@SpaceboyScreams If the base version of an entertaining game is present on the cart and fully playable, that is a good thing regardless of any DLC that comes later.
If the DLC is worthy and successful, there’s always the chance they’ll sell an “All-in One” edition of the game later on, and some dedicated collectors will upgrade accordingly.
There is merit in owning hard copies of media, just as digital has its own advantages. It all boils down to people’s preferences. I always appreciate having the option to buy physical.
@BloodWolfe @Jack_Goetz
Hehe thanks for cheering me up! You’re right and I’ll take some solace from the better box art on the S1 release. 😁
Also for sure I will invest the $2.65 or whatever trivial amount it was for the S2 upgrade pack. 👍🏼
My one concern is how addictive a I’ve heard this game is! I’m afraid I have to finish Cyberpunk before I start Fantasy Life, because I wouldn’t be able to juggle both.
I went NA - that’s such a beautiful rendition of an X-wing! It does bug me how it and the Y-wings all overshot that TIE bomber though, or are they flying in formation with it?!
Wait, I get it - they are escorting an Imperial defector. 🤓
Wishful thinking, but oh how I’d love to see any of the Rogue Squadron games brought to NSO!
Actually, let’s remaster and rerelease them!! These and the original trilogy of Lucasarts SNES platformers are the SW games I would most love to see resurrected.
@Waluigi451 Haha yes, solidarity among Waluigi fans. WAH!! 😆 Guardians of Azuma certainly sounds fun, and I like your approach to playing it. Plus the physical version of the game is actually on the cartridge!! I really should support Marvelous for being so classy.
@Shiryu Oh interesting - I wondered if maybe the titles weren’t localized as I expected for legal reasons. “Air Combat” just sounds so generic to me! Though it shouldn’t, given all the old Atari games I played as a kid, such as “Combat” and “Adventure!”
As for Macross II, my Jpn account is ready and waiting! Can’t trust the vagaries of international licensing to give me the Valkyries I need. Really, Nintendo foregoing region-locking is one of my favorite features of the Switch and Switch Deux. I’ll have to buy some Japan eShop yen, though, as I’m pretty low.
@Shiryu Glad to hear you’re enjoying Hamster’s latest release this weekend! I’m really tempted to buy it, too, even though I never encountered it in the arcades back then. And then again Macross II is coming next week, so I’m trying to save $$.
But don’t you have the titles reversed in your writeup? I thought it was Air Combat in the arcades, and Ace Combat at home on our PlayStations (and later Switch)?
@Waluigi451 @shonenjump86 Can I just say how pleased I am to see my comment land in between yours this morning? You’re two of the regulars here I hold in high regard and I’m always interested in hearing from. Just felt like sharing that! 😁
Actually, I keep hearing that new Rune Factory game is pretty good! I’m afraid to commit time I don’t have to another huge game, though! 😵💫
I rolled the credits on Yars Rising last weekend (thoroughly enjoyable short ‘vania with excellent music, voice work, and fun Yars minigames sprinkled throughout for Atari and classic arcade fans), so this 3-day weekend I’ll continue unlocking costumes in Mario Kart World when the kids are around, and Cyberpunk 2077 when they aren’t.
I should be picking up a little Japan shipment at my local P.O. today, too, which should contain Fantasy Life I, Sonic Wings Reunion, and Superdeluxe Game’s lovely-looking Castlevania Anniversary Collection, so I’ll have to sample some of those, if time permits.
Wishing everybody over here in the US and Canada a fun weekend of gaming independence!!
🕹🇺🇸👾🇨🇦
I’ve been curious about Helldivers, since a Starship Troopers-type game sounds like a good time to me!
If I’m going to play a man vs bugs game on Switch 2, though, I think I’d prefer a new Earth Defense Force game. I just love the mecha and campiness of those games.
Thanks for the insightful review! I’ve been too pain-conditioned by the arcade, 8- and 16-bit eras too be discouraged by difficulty, and I’m looking forward to this French Castlevania. 😁
My physical copy is reserved but it’ll be a while because I batched it with “Thank Goodness You’re Here.” For a moment there I lamented the long wait, but then I remembered I still have Metroid Dread, Abathor, Beholgar, Broforce, Animal Well, Getsufūma-den, The Messenger, Shadow of the Ninja, the Ori games, the whole set of Castlevania collections, and many more 2D adventure games waiting for me to play them. We can buy games, but we can’t buy more time, sadly.
“Unappealing” is putting it politely! I feel game key cartridges are closer to “hot garbage” personally. The only fair use case for the things are for games of huge size, in excess of 64GB. For everything smaller, Nintendo should have found a way to provide relatively cheap media that publishers can use, just as in the Switch 1 days.
The vast majority of Switch 1 games were on the cart and plug & play, just as in previous Nintendo generations (granted there were many patches, but at least the software was present). I think under current circumstances, we’ll see physical Switch 1 games persist for smaller games, some of which with downloadable Switch 2 upgrades (like Bandai-Namco’s Shadow Labyrinth). I’d rather go that route than buy an empty game key cart.
@WarioInAHardees Yikes, you’re absolutely right! I AM ERROR was Zelda 2, not Castlevania 2. I misremembered and mixed up my poorly-translated NES games. Thanks for correcting me!
My overall point remains, though - I just wish this collection had the Jpn version of Castlevania 2 for comparison’s sake. I never beat Simon’s Quest on the NES back in the day, and years later when I played the English-localized version again on Wii virtual console, I suspected the townspeople’s hints were overly vague or just wrong, and needlessly obscured things.
@PKDuckman That’s a sound explanation. Castlevania 1 also debuted as a Famicom Disc System game, but received a cartridge version in Japan, too, like 5 years later. Whereas Simon’s Quest stayed exclusive to the disc system.
Good, my preordered copy is on the way from Japan now. 4-disk soundtrack FTW! 😁 My one complaint with this Anniversary Collection would be it does not include the Japanese version of Simon’s Quest. I always wondered what the proper translation for “I AM ERROR” was supposed to be.
If I met with Imamura-san, I'd say that Nintendo is all the poorer now for lacking his unique imagination and artistry. He's the father of Tingle and all the "American Comic" inspired characters in F-Zero, and you can't just replicate the whimsy he brought to Nintendo's creative stable.
I didn't know the Ace Combat games had predecessors in the arcade! This looks pretty decent, but I'll have to pass given how much I spent on video games in June already!
Not to mention that Hamster announced another premium title for next week: Banpresto's 1992 side-scrolling shoot 'em up Superdimensional Fortress Macross II (based on the anime OVA series) will come to Switch and PS4 on July 10!
I'll save my $14.99 till then. I enjoyed the Macross: DYRL shmup that Hamster brought to Arcade Archives last year, so this sequel is a no-brainer for me.
I’m just back from nearly a week in vibrant NYC where I had so much to see and do, I barely turned on my S2. Of course, I made a requisite trip to the Nintendo NY store (my first). It was nice there and the staff was pleasant enough, but the merch was somewhat lacking. How can you not have a single “Nintendo NY” tee in stock?
I’m feeling a bit listless now, back alone in my quiet little home. I’ll probably go back to Cyberpunk or maybe pluck a fresh game like Yar’s Rising from the backlog to play a bit while unpacking.
Wishing everyone a fun weekend with your friends & family! 🕹👾🗽
@Jerutix That’s 2 votes for the TRON cartoon! Sounds like I’d most likely enjoy it. I mean, as long as they do justice to the source material, I doubt I’d dislike it! I’m reminded of a Pacific Rim cartoon I encountered a while ago - I had no idea it existed, but after seeing 10mins I was hooked and binged the whole miniseries.
I’m an old TRON fan since seeing the original back in the movie theatre long ago, so it’s a bummer to hear this got such a blah rating. I was hoping Catalyst and Identity would get a physical double pack, really. I’d probably still buy it, for nostalgia’s sake.
I preordered all 3 deluxe edition sets from Amazon Japan a while ago. They look ace and include multi-disk soundtrack CDs, so I was compelled to upgrade from my LRG classic editions.
The Anniversary Collection released in Japan just yesterday, with the Advanced and Dominus Collections coming out in July and September, respectively, so we won’t have a long wait.
@MeloMan Nice suggestion! I would drop everything to play Faxanadu on NSO. It’s one of those titles I traded away for a scant few dollars in my youth, and really regretted it later.
Can I add Maniac Mansion and Jackal to your list?
There’s a bunch more I’d love to revisit, like Friday the 13th, Goonies, Jaws, and Fester’s Quest. but they’re all licensed games so I’m not holding my breath!
It’s been all Cyberpunk 2077 and Mario Kart World for me lately! I’m thinking of slotting in Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE to see how that looks on the Deuce and finish that story.
I’ve got some time off this week and my first trip to the Nintendo Store in NYC arranged, so it should be a fun time. My wallet cries out for mercy though - June has been a very expensive month! 😵💫
I’d venture to guess that it’s the most passionate gamers who make up a large portion of launch game sales, and a significant chunk of us are against game key titles. This scale of “fake physical” games is not something Nintendo fans have had to face before, and it’s a real shortcoming of the S2, if you ask me.
Overall, its may be high system & accessory cost in this economy that’s the biggest suppressor right now, but game keys are most certainly damping things, too, And nobody can convince me that Nintendo is not complicit in this physical game shrinkflation. They’re the platform designer, they have options. Had there been a viable alternative to game keys, I’m sure more publishers would’ve opted. Hopefully such an alternative arrives eventually.
Hopefully sales even out more for third parties as sticker shock wears off and more casuals start entering the market, but yeah, peeps are going to be choosy with their money!
I was sold even before today’s direct. Now I’m thinking I’ll love DKB as much as I did Odyssey! Take my money Nintendo!
@YunoboCo Not liking DK’s redesign is valid - everybody’s entitled to their opinions. 👍🏼
Can I just confess that I’m so old, I wasn’t really fond of DK’s redesign for the DK Country games on SNES? The Rare look was fine and it grew on me over time, but I guess I just imprinted on DK’s goofy/angry arcade version when I was a kid. I’m actually pretty fond of the stubborn ape’s latest incarnation, as it reminds me of his arcade roots. 😁
I only just rolled the credits for 50cc in MKW so I’ve got plenty more Grand Prix left to play. It’s my go-to game when the kids are around. I seriously have to look up how to do split screen free-roam mode, as my kiddos enjoy that probably more than racing! This game has been a real treat for the last week-plus.
In the kids’ absence, I’ve enjoyed completing a couple missions in Cyberpunk 2077. It’s the closest thing to a big-time AAA cinematic experience I’ve played since the PS3 days, and very gratifying. We will see what other modern experiences the S2 unlocks for us in the future, and of those, how many will actually be present on physical media! In the meantime, I’m pleased to see all these performance boosts for Switch 1 titles, as I’ve got an endless pile of those to get to, still!
Wishing everyone a fun weekend, and Happy Father’s Day to you dads and pops out there! 🕹❤️🏎️
@Picola-Wicola Hi Pic! I am enjoying The Deuce, feeling privileged to have afforded it and a few games on launch without selling a lung. But wow will my June credit card bill be painful!
I've played mostly MKW and Cyberpunk 2077. Cyberpunk especially is eye-opening because it's giving me a glimpse of all the AAA graphics-heavy cinematic games I have denied myself over the years, since I decided to own only one console (the Switch) since 2017. I'm going to enjoy seeing more fancy ports come to the Deuce in the future, like Elden Ring, and maybe Baldur's Gate 3, though I'm resigned to having to purchase them as game keys, probably.
Were you able to get a S2? How are you finding it?
Sadly, that’s an accurate way to count those sales. Even if you want to believe you’re buying the games physically, you’re not - the game isn’t on the cart, it’s on the eShop and you’re just buying (temporary) access. Let’s hope that access lasts a good long time. 🤞🏼
Then again, I fear this designation will only stack the deck further against real physical releases. “Look, our percentage of physical game sales vs digital is so low, it’s negligible! No need to produce those unprofitable physical games then, because nobody wants them, haha!” (Says the Capcom CEO to the shareholders.)
Looks like the Deuce will eclipse the Wii U even faster than Switch Uno did!
I accounted for 2 of those sales (one for me, one for a coworker who had no luck in 3 rounds of the Japanese lottery) and I’m enjoying the system except for the fact that Nintendo couldn’t adopt a more affordable physical media for games and instead stuck us with this game key nonsense.
Overall, though, I’m happy for Nintendo and looking forward to some fun games on the way.
This game’s generic-looking art really put me off, but it was interesting to hear it uses game-share and I imagined it might just be fun to play with my kids, if I could convince them to try it with me.
@Shiryu I approve of that message 👍🏼 Really I’m right with you on the addition of GC to NSO. I think thus far, Soul Calibur 2 is my most-played S2 game, after MKW. Enjoy that 75in TV!
@Grandiajet I’ve read PJ’s review and meditated long on deciphering its true meaning. I think it’s possible he’s telling us, in a subtle, barely detectable way, that Yakuza 0 is the best jumping-on point for the Yakuza series. 🧐
At least I hope so, since I’ve never played a Yakuza game but I bought this one on launch day! 😁 Can’t wait to see this cabaret game that everyone’s talking about. I’ll play in Japanese with Japanese subs, if it lets me, for maximum Japanese profanity study.
@Shiryu Your write-up this week really resonates with me - all this excitement and new games and cool new hardware to play with really renews your enthusiasm for video games!
The moment just imparts a sense of history, and I’m feeling extra nostalgic remembering all my first encounters with games over the years. Space Invaders and Pac-Man in the arcades, Pitfall 2 on my uncle’s 2600, the joy of playing a run & jump scrolling SMB that you can play at home, Altered Beast, SMW, Biohazard (RE), Phantasy Star Online, Super Robot Taisen F, Wind Waker, Crazy Taxi, Wii Sports, NintendoLand & MK8, BOTW, and so many other games that led me into successions of game generations and kept my love of games thriving! And now here we are with titles like MKW and Cyberpunk to carry that torch. Such a path we’ve walked, my friend! 😁
Midnight purchase on Wednesday night, then only did set up on Thursday night (thank goodness I can still access both my American and Japanese accounts and eShops!) and then FINALLY last night it was game time! Mario Kart World with my kids. They lasted just a couple races with me, then went back to their tablets.
Sure seems like the Nintendo generation will end with me in my family. 😔
MKW is beautiful though, isn’t it? And the music is smooth jazzy perfection. Getting used to wall-hopping and rail-grinding will make exploring this game a lot of fun. Plus my first unlocked character was Birdo, so the game is off to a great start.
Played a bit of Soul Calibur 2 and the upgraded No Man’s Sky, too (thoroughly enjoyed both) and will sample some other things this weekend before eventually going back to finish XCX:DE on my new S2.
I did not do the full system transfer from my OLED, since my Deuce wouldn’t have the memory to handle it. I’ll be dual-wielding for a while.
Hope everyone enjoys your game time this weekend, whether you’re playing Nintendo’s latest or your fond faves from childhood! 🕹❤️👾
Edit: Maybe I spoke too soon - I just handed the controller to my youngest (age 11) and she’s tearing up free roam mode in MKW, making her own fun. My kids can see the charm in this game. There’s hope for future generations!! 😁
Love to see Shulkie in there - I am SO getting this game!! 😆 I’d probably buy 2 physical copies on principle alone.
I don’t even recognize Capt. Marvel or Nova in the screenshot above (mainly because I’m so old that I still believe that the one and only Capt. Marvel should be the Superman lookalike with the power of SHAZAM!), but it’s awesome to see She-Hulk join the fight. Her books written and drawn by John Byrne in the latter 80s were top notch.
@Burning_Spear It's true, the price of gaming is going up this generation!
In defense of Hamster, though, their "Arcade Archives 2" series games promise to be more fully-featured than the vanilla Arcade Archives games. The Ake-Aka 2 release for KOF '98 featured multiple save slots, a new "Time Attack" speedrun mode, and online multiplayer, among other things.
Granted, most of those additions don't really benefit a single-player race game like Ridge Racer. I guess they wanted to raise the price to still turn a profit when porting fancier 90s games like this.
I feel honor-bound to buy this game, which is not only the debut Ake-Aka game on Switch 2, but also the debut of the Arcade Archives 2 series on any Nintendo platform.
I never played Ridge Racer in the arcade, but Rage Racer on my PS1 was always fun for me. Supporting Hamster this week will be a treat for me, as usual.
I saw on the "Arcade Archiver" livestream yesterday that some Namco devs taking a hurried taxi ride through the snowy streets of Hokkaido was what inspired them to make Ridge Racer! Apparently they egged on the driver, who smiled and really delivered a thrill ride, all while keeping up the polite small talk.
Also, it looks like although there is only one "circuit" in the game, the route you follow differs depending on which mode you play, so there is some variety, at least.
Less pop-in for games like XCX:DE and Grounded sure would be nice! It'll be interesting to pop in different Switch 1 cartridges and see if I sense any performance boosts.
Full disclosure: As much as I despise game-key carts, I preordered and picked up Yakuza Zero (a game-key cart) last night along with my Switch Deux system and other goodies.
Here is why: On preorder day back in April, after waiting a long time in line, I couldn't remember if Yakuza Zero was on the cart or not. (the store attendant couldn't confirm either!) I wanted the game so I decided to gamble. And lost. But I decided to keep it, rather than back out of a preorder, as a courtesy to the store I'm fond of.
It's an all-around shame my "copy" of Yakuza Zero will be wholly and forever conditional to the good graces of Sega and Nintendo. We'll see if it lives on as long as my copy of Cyberpunk!
Comments 2,949
Re: Fantasy Life i Switch 2 Physical Release And Photo Mode Update Announced
@SpaceboyScreams
If the base version of an entertaining game is present on the cart and fully playable, that is a good thing regardless of any DLC that comes later.
If the DLC is worthy and successful, there’s always the chance they’ll sell an “All-in One” edition of the game later on, and some dedicated collectors will upgrade accordingly.
There is merit in owning hard copies of media, just as digital has its own advantages.
It all boils down to people’s preferences. I always appreciate having the option to buy physical.
Re: Fantasy Life i Switch 2 Physical Release And Photo Mode Update Announced
@BloodWolfe @Jack_Goetz
Hehe thanks for cheering me up! You’re right and I’ll take some solace from the better box art on the S1 release. 😁
Also for sure I will invest the $2.65 or whatever trivial amount it was for the S2 upgrade pack. 👍🏼
My one concern is how addictive a I’ve heard this game is! I’m afraid I have to finish Cyberpunk before I start Fantasy Life, because I wouldn’t be able to juggle both.
Re: Fantasy Life i Switch 2 Physical Release And Photo Mode Update Announced
All on the S2 cart? Bravo!!
Unfortunately, I read this literally on the morning after my physical S1 copy of the game delivered from Japan. 🤦🏻♀️
Re: Poll: Box Art Brawl: Duel - Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
I went NA - that’s such a beautiful rendition of an X-wing! It does bug me how it and the Y-wings all overshot that TIE bomber though, or are they flying in formation with it?!
Wait, I get it - they are escorting an Imperial defector. 🤓
Wishful thinking, but oh how I’d love to see any of the Rogue Squadron games brought to NSO!
Actually, let’s remaster and rerelease them!! These and the original trilogy of Lucasarts SNES platformers are the SW games I would most love to see resurrected.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
@Waluigi451
Haha yes, solidarity among Waluigi fans. WAH!! 😆
Guardians of Azuma certainly sounds fun, and I like your approach to playing it. Plus the physical version of the game is actually on the cartridge!! I really should support Marvelous for being so classy.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
@Shiryu
Oh interesting - I wondered if maybe the titles weren’t localized as I expected for legal reasons. “Air Combat” just sounds so generic to me! Though it shouldn’t, given all the old Atari games I played as a kid, such as “Combat” and “Adventure!”
As for Macross II, my Jpn account is ready and waiting! Can’t trust the vagaries of international licensing to give me the Valkyries I need. Really, Nintendo foregoing region-locking is one of my favorite features of the Switch and Switch Deux.
I’ll have to buy some Japan eShop yen, though, as I’m pretty low.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
@Shiryu
Glad to hear you’re enjoying Hamster’s latest release this weekend! I’m really tempted to buy it, too, even though I never encountered it in the arcades back then. And then again Macross II is coming next week, so I’m trying to save $$.
But don’t you have the titles reversed in your writeup? I thought it was Air Combat in the arcades, and Ace Combat at home on our PlayStations (and later Switch)?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
@Waluigi451 @shonenjump86
Can I just say how pleased I am to see my comment land in between yours this morning? You’re two of the regulars here I hold in high regard and I’m always interested in hearing from.
Just felt like sharing that! 😁
Actually, I keep hearing that new Rune Factory game is pretty good! I’m afraid to commit time I don’t have to another huge game, though! 😵💫
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (5th July)
I rolled the credits on Yars Rising last weekend (thoroughly enjoyable short ‘vania with excellent music, voice work, and fun Yars minigames sprinkled throughout for Atari and classic arcade fans), so this 3-day weekend I’ll continue unlocking costumes in Mario Kart World when the kids are around, and Cyberpunk 2077 when they aren’t.
I should be picking up a little Japan shipment at my local P.O. today, too, which should contain Fantasy Life I, Sonic Wings Reunion, and Superdeluxe Game’s lovely-looking Castlevania Anniversary Collection, so I’ll have to sample some of those, if time permits.
Wishing everybody over here in the US and Canada a fun weekend of gaming independence!!
🕹🇺🇸👾🇨🇦
Re: Random: Of Course Helldivers Are Now Calling For A Switch 2 Port
I’ve been curious about Helldivers, since a Starship Troopers-type game sounds like a good time to me!
If I’m going to play a man vs bugs game on Switch 2, though, I think I’d prefer a new Earth Defense Force game. I just love the mecha and campiness of those games.
Re: Review: Chronicles Of The Wolf (Switch) - A Spot-On Castlevania Tribute That May Test Your Patience
Thanks for the insightful review! I’ve been too pain-conditioned by the arcade, 8- and 16-bit eras too be discouraged by difficulty, and I’m looking forward to this French Castlevania. 😁
My physical copy is reserved but it’ll be a while because I batched it with “Thank Goodness You’re Here.” For a moment there I lamented the long wait, but then I remembered I still have Metroid Dread, Abathor, Beholgar, Broforce, Animal Well, Getsufūma-den, The Messenger, Shadow of the Ninja, the Ori games, the whole set of Castlevania collections, and many more 2D adventure games waiting for me to play them.
We can buy games, but we can’t buy more time, sadly.
Re: Cult-Movie-Turned-Metroidvania 'Turbo Kid' Lands August Switch Release
I preordered my Retro Edition from Premium Edition Games back in December, and they estimated an August ship date, so I’m glad to hear some news.
I never heard of the movie, but the game and the BGM seemed quite rad so I’m confident I’ll have fun with it.
Re: Furukawa's Defence Of Game-Key Cards Ain't All That Convincing
“Unappealing” is putting it politely! I feel game key cartridges are closer to “hot garbage” personally.
The only fair use case for the things are for games of huge size, in excess of 64GB. For everything smaller, Nintendo should have found a way to provide relatively cheap media that publishers can use, just as in the Switch 1 days.
The vast majority of Switch 1 games were on the cart and plug & play, just as in previous Nintendo generations (granted there were many patches, but at least the software was present). I think under current circumstances, we’ll see physical Switch 1 games persist for smaller games, some of which with downloadable Switch 2 upgrades (like Bandai-Namco’s Shadow Labyrinth). I’d rather go that route than buy an empty game key cart.
Re: Gallery: My Goodness, Superdeluxe's Castlevania Anniversary Collection Is Proper Lush
@WarioInAHardees
Yikes, you’re absolutely right! I AM ERROR was Zelda 2, not Castlevania 2. I misremembered and mixed up my poorly-translated NES games. Thanks for correcting me!
My overall point remains, though - I just wish this collection had the Jpn version of Castlevania 2 for comparison’s sake. I never beat Simon’s Quest on the NES back in the day, and years later when I played the English-localized version again on Wii virtual console, I suspected the townspeople’s hints were overly vague or just wrong, and needlessly obscured things.
WHAT A HORRIBLE NIGHT TO HAVE A CURSE.
Re: 'Full Metal Schoolgirl' Announced For Switch 2, And It Looks Utterly Bonkers
You gotta love D3's consistency!
Ever since the SIMPLE 1500 yen series their dedication to B-tier schlock and camp is endearing.
This reminds me I have to try my copy of EDF 4.1 on my Switch 2.
E!! D!! EFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!
Re: Gallery: My Goodness, Superdeluxe's Castlevania Anniversary Collection Is Proper Lush
@PKDuckman
That’s a sound explanation. Castlevania 1 also debuted as a Famicom Disc System game, but received a cartridge version in Japan, too, like 5 years later. Whereas Simon’s Quest stayed exclusive to the disc system.
Re: Gallery: My Goodness, Superdeluxe's Castlevania Anniversary Collection Is Proper Lush
Good, my preordered copy is on the way from Japan now. 4-disk soundtrack FTW! 😁
My one complaint with this Anniversary Collection would be it does not include the Japanese version of Simon’s Quest.
I always wondered what the proper translation for “I AM ERROR” was supposed to be.
Re: Star Fox Designer Was Relieved To Leave The "Amazing People" At Nintendo
If I met with Imamura-san, I'd say that Nintendo is all the poorer now for lacking his unique imagination and artistry. He's the father of Tingle and all the "American Comic" inspired characters in F-Zero, and you can't just replicate the whimsy he brought to Nintendo's creative stable.
Re: Arcade Archives Is Bringing 'Air Combat 22' To Switch 2
I didn't know the Ace Combat games had predecessors in the arcade! This looks pretty decent, but I'll have to pass given how much I spent on video games in June already!
Not to mention that Hamster announced another premium title for next week: Banpresto's 1992 side-scrolling shoot 'em up Superdimensional Fortress Macross II (based on the anime OVA series) will come to Switch and PS4 on July 10!
I'll save my $14.99 till then. I enjoyed the Macross: DYRL shmup that Hamster brought to Arcade Archives last year, so this sequel is a no-brainer for me.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (28th June)
I’m just back from nearly a week in vibrant NYC where I had so much to see and do, I barely turned on my S2. Of course, I made a requisite trip to the Nintendo NY store (my first). It was nice there and the staff was pleasant enough, but the merch was somewhat lacking. How can you not have a single “Nintendo NY” tee in stock?
I’m feeling a bit listless now, back alone in my quiet little home. I’ll probably go back to Cyberpunk or maybe pluck a fresh game like Yar’s Rising from the backlog to play a bit while unpacking.
Wishing everyone a fun weekend with your friends & family! 🕹👾🗽
Re: Atari's Badass 'Fatal Run' Revival Nails A Fall 2025 Release Window
It seems to be shaping up nicely, in a Road Blaster kind of way! I’ll be happy to add this to the other Atari games on my shelf
Re: Review: Tron: Catalyst (Switch) - A Repetitive & Forgettable Time On The Grid
@Jerutix
That’s 2 votes for the TRON cartoon!
Sounds like I’d most likely enjoy it.
I mean, as long as they do justice to the source material, I doubt I’d dislike it!
I’m reminded of a Pacific Rim cartoon I encountered a while ago - I had no idea it existed, but after seeing 10mins I was hooked and binged the whole miniseries.
Re: Review: Tron: Catalyst (Switch) - A Repetitive & Forgettable Time On The Grid
@DwaynesGames
I haven’t watched the TRON cartoon - if you’re vouching for it it must be good though! I’ll keep an eye out for it.
Re: Review: Tron: Catalyst (Switch) - A Repetitive & Forgettable Time On The Grid
I’m an old TRON fan since seeing the original back in the movie theatre long ago, so it’s a bummer to hear this got such a blah rating. I was hoping Catalyst and Identity would get a physical double pack, really.
I’d probably still buy it, for nostalgia’s sake.
Re: Missed Out On Castlevania Anniversary, Advance & Dominus Collection Physical Editions? Fear Not, As Pre-Orders Have Gone Live On Play-Asia
I preordered all 3 deluxe edition sets from Amazon Japan a while ago. They look ace and include multi-disk soundtrack CDs, so I was compelled to upgrade from my LRG classic editions.
The Anniversary Collection released in Japan just yesterday, with the Advanced and Dominus Collections coming out in July and September, respectively, so we won’t have a long wait.
Re: Mailbox: Switch 2 Price Point, Wind Waker Vs. HD, Drip-Feed Updates - Nintendo Life Letters
@MeloMan
Nice suggestion! I would drop everything to play Faxanadu on NSO.
It’s one of those titles I traded away for a scant few dollars in my youth, and really regretted it later.
Can I add Maniac Mansion and Jackal to your list?
There’s a bunch more I’d love to revisit, like Friday the 13th, Goonies, Jaws, and Fester’s Quest. but they’re all licensed games so I’m not holding my breath!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (21st June)
It’s been all Cyberpunk 2077 and Mario Kart World for me lately! I’m thinking of slotting in Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE to see how that looks on the Deuce and finish that story.
I’ve got some time off this week and my first trip to the Nintendo Store in NYC arranged, so it should be a fun time. My wallet cries out for mercy though - June has been a very expensive month! 😵💫
Wishing everyone a fun weekend! 🕹☀️
Re: Random: Don't Like Switch 2's Physical Game Cases? Try Some Cool Cassette-Styled Ones Instead
Those are pretty rad! That Cyberpunk one in particular looks snazzy.
I’m fine with my OG Switch game cases, but the Switch 2 ones I agree are a bit of a downgrade (with the big red bevel and lots of legalese).
Re: Third-Party Launch Games On Switch 2 Reportedly Sold "Very Low Numbers"
I’d venture to guess that it’s the most passionate gamers who make up a large portion of launch game sales, and a significant chunk of us are against game key titles. This scale of “fake physical” games is not something Nintendo fans have had to face before, and it’s a real shortcoming of the S2, if you ask me.
Overall, its may be high system & accessory cost in this economy that’s the biggest suppressor right now, but game keys are most certainly damping things, too, And nobody can convince me that Nintendo is not complicit in this physical game shrinkflation. They’re the platform designer, they have options. Had there been a viable alternative to game keys, I’m sure more publishers would’ve opted. Hopefully such an alternative arrives eventually.
Hopefully sales even out more for third parties as sticker shock wears off and more casuals start entering the market, but yeah, peeps are going to be choosy with their money!
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Getting Donkey Kong Bananza For Switch 2?
I was sold even before today’s direct. Now I’m thinking I’ll love DKB as much as I did Odyssey! Take my money Nintendo!
@YunoboCo
Not liking DK’s redesign is valid - everybody’s entitled to their opinions. 👍🏼
Can I just confess that I’m so old, I wasn’t really fond of DK’s redesign for the DK Country games on SNES? The Rare look was fine and it grew on me over time, but I guess I just imprinted on DK’s goofy/angry arcade version when I was a kid. I’m actually pretty fond of the stubborn ape’s latest incarnation, as it reminds me of his arcade roots. 😁
Re: Say Hello To Pauline In Donkey Kong Bananza
The Direct was chock full of goodness. My preorder was justified! I’ll look forward to picking this up next month.
It’s like Wreck-It Ralph the video game! 😁
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Direct Revealed For Wednesday, 18th June 2025
Ooooh intriguing! Hopefully they’ll reveal something substantial and not just rehash what we already know (like the MKW Direct).
I wonder if Pauline or some other Kongs will show up?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (14th June)
I only just rolled the credits for 50cc in MKW so I’ve got plenty more Grand Prix left to play. It’s my go-to game when the kids are around. I seriously have to look up how to do split screen free-roam mode, as my kiddos enjoy that probably more than racing! This game has been a real treat for the last week-plus.
In the kids’ absence, I’ve enjoyed completing a couple missions in Cyberpunk 2077. It’s the closest thing to a big-time AAA cinematic experience I’ve played since the PS3 days, and very gratifying. We will see what other modern experiences the S2 unlocks for us in the future, and of those, how many will actually be present on physical media! In the meantime, I’m pleased to see all these performance boosts for Switch 1 titles, as I’ve got an endless pile of those to get to, still!
Wishing everyone a fun weekend, and Happy Father’s Day to you dads and pops out there! 🕹❤️🏎️
Re: It's Official, Switch 2 Has Sold Over 3.5 Million Units Globally In Its First Four Days
@Picola-Wicola
Hi Pic! I am enjoying The Deuce, feeling privileged to have afforded it and a few games on launch without selling a lung. But wow will my June credit card bill be painful!
I've played mostly MKW and Cyberpunk 2077. Cyberpunk especially is eye-opening because it's giving me a glimpse of all the AAA graphics-heavy cinematic games I have denied myself over the years, since I decided to own only one console (the Switch) since 2017. I'm going to enjoy seeing more fancy ports come to the Deuce in the future, like Elden Ring, and maybe Baldur's Gate 3, though I'm resigned to having to purchase them as game keys, probably.
Were you able to get a S2? How are you finding it?
Re: Random: Mario Kart World Players, Take Heed - This Is What Happens When You Throw A Blue Shell In First Place
In all these years, I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to try such an experiment! Skill issue!
Re: Capcom Is Recording Switch 2 Game-Key Card Purchases As "Digital Sales"
Sadly, that’s an accurate way to count those sales. Even if you want to believe you’re buying the games physically, you’re not - the game isn’t on the cart, it’s on the eShop and you’re just buying (temporary) access. Let’s hope that access lasts a good long time. 🤞🏼
Then again, I fear this designation will only stack the deck further against real physical releases.
“Look, our percentage of physical game sales vs digital is so low, it’s negligible! No need to produce those unprofitable physical games then, because nobody wants them, haha!” (Says the Capcom CEO to the shareholders.)
Re: It's Official, Switch 2 Has Sold Over 3.5 Million Units Globally In Its First Four Days
Looks like the Deuce will eclipse the Wii U even faster than Switch Uno did!
I accounted for 2 of those sales (one for me, one for a coworker who had no luck in 3 rounds of the Japanese lottery) and I’m enjoying the system except for the fact that Nintendo couldn’t adopt a more affordable physical media for games and instead stuck us with this game key nonsense.
Overall, though, I’m happy for Nintendo and looking forward to some fun games on the way.
Re: Splatoon Raiders, A New Splatoon Spin-Off, Is Confirmed For Switch 2
Some kind of mission-based Splatoon Gaiden is great news!
Just surprised we’re not getting this reveal in a Direct.
Re: Review: Survival Kids (Switch 2) - Konami's NS2 Debut Is Cosy, Competent, Kid-Friendly Co-op
Gloria Gaynor approves of that tagline! 👍🏼
This game’s generic-looking art really put me off, but it was interesting to hear it uses game-share and I imagined it might just be fun to play with my kids, if I could convince them to try it with me.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (7th June)
@Shiryu
I approve of that message 👍🏼
Really I’m right with you on the addition of GC to NSO. I think thus far, Soul Calibur 2 is my most-played S2 game, after MKW.
Enjoy that 75in TV!
Re: Review: Yakuza 0: Director's Cut (Switch 2) - A Series Highlight That's Never Looked Or Played Better
@Grandiajet
I’ve read PJ’s review and meditated long on deciphering its true meaning.
I think it’s possible he’s telling us, in a subtle, barely detectable way, that Yakuza 0 is the best jumping-on point for the Yakuza series. 🧐
At least I hope so, since I’ve never played a Yakuza game but I bought this one on launch day! 😁
Can’t wait to see this cabaret game that everyone’s talking about. I’ll play in Japanese with Japanese subs, if it lets me, for maximum Japanese profanity study.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (7th June)
@Shiryu
Your write-up this week really resonates with me - all this excitement and new games and cool new hardware to play with really renews your enthusiasm for video games!
The moment just imparts a sense of history, and I’m feeling extra nostalgic remembering all my first encounters with games over the years. Space Invaders and Pac-Man in the arcades, Pitfall 2 on my uncle’s 2600, the joy of playing a run & jump scrolling SMB that you can play at home, Altered Beast, SMW, Biohazard (RE), Phantasy Star Online, Super Robot Taisen F, Wind Waker, Crazy Taxi, Wii Sports, NintendoLand & MK8, BOTW, and so many other games that led me into successions of game generations and kept my love of games thriving! And now here we are with titles like MKW and Cyberpunk to carry that torch. Such a path we’ve walked, my friend! 😁
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (7th June)
Midnight purchase on Wednesday night, then only did set up on Thursday night (thank goodness I can still access both my American and Japanese accounts and eShops!) and then FINALLY last night it was game time! Mario Kart World with my kids. They lasted just a couple races with me, then went back to their tablets.
Sure seems like the Nintendo generation will end with me in my family. 😔
MKW is beautiful though, isn’t it? And the music is smooth jazzy perfection. Getting used to wall-hopping and rail-grinding will make exploring this game a lot of fun. Plus my first unlocked character was Birdo, so the game is off to a great start.
Played a bit of Soul Calibur 2 and the upgraded No Man’s Sky, too (thoroughly enjoyed both) and will sample some other things this weekend before eventually going back to finish XCX:DE on my new S2.
I did not do the full system transfer from my OLED, since my Deuce wouldn’t have the memory to handle it. I’ll be dual-wielding for a while.
Hope everyone enjoys your game time this weekend, whether you’re playing Nintendo’s latest or your fond faves from childhood! 🕹❤️👾
Edit: Maybe I spoke too soon - I just handed the controller to my youngest (age 11) and she’s tearing up free roam mode in MKW, making her own fun. My kids can see the charm in this game. There’s hope for future generations!! 😁
Re: Two More Playable Characters Unveiled For Marvel Brawler 'Cosmic Invasion'
Love to see Shulkie in there - I am SO getting this game!! 😆
I’d probably buy 2 physical copies on principle alone.
I don’t even recognize Capt. Marvel or Nova in the screenshot above (mainly because I’m so old that I still believe that the one and only Capt. Marvel should be the Superman lookalike with the power of SHAZAM!), but it’s awesome to see She-Hulk join the fight. Her books written and drawn by John Byrne in the latter 80s were top notch.
Re: Scott Pilgrim EX Brings More Beat 'Em Up Action To Switch In "Early 2026"
I’d play that! I won’t be able to resist if this gets a proper physical release.
Re: Review: Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer (Switch 2) - Still A Thrill, More Than 30 Years Later
@Burning_Spear
It's true, the price of gaming is going up this generation!
In defense of Hamster, though, their "Arcade Archives 2" series games promise to be more fully-featured than the vanilla Arcade Archives games. The Ake-Aka 2 release for KOF '98 featured multiple save slots, a new "Time Attack" speedrun mode, and online multiplayer, among other things.
Granted, most of those additions don't really benefit a single-player race game like Ridge Racer. I guess they wanted to raise the price to still turn a profit when porting fancier 90s games like this.
Re: Review: Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer (Switch 2) - Still A Thrill, More Than 30 Years Later
Thanks for the excellent review @Damo !
I feel honor-bound to buy this game, which is not only the debut Ake-Aka game on Switch 2, but also the debut of the Arcade Archives 2 series on any Nintendo platform.
I never played Ridge Racer in the arcade, but Rage Racer on my PS1 was always fun for me. Supporting Hamster this week will be a treat for me, as usual.
I saw on the "Arcade Archiver" livestream yesterday that some Namco devs taking a hurried taxi ride through the snowy streets of Hokkaido was what inspired them to make Ridge Racer! Apparently they egged on the driver, who smiled and really delivered a thrill ride, all while keeping up the polite small talk.
Also, it looks like although there is only one "circuit" in the game, the route you follow differs depending on which mode you play, so there is some variety, at least.
Re: PSA: Switch 2's Flashy New Kickstand Is Perfect For TATE Mode Play
If only my flatscreen TV rotated so easily!
My setup isn’t that bad, though, really. The TV mount rotates between horizontal or vertical, I’m just too lazy to get off the couch to turn it!
@DwaynesGames
I’d say the answer is よこ•横 “yoko”.
Do I get to split the grand prize?
Re: The Switch 2 Fixes Its Predecessor's "Worst Performing" Game
Less pop-in for games like XCX:DE and Grounded sure would be nice! It'll be interesting to pop in different Switch 1 cartridges and see if I sense any performance boosts.
Re: Publishers Are "Thanking" Nintendo For Game-Key Cards On Switch 2
Full disclosure: As much as I despise game-key carts, I preordered and picked up Yakuza Zero (a game-key cart) last night along with my Switch Deux system and other goodies.
Here is why:
On preorder day back in April, after waiting a long time in line, I couldn't remember if Yakuza Zero was on the cart or not. (the store attendant couldn't confirm either!) I wanted the game so I decided to gamble. And lost. But I decided to keep it, rather than back out of a preorder, as a courtesy to the store I'm fond of.
It's an all-around shame my "copy" of Yakuza Zero will be wholly and forever conditional to the good graces of Sega and Nintendo. We'll see if it lives on as long as my copy of Cyberpunk!