@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!
Ugh. The businesses are thankful for them, no doubt.
The customers? No cussin' thanks.
My wallet? Happy for some relief, I suppose. I’ll be opening it less.
Man the majority of that conversation went over my head! I had to get help from a Japanese coworker. Highlights: "So much for going golfing!" (exclaimed after getting their hands on their long-awaited Switch 2's + Yakuza)
"We should buy Switch 2's for everybody in the syndicate!" "Nah, then there wouldn't be enough for the normal good citizens (katagi people) to buy!"
I love all the Yakuza snarling and rough language. This game should be a hoot to play.
I'm sure it would be a lovely, enlightening introduction to my new console. But c'mon - by any measure this should have been a pack-in game! You're not getting my money on this one, Nintendo.
This will be my first Yakuza game, and it looks like it'll be a neat street brawl through bubble-era Japan nightlife.
Residing in Osaka in the 90s, I'd see the hosts and hostesses commuting to work in the red-light district in the evening, but I was too broke and boring a person to venture into that area myself. Now I'll finally get the totally realistic nightlife depiction I was missing, with no outrageous scenarios or gratuitous violence whatsoever!
Also, I honestly wonder what the real-life Ya-chan of Osaka think of the Yakuza series of games? Did Sega hire any former insiders as advisors?
Nah, I’d bet that some day Welcome Tour will be a free giveaway to NSO expansion pack subscribers and I’ll just wait till then.
There’s too much else to spend money on this year!
Already it's our final weekend of the pre-Switch 2 era! My one modest goal before S2 launch was to finish Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE. I think I'm on the cusp - I just want to collect enough parts to craft one Ares skell and then start up Chapter 13. With discipline, maybe I'll still have enough time to clear the deck for Mario Kart on Thursday.
As much as I've loved XCX, I've dedicated almost all of my gaming time to it since its March 20th release and I'm ready to sample other delicacies at this point. In the interim, worthy games like Hundred Line, Neva, Assault Suits Valken Declassified, and Capcom Fighting Colle 2 have all delivered and sat untouched on the shelf. The backlog guilt is real!
I almost feel a strange relief that Nintendo invented game key carts to take the fun out of buying physical games on Switch 2. It'll be an excuse for me to slow down on the purchases and better enjoy what I've already accumulated.
Wishing everyone a fun weekend and don't forget to show some love and appreciation for our 'ol pal Switch Uno! 🕹❤️👏🏼
@SalvorHardin Thanks for the insight! I think I’ll be happy if Yakuza Zero has even a little Shenmue DNA in it. As in, find a game center on some street corner that has gashapon collectibles and some playable Sega minigames in it, like Shinobi and Space Harrier. Text boxes I can deal with, as long as the story is decent.
Mainly I just want to see their depiction of 80s Osaka. I lived there in the 90s-00s, so it should be a nostalgia trip if nothing else. 😁
@Bigmanfan
Haha I was just about to comment to the effect that the game looks good and has me hyped - it will be my first Yakuza game and I'm imagining I'll enjoy it similar to how I did Shenmue.
But you read my mind - I was going to add that my enjoyment of the game will forever have an asterisk, because of the game key format. The ROM could have been on the card, but it isn't. My copy of the game won't really be my copy, now, you know? It's a valid bummer for a lot of people.
Despite the gripe I'll still enjoy Yakuza Zero and I'm still excited for Switch 2, just not as thrilled as I could have been!
I feel guilty for letting my copy of the game languish on the shelf, but I'm still trying to finish XCX:DE, and Switch Deux with MKW and Cyberpunk is little more than a week away!
It almost makes me wistful for those early Atari/Coleco/NES days when I'd go months without getting a new game to play.
I’ve already got Titanic Scion on preorder, but most definitely would have skipped it were it a game key release. Good for Marvelous and their CEO for recognizing the value of traditional physical releases with the ROM actually on the cart! Over time, my money that would have gone to Capcom or Sega will instead go to genuine physical releases, like Marvelous’ titles.
I hope imported Western Marvelous games outsell the domestic game key versions inside Japan - what a statement that would be! It’ll never happen though, with the weak yen and most people in Japan owning the cheaper, region-locked Switch 2.
A game key release with even LESS intrinsic.value than the others. Bravo, Capcom!
They basically did the same, time-limited code thing with Mega Man collections on the Switch 1, though, so I am not surprised.
Especially since Capcom has actively campaigned against used game sales since the PS1 era (in Japan, at least). Remember those “NO RESALE” icons they used to print on the back of every game box?
@johnedwin I’d say Super Robot Wars Y most definitely deserves its place on Famitsu’s list. I guess YMMV depending on your familiarity with the base IP, and how much in-game text you can endure.
The series has been going for 30+ years for a reason - each entry is a love letter to mecha anime characters and robots, with decent tactical grid battles, cool battle scenes, BGM and songs from the anime, and usually the original voice talent, too.
All kinds of classic super robots (Mazinger, Getter, Grendizer, etc), real robots (Gundam, Macross, Dunbine. etc), and adjacent sci-fi show heroes, old and new, are thrown together to take down their respective villains and featured original baddies. It’s satisfying to power up your favorite characters and take them through each game. Each entry has a slightly different anime lineup - it’s a bit like Smash to see who’s getting the invite. 😁 The mix of different archetypes and genres can be fun, and it’s always impressive how many different IPs they license each time. It’s analogous to licensing characters from Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, Valiant, IDW, Disney, and Archie to throw together into a game.
They’re niche games, for sure, but consistently decent, and their player base in Japan would be among the hard core gamers who read Famitsu and vote in such polls.
I personally love mecha anime and I’m an old student of Japanese, so the SRW games are right up my alley. I hope you’ll forgive me rushing to Y’s defense! I’ll be picking the game up this year, even if the backlog is a mile deep.
I’ve never played SCII but I’m really looking forward to trying it on Switch Deux, since Soul Edge was one of my most-loved PS1 games way back then.
I’m especially happy to hear that it retains that awesome Weapons Master single-player mode! Going through that story mode with each of the characters to unlock the different weapons was such a treat in Soul Edge. I’ll be interested to see how Soul Calibur II stacks up, all these years later.
I was typing up a long entry on how it’s a 3-day weekend here in the ‘States and that I hope to finally play through Chapter 12 of XCX: DE, but I may pause Xenoblade there because this whole formatted list of tempting games have delivered in the weeks I’ve been playing it. But then I fat-fingered my phone and reloaded the screen and WIPED my entire entry. I seriously hate my phone sometimes. 😑
Anyway, less than 2 weeks to go till Switch 2 time! I have to clear a spot for it soon in my setup.
In Japan, Hamster just finished their Arcade Archives 11th Anniversary event, so I’ll have to check out the YouTube recording this weekend to see their awards show, special guests, and what cool announcements they had.
Wishing everyone accurate texting and ample time for fun and friends this weekend! 🕹👍🏼
Yes, sadly only the Switch 1 physical release is on the cartridge, whereas if you import the Switch 2 physical from Japan it seems to be (yuck) a code in a box. So naturally, I chose the Switch 1 version.
Nintendo's description of the Switch 1 version of the game states the following:
*This product can be upgraded to the Nintendo Switch™ 2 version after purchase at no additional cost. To upgrade, download the upgrade pack available from the Nintendo eShop onto your Nintendo Switch 2.
At least Bandai-Namco is not charging us for the S2 upgrade, but putting ALL the data on the cart would have been far nicer!
@Justaguest @SillyG Would you settle on a Switch version to get the full physical, like what I’m doing? I think the upgrade to Switch 2 spec is a free download.
It’s awful that the superior S2 version isn’t available on the cart, but the Switch 2 is ushering in the new (worse) era of game collecting! 🤦🏻♀️
The game looked intriguing enough for me and I just preordered earlier this week, but I’m liking what I see in this trailer! It looks similar to last year’s Yars Revenge game, in that they sprinkle in fun flourishes of the classic game to unlock progress in the game’s main adventure mode.
SL might just shape up to be a real treat to play for arcade fans!
I prefer buying all my media - games, music, books, movies - the old-fashioned way, in physical form with the product present and not something to be downloaded. I don’t buy code in a box, I don’t buy compromised physical releases that “do not play” from the cart, and I’ll be skipping almost all the game key releases. I just dislike the idea of my purchases being beholden to the internet and corporations’ good graces. Digital purchasers have their priorities, and I have mine, that’s all.
I’m glad there’s some publishers out there who still “get” me, and those will be the companies I support. 👍🏼
I’m an oddball who actually likes getting Japanese as well as English news on my Switch. It’s good reading practice and I like to see the different ways they market the games between cultures.
I guess on S2 I’ll have to choose one or the other? Switching back and forth might be a chore. 🫤
Looking good and I'm thrilled that CD Projekt Red has gone above and beyond to bring us a really desirable physical version of their game.
Teen me playing Shadowrun on my SNES and reading William Gibson's Neuromancer never could have imagined I'd be playing such an impressive cyberpunk game on a handheld system in 2025.
These types of ports really hit the sweet spot for me, since, after becoming a parent back in the Wii / Wii U days, I committed to owning only one console per generation. Nintendo was the best choice for me, but in so choosing I had to give up the really cinematic/graphics-heavy games. So ports like Witcher III and now Cyberpunk coming a few years later to Switch/Switch 2 are always welcome.
All those years in Osaka and I never took a day or two to go visit Fukuoka. I guess now we'll be able to do a mighty Nintendo crawl across Western Japan with the HQ, museum, and store in Kyoto, store in Osaka, and now the new store in Fukuoka.
I wonder if Japan will get stores in Hiroshima, Sendai, and Sapporo, too?
I liked the transparent Switch Uno cases better, but at least these aren’t needlessly taller.
Though I don’t particularly mind, I suppose, as I’ll be buying a lot fewer of these compared to S1.😔
Unless the situation changes, Nintendo has really slashed my enthusiasm to buy physical games this gen. I think the end result will be I spend less $$ on games overall. Buying digitally or on game keys just isn’t as appealing for me.
I’ll have a quiet day with the kids today with the usual weekend chores to be done tomorrow, but I’ll find some time to hop in my skell and give Chapter 12 another shot in Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE. First, though, it’s back to Spelunky because my older daughter likes to see me bash my head against that wall. I’ve been playing on & off for like 4 years, and never come close to beating this game. Maybe I should finally break down and look up a guide. 😑
I love how Hamster unearths a bit of arcade history for us every week and may pick up Nebulas Ray to support them (plus I love the Gundam aesthetics). It does remind me a lot of Taito’s RayForce.
I think what’s most exciting, though, is that releasing this 1994 game, with Ridge Racer on the way on Switch 2 launch day, portends that Hamster will get into more of these mid-late 90s 32-bit titles. If only they could convince Sega to join in!
Honestly I’m most excited for the Captain Toad upgrade. It’s no fun trying to play co-op in that game on one screen and battling over who controls the camera. My daughter and I will give it another shot now using Gameshare. I hope that feature works for owners of a physical copy of the game!
IIRC Link’s Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom both used variable frame rate, so wouldn’t they automatically attain solid performance when playing on the beefier S2 hardware? It won’t be long now till we find out!
@PlayingWithPower It feels pretty heavy, honestly, like 8Bit put some kind of thin steel plate in the base to give it some heft. The weight and the rubber footies are enough to keep it pretty stable on my coffee table at home.
I don't know how its weight would compare to other current controllers, but it's way heavier than my old Sega Genesis 1st party arcade stick.
I have their older arcade controller, the one with the joystick, so I'll be sticking with that. I doubt I could train my aged brain to use a controller that's just buttons.
It's reassuring that Nintendo is committed to physical, but it's a pity they couldn't cut deals to help 3rd-party partners publish games on the cart, too!
Rather than subsidize the cost for traditional carts, they developed the game-key model instead. It'll be an easy decision for most 3rd-parties to go with game-keys, which are great for publishers, great for Nintendo, but a downgrade for those of us who want to continue buying and owning our games on physical media.
Having to download and store all this Switch 2 data stinks, and who knows how long we'll get to retain it?
As a stubborn old person I will continue to grumble about this for a while. All anyone can do really is vote with our wallets, though. I'll be skipping the vast majority of game-keys, games which I otherwise would have bought at full price, were they actually on the cartridge.
Well this certainly validates my preorder! It was a no-brainer for me, since I loved Justice Gakuen on my PS1 and all its high school manga archetype characters, and I always wanted to play the Power Stone games but never picked them up for my long-lost Dreamcast.
These are games I would just admire from afar during my frequent visits to Osakan arcades back then - were I to dare to start a vs. fighting game, within minutes some kid would join in to wreck the gaijin and I'd be out my 100 yen. So I stuck to pinball mostly. I'm glad Capcom put together another nice collection of these so I can revisit these in peace.
For the Switch Uno, LRG has been a reliable outlet for me. But I live just a few states away from their HQ, I am really dedicated to physical releases, and I have the patience to wait for them.
I e got a feeling that I’ll soon be pining for the days when their standard releases were $35 to $40, though. I expect Switch 2 Tax will make the OG Switch Tax look like a bargain. Ah well, whether you blame technology, blame Nintendo, or blame greedy publishers, I’m resigned to the fact that it will be slim pickings for physical games going forward.
I'll just state that for the most part, buying physical games on the OG Switch was a very satisfying experience. I bought several hundred! And for each one I bought, despite often having a day-one patch/update, the game was present and playable on the cartridge. No worries about my internet connection or logging in or whatever.
Now on Switch 2, these pseudo-physical "game-key" releases are a real downgrade compared to previous. Sony and XBox players have been coping with this shrinkflation for years, but really it's a new (and depressing) phenomenon for Nintendo fans. I can grudgingly understand going with game keys for huge cinematic games in excess of 64GB, but it's alarming to see game keys used for small games like 3DS ports and Puyo-Puyo. The physical media is not fulfilling its purpose at that point.
I don't know where the blame lies for all this, and at this point I don't want to keep stressing over it. I just have to accept this unfortunate reality and buy the legitimate physical games I want (like Cyberpunk and Nintendo's games) and forget the rest. My policy since the Wii U is I don't buy digital unless it is deeply discounted, and for the most part that policy will apply to game keys, too. It will really reduce what I spend on games on Switch 2, but in this economy, that's kind of a good thing.
@shonenjump86 I preordered the upcoming Space Adventure Cobra game earlier this week. I think it’s a Sept release on Switch. It’s a run & gun side-scroller and hopefully decent! Definitely not a license I expected to see these days. Will you be picking it up?
@Shiryu It’s funny you mentioned it - I met Pharsis the Everqueen just last night, but it was not intentional and it was exceedingly brief. She showed me the door immediately, actually. 😅 I won’t be calling on her again anytime soon!
I’m battling a cold for the past few days. This virus has mocked all the chicken soup and extra rest I’ve thrown at it, and it’s put a damper on my game time. I stopped on Chapter 12 of Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE and I haven’t even updated my Switch to vers 20 yet! It’s starting to get angry at me - it won’t update my news channel or let me see friends’ online status anymore. 😅
Anyway, the plan this weekend is to get over this cold and catch up on things. Hopefully do some dust-up missions to power up my characters and skells a bit more and give that Ch 12 boss battle another shot. We’re running out of time before Switch Deux!
Wishing all the NL moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day! 🕹❤️
Comments 3,009
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!
Re: Publishers Are "Thanking" Nintendo For Game-Key Cards On Switch 2
Ugh. The businesses are thankful for them, no doubt.
The customers? No cussin' thanks.
My wallet? Happy for some relief, I suppose. I’ll be opening it less.
Re: Random: Yakuza 0's Antagonists Reunite To Play Switch 2 Together
Man the majority of that conversation went over my head!
I had to get help from a Japanese coworker.
Highlights:
"So much for going golfing!" (exclaimed after getting their hands on their long-awaited Switch 2's + Yakuza)
"We should buy Switch 2's for everybody in the syndicate!"
"Nah, then there wouldn't be enough for the normal good citizens (katagi people) to buy!"
I love all the Yakuza snarling and rough language. This game should be a hoot to play.
Re: No Man's Sky Is Landing A Free Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Update On Launch Day
Truly awesome news! I was hoping they’d do an upgrade but didn’t expect this day one! This changes my early Switch 2 gaming plans for sure.
What great support from this team! 👍🏼
Re: Video: "It's Actually...Really Good" - Our Hot 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour' Preview Take
I'm sure it would be a lovely, enlightening introduction to my new console. But c'mon - by any measure this should have been a pack-in game!
You're not getting my money on this one, Nintendo.
Re: Switch 2 Exclusive Yakuza 0: Director's Cut Gets An Extensive Overview Trailer
This will be my first Yakuza game, and it looks like it'll be a neat street brawl through bubble-era Japan nightlife.
Residing in Osaka in the 90s, I'd see the hosts and hostesses commuting to work in the red-light district in the evening, but I was too broke and boring a person to venture into that area myself. Now I'll finally get the totally realistic nightlife depiction I was missing, with no outrageous scenarios or gratuitous violence whatsoever!
Also, I honestly wonder what the real-life Ya-chan of Osaka think of the Yakuza series of games? Did Sega hire any former insiders as advisors?
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Trailer Highlights New Minigames & Tech Demos
Nah, I’d bet that some day Welcome Tour will be a free giveaway to NSO expansion pack subscribers and I’ll just wait till then.
There’s too much else to spend money on this year!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (31st May)
@Freek
Happy Birthday!!🎂🎉
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one in their 50s around here. 😅
Have a great week!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (31st May)
Already it's our final weekend of the pre-Switch 2 era! My one modest goal before S2 launch was to finish Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE. I think I'm on the cusp - I just want to collect enough parts to craft one Ares skell and then start up Chapter 13. With discipline, maybe I'll still have enough time to clear the deck for Mario Kart on Thursday.
As much as I've loved XCX, I've dedicated almost all of my gaming time to it since its March 20th release and I'm ready to sample other delicacies at this point. In the interim, worthy games like Hundred Line, Neva, Assault Suits Valken Declassified, and Capcom Fighting Colle 2 have all delivered and sat untouched on the shelf. The backlog guilt is real!
I almost feel a strange relief that Nintendo invented game key carts to take the fun out of buying physical games on Switch 2. It'll be an excuse for me to slow down on the purchases and better enjoy what I've already accumulated.
Wishing everyone a fun weekend and don't forget to show some love and appreciation for our 'ol pal Switch Uno! 🕹❤️👏🏼
Re: New Yakuza 0 Opening Movie Builds The Hype For Switch 2 Launch
@SalvorHardin
Thanks for the insight! I think I’ll be happy if Yakuza Zero has even a little Shenmue DNA in it.
As in, find a game center on some street corner that has gashapon collectibles and some playable Sega minigames in it, like Shinobi and Space Harrier.
Text boxes I can deal with, as long as the story is decent.
Mainly I just want to see their depiction of 80s Osaka. I lived there in the 90s-00s, so it should be a nostalgia trip if nothing else. 😁
Re: New Yakuza 0 Opening Movie Builds The Hype For Switch 2 Launch
@Bigmanfan
Haha I was just about to comment to the effect that the game looks good and has me hyped - it will be my first Yakuza game and I'm imagining I'll enjoy it similar to how I did Shenmue.
But you read my mind - I was going to add that my enjoyment of the game will forever have an asterisk, because of the game key format. The ROM could have been on the card, but it isn't. My copy of the game won't really be my copy, now, you know? It's a valid bummer for a lot of people.
Despite the gripe I'll still enjoy Yakuza Zero and I'm still excited for Switch 2, just not as thrilled as I could have been!
Re: Upcoming 'The Hundred Line' Update Adds Much-Requested Improvements
I feel guilty for letting my copy of the game languish on the shelf, but I'm still trying to finish XCX:DE, and Switch Deux with MKW and Cyberpunk is little more than a week away!
It almost makes me wistful for those early Atari/Coleco/NES days when I'd go months without getting a new game to play.
Re: Story Of Seasons Publisher Says Physical Switch 2 Releases Are "The Right Decision For Us"
I’ve already got Titanic Scion on preorder, but most definitely would have skipped it were it a game key release. Good for Marvelous and their CEO for recognizing the value of traditional physical releases with the ROM actually on the cart! Over time, my money that would have gone to Capcom or Sega will instead go to genuine physical releases, like Marvelous’ titles.
I hope imported Western Marvelous games outsell the domestic game key versions inside Japan - what a statement that would be! It’ll never happen though, with the weak yen and most people in Japan owning the cheaper, region-locked Switch 2.
Re: Street Fighter 6 Somehow Combines Game-Key Card And Code-In-A-Box On Switch 2
A game key release with even LESS intrinsic.value than the others. Bravo, Capcom!
They basically did the same, time-limited code thing with Mega Man collections on the Switch 1, though, so I am not surprised.
Especially since Capcom has actively campaigned against used game sales since the PS1 era (in Japan, at least). Remember those “NO RESALE” icons they used to print on the back of every game box?
Re: Mario Kart World For Switch 2 Tops Famitsu's "Most Wanted" Games List
@johnedwin
I’d say Super Robot Wars Y most definitely deserves its place on Famitsu’s list. I guess YMMV depending on your familiarity with the base IP, and how much in-game text you can endure.
The series has been going for 30+ years for a reason - each entry is a love letter to mecha anime characters and robots, with decent tactical grid battles, cool battle scenes, BGM and songs from the anime, and usually the original voice talent, too.
All kinds of classic super robots (Mazinger, Getter, Grendizer, etc), real robots (Gundam, Macross, Dunbine. etc), and adjacent sci-fi show heroes, old and new, are thrown together to take down their respective villains and featured original baddies. It’s satisfying to power up your favorite characters and take them through each game. Each entry has a slightly different anime lineup - it’s a bit like Smash to see who’s getting the invite. 😁
The mix of different archetypes and genres can be fun, and it’s always impressive how many different IPs they license each time. It’s analogous to licensing characters from Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, Valiant, IDW, Disney, and Archie to throw together into a game.
They’re niche games, for sure, but consistently decent, and their player base in Japan would be among the hard core gamers who read Famitsu and vote in such polls.
I personally love mecha anime and I’m an old student of Japanese, so the SRW games are right up my alley. I hope you’ll forgive me rushing to Y’s defense! I’ll be picking the game up this year, even if the backlog is a mile deep.
Re: Review: SoulCalibur II (GameCube) - One Of The Best Fighters Ever, Playable Oh-So-Soon On Switch 2
I’ve never played SCII but I’m really looking forward to trying it on Switch Deux, since Soul Edge was one of my most-loved PS1 games way back then.
I’m especially happy to hear that it retains that awesome Weapons Master single-player mode!
Going through that story mode with each of the characters to unlock the different weapons was such a treat in Soul Edge. I’ll be interested to see how Soul Calibur II stacks up, all these years later.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (24th May)
I was typing up a long entry on how it’s a 3-day weekend here in the ‘States and that I hope to finally play through Chapter 12 of XCX: DE, but I may pause Xenoblade there because this whole formatted list of tempting games have delivered in the weeks I’ve been playing it. But then I fat-fingered my phone and reloaded the screen and WIPED my entire entry. I seriously hate my phone sometimes. 😑
Anyway, less than 2 weeks to go till Switch 2 time! I have to clear a spot for it soon in my setup.
In Japan, Hamster just finished their Arcade Archives 11th Anniversary event, so I’ll have to check out the YouTube recording this weekend to see their awards show, special guests, and what cool announcements they had.
Wishing everyone accurate texting and ample time for fun and friends this weekend! 🕹👍🏼
Re: 'Shadow Labyrinth' Injects Some Pac-Man Nostalgia Into Its Latest Trailer
@SillyG @Justaguest
Yes, sadly only the Switch 1 physical release is on the cartridge, whereas if you import the Switch 2 physical from Japan it seems to be (yuck) a code in a box. So naturally, I chose the Switch 1 version.
Nintendo's description of the Switch 1 version of the game states the following:
At least Bandai-Namco is not charging us for the S2 upgrade, but putting ALL the data on the cart would have been far nicer!
Re: 'Shadow Labyrinth' Injects Some Pac-Man Nostalgia Into Its Latest Trailer
@Justaguest @SillyG
Would you settle on a Switch version to get the full physical, like what I’m doing? I think the upgrade to Switch 2 spec is a free download.
It’s awful that the superior S2 version isn’t available on the cart, but the Switch 2 is ushering in the new (worse) era of game collecting! 🤦🏻♀️
Re: 'Shadow Labyrinth' Injects Some Pac-Man Nostalgia Into Its Latest Trailer
The game looked intriguing enough for me and I just preordered earlier this week, but I’m liking what I see in this trailer! It looks similar to last year’s Yars Revenge game, in that they sprinkle in fun flourishes of the classic game to unlock progress in the game’s main adventure mode.
SL might just shape up to be a real treat to play for arcade fans!
Re: Feature: "Game-Key Cards Don't Sit Right With Us" - Lost In Cult Dives Into Its New Physical Games Line
I prefer buying all my media - games, music, books, movies - the old-fashioned way, in physical form with the product present and not something to be downloaded. I don’t buy code in a box, I don’t buy compromised physical releases that “do not play” from the cart, and I’ll be skipping almost all the game key releases. I just dislike the idea of my purchases being beholden to the internet and corporations’ good graces. Digital purchasers have their priorities, and I have mine, that’s all.
I’m glad there’s some publishers out there who still “get” me, and those will be the companies I support. 👍🏼
Re: "This Is It!" - Nintendo On Why It Added 'Cow' Into Mario Kart World
My kids will have to fight over Cow. I already called dibs on the angry Mario Bros. crab (Sidestepper?) 🦀
Re: Switch 2's News Section Will Reduce Clutter With Individual Account Feeds
I’m an oddball who actually likes getting Japanese as well as English news on my Switch. It’s good reading practice and I like to see the different ways they market the games between cultures.
I guess on S2 I’ll have to choose one or the other? Switching back and forth might be a chore. 🫤
Re: Nintendo Music's Latest Update Celebrates Another NES Classic, Here's Every Song Included
@DwaynesGames
Reapers Theme = the derpiest chiptune ever composed. It preceded many GAME OVER screens for me. 😅
Re: Nintendo Music's Latest Update Celebrates Another NES Classic, Here's Every Song Included
Some of my all-time favorite NES tunes! I’ve been whistling and humming these for decades. 🥰
Re: Video: Check Out New Direct-Feed Gameplay Of Cyberpunk 2077 On Switch 2
Looking good and I'm thrilled that CD Projekt Red has gone above and beyond to bring us a really desirable physical version of their game.
Teen me playing Shadowrun on my SNES and reading William Gibson's Neuromancer never could have imagined I'd be playing such an impressive cyberpunk game on a handheld system in 2025.
These types of ports really hit the sweet spot for me, since, after becoming a parent back in the Wii / Wii U days, I committed to owning only one console per generation. Nintendo was the best choice for me, but in so choosing I had to give up the really cinematic/graphics-heavy games. So ports like Witcher III and now Cyberpunk coming a few years later to Switch/Switch 2 are always welcome.
Re: Nintendo Is Opening Its Fourth Store In Japan This Year
All those years in Osaka and I never took a day or two to go visit Fukuoka. I guess now we'll be able to do a mighty Nintendo crawl across Western Japan with the HQ, museum, and store in Kyoto, store in Osaka, and now the new store in Fukuoka.
I wonder if Japan will get stores in Hiroshima, Sendai, and Sapporo, too?
Re: Here's A Look At The Size And Inside Of Switch 2 Game Cases
I liked the transparent Switch Uno cases better, but at least these aren’t needlessly taller.
Though I don’t particularly mind, I suppose, as I’ll be buying a lot fewer of these compared to S1.😔
Unless the situation changes, Nintendo has really slashed my enthusiasm to buy physical games this gen. I think the end result will be I spend less $$ on games overall. Buying digitally or on game keys just isn’t as appealing for me.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (17th May)
I’ll have a quiet day with the kids today with the usual weekend chores to be done tomorrow, but I’ll find some time to hop in my skell and give Chapter 12 another shot in Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE. First, though, it’s back to Spelunky because my older daughter likes to see me bash my head against that wall. I’ve been playing on & off for like 4 years, and never come close to beating this game. Maybe I should finally break down and look up a guide. 😑
Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend! 🕹💥🐍
Re: Review: Arcade Archives NebulasRay (Switch) - A CGI Deep-Cut After Decades Of Waiting
I love how Hamster unearths a bit of arcade history for us every week and may pick up Nebulas Ray to support them (plus I love the Gundam aesthetics). It does remind me a lot of Taito’s RayForce.
I think what’s most exciting, though, is that releasing this 1994 game, with Ridge Racer on the way on Switch 2 launch day, portends that Hamster will get into more of these mid-late 90s 32-bit titles.
If only they could convince Sega to join in!
Re: 12 Switch Games Are Getting Free Switch 2 Upgrades, Here's What You Can Expect
Honestly I’m most excited for the Captain Toad upgrade. It’s no fun trying to play co-op in that game on one screen and battling over who controls the camera. My daughter and I will give it another shot now using Gameshare. I hope that feature works for owners of a physical copy of the game!
IIRC Link’s Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom both used variable frame rate, so wouldn’t they automatically attain solid performance when playing on the beefier S2 hardware? It won’t be long now till we find out!
Re: Fortnite Turns To The Dark Side With AI Darth Vader Voice, And Of Course It's Been Swearing
A disturbance in the force for sure.
Re: Fight Fans Rejoice, 8BitDo Is Launching A New Arcade Controller For The Switch
@PlayingWithPower
It feels pretty heavy, honestly, like 8Bit put some kind of thin steel plate in the base to give it some heft. The weight and the rubber footies are enough to keep it pretty stable on my coffee table at home.
I don't know how its weight would compare to other current controllers, but it's way heavier than my old Sega Genesis 1st party arcade stick.
Re: Fight Fans Rejoice, 8BitDo Is Launching A New Arcade Controller For The Switch
I have their older arcade controller, the one with the joystick, so I'll be sticking with that. I doubt I could train my aged brain to use a controller that's just buttons.
Unless it's Space Invaders.
Re: Nintendo Has "No Plans" To Use Game-Key Cards For First-Party-Developed Titles
It's reassuring that Nintendo is committed to physical, but it's a pity they couldn't cut deals to help 3rd-party partners publish games on the cart, too!
Rather than subsidize the cost for traditional carts, they developed the game-key model instead. It'll be an easy decision for most 3rd-parties to go with game-keys, which are great for publishers, great for Nintendo, but a downgrade for those of us who want to continue buying and owning our games on physical media.
Having to download and store all this Switch 2 data stinks, and who knows how long we'll get to retain it?
As a stubborn old person I will continue to grumble about this for a while. All anyone can do really is vote with our wallets, though. I'll be skipping the vast majority of game-keys, games which I otherwise would have bought at full price, were they actually on the cartridge.
Re: Review: Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (Switch) - A Cracking Collection Of Top-Class Arcade Fighters
Well this certainly validates my preorder! It was a no-brainer for me, since I loved Justice Gakuen on my PS1 and all its high school manga archetype characters, and I always wanted to play the Power Stone games but never picked them up for my long-lost Dreamcast.
These are games I would just admire from afar during my frequent visits to Osakan arcades back then - were I to dare to start a vs. fighting game, within minutes some kid would join in to wreck the gaijin and I'd be out my 100 yen. So I stuck to pinball mostly. I'm glad Capcom put together another nice collection of these so I can revisit these in peace.
Re: Limited Run's Switch 2 Numbered Releases Will Reportedly Include The "Full Game On The Cartridge"
For the Switch Uno, LRG has been a reliable outlet for me. But I live just a few states away from their HQ, I am really dedicated to physical releases, and I have the patience to wait for them.
I e got a feeling that I’ll soon be pining for the days when their standard releases were $35 to $40, though. I expect Switch 2 Tax will make the OG Switch Tax look like a bargain. Ah well, whether you blame technology, blame Nintendo, or blame greedy publishers, I’m resigned to the fact that it will be slim pickings for physical games going forward.
Re: Rumour: New Leak May Explain Why So Many Switch 2 Physicals Are Game Key Cards
I'll just state that for the most part, buying physical games on the OG Switch was a very satisfying experience. I bought several hundred! And for each one I bought, despite often having a day-one patch/update, the game was present and playable on the cartridge. No worries about my internet connection or logging in or whatever.
Now on Switch 2, these pseudo-physical "game-key" releases are a real downgrade compared to previous. Sony and XBox players have been coping with this shrinkflation for years, but really it's a new (and depressing) phenomenon for Nintendo fans. I can grudgingly understand going with game keys for huge cinematic games in excess of 64GB, but it's alarming to see game keys used for small games like 3DS ports and Puyo-Puyo. The physical media is not fulfilling its purpose at that point.
I don't know where the blame lies for all this, and at this point I don't want to keep stressing over it. I just have to accept this unfortunate reality and buy the legitimate physical games I want (like Cyberpunk and Nintendo's games) and forget the rest. My policy since the Wii U is I don't buy digital unless it is deeply discounted, and for the most part that policy will apply to game keys, too. It will really reduce what I spend on games on Switch 2, but in this economy, that's kind of a good thing.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th May)
@shonenjump86
I preordered the upcoming Space Adventure Cobra game earlier this week. I think it’s a Sept release on Switch. It’s a run & gun side-scroller and hopefully decent! Definitely not a license I expected to see these days. Will you be picking it up?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th May)
@Shiryu
It’s funny you mentioned it - I met Pharsis the Everqueen just last night, but it was not intentional and it was exceedingly brief. She showed me the door immediately, actually. 😅
I won’t be calling on her again anytime soon!
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (10th May)
I’m battling a cold for the past few days. This virus has mocked all the chicken soup and extra rest I’ve thrown at it, and it’s put a damper on my game time. I stopped on Chapter 12 of Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE and I haven’t even updated my Switch to vers 20 yet! It’s starting to get angry at me - it won’t update my news channel or let me see friends’ online status anymore. 😅
Anyway, the plan this weekend is to get over this cold and catch up on things. Hopefully do some dust-up missions to power up my characters and skells a bit more and give that Ch 12 boss battle another shot. We’re running out of time before Switch Deux!
Wishing all the NL moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day! 🕹❤️