Grumblevolcano

I think the announcement tomorrow will just be for PS5/PC/Series X|S. Considering how silent things have been post-April 2nd for Switch 2 game announcements, it feels like Nintendo has 3rd parties under embargo so if it was to come to Switch 2 it would be announced in a Direct instead.

Would've much preferred the other rumour to be true where Switch got a load of pre-PS4 games to be honest but 3rd parties focusing all in on the new stuff always seemed the more likely rumour.

Focused again on XCX but also having a look at the upgrades in the Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered patch. I may choose to replay Last Revelation and Chronicles again over the summer aiming for an all secrets playthrough while waiting for Patapon 1+2 and Soul Reaver 1+2 to come out (both release on July 11th).

With how many 3rd parties are choosing to go with Key Cards instead of proper physical versions, I don't think even a 1TB microSD Express card is anywhere near enough storage.

@GrailUK You also need to register your phone number with Nintendo if you want to use GameChat.

I think the Direct was disappointing, 4/10. It was pretty much a recap of the Switch 2 Direct, Treehouse Live and the hands-on previews meanwhile game specific Directs in the past have had surprise announcements.

@GrailUK A general Direct in May could also explain why the Switch 2 Direct didn't open the floodgates for 3rd party announcements.

That sounds a bit short, Splatoon 3's Direct was 32 minutes. Maybe there's a May general Direct which has more info?

Galaxy 2 got name dropped in that video, if only Nintendo would release it for Switch.

This seems to be Sony's next stage in their plan for killing off physical games. Make the digital PS5 the same price as the disc PS5 bundle + Astro Bot so people buy the disc bundle instead. Then when the disc PS5 bundle runs out of stock, they don't restock leaving just the price hiked digital PS5.

Between this and Nintendo's "Key Card" nonsense for Switch 2, the future of physical is very grim.

Continuing on with XCX but also making room for Splatoon 3 to play SpringFest.

I went with Wii because of Twilight Princess and Wii Sports. I really miss the days when linear Zelda games existed.

I have a bad feeling that if they add paid post-launch support, it'll be microtransactions (battle pass, cosmetics store) while new additions to the world itself (e.g. tracks, areas to explore) are free.

The way Nintendo approached MK8 Deluxe DLC was all about making sure the online playerbase wasn't divided. Doesn't matter if you only have base NSO and didn't buy the DLC, you can still play all the DLC tracks online. Getting the DLC was for local play like GP, Time Trials and local vs.

But with the way World is structured, I don't know how you'd be able to charge normal paid DLC without splitting the online playerbase. Which makes me think either post-launch support is free or the monetization method is microtransactions.

@FishyS Sounds like Metroid Prime 2+3 to me, Prime 2 was absent from the GCN NSO list and people need time to prepare for Prime 4.

The Wii U version is much better and I'd love to see it brought over to Switch but I think GCN NSO deconfirms it coming to Switch/Switch 2, same with Twilight Princess.

Undecided on Switch 2 in general because of the pricing mess but will be definitely picking up the Switch 1 versions of Prime 4 and Legends Z-A.

Continuing with XCX, currently doing a bunch of side quests before starting chapter 7.

This makes it sound like the Switch 2 physical version is a Switch 1 cart and a download code for the upgrade pack. Either way, I'm getting the Switch 1 version.

Some of the images aren't of the games being titled:

• Civ 7 is followed by a Fortnite image
• Silksong is followed by a Civ 7 image
• Fortnite is followed by a Silksong image

It was an ok Direct. Some really cool stuff like Yoshi's Woolly World for Switch 1 (the boxart was shown in the Switch 1 section in between LM3 and Link's Awakening), Mario Kart World, FFVII Remake, DK, Kirby Air Ride, Hyrule Warriors. But it clashes with some very disappointing stuff like the prices, how Nintendo Switch 2 Editions are handled, the C button functionality and GCN NSO being chosen over remastering GCN games.

Good to see that those that were unable to go to the hands on events don't miss out.

XCX is sold out at multiple retailers. Next Amazon stock is on April 7th, out of stock at most Smyths stores, out of stock at HMV, etc.

More details about the console (e.g. release date, price, how backwards compatibility is handled, how NSO is handled, UI, mouse mode, what the C button is for) and the announcement of the remaining 1st party games releasing in 2025.

That seems reasonable considering what the Switch 1 Direct showed. I have no expectations on the 3rd party side of things.

Perhaps this is one of the retailers that broke the street date on Switch 1 games like Walmart or Amazon so Nintendo's punishing them by giving a smaller Switch 2 allocation?

More XCX, I'm spending a lot of time doing various side quests before moving onto story chapter 6. The game is a lot of fun.

@GamingFan4Lyf According to Push Square, the Japan launch week sales for XCX on Wii U was 85,586.

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2015/05/japanese_sales_charts_ps4_is_finally_knocked_from_top_spot

Do note that the game released on a Wednesday for Wii U meanwhile the Switch version was a Thursday so it's not a perfect comparison.

Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece, it's a cloud version on Switch so it would be nice to have a native Switch 2 version. In general though, I think remastering Switch games for Switch 2 is a waste. Releasing games for Switch and Switch 2 at the same time (like the already announced Rhythm Heaven and Tomodachi Life) however is perfectly fine.

I'm very much expecting Switch 2 to be the same next week. Preorders sold out in minutes after the Direct and scalpers listing the console for like $1000.

I'd give it a 6. It was really nice seeing more Prime 4 and Legends Z-A with some of the other announcements also interesting but definitely a weaker Direct.

What this does confirm though is that the Switch 2 Direct is going to be packed with software and it's releasing sooner rather than later.

@PikaPhantom The system is backwards compatible, you can use Switch 1 games to showcase Switch 2 features. Like you could use Prime 4 to show off mouse mode and some already released 1st party open world Switch 1 games to show off what Switch 2 does to existing Switch 1 games. Games announced for the first time in the Switch 1 Direct could appear in the experience events too.

I think we're going to see a situation where this Direct's timing is such that it's complementary to the Switch 2 Direct. The Switch 1 general Direct is all about games so that the Switch 2 Direct is all about hardware.

This is really exciting, the more remasters/remakes that have to be released on Switch 1 the better because it reduces the chance of nonsensical remasters/remakes like BotW.

It's a shame that rumours are being prioritized over official Nintendo news. Nintendo announced Splatoon 3 SpringFest on Friday (theme, timing and redeemable ingame gear) but there's still no article.

I did think a Switch 1 general Direct prior to the Switch 2 Direct made sense but for like February/early March.

This is too close to the Switch 2 Direct so unless the Switch 2 Direct has no games (e.g. just a 15-20 minute hardware presentation), it doesn't make sense to have a Switch 1 Direct so close to the Switch 2 Direct.

XCX, I'm enjoying it so far. The game seems to be structured in such a way that despite being open world, I'm not feeling the burnout I felt early on in BotW.

Were these games compatible with the SNES mouse?

Hopefully Peggle gets brought back as a collection (Peggle and Peggle 2 with Peggle Nights being part of the first game like the PS3/360 versions) like the MySims one.

Really excited to play when my physical copy arrives on Thursday.

If GCN NSO is happening as a result of the FCC listing, that gives me the impression Nintendo's going to go the PS5 route with Switch 2. GCN, DS, Wii, 3DS going to NSO meanwhile they remaster Switch 1 games.

As a result Prime 4 would be:

• $60 Switch 1 version
• $70 Switch 2 version
• Can upgrade Switch 1 version to Switch 2 for $10

I finished Angel of Darkness on Monday so I've just been randomly picking games in the lead up to XCX next week. The options I'm thinking about at the moment are returning to MK8 Deluxe, starting The Plucky Squire or replaying Tomb Raider 2's Golden Mask expansion to try and get all secrets to unlock a level I've never played before.

I hope the PS5 Astro Bot bundle (PS5 console + 2024 Astro Bot game) for $399 (digital console)/$449 (disc console) keeps Switch 2 pricing in check.

Finished Tomb Raider Chronicles earlier on in the week so now I'm on to Angel of Darkness. I am completing the games faster than I thought I would (expected Last Revelation + Chronicles to last until March 20th (XCX) and then Angel of Darkness lasting from like late April to mid May) so I'll need to decide on a different game to play after XCX as at the current rate I'll likely finish Angel of Darkness before March 20th.

I think the new generation entries will forever stick to the old battle style because of the competitive scene but I could see the new gameplay style appear in future Legends entries or spinoffs.

I think considering they decided to bring XCX to Switch that the next Xenoblade is XCX2 rather than XC4 similar to how XC1 was remastered to prepare people for XC3.

@splinters How I understood the vouchers news was that the current vouchers can only be used for games that get a Switch version. So like Prime 4 and Legends Z-A would be eligible however if the new Mario Kart is Switch 2 only you wouldn't be able to use a voucher for that Mario Kart game.

Gold points is what's being discontinued in March.

Summer event season is still a very big thing despite E3 being dead so I think Nintendo will split their Switch 2 pre-launch news between the April 2nd Switch 2 Direct and a general Direct in the usual mid/late June slot.

Perhaps for April it's like:

• 10 - 15 minutes talking about hardware
• 10 - 15 minutes talking about Switch 1 games including games that come prior to Switch 2's launch (driving home the big point that Switch 2 is backwards compatible with Switch 1 software)
• 15 - 20 minutes talking about Switch 2 only games with a focus on 3rd party games (the 1st party games being Mario Kart, 3D Mario and maybe 1 other game)

That should be enough news to allow the Switch 2 Experience events to be exciting. As for release timing, I think a September launch so they can have a very strong Fall/Holiday season of 3D Mario, Mario Kart and Legends Z-A.

XCX and Tetris Forever. Will be very interesting to see how Nintendo approaches this month on the announcements side of things.

Continuing with Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered, completed The Last Revelation earlier in the week and now onto Chronicles.

It was a good Pokemon Presents because of Legends Z-A and what that means for a number of things. The gameplay of Legends Z-A looks fun and the late 2025 release (likely normal November slot) gives the impression it'll be more polished.

Also, we're in the situation where the Switch lineup is very barren after XCX in March so surely Nintendo has Switch 1 games to announce prior to the April Switch 2 Direct.

I worry that Nintendo will pull a Sony and remaster Switch 1 games to fill in the gaps between new Switch 2 games. So like BotW Remastered, TotK Remastered, Pikmin 4 Remastered, XC3 Remastered, Mario Odyssey Remastered, Fire Emblem Three Houses Remastered, etc.