Fizza

For as much as I adore Pokemon, the boxarts for the mainline games have never really been anything particular special and Yellow is no exception, pretty much just pulling the exact same layout from Red, Green and Blue. I'm going to go with the NA/EU design myself as it's the one I associate the most with Gen 1 Pokemon but both are just....fine.

People already complain about Joy-Cons being inconsistent as all hell, adding magnets for attaching purposes sounds like it'd just make things even worse XD

I actually just finished the original Shadow of the Ninja on NSO in preparation for this (still holds up pretty well, though is held back almost entirely by the virtue of being a NES game XD) and a late August release date couldn't be any better for me specifically. Day One purchase for me, can't wait!

also, I forgot to mention it in the past couple of articles for KAGE, but the remix they've been showing off of the Stage 1 theme is absolutely PHENOMENAL

I've played and loved a lot of 30FPS games over the past while (with Pokemon Legends Arceus, Kirby and the Forgotten Land and even the original Paper Mario being great examples from the past year or two) so this does not bother me whatsoever. I hope they've adjusted some of the more stringent action command timings to compensate for the FPS getting slashed in half but if it has to be this way in order for the game to look as beautiful as it does? Eh, that's fine with me XD

• Brand new QOL like an improved Partner Swap/Fast Travel system
• Stunning visuals
• Retains most if not everything from the original game in addition to adding brand new stuff too
• Incorporates aspects from the modern PM games that people actually liked into a more beloved overall package
• THE BATTLE THEME CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE AREA JUST LIKE ORIGAMI KING

ok yep its settled: this is going to be my Game of the Year.

I've never heard of these two in my entire life up until this point....and I don't mind in the slightest because WOW this is cool XD

I've always been a huge fan of NSO's deep cuts in terms of the games it decides to put on the service; WinBack, Spanky's Quest and Shadow of the Ninja are all fantastic examples of games I had no idea even existed prior to getting added to NSO that would go on to be some of my favourite games of their respective systems. Do I think the same will be true for these two? Probably not, but the fact they're willing to bring such intensely obscure games to the limelight is insanely cool. Will definitely be checking both of these out when I get the chance!

also I'm not the only one who's absolutely f***ing terrified by the boxart for Iggy's Reckin Balls am I? XD

Haven't got anything for this time round unfortunately but I'm slowly getting more confident in picking up stuff that hasn't got a review on here so I'll hopefully have something for next time!

@Sisilly_G You're going to give poor Mitch a heart attack at this rate XD

Cheers for the shoutout folks, this was a very fun read!

Massive recommendation for A Short Hike from me; played it for the very first time around my birthday last year and it ended up being one of my favourite games of the entire year. If you're a fan of DS-era presentation, fun dialogue and overall chill vibes, I can't recommend it enough ^_^

Love collecting stickers IRL (especially around World Cup/Euros season) but I'm probably gonna give this one a pass myself. Not because I think it looks bad, far from it in fact: I'm just really bad at request-fulfillment type games XD

I picked a really good time to pick up the whole series on Switch huh XD

I definitely want to play the original Heist before deciding whether or not this is for me but it's looking a fantastic iteration of the first regardless. A fantastic closer to a very fun presentation, I gotta say.

For as much reverence as WayForward (rightly) gets, their 3D games are usually a coinflip in terms of how quality they'll be and, at least for right now, I'm not really feeling it with YARS. Don't get me wrong: it looks like a perfectly fine gateway game into search-action games and them partnering up with Atari has me immensely intrigued. But other than that? Yeah it really does just look like a cartoony, simplified version of Metroid Dread and not much else. Would love to be proven wrong though 👍

Hadn't heard of this one prior to today myself but holy hell I am IMMEDIATELY enraptured with the premise/execution. It comes out right when I get my holidays too so yeah: extremely tempted to pick this one up as soon as I can!

Probably my game of the show honestly. I'm a massive fan of platformers focused on V I B E S and Europa looks to be capturing that feeling in such an immensely zen way. Love what I've seen so far and I'll definitely be giving that eShop demo a shake sooner rather than later!

well it's not exactly like they'd have much to show there XD

I'm always a fan of Nintendo's Gamescom presence personally (no matter how small it may be at times) so this is definitely a bit of a bummer, though given how there are literally only three 1st-Party releases currently on the horizon for 2024 (all of which being out in less than 2 months at that), I can't say I'm surprised. Those rumours getting out about the Switch 2 being showcased behind closed doors at last year's event may have also sweetened the decision to not come back this year XD

I'll be dragged away kicking and screaming before I buy an all-digital system; sure they're cheaper (though not by much I might add), but the mere existence of physical games is a vital part of the gaming landscape both in terms of giving you more options for getting a game as well as being great from a future preservation aspect.

Oh and while I'm here, I'll definitely be trying my hand at one of those Nintendo haikus. Granted I'll probably be terrible at it since I've never written one before in my life but hey there's a first time for everything I suppose XD

While this is the first week in a long while where I haven't really got anything in particular planned, I've got a couple things in mind which I'll probably be giving a shake.

• Slay the Spire: With the recent announcement of its sequel, I've gotten a big urge to return to the Spire once again. Already beaten the game with Defect so now I'm going to try and do the same with the other 3 characters! (I might also tackle another roguelike spire in Splatoon 3 but we'll wait and see on that one 😛)
• Mega Man 10: While I did beat MM10 about a week ago, I've yet to tackle its Bass Mode DLC so I'll hopefully be doing that today. I have pretty mixed feelings on 10 overall so I'm hoping that Bass will add a much appreciated level of memorability to it.
• F-Zero Maximum Velocity: Got the first two cups out of the way already so I'll hopefully be tackling the third in my free-time.

I probably won't be playing too much given how much work I have to do but it should be a fun weekend nonetheless 😁

@Con89 I can think of a couple examples myself.

Been quite fond of Umbraclaw from the moment the first gameplay trailer of it dropped so I'll definitely be giving this a download to see what it's all about!

@Mz3player Based on what I've seen on Twitter, multitap doesn't seem to be possible on NSO unfortunately. It does make me wonder if four players could be feasible via NSO's built-in online play though 🤔

@StarryCiel I really want to get around to playing Marvelous at some point myself as it not only looks like a super charming spin on a Zelda-styled adventure game, but is also, as you said, the directorial debut of one of the most legendary figures at Nintendo, making it insanely memorable from a historical standpoint as well. Maybe I'll find a fan-translation of it down the line, who knows 😛

While this certainly isn't the most stunning lineup ever, it really does reinforce just how awesome it is that Nintendo is finally willing to provide previously Japan-only titles overseas for the very first time; Joy Mech Fight, Kirby's Super Star Stacker and now Wrecking Crew '98 are all games that would've been impossible to get outside of Japan during the Wii/Wii U VC days and I find that insanely cool personally 🥰

As for the games themselves then, Amazing Hebereke looks absolutely hilarious (in a good way), Super R-Type is definitely the NSO game of all-time and Wrecking Crew '98 is a brilliant surprise (especially so for me as I had no clue it even existed prior to this announcement XD). Definitely checking these out as soon as possible!

The funny thing for me is that I actually found 2023 to be a pretty dull year personally in terms of the new releases; with the exception of certain games like Hi-Fi Rush, Kirby's Return to Dreamland DX and Ghost Trick HD, not much really grabbed my attention. 2024 meanwhile has felt almost specifically catered to my exact gaming tastes: Ace Attorney, Another Code, DecaPolice, Plucky Squire and Paper Mario are all games I want to grab/have already grabbed before year's end which feels absurd given how frugal I tend to be with new releases.

As for my own backlog, it's kind of like a hydra: knock one game out of it and suddenly two more take its place XD

I've made really good tracks in a number of series though, such as Classic Mega Man (4), Metroid (3) and Castlevania (3) with plenty more to follow later in the year (I'M COMING FOR YOU RONDO OF BLOOD) so it's going pretty well all things considered.

if Slay the Spire was so good why didn't they just do a Slay the Spire 2- HOLY S****

I played StS for the first time last year when it had it's NSO Game Trial period and to say it quickly shot up to being one of my favourite games of all-time is an understatement. If Dead Cells was my gateway into roguelikes as a genre, Slay the Spire was what made me obsessed with them. Absolutely over-the-moon about this and can't wait for it's eventual release!

One criticism I do have though? I've noticed a disheartening lack of The Defect from the footage so far. #JusticeForMyBoy #WhereIsHeMegaCrit

Another very good month in terms of smaller-scale eShop releases; I've had my eye on Death Trick ever since it got shown off at that Indie World from a while back, Berserk Boy looks like the perfect game to grab once I'm done with my current Mega Man marathon and Pepper Grinder have been on my wishlist for AGES. Really hoping to get PG especially before the year's end (preferably after making my way through Drill Dozer beforehand XD).

I mean Everybody 1-2 Switch was also a flashmob game if you know what I mean

It's hard to pick just one for a topic like this, but I'd personally love to see one for Rogue that explores not only how groundbreaking it was from a technical standpoint relative to the time it released, but how important/influential it's been in forming one of the most popular modern subgenres of games in roguelikes/lites 😁

I've been sick for the majority of this week (on the mend now though so don't worry 😷) so I don't have too much planned for this weekend myself. I'll definitely be continuing my way through the ranks of F-Zero: Maximum Velocity (just took care of the Pawn and Knight Leagues and it truly is the F-Zero of all time XD) along with tackling more puzzles in Picross S but other than that? Yeah I'll probably be spending most of my time catching up on Batman: The Animated Series if I'm honest 😅

and I thought the amount Embracer was selling their studios for was low, holy hell 😳

This is probably one of the more bizarre sales the industry's had this past while, though if it allows Headup to keep publishing quality titles like Pumpkin Jack (which I really need to get around to playing myself funnily enough) then it seems like a net-positive overall.

Just got around to playing Maximum Velocity for about half an hour there and yep: it is certainly the F-Zero game of all time.

I don't think it's bad mind you and it absolutely gets major brownie points from me for being the first portable F-Zero....but yeah, it's definitely nowhere near as refined as it's console counterparts as a result; iffy controls, pretty bland visually and god save your soul if you try to take a sharp turn at high speeds (tldr: it's not pretty). Overall, it's definitely in the same kind of ball-park as MK Super Circuit to me: a fun novelty though not one I can see myself returning to in the same way as the main console titles.

Anyone who knows me will be well-aware of how massive a sucker I am for mystery games from the DS era specifically so I'd be incredibly down for trying out the series via this collection. Gonna wait for reviews to see how the series translates to button-based controls (it is called 'TOUCH Detective' for a reason XD) but if it ends up being good? It'll be an instant purchase for me!

@martynstuff ILCA is a particularly fascinating example of the 'one bad apple poisons the broth' mentality as pretty much everything they've worked on besides BDSP has been received relatively favourably: One Piece Odyssey went down pretty well with both critics and fans from what I've heard and they've been a big support studio for a ton of massive titles this past while such as Dragon Quest XI, Nier Automata/Replicant and Ace Combat 7.

I'd say potential harassment plays a very big role in this kind of decision myself. Just look at Pokemon for instance (a series Nintendo is intimately involved with): Game Freak has gotten tons of verbal abuse online on a near consistent basis since 2019 which somehow got even worse when ILCA took on BDSP. While I doubt companies like ArtePiazza or Good-Feel would have nearly as much vitriol hurled at them for their work, Ninty probably wants to avoid any and all pre-release trolling nonetheless so that the devs can focus on....well, development.

BLOODY FINALLY

I've been pretty interested in trying out Maximum Velocity ever since it was announced to be coming in the February Direct of last year as a massive F-Zero nut and it coming out three days before I go on a holiday is pretty brilliant timing I gotta say. Excited to finally give it a go!

Also I believe every game from the initial GBA NSO roadmap from last year has been added at this point correct? Maybe we'll get another roadmap of more games at this rumoured April Direct (Wario Land 4 anyone?)

@Daniel36 I think if I were to pick up New Horizons, I might just leave it in the backlog until Spring of next year honestly; I'll be finished up with school for a good bit at that point and I've always liked the idea of starting an Animal Crossing game in the first few months of the year

Not too much grabbing me here at the moment but I'm definitely tempted to finally take the plunge on ACNH after skipping over it for the past four or so years (good lord has it really been THAT long since release??? XD).

Looks like Team Keyboard was an (octave) leap above the rest 😎

GG's everyone! This Fest was genuinely a ton of of fun for me (I have seen the light on Octobrush XD) and I can't wait for SpringFest to finally roll around now in about a month's time!

@CRB1984 I like tackling about one-to-two Picross games a year myself; absolutely adore the puzzle structure they have but they're very easy to get burnt out on if you play too much of them in a short period of time XD

Is the Switch version of the OG Dragon's Dogma a good way to experience the game for the first time? I've been wanting to try out the series for the longest time and seeing DD consistently go on sale for around €5 has me extremely tempted XD

Finally started my Easter holidays so given how I'll have marginally more free-time for gaming, I've got a couple things planned XD

• Zelda Oracle of Seasons: Finally found the time to start this up after playing Ages last year when it initially released on NSO and I'm having a great time so far. While changing the seasons doesn't feel quite as impactful as OoA's time-travel, OoS feels a lot more snappy in terms of it's overall pacing and moment-to-moment gameplay which, when OoA's main problem is how much the pacing drags at points, is very nice. Currently about to head into the 4th Dungeon and can't wait to see how things carry on from here!
• Splatoon 3: Haven't been on Splatoon too much lately but you KNOW I gotta represent Team Keyboard in the Splatfest this weekend: the pianist in me would not allow anything to the contrary XD
• Picross S: Got about 50-ish puzzles left to go between both Normal and Mega Picross before S1 is 100%-ed so I'm definitely going to make tracks on that as well.

Overall a pretty solid weekend mainly dominated by Zelda and the Splatfest

Sounds pretty much exactly like what I expected after playing the demo honestly: really nice, though probably not my kind of thing (especially given how many 2024 games I've already got planned for this year). Great to see Good-Feel put out two bangers in quick succession between Mameda no Bakeru (localised version when) and now this!

@Melee_Ace Not yet but I did pick up the FF1-6 Pixel Remaster Collection digitally in a recent sale so I'll definitely be tackling it at some point next year! 😁

also yeah, I can't WAIT to eventually make my way through the X and especially Zero/ZX series; been playing all the Classic games for the past year or so and X/Zero/ZX look like they're gonna be a fantastic time 😊

I love the Switch for many reasons but one of the biggest has got to be the sheer quantity and quality of retro collections released for it. No joke: I've gotten TWENTY ONE different collections since I first got my Switch back in 2018 (with probably dozens more to follow as well like the rest of the Mega Man ones, Castlevania Advance, Karateka/Llamasoft, etc.). The Switch was the first console I was really able to broaden my horizons with in terms of the games I played and having all of these ace collections available for (usually) great prices/QOL is genuinely a dream come true for someone like me 🥰

Started Vampire Survivors for the very first time last night thanks to it being the current NSO Game Trial and I'm already in love; fantastic music, a highly engaging gameplay loop and one of the most unique games I think I've ever played. Already put roughly 3 hours into it and am about to tackle the Dairy Factory later on, what a great game man 😊

Other than that then, I'll probably just be finishing off my Proto Man playthrough of Mega Man 9 (he's a blast to play as but god taking double damage in a game as difficult as MM9 is BRUTAL XD) alongside a little bit of Picross S as a way to unwind.

I'm probably going to be picking my copy up about a month after release so I most likely won't be biting on any of these, though a paper plane is an immensely creative idea for a bonus XD

also having stickers as a pre-order bonus for a Paper Mario game is an....interesting decision to say the least.

I'm tempted to give this a go to finally see what all the hubbub is with Vampire Survivors....but at the same time I'm terrified as to what will happen to my productivity should it be as addictive as everyone says it is XD

If it doesn't have a shooter/farm sim hybrid set in space with live-service elements THEN I DON'T WANT IT 😤

Almost assuredly won't be able to watch this live as it's smack-dab in the middle of exam season but it'll definitely be interesting to see what they have in store for this year as the last one was....alright.

@Vortexeo Yeah Monster Hunter Stories is definitely one I've had my eye on for a good while, even before the original game got announced for modern platforms. While I don't usually like to start a series with a spinoff, Stories appeals to the Pokemon superfan in me in a ton of ways and given how much I actually love MH's monster design, I'll gladly take it as a way to get acquainted with the roster in a stress-free environment XD

For being such a self-admitted Capcom fanboy, I've never really been able to crack Monster Hunter personally. I vividly remember spending hours in MH Rise's demo back when it initially released but could just never vibe with how the gameplay felt for one reason or another. Are there any MH games that'd be good for someone like me who's quite foreign to the series? I've heard people talk very highly of the 3DS entries and MH Stories has been on my radar for a very long time but other than that, I have pretty much no idea what's good or bad XD