Friday, January 13, 2017

News:: The Nintendo Switch will reportedly have Neo Geo games

The Nintendo Switch will support a handful of new games, of course, but it's also going to feature some fan-favorite classics from the Neo Geo era, Famitsu says. The Arcade Archive collection from Japanese video game publisher Hamster Corporation will land on the Switch worldwide beginning in March with King of Fighters '98, according to the report. Keep in mind that the Switch itself is scheduled to come out on March 3rd for $300 in the United States.

Via: NeoGAF

Source: Famitsu



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News:: Nintendo Switch is skipping Miiverse and StreetPass

Much to some fans' dismay, Miiverse and StreetPass, Nintendo's rather novel communication systems for Wii U and 3DS, weren't mentioned last night during the extensive Switch presentation. If that absence left you anxious about the fate of these features on the system, your fears were well-founded.

"I can answer that we're not going to be using Miiverse for Nintendo Switch," Nintendo of America's David Young informed VentureBeat, also noting a similar fate for StreetPass on the Switch. In place of Miiverse, the console will rely on existing social media, but Nintendo didn't name names.

Straight up, that's so disappointing. These features weren't perfect, but they sure had charm.

At least we'll always have BadMiiversePosts.

Nintendo Switch won’t have Miiverse or StreetPass [VentureBeat] [Art by megablurdxl]

Nintendo Switch is skipping Miiverse and StreetPass screenshot



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News:: Nintendo's HD Rumble will be the best unused Switch feature of 2017

If I had to describe Nintendo in just three words, I'd steal the shared city slogan of Austin, Santa Cruz and Portland: "Keep Nintendo Weird." The Japanese game giant delights in its own unique character, and has made a habit of defying convention. Nintendo's gimmicks are always fascinating, but they don't usually work out. The Wii Remote's speakers largely went unused. Most third-party developers failed to take advantage of the Wii U touchscreen. So, what's Nintendo Switch's soon-to-be-overlooked innovation? A haptic feedback system called HD Rumble.



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News:: Oh dang, thatgamecompany's new title is out this year

Flower and Journey creator thatgamecompany's next project is several years into production now and, as you might've heard, it's due out this year. Somehow, I missed that tidbit originally. Maybe you did too. So let this serve as a reminder that 2017 is shaping up to be another wonderful year in games.

The company is hiring for several positions, and while the listings don't necessarily give away anything wild or unexpected about the self-published multiplatform title, there are hints of what's ahead.

  • Feel Engineer: "Have a desire to create meaningful, enriching experiences that touch and inspire players."
  • Graphics Engineer: "The goal in this role is to deliver the kind of visual spectacle and rich moment-to-moment feedback that helped define our last game, Journey — which earned recognition as 2012's Game of the Year in part due to the visual spectacle of its graphics technology."
  • Senior Gameplay Engineer: "Our games rely on rich moment-to-moment feedback systems to accentuate a player’s actions and create a living world. We're looking for a someone to bring our game worlds to life."
  • Senior Level Designer: "As game designers we think of spaces as the context for player interactions – particularly mulitplayer interactions. [...] "In addition to the artistic side, each level is responsible for teaching the player how to play, while also delivering key emotional and narrative beats via interactivity."

Oh dang, thatgamecompany's new title is out this year screenshot

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News:: The sad, manic face of Wii Music is performing at the Trump inauguration

By E3 2008, the Wii had just passed the Xbox 360 in US sales, despite having come out a year later. With the PS3 flagging, it was Nintendo's race to win. And then we met Ravi. Riding high, Nintendo came into E3 2008 with absolutely nothing to show, hence the extended stage performance of Wii Music and turning out DJ Ravi Drums for an epileptic drum solo.

Though he single-handedly sunk Nintendo on its way to its apex, leading to an entire console generation playing catch up, Ravi persevered. He performed at the 2009 Academy Awards and was voted "The Worlds Best Innovative Dj/Drummer" at the "2010 Peoples Choice," according to his Wikipedia page, though there is no source and I can't find any evidence that such an award exists.

Soon, he'll be playing for the President of the United States, a discarded Thanksgiving turkey skin that gained sentience after rolling in the shed fur of a feral tabby cat. Donald Trump has had some public problems securing celebrities and performers for his January 20 inauguration. Acts from Elton John ("Incorrect. He will NOT be performing," his publicist rebuked) to Ice T ("I didn’t pick up and Blocked the number.") have declined to perform.

The president-elect did manage to nab E3 2008 star DJ Ravi Drums to go along with fellow headliners Toby Keith ("Beer for My Horses"), 3 Doors Down (that song "Kryptonite" you kept hearing in grocery stores in the early 2000s), and Jackie Evancho (the second-place America's Got Talent winner in 2010).

Who Is Performing at Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration? A Shortlist [The New York Times]

The sad, manic face of Wii Music is performing at the Trump inauguration screenshot



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News:: Snipperclips already looks like an early Nintendo Switch gem

And with that, I now know what my first three Nintendo Switch games will be: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (no kidding, right?), Super Bomberman R (I'm starving for even a halfway decent Bomberman), and Snipperclips - Cut it out, together! (come again?). In the flurry of news last night and this morning, that last game -- an eShop-bound co-op puzzle title from Nintendo -- went overlooked.

Today's Nintendo Switch stream from the Treehouse team put Snipperclips on my radar, and I have a feeling some of you will be pleasantly surprised by its concept, too. Here's the archived footage:

Snipperclips already looks like an early Nintendo Switch gem screenshot

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News:: The Public Access Weekly: Switch lanes


Friday again already?! Well, okay then. Let's get on with it!

For all you Public Access members: Just FYI, if you're actively in an article, we cannot be -- which means if you submit an article and then go in to make changes or edits we have to wait for you to finish to view and approve your post. Also, we are 100% back on track after the holidays so the wait to get an article reviewed is back down to the 24-48 hour range (with it taking a bit longer over the weekend). And if you've been waiting to hear back on your member application, you should get a reply today!

For all you commenters, we have one quick GIF of advice this week:


We know there are some bad actors in there, every community has a few, but no one wins when you spend your valuable time baiting and encouraging them. Plus, to be honest, it is just really, really boring to moderate. Just walk (virtually) away and let our mods deal with it.



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News:: Is Donkey Kong king of New York in the new Mario?

In a smoke-filled theatre on Broadway 84 years ago we were introduced to "Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World." And we all know what happened after that: Jack Black's hubris led to a damn dirty ape scaling our towers with our women. Sure we airholed the dumb-assed gorilla with Snoopy-ass biplanes, but what if....?

It's a question that has led to some our most challenging fiction since Red Dawn asked, "What if we could cast ourselves as the beseiged underdogs despite a generation of global hegemony?" And Super Mario Odyssey asks an equally bold question: what if Kong became King? 

Super Mario Odyssey's ersatz New York diverges from our real-life version of "The Windy City." For one, it's called New Donk City. You can read the name on a billboard above the corner bodega Diddy's Mart, which is on Dixie St -- two references to additional members of the Kong family. Given the boxy yellow cabs and the license plate "1981-ND," this could be an 80s-set re-imagining of the "City of Angels" (as well as reference to the year Donkey Kong was released and Mario, as Jumpman, was introduced).

It stands to reason that 48 years after his hostile takeover, the first King Kong would have passed the monarchy down through his progeny. And what would a despotic ruler do but name a city after himself? I'm talking Donkey, King of New York, baby! Donkey Kong, setting his failson nephew up with a sham business to run when he's not busy naming streets after his girlfriend to impress her. It's an autocracy on par with the Sauds. Meanwhile dissenters, like our young hero Mario, are consigned to a life off the grid, surviving in the sewers to avoid the iron hand of King Donkey, Glorious Leader of New Donk City.

Think about it.

Is Donkey Kong king of New York in the new Mario? screenshot



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News:: Nintendo will have a Switch app to help with parental controls

Nintendo dropped all the official details on its new Switch console that's set to arrive in March while most of us were sleeping. Along with a truckload of hardware and software info, the company also has an app for Android and iOS to help parents keep tabs on their child's gaming habit. The appropriately named Nintendo Switch Parental Controls mobile software will allow you to set time limits for playing sessions and more.

Source: Nintendo (YouTube)



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News:: Ultra Street Fighter II's launch trailer has a weird bit at the end

During Nintendo's Treehouse stream showcasing all of the new Nintendo Switch games, Street Fighter Executive Producer Yoshinori Ono showed up and revealed a nostalgic trailer for Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers. While it has a bunch of info that we've already been privy to (two new characters, two players taking on a CPU opponent at the same time), there was one bit at the end that really stuck out to me. 

At the very end of the trailer, you see Ryu delivering a hadouken in first person. I'm not sure why that's in this trailer, but could it somehow be a part of this port? Or maybe Ono is stealth-announcing a mode coming to Street Fighter V? Anyway, check out the trailer for Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers below! It's lookin' mighty fine. 

Ultra Street Fighter II's launch trailer has a weird bit at the end screenshot



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News:: Suda is writing and directing 'for the first time in 10 years'

Suda51 talked vaguely about a new Travis Touchdown game -- the lead character from the Wii's No More Heroes -- at Nintendo's Switch conference.

The best news, though, for those of us who haven't been as thrilled with recent Grasshopper games as we were for, say, Killer7: Suda51 is writing and directing this new (far off; 2019? 2020?) project, according to 4Gamer.

While he "cannot say...yet" if this is formally No More Heroes 3, he did note, "I will write all the scripts and I will do the direction for the first time in 10 years," referring to, incidentally, the first No More Heroes. So that's good news for those of us who've seen him as spokesperson on things like Let it Die, but were still left craving a real Suda joint.

Hopefully he'll enjoy it, too, since he's on record wanting to make No More Heroes 3 and has been writing Killer7 stories for fun.

須田剛一氏がNintendo Switch向けに投入するのは,自らがシナリオとディレクションを手がける新作。主人公はあの男,トラヴィス・タッチダウンだ [4Gamer] via [Neogaf]

Suda is writing and directing 'for the first time in 10 years' screenshot



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News:: Hold your blocks: Minecraft is also coming to the Switch

Minecraft just hit the Wii U fairly recently (in the grand scheme of Minecraft's lengthy lifespan, that is), but like most things that went to die on the Wii U, it's also coming to the Switch so you can buy it again like it didn't just happen.

Buried within the announcement for the Switch lineup was a pretty uneventful confirmation that one of the most popular games of all time is heading to their new console. All of the features are basic stuff and nothing extra is known so far in regards to how Switchy this port might be, but it exists if you want it.

My guess is all of the Wii U DLC, including the Mario Mash-Up pack, is fair game.

 

Hold your blocks: Minecraft is also coming to the Switch screenshot



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News:: Nintendo's Switch Pro controller is refined, but not perfect

Nintendo's Joy-Con controllers for the Switch are wonderfully unique, but they might not be ideal for every situation. That's why the $70 Switch Pro Controller exists — it's meant for gamers who need a more traditional-feeling gamepad for titles like Ultra Street Fighter 2 and Super Bomberman R. It's not exactly a surprising accessory, as Nintendo had a similar Pro accessories for the Wii and Wii U, but it's still nice to see the company refining its concept of a classic game controller.



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News:: Do you prefer the new Zelda's American or European box art?

There are two competing box arts for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. We've got the North American version, which is the same one Japan will use, surprisingly:

Do you prefer the new Zelda's American or European box art? screenshot

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News:: Fire Emblem is getting its own Nintendo Direct next week

Announced during Nintendo's Treehouse stream for the Nintendo Switch, we'll be getting a Fire Emblem focused Nintendo Direct next Wednesday, January 18th, 2017 at 2PM PDT (5PM EST). I didn't think Nintendo would reveal more information about Fire Emblem Warriors so soon, or footage for that matter, but I'm sure glad to get it. 

Since Nintendo didn't specify that it would be just Warriors during the presentation, is it too much to get my hopes up for other titles? Is there anything you'd like to see next week? I'm still playing Hyrule Warriors for its Adventure Mode maps so I'm hoping Fire Emblem Warriors offers something similar. 

Fire Emblem is getting its own Nintendo Direct next week screenshot



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News:: Nothing immerses you in 'Resident Evil 7' like a 4D candle

4D experiences are typically only found in theme parks and fancy theaters, but soon you'll be able to trick your senses at home with the launch of the "official Resident Evil 4D candle." Yes, a candle. Created by Capcom and merchandise merchant Numskull, it's intended to make playing Resident Evil 7: Biohazard on PlayStation VR even more immersive by filling your den with the scent of the game's Baker House Mansion -- which, given it's an abandoned house, should probably smell like damp and old socks.

Source: Numskull



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News:: Zelda: Breath of the Wild is 13gb on Wii U, 13.4gb on Nintendo Switch

Some more Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild minutia (Minish-uh?) for you: the game is 13gb on Wii U and 13.4 on Nintendo Switch. They're both out March 3 and I doubt the .4gb will influence which one you buy.

It is worth remembering, though, that the Nintendo Switch only has 32gb of internal memory, so Zelda alone could take almost half of it. Thankfully, for those going digital, you can expand this amount with any micro SD card. Or clear your Wii U out ahead of time, if you're hesitant about buying a new Nintendo.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild is 13gb on Wii U, 13.4gb on Nintendo Switch screenshot



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News:: Apple TV app changes pave the way for better gaming

Apple has drastically increased the size of apps that developers can submit to its Apple TV App Store, paving the way for more media-heavy apps, especially games. Up until now the limit was 200 MB, but apps can now be as large 4GB, the same as for iOS devices. The change should provide a "complete, rich user experience upon installation," Apple says, noting that as before, apps can host up to 20GB of additional content from the App Store.

Via: Steve Troughton-Smith (Twitter)

Source: Apple



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News:: Nintendo confirms that Zelda: Breath of the Wild hits Wii U at the same time as Switch

Yesterday was all about the Nintendo Switch. So much so, that the publisher neglected to even really mention the Wii U, relegating it to the status of that distant relative that you aren't even aware of until someone mentions it.

But they came to their senses after the big shebang, and went out and confirmed that yes, Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be launching on the Wii U on the same day as the Switch -- March 3. It's the same deal as Twilight Princess -- they're basically the same game, but the latter will probably look a little prettier.

Well, Twilight was a little different in the sense that the entire world was mirrored because of the way Link holds his sword. It makes replaying each one that much more fun!

Nintendo confirms that Zelda: Breath of the Wild hits Wii U at the same time as Switch screenshot

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News:: Destructoid's most wanted games of 2017

A year ago, we were looking forward to some games. And how did they turn out? Well... But I'm sure that this year is going to be totally different! Everything is going to work out. Nothing will be delayed, or disappointing. No one's going to die. Nuclear war? As if! We're not going to die at all. All the games will be good. It's going to be awesome.

These are the games Destructoid can't wait to definitely play in 2017, the year that we are all going to live through, totally successfully, without so much as a speed bump on our way to Good-times-ville.

Destructoid's most wanted games of 2017 screenshot

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News:: All of the Nintendo Switch March launch games in one place

Are you ready to pick up a brand new Nintendo Switch at launch! Well you better prepare for all of those launch games -- wait. If you actually look at the fine print, a ton of that presentation isn't actually coming out until later in the year.

Although a lot can change in less than two months, right now, there's only a few ports, a few bite-sized type experiences, and the main attraction of Zelda: Breath of the Wild that have been fully confirmed for launch.

We'll keep everything updated as firm release dates arrive here. Japan's lineup looks a whole lot more interesting.

All of the Nintendo Switch March launch games in one place screenshot

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News:: Playing all the games at Nintendo's Switch event

We've touched the hardware and were left with some good impressions. But that's only half of the equation: what about the games? Nintendo is offering several upgraded (and some brand new) titles for the Switch. While some depend on the new controller interfaces (Arms) and sharing aspects of the new console (1, 2 Switch), others, in classic Nintendo style, tap in our nostalgia (Sonic Mania, Ultimate Street Fighter 2). And there was another try to play Zelda. Here's every title that we could get our hands on at the Switch event.



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News:: It's not quite F-Zero, but Fast RMX will do for now

I was tempted to make the title "Fast RMX is the next best thing," but it would actually be the next next best thing, after a Wipeout game (shout-out to Team Harimau!). Successor to highly rated Fast Racing Neo, Fast RMX by German developer Shin'en (which for some reason I want to read as Shinra) is keeping the anti-gravity futuristic high-speed racing genre alive. 

30 tracks and 15 ships are available for you and up to seven friends to race in 1080p 60fps. Here's where Switch's multiple play methods make things complicated. The official website shows this: 

It's not quite F-Zero, but Fast RMX will do for now screenshot

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News:: Maybe the My Nintendo Store will be better than the current digital discount junkyard

My Nintendo has failed to impress day in and day out, and "updates" or news usually involve a new bad discount of some kind. I think they were banking too heavily on people getting swept up in Miitomo and Super Mario Run, in the sense that users would spend most of their time on those. They didn't. But hope remains alive if you're in Japan, as a My Nintendo Store is happening, with real merch.

Starting January 23 you can log onto the platform (digitally) and access new accessories and other junk. That includes stuff like extra Joy Con (read: Switch controller) straps, the Switch itself, a limited edition My Nintendo Zelda: Breath of the Wild version, and other extras like carrying cases.

It's not exactly a bonus for My Nintendo users, but it's another avenue to pre-order if you want to take it.

My Nintendo Store [Nintendo World Report]

Maybe the My Nintendo Store will be better than the current digital discount junkyard screenshot



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News:: No wait really, the Nintendo Switch parental controls video is hilarious

I was late to the Switch party, but I found the best video of the lot! Nintendo's video guide to parental settings on the Switch is hilarious for a multitude of reasons and also pretty cute. In it Bowser imposes restrictions on poor ole Bowser Jr., while sometimes playing with him.

No wait really, the Nintendo Switch parental controls video is hilarious screenshot

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News:: The price of the Nintendo Switch, and all its innards, is too damn high

Amid all of the hype of the Nintendo Switch presentation, let's break one thing down -- this thing is going to be one of the priciest Nintendo consoles yet if you actually look at what everything costs. Firstly, $300 for the console itself isn't awful on its own. A lot of you actually said you'd pay "no more" than that.

But if you want everything else, including online play, break out your wallet.

The price of the Nintendo Switch, and all its innards, is too damn high screenshot

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News:: Nintendo's Switch makes a great first impression

Well, this is different. In my hands is Nintendo's Switch, a $300 (£280 in the UK) console that's like nothing I've held before. Well, it's like quite a few things, but nonetheless a unique device.

It all starts with a tablet, dominated by 6.2-inch 720p capacitive touchscreen, with speakers in the lower corners. It's thick, by anyone's standards, but it's not too heavy, and is generally well-balanced and comfortable to hold. The screen, although low-res compared to most tablets, looks sharp, bright, and rich. Viewing angles also seemed good -- vital for two-player sessions.

At the top of the tablet portion is a slot for proprietary Game Cards, a headphone jack, two volume keys and a recessed power button. Below is a microSD Card slot and a USB Type-C charging port. Around the back is a sturdy kickstand that lets you rest the tablet on a table. Adorning the vertical edges of the tablet are detachable "Joy-Cons" that slide on and off on rails.



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News:: Here's what the Nintendo Switch in-store GameStop pre-order situation is like in the US

Having just returned from pre-ordering my Nintendo Switch and Zelda Special Edition, I have a better idea of what the in-store situation is like at GameStop.

Going off of calls and experiences with roughly 10 stores, and an inside source at GameStop with access to company memos, each location is looking at getting roughly 25 consoles in total, with wiggle room for more or less stock. The most I've heard that one store has carried so far is 40. To break this down further, there are two SKUs for the Switch that I'm counting in that overall stock -- the gray edition, and the neon. At my store, they had 16 gray consoles available, and eight neon. Depending on your local situation there might be people already in line for it, so if you wait, there might not be any left.

In terms of games you should be fine, but the Zelda: Breath of the Wild special and limited edition pre-order situation is rough. There are $99.99 and $129.99 versions, and while the latter is basically sold out across the US, the former is barely in stock at the moment. My store had three total, and as the third person in line (behind a man and a woman who camped out), I got the last one.

To all of my mid and west coast friends and readers, good luck!

Here's what the Nintendo Switch in-store GameStop pre-order situation is like in the US screenshot

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News:: Oh yeah, Sonic Mania is also heading to the Switch

Right now, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Destructoid as a Nintendo-centric news outlet. Considering how much Switch-related info has just been revealed -- and with even more to come -- I’m sure that almost every games media outlet currently in operation will be absolutely inundated with stories pertaining to Nintendo’s upcoming console.

Well, here's yet another Switch-related announcement.

Sega has now confirmed via a recent trailer that Sonic Mania, the upcoming retro-inspired 2D Sonic game by Christian Whitehead -- who previously worked on the (excellent) mobile ports of many of the classic titles in the series -- and in collaboration with Headcannon and PagodaWest Games, will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch.

The actual trailer itself is almost the same as the one that was initially revealed in July last year, with the key difference being that it now contains Nintendo Switch-related branding on the list of compatible platforms at the end of the video. Oh, and it was uploaded to Nintendo’s YouTube channel. That last part is probably a pretty good giveaway about the game’s compatibility with the platform.

Oh yeah, Sonic Mania is also heading to the Switch screenshot

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