
I second that ref. Cyberpunk 2077. Keep the "Nocturne" mission until the very, very end. It'll wait for you.
Personally I found that the more I immersed myself in the world that they've built for CP2077, the more I enjoyed the game. It's a dystopian hellscape, borne of endgame capitalism and tainted with barbarism. It is full of regret and remorse but there are still moments of humour, peace and joy to be found, and they have a greater impact in their stark contrast to the dog eat dog mentality that is so prevalent.
Of the several endings, I enjoyed most of them. I had fun with the bombastic one that is grounded in honesty and acceptance of Johnny despite his faults, combined with a compassionate "there must be another way, I don't accept this" approach, meaning the Don't Fear the Reaper run (so tense even levelled up) followed by either becoming a legend or giving your body over to Johnny. However my favourite was the one where I left Night City with the Aldecados, despite the loss along the way.
Plus, each of the builds I tried over my three playthroughs (versions 1.1, 1.6, 2.1) were all great fun and they've only gotten better since the early days.
Toxic level looked a bit framey to me, which if not down to just the video capture would make a tough game even tougher.
Great to see the multiple Meat Boy replays after a level are still a thing though. It was a bit disappointing to not see one in the first level where there were deaths, but not long after that they left a bit of it in before cutting to the next level.
This was from a Sunday Eurogamer article. You know, the kind that takes a Reddit post or a tweet (sorry, post on X, bleurgh) and stretches it so hard into "journalistic source" that it snaps a tendon.
Sorry, but the GVG video is not good. Even accounting for it trying to show AI upscaling on YouTube's heavily AI upscaled 1080p "quality", it doesn't highlight any of the issues alleged. I had a look at one by ElAnalistaDeBits and didn't see anything that seemed off.
So I fired the game up, the Switch 2 edition upgrade. I even put my reading glasses on. I attempted to reproduce some of the, er, photos from Reddit and despite my best efforts I couldn't find any Dall-E or Google Genie looking parts. Handheld or docked.
The game was always a bit unique looking on Switch. The level of detail morphed terrain. The anisotropic filtering was a bit funny. There was shimmering around edges, and a lack of anti-aliasing especially apparent on fine lines in the distance and other high contrast parts of the image. Combine these and other game engine idiosyncracies and sometimes the graphics had an Andy Capp style fight, much like some of the commenters in this thread. Now that the game is presented in a higher resolution on screen and the framerate is more fluid, these things become more apparent. But, it's still beautiful, and a lovely world to be in with a unique art style.
Dare I say that there seems to be a lot of people trying to score quick and cheap internet points because the game doesn't meet their own particular standard? We can pixel peep at Mario Kart World or BotW/TotK or Final Fantasy 7 Remake and see jaggy lines here and shimmering there. Did anyone ask for refunds because of Cloud's hair?
Could it be, and bear with me on this, that we could try to enjoy things for what they are. It's not like XCX has become some kind of PS1 style backported downgrade with skewed textures. Yeah, battery life takes a hit, but that'll no doubt be down to doubling the refresh rate of the screen. A happy trade-off for me.
Could Monolith Soft / Nintendo have done better? Probably could. Perhaps there is a reason this update took so long to surface. Perhaps it'll be improved with a patch, perhaps not. Could some games writers and some people involved in the discourse around this do better? Probably should.
At the end of the day, for 10% extra cost over the original purchase I'll be happy with the higher resolution and double the framerate, thanks.
@Itsashame For what it's worth, Grid Legends is absolutely fine on handheld or Pro Controller. There are three assists that help with Switch stick feel and digital triggers. Traction Control, antilock brakes, and stability control. Set them all low (I use 1/5). Any higher and the car bogs down on corner exit, or the braking distance is extended, slowing you down. It's forgiving enough that you can throw the cars around yet it will let you spin e.g. if you take a kerb poorly or floor it when turning tightly, so you still have to focus (depending on the car). It doesn't require tapping the triggers as if playing on a keyboard.
It's also absolutely lovely in the balanced graphics mode on handheld.
The Slo Mo Guys channel on YouTube recently did a fascinating video on how the Virtual Boy functions.
Nintendo could have released this as one of those classic mini consoles though, with the game ROMs pre-loaded and classic style controllers. Considering how (relatively) inexpensive a pair of small, low resolution monochrome displays can be, the potential was there for a compact and lightweight device to strap to one's face. Perhaps they were concerned that people would homebrew 3DS games onto it.
I can see some pros and cons of this Switch version e.g. lowering the barrier of entry for those already with an online subscription to the price of that and a bit of cardboard, but I can't help but feel a bit cynical as to why the games can't be experienced in 2D.
I also wonder how they'll make it work between models, whether the smaller screen of the OG Switch, the larger OLED, or the newer Switch 2 will provide the best experience.
Edit to add: Frankly, I find it more than a bit ridiculous that the colour swap appears to be a physical filter, rather than just having the eyepiece be clear and the display controlling the hue.
If you enjoyed Streets of Rage 4, you owe it to yourself to give this a go. It's a banger.
It incentivises repeat runs, and there's a lot of variety to be had. There are many routes, even secret ones, and they change further depending on progress. The characters are varied in the way that Axel, Blaze, Skate etc. are different. There's even more variation once you start unlocking, mixing and synergising moves and special abilities. The voices, music and visuals are quality.
There's a whole suite of accessibility options in the menu to make the game easier or more challenging, and that's before you dabble in artifacts and skill trees to shape the gameplay one way or another. You're free to choose whether it gives you a hiding or the other way round.
Best of all, the frantic and kinetic combo heavy style is alive and well. You can juggle wave after wave of foes without stopping for breath. It encourages caution early days, then outright controlled aggression as you progress.
I was locked into this game until I exhausted the content, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do with it going forward.
@ThatOneLevel That's fair, and having played the others I see the point you're making. I played 3 first, and it hit hard enough for me 😄 I feel like they designed it to accommodate newcomers to the series to an extent. It stands tall on its own merits in my opinion, but yes, there is some value to be added in playing the others first.
I've often seen the opinion that people should play the original Final Fantasy VII before the remake as well, however I'm having a blast with the remake first, and similar to XC3 it's great (so far) in isolation as well.
@Rainbowjames First of all, I can categorically recommend Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It was so good on so many levels that I subsequently sought out and played 1, 2 and X. The world, music, story, action, and ensemble cast are a delight in 3, my favourite of the series. I took my time with it and enjoyed every moment. It stayed with me and lives rent free in my noggin.
When I played the demo of FF7 remake it reminded me in many ways of XC3, for the reasons given above. You can even play it in a similar "you all fight yourselves while I mind the special moves" manner, though I'm enjoying the manual combat immensely - it's snappy and satisfying. I'm only several hours in so far, but it has won me over with its charm already.
Judging by discourse online over the years for FF7 (as I haven't finished it yet, I'm on chapter 4) you can't go wrong with either, as they're both fine examples of the genre. Take them as they are, quirks and all, and have a top time. Though personally, if you want a more complete experience go for XC3, as the FF7 remake is part one of three.
Perhaps naively, I would have thought that it would be possible to apply the Switch docked profile to games played in handheld mode on Switch 2, even at a system level override?
If implemented at a system level, it could be an optional toggle within the system or display settings, and an "at your own risk if untested" option at that.
Seems like it could be a quick win, similar to boost mode on PS4 pro or FPS boost on Xbox Series (which are system level toggles and if I remember correctly declare that results may be unpredictable).
Of course, if the developers had the opportunity / time / inclination, they could perhaps do this themselves as an in-game option, but even a brute force method at system level could potentially work decently with a lot of games and put smiles on a lot of faces.
Can anyone shed light on why this might not be possible?
@OorWullie 120fps is just lovely. I am a racing game enjoyer and it's absolutely the business. LCDs have come a long way, and a 120Hz HDR display is great news. Aparently it even has VRR, variable refresh rate, according to some press I've seen. That's better than my telly, which is an oldie-but-goodie 4K60 HDR.
I've never looked forward to a Donkey Kong game more, it looks like a blast. Nor have I ever looked forward to racing on a boombox as a cow more than I do right now, but that's for different reasons.
If I had to hazard a guess, probably more likely to be the other way around i.e. ~4K/60fps and 1080/120fps docked, and let's for arguments sake say 1080/60 and 720/120 handheld. If I remember correctly, the Metroid 4 clip in the Direct stated 4K/60 docked and 720p/120 handheld, as an example. All I can say to this is, wow, that'll be very, very enjoyable.
One thing that I've noticed from using a high refresh rate display (120Hz or higher) on a laptop, is an only just tangible improvement in apparent fluidity even at lower framerates. A bona fide 120fps is absolutely buttery, of course. However a game running at 60fps (locked) looks and feels smoother when the display is refreshing in the 120Hz mode than it does when the display is set to output at 60Hz, at least to my eyes. A fresh frame is created at the same rate, that is 60fps, or every 16.6ms - however it is actually drawn on the screen faster, and the system as a whole has more of an opportunity to detect an input, so input lag seems reduced as well.
So, I'm cautiously optimistic that the 120Hz display on Switch 2 can run at such an output in handheld, even for a 60fps game, ideally as a choice for the user because the higher refresh rate would also mean a slightly higher rate of battery drain. Bonus points for including a 40Hz mode, as per the current trend of "balanced" graphics on the other games consoles.
Whatever they do, either at launch or patched in the future, Switch 2 looks very impressive to me, has just the right amount of Nintendo-ness, and I'm really looking forward to it.
@ancientlii Pop a ruby on a shield and it'll keep you warm. It just has to be on your back. Melts ice very efficiently too.
I use a two-handed weapon to make the ruby shield last, otherwise you get a rather expensive explosion. Fuse a different shield to the two-handed weapon and you can parry with that instead, like in the trailer.
I'd imagine a sapphire might keep you cool as well.
What a pleasant surprise @ThomasBW84 - great read!
250+ hours for me - more than 10 entire days and nights in Hyrule! First playthrough was absolutely stunning - the combination of a fresh feeling game on a marvel of a console was intoxicating.
Managed to stay on the wagon and play a bit of Golf Story and Garou before the expansion pass was fully released, then replayed the entire thing in master mode. With my knowledge from the first playthrough, plus the trials and the champions ballad, I was in gaming nirvana all over again. I think I played this game for 6 months in total. And I mean exclusively. I'm surprised the cart hadn't fused with the Switch itself, it had been in there that long. I probably wouldn't have been bothered if it had.
The sheer excellence of craft is evident, and influential. Thank goodness AC Odyssey had an "exploration" mode for quests - made the game far more enjoyable for me. That was another 140 or so hours.
I wanted to recapture the eye opening magic of OoT on the N64, and I wasn't disappointed. Expectations were exceeded. The game is pure child-like joy, innocent escapism, and Thomas is right - as an entertainment experience this is unrivalled. It was an event.
I can't wait for the sequel. It'll be lovely to get lost in Hyrule for months on end again, then emerge back into the world, blinking at the light, to see what I've missed and then pick it up on sale.
@Noid Tiny bespectacled creature sitting on a cloud, in a pram, driving up a waterfall? Skeletal dragon on a wooden rocking horse, in outer space, lobbing squid at rival racers? Not weird at all. Standard
@lemonjellydude Very don't make it obvious but they will take a one off card payment. You have to register, then avoid the big "sign up for credit and save money" buttons and look for the link to pay now with credit or debit card. Be warned though, they take the money immediately, not on dispatch. Ordered my copy at 12:30pm today. Says 100+ ordered in the last hour.
Regarding this review. Team 17 are the publisher, not the developer. They've released The Room, My Time at Portia, Escapists, Yooka-Laylee etc. so going in expecting Overcooked just doesn't do this game justice.
If you like games such as Opus Magnum and Shenzhen I/O then you may well like this one as well
@Sim1 Like a sad song when you're down, sometimes a demanding game can be cathartic at the end of the day. Games where you have to think procedurally can help the brain warm down
In my opinion this kind of thing should not be encouraged, and is a terrible service model. Say goodbye to the last pretence of ownership. I'd rather have a port, like Doom, with all of its inherent limitations than streaming artifacts and lag.
Also, isn't the extra RAM in the Switch there at Capcom's behest, to support the RE engine? Oh wait... maybe they meant for this instead...
When did this become such a blatant copy/paste exercise? I used to enjoy the little write ups with NL's take on things. I only need to go on the eShop if I want the text provided here. And I think it is unclear which game most of the Switch DLC belongs with.
Smithing is great. Can improve armour and make things to sell. Focus on combat at first as far as skills and perks go. Difficult to knacker your character development after that. Don't underestimate how useful crafting and alchemy can be. Early on, stick to roads and get in with a few of the major factions. Leads to development and companionship. The world levels with you. If you're getting a kicking, pull a Brave Sir Robin and fight again another day. Pick every lock. Using skills levels them up. Watch out for traps.
These games are fantastic for their target audience. True labours of love produced to a high standard. I picked up the 2016 version on Android for 10p and even that is excellent. Yes, the difficulty curve is massive, requiring real commitment, but I still found it fun and it isn't even my thing.
I would love to see my guilty pleasure, Truck Simulator, on Switch, but there aren't enough buttons. Would need some kind of touchscreen support.
Also, @ballistic90, all power to the parents who play this with their kids. When they're done driving their shiny red tractors into rivers, they will more than likely appreciate where their food comes from and learn valuable lessons.
I love the parallel here - Switch for me is rekindling the feeling of being blown away by the revolutionary Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 twenty or so years ago.
I also love the symmetry of the Zelda team being inspired to push the boundaries of OoT by the quality of M64 back then, and now we have the Mario team inspired to deliver their best by the sheer quality of Breath of the Wild.
If only I wasn't so busy this weekend. It'll be like leaving the biggest, heaviest present under the tree for a few days past Christmas.
@dres Fair enough man, I'm just thinking out loud.
I wasn't really talking about always online originally. More along the lines of registering your cart to your Nintendo account (similar to redeeming gold coins to your account) which would then allow you, and only you, to get a key (also tied to your account) to redeem the game online and have a download option as well as physical.
I would speculate that the second hand buyer wouldn't be able to redeem the gold coins for My Nintendo, and the same protection could well apply to the digital download to help prevent a chain reaction of people exploiting it.
Or possibly if the cart is loaded into another system with a different Nintendo account then it would disable the original download, until the cart is used to verify it again on the system with the original account. Steam library sharing works in a similar way - I can share almost any game with a family member but once I launch it myself on the original system the other party gets kicked after a 5 minute warning.
I remember years ago I was able to register the CD keys for most of my retail PC games in Steam so they appeared as digital downloads in my library. The CDs and DVDs were then sent to the old retirement home in the loft.
It would be brilliant if Nintendo would allow owners of a physical cart to also download their game from the eShop. Would be a nice gesture for the customers, and if you are away from home without a particular cart you would have the option to download.
Personally I'm okay as I haven't filled the slots in the case yet, but one day a tough choice will have to be made
Anyway, it feels like the day before Christmas Eve for me right now...
Edit: The physical copy is also £42 on Amazon IIRC
My PC's Xbox 360 pad is crying out to be supported by XInput API on Switch. I know it'll probably never happen, but it would be nice. It would only be missing the capture button.
@ThomasBW84 @AlexSora89 It's the few spoiling it for the many. When these videos start trending due to people who can't resist spoilers they tend to pop up on recommended lists.
Hopefully the muppets will be rooted out and the more respectful outlets (such as this one) won't be tarred with the same brush and penalised unfairly.
I love how Switch is super responsive. Gaming is up and running in seconds, and the easy switching between games and settings / album / news / eShop is sublime. KISS exemplified.
The exploit angle with third party apps seems entirely plausible. Perhaps Nintendo are trying to perfect locking eShop streaming apps down to prevent access to the kernel. It is after all best to get it right first time. I lost count of how many times Amazon video completely crashed the PS3 in the early days.
Hopefully though they'll pull their finger out before my ageing LG smart TV stops supporting streaming apps. YouTube is already on its last legs stability wise and Netflix has been misbehaving a lot lately. Hey Nintendo, if you need a beta tester...
Edit: Having had my wee nephew visit, I'd love to see a "find my joycon" feature in the controller settings, by making it vibrate out of its skin for example.
My first Zelda game was OoT on the N64. It was a superb, engrossing and fun game. BotW is also a superb, engrossing and fun game.
Nintendo have, again, deftly used contemporary gaming techniques and ideas when creating this new Zelda open air game from the ground up. For me, it recaptured the magic of my first playthrough of OoT on N64.
Strange comment ref. Atari 2600. Feels a bit like one of those "It grows on you. But so does fungus - you don't have to like it" turns of phrase. Perhaps context has been lost in print.
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Re: PSA: Switch 2's "GameChat Welcome Offer" Ends This Month, Try It Out For Free While You Still Can
I like it, and use it. It's funny watching someone's face spin and bounce above their vehicle in Mario Kart World. It's easy to catch up with family on the other side of the country and see them on the telly. We share a family subscription to online anyway so it just feels like a value add extra to me.
The audio quality is fine and the console microphone is particularly excellent with it's clever noise reduction and gain. I can chat over it from the other side of the room as easily as I can on a headset.
Regarding privacy, I wouldn't touch Discord or WhatsApp for that reason, and not enough people use Signal, so I'm content enough with GameChat as a solution.
Re: PlayStation Indie Hit 'Kena: Bridge Of Spirits' Is Headed To Switch 2 Next Week
@Joe11 It was this culture, and the fact that they used Balinese talent for the cast and music, that particularly piqued my interest in this game. Very refreshing.
That, and the hats. Lots of hats. All the hats.
Re: Review: Anbernic RG G01 Controller For Switch 1 & 2 - Acceptable Basics, But Won't Get Your Heart Racing
I don't need a sensor to tell me my heart rate climbs above 100bpm if I take the lead near the end of a knockout tour.
Re: Fallout 4 On Switch 2 Is Getting DLSS Support And Stability Improvements
@Yalloo @Rodygringo
I second that ref. Cyberpunk 2077. Keep the "Nocturne" mission until the very, very end. It'll wait for you.
Personally I found that the more I immersed myself in the world that they've built for CP2077, the more I enjoyed the game. It's a dystopian hellscape, borne of endgame capitalism and tainted with barbarism. It is full of regret and remorse but there are still moments of humour, peace and joy to be found, and they have a greater impact in their stark contrast to the dog eat dog mentality that is so prevalent.
Of the several endings, I enjoyed most of them. I had fun with the bombastic one that is grounded in honesty and acceptance of Johnny despite his faults, combined with a compassionate "there must be another way, I don't accept this" approach, meaning the Don't Fear the Reaper run (so tense even levelled up) followed by either becoming a legend or giving your body over to Johnny. However my favourite was the one where I left Night City with the Aldecados, despite the loss along the way.
Plus, each of the builds I tried over my three playthroughs (versions 1.1, 1.6, 2.1) were all great fun and they've only gotten better since the early days.
Re: Super Meat Boy Brings Brutal 3D Platforming To Switch 2 This Year
The Bandage Girl is in another castle...
Toxic level looked a bit framey to me, which if not down to just the video capture would make a tough game even tougher.
Great to see the multiple Meat Boy replays after a level are still a thing though. It was a bit disappointing to not see one in the first level where there were deaths, but not long after that they left a bit of it in before cutting to the next level.
Re: Fans Are Asking Nintendo To Refund Xenoblade Chronicles X's Switch 2 Upgrade
This was from a Sunday Eurogamer article. You know, the kind that takes a Reddit post or a tweet (sorry, post on X, bleurgh) and stretches it so hard into "journalistic source" that it snaps a tendon.
Sorry, but the GVG video is not good. Even accounting for it trying to show AI upscaling on YouTube's heavily AI upscaled 1080p "quality", it doesn't highlight any of the issues alleged. I had a look at one by ElAnalistaDeBits and didn't see anything that seemed off.
So I fired the game up, the Switch 2 edition upgrade. I even put my reading glasses on. I attempted to reproduce some of the, er, photos from Reddit and despite my best efforts I couldn't find any Dall-E or Google Genie looking parts. Handheld or docked.
The game was always a bit unique looking on Switch. The level of detail morphed terrain. The anisotropic filtering was a bit funny. There was shimmering around edges, and a lack of anti-aliasing especially apparent on fine lines in the distance and other high contrast parts of the image. Combine these and other game engine idiosyncracies and sometimes the graphics had an Andy Capp style fight, much like some of the commenters in this thread. Now that the game is presented in a higher resolution on screen and the framerate is more fluid, these things become more apparent. But, it's still beautiful, and a lovely world to be in with a unique art style.
Dare I say that there seems to be a lot of people trying to score quick and cheap internet points because the game doesn't meet their own particular standard? We can pixel peep at Mario Kart World or BotW/TotK or Final Fantasy 7 Remake and see jaggy lines here and shimmering there. Did anyone ask for refunds because of Cloud's hair?
Could it be, and bear with me on this, that we could try to enjoy things for what they are. It's not like XCX has become some kind of PS1 style backported downgrade with skewed textures. Yeah, battery life takes a hit, but that'll no doubt be down to doubling the refresh rate of the screen. A happy trade-off for me.
Could Monolith Soft / Nintendo have done better? Probably could. Perhaps there is a reason this update took so long to surface. Perhaps it'll be improved with a patch, perhaps not. Could some games writers and some people involved in the discourse around this do better? Probably should.
At the end of the day, for 10% extra cost over the original purchase I'll be happy with the higher resolution and double the framerate, thanks.
Re: No Man's Sky 'Remnant' Update Adds Gravity Guns, New Vehicles & More
Is this a full 25GB download again, or a delta patch?
Re: Feature: Nintendo Life eShop Selects (January 2026)
@Itsashame For what it's worth, Grid Legends is absolutely fine on handheld or Pro Controller. There are three assists that help with Switch stick feel and digital triggers. Traction Control, antilock brakes, and stability control. Set them all low (I use 1/5). Any higher and the car bogs down on corner exit, or the braking distance is extended, slowing you down. It's forgiving enough that you can throw the cars around yet it will let you spin e.g. if you take a kerb poorly or floor it when turning tightly, so you still have to focus (depending on the car). It doesn't require tapping the triggers as if playing on a keyboard.
It's also absolutely lovely in the balanced graphics mode on handheld.
Re: Switch Online's Virtual Boy Adding New Feature To Change Screen Colour "Later This Year"
The Slo Mo Guys channel on YouTube recently did a fascinating video on how the Virtual Boy functions.
Nintendo could have released this as one of those classic mini consoles though, with the game ROMs pre-loaded and classic style controllers. Considering how (relatively) inexpensive a pair of small, low resolution monochrome displays can be, the potential was there for a compact and lightweight device to strap to one's face. Perhaps they were concerned that people would homebrew 3DS games onto it.
I can see some pros and cons of this Switch version e.g. lowering the barrier of entry for those already with an online subscription to the price of that and a bit of cardboard, but I can't help but feel a bit cynical as to why the games can't be experienced in 2D.
I also wonder how they'll make it work between models, whether the smaller screen of the OG Switch, the larger OLED, or the newer Switch 2 will provide the best experience.
Edit to add: Frankly, I find it more than a bit ridiculous that the colour swap appears to be a physical filter, rather than just having the eyepiece be clear and the display controlling the hue.
Re: Absolum's First Free Content Update Arrives Next Month
If you enjoyed Streets of Rage 4, you owe it to yourself to give this a go. It's a banger.
It incentivises repeat runs, and there's a lot of variety to be had. There are many routes, even secret ones, and they change further depending on progress. The characters are varied in the way that Axel, Blaze, Skate etc. are different. There's even more variation once you start unlocking, mixing and synergising moves and special abilities. The voices, music and visuals are quality.
There's a whole suite of accessibility options in the menu to make the game easier or more challenging, and that's before you dabble in artifacts and skill trees to shape the gameplay one way or another. You're free to choose whether it gives you a hiding or the other way round.
Best of all, the frantic and kinetic combo heavy style is alive and well. You can juggle wave after wave of foes without stopping for breath. It encourages caution early days, then outright controlled aggression as you progress.
I was locked into this game until I exhausted the content, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do with it going forward.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade?
@ThatOneLevel That's fair, and having played the others I see the point you're making. I played 3 first, and it hit hard enough for me 😄 I feel like they designed it to accommodate newcomers to the series to an extent. It stands tall on its own merits in my opinion, but yes, there is some value to be added in playing the others first.
I've often seen the opinion that people should play the original Final Fantasy VII before the remake as well, however I'm having a blast with the remake first, and similar to XC3 it's great (so far) in isolation as well.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade?
@Rainbowjames First of all, I can categorically recommend Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It was so good on so many levels that I subsequently sought out and played 1, 2 and X. The world, music, story, action, and ensemble cast are a delight in 3, my favourite of the series. I took my time with it and enjoyed every moment. It stayed with me and lives rent free in my noggin.
When I played the demo of FF7 remake it reminded me in many ways of XC3, for the reasons given above. You can even play it in a similar "you all fight yourselves while I mind the special moves" manner, though I'm enjoying the manual combat immensely - it's snappy and satisfying. I'm only several hours in so far, but it has won me over with its charm already.
Judging by discourse online over the years for FF7 (as I haven't finished it yet, I'm on chapter 4) you can't go wrong with either, as they're both fine examples of the genre. Take them as they are, quirks and all, and have a top time. Though personally, if you want a more complete experience go for XC3, as the FF7 remake is part one of three.
Re: Video: Nintendo Highlights Enhanced Switch Games On Switch 2
Perhaps naively, I would have thought that it would be possible to apply the Switch docked profile to games played in handheld mode on Switch 2, even at a system level override?
If implemented at a system level, it could be an optional toggle within the system or display settings, and an "at your own risk if untested" option at that.
Seems like it could be a quick win, similar to boost mode on PS4 pro or FPS boost on Xbox Series (which are system level toggles and if I remember correctly declare that results may be unpredictable).
Of course, if the developers had the opportunity / time / inclination, they could perhaps do this themselves as an in-game option, but even a brute force method at system level could potentially work decently with a lot of games and put smiles on a lot of faces.
Can anyone shed light on why this might not be possible?
Re: First Impressions: Nintendo Switch 2 'Wows' Most When You Go Back To Your Old Switch
@OorWullie 120fps is just lovely. I am a racing game enjoyer and it's absolutely the business. LCDs have come a long way, and a 120Hz HDR display is great news. Aparently it even has VRR, variable refresh rate, according to some press I've seen. That's better than my telly, which is an oldie-but-goodie 4K60 HDR.
I've never looked forward to a Donkey Kong game more, it looks like a blast. Nor have I ever looked forward to racing on a boombox as a cow more than I do right now, but that's for different reasons.
Re: First Impressions: Nintendo Switch 2 'Wows' Most When You Go Back To Your Old Switch
@OorWullie "BOTW/ TOTK at 4K 120fps/ 1080 60fps?"
If I had to hazard a guess, probably more likely to be the other way around i.e. ~4K/60fps and 1080/120fps docked, and let's for arguments sake say 1080/60 and 720/120 handheld. If I remember correctly, the Metroid 4 clip in the Direct stated 4K/60 docked and 720p/120 handheld, as an example. All I can say to this is, wow, that'll be very, very enjoyable.
One thing that I've noticed from using a high refresh rate display (120Hz or higher) on a laptop, is an only just tangible improvement in apparent fluidity even at lower framerates. A bona fide 120fps is absolutely buttery, of course. However a game running at 60fps (locked) looks and feels smoother when the display is refreshing in the 120Hz mode than it does when the display is set to output at 60Hz, at least to my eyes. A fresh frame is created at the same rate, that is 60fps, or every 16.6ms - however it is actually drawn on the screen faster, and the system as a whole has more of an opportunity to detect an input, so input lag seems reduced as well.
So, I'm cautiously optimistic that the 120Hz display on Switch 2 can run at such an output in handheld, even for a 60fps game, ideally as a choice for the user because the higher refresh rate would also mean a slightly higher rate of battery drain. Bonus points for including a 40Hz mode, as per the current trend of "balanced" graphics on the other games consoles.
Whatever they do, either at launch or patched in the future, Switch 2 looks very impressive to me, has just the right amount of Nintendo-ness, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Re: Talking Point: What Classic Sega Franchises Do You Want To See Rebooted?
After Burner, Ecco the Dolphin, and Super Hang-On...
Re: Feature: 21 Amazing Shield Fuse Combos In Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
@ancientlii Pop a ruby on a shield and it'll keep you warm. It just has to be on your back. Melts ice very efficiently too.
I use a two-handed weapon to make the ruby shield last, otherwise you get a rather expensive explosion. Fuse a different shield to the two-handed weapon and you can parry with that instead, like in the trailer.
I'd imagine a sapphire might keep you cool as well.
Re: Site News: After Our Best Year Yet, Things Are Changing Here At Nintendo Life
So pleased to see @ThomasBW84 back! Good luck to all for a great 2021!
Re: Feature: Game Of The Decade Staff Picks: Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
What a pleasant surprise @ThomasBW84 - great read!
250+ hours for me - more than 10 entire days and nights in Hyrule! First playthrough was absolutely stunning - the combination of a fresh feeling game on a marvel of a console was intoxicating.
Managed to stay on the wagon and play a bit of Golf Story and Garou before the expansion pass was fully released, then replayed the entire thing in master mode. With my knowledge from the first playthrough, plus the trials and the champions ballad, I was in gaming nirvana all over again. I think I played this game for 6 months in total. And I mean exclusively. I'm surprised the cart hadn't fused with the Switch itself, it had been in there that long. I probably wouldn't have been bothered if it had.
The sheer excellence of craft is evident, and influential. Thank goodness AC Odyssey had an "exploration" mode for quests - made the game far more enjoyable for me. That was another 140 or so hours.
I wanted to recapture the eye opening magic of OoT on the N64, and I wasn't disappointed. Expectations were exceeded. The game is pure child-like joy, innocent escapism, and Thomas is right - as an entertainment experience this is unrivalled. It was an event.
I can't wait for the sequel. It'll be lovely to get lost in Hyrule for months on end again, then emerge back into the world, blinking at the light, to see what I've missed and then pick it up on sale.
Re: Former Mario Kart Devs Launch The Spell-Slinging Tag-Team Racer Gensou SkyDrift This December
@Noid Tiny bespectacled creature sitting on a cloud, in a pram, driving up a waterfall? Skeletal dragon on a wooden rocking horse, in outer space, lobbing squid at rival racers? Not weird at all. Standard
Re: Former Mario Kart Devs Launch The Spell-Slinging Tag-Team Racer Gensou SkyDrift This December
@Bobb Exactly - "Mari Circuit", mushrooms, eek. When the plumber outfit DLC lands there'll be trouble
Re: Daemon X Machina's Soundtrack Now Available To Stream Or Buy On Physical CD
Nice! Astral Chain would also be very welcome.
Re: PSA: Remember To Update Your Joy-Con And Pro Controllers Today, As Well As Your Switch
Is it possible they're patching to mitigate this issue?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/08/new-attack-exploiting-serious-bluetooth-weakness-can-intercept-sensitive-data/%3famp=1
https://www.bluetooth.com/security/statement-key-negotiation-of-bluetooth/
Re: Round Up: Is Astral Chain A "Platinum-Plated Masterpiece" Or "Flavourless Disappointment"?
@ClaytThaGreat Both options are valid. No need to be insulting.
Re: Guide: Where To Pre-Order The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening's Limited Edition
@lemonjellydude Very don't make it obvious but they will take a one off card payment. You have to register, then avoid the big "sign up for credit and save money" buttons and look for the link to pay now with credit or debit card. Be warned though, they take the money immediately, not on dispatch. Ordered my copy at 12:30pm today. Says 100+ ordered in the last hour.
Re: Review: Automachef - Considerably More Complex Than Using A Microwave
Regarding this review. Team 17 are the publisher, not the developer. They've released The Room, My Time at Portia, Escapists, Yooka-Laylee etc. so going in expecting Overcooked just doesn't do this game justice.
If you like games such as Opus Magnum and Shenzhen I/O then you may well like this one as well
Re: Review: Automachef - Considerably More Complex Than Using A Microwave
@Sim1 Like a sad song when you're down, sometimes a demanding game can be cathartic at the end of the day. Games where you have to think procedurally can help the brain warm down
Re: Resident Evil 7 Is Coming To Nintendo Switch In Japan
In my opinion this kind of thing should not be encouraged, and is a terrible service model. Say goodbye to the last pretence of ownership. I'd rather have a port, like Doom, with all of its inherent limitations than streaming artifacts and lag.
Also, isn't the extra RAM in the Switch there at Capcom's behest, to support the RE engine? Oh wait... maybe they meant for this instead...
Re: Review: Urban Trial Playground (Switch)
Looks very similar to those Trials games on 3DS
Re: Nintendo Download: 15th March (Europe)
When did this become such a blatant copy/paste exercise? I used to enjoy the little write ups with NL's take on things. I only need to go on the eShop if I want the text provided here. And I think it is unclear which game most of the Switch DLC belongs with.
Re: Hardware Review: 8Bitdo SN30 Pro Gamepad: The Best Switch Pro Controller?
Yum yum yum. The versatility makes this a near future purchase for me. Nom nom nom...
Re: Guide: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Top Tips And Tricks
Smithing is great. Can improve armour and make things to sell.
Focus on combat at first as far as skills and perks go. Difficult to knacker your character development after that.
Don't underestimate how useful crafting and alchemy can be.
Early on, stick to roads and get in with a few of the major factions. Leads to development and companionship.
The world levels with you. If you're getting a kicking, pull a Brave Sir Robin and fight again another day.
Pick every lock. Using skills levels them up. Watch out for traps.
Re: Review: Farming Simulator: Nintendo Switch Edition (Switch)
@gcunit Very well said.
These games are fantastic for their target audience. True labours of love produced to a high standard. I picked up the 2016 version on Android for 10p and even that is excellent. Yes, the difficulty curve is massive, requiring real commitment, but I still found it fun and it isn't even my thing.
I would love to see my guilty pleasure, Truck Simulator, on Switch, but there aren't enough buttons. Would need some kind of touchscreen support.
Also, @ballistic90, all power to the parents who play this with their kids. When they're done driving their shiny red tractors into rivers, they will more than likely appreciate where their food comes from and learn valuable lessons.
https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/farming-simulator-17-review-toddler-edition
Re: Review: Kirby Battle Royale (3DS)
Ah, Pulp Fiction, love it
Re: Talking Point: The Case for Super Mario Odyssey as the Greatest Mario Game
Joyful, delightful game. Always brings a smile to my face.
Re: EA Says It's Still Too Early To Judge Demand For More Games On Switch
Pivot on this, EA
Re: Review: Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)
Great read
I love the parallel here - Switch for me is rekindling the feeling of being blown away by the revolutionary Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 twenty or so years ago.
I also love the symmetry of the Zelda team being inspired to push the boundaries of OoT by the quality of M64 back then, and now we have the Mario team inspired to deliver their best by the sheer quality of Breath of the Wild.
If only I wasn't so busy this weekend. It'll be like leaving the biggest, heaviest present under the tree for a few days past Christmas.
Re: The Latest Zelda: Breath of the Wild Free Gift Should Help You With Ethical Fishing
Dynamite fishing FTW. Free bait.
Re: You Can Now Pre-Load Super Mario Odyssey From The Switch eShop
@dres Fair enough man, I'm just thinking out loud.
I wasn't really talking about always online originally. More along the lines of registering your cart to your Nintendo account (similar to redeeming gold coins to your account) which would then allow you, and only you, to get a key (also tied to your account) to redeem the game online and have a download option as well as physical.
Re: You Can Now Pre-Load Super Mario Odyssey From The Switch eShop
@FragRed True, some people would.
I would speculate that the second hand buyer wouldn't be able to redeem the gold coins for My Nintendo, and the same protection could well apply to the digital download to help prevent a chain reaction of people exploiting it.
Or possibly if the cart is loaded into another system with a different Nintendo account then it would disable the original download, until the cart is used to verify it again on the system with the original account. Steam library sharing works in a similar way - I can share almost any game with a family member but once I launch it myself on the original system the other party gets kicked after a 5 minute warning.
Re: You Can Now Pre-Load Super Mario Odyssey From The Switch eShop
I remember years ago I was able to register the CD keys for most of my retail PC games in Steam so they appeared as digital downloads in my library. The CDs and DVDs were then sent to the old retirement home in the loft.
It would be brilliant if Nintendo would allow owners of a physical cart to also download their game from the eShop. Would be a nice gesture for the customers, and if you are away from home without a particular cart you would have the option to download.
Personally I'm okay as I haven't filled the slots in the case yet, but one day a tough choice will have to be made
Anyway, it feels like the day before Christmas Eve for me right now...
Edit: The physical copy is also £42 on Amazon IIRC
Re: Nintendo Switch v4.0.0 Update Brought Surprise GameCube Controller Adapter Support
My PC's Xbox 360 pad is crying out to be supported by XInput API on Switch. I know it'll probably never happen, but it would be nice. It would only be missing the capture button.
Re: Video: A New Theory on How Pauline Got Her Name
@ThomasBW84 @AlexSora89 It's the few spoiling it for the many. When these videos start trending due to people who can't resist spoilers they tend to pop up on recommended lists.
Hopefully the muppets will be rooted out and the more respectful outlets (such as this one) won't be tarred with the same brush and penalised unfairly.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch is Modernising, But Has a Long Way to Go
@Hughesy Are they high impedance? If they are, say, 64 Ohms, they're designed to be used with a hi-fi separate that has an active headphone amplifier.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch is Modernising, But Has a Long Way to Go
Excellent article.
I love how Switch is super responsive. Gaming is up and running in seconds, and the easy switching between games and settings / album / news / eShop is sublime. KISS exemplified.
The exploit angle with third party apps seems entirely plausible. Perhaps Nintendo are trying to perfect locking eShop streaming apps down to prevent access to the kernel. It is after all best to get it right first time. I lost count of how many times Amazon video completely crashed the PS3 in the early days.
Hopefully though they'll pull their finger out before my ageing LG smart TV stops supporting streaming apps. YouTube is already on its last legs stability wise and Netflix has been misbehaving a lot lately. Hey Nintendo, if you need a beta tester...
Edit: Having had my wee nephew visit, I'd love to see a "find my joycon" feature in the controller settings, by making it vibrate out of its skin for example.
Re: Super Meat Boy Releases on Switch This Year
Don't know if my nerves can take it a second time around, but what a game.
Re: Soapbox: Breath Of The Wild Is Amazing, But Is It The 3D Zelda That Enthusiasts Expected?
My first Zelda game was OoT on the N64. It was a superb, engrossing and fun game. BotW is also a superb, engrossing and fun game.
Nintendo have, again, deftly used contemporary gaming techniques and ideas when creating this new Zelda open air game from the ground up. For me, it recaptured the magic of my first playthrough of OoT on N64.
And that was all I could ever have asked for.
Re: Random: Here's The 'Switch Visor' - For The Lazy Players
I guess 3D printing is the contemporary version of toilet rolls, washing up liquid bottles and sticky-back plastic.
Re: Injustice 2 Director on the Possibility of Bringing the Game to Switch
Strange comment ref. Atari 2600. Feels a bit like one of those "It grows on you. But so does fungus - you don't have to like it" turns of phrase. Perhaps context has been lost in print.
Re: The Latest Zelda: Breath of the Wild Free Gift Actually Has a Fun Tip
I usually throw a rusty old bomb at them, and get a shiny new Octorok gut as a reward