Cotton Fantasy definitely looks to be quite the style. I played Cotton Reboot myself and though I wasn't as impressed with it as the crowd was, I'm glad to see a series like this make a return.
All that said, I hope we get another Umihara Kawase game soon (and hopefully of better quality than BaZooKa!)...or at least, bring the first three games to Switch.
3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (and its predecessor) is "obsoleted" by the Sega Ages version on Switch, especially since the latter has Knuckles mode and Drop Dash, so...no need to buy the 3DS version unless if you have no plans to buying a Switch at all.
I'll definitely miss Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure, the two Mario & Luigi titles (Dream Team and Paper Jam), Paper Mario: Sticker Star, New Super Mario Bros 2, Mario Party: Star Rush, Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.
The Legend of Dark Witch 2 needs to find its way onto the Switch, especially in "Renovation" form like its predecessor.
...man, the more I look back on the 3DS, the more I missed how much fun those games I bought were.
Umihara Kawase Fresh! - An amazing 2D platformer with intriguing grappling physics that, while takes time to get used to, create a uniquely-designed progression. It deserved far more than being discounted as "an average game".
Yooka-Laylee - It doesn't peak to the likes of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie (and Donkey Kong 64 even), but while it isn't a "phenomenal" 3D platformer, it definitely gave me that "Banjo-Threeie" I longed for after Tooie.
The Legend of Dark Witch - The danmaku elements and modifiers are more than enough to make this game more than a "cheap Mega Man clone", and is by far the best version of the first game.
Eh, I think $20 is the right price tag for it. I had a bit of fun with it myself and I don't regret buying it at the $20 under its sale (at the time), but $40? It's a bit of a hard sell for me.
I would say that I have the same gripe for Umihara Kawase Fresh! regarding its $40 price tag as well, but at least that game gave me a genuinely fun time (as well as giving me "2019 Nintendo platformer" I longed for).
I'm glad to hear that Nintendo is helping HAL Laboratory in giving Kirby one heck of an anniversary as I happen to be a huge fan of the series myself, but I'm still bummed that The Legend of Zelda series' 35th Anniversary barely got much outside of the Game & Watch thing (as far as I know).
On an unrelated note, I'm hoping there's four player mode and AI-controlled Bandanna Waddle Dee (a la Bowser's Fury) in Forgotten Land.
Looks pretty fun. I only played Cotton Reboot and thought it was decent. Maybe under a sale, I'll dip into Cotton Fantasy...
On a somewhat related note, I hope the first three Umihara Kawase games come to Switch. Fresh! is amazing (and underrated) in spite of its changes while BaZooKa! is a mixed bag.
Contrary to my mixed feelings for it prior, the latest trailer is an automatic D1B for me. Though Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is another March game for me, Forgotten Land is the feature presentation of the month for me.
I hope there's an option for AI-controlled helpers in the game, as well as four-player support.
Looks kewl. Hopefully there's a lot more to this anniversary than just Forgotten Land (which I'm now hyped for compared to its reveal trailer) and Kirby 64 on NSOEP.
Okay, NOW I'm hyped. I know I was pessimistic with this game prior, but this trailer was good enough to get me on board and showed me more than enough to know that this game isn't just "Kirby in 3D". THIS should've been the reveal trailer.
@EarthboundBenjy I'm very happy for Puyo Puyo's "resurgence" recently (especially as a couple of crossovers to Tetris, which are arguably the best this gen, in my opinion), but here's hoping Sega can actually shake up the IP a bit.
Unsure, honestly. If anything, I'm not really much of a Splatoon guy myself and as much as I liked the first Splatoon on Wii U, Splatoon 2 felt more like an "Expansion Pack" of the Wii U game, in my opinion. Splatoon 3 is going to have to truly surprise me in order to get me to buy it.
Eh, I stopped paying attention to EDGE long ago. They always seemed to be a more entitled/spoiled IGN to me, which is further evident in their scores for some games.
For the most part, many of the "5/10" games that Nintendo Life reviewed...really aren't that bad, in my opinion. Examples, for me, include (but not limited to)...
1) The Legend of Dark Witch Episode 2: The Price of Desire (Amazing game and the best in the series; Dark Witch 3, on the other hand, is "bad")
2) Jump Force (Yes, the mechanics and performance aren't "great", but what's there is still passable, despite the whole package having so much potential. I even liked it more than ARMS, which I thought was okay at best)
3) Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded (My favorite "Mystery Dungeon" game prior to its sequel Lotus Labyrinth R for making me actually strategize my moves, which Pokémon Mystery Dungeon just couldn't do for me and I found to be "too easy" as a result)
-Paper Mario 2 (I love the series, but The Origami King shows that this series needs to return to its roots right now)
-Yoshi's Woolly World (with both portability and 2-player co-op; Yoshi's Crafted World never happened)
-NES Remix 1 & 2
-Pushmo collection
-Crash TwinSanity
-Crash Tag Team Racing
-Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins
-Mega Man Powered Up
-The Power Stone games
-Bomberman Generation
-Bomberman Blast (with the Single Player mode that only Japan got)
-TwinBee Collection
-Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
-Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
-Warriors All Stars
-Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Plus (Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 was good, but DX Plus is better)
-Soul Calibur II (with Link included)
-Crazy Taxi
-Sonic Adventure
-Sonic Adventure 2
-Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
-Final Fantasy I through VI
-Dragon Quest IV through IX
-Saints Row 2
-ClaDun Returns: This is Sengoku!
-Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (Yes, I meant the PS3 one, which doesn't utilize the watered-down battle system in Re;Birth 2 and many other later entries in the mainstream series. Yes, I played Megadimension Neptunia VIIR and its battle system felt too menu-y)
-Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls (...okay, this is one "Victory" game I actually enjoyed in the mainstream Neptunia series)
-Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth trilogy (I liked Megadimension Neptunia VII better than this trilogy, but...whatever...)
-The Legend of Dark Witch 2 (with the 'Renovation' treatment like the first game on Switch)
-3D Dot Game Heroes
-Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
I really like the Miis and I'm a bit sad to see them being placed in a lower position on Switch compared to the Wii/Wii U/3DS days.
Hopefully Miitopia (amazing and underrated RPG, in my opinion) is a sign of Miis getting a second chance in the spotlight on Switch. I would very well like to see them get a "Wii Party" successor and Tomodachi Life on Switch, among other things.
Glad to see Axiom Verge 2 on there. Very underrated game, in my opinion, and one of the best Metroidvania games I played on my Switch. I even liked it more than Metroid Dread, which was also great.
@Kang81 Agreed. I'm all down for having options in fighting enemies, but Luna Nights just felt too restrictive with what it gives you in that regard. Part of what makes a great Metroidvania game to me is being given numerous ways to take on any challenge, which is something that Luna Nights barely gave me.
That said, I did enjoy the "platforming" segments of the game for quite a bit and in spite of its problems, Luna Nights I found to be pretty dece.
First-party Switch lineup has definitely kicked off around October for me thanks to the obvious game and Mario Party Superstars, and (give or take) the NSO Expansion Pack was another added incentive for me to stay subbed to NSO, especially with Paper Mario 64 that released a few days earlier and still poses as my favorite video game of all time.
As far as the rest of the months say in the back, most of the Switch's year was only carried by indie and third-party titles, in my opinion. Sure, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and Miitopia (basing my experience off of the 3DS version) were amazing to me, but the rest? I dunno, at least as far as what I can say for first-party titles.
This whole year didn't leave me overall impressed as much as 2017, 2018, and even 2020 did...but for what was still there, I still had a bit of enjoyment with 2021. Hopefully 2022's first-party Switch games will be more "consistent" and deliver more.
I'll probably get Miitopia out of this offer since that's the only game out of the five I don't have. I loved it on my 3DS back in 2017 and I still loved it on Switch via demo.
It was a noticeable stepdown for me after 2020 (personally), but for what was still there in 2021, it was pretty passable and I've seen worse.
Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars were the definite highlights of this year for the Big N for me and while I expected better out of this one, I'm still happy to have a Mario Golf game on Switch (I'm talking about Super Rush). I would also say that I'm glad to see Super Mario 3D World, Miitopia, and Skyward Sword on Switch, but those are ports...and the increased frequency of Nintendo Directs was good to see. Oh, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons' updates definitely added more to the enjoyment I had since launch, with the 2.0 update being the jackpot of them all.
On the flipside, Nintendo's 2021 didn't really kick off for me until October, which was the month of Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars; the rest of the others either I had no interest in or are just "nope" to me (if anything, I enjoyed more indie games this year on Switch than Nintendo's games on the same system). More Smash Ultimate DLC fighters is always nice to see, but the ones released this year (Pyra/Mythra, Kazuya, and Sora) were indifferent for me, not to mention that I wanted to move on from Smash Ultimate already.
As for 2022, outside of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, I don't know what else to look forward to from Nintendo's wagon. Metroid Prime 4 still hasn't had a say or show as to what it would be like, this rumored 2D Donkey Kong game (by the Super Mario Odyssey team) needs to be announced right now, and as a huge Kirby fan since birth I do hope Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a lot more than just "oh look, Kirby in 3D! Hooooreeeeee!!!11" (fully bring back the expanded movesets for each Copy Ability, Elemental Effects from Star Allies, and the Helpers system, HAL Laboratory).
@Reploid Yeah, that too. I liked Bug Fables' Super Block more since you're still able to shave off more damage in a non-cheaply manner. I mean, I like being OP'd in games, but TTYD is one of those few instances where I wasn't having fun.
That said, TTYD is still an amazing game in my book...
Honestly, I felt that TTYD's "improvements" were a bit polarizing as they made Mario too OP'd than legitimately stronger.
The audience was a neat idea, but (especially once you know how to do Stylish Moves) they benefitted your Star Meter way too much and there's rarely any drawback to using Star Powers either. The Bingo slots are way too broken outside of Poison Mushrooms, especially since they fill back your audience. The stage props felt random and out-of-place as they budged with the balance and pacing of battles.
The only "improvement" I genuinely liked from TTYD is the members having HP, but even that's a stretch for me to say since 64 managed to be just as fun and balanced without it.
So glad to be able to play this masterpiece on Switch. Sure, the Expansion Pack is very flawed, but this (and Dr. Mario 64 and OoT, among others) make the $50 I put down annually worth it. I even liked it more than TTYD, which I thought was amazing as well.
Understandably, the visuals don't 'wow' like they did back in the day
...they still wow me today like they did back then. Sure, the later games improves upon it, but I still think this one's still amazing to look at.
I wanted a closer sequel to the original Yooka-Laylee, so this is yippie to me.
Yes, I played Impossible Lair myself and while a good 2D platformer in some areas, it kind of felt like a "just there" game to me, especially on the Switch where there are numerous other options of that nature available. The only genuinely good thing I can say about Impossible Lair, though, is that it gave me the "2019 Nintendo platformer" I wanted that year, which is something Yoshi's Crafted World failed to provide me with (and even that's a stretch for me to say since I vastly preferred Umihara Kawase Fresh! and The Legend of Dark Witch Renovation over Impossible Lair and Crafted World).
Eh, I thought the game was great. I longed for a more modern Dr. Mario game that can let me play against the CPU in 1-on-1 or 4-player formats, and while Dr. Mario 64 didn't check off all of the right boxes, it definitely gave me one of the best Dr. Mario games out there and is one of the main reasons I'm staying subscribed to the NSO Expansion Pack.
"On Switch, in particular, there's an embarrassment of puzzling riches that we'd pick over this one." You're not saying Kasiori and Soldam are better than Dr. Mario 64, right?
I'm definitely down to replay Wii Sports Resort and Kirby's Epic Yarn (with Extra content) on my Switch, but I'd like to see Mario Sports Mix get a second chance (Sports Superstars on 3DS never happened).
The only points I agree with are the lack of Platinum content and (especially) the art style. Unless if "patches" are on the way, ILCA definitely should've included some of that game's content in these remakes. The art style? Yikes. Just...yikes. Faithfulness is one thing I do like a bit of chibi myself, but BDSP's is yikes for me.
Otherwise, I'm still somewhat interested in these games (despite having "meh" feelings for the originals on DS) and even then, the EXP Share gives the remakes the automatic upper hand over the originals for me because nowadays, I just can't devote as much time into RPGs as much as I used to.
I hope 2022 is better. Outside of Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars, I don't what else the Switch had on my table for 2021. I mean, I don't want to say 2021 is "bad", but I don't want to say that I was impressed either...
@gcunit Agreed on Kirby. I'm hoping there's a lot more to that game than just "Kirby in 3D". I am glad to see the mainline series go 3D for once, but so far I'm not impressed with what I've seen thus far.
I actually had personal enjoyment with this game and I had hoped that it would get a Season 3, as well as an option for 1v1 in VS CPU battles. I even liked this game more than Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and this is a huge Super Smash Bros and Nintendo fan talking here.
Hopefully the next Shonen Jump game would have a better direction and effort, as well as bringing back Jump Force's CaC feature (though more expanded in features and clothing selection).
I played a bit of the demo myself and...well, I wasn't impressed. The battle system is the major factor into buying any RPGs and after a few battles, Blue Reflection: Second Light's battle system just wasn't my jam. The game does seem pretty neat in other areas, but the core gameplay (battle system) matters the most to me, and that goes for every other RPG.
Part of what makes a good RPG battle system, in my opinion, is having focus and depth (both which I've yet to find in this game), and though I do like both Turn-Based Battle Systems and Real-Time Action Gameplay myself, they simply don't go well together in my book and therefore, I'd rather see them be kept separate from each other.
In the meantime, I'll be waiting for Atelier Sophie 2...
Definitely underwhelming nowadays, but I will say that I found the game to be decent. The art style was quite charming in its own way and the Melon Challenge really brings out the game's true potential.
Overall, while I expected better from this game as a huge Yoshi fan myself, I would still much rather play this over the below-mediocre Crafted World.
I'd say I'm interested in this one because it looks fairly authentic compared to many other Average Joe JRPGs I've seen out there and the presentation looks pretty stunning. However, there are two things that's holding me back from giving it a "fair shot":
1) I have other preorders (and a backlog) that have caught my interest more for the rest of this year, as well as the need for me to prepare as much funds as possible for the holiday eShop sales.
2) This game's developer also made (the ultimate trainwreck) Super Neptunia RPG, which is one of the absolute worst games I ever played due to its overall shallow elements and heaping identity crisis, among many other awful things (if y'all thought Sticker Star's battle system was the worst thing ever, then y'all haven't played this). Now, I know that none of that is to be featured in Astria Ascending, but...good lord, I still have those trauma scars that I got from Super Neptunia RPG; even by Neptunia standards, this is just an absolute trainwreck.
...but maybe one of these days, I'll look into Astria Ascending.
Comments 2,388
Re: Feature: "I Think Studio Saizensen And I Will Make A Second Cotton Rock 'N' Roll”
Cotton Fantasy definitely looks to be quite the style. I played Cotton Reboot myself and though I wasn't as impressed with it as the crowd was, I'm glad to see a series like this make a return.
All that said, I hope we get another Umihara Kawase game soon (and hopefully of better quality than BaZooKa!)...or at least, bring the first three games to Switch.
Re: Feature: 29 Best 3DS eShop Games You Should Get Before They're Gone Forever
3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (and its predecessor) is "obsoleted" by the Sega Ages version on Switch, especially since the latter has Knuckles mode and Drop Dash, so...no need to buy the 3DS version unless if you have no plans to buying a Switch at all.
I'll definitely miss Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure, the two Mario & Luigi titles (Dream Team and Paper Jam), Paper Mario: Sticker Star, New Super Mario Bros 2, Mario Party: Star Rush, Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions.
The Legend of Dark Witch 2 needs to find its way onto the Switch, especially in "Renovation" form like its predecessor.
...man, the more I look back on the 3DS, the more I missed how much fun those games I bought were.
Re: Best Retro Nintendo Switch Games - Modern Games With Old-School Style
Great list, though I'd like to add a few more:
Umihara Kawase Fresh! - An amazing 2D platformer with intriguing grappling physics that, while takes time to get used to, create a uniquely-designed progression. It deserved far more than being discounted as "an average game".
Yooka-Laylee - It doesn't peak to the likes of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie (and Donkey Kong 64 even), but while it isn't a "phenomenal" 3D platformer, it definitely gave me that "Banjo-Threeie" I longed for after Tooie.
The Legend of Dark Witch - The danmaku elements and modifiers are more than enough to make this game more than a "cheap Mega Man clone", and is by far the best version of the first game.
Re: Kirby And The Forgotten Land Will Have amiibo Support, According To Nintendo Of Japan
@MostHandsieBoy I'm still hoping for AI-controlled Bandanna Waddle Dee and four-player mode.
Re: Cruis'n Blast Gets A Permanent Price Cut On The Switch eShop, Now Only $19.99
Eh, I think $20 is the right price tag for it. I had a bit of fun with it myself and I don't regret buying it at the $20 under its sale (at the time), but $40? It's a bit of a hard sell for me.
I would say that I have the same gripe for Umihara Kawase Fresh! regarding its $40 price tag as well, but at least that game gave me a genuinely fun time (as well as giving me "2019 Nintendo platformer" I longed for).
Re: Nintendo And HAL Laboratory Have A "Variety Of Projects" Planned For Kirby's 30th Birthday Bash
I'm glad to hear that Nintendo is helping HAL Laboratory in giving Kirby one heck of an anniversary as I happen to be a huge fan of the series myself, but I'm still bummed that The Legend of Zelda series' 35th Anniversary barely got much outside of the Game & Watch thing (as far as I know).
On an unrelated note, I'm hoping there's four player mode and AI-controlled Bandanna Waddle Dee (a la Bowser's Fury) in Forgotten Land.
Re: Xbox Studio Rare "Immensely Pleased" About Banjo-Kazooie's Arrival On Switch
Glad to see Banjo-Kazooie back on Nintendo's side, especially as a fan of that series myself.
Hopefully its sequel Banjo-Tooie, as well as Donkey Kong 64 and Diddy Kong Racing follow suit later on.
Re: Pocky & Rocky Reshrined Finally Gets A Release Date On Nintendo Switch
I always wanted to get into this series myself, but it's difficulty wouldn't let me. I still had a bit of fun with Pocky & Rocky on SNES, though.
On a related note, I'm wondering what this "Extra Easy Mode" encompasses in...maybe infinite lives?
Re: Review: Cotton Fantasy - A Joyful, Mischievous, And Incredibly Varied Shmup
Looks pretty fun. I only played Cotton Reboot and thought it was decent. Maybe under a sale, I'll dip into Cotton Fantasy...
On a somewhat related note, I hope the first three Umihara Kawase games come to Switch. Fresh! is amazing (and underrated) in spite of its changes while BaZooKa! is a mixed bag.
Re: Poll: Kirby And The Forgotten Land Looks Mighty Impressive - How Hyped Are You?
Contrary to my mixed feelings for it prior, the latest trailer is an automatic D1B for me. Though Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is another March game for me, Forgotten Land is the feature presentation of the month for me.
I hope there's an option for AI-controlled helpers in the game, as well as four-player support.
Re: Nintendo Releases An Awesome Wallpaper To Celebrate Kirby's 30th Anniversary
Looks kewl. Hopefully there's a lot more to this anniversary than just Forgotten Land (which I'm now hyped for compared to its reveal trailer) and Kirby 64 on NSOEP.
Re: Kirby And The Forgotten Land Scores March Release Date, New Trailer Appears
Okay, NOW I'm hyped. I know I was pessimistic with this game prior, but this trailer was good enough to get me on board and showed me more than enough to know that this game isn't just "Kirby in 3D". THIS should've been the reveal trailer.
@HotGoomba Star Allies is criminally underrated.
Re: Sega Has Established A New Development Studio In Japan
@EarthboundBenjy I'm very happy for Puyo Puyo's "resurgence" recently (especially as a couple of crossovers to Tetris, which are arguably the best this gen, in my opinion), but here's hoping Sega can actually shake up the IP a bit.
Re: Hands On: 'Infernax' Blends The Best Of Zelda II And Castlevania II While Skipping The Flaws
Zelda II and Castlevania II are among some of my absolute favorites in their respective series, so I'm down for this one.
Re: Poll: It's The Year Of Splatoon 3 - Are You Excited?
Unsure, honestly. If anything, I'm not really much of a Splatoon guy myself and as much as I liked the first Splatoon on Wii U, Splatoon 2 felt more like an "Expansion Pack" of the Wii U game, in my opinion. Splatoon 3 is going to have to truly surprise me in order to get me to buy it.
Re: Sonic Team Shares Some Stunning Artwork To Celebrate The New Year
THIS is how you start off a New Year, Square Enix!
Re: Nintendo First-Party Titles Miss Out On EDGE Magazine's GOTY 2021 List
Eh, I stopped paying attention to EDGE long ago. They always seemed to be a more entitled/spoiled IGN to me, which is further evident in their scores for some games.
Re: Video: Our Best Worst Switch Games - Part 1
For the most part, many of the "5/10" games that Nintendo Life reviewed...really aren't that bad, in my opinion. Examples, for me, include (but not limited to)...
1) The Legend of Dark Witch Episode 2: The Price of Desire (Amazing game and the best in the series; Dark Witch 3, on the other hand, is "bad")
2) Jump Force (Yes, the mechanics and performance aren't "great", but what's there is still passable, despite the whole package having so much potential. I even liked it more than ARMS, which I thought was okay at best)
3) Touhou Genso Wanderer Reloaded (My favorite "Mystery Dungeon" game prior to its sequel Lotus Labyrinth R for making me actually strategize my moves, which Pokémon Mystery Dungeon just couldn't do for me and I found to be "too easy" as a result)
Re: Feature: Nintendo Switch Ports We'd Love To See In 2022
Here are the games I want to come to Switch:
-Paper Mario 2 (I love the series, but The Origami King shows that this series needs to return to its roots right now)
-Yoshi's Woolly World (with both portability and 2-player co-op; Yoshi's Crafted World never happened)
-NES Remix 1 & 2
-Pushmo collection
-Crash TwinSanity
-Crash Tag Team Racing
-Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins
-Mega Man Powered Up
-The Power Stone games
-Bomberman Generation
-Bomberman Blast (with the Single Player mode that only Japan got)
-TwinBee Collection
-Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
-Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
-Warriors All Stars
-Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Plus (Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 was good, but DX Plus is better)
-Soul Calibur II (with Link included)
-Crazy Taxi
-Sonic Adventure
-Sonic Adventure 2
-Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
-Final Fantasy I through VI
-Dragon Quest IV through IX
-Saints Row 2
-ClaDun Returns: This is Sengoku!
-Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (Yes, I meant the PS3 one, which doesn't utilize the watered-down battle system in Re;Birth 2 and many other later entries in the mainstream series. Yes, I played Megadimension Neptunia VIIR and its battle system felt too menu-y)
-Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls (...okay, this is one "Victory" game I actually enjoyed in the mainstream Neptunia series)
-Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth trilogy (I liked Megadimension Neptunia VII better than this trilogy, but...whatever...)
-The Legend of Dark Witch 2 (with the 'Renovation' treatment like the first game on Switch)
-3D Dot Game Heroes
-Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Re: Best Of 2021: From Famicom Disk System To Switch - The Evolution Of Nintendo's Miis
I really like the Miis and I'm a bit sad to see them being placed in a lower position on Switch compared to the Wii/Wii U/3DS days.
Hopefully Miitopia (amazing and underrated RPG, in my opinion) is a sign of Miis getting a second chance in the spotlight on Switch. I would very well like to see them get a "Wii Party" successor and Tomodachi Life on Switch, among other things.
Re: Nintendo Winter Wonderlands - Can You Name All These Festive Levels?
9/12 for me. Eh, merry christmas, everybody.
Re: Feature: Game Of The Year 2021 - Nintendo Life Staff Awards
Glad to see Axiom Verge 2 on there. Very underrated game, in my opinion, and one of the best Metroidvania games I played on my Switch. I even liked it more than Metroid Dread, which was also great.
Re: A New 'Bayonetta Digital Bundle' Offers A Cheeky Discount On Switch eShop (US)
Cool. I'll be looking into this bundle.
Re: Review: Record Of Lodoss War: Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth - Far More Than A Knock-Off Symphony Of The Night
Looks cool. I'll probably look into it.
@Kang81 Agreed. I'm all down for having options in fighting enemies, but Luna Nights just felt too restrictive with what it gives you in that regard. Part of what makes a great Metroidvania game to me is being given numerous ways to take on any challenge, which is something that Luna Nights barely gave me.
That said, I did enjoy the "platforming" segments of the game for quite a bit and in spite of its problems, Luna Nights I found to be pretty dece.
Re: Feature: 9 Switch Games Guaranteed To Get You On The Naughty List
I have neither of those games, but I do want to invest in Castlevania Advance Collection...
Re: Best Nintendo Switch Games Of 2021
First-party Switch lineup has definitely kicked off around October for me thanks to the obvious game and Mario Party Superstars, and (give or take) the NSO Expansion Pack was another added incentive for me to stay subbed to NSO, especially with Paper Mario 64 that released a few days earlier and still poses as my favorite video game of all time.
As far as the rest of the months say in the back, most of the Switch's year was only carried by indie and third-party titles, in my opinion. Sure, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury and Miitopia (basing my experience off of the 3DS version) were amazing to me, but the rest? I dunno, at least as far as what I can say for first-party titles.
This whole year didn't leave me overall impressed as much as 2017, 2018, and even 2020 did...but for what was still there, I still had a bit of enjoyment with 2021. Hopefully 2022's first-party Switch games will be more "consistent" and deliver more.
Re: Earn 2x Gold Points If You Buy Any Of These Nintendo Games On Switch eShop (North America)
I'll probably get Miitopia out of this offer since that's the only game out of the five I don't have. I loved it on my 3DS back in 2017 and I still loved it on Switch via demo.
Re: Poll: So, How Would You Rate Nintendo's 2021?
6/10
It was a noticeable stepdown for me after 2020 (personally), but for what was still there in 2021, it was pretty passable and I've seen worse.
Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars were the definite highlights of this year for the Big N for me and while I expected better out of this one, I'm still happy to have a Mario Golf game on Switch (I'm talking about Super Rush). I would also say that I'm glad to see Super Mario 3D World, Miitopia, and Skyward Sword on Switch, but those are ports...and the increased frequency of Nintendo Directs was good to see. Oh, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons' updates definitely added more to the enjoyment I had since launch, with the 2.0 update being the jackpot of them all.
On the flipside, Nintendo's 2021 didn't really kick off for me until October, which was the month of Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars; the rest of the others either I had no interest in or are just "nope" to me (if anything, I enjoyed more indie games this year on Switch than Nintendo's games on the same system). More Smash Ultimate DLC fighters is always nice to see, but the ones released this year (Pyra/Mythra, Kazuya, and Sora) were indifferent for me, not to mention that I wanted to move on from Smash Ultimate already.
As for 2022, outside of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, I don't know what else to look forward to from Nintendo's wagon. Metroid Prime 4 still hasn't had a say or show as to what it would be like, this rumored 2D Donkey Kong game (by the Super Mario Odyssey team) needs to be announced right now, and as a huge Kirby fan since birth I do hope Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a lot more than just "oh look, Kirby in 3D! Hooooreeeeee!!!11" (fully bring back the expanded movesets for each Copy Ability, Elemental Effects from Star Allies, and the Helpers system, HAL Laboratory).
Re: Reminder: Unlock A Special Mario Party Superstars Theme In Tetris 99
Already got it within the first hour it went up.
Re: Poll: Paper Mario Is Out Now On Nintendo Switch Online, Will You Be Playing It?
@TazDevil Tilt right on the Right Stick or hold ZR and press A.
Re: Poll: Paper Mario Is Out Now On Nintendo Switch Online, Will You Be Playing It?
Playing it? I just got done with Chapter 4!
Re: Review: Paper Mario - A Well-Crafted Creation That Stands Up Beautifully
@Reploid Yeah, that too. I liked Bug Fables' Super Block more since you're still able to shave off more damage in a non-cheaply manner. I mean, I like being OP'd in games, but TTYD is one of those few instances where I wasn't having fun.
That said, TTYD is still an amazing game in my book...
Re: Review: Paper Mario - A Well-Crafted Creation That Stands Up Beautifully
@StarPoint
Honestly, I felt that TTYD's "improvements" were a bit polarizing as they made Mario too OP'd than legitimately stronger.
The audience was a neat idea, but (especially once you know how to do Stylish Moves) they benefitted your Star Meter way too much and there's rarely any drawback to using Star Powers either. The Bingo slots are way too broken outside of Poison Mushrooms, especially since they fill back your audience. The stage props felt random and out-of-place as they budged with the balance and pacing of battles.
The only "improvement" I genuinely liked from TTYD is the members having HP, but even that's a stretch for me to say since 64 managed to be just as fun and balanced without it.
Re: Review: Paper Mario - A Well-Crafted Creation That Stands Up Beautifully
So glad to be able to play this masterpiece on Switch. Sure, the Expansion Pack is very flawed, but this (and Dr. Mario 64 and OoT, among others) make the $50 I put down annually worth it. I even liked it more than TTYD, which I thought was amazing as well.
Understandably, the visuals don't 'wow' like they did back in the day
...they still wow me today like they did back then. Sure, the later games improves upon it, but I still think this one's still amazing to look at.
Re: Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Expansion Pack Tier With Paper Mario 64, Out Next Week
My favorite game of all time coming to NSO EP. Can't wait!
Re: Playtonic's Original Yooka-Laylee Game Is Getting A Follow-Up Title
I wanted a closer sequel to the original Yooka-Laylee, so this is yippie to me.
Yes, I played Impossible Lair myself and while a good 2D platformer in some areas, it kind of felt like a "just there" game to me, especially on the Switch where there are numerous other options of that nature available. The only genuinely good thing I can say about Impossible Lair, though, is that it gave me the "2019 Nintendo platformer" I wanted that year, which is something Yoshi's Crafted World failed to provide me with (and even that's a stretch for me to say since I vastly preferred Umihara Kawase Fresh! and The Legend of Dark Witch Renovation over Impossible Lair and Crafted World).
Re: Mini Review: Dr. Mario 64 - Diagnosis: A Bit Rubbish
Eh, I thought the game was great. I longed for a more modern Dr. Mario game that can let me play against the CPU in 1-on-1 or 4-player formats, and while Dr. Mario 64 didn't check off all of the right boxes, it definitely gave me one of the best Dr. Mario games out there and is one of the main reasons I'm staying subscribed to the NSO Expansion Pack.
"On Switch, in particular, there's an embarrassment of puzzling riches that we'd pick over this one."
You're not saying Kasiori and Soldam are better than Dr. Mario 64, right?
Re: Feature: 14 Wii Games That Deserve Switch Ports
I'm definitely down to replay Wii Sports Resort and Kirby's Epic Yarn (with Extra content) on my Switch, but I'd like to see Mario Sports Mix get a second chance (Sports Superstars on 3DS never happened).
Re: Review: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl - A Middling Pair Of Remakes
The only points I agree with are the lack of Platinum content and (especially) the art style. Unless if "patches" are on the way, ILCA definitely should've included some of that game's content in these remakes. The art style? Yikes. Just...yikes. Faithfulness is one thing I do like a bit of chibi myself, but BDSP's is yikes for me.
Otherwise, I'm still somewhat interested in these games (despite having "meh" feelings for the originals on DS) and even then, the EXP Share gives the remakes the automatic upper hand over the originals for me because nowadays, I just can't devote as much time into RPGs as much as I used to.
Re: Nintendo Reminds Us Of Switch's Upcoming Releases, And 2022's Looking Pretty Mighty
I hope 2022 is better. Outside of Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars, I don't what else the Switch had on my table for 2021. I mean, I don't want to say 2021 is "bad", but I don't want to say that I was impressed either...
@gcunit Agreed on Kirby. I'm hoping there's a lot more to that game than just "Kirby in 3D". I am glad to see the mainline series go 3D for once, but so far I'm not impressed with what I've seen thus far.
Re: Jump Force Deluxe Edition To Be Removed From Switch eShop, Online Services Will Be Shut Down
Wow. What a shame
I actually had personal enjoyment with this game and I had hoped that it would get a Season 3, as well as an option for 1v1 in VS CPU battles. I even liked this game more than Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and this is a huge Super Smash Bros and Nintendo fan talking here.
Hopefully the next Shonen Jump game would have a better direction and effort, as well as bringing back Jump Force's CaC feature (though more expanded in features and clothing selection).
Re: Trademark Suggests Yo-Kai Watch Spin-Off 'Y School Heroes: Bustlin' School Life' Could Head West
@galarprince Eh, Snack World looks like a "diet soda" Fantasy Life to me...
Re: Review: Blue Reflection: Second Light - A Stunning-Looking Anime Adventure
I played a bit of the demo myself and...well, I wasn't impressed. The battle system is the major factor into buying any RPGs and after a few battles, Blue Reflection: Second Light's battle system just wasn't my jam. The game does seem pretty neat in other areas, but the core gameplay (battle system) matters the most to me, and that goes for every other RPG.
Part of what makes a good RPG battle system, in my opinion, is having focus and depth (both which I've yet to find in this game), and though I do like both Turn-Based Battle Systems and Real-Time Action Gameplay myself, they simply don't go well together in my book and therefore, I'd rather see them be kept separate from each other.
In the meantime, I'll be waiting for Atelier Sophie 2...
Re: Trademark Suggests Yo-Kai Watch Spin-Off 'Y School Heroes: Bustlin' School Life' Could Head West
...still waiting for Fantasy Life coming to Switch.
Re: '90s-Style 3D Platformer Toree 2 Is Getting A Free Content Update
Eh, I had a bit of fun with Toree 2 myself. Can't for the freebies.
Re: Review: Yoshi's Story - Pleasant, But Not A Patch On The Dinosaur's Best
Definitely underwhelming nowadays, but I will say that I found the game to be decent. The art style was quite charming in its own way and the Melon Challenge really brings out the game's true potential.
Overall, while I expected better from this game as a huge Yoshi fan myself, I would still much rather play this over the below-mediocre Crafted World.
Re: Poll: Mario Party Superstars Is Out Today On Switch, Are You Getting It?
Yes. I longed for a good Mario Party on Switch that I can also play where ever I go, and Superstars is looking to be that.
Re: Mega Man X DiVE Datamine Uncovers References To Nintendo Switch
I hope this game comes to Switch. I can't stand virtual keys.
Re: Review: Astria Ascending - A Solid JRPG Salvaged With The Help Of Final Fantasy Veterans
I'd say I'm interested in this one because it looks fairly authentic compared to many other Average Joe JRPGs I've seen out there and the presentation looks pretty stunning. However, there are two things that's holding me back from giving it a "fair shot":
1) I have other preorders (and a backlog) that have caught my interest more for the rest of this year, as well as the need for me to prepare as much funds as possible for the holiday eShop sales.
2) This game's developer also made (the ultimate trainwreck) Super Neptunia RPG, which is one of the absolute worst games I ever played due to its overall shallow elements and heaping identity crisis, among many other awful things (if y'all thought Sticker Star's battle system was the worst thing ever, then y'all haven't played this). Now, I know that none of that is to be featured in Astria Ascending, but...good lord, I still have those trauma scars that I got from Super Neptunia RPG; even by Neptunia standards, this is just an absolute trainwreck.
...but maybe one of these days, I'll look into Astria Ascending.
Re: Poll: What's A Fair Price For The Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack?
$10 is the highest it should cost. Any higher than that? Nope.