I didn't think I would like Balatro. I saw the reviews, but still didn't think it was for me. I picked it up when it got a physical release. I put more than 100 hours into it. I can't help myself. It's fantastic. I'm so grateful it came to Nintendo Switch.
I'm a little annoyed that a relatively unknown museum, in a small city with no meaningful connection to the history of video game development at all, would manage to declare itself the host of the "video game hall of fame" and everyone just... goes along with this.
No major video game developer has ever been based in Rochester. Video games were not invented in Rochester. No famous game creator is from Rochester. It's just a random museum that decided to host the hall of fame because its founder collected dolls or something.
Imagine if the Baseball Hall of Fame was in Saskatchewan, which has no professional baseball team and has nothing to do with baseball history... or if the Hollywood Walk of Fame was at a museum in Barbados. Same thing!
I realize I'm probably the only Old Man Yelling at Cloud about this topic, but I would be less irritated if the video game hall of fame was in a city worth visiting. Put it in New York City, or London, or, I don't know, San Jose or Kyoto - the two most-important cities in gaming history! Not Rochester, which I'm sure is a fine city for those who live and work there but is not a place for tourists and video game enthusiasts.
I made several purchases from Strictly Limited Games and was satisfied... until I hit the above-described delays with Steel Empire Chronicles, Eschatos, and Puzzle Bobble: Everybubble! I have already gone through the stages of grief: anger, bargaining, etc. and am now at acceptance. I don't expect to ever receive my purchases, and since I don't live in the EU, I don't really have any recourse that I know of.
I am deeply disappointed with Strictly Limited because of their ineptitude with communication. I could tolerate the two years (and counting) of delays on getting my games, but their total wall of silence about delays - and infuriating advertisements about newer games that are getting shipped - is beyond unacceptable. It sucks.
I won't buy another game from SLG, and I am mostly done with this "limited pre-order or FOMO" nonsense created by Limited Run. Most of these limited print games have been getting releases in Japan or even on Amazon after the fact, so I'll just take my chances with those. But I'm done with the boutique publishers. They've failed me too many times.
I'm a Tetris collector and very happy to have a physical option for Tetris Forever, but the price for the Collector's Edition with the handheld is a bit steep. Plus, it's just Famicom ROMs that are already available on the Nintendo Switch anyway...
Oh, wow! What a surprise and a delight. I'm glad Nintendo hasn't forgotten the excellent 3DS music. With any luck, they'll remember how great 3DS themes were too...
I used my Launch Day Nintendo Switch until last year. The primary reason I upgraded to the OLED model was the battery in my original Switch didn't really hold a charge anymore. I strongly prefer the OLED screen, but I guess I can live with an LED display on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Honestly I think this is more about Nintendo having an excuse to sell us a marginally-better and more expensive NS2 OLED in 2027 or so than about saving money on the launch model.
MiiVerse would only work if heavily moderated, as the author pointed out. Nintendo does not want to spend the resources on building and moderating its own private social network again, with perhaps 10 times more users than the original version, with no real return on that investment that I can think of.
I'm surprised the game made it to Switch at all. The lack of gyro support is disappointing, and the 30fps is what I would expect. I'm on the fence as to whether I'll go with Switch (my primary console) or PS5. I'll wait and see if it gets a physical release on either.
A lot of us will have to buy some sort of Nintendo-branded lap desk to use the mouse functionality in docked mode. Aside from that, I think this really could be the Switch 2's "killer app" in terms of unique features. I'm excited!
@Serpenterror that's what I thought. If the collection really is of the console versions, it's a hard pass for me. If it's the original arcade ROMs, easy purchase, especially for Night Strikers (which I think has never gotten an arcade-perfect console port).
I'm a big baseball fan and primarily play on my Switch, so yeah, I'll be getting it... but I really hope the game will have a Switch 2 performance enhancement patch.
For me, this was my #1 priority for the Switch 2. Seeing official confirmation that my library of purchased games will be accessible on the new console makes it an easy Day One purchase.
@PineappleLake this is my first time learning about Juiced! as well. I just watched the trailer, and your animation and art is really impressive! I am wishlisting now and will buy next time I add funds to the eShop. Keep your head up and keep making games! This is clearly not shovelware.
@Mattgelo I'm a huge fan of Atari! As I understand it, the current incarnation of Atari is just a brand name owned by a growing group of studios such as Digital Eclipse and catalogs including Intellivision and the original Atari. I don't consider them "large" like Capcom or Activision, if that makes sense.
It's really encouraging to see more indie / small publishers (is Atari small?) go the direct to retail route for physical releases, rather than relying on the "preorder or die, use it or lose it" approach of Limited Run and similar boutique publishers.
I was pretty late to the party here - I only started playing Echoes of Wisdom last month. I am a huge fan of the series, and the reviews are almost all very good, so I had sky-high expectations.
Unfortunately, it just hasn't hooked me yet, about three hours in. I've blasted through the first few dungeons, learned dozens of echoes, and I'm just not loving it like I hoped I would.
I think what's missing for me is combat. I just don't like depending on echoes of monsters to do the fighting for me. I also find it much too easy... none of the puzzles have really challenged me at all, and I'm basically flying through the game.
The inconsistent performance also bothers me, perhaps more than it should, but I wish it was just locked at 30fps rather than jumping all over the place as it does.
Finally - and I know I am in the minority for this - I do not like the art style at all. I didn't like it in the Link's Awakening remake, either, and while I adore the original game, the remake felt a bit flat to me as well.
I guess what I'm saying is I don't really like Grezzo's latest efforts in the Zelda series, which is a shame because they absolutely crushed it with the Ocarina / Majora 3DS remakes.
@Liam_Doolan lots of scuttle on Twitter and Reddit not only about this trailer being AI-generated (a number of VFX artists have claimed that it absolutely is, and they're pointing out why they believe so), there is growing evidence that this "game" is an NFT / crypto scheme of some sort. I'd love to see what the NL team can find out. I think this is ultimately vaporware but we'll see.
I'm thrilled and delighted to see Tetris DX added! I was already excited for NES Tetris, but this makes it even better. (Yeah, I have both games in their original cartridge forms, but it's just so much more convenient on Nintendo Switch)
I bought and played Toree's Panic Pack after a glowing review on this website. It didn't click with me, but the quality is obvious and the price is unbeatable. I hope Toree Saturn turns out to be everything the developer hopes to accomplish.
I'm happy we're getting DKL3 in North America, but annoyed that Nintendo didn't provide the GBC colorized ROM. Apparently it would have been too much effort to change the title screen to English. Sheesh!
I'm now convinced that Nintendo has created some sort of automated game submission system for the eShop that has no human QC whatsoever. Get your game approved by the ratings boards and they'll let you sell it. Just get approved as a developer by... sending them money and a note from your mom that says "My child is very good at making the videogame," I guess? And then you upload anything that you build in the Switch SDK.
This is one of the biggest video game companies in the world and they won't bother to hire a single person to review the games submitted for sale. It's almost as bad as the App Store and Play Store.
Hopefully, Witch Beam is aware and can do something about it. Apparently their game was published by the now-defunct Humble Games, which does not make things any easier for them.
I don't want Nintendo to get cute with forced gimmicks at all. I just want a more-powerful Nintendo Switch that can run PS4 and lower-spec PS5 games, with decent battery life, and Hall effect joysticks on the Joy-Con. That's it.
When we look at the "fringe" stuff that Nintendo dreamed up for Switch, a lot of it was abandoned pretty quickly. Very few games use the Joy-Con in ways envisioned by ARMS. I think no more than five games used the infrared sensor on the right Joy-Con. HD Rumble is awesome, but most developers didn't do much with it, and PS5 haptic feedback is much better (but also ignored by pretty much every developer except Team Asobi and Guerrilla).
Stick with what works, and don't increase the cost of the console with junk that most developers won't even use and gamers don't want.
Also, please give it a good name. Switch 2 is fine. Please do not call it New Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch U or Nintendo Beepo or some other nonsense
I generally believe "Game of the Year" should be awarded to the best entirely-new game, but things have blurred so much it's hard to make that a strict and fair rule. Ultimately, if the voters say an existing game's DLC was better than any all-new production released in the last year, then I guess that's as much an indictment of the year's releases as it is an acknowledgement of that expansion's quality.
At any rate, Astro Bot is my personal GotY, but I didn't play many 2024 releases this year besides that and Balatro.
I adored Image & Form before it became Thunderful and got too big for its own good. I hope they can return to their roots and focus on producing great games.
I will still be primarily using my private collection of ripped Nintendo tracks which I uploaded to YouTube music, since it automatically plays in my car when my phone is plugged in. I'll probably use the Nintendo Music app only when I'm doing chores or whatever and just want to listen to music on my phone.
My preference would have been for Nintendo to provide its music on YouTube and Spotify and whatnot, but I guess I'll take what I can get.
sigh * For the FOURTH time: "I've already put hundreds and hundreds of hours into Vampire Survivors. It's time to take a break for a while. Surely they won't release new DLC anytime soon."
I can't quit VS, no matter how hard I try... it's so dang good
Comments 1,376
Re: Vampire Survivors Teases New Free Update, "Probably" The Biggest One Ever
I. Literally. JUST. Finished. 100-percenting the game. AGAIN. With all the new Castlevania DLC. I have 500 hours in this game. I thought I was done.
I THOUGHT I WAS DONE
Re: Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced Announced For Switch
@TCKuma same, same, same. Sigh
Re: "I Felt Totally Overwhelmed" - Balatro Dev Releases Development Timeline
I didn't think I would like Balatro. I saw the reviews, but still didn't think it was for me. I picked it up when it got a physical release. I put more than 100 hours into it. I can't help myself. It's fantastic. I'm so grateful it came to Nintendo Switch.
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl - Duel: Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship Of Doom (NES)
I really like both covers! I went with North America for nostalgia's sake.
Re: Rare's Original N64 Shooter Could Be Inducted Into The 2025 World Video Game Hall Of Fame
I'm a little annoyed that a relatively unknown museum, in a small city with no meaningful connection to the history of video game development at all, would manage to declare itself the host of the "video game hall of fame" and everyone just... goes along with this.
No major video game developer has ever been based in Rochester. Video games were not invented in Rochester. No famous game creator is from Rochester. It's just a random museum that decided to host the hall of fame because its founder collected dolls or something.
Imagine if the Baseball Hall of Fame was in Saskatchewan, which has no professional baseball team and has nothing to do with baseball history... or if the Hollywood Walk of Fame was at a museum in Barbados. Same thing!
I realize I'm probably the only Old Man Yelling at Cloud about this topic, but I would be less irritated if the video game hall of fame was in a city worth visiting. Put it in New York City, or London, or, I don't know, San Jose or Kyoto - the two most-important cities in gaming history! Not Rochester, which I'm sure is a fine city for those who live and work there but is not a place for tourists and video game enthusiasts.
Re: Final Minecraft Movie Trailer Still Hasn't Convinced Us On The Big-Screen Adaptation
I couldn't be less interested, but if it makes Minecraft fans happy, great! I hope they enjoy it.
Re: Feature: Strictly Limited Responds To Switch Delays And Discontent, And Details An Ambitious Target
I made several purchases from Strictly Limited Games and was satisfied... until I hit the above-described delays with Steel Empire Chronicles, Eschatos, and Puzzle Bobble: Everybubble! I have already gone through the stages of grief: anger, bargaining, etc. and am now at acceptance. I don't expect to ever receive my purchases, and since I don't live in the EU, I don't really have any recourse that I know of.
I am deeply disappointed with Strictly Limited because of their ineptitude with communication. I could tolerate the two years (and counting) of delays on getting my games, but their total wall of silence about delays - and infuriating advertisements about newer games that are getting shipped - is beyond unacceptable. It sucks.
I won't buy another game from SLG, and I am mostly done with this "limited pre-order or FOMO" nonsense created by Limited Run. Most of these limited print games have been getting releases in Japan or even on Amazon after the fact, so I'll just take my chances with those. But I'm done with the boutique publishers. They've failed me too many times.
Re: This Absurd Action-Horror From Swery65 And Suda51 Needs To Come To Switch
This looks FANTASTIC. I really hope to see it on Nintendo Switch 2!
Re: Random: Zelda Fan-Project Turns 'Breath Of The Wild' Into Stunning Anime Opening
I can't believe a group of second-graders drew this
/j
Re: Tetris Forever Is Getting Its Own Collectable Handheld Console
I'm a Tetris collector and very happy to have a physical option for Tetris Forever, but the price for the Collector's Edition with the handheld is a bit steep. Plus, it's just Famicom ROMs that are already available on the Nintendo Switch anyway...
Re: Nintendo Music's Latest Update Adds 3DS 'SteetPass Mii Plaza' Soundtrack
Oh, wow! What a surprise and a delight. I'm glad Nintendo hasn't forgotten the excellent 3DS music. With any luck, they'll remember how great 3DS themes were too...
Re: Talking Point: Why An LCD Screen Isn't The End Of The World For Switch 2
I used my Launch Day Nintendo Switch until last year. The primary reason I upgraded to the OLED model was the battery in my original Switch didn't really hold a charge anymore. I strongly prefer the OLED screen, but I guess I can live with an LED display on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Honestly I think this is more about Nintendo having an excuse to sell us a marginally-better and more expensive NS2 OLED in 2027 or so than about saving money on the launch model.
Re: Opinion: Miiverse Was Fine, But Does Anybody Really Want It Back In 2025?
MiiVerse would only work if heavily moderated, as the author pointed out. Nintendo does not want to spend the resources on building and moderating its own private social network again, with perhaps 10 times more users than the original version, with no real return on that investment that I can think of.
Re: Review: Turbo Overkill (Switch) - Ridiculous, Relentless Boomer Shooter Gets A Solid Port
I'm surprised the game made it to Switch at all. The lack of gyro support is disappointing, and the 30fps is what I would expect. I'm on the fence as to whether I'll go with Switch (my primary console) or PS5. I'll wait and see if it gets a physical release on either.
Re: New Nintendo Patent Seems To Confirm Mouse Functionality For Switch 2
A lot of us will have to buy some sort of Nintendo-branded lap desk to use the mouse functionality in docked mode. Aside from that, I think this really could be the Switch 2's "killer app" in terms of unique features. I'm excited!
Re: 'Operation Night Strikers' Brings Four Action-Packed Arcade Classics To Switch This Year
@Serpenterror that's what I thought. If the collection really is of the console versions, it's a hard pass for me. If it's the original arcade ROMs, easy purchase, especially for Night Strikers (which I think has never gotten an arcade-perfect console port).
Re: PlayStation Is Bringing MLB The Show 25 To Nintendo Switch This March
I'm a big baseball fan and primarily play on my Switch, so yeah, I'll be getting it... but I really hope the game will have a Switch 2 performance enhancement patch.
Re: PSA: 'Nintendo Switch 2 Experience' Invites Are Now Being Sent Out
Rejected ðŸ˜
And I was so happy one of the events was here in Dallas, where I live...
Re: Rare Konami GBA Gem 'Ninja Five-O' Gets February Release Date
I also received my Limited Run copy last week. Sounds like it needs a patch already. Boo!
@AlanaHagues as others noted, the original GBA release was 2003, not 2013
Re: Nintendo: Switch 2's Backwards Compatibility Feature Is The "Best Direction" For Consumers
For me, this was my #1 priority for the Switch 2. Seeing official confirmation that my library of purchased games will be accessible on the new console makes it an easy Day One purchase.
Re: Silksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big Announcement
This is one of the worst cases of copium I've ever seen. I genuinely feel bad for hardcore Hollow Knight fans at this point.
Re: The Switch eShop Is A Nightmare, So We've Made Our Own "Better eShop"
@PineappleLake this is my first time learning about Juiced! as well. I just watched the trailer, and your animation and art is really impressive! I am wishlisting now and will buy next time I add funds to the eShop. Keep your head up and keep making games! This is clearly not shovelware.
Re: Graveyard Keeper Physical Switch Release Surfaces Online
@Mattgelo I'm a huge fan of Atari! As I understand it, the current incarnation of Atari is just a brand name owned by a growing group of studios such as Digital Eclipse and catalogs including Intellivision and the original Atari. I don't consider them "large" like Capcom or Activision, if that makes sense.
Re: Graveyard Keeper Physical Switch Release Surfaces Online
It's really encouraging to see more indie / small publishers (is Atari small?) go the direct to retail route for physical releases, rather than relying on the "preorder or die, use it or lose it" approach of Limited Run and similar boutique publishers.
Re: Random: Zelda Echoes Of Wisdom Was Suda51's Video Game Highlight Of 2024
I was pretty late to the party here - I only started playing Echoes of Wisdom last month. I am a huge fan of the series, and the reviews are almost all very good, so I had sky-high expectations.
Unfortunately, it just hasn't hooked me yet, about three hours in. I've blasted through the first few dungeons, learned dozens of echoes, and I'm just not loving it like I hoped I would.
I think what's missing for me is combat. I just don't like depending on echoes of monsters to do the fighting for me. I also find it much too easy... none of the puzzles have really challenged me at all, and I'm basically flying through the game.
The inconsistent performance also bothers me, perhaps more than it should, but I wish it was just locked at 30fps rather than jumping all over the place as it does.
Finally - and I know I am in the minority for this - I do not like the art style at all. I didn't like it in the Link's Awakening remake, either, and while I adore the original game, the remake felt a bit flat to me as well.
I guess what I'm saying is I don't really like Grezzo's latest efforts in the Zelda series, which is a shame because they absolutely crushed it with the Ocarina / Majora 3DS remakes.
Re: Meow! New Open-World Cat Game 'Catly' Prowls Onto Switch, Release Date TBA
@Liam_Doolan lots of scuttle on Twitter and Reddit not only about this trailer being AI-generated (a number of VFX artists have claimed that it absolutely is, and they're pointing out why they believe so), there is growing evidence that this "game" is an NFT / crypto scheme of some sort. I'd love to see what the NL team can find out. I think this is ultimately vaporware but we'll see.
Re: Meow! New Cat Open-World Game 'Catly' Prowls Onto Switch, Release Date TBA
Others said this first, but yeah, my initial reaction was that the trailer looks entirely AI-generated
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's NES And Game Boy Color Library With Two More Classics
I'm thrilled and delighted to see Tetris DX added! I was already excited for NES Tetris, but this makes it even better. (Yeah, I have both games in their original cartridge forms, but it's just so much more convenient on Nintendo Switch)
Re: 'My Nintendo Rewards' Adds Two New 2025 Calendars, Available Now
Thanks for the heads-up! Getting both for sure with my seemingly inexhaustible supply of Platinum points
Re: 'Toree Saturn' Switch Release Delayed Until Early 2025
I bought and played Toree's Panic Pack after a glowing review on this website. It didn't click with me, but the quality is obvious and the price is unbeatable. I hope Toree Saturn turns out to be everything the developer hopes to accomplish.
Re: Rate Your Favourite Switch Games Of The Year 2024
Hi @dartmonkey, there were a handful of games I enjoyed this year that do not appear on the list:
Re: New Switch Anime Fighter Due Out In 2025 "Refused Classification" Down Under
Gotta be honest: when I saw the headline, I thought there was a new game coming that was called "Anime Fighter" and I was pretty excited
Re: Round Up: No One Does Switch Commercials Like Nintendo Australia
(Watching the "stages of life" ad)
(Realizes girl who was an infant when Breath of the Wild came out is now nearly 8 years old)
**turns to dust**
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Library With Another Classic
I'm happy we're getting DKL3 in North America, but annoyed that Nintendo didn't provide the GBC colorized ROM. Apparently it would have been too much effort to change the title screen to English. Sheesh!
Re: Thunderful Announces Its Second Restructuring Program In One Year
@PikaPhantom that's a real shame. I cherished the first several SteamWorld games. I wonder if we'll ever get another SteamWorld Dig game...
Re: Random: Now Pokémon Is Getting Its Own 'TCG' Rip-Off On The Switch eShop
@Dr_Lugae I think you're on to something there. Get a low-effort but inoffensive game past Nintendo's gatekeepers and you're off to the races
Re: Switch Is Getting A New Star Trek Game For Christmas
The trailer didn't do this game any favors. Why do so many budget title characters have to look like they were designed in Fortnite?
Re: Random: Now Pokémon Is Getting Its Own 'TCG' Rip-Off On The Switch eShop
I'm now convinced that Nintendo has created some sort of automated game submission system for the eShop that has no human QC whatsoever. Get your game approved by the ratings boards and they'll let you sell it. Just get approved as a developer by... sending them money and a note from your mom that says "My child is very good at making the videogame," I guess? And then you upload anything that you build in the Switch SDK.
This is one of the biggest video game companies in the world and they won't bother to hire a single person to review the games submitted for sale. It's almost as bad as the App Store and Play Store.
Re: ININ Games Acquires Shenmue 3 Publishing Rights, Teases Announcement
Do you know any sailors?
Re: No, Indie Hit 'Unpacking' Hasn't Unboxed New DLC, It's Just Another Naff eShop Clone
Hopefully, Witch Beam is aware and can do something about it. Apparently their game was published by the now-defunct Humble Games, which does not make things any easier for them.
Re: Feature: 9 Things Nintendo Could Add To Switch 2 So It's Not 'Just Another Switch'
I don't want Nintendo to get cute with forced gimmicks at all. I just want a more-powerful Nintendo Switch that can run PS4 and lower-spec PS5 games, with decent battery life, and Hall effect joysticks on the Joy-Con. That's it.
When we look at the "fringe" stuff that Nintendo dreamed up for Switch, a lot of it was abandoned pretty quickly. Very few games use the Joy-Con in ways envisioned by ARMS. I think no more than five games used the infrared sensor on the right Joy-Con. HD Rumble is awesome, but most developers didn't do much with it, and PS5 haptic feedback is much better (but also ignored by pretty much every developer except Team Asobi and Guerrilla).
Stick with what works, and don't increase the cost of the console with junk that most developers won't even use and gamers don't want.
Also, please give it a good name. Switch 2 is fine. Please do not call it New Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch U or Nintendo Beepo or some other nonsense
Re: Expansion Packs And DLC Are Now "Eligible In All Categories" At The Game Awards
I generally believe "Game of the Year" should be awarded to the best entirely-new game, but things have blurred so much it's hard to make that a strict and fair rule. Ultimately, if the voters say an existing game's DLC was better than any all-new production released in the last year, then I guess that's as much an indictment of the year's releases as it is an acknowledgement of that expansion's quality.
At any rate, Astro Bot is my personal GotY, but I didn't play many 2024 releases this year besides that and Balatro.
Re: Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP Teases A Sweet Frame Rate Update For Switch
I appreciate their efforts! I have a physical copy but haven't booted it up yet, so it's good to know it will be a bit more enjoyable.
Re: Thunderful Announces Its Second Restructuring Program In One Year
I adored Image & Form before it became Thunderful and got too big for its own good. I hope they can return to their roots and focus on producing great games.
Re: Nintendo Music Updated To Version 1.0.1, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Happy to see this. The app usually wouldn't start for me the first time I launched it, so hopefully this patch works.
Re: Nintendo Would Rather "Organically Expand The Organisation" Than Rely Solely On Acquisitions
I do wish they'd just buy Intelligent Systems and HAL Laboratory already...
Re: Mini Review: Vampire Survivors: Ode To Castlevania (Switch) - Divine DLC Is Absolutely Essential
I have more than 300 hours in this game, and the DLC so far is a real treat. I can't recommend it enough.
Re: Digital Eclipse's 'Tetris Forever' To Include 2 MS-DOS Games
I have indeed played DOS Tetris, and I am absolutely over the moon about this announcement! What a nostalgia rush.
Re: So, Will You Be Listening To The New Mobile App Nintendo Music?
I will still be primarily using my private collection of ripped Nintendo tracks which I uploaded to YouTube music, since it automatically plays in my car when my phone is plugged in. I'll probably use the Nintendo Music app only when I'm doing chores or whatever and just want to listen to music on my phone.
My preference would have been for Nintendo to provide its music on YouTube and Spotify and whatnot, but I guess I'll take what I can get.
Re: Upcoming Vampire Survivors DLC Is An Epic Ode To Castlevania
I can't quit VS, no matter how hard I try... it's so dang good