PikaPhantom

Getting Crypt Custodian, but I'll hold off for a few days just because I'm about to hit Switch game #200, and I want to be able to get a second "My Games" group going with 3 games to fill out the thumbnail (and with Emio on the way, might as well wait until the 29th)

@Zeebor15 Are you not counting Burnout because it's a remaster?

I do have it preordered, but I'd like to give the demo a shot since I've been hearing things ranging from "too obtuse" to "smooth sailing." You can get hints through the Think command, apparently.

@mereel It's closer to a blend of Donkey Kong Country and Crash Bandicoot, as there are some linear 3D sections like the latter

I'd fork over $499 just because I want to have my first console launch experience, but I sure hope the Switch 2 is cheaper than that.

Rats. I was really hoping for the announcement of a Blathers survival horror game where all the insects in his museum get loose.

I think I'll snag Phantom Spark. The demo was enjoyable, my time with Nintendo World Championships has taught me that I get a good kick out of speedrun/time trial challenges (especially in shorter bursts), and it appears to be extremely well-optimized on Switch - looking pleasant and running at a smooth 60fps based on all the gameplay floating around YouTube (though with a bit of pop-in with distant background elements), which is a big deal for any 3D game not coming from Nintendo this late in the Switch's life.

I'm excited, but I really don't expect this to run well on Switch at this point with how scant any Switch gameplay appears to have been, coupled with the intensive-looking visual effects during the 3D portions of the game. Hoping that isn't the case - especially coming from a key developer who directed a Nintendo-published game with HarmoKnight - but I'm increasingly concerned

Looks quite promising. Apparently the developer's last game, Pine, reviewed very poorly on Switch, so I imagine this is absolutely going to be a game to pick up on another platform (perhaps the Switch 2?)

Coming from the guy who said Tears of the Kingdom was the last big Switch release and then tried to claim that Super Mario Bros. Wonder didn't count because he was hearing it was made by the "Mario C-Team" - not even remotely the case, and I don't even think such a team exists. Uh-huh. Sure.

I think it's entirely plausible that the Switch successor isn't launching until after March 2025, but this guy saying it isn't going to make me believe it.

It's too bad that there's apparently not a physical in the West. I'll check the demo out on Switch, but I might pick the actual game up on PC.

@ArtistRemaining is not the original poster of the clip, for the record. Saw it on r/mariokart last night, and OP took notice of it going viral today
https://www.reddit.com/r/mariokart/comments/1eqk593/some1_posted_my_clip_on_twitter_and_it_gone_viral/
https://www.reddit.com/r/mariokart/comments/1epx6tt/first_time_taking_the_bridge_route_in_yoshis/

https://x.com/johnjohanas/status/1822804769699946697
The director of Hi-Fi Rush has confirmed he's back.

...But Tango's closure wasn't exactly something that could stop the Switch port from happening. PEGI rated a Switch version around 3 months ago. When ratings roll out, that's essentially almost always a sign the game exists and is ready to release. Additionally, the port could've been contracted out to a third-party firm (as a Bethesda-published game, Panic Button could feasibly have done it), or at least finished by one. The physical version from Limited Run has also been conspicuously MIA, suggesting that they've been holding off to accommodate a version of the game on what is ostensibly their most lucrative platform. Krafton managing to revive Tango just makes it likely that Hi-Fi Rush will become properly multiplatform with future entries; it is unlikely to enable some newly-created Switch port (though it's possible this means they'll bring it to Switch 2 at some point if the Switch version somehow fell through despite being rated or releases in a poor state).

Curious that this doesn't appear to be a bundle of separate games based on the eShop listing. Are they effectively one game on the Switch OS?

I prepurchased SteamWorld Heist II, but there's quite a bit this week that's enticing. Billy Bumbum, of all games, was technically developed by Nintendo alumni, as the lead (only?) developer worked on Good Job! (And I'm probably juvenile enough to appreciate it.) Vividlope also looks very interesting, and Cat Quest III seems to be quality as well. One of the better weeks/days for indie releases on Switch in some time - feels like there's usually only one or two standouts, though I imagine some hidden gems really fly under the radar when there's so much drivel going up on the eShop these days.

Digital Eclipse's interactive documentary approach and Nintendo games would be a match made in heaven. Especially because, if the 2020 gigaleak is any indication, Nintendo has preserved a lot of early development builds

@VoidofLight I think what you thought was facial hair is just the Gerudo's hand raised to her face

@VoidofLight Where is the male Gerudo shown?

@Steel76 There's been a fair bit of evidence suggesting that Monolith has a new IP in the works, such as them hiring for a project distinct from their current brand identity - they also had a page displaying concept art for an unknown project for years that was finally taken down within the last week, suggesting that it has likely wrapped development considering they're now hiring for a new project. Supposedly it's either an action game or action RPG from the rumors/speculation I've seen, and it might be tied to the rumor of a Monolith project codenamed "Legacy"

Surprised Crypt Custodian didn't make the list with the prerelease buzz it's gotten. Phantom Spark is also on my radar, but we haven't seen any Switch footage yet, and 30fps would be a dealbreaker for a fast-paced racing game focused around time trials

@Eggolor @DiggleDog Except what they did with Vivian was far from the only change they made to the script. There was a lot they changed/censored, some of which is at odds with the original Japanese script, like the scene where some Goombas catcall Goombella - prompting you to give them a beatdown, so it's not like it portrayed it in a positive light or anything. So that argument has its flaws, though there's a chance the Japanese script itself underwent some changes, as Taro Kudo was credited for "text editing" on the remake. But they went so far as to change every single instance of "crazy" and "nuts" for no good reason. No one was going to take offense to those words. Ultimately, the changes produced decidedly mixed results - some of the revised dialogue I do find better, but some of the changes were unnecessary, and some make things far worse for no good reason (especially this "health nut" line - it genuinely reads very poorly now, to the point I think I would've picked up on it being a censored line without knowing what the original said - it would've been on my mind, since Pikmin 2 underwent similar bizarre changes to its script when it was rereleased on Switch).

I had the option of either paying full-price for the remake or borrowing the GameCube original. If all they did was just retranslate some Vivian stuff, the decision would've been a lot harder for me to make. But pile on an overall neutered script, a halved framerate, and seeing complaints about the remake feeling more sluggish (especially in regards to menus in battle and text boxes), and...yeah, I'll put up with some extra backtracking if it means saving my money and getting an experience that's snappier in some regards and less sanitized in others. So many people fell in love with the original TTYD despite its flaws, so I imagine I'll be able to as well (especially because I played Bug Fables).

@TotalHenshin The artwork was redone, and there are 13 completely new stages not tied to the developer commentary.

@Zach777 I actually don't have much to complain about with Braid's icon because the artwork is so nice on its own. Still could use a logo, but among the logoless icons, it's probably a contender for the best.

El Shaddai, on the other hand, has such a poor icon that it killed any interest I had in buying it on Switch.

...struggling to put a Switch cartridge in the right way? That kinda just sounds like a you problem

@Daniel36 @Poodlestargenerica @toasterovenly
I mean, when the developer, whose prior output consists of other Metroidvanias (side-scrolling ones), refers to it as a Metroidvania, then I think he knows what he's talking about. Having played the PC demo, it has far more prominent platforming than most top-down games, and the developer has also stated its design takes after Metroidvania staples like ability gating. Of course the shift to top-down brings the game more in line with 2D Zelda, but...Metroid was itself designed around having Zelda's open exploration paired with the side-scrolling gameplay Super Mario Bros. pioneered. The very core of the Metroidvania genre is inherently "action adventure platformer."

@KingMike That's...absurd, to put it lightly.

I think if we do get a Selects equivalent on Switch, Nintendo will change its focus from the best-selling games to ones that sold respectably, but could use a shot in the arm for one reason or another. Quite a few Switch games are physically out of print or hard to come by, like Astral Chain and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (the latter is pretty highly priced now, hence why I haven't picked it up since I don't love opting for used and the game is a bit too large for me to feel comfortable with downloading it), while there are certainly others that could benefit from being made cheaper in a bid to expand the audiences for those series. If Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition was $20-$30, I'd probably bite. There's no real reason to drop the prices of evergreen sellers, but I think Nintendo would gain from taking games that are out of print or more niche and lowering the barrier to entry.

@BenjiTProcrastinator Kyle has already confirmed on the Metroidvania subreddit that the Switch version is running at a smooth 60fps

I wonder if they'll try and move the game under Marvelous's umbrella because they published the game in Japan. Maybe it'll be moved under XSEED?

Sega is probably taking very direct inspiration from Bowser's Fury here - the old game will run well and the new one will suffer from performance issues! (Except it'll probably be 720p/30fps for Sonic Generations and adaptive resolution/framerate for Shadow Generations, and not 60fps across the board for 3D World and 30fps in handheld for Bowser's Fury)

@andykara2003 I've heard that turning up input sensitivity in the settings makes the game feel very close to the originals. I think Banana Rumble feels great as is, though

I prepurchased Arranger after the reviews dropped, and I'll grab Bo eventually - just waiting on a few giveaways I entered, basically, but I've read enough to where I think getting it on Switch should be fine

@GarlicGuzzler @Yosher @RetroGames The price given is how much the set will cost in Singapore dollars. Apparently a cost of $130 USD is being rumored for the US release

Kind of surprising news, especially because it felt like Soliani and the Mario + Rabbids team were gearing up to tackle a 3D Rayman project. Wonder where he'll go from here, and if it'll still end up involving Nintendo.

I'm surprised this review didn't mention the involvement of AM2R alumni as NintendoLife's initial coverage of the game did. I feel like that alone would serve as an endorsement for a lot of people here.

Squid Shock has stated that they'll be working to add QOL features and improve performance post-launch (and that they'll keep working on the game despite the Humble Games situation), so hopefully the Switch version's framerate drops can be ironed out even if they're not terribly intrusive

Really surprising that since this lawsuit was filed, Nintendo turned to Eighting - owned by Colopl - for Pikmin 3 Deluxe and Pikmin 4 codevelopment, and after Colopl bought Mages during development of the Famicom Detective Club remakes, they still turned to them for Emio (according to the New Zealand Ratings Association). Maybe it's because both are subsidiaries Nintendo had worked with before Colopl acquired them? No hard feelings, perhaps?

It's a great concept, I'm surprised at how much I've enjoyed it already, and I absolutely wouldn't call it carelessly made with things like the really great challenge names and manuals for the hardest challenge each game has to offer. But it's definitely a slight package, and I can't help but wish it was being executed with games that felt better to play. Hopefully we at least get a SNES edition, which would help the game break away from the shadow of NES Remix. Either way, it's the closest thing to both a new IP and small eShop release we've had in a while, and those have definitely been missed lately (as much as I commend Nintendo for delivering so many IP revivals in the Switch era instead), so I'm happy to own it.

I wonder if Tiny Wonder will be tasked with Chibi-Robo itself in the future. For a series that never did well and kind of lost its way after the first game (at least in the West, since Japan got a pretty faithful followup on DS), Nintendo sure seemed interested in keeping it going. Now that the dust has settled a bit, and we have a clear successor to Skip...who knows? Maybe ko-Robo would end up retroactively folded into the series, even?

@Not_Soos Bowser's Fury appears to have been direct inspiration for the approach Sonic Team's taking with Shadow Generations. Just look at the demo's title screen - the setup is basically the same

Where's Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus? I might still spring for that on Steam, but I'm hearing more good things about it running fairly smoothly on Switch than not, and I imagine they'll optimize it more post-launch since Squid Shock's already expressed interest in content updates.

I have the Deluxe Set of Nintendo World Championships on the way, but it'll be late. (I'll probably do order pickups for preorders for the foreseeable future now.)

Had high hopes for SCHiM, but the reviews confirmed my fears from the demo: the game stretches its concept pretty thin and lacks a lot of mechanical variety. It'll need to be pretty cheap for me to check it out now.

I mean, they've spent the last year adding content to Gravity Circuit for free. I'm not bummed there's not paid DLC (and won't be according to the developers; they're actually done with all non-bug fix updates now). Excellent game more people should play.

Aggregate score is on par with NES Remix 2's, which I find amusing - not only did the NES Remix games review worse than I think most of us remember, but it just feels silly that people are acting like the reception confirms Nintendo World Championships is strictly worse. The bulk of the NES Remix games was straightforward snapshots of NES titles as well, guys. It wasn't all just cool remixed content. At least we have a speedrunning angle here with online and local multiplayer modes. And it feels silly calling this a cashgrab as well, just because they seem to have gone to the huge effort of creating a bunch of miniature instruction manuals for the challenges and seemingly licensing out the titles of all NES releases (not sure how they'd give you the option of saying Jeopardy! is your favorite NES game otherwise).

I hope this game does well enough to greenlight versions based on later Nintendo libraries. SNES and GBA games in particular have aged well enough to where they'd be really cool to see in this format, though Game Boy/Game Boy Color and N64 are probably on the table as well.

"After you've finished the game, you may find yourself wanting more of the adventures of Badguy Murderman, and we don't blame you — but we're not sure if Nintendo is aiming to continue this 33-year-old series, given that Capcom's Ace Attorney production has slowed wayyyy down, and future Professor Layton games are all but dead in the West after Level-5 pulled out of their North American office. The future looks dark for murder mystery fans, it seems. But, if Famicom Detective Club does well — and it really deserves to — then perhaps Nintendo will see it as a worthy successor to the throne that it built in the first place."
This is especially funny in hindsight, now that we know Emio is a new Famicom Detective Club

I've been wanting more smaller releases akin to this for a while. The Wii, Wii U, and 3DS all had a lot more Nintendo digital exclusives compared to the Switch, and HAL has basically carried the Switch lineup outside of NSO and a few indie-developed games. So even though I'd be a lot more interested in a game of this sort being made for any system other than the NES (especially the SNES or GBA), and it's not quite the same because there is a cartridge release happening, I ended up getting the Deluxe Set for the novelty of having an actually somewhat rare physical Switch game from Nintendo and the golden cartridge. (Plus, Nintendo really hasn't given me much this year I've found to be worth actually picking up, so it was easier to swallow the $60 price tag for that.)

@WaveBoy Have you heard of Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo? It's another upcoming 2D Zelda-like game (taking inspiration from the GB/GBA entries) that sets itself apart when it comes to the world and elements of the gameplay akin to what Mina appears to be doing

@anoyonmus
https://x.com/PlayHumbleGames/status/1808155811958411685

It is weird there's no Switch listing up yet, but I wouldn't read into it too much. Also, if you're unfamiliar with the general indie ecosystem on PC, a lot of games get prerelease demos that aren't on consoles, to the extent that I was surprised to see Antonblast and Europa have them on Switch earlier this year. Many demos don't make it to console, and some are even pulled before a game releases, or only available during events like Steam Next Fest. (You can usually get around this by launching the application directly through your OS and not via Steam if you have the demo already, though). Squid Shock has expressed interest in trying to get a permanent demo up across all platforms, though, after the full launch.

@anoyonmus Games don't always get pre-release pages. And if they were able to move the release date up early this month, they'd be able to communicate on whether any specific version would release later too

Squid Shock's actually announced that Bo will be out on July 17th now. Hoping it runs well on Switch, but I'll gladly get it Day 1 on Steam if I need to

@Zeebor15 Interesting, but they absolutely are working on a project of their own: https://x.com/TarsierStudios/status/1638526749385412609?t=Xq2-dcrvL-iUKwH4NTDuQA&s=19

Keep in mind that Bloober stating that Project M is intended to be published under Broken Mirror Games kind of contradicts how Emio (or whatever it ends up being called) is clearly published by Nintendo, as the teaser capped off with their logo (which does not happen for third-party trailers or exclusives outside of the ones they've funded, like the Bayonetta games and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3) and, more importantly, they immediately rolled out a Japanese website for it as well.

I wonder if there's a chance this is Tarsier's new IP. It's hard to say because their teases have been just as vague as the one for Emio, but it would add up well:

• They established a relationship with Nintendo through working on The Stretchers.
• They've moved on from Little Nightmares (mostly because Embracer bought them and Bandai Namco kept the IP, but still).
• They haven't released anything since Little Nightmares II.
• They've already done the trope of a character wearing a cardboard bag over their head.