JohnnyC

After chipping away at it for 11 years (off and on) I've finally completed Transformers: Devastation with all characters and all collectibles. Good game, and one I've enjoyed returning to between other things. Elsewhere, continuing with Xenoblade Chronicles X.

Lightning in a bottle with this one. The start of world 2, the ending theme, and the shooting levels are some of Nintendo's all-time best soundtracks. I'd love to hear the same tunes given a full orchestra, ala some of the upgraded tracks we saw on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

I picked up the Mario Galaxy bundle last week to go under the tree. That and Echoes of Wisdom will be my last Switch 1 games before I go Switch 2 in the spring.

SF6 is a magnificent game (my most-played on the PS5 this year, according to the recent annual review), but the prices for additional costumes are obscene compared to SF4 and SF5. I've only got the ones you can unlock through in-game progression, and am leaving the others until some sort of reasonably-priced bundle is made available. Same with this and any other micro transaction shenanigans.

I haven't played them all, but Metroid Dread was one of my favourite games of the whole Switch generation. The weekend after I bought it, I came down with COVID so unusually (for me) I was able to blast through a good chunk of it in one sitting.

I'll get it in the new year when I get a Switch 2.

I usually go with the ones I grew up with (Europe) but NA gets a tip of the hat from me.

I was on Mario Kart 7 at the weekend when the other options were unavailable to me. Still good.

Chipping away at Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Switch. Started playing a month ago, enjoying it. I've been doing that alongside Horizon Zero Dawn and Street Fighter 6 on the PS5, but I've beaten Horizon and nearly got the platinum on Street Fighter (3 more tournament wins), so hoping to give Xenoblade the more singular attention it needs.

On holiday with the family, so I've packed the usual family games: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Party Superstars, Super Mario Party, and Super Mario Party Jamboree.

Somehow, Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition fell into the luggage as well. I was as surprised as anyone else. 🙄

I'll get it, but this isn't a day-1 must-buy when I've still got Super Mario 3D All-Stars for Switch and Super Mario Galaxy 2 on my still-working Wii U.

@thenikdavies Makes sense, although my understanding based on the recent abominable efforts is that the rights to the films and games no longer sit with WB. It's a shame, as WB made some great games with the LOTR licence.

Not gonna happen at this point, but I still wish Lego The Hobbit would get finished.

For the first time in my life, I got a FIFA (EA Sports FC - I'm calling it FIFA between now and death-day) on release day, so that'll be getting some attention. I opted for the PS5 version, as I tend to prefer the version a game is primarily built for when getting a multi-format release. I only tend to get the Switch version of a game when that has some additional content, ala Rayman Legends, Starlink etc, but those cases are few and far between.

Otherwise, Xenoblade Chronicles X and Horizon Zero Dawn.

My preference for a Ganondorf-focused OoT diorama would be either the scene from early on where Ganondorf is on a horse at the drawbridge of Hyrule Castle Town, fleeing with Zelda. That or the boss battle of the Forest Temple. But I think it'll likely be Beast Ganon at the end of the game, with some flames and random pillars and a Link figure.

Ordered myself a holiday game, as I've got a week off coming up. Went with Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. I had the Wii U version, but I've been trying to future-proof my collection and get enhanced/remastered versions of the games I want to keep. Plus I never finished it first time round, so this feels like a good opportunity to remedy that.

@jay2 Manuals would be incredibly useful. Those things used to be integral to the experience and included backstory, character profiles as well as controls and moves.

Yes, you can look it up on your phone but having it all in one place would be preferable.

Got the PS5 version. Excellent game, and I really hope they complete the trilogy this generation.

Had an extended session on Rayman Legends last night. Got all the teensies a while ago, but some friends were over who had been using the game to introduce their young kids to gaming, so we all took turns playing that. Good times! Otherwise, a bit more on Horizon Zero Dawn on the PS5.

Probably the only Switch game I'll be on this weekend is a Ring Fit Adventure session. Otherwise, enjoying Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Transformers Devastation and Street Fighter 6 on other platforms.

Enjoying working through my backlog playing better games than what this looks like. The control scheme just looks horrible. I hope there's an option to use traditional controls, as that might move it from a "no" to a "maybe" depending on the price and reviews.

This game reeks of soon-to-be-forgotten schedule-filler

Ultimate Chicken Horse is excellent and had loads of content added for free post-launch, and one of the most popular multiplayer titles in our house to this day. The sequel is therefore a day-1 for me.

@N00BiSH Mario Maker 3 with mouse controls would be amazing.

All over this! This will be the first day-1 game-related purchase for me in a while, and completely worth it!

@KingMike I'm not saying that the history isn't interesting, but the fact remains that these are mostly bad games running on bad hardware, with one exception which is - at best - kind of ok.

I had no interest in playing Virtual boy games before reading this list.

After reading it, nothing has changed.

If the only game it has that's worth playing is a knock-off of the decent GB Wario Land series, I'll just play those and save myself the headache.

Fine with going with relative unknowns. Many of the biggest franchises have done that with their leads without any issues, and if you're telling a story where the leads are young then you almost have to. Looking forward to this.

If this means we get two AAA Mario(ish) platformers in a generation instead of one, that's fine with me.

Pre-internet (or at least pre me having it) this made me want the game just based on the box art.

Team Asobi: "Hold my beer."

Still enjoying the new stuff added in Splatoon 3 a couple of weeks ago. Elsewhere, I treated myself to Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered. Very pretty and good fun. Started it on the PS4 when Sony gave it away for free and got about 20 hours in back in 2022, but got distracted and never got back into it despite meaning to. Hoping to stick with it this time.

@Chlocean One of my nephews has racked up over 6,000 hours on Fortnite on the Switch 1. I'd love to see his face if and when he plays it on pretty much any other platform.

My 2017 Switch doesn't have any scratches on the screen, and it's been shared between two adults and two kids in our household in both docked and handheld mode. Planning to treat the Switch 2 the same way when we upgrade next year.

Splatoon 3, using the new features.

Elsewhere, nearly finished Daxter, a PSP spin-off of the Jak and Daxter series. Fun game.

No patch to BotW to allow you to hold all armour items, including dlc items yet?

Splatoon 4 NEEDS a skip feature for Sheldon. Hearing him go on about his 30 new weapons?

"And that's not all..."

Yeah, no kidding!

(I know that tapping ZR speeds it up, but it still took an age)

Breath of the Wild and Street Fighter 6, on my 2017 Switch and PS5, respectively.

With you Switch 2 owners in spirit, if not in body.

Great game. Loved it first time round, got the HD remaster on the PS3, and looking forward to completing it a third time on the Switch 2.

@Suketoudara Yeah, at least they eventually caved in and released Red, Blue and Yellow on the 3DS VC.

A good batch of games, but it still baffles me that we're missing Super Mario Land 3 and Wario Land 2. Those are as close as it gets to being AAA first party games on the GB and GBC, and Nintendo have otherwise been pretty good at getting those kinds of games out on their other NSO apps.

With most Wii U re-releases on the Switch, there was usually some extra content. Mario Kart 8 kicked off well by including all the Wii U dlc. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze added a new mode, Super Mario 3D Land added a whole extra game, New Super Mario Bros U included the New Super Luigi U content etc. This is expected based on the precedent they themselves have set, as well as what their competitors do.

New games cost £40-£50 back in the early 90s, with quite a few being £60.

Since then cost of manufacture and technical quality of the games has soared, but cost per unit to the consumer is actually a lot less due to inflation. My view is that we can't keep demanding bigger and better for the same price. Realistically, I expect to be able to save £5-£10 off these prices day 1, as happens at the moment through retailers offering discounts. Otherwise I'll just wait for a sale.

The only shocking thing is that this hasn't happened a lot sooner.

Astro's Playroom on the PS5 says "hold my beer."

Best tech demo ever, bar none, and available at launch at no extra cost. Sorry Nintendo, but that was a rare instance where Sony took you to school.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered. Great game, beat it on PS3, enjoying playing through it again. Would love to see Most Wanted Remastered to complete the Criterion trilogy.

It'll look weird having Metroid Prime Remastered and Metroid Prime 4 on the shelf and on my Switch library with nothing between. If only Nintendo could provide a solution...

Good idea. This and Metroid Prime 4 were the highlights for me. That new app looks interesting as well.

Yeah, and there'll be one in February 2025 too.

Believe it when I see it, and not a moment before.

Ooh, Matron! Well I never!

Love Picross, this will be getting some serious hours from me.

I do wish they'd get Super Mario Land 3 on there. Feels like one that should have been added a while ago (no third party issues, primary IP etc).

I've compiled a list of every generation where Nintendo has not come first against other dedicated portable gaming devices, so they can learn from past mistakes in this arena. See below: