SlowPokemon

@sdelfin yeah, exactly. Just not convinced by this one! It wastes so much of your time. With my last death, against a new enemy with attack patterns that are impossible to dodge and take like 25% of your health with each hit, I lost 980 bones, just 20 from leveling up, and decided I was out. Hard pass on a game that wastes that much of my time.

@Zaruboggan Thanks for your very thoughtful response. I might try again eventually but I just don’t enjoy games that are designed to frustrate you to the extent that Mina does, in any capacity. There needs to be a proper balance between frustration and epiphany in this kind of game that Zelda just nails, and I don’t want to settle for less. Since the devs seem to be tracking data, I actually want them to receive the data that I got so frustrated I quit the game entirely. They appear to be going for a Zelda audience, and I’ve 100%ed nearly every Zelda game, but this one is just a misfire for me. I’m sure it’s a great game with great features that I’ll never get to see, but ultimately I believe the game tuning itself should be better without me fiddling with the settings. I think they can do better.

I got this game, but tbh I find it so punishingly difficult that I already deleted and uninstalled it. I don’t like the fact that I would have to turn on the cheat codes to enjoy myself playing, it just seems overtuned and needlessly cruel. That’s what sets it apart from similar games like 2D Zelda, which I love. I recognize that this stems from my own dislike of having to alter the game, but it’s just not fun to be punished so severely just for losing twice to an extremely difficult enemy.

I think Galaxy 2 is more enjoyable, I’m glad you enjoyed Galaxy but I wouldn’t be surprised if Galaxy 2 is more your taste.

Off topic, but for the record: like you, I think Skyward Sword is a masterpiece, so we have at least some similar taste lol. I didn’t even play a Zelda game until I was an adult, so there’s no nostalgia there, and I kind of devoured them all, and I found Skyward Sword to be excellent all around. I’ve even gone back and replayed it to 100% twice.

I would like to point out that, probably unintentionally, this article is very misleading. Even on Switch 1, the game has the exact same title, including “Definitive Edition.” So this seems to be a Hogwarts Legacy situation where it’s a differently optimized port rather than a direct upgrade. I realize that the author probably didn’t check the original game’s title and didn’t realize this, and that common sense dictates that it’s to some extent a problem with the game’s title itself, but errors like this can have a negative effect on the game’s publicity that it may not deserve. I’m already seeing angry Reddit comments that “they chose to call it definitive edition instead of switch 2 edition so that it can be a game key card/no upgrade/etc.” Which isn’t accurate, that was already the game’s title. I hope Nintendo Life sees this and changes the language that implies they changed the game’s title for Switch 2. @Olliemar28

I haven’t played the game yet, but it does seem that this is one of those reviews where you’re hung up on what the game isn’t, rather than evaluating what the game is. You didn’t give as much thought in the writing to what the game is trying to do as you should have.

I’m collecting all of the first party Nintendo releases either physically or digitally (I am an idiot), so yes.

I have never played Resident Evil, but Barbarian and Weapons are two of my favorite movies period from the last few years, so I will probably watch this. Weapons in particular is just an amazing, creatively satisfying movie. And Barbarian is bonkers in the best way, with one of the most unsettling opening acts of a movie I’ve ever seen. Cregger is a talented guy.

@Dee123 Americans learn about Pandora’s Box in middle school! And as I said if you had read my comment, it was actually the European version that was changed. The Japanese title is “Professor Layton and the Box of the Devil.” The word “diabolical” means “having to do with the devil.” I shouldn’t have to explain that the title of the European version is obviously bowdlerized while the American version keeps the intended meaning.

I don’t think Professor Layton himself would approve of your generalization of an entire country of people. We’re not all alike here.

North America, because I love the word diabolical and it’s amazing to me that it’s in the title of a game and looking all proper and classy like that. I’ve always loved the name of this game, and thought the European version’s title was kind of gross. In Japanese too it’s the “devil’s box,” which means the same thing, so Europe really just had someone pretentious and prudish on the team who didn’t want to reference the devil or hell and replaced it with a box-related myth. But the box in the game isn’t anything like the story of Pandora’s box and it’s never referenced in the text of the game itself.

This game is fine. I was up until 2:30am playing ranked doubles because I lost track of time! Everyone is dramatic. The Pokémon Company doesn’t owe you every Pokémon in every game. This curated list of Pokémon makes it so that the power level is controlled and I can actually have fun using some favorites like Garbodor, Scovillain, and Vanilluxe that traditionally aren’t super great or viable.

The bugs mentioned are incredibly minor. The opening tutorial is paced too slowly but the battles themselves are snappy and addictive. I’ve been a Pokémon fan for over 20 years and grew up playing the Game Boy/GBA games, never missed a single entry, and I’m here to shout from the rooftops that SO MUCH OF THIS FANBASE IS INSANELY DRAMATIC AND ENTITLED 😂

Again I have to be that guy—though he came up with the characters and basic story, Tim Burton didn’t direct The Nightmare Before Christmas, and had very little to do with the actual movie. I believe you should also credit Henry Selick, the director of the movie, who also directed Coraline for Laika.

This item is actually extremely easy to acquire in the game. Crafting it requires like a couple leaves or something like that; I already had one before this distribution went live. Though I guess a bonus distribution is never a bad thing?

@dartmonkey I had another Monica Bellucci dream. (Did I get your reference correctly?)

I have to be that guy who points out that Remoraid isn’t a fish evolving into an octopus—it’s a revolver evolving into a tank. (Hence the markings on Remoraid’s side, and the “trigger” fin; and the words “raid” and “artillery” in the names; and the beam/shooting moves it gets like Lock On and Hyper Beam)

I really want to compliment the writing of this article. It’s the funniest and most clever thing I’ve read on this website in ages.

@BTB20 yup but we’re talking about handheld. There’s a free update that puts it at 1080p in handheld, not part of the upgrade

@Friendly yes I’m sure, it’s even listed on the page of free Switch 2 updates on Nintendo’s website: https://www.nintendo.com/us/gaming-systems/switch-2/transfer-guide/games-with-free-updates/?srsltid=AfmBOoq0YT2OcgW8g4KN9677ieQX_rApjTRkU6Mo627bLE58ZSySjXap

@NX-3318 I regret to inform you that the handheld resolution bump was already in the free 3.0 update. The paid upgrade includes only mouse controls, microphone features, an increased multiplayer capability.

Strange decision to release this before Colosseum, but I am benefiting from this decision because I played Colosseum a lot as a kid but never touched XD. Looking forward to that.

@Dom_31 if you read the fine print at the bottom of the visual, it says Pokémon obtained in XD cannot be transferred to other Pokémon games, and vice-versa. So they’re locked in on no Home support 🙂

For the first time ever, my favorite Pokémon in a gen is a mythical: I absolutely love Pecharunt.

Runners up include Smoliv, Grafaiai, Toedscruel, Scovillain, Iron Moth, and Orthworm. Really awesome generation overall.

Hisuian Sneasel is awesome, but it’s not an option here. I prefer it to Sneasler somehow, though both are cool.

Definitely Sandaconda. It’s so cute and derpy, it’s very fun to use in battle because it’s got so many cool move options and good bulk, and it’s just overall a very good friend. I used it in my first playthrough of Shield and ended up using it again with a totally different build in Scarlet. A very good snake.

Lots of awesome designs here, despite being (in my opinion) the worst generation of starters. I love all the creative designs like Toxapex, Shiinotic, Pyukumuku, Golisopod, Komala, and the cockroach queen Pheromosa.

But my favorite has to be Salandit, such a cute design, and I love that it gets the interesting Corrosion ability. Even though I accidentally trained a male through my first run of Pokémon Moon, not realizing only the females evolved, that gives it a special memory, even if it was frustrating at the time.

For me, it’s a toss up between Aromatisse, Inkay/Malamar, Binacle/Barbaracle, Helioptile, and Dragalge. Ultimately I voted for Malamar, I find myself wanting to use it in every game it appears in. The Contrary/Superpower combo is just too fun.

Close runner up is probably Aromatisse with that cool plague doctor mask design, followed by Binacle which is just a delightfully quirky visual.

This is the funniest title for a Nintendo game yet. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. I love that it has “edition” twice. Absurd

My favorite is specifically Eelektrik (the middle stage) because it’s to my mind a more interesting and quirky design than its evolution Eelektross. I actually have an Eelektrik plush from the Pokémon center website, and I love it. It’s cool that the new Mega Eelektross features “false Eelektrik” in the design.

My vote is for Vespiquen, a really cool and timeless design that continues to be featured memorably in the newer games. Like many Bug-type Pokémon, it’s difficult to get it to work in any competitive context, but it is always fun to use on a playthrough.

Surprisingly high defensive stats and a workable movepool (including signature moves Attack Order and Defend Order, with little bee underlings flying out to assist) let it do serious damage in the right context.

And of course there’s the fact that it just looks awesome and intimidating, referenced in its two abilities, Pressure and Unnerve.

Runner ups include Toxicroak, another one that’s proven timeless, and Purugly, which is hardly ever featured by Game Freak in a game but has some really awesome uses in doubles, with the Defiant ability and Fake Out and U-Turn coupled with a really high Speed stat.

@JohnnyMind one of the interesting things about the first game is I think you can choose how scary you want it to be in the settings. So don’t let the horror turn you off.

The first was truly innovative in fun little ways, and I am absolutely delighted there’s a sequel. This will be a day one buy for me!

The Pokémon Magcargo can learn the move High Horsepower; therefore, it is a horse and should be included with the Pokémon section of this list.

I am so glad I was not the only person to vote for Swalot. I love that Pokémon.

The Hundred Line is excellent, but I saw about 60 of the 100 endings and just got too burned out on the game to keep going. (That was about 150 hours.) In the back of my mind I’m thinking I’ll polish up the rest if/when they release a Switch 2 version. It is genuinely almost too big a game for its own good.

This is actually available in four versions—there is a Pikachu as well.

The first one is one of the most entertaining and innovative VNs I’ve played in terms of presentation. I played it a little before Nintendo’s “Emio - The Smiling Man,” and while I loved both, Emio struck me as extremely old-fashioned after all of the neat horror stuff in Paranormasight. I mean, it’s apples and oranges, they’re different things, but either way I am surprised and delighted to see this game get a sequel. It definitely deserves it, and with the first one only $20 and about 12 hours all told, anyone on the fence or curious should really pick it up!

It’s so nice to see that the option to be queer and nonbinary is just casually added in the settings. No big deal, just making it easier for people to be themselves and acknowledging that non-heteronormativity exists without being flashy or judgmental about it. That’s exactly what most of the LGBTQ community wants—at least what I want as a bi person. Good on Nintendo!

@beartown I found DK Bananza kind of boring for most of the play time, though I did finish it to 100% before the credits to make sure I was giving it a fair chance. (Never really messed with the post-game)

But the Luigi’s Mansion series, all of them, are some of my favorite games, I’ve played them all to 100% multiple times. So…no, I don’t think there’s any direct correlation.

I wish these games would get an update to run at native 1080p in handheld mode.

This is not Sakamoto’s best work. Yoko Shimomura gave these games so much quirky atmosphere. Sakamoto’s score is not bad, but it lacks flavor and personality. It sounds like it could be the soundtrack for a typical JRPG. Tbh, it’s just another way that Acquire and Nintendo completely missed the mark on this reboot. I wanted to like it so bad, but Brothership, in basically every way, fundamentally misunderstood what the appeal of the original series was.

Thank you for this article. It brightened my day and was a wonderful start to Monday morning.

@SillyG I agree $70 is steep, but the answer to “what the hell are we even being charged for” is obviously “the game,” lol. And I guess if you buy the game key card, you’re also being charged for a box and a key card.

Personally, I’ll be getting it digitally, not because I’m necessarily against the concept of key cards, but because games like this and Animal Crossing tend to be games I like to play for short periods of time without swapping out a cartridge.

I’m actually glad of this news. It means they’re taking their time and doing it properly, like they did with Fantasy Life.

There’s no option for “this game is great as-is,” and that’s what I would have picked. It’s kind of bad journalism to force your readers to vote in a poll that only has options implying the game is bad.

I can tell he genuinely doesn’t care about the sales. He wants as many people as possible to play it of course—this is how artists feel—but I really think he doesn’t care about the money involved. That’s beautiful and refreshing. Not too many game developers, composers, writers, etc. are brave enough to think that way.

Animal Well has entered the chat.

Played through this with my girlfriend last night and we both cried a lot. It’s a great game, very meditative. And nostalgic for me to see the art style of Kanasaki, Hotel Dusk is a longtime favorite of mine.

Keep in mind the game’s runtime is exactly 45 minutes, not an hour as the reviews all seem to say.

If you’re reading this and you liked “Dear Me, I Was…” I recommend watching Studio Ghibli’s movie “Only Yesterday.” It’s my favorite movie and this game is very similar in tone, it kept reminding me of that. (Just watch in Japanese, that dub is not good lol)

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy. @KateGray — before getting into this one, please know I’ve played 140 hours and have seen just over HALF of the endings this game contains. It is an incredible thing, almost defiantly unwieldy but nearly impossible to criticize because of the ambition and scope at work. The time commitment is absolutely insane. And yet two months later, here I am.

Also been dabbling in Mario Kart World, obviously. The surprise there is that Free Roam is my favorite mode. Tracking down the ? Panels and P switches is so fun, and the secondary effect is that you actually kind of get a handle on the wall riding mechanic with how tricky the challenges are.

I figured it would be full price based on the way they revealed and demoed the game. I was thinking I’d only give it a shot if it was $30 or less. Pleasantly surprised that it’s only $20. To me, that’s worth an hour or two experiencing a quirky Nintendo control gimmick.

It seems like they are taking the variable pricing in both directions this generation, at least so far, which I appreciate. Even on Switch 1, something like the NES World Championships from last year was $30, and that was a NOTHINGBURGER of a game, lol.

My main in Mario Kart 8 was the villager boy from Animal Crossing, so I’ve had to find a new one.

I think my new main is Nabbit in the Ribbit Revster.

I also love King Boo, Piranha Plant, and Gondolier Luigi. Sidestepper is also great, it’s a shame that the lobster car is a terrible choice for that character though.