Lofoten

Do you want a Classic Mini Game Boy?
Do you want a Classic Mini Game Boy Color?
Do you want a Classic Mini Game Boy Advance (Original/SP)?

How many joycons have you owned?
How many joycons you have owned had drifting issues?
How many joycons you have owned with drifting issues were fixed?

How many times have you tasted a Switch cartridge?

@AlanaHagues

"Excellent 9/10"

If you had to give seperate scores to "new players" and "returning fans", would it still be 9/10 for both?

@darkswabber
@Eel

But the letter Delta does not have the opening like the Adobe logo? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_(letter)

For all interested in playing as Zelda I stitched together a list.

Zelda is a playable character in the following games:

Zelda: The Wand Of Gamelon (CD-i, 1993)
Developer Animation Magic
Publisher Philips Interactive Media

Zelda's Adventure (CD-i, 1996)
Developer Viridis Corporation
Publisher Philips Interactive Media

Super Smash Bros. Melee (GC JP/NA 2001, EU/AU 2002)
Developer HAL Laboratory
Publisher Nintendo

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii 2008)
Developers Sora Ltd., Game Arts
Publisher Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS, 2009)
Developer Nintendo EAD
Publisher Nintendo
(Well, as a spirit inside some big armours: Phantoms)

Super Smash Bros. 4 (3DS and Wii U 2014)
Developers Bandai Namco Studios, Sora Ltd.
Publisher Nintendo

Hyrule Warriors (Wii U 2014, HW Legends 3DS 2016, HW Ultrimate Edition Switch 2018)
Developers Omega Force, Team Ninja
Publisher Nintendo, JP: Koei Tecmo

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch 2018)
Developers Bandai Namco Studios, Sora Ltd.
Publisher Nintendo

Cadence of Hyrule (Switch 2019)
Developer Brace Yourself Games
Publisher Nintendo, JP: Spike Chunsoft

Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity (Switch, 2020)
Developer Omega Force
Publisher Nintendo, JP: Koei Tecmo

Zelda also has TWO alter egos. Spoiler alert?
Both are also playable:
Alter ego 1 in: Hyrule Warriors, SSB Melee, SSB Brawl, SSB 4 and SSB Ultimate.
Alter ego 2 in: Hyrule Warriors.

@Anti-Matter

The Nintendo Switch screen is HD though: 720p.
The Nintendo Switch 2 screen is rumoured to be Full HD: 1080p.

Now I am even more curious what Switch games Nintendo has in store for the June direct. Must be something good as they reveal this game a month before the direct, even though it's slated for a July release. Maybe it's not all remakes and remasters..

@msvt
"In fact, I'll wait a year or or or for the first revision before buying one anyway."

You might want to reconsider:

It took the Switch 4,5 years to get a true upgrade, so you will probably have to wait a lot longer than a year for a true upgrade of the Switch 2.

Even the Switch with the battery upgrade took almost 2,5 years.

Switch: March 3, 2017
Switch with 4,5-9 h battery: August 2019
Switch Lite: September 20, 2019
Switch OLED: October 8, 2021

@dartmonkey

The Japanese fiscal year start April 1 and ends March 31.
So the Switch 2 reveal can happen anytime from fall 2024 to early 2025.

Maybe they will wait to 2025 to not hurt the Christmas sale of Switch consoles and games.

The rumour mill says the Switch 2 will be released March 2024.

The original Switch was revealed October 20 2016
and released March 3 2017.
Could the Switch 2 also be revealed in October..

I wonder what Nintendo games they will show in the June Direct.
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
2-3 remakes/remasters?
A totally new game? Maybe not.. Possibly a new Mario Party.

I know of a great mech game, it's not for the Switch though:
"Kirby: Planet Robobot" from 2016 for the 3DS.
Maybe there will be an HD version for Switch or Switch 2.

I really liked Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2 on GameCube.

Bought Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania for Switch which includes both, but somehow it was not the same.

Had not played the GameCube games in years though so can’t really say how they compare. Read the controls are not exactly the same.

Keeping an eye on Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, will get it if it does well in the reviews.

@WhyYouLie
"@Lofoten no"

No?

Luigi's Mansion (1) will probably get a HD version sooner or later, but most likely later, as we are getting Luigi's Mansion 2 HD this year.

"The best time to remake a video game is when it's between 11 and 20 years old, according to data from IDG Consulting and Strategic Game Consulting."
"New study also reveals that remasters perform best when the game is under 5 years old"
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/best-time-to-remake-a-video-game-between-10-and-20-years-later

But when is the best time to remake or remaster a remake..

Luigi's Mansion 1 - Gamecube 2001
Luigi's Mansion 1 Remake - 3DS 2018

@JohnnyMind
Thanks for the translation!

The visual focus on the Japanese box is like 50% game and 50% mouse. A strange choice, I think.

@andyg1412
"New games please Nintendo! Sick of rereleases."

Nintendo’s game makers are hard at work on Switch 2 games.
Great new games are essential to make people upgrade from Switch to Switch 2.

With the current unofficial information, it seems the reveal of the Switch 2 is probably happening later this year with a release in March or so 2025.
Or could they even wait with a reveal to early 2025 to not hurt the Christmas sale..

I'm not sure we will get any new games developed or co-developed from Nintendo on the Switch.
2023 probably was the last year of new Nintendo games for the Switch, with an exceptional line up:

• Zelda tears of the kingdom
• Pikmin 4
• Super Mario Wonder

The closest we will get to a new Nintendo game for the Switch is possibly "Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition" which is new challenges based on NES games, so a new, old game of sorts.

If the information about Switch 2 being postponed from fall 2024 to Q1 2025 are correct - it looks especially unlikely for new Nintendo developed/codeveloped Switch games to turn up, as we have heard nothing about it and new games are not made and published in a few months.

But could Nintendo have a secret new Switch game up their sleeve that is not DLC, a remake or a remix? One they had planned to release for Switch close to or after the Switch 2s original release date?
I would not hold my breath for it. But if so: maybe something like Mario Party.

The North American/European one looks a lot more exciting to me.
The Japanese box art is so empty and makes the game look like a digital colouring book, or at best a painting program.
But the game is SO much more.

I do not read Japanese, but the front of the box has so little text, that I can't imagine it saying a lot about what the game has to offer.

I don’t even think the North America / European box gets everything across..
I would maybe write something like:

Super Mario Art!
Paint, animation and music!

Let the creativity grow and flow!
Make digital art with high precision with the NEW Super Nintendo Mouse and Mouse Pad!

All on your TV:

• Vibrant colours!
• Draw and paint with: Pens, paint brush and airbrush!
• Copy, rotate, flip and erase elements!
• Make Stamps!
• Use premade stamps and backgrounds!
• Colouring book!
• Make animations!
• Make music!
• Combine animations and music!
• Play the new and exciting Gnat Attack!

@WhyYouLie
"Everyday a Lugi Mansion gets made or remade that's not the first one. Maybe next console.."

Except for 2018-2019, Luigi's Mansion games or remakes does not turn up that frequently, and the first one has already been remade once:

Luigi's Mansion 1 - Gamecube 2001
Luigi's Mansion 2 - 3DS 2013
Luigi's Mansion 1 Remake - 3DS 2018
Luigi's Mansion 3 - Switch 2019
Luigi's Mansion 2 Remake - Switch 2024

Luigi's Mansion 2:
12 years after the previous installment.

Luigi's Mansion 1 Remake:
17 years after the original.

Luigi's Mansion 3:
6 years after the previous installment

Luigi's Mansion 2 Remake:
11 years after the original (Luigi's Mansion 2)
and 6 years after the previous remake in the series

Edit:
Seems Luigi's Mansion 2 HD for Switch is considered a remaster and not a remake.
It has however not only been graphically upgraded, but also been transformed from a two screen game (3DS) to a one screen game (Switch).

At the time of writing Endless Ocean Luminous has a Metacritic score of 65/100 out of 36 Critic Reviews.

10 of them gave it 75-90/100.

https://www.metacritic.com/game/endless-ocean-luminous/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch

Seems some critics actually liked this game.

What is the story behind the duck in armour?
Does it keep the Shire safe?

@batmanbud2
"There was a Wave Race on the Game Boy? Why?"

Well, the Game Boy version was the first in the series:
Wave Race (GB) 1992
Wace Race 64 (... N64) 1996
Wace Race: Blue Storm (GC) 2001
(Wii Sports Resort (Wii) 2009 with it's "Power Cruising" Jet ski mode.)

Both Wave Race 64 and Wave Race (GB) was released in Europe in 1997 though.

Maybe there will be a new instalment on Switch 2!

Game Boy Mini anyone?
With option to plug into TV.

NES Mini 2016 (Has it really been 7,5 years?)
SNES Mini 2018

Would be nice if Nintendo would make a remake collection of Mario Land 1, 2 and 3.
Could also include the orginal versions and new colored original versions.
Maybe even add Super Mario 3D land. The Mario Land Collection.

Donkey Kong 94 should also have a remake and/or colored version.

Sad to see Super Mario Land (GB) ending up in 14th place out of 25 games.

@Robokku

"Quite a bit of uneventful running"

Approximately how many percent of the game is uneventful running?

Microsoft should hire these people.

"Bread & Fred" looks cute.

What happened to Oddventure?

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/06/oddventure_is_a_new_earthbound_and_undertale-inspired_rpg_coming_to_switch_in_2022

"Great 8/10"
"Quite a bit of uneventful running"

That does not sound great..

Might pick it up in a sale though.

@KingMike

"The Video Game History Foundation did an estimate that something like 87% of all video games are currently unavailable by means beneficial to the copyright holder. I think they raised it to nearly 90% after the recent digital shop closures."

I think if someone made a list of the 1000 most pirated games I would be surprised if any or many of those are in the 87-90% you are writing about.

"The collector's market (the ones who must own literally every game for their preferred console) have pushed the prices of physical copies up that many would not play the game at all if not for ROMs, than they would pay the asking prices."

Rather few retro games cost a lot of money on the second-hand market. Often the games that cost a lot of money are not even good games, they are just rare.
I am not talking about copies of popular games that are in sealed, mint condition. These are not sold or bought to be played.
I also think there are very few people “who must own literally every game for their preferred console”.

And anyway: if an item is expensive and/or rare, it doesn't make it more legal to make illegal copies of it.

If a game is not available one can for example make a petition for the company that own the rights to re-release it or remake it.

@Bobb
"Emulating the SNES, GCN, GBA, NDS? It's a gray area but Nintendo isn't profiting from sales of any of them anyways."

How is emulating retro Nintendo games and hardware a grey area?

Nintendo Switch Online costs money and it does have several GB, GBC, NES and SNES games.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack costs money and have several GBA and N64 games.

There are many retro game collections, retro games and remakes of retro games available (from other publishers) on the Nintendo Switch Eshop and in physical editions.

If a retro game is not available in Nintendo’s Switch Online services or to buy (digital or physical) from Nintendo or other stores at the moment: How would it make it legal or a grey area to share emulated copies?

People pirating older games, apart from being illegal, can affect Nintendo, other legal shops and sellers negatively in several ways: It boils down to fewer people will buy the game or service if they already have an illegal copy of the game.
1. Nintendo might re-release the game sooner or later.
2. Nintendo might remake the game sooner or later.
3. Nintendo might release a NEW game in the series sooner or later. (And it could hurt sales that other instalments in the series are available for "free", so they could just play them instead.)
4. It does not only hurt Nintendo, but also the legal second hand market which include both shops and private persons.

I imagine the second hand market would look VERY different if there were no piracy.

Thou shalt not steal

Concerning The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom costing 70 USD.

When you think about all the people working on this game, all the workhours that went into this game, how big this game is and how many hours of fun you can get out of this game - the price is not that bad at all..

The USD per hour of fun is rather low.

Also: This game is SO BIG that Nintendo could have easily locked part of it behind DLC and sold game+DLC for a total greater than 70 USD, and nobody would have raised an eyebrow. But they didn't, they included all in the base game and charged an extra 10 USD.

@Olliemar28
"Ex-Nintendo employee Takaya Imamura, best known for his work on Star Fox and F-Zero"

AND Tingle!

@dartmonkey

Stop the press!
The good boy "Grapple Dog" is missing from the list!

Nintendo Life review: Excellent 9/10
https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/grapple-dog

Super Work Bros. confirmed!

"HOBBY
None"

"CRIMES
Abuse
Terrorism
Attempted murder"

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Janet_Cage

Hmm. She does not sound like a very nice person.

@LiquidNinja

"when you reach brinstar"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbXn94Ifvvc

If they remake Super Metroid it would be fun if they added this as an idle animation in Brinstar.

@Robokku
"For the uninitiated – and we’re not exactly experts ourselves here – a Moomin looks like a cross between a snowman and a hippo. They walk upright and talk, and appear to have the ability to cultivate crops and build quite sophisticated houses. The human-like Snufkin has seemingly been accepted into their society and is called upon to assist with their various problems."

@Everyone

Gather around and I will tell you a story.

Ahem.

Many know and love Moomin from the 90s Japanese animated series. It was produced in collaboration with the Netherlands and Finland and based mostly on the original Finnish books and comics.
The Moomin creator Tove Jansson, who invented the Moomins and wrote the books and started the comics, and her brother Lars Jansson who continued with the comics, were both involved with the series.

The 104 episodes spread across two seasons 1990-1992.
Season 1: 1-78.
Season 2: 79-104.

There is also an anime movie released for cinema in 1992, made by the same people, which is a prequel to the TV-series: Comet in Moominland.
It tells among other things how Snufkin met the Moomins.

Season one is the best.
Season one and the movie is based on Toves work and directed by Hiroshi Saito and written by Akira Miyazaki.
Season two is directed and written by other people and not based on Toves work, but in part based on her brothers comics.

One of my favourite animated series of all time. I urge anyone interested in animation to watch it!
It was dubbed to several different languages:
Japanese, English (British), Finish, Norwegian, among others.

Fun for all ages!

Some episodes and scenes might be a bit scary for the smaller children.
The Groke will haunt you!

The 90s series is not to be confused with the Japanese animes from 1969 or 1972,
nor the animated movie from 2014,
nor the finish animated series from 2019 (clearly more aimed at smaller children),
nor all the other series and movies, animated, stop motions, puppets or live action.
Here are a few of the many adaptions:
https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/moomin-animations-exhibition/#1a135f4c

Some information about the 90s series:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moomin_(1990_TV_series)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Moomin_episodes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247117/
and movie:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_in_Moominland_(film)

Japanese 90s series intro 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts6Nd9imTwg

Japense 90s series intro 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1lsjwvhuuA

The series in Britain, Finland, Norway and several other countries had a completely different intro and song:
English (British): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YAmXjBUp-g
Finnish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocJACF1I8Fc
Norwegian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76Jjnd0zOh0

Snufkin playing harmonica in the series, 3 different songs on repeat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x_Zxx3FWwM

@gcunit

According to howlongtobeat.com:

"Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley
Main Story 4 Hours
Main + Extra 4½ Hours
Completionist 5 Hours"

https://howlongtobeat.com/?q=snufkin

It's a cosy game, especially for a Moomin fan.

@Ogbert

"If we’re ever to get an ‘Expert’ level set with a Nintendo theme, Zelda will be the IP. It skews a bit older anyway and the world is generally much more intricate, lending itself to those sort of builds far better."

A work in progress Zelda LEGO set was leaked some time ago. Unless they cancel it, it will show up sooner or later.

There are 4 "Expert level" Nintendo sets, all black box 18+. They are Super Mario themed though:

Piranha Plant
540 pieces
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/piranha-plant-71426

Super Mario 64™ Question Mark Block
2064 pieces
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/super-mario-64-question-mark-block-71395

Nintendo Entertainment System™
2646 pieces
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/nintendo-entertainment-system-71374

The Mighty Bowser™
2807 pieces
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/the-mighty-bowser-71411

About Lego expert / black box 18+ / Icons:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_Icons

@dartmonkey

I think it's nice that Nintendolife reviews Nintendo LEGO sets
and I did enjoy reading this review and seeing the photos,
but I am a bit baffled by most of the cons and the score in this review.
I do agree the play feature with the pole seems to lack finesse though.

"we had a couple of mild criticisms which came up as we built."

How does "a couple of mild criticisms" turn into a 6/10?

"less satisfying than bigger builds"
It seems rather unfair to criticize a small LEGO set for being a small LEGO set?

"On the pricey side"
But you also write:
"You get 164 pieces (plus the usual extras/leftovers), so the cost-to-piece ratio is in line with Lego's other licensed kits. There's far better value Lego sets available, sure, but they don't have Animal Crossing on the box, right?"
Also, the set does have a unique Nintendo minifigure.
It is to be expected that licensed sets cost more, as the cost of the set goes both to LEGO and the licese holder.
So not so pricey compared to comparable LEGO sets, but still, it's a minus?

"Lacks the interactive hook of the Super Mario line"
This is a non-electric play set. Why not review it for what it is?
Also: I have read so many complaints in the nintendolife comment sections about the electric LEGO Mario sets, people who want Nintendo minifigures and not the blocky, electric Mario. And when finally, there are Nintendo-minifigures - nintendolife see this as a minus.
Would you really prefer if this was not minifigures? That it was blocky, electric figures with a screen on their belly?
How would it even work with Animal Crossing? The Mario sets are based on Mario/Luigi/Peach hitting blocks, collecting coins, jumping on enemies and so on. I’m not sure it would translate that well to Animal Crossing.
Also: Those who enjoy this functionality already have the Mario line of sets to pick from - which seems to get new sets all the time.
Is it that terrible that there now are a few Nintendo LEGO sets with Nintendo lego minifigures that are not electric? Does it have to be a con in the review?

@Liam_Doolan

"There's also been a bigger themed set based on the castle from Super Mario 64 and a giant version of Bowser."

In the 18+ line there is also the LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System™
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/nintendo-entertainment-system-71374

And the (medium sized set) LEGO Piranha Plant
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/piranha-plant-71426

@StevenH

I made a list:

Nintendolifes eshop reviews for February 2024:
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!
Piczle Cross: Story Of Seasons
Splatoon 3: Side Order
Bandle Tale: A League Of Legends Story
Promenade
qomp 2
Inkulinati
PlateUp!
Arzette: The Jewel Of Faramore
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered
Eastward: Octopia
Alisa Developer's Cut
GRIME Definitive Edition

@StevenH

That would be nice.

Here are all Switch Eshop reviews from nintendolife for 2024:
https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews?system=switch-eshop&year=2024

Doesn't seem to be any way to sort by month, but they are sorted by date and dates are shown in the list, so one see what is the first February game and the last January game.
At the time of writing - there are 13 eshop reviews from February.

@Anti-Matter

Why is Snufkin a definitive no?

And the award for worst logo of Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase 21/02/2024 goes to..

drumroll..

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble

Looking forward to the game though!

"Cons:

• Only three randomised bosses
• Levels and objectives can get very samey"

That does not sound very tempting..
Maybe I will get it though.

@gcunit

"glowy, swirly, spiral thing, what even was that meant to be and why is it inside a book?"

They are portals that connects the books 2D world with the outside 3D world.
The reason they are in the game are probably to have a user friendly, consistent way of traveling between the two worlds.

A vortex / hole like this is a sort of logical visualisation of a portal sucking you in and transferring you from one dimension to another.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wormhole

I'm sure the game also has some in game explanation for them.

@Olliemar28

Where is the What games are you most excited about poll?
Can you add it to the page?

Edit: Found it in another article: https://www.nintendolife.com/guides/nintendo-direct-february-2024-every-announcement-game-reveal-trailer

I enjoyed Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2 on the GameCube. Hope this turns out well!

That logo is a mess though..