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[Groove is in the Heart and Optimization]

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TalkBack / Kluge Interactive on Synthesizing the Perfect Licensed Rhythm Game for Switch

« on: December 15, 2025, 03:00:00 AM »

Groove is in the Heart and Optimization

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/73611/kluge-interactive-on-synthesizing-the-perfect-licensed-rhythm-game-for-switch

A few months back a new version of the popular rhythm game Synth Riders was announced to be coming to Nintendo Switch. As a fresh take on the rhythm game genre, we wanted to sit down with Arturo Perez, CEO from Kluge Interactive. I was especially curious as to what it takes to translate a game from VR to the Nintendo Switch and what goes into maintaining a game with a fully licensed soundtrack. In this interview we chat about what went into creating Synth Riders for consoles and what players can expect from this upcoming rhythm game when it releases on Nintendo Switch this week.

Willem Hilhorst (Nintendo World Report, WH): Can you talk a little bit about how Synth Riders for Nintendo Switch came together. I understand that Kluge has mostly worked on VR titles. What was it like to shift from immersive entertainment to a '2D game' on a console?

Arturo Perez (CEO, Kluge Interactive): The shift to Switch wasn't really a "pivot" from VR—it's more of a strategic expansion that's core to our DNA. It's in our nature to expand unique player experiences across platforms, and Switch represented a massive, underserved opportunity.

Our philosophy was translating the core of what makes Synth Riders special—that immersion within a musical, futuristic cyberpunk world—to the Switch platform. We had to reimagine how players would experience that flow state and rhythm-driven gameplay without the physical immersion of VR.

The exciting part was that Switch actually gave us new creative opportunities. We could introduce customizable Synth Rider avatars with outfits and accessories, and the third-person perspective actually enhances the hoverboard stunts and rail-grinding visuals in ways that had not been the focus in VR. We also leaned into Switch's strength as THE platform for local multiplayer, building out 4-player versus and co-op modes that tap into that Mario Kart/Smash Bros. social gaming audience.

WH: Adapting the gameplay from full body movement, fitness almost seems like quite a challenge. But the Switch also feels like an ideal platform to retain some of those ideas. Did you consider keeping stuff like motion controls to catch the music notes?

AP: That's a great question. In VR, Synth Riders emphasizes natural, flowing freestyle dance movements, and we definitely explored various control schemes for Switch, including motion controls.

Ultimately, we translated that fluidity to dual analog stick control for left/right hand note-catching, plus button inputs for rail-riding and stunts. This gives players precision and responsiveness while maintaining that sense of rhythm and flow.

We also adapted the 360-degree immersion of VR into a dynamic camera system that anticipates note patterns and obstacles, keeping players locked into the action. And while we removed the workout/fitness aspect, we intensified the score-chasing and competitive mechanics—three difficulty levels, leaderboards, and 4-player battles replace calorie-burning with pure gaming skill.

What we kept intact was that fundamental beat-synced gameplay where you catch notes and ride rails in perfect sync with the music. The core loop is pure Synth Riders; the delivery method is just platform-specific.

WH: Few rhythm games have a dedicated cast of characters that go on a story together. What made the team decide to include a story specifically for a rhythm game?

AP: We wanted to give players something beyond playing through a tracklist. The Campaign mode emerged from our cyberpunk aesthetic and world-building—we had this rich futuristic setting, so why not give it stakes and narrative?

In Campaign mode, rebels are racing against time to stop a ruthless AI named XANDER from seizing control in this adrenaline-fueled musical battleground. It adds progression and purpose to the gameplay, making each track feel like it matters beyond just chasing high scores.

The fate of the city is literally in your hands, and that narrative framework transforms rhythm gameplay into something more epic and engaging.

WH:The Switch is currently over eight years old and the hardware is showing its age. Can you walk me a little bit through what it is like to develop a completely new title for this hardware? And were there things you ended up needing to cut back on to keep it running smoothly?

AP:Developing for Switch definitely requires optimization, but we viewed the hardware constraints as creative opportunities rather than limitations. We prioritized maintaining the neon cyberpunk aesthetic and those retro-futuristic cityscapes that define Synth Riders' visual identity—that was non-negotiable.

We also focused our technical resources on ensuring the beat-synced gameplay remains perfectly responsive, because in a rhythm game, timing is everything. We also made sure the game runs smoothly across all three difficulty levels and maintains stable performance in 4-player local multiplayer, which was crucial for the social gaming experience we wanted to deliver.

We feel this game release is the start of our journey on the Nintendo Switch ecosystem, and we’re also excited to continue innovating in the future for Nintendo fans of rhythm games.

WH: I think music rhythm games are make or break depending on their song selection, but especially how well the songs translate to the gameplay and visuals. There's a lot of DLC available and already announced. Are there unique features to these songs aside from the music?

AP: Absolutely. We have up to 64 electrifying tracks in the Ultimate Edition Bundle, and each is carefully crafted for gameplay. The variety spans from synthwave—the genre that inspired the game's VR origins—to '80s anthems and today's hitsThe DLC music packs—Lady Gaga Music Pack, Gorillaz Music Pack, Monstercat Music Pack, 80s Mixtape: Side B, Current Waves, and Synthwave Essentials Vol. 3—each bring new beats and movements to take on. Every track is designed with note patterns, rail sequences, and obstacle choreography that's synchronized to the music's rhythm and intensity. The cyberpunk visuals and environments shift to complement each song's energy and style. What makes us unique is that we offer a broad genre diversity spanning ‘80s legends, current pop, and synthwave all in one package. And we're the ONLY mainstream rhythm game honoring synthwave heritage, which gives us credibility with music-centric gamers and nostalgia-driven ‘80s fans.

WH: I'm always excited about new music rhythm games, but have also been burned by experiences like FUSER and other games that used licensed music tracks. How do you feel about the inclusion of so many licensed tracks and is there a risk of those being made unavailable a decade from now? How do you feel as a creator about that aspect of your game?

AP: What I can say is that we've built Synth Riders as a franchise with staying power—we've already proven that in VR with ongoing support, cross-platform multiplayer, and partnerships with Apple, Meta, and PlayStation. We're committed to this ecosystem long-term. The base game includes 40-64 songs depending on the edition, so there's substantial content that will be available. We've also structured our DLC as music packs that represent complete, curated experiences, which reflects our commitment to preserving these music collections. As creators, we want players to be able to enjoy these experiences for years to come, and we're working within the industry's licensing framework to make that possible.

WH: Do you have a small detail in the game or aspect that you are particularly proud of? Perhaps it is in the UI design, a small reference or a little personal touch that you put in there that you especially like?

AP: The couch co-op mode is something I'm particularly proud of. Most rhythm games are competitive by nature—you're battling for high scores or racing against each other. But we created a mode where up to four players must work together and share the beat, where all skill levels are welcome. We feel the couch co-op mode is a great example of how we love to bring innovation to our gameplay, in a way that’s uniquely designed for each platform.

There's something special about that collaborative rhythm experience—everyone contributing to the same musical flow, supporting each other through challenging sections, and celebrating together when you nail a difficult passage. It captures what we love about music itself: it's better when shared.

Synth Riders launches on Nintendo Switch December 15th 2025. The base game comes with 28 songs for $29,99. The Deluxe edition features 42 songs and includes tracks by Gorillaz and Lady Gaga and costs $39,99. The ultimate edition has 64 songs with all six DLC packs for $69,99. DLC can be bought individually between $7,99 and $10,99.

[The Road Through Hell is Paved with Glorious Halfpipes]

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TalkBack / Skate Story (Switch 2) Review

« on: December 08, 2025, 07:00:00 AM »

The Road Through Hell is Paved with Glorious Halfpipes

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/73525/skate-story-switch-2-review

It was almost three years ago that Skate Story by Sam Eng was announced. I remember seeing the trailer at the end of a presentation and being utterly enthralled. It was a weird feeling. On the one hand, this game was shaping up to look gorgeous and fully lean into its vibes. On the other hand, I’m unashamed to admit that I have always been downright awful at skating games. Yet, I wanted more than anything to delve headfirst into this experience. As the years went on, whenever something popped up about the game it rose up my list of anticipated titles. Now, more than three years after its reveal, it launches on Nintendo Switch 2 day and date with other platforms. This literal road through hell isn’t without issues. However, when the music kickflips in and the vibes become immaculate, Skate Story operates on a primal instinct of skating and survival.

As a demon made of glass, you sign a deal with the devil. In order to get your soul back, you shall devour the moons of the underworld. But of course, this cannot be done on foot. You will have to skate. As you advance through the layers of the underworld and meet a pretty bizarre cast of weird ‘lil guys, you perform tricks, battle philosophers and even perform laundry for the devil. There’s no beating around the bush: Skate Story is truly unique. From its gorgeous artstyle, presented through what seems like a million filters and lenses, to the way in which characters speak, it feels strangely poetic for something that is in essence masquerading as a sports game. But as you peel back the layers, it becomes clear that Skate Story is as much a game about its creator as it is one about skating. Pretty much every chapter consists of an ‘open area’ and a linear level. The linear levels are where the game excels. Oftentimes you need to reach the end of the stage by skating through the goal. Perhaps you will have to pass a number of gates, or make enough speed at certain checkpoints. With a thumping soundtrack by Blood Cultures, perhaps one of the best of the year, the vibes are simply unmatched. Rolling through levels at breakneck speeds while performing tricks never gets old. These tricks are vital as they are the only way to take down the forces that oppose the Skater. Each of the shoulder buttons is designated to the way your feet are positioned on the board. Combining this with either jumps (ollies) or powerslides and grinds gives way to a ton of combinations.

To that extent every chapter ends with a boss battle, where you use your tricks and accumulating score to defeat an enormous entity. Whether they are beings that want to stop you from skating, or one of the many moons you’re looking to devour, these bosses are almost structured like a dance. In an open park you can do tricks, grinds and other flourishes to extend your combo meter. Variety is key here, as tricks get stale if you keep performing the same one over and over. Once you’ve chained together enough combos, you can finish them off with a stomp in mid-air, to attack the health bar of the boss. It makes for an entertaining battle that relies both on your reaction timing, as well as your knowledge of how to best use the terrain to perform tricks at the right time to maximize your damage. They can be pretty spectacular, especially in the later chapters where the game combines the linear levels to become a race of sorts and you’ll need to make tricks along the way that can damage the boss at the end of the level. These stages are the lifeblood of Skate Story. They are engrossing and transcendent in a way I haven’t really experienced since something like Tetris Effect. The music, visuals and gameplay melt together into this unforgettable experience.

And yet the proceedings often come to a screeching halt, in large part due to the structure of the game. The aforementioned open areas are designed to let you skate around, practice new tricks and complete smaller tasks. Clearing out corruption or jumping over potholes gives you souls as a currency that can be spent on skatedecks, trucks and wheels to personalize your skateboard. The offerings are fine enough, but none impact any of the tricks or performance of your board. Given there are only two new decks in each gift shop I didn’t really feel incentivized to go out and collect a lot of souls, especially as progressing normally through the game already gave me enough to change the board to my liking. That made these open areas feel a bit hollow overall. There’s the implication of challenges, but not really a reward worthwhile to fully explore these areas, which makes it feel like the brakes come slamming down and impact the momentum of the story, especially given how many chapters repeat this structure. Only by the end, when boss battles and singular levels would follow one after another did I get invested again into the tale being told. But even then, the story feels like it’s ending five times before arriving at its final conclusion. Not a crescendo after a large build up, but instead we get encore after encore when the audience was already set to go home.

Visually, the Switch 2 version of Skate Story performs well enough in docked mode. The effects do often impede on the overall performance of the game, though. An inconsistent performance, especially in the busier levels, sees fire particles make the game drop from 60 frames per second to 30 and stutter somewhere in-between. In handheld mode, the resolution takes a pretty big hit and retains its uneven framerate. When you are speeding through the levels, you can feel that the game is struggling to keep up. While I do think it is intentional, this also somewhat hinders the cutscenes and story segments. You’ll manually need to push the A-button to continue to the next scene or line of text during a cutscene. Perhaps it is the way in which the game is written, which frankly isn’t always that straightforward, but so many times I was sure that I had skipped over some information as the scene moved on to a new character or segment without a clear transition. It ended up making the emotional hooks of Skate Story feel jittery and disorganized.

But when everything clicks together and you are on that skateboard, rolling down a slope through the underworld, Skate Story is truly out of this world. Performing tricks never ceased to look cool. Every time I crashed into a wall and shattered into thousands of pieces of glass it looked amazing. I would pick up my board and go again and again. Even the final devilishly difficult stages came together while that phenomenal score by Blood Cultures transported me away. There are some rough areas and structural issues that are hard to look past that are perhaps even more pronounced on the Nintendo Switch 2. But when I reached the credits and that original announcement trailer was playing in the background, I felt like I had come full circle. Experiences like this can be long-lasting even if they are a little rough, aren’t polished to a sheen, and occasionally show the screams from their creator. By the end I was left with this profound piece of art, something so utterly human. It is filled with love and passion, but frustration and despair, often stretching at the seams. I do not know Sam Eng, but I have a feeling that I got an insight into what he loves about making games. I may never be a skating game diehard, but Skate Story is a story worth sharing.

[A Legacy To Be Remembered]

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TalkBack / Simogo Legacy Collection (Switch 2) Review

« on: December 01, 2025, 09:00:00 PM »

A Legacy To Be Remembered

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/73521/simogo-legacy-collection-switch-2-review

Over the past few years we’ve seen a slew of companies releasing compilations of their most famous series. Mega Man, Mortal Kombat, Atari’s entire company history and a handful of Capcom fighting collections make it possible to experience hundreds of games in a streamlined, modern form. Given the legacies of these well known franchises and their parent companies, it is no wonder that they serve as an easy way of making old intellectual property relevant and accessible again. On the occasion that more independent games have been included in collections, it has been in a more documentary form, such as the Making of Karataka or Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter story. So it’s been more than just refreshing to play the Simogo Legacy Collection over the last few weeks; it’s a door showing a path forward for smaller studios to highlight their lost or overlooked titles while presenting them with the necessary context to keep them relevant. This legacy collection isn’t a simple cash-grab it is an indie studio pioneering a new format. Even more stunning? Simogo makes it look almost effortless.

Simogo is the Swedish indie studio that is best known for Sayonara Wild Hearts and last year’s Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Yet the studio has been making games since 2010. This collection chronicles all their games, except for the aforementioned pair. There are seven games included here, each with a wildly different style and gameplay approach. Titles like Kosmo Spin and Bumpy Road were clearly designed to take advantage of the features of smartphones, back during the first wave of indie games released for these platforms. With clever touch mechanics, they are score chasers with a unique look and feel to them. Beat Sneak Bandit is a full-on rhythm game that could’ve been a minigame in something like Rhythm Heaven, where you need to tap in the rhythm but explicitly so as to not get caught by security guards while robbing manors. SPL-T is perhaps one of the most addicting puzzle games, where the goal is to make horizontal and vertical splits on the screen to increase your score. But where you make the splits is essential in order to make sure that you do not run out of space. Blocks disappear only after enough splits have been made and will be filled by blocks of the same shape stacked on top.

Then there are the narrative experiences. If you’ve loved the ambiguous nature of something like Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, you’ll immediately recognize the writing style in DEVICE 6 or the atmosphere in Year Walk. These games are wonderful stories that also play with the way you interact with your device. DEVICE 6 especially had me hooked. Twisting and turning the screen in order to follow the text and find solutions to the puzzles. Year Walk is a bit more straightforward, but if you have not played it before it comes highly recommended. It is a suspenseful narrative horror game based on Swedish folklore with an absolutely gorgeous artstyle. Finally I’d be remiss to not mention A Sailor’s Dream. I wasn’t aware of this particular game and it was a delight. With a story told over the course of multiple days as well as specific radio broadcasts every hour, it made for a game I kept returning to over and over. Perhaps not every game in this collection will keep your undivided attention, and their mobile roots can still be felt occasionally, but given that over a decade has passed for most of these games, they are still in remarkably great shape.

And I think that staying power is emblematic of what Simogo has been able to pull off here. All these games were designed for a wide variety of devices. Most of their early games aren’t even available anymore on smartphones. But this collection of games gives you so many options to play and control them. Two sticks on controllers can simulate multi-touch for games like A Sailor’s Dream, where you can control two cursors individually. You can adjust the speed and size of each individual cursor. Is playing in docked mode not your style? Touch screen, motion controls and (for Switch 2) mouse controls are all available and work exceptionally well. Given that a lot of the games are designed to play in short sessions, I had a lot of fun picking them up whenever I had a short break. The wide range of options lowers the barrier of entry significantly.

It all comes together in this wonderfully designed interface that is made to resemble an app store. Every game has a little text blurb explaining the story, but also when it was made and what features have been adjusted to make it as authentic to the original release as possible. There are little achievements and challenges, such as getting a high score in Kosmo Spin or getting all the clocks in Beat Sneak Bandit. But I was also happy to see a few prototypes and other extras included, which is still such a rarity in the games industry. To see cancelled ideas and prototypes here in playable form gives some great insight into how Simogo approaches game design. It’s the cherry on top of this already clean and expansive collection.

I am almost sure that there is a game for everyone in this collection. Whether you’ve been following Simogo since their mobile games, or only played Sayonara Wild Hearts, each of the titles on display is such a great encapsulation of what has made this studio so unique. It’s not just a documentary showcasing the history of the studio, but this is Simogo pioneering a way forward: presenting a path for the preservation and (re)appreciation of games made for mobile devices. These types of games, more than any other, are so quickly lost to the annals of history. But they are important in their own right and collections like these give them the respect they deserve. I simply had a fantastic time with the Simogo Legacy Collection. It is everything one can expect from a collection celebrating a legacy. My hope is that other studios are taking notes and can learn from what Simogo has achieved here.

[This is how you preserve a legacy]

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TalkBack / Simogo Legacy Collection (Switch) Hands-On Preview

« on: November 23, 2025, 11:00:00 PM »

This is how you preserve a legacy

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/73460/simogo-legacy-collection-switch-hands-on-preview

It is rare for us to consider studios before the point of their breakout success. Perhaps it is human to put art in the context of its creation. We tend to like neat little boxes like genres that are ultimately more a guiding tool for categorization rather than saying anything about the work itself. But studios and their creators often have long histories before their notable breakout hit. In the last few decades as development has become more accessible and platforms malleable, these histories often get lost. Perhaps a studio signed a deal with a big publisher who delisted the game because of a licensed soundtrack, or a game is destined to be buried alongside a platform for which it was exclusive. I think the biggest graveyard of them all might be the enormous output on smart devices and mobile in the 2010’s. So many developers published their first games for iPod Touch, Android and iPad. Utilizing the many features of these devices that were at the time incredibly enticing to play around with. Remember a time before battle passes, microtransactions and free-to-play? A lot of these games were just that. Fun games based on simple gameplay ideas.

Yet, as platform holders have tightened their grip using arguments like security and required updates, a lot of these games have simply disappeared. Even worse, researching these games in 2025 is a hellscape with dead webpages, links to sources and publications that no longer exist or no one ever bothering to document these smaller apps. I’m bringing all this up to exemplify how rare it is to see developers return to their mobile roots and try to preserve their legacy. That is exactly what Simogo seems to have focused on with their upcoming Simogo Legacy Collection. This is a treasure trove filled with unique games that have had their interfaces and unique control schemes preserved.

I’ll leave the in-depth analysis of these games for the full review, but with the Simogo Legacy Collection you will get a lot of bang for your buck. Included are the full versions of Kosmo Spin, Bumpy Road, Beat Sneak Bandit, Year Walk, DEVICE 6, The Sailor’s Dream and SPL-T. Each game is completely different from the last. From the score-chasers such as Kosmo Spin, SPL-T and Bumpy Road to the narrative-heavy titles like DEVICE 6 and The Sailor’s Dream. If you only know Simogo from Sayonara Wild Hearts and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, you can see so much of what shaped those games in this collection. The writing in DEVICE 6 is vivid and descriptive in a way that reminded me of how Lorelei does so much of its worldbuilding without any words. Or how the songs in The Sailor’s Dream tell a narrative, which was also done in Sayonara Wild Hearts. And then there’s the lovely surprises like Beat Sneak Bandit, which I had never heard of but is a fun rhythm game where you need to sneak around in tune to the beat. The collection brings all these titles together and makes it great for pick-up-and-play sessions. It brought me back to the early days of playing around with an iPod Touch. Back then I was just downloading so many apps to find a few gold nuggets.

Yet it is the presentation that feels like the glue that brings this collection together. The menus are designed like a phone or tablet, with each games resembling an app-icon. Opening the app looks like viewing the store page, featuring a description of the game as well as the small tweaks and additions made to the experience for this collection. It feels like such an appropriate choice to present the games this way. It configures your expectations ahead of time, so that when these games require different inputs they don’t come out of nowhere. In addition it helps to let the games speak for themselves. You aren’t seeing any out of place tutorials or notifications during gameplay. It retains the authenticity of these games in a playable form.

The most care and attention has been put in the controls. Virtually every method of interaction has been preserved to cater to any play style. For me the most natural style is using the Switch like a handheld device. You can hold the system vertically and rotate the entire screen of the game. Ideal for Beat Sneak Bandit that uses the full width of the screen. But for those who want to keep the Switch horizontally, that’s an option too. Motion controls, joystick and buttons, multi-touch and yes for the Switch 2 owners there are mouse-controls too! You can adjust every individual setting such as the cursor speeds, sensitivity of the mouse controls, and even the appearance of both the left and right cursor. Using both sticks to control two cursors takes a bit of getting used to and is required for games with multi-touch support, but in essence it retains all the features from the original releases.

I think that Simogo has cracked the code with how to preserve mobile games in the most authentic way possible. This collection isn’t just filled with a ton of quality of life features, but contextual descriptions, adjustable settings and even unreleased prototypes for some of the games. I’m still working my way through a few of the longer games, but I can already say that if you’re looking for a collection with a ton of variety, history and many truly unique games, Simogo Legacy Collection is a game to keep an eye out for.

Simogo Legacy Collection releases for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on December 2nd. The game will have a free upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 edition for owners of the Switch edition of the game. Be sure to check out our interview with Simon Flesser, co-founder of Simogo as well.

[Ubisoft Brings Out the Big Guns]

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TalkBack / Assassin's Creed Shadows (First Impressions) Nintendo Switch 2

« on: December 01, 2025, 03:00:00 AM »

Ubisoft Brings Out the Big Guns

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/73520/assassins-creed-shadows-first-impressions-nintendo-switch-2

The rumors turned out to be true, when Ubisoft revealed last month that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows would come to Nintendo Switch 2 in early December. This marks the first third-party AAA release on Nintendo's latest console for a game that was released that same year. With the review code coming in hot, we only had the past weekend to go over its performance and graphical adjustments. While it’s too early to give the game a full review, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a great, but compromised fit on Switch 2.

Shadows marks the first new mainline Assassin’s Creed game running natively on Nintendo hardware. While Odyssey and Origins were available as cloud service games in Japan, the series hasn’t been seen on a Nintendo system outside of the occasional last-gen port, such as Black Flag and the Ezio collection. The gameplay in the series has shifted quite a bit since then, forgoing its static combat system for a more dynamic and immersive style. Set in a gorgeous rendition of feudal Japan, Shadows sees you start the game out as Naoe, a Shinobi who has to watch as her father gets brutally murdered by a group called the Shibakufu. As she sets out on her quest for vengeance, you run into the black samurai Yasuke. The duo form a secret organization to keep Japan safe from the tyranny of the Shogun and try to take out the Shibakufu.

This is a notable shift for the series in that you can choose between two very different styles of gameplay. Naoe is ideal for the stealthy approach. She can grapple up buildings, move quickly through the shadows, and take out enemies from afar with a wide ranging set of tools. Dealing with crowds of enemies becomes a problem, however. That’s where Yasuke comes in. As a big brute with a lot of power in his attacks, you can not only make every slash of your katana hurt, but also storm through enemy gates and throw subtlety to the wind. This dynamic is a lot of fun to experiment with and the quests are often designed to allow for multiple approaches. Will you come knocking down the door with Yasuke or get in and out quickly with Naoe? Their voice performances are stellar in both English and Japanese.

If you’ve played a modern Ubisoft game, most of what Shadows has to offer will be pretty straightforward. You can find quests by roaming around the world, using landmarks and tall towers to scout the areas. There are many branching side-missions and objectives to freely explore the wonderfully designed world of Shadows. The Assassins’s Creed series is most well known for attempting to bring an authentic historical world to life and they’ve excelled here. Japan here isn’t the picturesque parade of forests, mountains and temples you may expect. The villages are dirty, the people rude and more often than not the brutality of the Shogun era is on full display. Take Ghost of Yotei or Tsushima as a point of comparison, with their almost painter-esque and serene approach to what Japan is ‘supposed’ to look and feel like. But here in Shadows the dirt and unpleasantness make those gorgeous vistas, architecture and nature hit all the harder. It is a world that invites you to get lost in. But unlike other Assassins’s Creed games, here it doesn’t feel like a checklist of stuff to do.

I had already put in several hours in Assassin’s Creed Shadows on PlayStation 5. Carrying over my save file through Ubisoft Connect was instantaneous. I could immediately continue where I had left off. That said, the Switch 2 version visually is absolutely a downgrade from the PS5 version. Framerates and loading times can be inconsistent, especially with larger lighting effects and groups of enemies on screen. Yet, I had a fine time playing through the game in docked mode. Most notable are the menus, which take a few seconds to load in, especially when moving between different tabs. I also had a few notable bugs and glitches, resulting in the occasional software crash. Ubisoft is still updating and optimizing the Switch 2 version in the coming months, so I do hope that these kinks can be ironed out. The biggest visual setback is in handheld mode. While the game is playable fine enough and the framerate can be a tad more stable, the resolution drops significantly. I reviewed Star Wars Outlaws a few months back and I can’t say that it looked as rough on Switch 2 as Shadows does here. The scope of Shadows is much larger, but it is a shame that it looks as if someone rubbed vaseline on the lens to get the game running in handheld mode.

Still I will add that it is wonderful to have a ‘next-gen’ assassin’s creed running on a Nintendo Switch 2. Ultimately that choice will come down to what you are looking for. If you have other systems at your disposal, I’d still recommend playing on those if you want to get truly lost in the astonishing world that Ubisoft has presented here. But for those who love to play open-world games like Cyberpunk, Skyrim and the Witcher on the go, Assassin's Creed Shadows lines up pretty well with those expectations. Regardless of performance, I am having a lot of fun with the game overall so far. To me, it is the combination of this particular historical setting and its varied gameplay that is keeping me hooked. This world and its characters feel like the next step for the Assassin’s Creed series. It may have taken a while for the series to get (back) to Nintendo, but what a fun return it has been so far.

[Puzzling with Perspective]

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TalkBack / Viewfinder (Switch) Review

« on: November 26, 2025, 04:00:00 AM »

Puzzling with Perspective

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/73392/viewfinder-switch-review

It must’ve been 2021 when I saw a gameplay video from an aspiring developer go viral on social media. The clip shows a Polaroid camera taking a snapshot of a 3D level. Then the player used the photograph to place a perspective shifting copy of the photo into the world. It captured my imagination and I wasn’t the only one. After this prototype went viral, Matt Stark got to work on making the game a full experience, now dubbed Viewfinder. While Viewfinder has genuine moments of astonishment, the story feels more like a hindrance than an extension of the impressive gameplay. There’s some great ideas at play here, even if the final delivery left me feeling a bit mixed on the whole.

Based on the trailer or gameplay you may be taken aback that Viewfinder has such an explicit story. In the far future, you and your companion have stumbled upon a simulator, once used by a group of renowned scientific and creative experts. The goal is simple, finding a machine that is capable of restoring the climate and making the real world hospitable again. As you try to find clues about the whereabouts of the machine, you are assisted by an AI programmed by one of the scientists. There’s a lot of audio logs, diaries and notes scattered around the levels to help you learn more about the creators of this world. But quite frankly, they all felt a little bit hollow and forced to me. While it is nice that there’s an overarching reason and story for the player to justify the exploration, the tale just isn’t told that well. The twists can be seen coming a mile away and the characters themselves are never shown, making their journey feel very distant. Unlike a game such as Portal, where the fact that you are being isolated is the point of worldbuilding and the story, here you are being bombarded with lore that didn’t intrigue or interest me.

Thankfully there’s the gameplay and that is truly where the game shines. The idea of playing with perspective has been done before in games, but Viewfinder makes this mechanic all its own. Every time you find or snap a photo, the perspective is retained. Platforms are constructed out of pillars, and you can rotate any picture to use a column as a bridge, or make items drop down on the ground. It’s a mechanic that I found easy to understand, but always challenging enough to implement. The game is very generous with mistakes, allowing you to go back in time to the point when the photo was taken or when it was placed. This gives room for experimentation. Sometimes I’d drop myself from an edge into a photo I’d just taken to get my bearings and explore possibilities for how to use it to power a teleporter and reach the exit. Each stage adds or combines new elements, often feeling fresh and challenging. You may find a copier, allowing you to make copies of an already taken photo. Or needing to snap a picture of yourself in order to teleport to where you used to stand in relation to the camera. The game is flexible in a way that allows you to find your own solutions to problems, the best quality of any puzzle game in my opinion.

Yet, the Switch version of Viewfinder feels a tad rough at times. Even while playing on Switch 2, numerous glitches occurred such as photos not loading in properly, or audio dropping out. The game only runs at 30 FPS and can stutter or fall below that when multiple photographs are linked together. I also had to adjust some settings in order to prevent some motion sickness, which is rare for me. My biggest gripe is that while the game introduces a lot of new elements to keep things fresh, the repetition sets in pretty quickly. Sometimes nothing more than shooting a single picture would be enough to solve a puzzle. Occasionally this happened five times in a row with several similar puzzles. In this pacing and outline I feel that Viewfinder wants the story to carry the player through, but that just wasn’t compelling enough for me. At those points I started to brute force my way through some of the game, which is a shame.

Viewfinder is a fun puzzle game bogged down by its ambitions. I loved the way in which the game uses the gameplay to speak for itself. At the same time, whenever the characters started speaking I was kind of turned off by the experience. The Nintendo Switch version runs fine enough, but can have a bit of a hard time with the framerate and loading of stages. For puzzle game die-hards, especially fans of Portal, The Talos Principle and Superliminal I’d recommend Viewfinder in a heartbeat. But if you’re hoping to find something beyond that incredible viral video, I’m afraid that Viewfinder will not be able to change that perspective.

[Celebrating and reflecting on fifteen years of Simogo]

7

TalkBack / Simogo Developer Interview with Co-Founder Simon Flesser

« on: November 23, 2025, 11:05:00 PM »

Celebrating and reflecting on fifteen years of Simogo

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/73461/simogo-developer-interview-with-co-founder-simon-flesser

Simogo is perhaps a darling among indie game lovers. Most widely known for titles like Sayonara Wild Hearts and 2024’s Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, each one of their games is wildly different from the last. Often revolving around a single gameplay mechanic explored to its fullest. The studio is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year, with the release of Simogo Legacy Collection, of which you can read our preview here, but also a book published by Lost in Cult: “Heartbeats, Dreams and Laser Eyes: 15 Years of Simogo”. We reached out to Simon Flesser, co-founder of Simogo and wanted to chat about their celebration, the upcoming Legacy Collection and how to stay innovative as an indie studio in an ever changing games industry.

Willem Hilhorst (WH): Before we get started I'd love to know more about the current state of Simogo. Can you tell us a little bit about how big the studio is and what your guiding principle is for projects?

Simon Flesser (SF): Formally Simogo is just me and Magnus “Gordon” Gardebäck. But we have a number of people we have worked with for many years, including our full time programmer Magnus Jensen, who worked on this collection. Freelancers who have worked on this and a lot of our other projects are composer and audio expert Daniel Olsén and graphic designer Åsa Wallander. And on the individual games there are of course more collaborators. You can check our site www.simogo.com for everyone that we work with. We also share their project stories on the site, so take a look!

WH: In 15 years I'm quite sure that you've seen the industry change a lot. Starting Simogo during the height of the mobile games market and slowly transitioning to more elaborate games for PC and Console. In your opinion, what has helped you run Simogo as a continuous studio?

SF: Stubbornness and a will to keep on trying new things all the time.

WH: If you were to ask me, Simogo's games are defined by focusing on concepts that have a single gameplay idea and expanding on that with different scenarios. From the limited interactions with puzzles in Lorelei and the Laser Eyes to Beat Sneak Bandit's Rhythm gameplay. Does that interpretation reflect the working process for Simogo when developing games?

SF: Maybe! It’s difficult to tell from the inside. In the end, we just make the games and projects we feel like making.

WH: You've announced the Simogo Legacy Collection last month as part of the 15th anniversary. How long has this collection been in the works?

SF: We’ve talked for maybe ten years or so about making this collection, but there has never been time or there have always been other projects that were calling for our attention. We finally started work on the collection in January this year.

WH: I presume that the main goal was to preserve and keep the games from Simogo relevant with the Legacy Collection, but I'm still incredibly curious as to what was the driving force behind this collection for your team?

SF: As you say, the main idea was to preserve the games. As we get older, you start to think about your legacy more, I suppose, and we think this is the best thing we could do so that when we are eventually gone, maybe people will know that there was once a small studio in the south of Sweden called Simogo.

WH: How hard was it to open up these projects again and get them working on a Nintendo Switch? Were there any surprising when trying to access these (outdated) files, projects or plugins?

SF: It is more difficult than I think most people would guess. Without getting too technical, part of the difficulty is that a lot of these games were “based” on each other. We developed and used the same tech and once you collect these games side by side, they will get confused by each other as they are calling on the same functions.

Another big difficulty was to be able to switch between resolutions and aspect ratios on the fly. The games were only ever designed to start in their preferred resolution and then never change. So there was a lot of manual labour and checks that needed to be fixed to achieve this!

Then of course there were a lot of design issues that needed to be solved, related to being able to play the games without a touchscreen.

WH:Was there an emotional response to re-experiencing these games after ten, perhaps fifteen years? How does it feel as a creator to be reunited with your work?

SF: Both good and bad! It’s a lot like looking at photos of yourself when you were young, which you can imagine is not always positive! It’s easy to feel embarrassed, but you also feel proud of what you were able to achieve.

WH:What was the reaction from team members that weren't part of Simogo when these games were originally released?

SF: Most of them are old friends and are familiar with the games, but getting to know them technically and reexamine them from the inside must have been interesting. As a side note. Daniel is probably one of the best SPL-T players in the world, with over 600 splits!

WH: I adore the presentation and style you've chosen for this collection, resembling a mobile storefront, but with straightforward information about the controls and context of the game's creation. Was that interface something that came naturally with this project? Or was it something you stumbled upon along the way?

SF: Thank you! First we had imagined it being something closer to the menus of the NES and SNES mini with big icons, but as we got to work on the different display modes with a visible tablet frame, the idea of an “OS” quickly naturally transformed into its current state.

WH: Translating the interactions with a mobile device to a console takes a lot of work. Both the in the way controls play a part, such as device rotation, touch interfaces and other features of a mobile device, but perhaps also in the way we use phones and tablets differently from game systems. What was key for you in making the controls work? And were there things that you weren't able to get working properly on Switch (2)?

SF: Our discussions over the years had always been centered around trying to remake or “consolify” these games. But as we decided to actually start making the collection, we knew that the intention should be to keep the experience as close as possible to the originals. With this in mind, we came up with a cursor as the main way to interact with the games, either through sticks, motion or mouse. An early decision was to not make custom solutions for each games individual interactions, which led us to both being able to let players rotate the screens manually to switch between portrait and landscape (and also mimic gyro when not available), and the inclusion of a second cursor, so we would be able to mimic multi-touch.

WH: Do you and Gordon have a favorite game in this collection? SF: My favourite is and has always been SPL-T. It’s a game I can keep on playing forever, and be fascinated by myself. Gordon’s favourite is DEVICE 6, because he feels that it challenges what games are, and can be.

WH: You went a step beyond and even released playable prototypes for some of the included games and even unreleased titles. I adored the Mysterious December Machine. This is still pretty unheard of in the larger games industry. What was your thinking behind this move and how challenging was it to get these prototypes working?

SF:To be honest the most difficult thing was to find the early prototypes! We simply wanted the collection to paint the fullest possible picture of Simogo, and be able to gather all extra material in one place for long-time followers of the studio.

WH: You've chosen to publish this collection yourselves, even though Annapurna Interactive was part of the publishing for Sayonara Wild Hearts and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Was this because you wanted to keep this project under your control? Or was there no publishing interest to (re)release your older work?

SF: It felt like the most natural thing, as the originals were also self-published. We never considered pitching it to any publisher.

WH: There are so many developers that got their start making games for mobile, Adobe Flash and other software formats that have made these games inaccessible for decades. What is the value for Simogo as a studio to return to these works and keep them available for the future? SF: The biggest values are that people who were not able to play them before now can, and that they are less likely to disappear when they are on new platforms.

WH: Did you take inspiration from cultural institutions, such as archives, museums or exhibits? Especially in how the games are contextualized within the broader history of Simogo as a studio?

SF: Adding dates to everything, to put them in an historical context was important to us, but I am not sure I would say that we were directly inspired by museums or archives.

WH: Do you have any advice or encouragement for other studios looking at what you're trying to achieve with Simogo Legacy Collection and may be considering something similar on their own?

SF: Try to resist the temptation to fix any blemishes or polish up the games, and focus on making the most true to the original experience!

WH: Finally, any word on what we might be able to expect in the next fifteen years from Simogo? Do you want to grow the studio? Or return to another of your series now that people are more familiar with them?

SF: No, we do not want to grow! If I knew what the next 15 years held, it wouldn’t be fun. The joy is to see where the journey might take us.

[Not Quite Museum Worthy Yet]

8

TalkBack / Two Point Museum (Switch 2) Review-in-Progress

« on: October 27, 2025, 05:00:00 AM »

Not Quite Museum Worthy Yet

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/73084/two-point-museum-switch-2-review-in-progress

Management sims have never really been my cup of tea. But there is one exception to this rule: Rollercoaster Tycoon. I think the low barrier of entry, friendly presentation, and deep layers of gameplay have always kept it a comfort game of sorts. That being said, I’m always on the lookout for a modern approach to this gameplay. While Two Point Hospital passed me by, I had quite a bit of fun with Two Point Campus. Having worked on the arrangement of an actual museum, Two Point Museum seemed like a great fit for me. But while its humor and fun scenarios kept me engaged as a curator, the performance issues and lack of quality of life features on Switch 2 leave a lot to be desired for this particular port.

In Two Point Museum you get full reign of running and curating a museum’s collection. While there are designated themes such as prehistory, botany, and aquariums there are also unorthodox ones like supernatural and ‘digital’ museums. Running the museum is divided into different tasks, but primarily you’ll be recruiting experts to work as curators to maintain and collect exhibits to display in your museum and attract guests. Via the helipad you can send your crew on expeditions to try and retrieve pieces ranging from fossils and spirits to flesh-eating plants and videogame artefacts. Meanwhile, you’ll be designing your museum to house these collections, hiring security guards to ward off thieves and keeping janitors around to sweep floors and develop new interactive displays for kids. Once you get into the gameplay loop, there is quite a bit to do as the money starts flowing in. This fun begins when you’re presented with additional challenges and tasks to increase your museum’s rating and need to keep multiple museums going across Two Point country.

The visual style and comedic writing helps keep the game feeling breezy. From sarcastic announcements over the speakers reminding guests that they need to leave the museum with exactly the same amount of bones as they arrived with, to firing employees stating: “I knew this would be a bad day when you told me I was being fired". The cracks at corporate culture in contrast with how museums are public goods are a great continuation from those in Two Point Campus. Especially when the game starts to combine different elements, such as the supernatural museum also turning into a kind of hotel management sim to keep trapped spirits at ease (as observable exhibits).

But once I started digging deeper I found myself quickly running into issues with the way in which the game is presented on Nintendo Switch 2. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. At launch there is neither support for mouse controls nor using the touch screen in handheld mode. This may sound trivial or gimmicky, but with the amount of menus and tools you’ll need to manage I found this often to be deeply annoying. Given that this is the third game in the series and I still need to use multiple buttons to navigate to a hub menu, then go manually over to the right with the L/R button and then still need to press the right directional button twice in order to manage the payments of my staff is ridiculous. You cannot assign specific button shortcuts or have different layout options. A radial menu would’ve been ideal on consoles, but alas, these are barriers you’ll need to work through the hard way. Especially when you need to press buttons within menus to make them scrollable and read the additional information. That’s before we get to building, where a lot of the finer details can easily get lost because you overshoot placing wallpaper with the joystick, or need to draw a line for the placement and removal of walls. The game doesn’t tell you how certain controls even function, such as pressing the minus-button to swap between placement and removal of walls. Nor is there an undo button, which I deeply missed.I am aware that this setup is similar to previous editions on console, but still given that gyro-controls for cursors, touch controls and mouse controls are all possible here, it is a missed opportunity for the Switch 2 version to set itself apart from the crowd.

The real problems however arose when I kept growing and improving my first museum to increase its rating. Framerate drops, performance issues and especially input-delays became the norm and incredibly distracting. Often I needed to wait upwards of a full two seconds for a menu to open after pressing the button. This may sound trivial but that is your basic interaction in a management game and it only started occurring when more visitors entered my growing museums. And we’re not talking about an enormous map-filling museum here. The game started to slow down and show hiccups before I was even building my third museum. It became harder and harder to track visitors or even staff and I really had to put the game down because it was such a distraction. It broke the immersion completely and especially for a title that isn’t graphically that demanding. For a game that runs on brand-new hardware it simply felt like it was defaulting to the performance of Switch 1 after the opening hours.

All this makes it currently very difficult for me to recommend Two Point Museum wholeheartedly right now. While I adore the style, humor and general gameplay loop, it is now becoming a struggle to fully enjoy the game as it reveals its deeper layers. I wish to explore the depth of its gameplay and for that I will now refrain from giving the game a fully scored review. In part because it feels like I have just gotten the hang of its systems and controls in more depth.  But also because I want to believe that the developers need a bit more time to optimize and finetune the game for the Nintendo Switch 2. In its current state, at launch, I would not recommend picking up Two Point Museum unless you’re willing to deal with its shortcomings in terms of both performance and presentation. I hope that the developers are able to take the time to get more acquainted with the Switch 2 hardware and use it to optimize the game. In particular I want to see them embrace the features that help a management game such as Two Point Museum thrive on Nintendo Switch 2. For now, this museum is, in my opinion, still undergoing renovations and I hope to see it reopen in the near future to make its exhibits shine.

[Changing the Channel Was Never This Satisfying]

9

TalkBack / Blippo+ (Switch) Review

« on: October 14, 2025, 06:00:00 AM »

Changing the Channel Was Never This Satisfying

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/72879/blippo-switch-review

When I say FMV game, your mind may start wandering to the late 90’s. Games like Night Trap or Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties made, often maligned names for themselves. The technical novelty of these games is nowadays replaced by full-on cutscenes. Yet, there is  something entrancing about exploring the overlap of film with interactive game design. Though the games Her Story and Immortality may be the modern touchstones, Blippo+ forgoes the serious and often bleak tones that these games go for. Instead recreating the experience of flipping through television channels as a story slowly starts playing out in the background. It kept me returning to Blippo+ night after night. This is television for the internet age and I cannot get enough of it.

Blippo+ is presented as an interactive television channel. You only have two main methods of interaction, moving on to the next channel or going to the previous channel. Every channel has their distinguishing programs, such as the talkshow ‘Small Talk’, the TMZ-like gossip show ‘’The Rubber Report” or more absurd programs like Quizzards, which combines a traditional quiz show with Dungeons & Dragons. All these programs are created for a society that sort of resembles ours, but is clearly distinct. From the way that ‘Brain Drain’ broadcasts interviews with the brains of dead celebrities or how seemingly millions of people are tuned into their ‘Peedees’ television stations.

One of the things that I tend to do when traveling abroad is turning on the television in the hotel and simply flicking through channels. It’s a way to occasionally stumble on programs that show what is going on in a specific part of the country, cultural programs, or simply something I’ll never understand thanks to a language barrier. Blippo+ recreates this experience almost perfectly. Each program is about a minute in length and therefore rarely overstate their welcome. One minute you may watch a group of dancers, flick to the next channel and learn something about the Blippian culture you’re watching. I really do not want to spoil the twists and turns over the course of the programs, but there is certainly an underlying story. I loved to see how slowly the story started to overtake other programs and even shows I had considered to be fluff became essential into understanding what was going on in the background.

As a game it is hard to judge it on traditional merits. Once you’ve watched ‘enough’ of a certain set of programs, you’re able to download new packages that air the nextset  episodes of the shows. There isn’t really something you will do in Blippo+, but that also made it a lot of fun to just put on every evening and watch for a bit. I rarely watch any kind of television these days, but Blippo+ uses the shortened attention span that social media has taught us. Above all, Blippo+ is a love letter to the art of performance. It is clear that the creators didn’t just have fun creating all the shows, characters and world of Blippo+, but especially in the way they’ve visualized the world. For my day job I work in a television archive and part of the grandeur of television programs, especially back in the 80’s and 90’s was to look dazzling in front of the camera. But in reality most of the props are nothing more than paint, duct tape and a lot of lighting to hide all the shortcomings. Blippo+ destroys the artifice, but that heightens the care and love that the creators have put into this game and its production. No two programs are alike and it is truly a game unlike any other.

That having been said, I will say that a few channels that are mostly static and serve little purpose. It is fun the first few times you come across them, but once you know where they are they aren’t really something I ever wanted to visit. Especially when other programs became something I was actively looking forward to or trying to ‘tune in’ using the programming guide. I also had the subtitles glitch out on me a few times, which is unfortunate as for certain programs they were really essential to follow along. For some programs there is quite a bit of repetition due to their structure. It feels appropriate to spread out your time with the game over multiple days or weeks. It is how television as a medium was designed after all. Encouraging you to ‘tune in next time’’. While that doesn’t make it easy to review as a game, it is most definitely an experience I’d recommend if you’re looking for something in-between games to play more passively. In our current hellscape of streaming services it was almost a blessing to flick between channels and not needing to decide on ‘what to watch’.

Blippo+ definitely isn’t for everyone, but I do think it is something that can be enjoyed by everyone. Whether you’re into FMV-like games or not, there is a spark of joy that can be felt in every program you come across. The overall story is fun and will keep you engaged over the six to eight hours of Blippo+ you’ll be watching. There is a variety on display here that is so rarely found in modern games of any type. The real stand out is that it shows a new avenue for what FMV-games can be about. Not just mysteries or dark tales, but fun and creativity are what drive Blippo+. There is no game like it I’ve played all year and is something that I will often be thinking about in the months to come. If you’re looking for a game that’s both passive and creative, you will simply need to tune in to Blippo+.

[I'm Balls Deep Into This Pit]

10

TalkBack / BALL X PIT (Switch) Review

« on: October 15, 2025, 08:00:00 AM »

I'm Balls Deep Into This Pit

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/72918/ball-x-pit-switch-review

I think at one point or another pretty much everyone got sucked in by Vampire Survivors. For me it was the mobile version that dragged me back into its gameplay again and again. Late last year I was finally content with the hours I spent and the ceiling I’ve reached. But now, I keep dragging myself back into a deep dark pit, over and over again. BALL X PIT is one of the most engaging games that combines rogue-lite elements with Breakout and a dash of base building. Let me not drop the ball here, this game is astonishingly well made. This year has been an avalanche of excellent indie games, but BALL X PIT should not be overlooked because when the dust is settled, silk has been sung, and Greek gods have been vanquished, I’m quite sure that I’ll be going back into this pit again and again.

When the ancient city of Ballbylon fell, a deep dark pit was left in its wake. A group of adventurers has set up shop on the outskirts of the city. Using the mechanized remains of the city you venture deeper and deeper into the earth across a variety of worlds to gain resources and restore Ballbylon to its former glory. The gameplay sees you controlling your adventurer who shoots out a set of balls. Enemies scroll from the top of the screen to the bottom in rows. You can angle your shots to hit enemies with your balls. When the monsters reach the bottom of the screen, or you get too close in range, they deal damage to your adventurer. This battle of endurance culminates in three boss battles that attack with different patterns. Along the way you grab the experience that the enemies drop in order to unlock new balls or upgrade their potential. Occasionally a rare fusion element is dropped, allowing you to either fuse or evolve a set of balls together. For example, evolving the Burn Ball with the Freeze Ball creates Freezing Flame which enhances damage and stuns enemies for a longer period of time. But you could also combine the Freeze Ball with the Earthquake Ball for the Freeze x Earthquake Ball that stuns enemies and hits their surroundings as well. On top of that, once you have these unique combinations you may even be able to evolve them with other balls to enhance their deadly potential. This gameplay loop of Breakout, Space Invaders and Vampire Survivors gives BALL X PIT near endless potential.

Even more variety is added when you return to the surface and begin building a base on the outskirts of Ballbylon. At first I thought this was a mere side-mode I could ignore, but this proved to be essential in surviving my later runs. After every run you’re able to send out your explorers and use them to improve your base, by literally firing them off in the same way as you would your balls. For every bounce against a resource they harvest some of that type. These resources: grain, wood, and stone are needed to upgrade the structures. Structures need to be built, in the same way that you would harvest resources, by bouncing against them with your explorers. These buildings give permanent stat increases to your explorers, or can unlock new adventurers for you to play as. You can freely rearrange your base at any time to make sure that your single harvesting action can be as productive as you want. Due to the strange shapes of certain buildings you will need to tactically plan out what your best approach is with building and harvesting. Some buildings are hard to put together, but give ridiculous benefits. Such as increasing the area of attacks from certain balls down in the pit, or even allowing you to bring two different characters into a stage. I rarely find that the downtime in a rogue-like is as much fun to play with as the runs themselves, but BALL X PIT balances this beautifully.

Then there’s the characters. While the first group of adventurers you unlock are pretty standard, over time there are so many unique quirks and characters that fit so well into the world. I loved the Shade for example, who doesn’t fire off his balls in a straight line towards his enemies from the bottom, but shoots them from the top to the bottom. It makes certain bosses that have their weak spot behind them a joke, but fighting off single enemies that survive long enough to make their way down are much harder to defeat. Then there’s the Cohabitants, a duo that shoot two balls in a mirrored direction but only do half damage. What makes these characters so much fun is that they all have a specific learning curve, but that not one single build is the ideal way to play the game. In Vampire Survivors the chosen character mostly matters for the starting item to give you a goal to build towards. BALL X PIT feels much more elegant because of the way you can combine every single weapon you obtain at the very least once. There are bad rolls, sure, but you can still adapt to their strengths and try to find an evolution or fusion that enhances their playstyle. The game rewards experimentation so much and it goes hand in hand with the skills you develop playing with certain characters. On top of that, you can only proceed to a new stage if you clear the previous stage with a certain number of characters. For playing stages again with new characters you are rewarded with blueprints that can be used to expand the base.

It is a devilishly brilliant loop and the cherry on top is simple: stages are rarely longer than fifteen minutes. A run in certain roguelikes can feel exhausting, especially if you fail after having a lengthy ongoing attempt. BALL X PIT breaks up the endurance that most roguelikes have prided themselves on and it makes the experience so much better. So developers, please take notes: stages are not a bad thing and can make your game’s design so much better to ease into. I never felt punished for throwing a run, because I could get to harvest and build again in my base. BALL X PIT is an arcade-like experience at times and I kept returning to it again and again. In-between playing and reviewing other games, doing a quick fifteen minute run turned into an hour where I always felt like I was progressing. It’s easy to learn but hard to master, especially with the large group of characters to play as.

If there’s anything really lacking it is that BALL X PIT doesn’t have a story as such. While the puns and small bits of lore in the encyclopedia are fun, narratively there is very little to keep you engaged. I didn’t miss it, but I did think that is something that could have been expanded upon. Additionally, for a bullet-hell/breakout-like the music wasn’t that engaging to me. After so many runs for me it was just more comfortable to have a podcast or video running in the background while playing. Finally, I will say that it did take me a few hours to really get sucked into the loop of BALL X PIT. Understanding that balance between the base building, harvesting resources and how they related to my runs in the Pit was a bit complex at first. Though sticking with it felt more rewarding than anything I’d expected.

BALL X PIT is exemplary of what a great game should be. Combining simple to learn mechanics, with a lot of depth and variety into a strangely unique beast of a roguelike. Once it got its fangs into me, the game simply wouldn’t let me go. Above all what struck me the most is that it's a game that looks almost effortless in its brilliance. Yet, the attention to detail and the sheer amount of customization feels unexhaustive. I have gone back into this pit again and again over the last few weeks and I am still not getting tired of it. You’re even able to challenge your friends on leaderboards with the fastest time that can keep you engaged for long after you’ve reached the bottom of this pit. BALL X PIT filled a hole, or a pit if you will, for me that I wasn’t aware I had. The only thing I can do is keep crawling back out, shouting that others should join in, before I’m dragged back into its depths again. I don’t think I’ll be leaving the BALL X PIT anytime soon.

[From Guitar Hero to Synth Rider?]

11

TalkBack / Rhythm Action Game Synth Riders: Overdrive Dropping the Beat on Nintendo Switch in 2025

« on: October 09, 2025, 05:30:00 AM »

From Guitar Hero to Synth Rider?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/72843/rhythm-action-game-synth-riders-overdrive-dropping-the-beat-on-nintendo-switch-in-2025

If you're craving the days of traditional rhythm action games such as guitar hero you might want to keep an eye out for Synth Riders: Overdrive, announced today to be coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year. As a Synth Rider you ride on rails using hoverboards and the like to make stunts in time to the rhythm.

This game is a brand-new version of Synth Riders, which was originally released on VR platforms. Overdrive takes the same approach to its rhythm gameplay but is completely overhauled for consoles. It supports up to 4-player local and online multiplayer modes. Notable is that the game uses a licensed soundtrack featuring songs by Jack Harlow, Queen, Sia, Charli XCX, David Guetta and One Republic, Artemas, Wham!, Dance with the Dead, Sunset Neon, and Starcadian. There is also DLC for songs by Gorillaz, Monster Cat, Synthwaves 3, and others in the future. The base game comes with 40 songs, a Deluxe edition is available with 56 tracks and the ultimate edition comes with 64 songs.

Synth Riders: Overdrive is set to release this year on the Nintendo Switch.

[It Takes A Lot To Rebuild Midgar Yet Again for Nintendo Switch 2]

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TalkBack / Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade - An Interview with Game Director Naoki Hamaguchi

« on: September 24, 2025, 05:00:00 PM »

It Takes A Lot To Rebuild Midgar Yet Again for Nintendo Switch 2

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/72561/final-fantasy-vii-remake-intergrade-an-interview-with-game-director-naoki-hamaguchi

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade may not release this year, but it is certainly shaping up to be one of the highest profile ports coming to Nintendo Switch 2. The game has received high praise from hands-on demos at Gamescom and PAX. We had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Naoki Hamaguchi, the director of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy and were able to ask him about Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and what went into making the game available on Nintendo’s newest hardware. This interview was conducted via a video call with a translator present. Some of the answers have been edited for clarity.

Willem Hilhorst for Nintendo World Report (WH): Thank you very much for sitting down with us. First off, I think there’s a sort of poetic irony that the original FF7 wasn’t able to fit on a Nintendo 64 cartridge but now we have the original and the remake coming to Nintendo Switch 2. So I am curious, what was the biggest technical challenge in bringing Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade to Nintendo Switch 2?

Hamaguchi: When we’re working on titles for the Nintendo Switch 2 we’re working in such a way that the graphical pipeline can be optimized. And that’s what we found with Nintendo Switch 2 working on games with high-end specs, I’m pretty confident that we’re able to provide a great visual experience on Nintendo Switch 2 this time. Seeing the positive feedback coming from events like Gamescom and PAX seems to confirm this as well.

WH: Can you tell me a little bit about how different this version would be compared to thePlayStation 4 or the Xbox or the PlayStation 5 versions? What were some of the things you hadto graphically cut back on to get it running so smoothly?

Hamaguchi: So, you mentioned having to graphically cut, but I would say that we did want to take the version from PS4 and PS5 and see how we can sort of map that out into the Switch 2. So in terms of what we did sort of specifically for the Switch 2 this time, I would say things like the post process o effect and fog and such has been optimized for Switch 2 and this allowed us to stabilize the frame rate. However, in terms of things like lighting, we really wanted to aim for the same quality that one can experience on PS5 in terms of lighting for the Switch 2 as well.So we had made sure to keep that intact.

WH: Will there be tweakable graphics settings in that sense or did you have to really lock it down to only this and that's the best way to play the game?

Hamaguchi: So in terms of the graphics settings, it's not like the PC versions where users can tweak it as such, but it is a sort of optimized graphics setting for the Switch 2 that we have set up for the game.

WH: I wanted to delve a little bit deeper into the hardware standpoint because the Switch 2 offers some unique features that aren't available in previous versions or other platforms, not just the better performance. So I'm curious, was it ever a consideration to enable mouse controls for the minigames such as the rhythm game in the Honey Bee Inn or other Switch 2 specific hardware that you were excited about using in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade?

Hamaguchi: That's a really great question. When we were working on the PC version release, of course we had worked on mouse controls and from there within the dev team we had discussed if we should also do this for Switch 2. But after looking more into it, we discovered that this needed to be adjusted quite a bit to meet the standards and the experience we wanted to provide to the users, and so we settled on the gamepad experience for this time around.

WH: Earlier this month it was announced that the other Final Fantasy Remake games will be coming to Switch 2. I want to keep this interview focused on Final Fantasy VII Remake, but I do think that you have your work cut out for you, because Remake has an advantage as it is both chapter based, a lot more linear, the areas are a lot more compact than Rebirth, which has open world exploration. Was that an advantage for this particular project, and are there any lessons you've taken from working on Remake that you're bringing into the development of Rebirth on Switch 2 specifically?

Hamaguchi:  When we first decided to release Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Switch 2, it really did allow us to understand this new hardware that we were working on and it did become sort of a model on its own. From there we’re going to release Rebirth and the rest of the trilogy on Nintendo Switch 2 as well. Currently development is progressing at a great pace. I believe the Switch 2, from a hardware perspective, possesses the capability to support more open-world type games going forward. It does come down to cartridge installs and load times where you see the biggest difference. There may be differing opinions on our decision to release Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on a Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Card, but I do think that overall this is going to be much more accepted and commonplace for games that will be released on Nintendo Switch 2.

WH: I think you now hold the distinct honor of having the largest game ever released on Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. I think the first notes we got was about 90 gigabytes, so at least you get that honor.

Hamaguchi:  Yes, I do believe that we'll be able to deliver an experience that's suitable to that 90 gigs. When the original Final Fantasy VII came out, I was a huge fan of the game on the PlayStation. But now that I'm a creator, when I saw Final Fantasy VII working on Nintendo consoles, I was quite moved. So it almost feels like fate in some sense.

WH: I started playing Remake before playing the original, which is quite unorthodox, but I imagine there's quite a lot of people who begin with Remake Intergrade instead of playing the original. I'm curious, what does remaking Final Fantasy VII mean to you? What do you think the impact will be for future generations who may only have grown up with Remake 10, 15 years from now? What do you wish to preserve from that original experience? What is the beating heart for you for Final Fantasy VII?

Hamaguchi:  This is sort of a sentiment that I believe is true for not just games, but in digital entertainment as a whole, including animation, films, and games, but I do think that there's the expression of how an animation or film or game is always a core part of itself. There are these iconic stories that are going to remain throughout. But with the change of time, since it's been 30 years since the original release, this expression can certainly become perhaps a bit outdated with the evolution of technology and the passing of time. When we look at how we can continue to have Final Fantasy VII remain relevant and also reach users around the world, it will require us to continue renewing it in order to deliver to an even wider range of players throughout the years. That's my belief on this and I’ve often been thinking about this while working on this AAA trilogy, at this massive scale for over 10 years now. I don't think I've had a project where I've had such a sense of mission and a soul to do something like this. So this is quite a rare and unique experience and I am very much honored to have had this opportunity.

WH: That's actually a great transition to one of my other questions. For you this might be the final time you get to work on Final Fantasy VII Remake Inter ograde, specifically the first part of this trilogy. Is there a specific addition you’re excited about with delivering the final version of this particular game?

Hamaguchi: I really like how you kind of phrased it as a final form. That's a really great and appropriate term for this. One feature that we implemented in this version is called streamlined progression. It's essentially a feature that makes gameplay, perhaps easier for players and it could allow for guaranteed 9,999 damage in battles, or for example, taking zero damage all the time in battles, or double speed to progress through events, and such. The thinking behind this is that, since this is going to be sort of the first of three titles that we'll be releasing in this way, we did want to make it accessible. We hope that players will want to stay along for the long ride. This was something that was, you know, definitely in our minds within the development team when we were working on this.

WH: Do you have a personal little detail that is in Final Fantasy VII Remake that others might overlook? That could be an animation, the way the UI is animated, gameplay, or something very little that no one will notice, but that you are particularly proud of. I'm very curious.

Hamaguchi: (laughs) Yes, during the scene where you're walking around sector 7, there is a cat that you see, an American Shorthair, and this cat is actually modeled after my own cat. I would like for players to keep an eye out and try to look for my cat.

To close out the interview, Mr. Hamaguchi had a special message prepared for Nintendo fans.

Hamaguchi: We are currently preparing a demo for the game to be released around the end of the year. I do think that this game is a great one to experience the full hardware capabilities of Nintendo Switch 2. So if anyone is on the fence about whether or not to try this game, this is a great moment. Please check out the demo near the end of the year and see for yourself what this game is all about.

WH: Fantastic. I cannot wait to play Remake for a third time on the go. Thank you very much Hamaguchi-san.

[Get A Grip on Your Switch 2]

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TalkBack / Genki Attack Vector (Switch 2) - Accessory Review

« on: September 28, 2025, 04:00:00 AM »

Get A Grip on Your Switch 2

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/72654/genki-attack-vector-switch-2-accessory-review

I tend to be a bit of a console purist. In the past I’ve rarely added dedicated accessories to my systems. Even with the Steam Deck I keep it in the carrying case I got with the handheld and stuff like decals or skins tend to not be for me. However, walking around Gamescom I spotted the booth of accessory-maker Genki. Now Genki might be more closely associated with the Nintendo Switch 2 then they’d prefer themselves, as they recently settled a lawsuit with Nintendo over bringing out a 3D printed version of the system in January at CES. But given a hands-on with their upcoming range of products I was particularly excited about their dedicated grip for the Nintendo Switch 2, provocatively named the Attack Vector. Having played around with it over the past few weeks, I have to admit that I’m having a hard time taking these grips off of my system as they’ve increased comfort and portability drastically for me.

The Attack Vector is a full on clamshell that covers the entire Switch 2 system. It snaps on snugly and feels like a tight fit while leaving plenty of room for the ventilation, kickstand, cartridge slot and buttons. If I didn’t know I put it on there, the bulk and noticeability of the shell is almost negligible, which is to me a massive plus. It also fits perfectly into the Nintendo Switch 2 dock. I have to admit that since getting my system at launch in June I did have my doubts about how much the system can ‘wobble’ in the dock and possibly scratch the screen. With the Vector, all these doubts are a thing of the past. There’s no way to misalign the system when docking it and getting it out feels very sturdy.

The shell comes with two separate pieces for the Joy-Con 2 controllers. Getting these on was a bit trickier, as you need to insert them around the shoulder and ZL/ZR buttons. But again, once it was on there, there was no way of removing them easily. These modular shells are truly why you are picking up this grip as they allow for the addition of three sets of grips around the back of the controller. There’s the ‘Feather Grip’, a minimalistic grip that fits into the higher end of the handpalm underneath the pointer and the middle finger, the ‘Balance Grip’ which follows the length of the controller and makes the bottom edge rounded and align with the entire palm, and finally the ‘Anchor Grip’ which adds a hefty bit of bulk to the underside of the hand, shifting most of the weight to your four fingers. Each of these provides a wildly different experience and personally I didn’t care for all of them. In particular the Anchor Grip simply was too bulky and hefty for my comfort. Much akin to the Steam Deck, after about an hour of playtime my hands would get fairly tired and sometimes they even tended to go a bit numb, depending on my posture. The Balance grip feels nice, but with the width across the entire palm, it took me quite some time to adjust to the way my fingers would reach certain buttons or the sticks. Thankfully there’s the Feather Grip which to me was absolutely fantastic. I played nearly all of the forty hours I spent with Hollow Knight: Silksong using the feather grip and even now I haven’t taken them off. It makes it a joy to hold the Switch 2, as you can rest the console more easily on your middle fingers at the back of the system. Truly, it fit me like a glove and made up for how quickly I dropped the other two available grips.

Each of the grips has a nice textured feeling that makes the system easy to hold and doesn’t slip off. I do think that they are a bit susceptible to sweat, dust and hair, in particular if you have hairy pets. There’s this fine coating of cat hair on my grip that doesn’t bother me too much, as it comes with living with these two feline folks, but due to the way the anti-slip texture is designed it isn’t easy to wipe or get off. The hairs didn’t stick back on my hands or fingers so in the long term it is something I simply have to deal with.

I was very pleased that the Attack Vector is so slimly designed that I could still fit it in my TomToc carrying case without needing to disassemble either the Feather Grip or the case itself. But even if you do want to keep the Balance and Anchor Grips attached or don’t have a case yourself yet, I also found the included Hard exterior shell to be a great piece of kit. This hard shell has an opaque look that prevents the screen from being scratched or scuffed and clicks into the anti-slip case. I found it to be a great way to take my Switch with me easily, without needing to grab a carrying case. Simply pop the hard shell on and toss the Switch 2 into a bag. It might not be as comfortable as a dedicated carrying case, especially as you need to keep that shell somewhere when you’re using the Switch 2 on the go, but it gets the job done and you don’t need to remove anything when using it.

Finally I wish I could comment on perhaps the most useful feature as the Attack Vector has a built-in MagSafe magnetic ring on its backside. While I would have loved to test out this feature, in particular with the 30W Energy Pack powerbank that Genki has developed specifically for the Attack Vector, I do not own a MagSafe compatible powerbank. Do keep in mind that if you are looking specifically for a MagSafe case, this one does need a wired connection to the powerbank from the console. There is no charging available through the case itself to the Switch 2. But if you’re really set on using your Switch 2 for several hours, this might be the most convenient solution for the portable gamer.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the Attack Vector. Like I stated at the beginning, I tend to use consoles and controllers in their purest form. But the Attack Vector from Genki is so flush with the Switch 2 that I barely noticed it being there. When I did use it, the Feather Grip in particular elevated my comfort using the Switch 2 significantly. It’s a shame that even with my larger hands, the Balance and Anchor grip will probably go unused, but I have a feeling that a lot of users will settle on using one of the three included grips. The additional features like the MagSafe ring and the hardshell cover help to make it an accessory that is designed for long term portable use. If you’re a dedicated handheld user of the Nintendo Switch 2 and you’re looking for a way to increase your comfort and portability with the system, I’m fairly certain that the Attack Vector is unrivaled for its versatility and comfort. The best accessories are the ones that you forget are even there.

[A Showcase of Some of the Best New Developers for Game Boy]

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TalkBack / Four Game Boy Games Reviewed (Self Simulated, F.C.P., Wicked Plague, Gravitorque DX)

« on: September 30, 2025, 01:56:24 AM »

A Showcase of Some of the Best New Developers for Game Boy

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewmini/72699/four-game-boy-games-reviewed-self-simulated-fcp-wicked-plague-gravitorque-dx

Disclaimer: Please note, The Chromatic and ModRetro have ties to controversial figure Palmer Luckey. NINWR LLC feels it is important to cover this software, but we do not condone the actions or opinions of any individuals involved in its production.

Four brand new games released on Game Boy a few months back. The Game Boy and its associated hardware has had a bit of a resurgence over the last years and a new generation of developers is showing what they modern tweaks they can bring to hardware that is almost forty years old. The following reviews cover the games F.C.P. ,Gravitorque DX, Self Simulated and Wicked Plague. These games have been developed by Ben Jelter, Pölet Games, 2nd Law Games and LocusMotion respectively and were all published by ModRetro who sent us these games for review. Each review lists with which Game Boy system the game is compatible.

F.C.P (First Contact Protocol), Developed by Ben Jelter. Compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color.

F.C.P or First Contact Protocol is a narrative driven puzzle game where you control a small gooey alien on board a spaceship. The ship and its crew are carrying a large group of people in cryostasis with the mission to find a hospitable planet. As the alien creature it is your job to influence the mission and wreak (unintentional) havoc amongst the crew. While isn’t a deep puzzle game, the interwoven narrative and choices you can make gives this sci-fi story a refreshing angle that is a great fit for Game Boy.

As the alien blob, you’ll need to regroup with your separated elements in order to gain access to new methods of control and movement. These range from the ability to understand human language, to swimming and even to be able to traverse through a creature’s digestive system. Your primary goal is to reunite your body parts and find a way to influence the mission to your benefit. This is largely done through your interactions and sabotaging of the crew. The six members of the vessel each have their own ambitions, motivations and desires that balance off each other. The proud captain wants everything to go right, but one of his officers is secretly aligned with a terrorist cell. Another one desperately longs to be with her partner who’s stationed on the mothership. While not necessarily deep, it does provide a fun framework for you to play around with. Will you assist the botanist with her goal to perform her own research mission on a different planet? Or will you help the secret terrorist to pull off her plan? The game has a large variety of outcomes, each of which changes the story in its own way.

All of this is kept track of thanks to the First Contact Protocol, in the form of a little android that assists you along the way. As part of its programming, it wants to maintain good relationships with foreign bodies, even if these outcomes tend to harm the crew on board. It is mostly a way for the player to circumvent a lot of needless actions. The droid maintains a record of passcodes and other important information you find along the way and allows you to easily access it. It feels like a direct critique of other adventure games that prolong your playtime by unnecessarily making you travel back and forth between clues and systems to enter the answers. It trims the fat and makes F.C.P. much more enjoyable for shorter sessions. Especially once you gain access to a flowchart that keeps track of the outcome of the story and allows you to go back and change things. Combined with an internal achievement system, the flowchart encourages you to replay the game and find the true ending.

Small things like the minigames to hack into terminals, puzzles where you need to rotate certain objects or remove obstacles are pretty straightforward. The narrative is the main attraction here and even through its limited visual style on Game Boy, the final result is really impressive. The layout of the ship and the characteristics of the crew are easy to remember and help you navigate between the different rooms easily. If anything, the game might be a bit too simple at times. The droid can give hints on where to go and what to do next, but that still leaves the agency of the narrative with the player. Playing the game in a few sittings is probably the best way to go as the repetitive music and repeating types of puzzles can be a bit grinding.

Overall F.C.P. is a fun narrative puzzle game that makes good use of the Game Boy hardware and tells a very compelling story. The outcomes on the flowchart are varied and encouraging enough to go back and explore more of the interpersonal relationships of the crew members. It feels unique and original within the larger Game Boy library and after nearly 35 years, that’s saying something.

F.C.P. Score: 7.5/10

Gravitorque DX, developed by Pölet Games. Compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color.

Gravitorque DX is a puzzle game where you’re a stranded astronaut and need to navigate through a series of gravity warping puzzles in order to reach your shipwreck. By shifting gravity you can drop the astronaut in one of the four directions and hopefully get to the end of the level. It’s a pretty simple game but makes for some nifty puzzles that quickly compound into some fun brain teasers on Game Boy.

Visually Gravitorque DX is mostly functional in its presentation. Don’t expect too many ambitious visual tricks, the puzzles are what you’ll be here for. There are four major areas each with ten puzzles to solve. The first tutorial area pretty much sets the standard for what to expect in the game. There is no way to jump, meaning that the moment you shift gravity the astronaut drops like a brick in the direction chosen. The game follows a counterclockwise direction for the gravity, meaning that when you walk you will be clinging to the wall that gravity is pushing down on. Anyone who has played those 3D Mario levels where gravity shifts, such as in Super Mario Galaxy 2, will feel right at home. It is a bit unorthodox getting to grips with the fact that you have such limited interaction with the world. While later levels present objects such as blocks that only turn on when a specific direction is chosen, there is no way to adjust your momentum after you’ve shifted gravity. That is something that took a bit longer to sink in than expected, given that this isn’t my first rodeo with gravity-based platformers.

But unfortunately outside of the puzzles Gravitorque DX was a bit too simplistic for my taste. Sure it is nice to have an easy pick-up and play puzzle game available, but the repetition sets in pretty quickly. It is akin to doing boulder pushing puzzles in an action game or perhaps a floor tile puzzle for a gym challenge in a Pokémon game. They tend to blend together quickly and while there is certainly some satisfaction when the ‘Eureka!’ moment hits, even that didn’t manage to keep my interest with Gravitorque DX that long. Even the optional collectibles really didn’t give me that much of a challenge, as I often just stumbled into them trying to solve the main puzzle. It leaves Gravitorque DX feeling a bit lacking in both scope and execution. It’s not a bad game, but a difficult one to recommend for those looking for an extensive puzzle game on Game Boy.

Gravitorque DX Score: 5/10.

Self Simulated, Developed by 2nd Law Games. Compatible with Game Boy Color.

Self Simulated is the debut title of independent developer Martin Gauer. While the Game Boy and Game Boy Color library are drowning in platformers, I found Self-Simulated to be something really special. Tying its gameplay to the themes in the story makes it feel much more grand of a game than it actually is. With modern design philosophy not simply applied in a retro aesthetic, but keeping the game simple and accessible sets Self-Simulated apart from the crowd.

Thematically the game opens strong. As a nameless android, your memory is wiped While being guided by an AI that is configured to resync the memory to the robotic body, you’re tasked with completing a number of platforming challenges as you unlock new abilities and get pushed in your platforming skill. Aesthetically you can draw similarities to Portal, being stuck inside test-chambers and learning more about your moveset as you progress. This style of restricted gameplay works well as a way to teach the player. At first you’re simply learning how to move before you even gain access to your jump. While the first rooms start out easy, that learning curve is so finely tuned, that by the time you’ve unlocked a dash, stomp jump, and double jump you already know how to chain them together. It makes for an incredibly fun platformer. The game has an autosave that makes it easy to pick-up and put-down (frankly a requirement for any Game Boy game if you ask me) as well as a near instant restart when failing a level. It was the perfect title for short pick-up-and-play sessions during my morning commute.

The game hides a lot of secrets and tidbits, because you’re also able to enter codes and unlock additional modes after completing the main story. Completing the game will take you probably only two to three hours, but the speedrun and hardcore mode are very well suited for those who want to get the most out of the game. If I have any gripes it's that while the sound design is really well done, especially noticeable when using a stereo headset, the soundtrack itself was a bit too repetitive to my taste. Relying too much on robotic-sounding compositions that become droning after a while. Part of the design I’m sure, but still what kept this game from being a near perfect Game Boy experience.

And in truth, this might be some of the most fun I’ve had on Nintendo’s handheld in quite some time. While I’ve reviewed quite a few  Game Boy (Color) titles in the last year, I think that Self Simulated is the perfect encapsulation of how far Game Boy development has come over the last few years. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, has a very specific design approach and just feels perfect to control. With a lot of retro platformers it sometimes feels like you’re fighting against the system or level design itself, but even when I had to retry a level hundreds of times, I could never blame it on the design of the game. The skills were all mine and I simply had to get better at reacting and responding to its level design. And even if I wanted to, there are a ton of accessibility features that make sure that literally anyone can finish this game if they so choose. They say that limitations breed creativity, but after finishing Self-Simulated I have to say that I’m deeply curious about what 2nd Law Games could do if they weren’t simply restricted to 8-bits.

Self Simulated Score: 9/10

Wicked Plague, Developed by LocusMotion. Compatible with Game Boy Color. More often than not, when reviewing modern Game Boy (Color) titles, I’m generally impressed by the ambition of a title but find myself having a hard time seeing the game through till the end. That isn’t necessarily an indication that a game is bad or has flaws, but rather that my perception of a game being for Game Boy can make it harder to connect to something that is almost overachieving in a sense. Wicked Plague is probably the most ambitious Game Boy game I’ve ever played. A modern action-platformer with the full structure of a metroidvania with a story and a large cast of characters. This seems almost impossible to achieve on the system but what LocusMotion has pulled off here is frankly nothing short of stunning.

You play as Ramuel, son of a master exterminator, tasked with cleansing a building from a dreaded curse. While you’ll start out pretty hungover, finding your way through the passages of this old building is key to making sure that all the zombies and other monsters are taken care of. Along the way you’ll find a group of unique characters that all have their own reasons for sticking around as the curse spreads throughout the complex. Finding upgrades to your arsenal, defeating some pretty intense bosses and chugging energy drinks to recover your strength.

I think it was less than five minutes after starting the game that my jaw pretty much dropped. It is rare to see modern design sensibilities so accurately translated for the Game Boy Color. From the controls, to the layout of the areas you explore and the combat, Wicked Plague feels like it could've been released on the Switch instead. Yet, you can easily sense how the choice to create the game for Game Boy wasn’t a simple aesthetic choice. The limited hardware is exploited to its fullest but runs at a super smooth framerate. Where other games often feel like they cut back to make sure that the game is optimized, Wicked Plague seems to pull it off without breaking a sweat. The story might be small scale, but there’s full character portraits, sprite transformations and even little animation details that just ooze cool. Combined with its 90’s-like punk style Wicked Plague feels like an anime you’d have seen on a late night TV channel and it revels in that particular vibe.

The gameplay is super solid, the visuals are amazing and there are a lot of quality of life features that make the game a ton of fun to play. But I will admit that getting through Wicked Plague was a bit more difficult than I anticipated. Mostly because the wayfinding through the levels is a bit challenging. Especially with the early stages it is hard to understand the level layout and how to travel between the different areas. The dark backgrounds sometimes make it pretty unclear that you can jump through certain gaps to proceed. Early on I had to find three keys to open a locked gate and it took me far longer than necessary because I was simply running around aimlessly trying to find out where to go. There is a minimalistic map available, but with how modern the rest of the game feels it is almost a shame you can’t drop a marker to navigate with ease.

I had a great time with Wicked Plague. It is one of those games you need to see in action to understand why it is such a standout within the larger Game Boy library. The story is fun to follow along with, the difficulty is well balanced and combat feels snappy and satisfying. Do try and keep a little note to remind yourself of where you need to go to make the game a bit more enjoyable, but frankly, that’s only a small blemage on this otherwise fantastic experience.

Wicked Plague Score: 9/10

[A fine time for a reappraisal don't you think?]

15

TalkBack / Star Wars Outlaws (Switch 2) Review

« on: September 09, 2025, 05:00:00 AM »

A fine time for a reappraisal don't you think?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/72405/star-wars-outlaws-switch-2-review

No joke, Star Wars Outlaws was one of my favorite games from last year. Somehow the pitfalls that Ubisoft was known for in their big budget open world AAA games, seemed to fall perfectly into place with Massive Entertainment behind the wheel. So it wasn't that big a surprise to see it be announced as the first Ubisoft game making the jump to Nintendo Switch 2. While the first few showings of the game looked rough, I'm very pleased to report that Star Wars Outlaws is a great fit for Nintendo Switch 2 and I'm hopeful that a new group of players will discover their love for Kay Vess and her band of rogues.

Outlaws takes place between Episode 4 and Episode 5 of the mainline Star Wars films. The explosion of the first Death Star has dealt a massive blow to the Empire and it is a golden time for the crime syndicates to seize their chance at fortune and infamy. You play as Kay Vess, a down on her luck thief, who after multiple failed attempts to land a big score, gets recruited to put together a crew and plan the ultimate heist. With her alien pet Nix, a stolen spaceship, and the piloting droid ND-5, you set out across the Galaxy to score it big. As you traverse between planets you’ll get caught up in the battles between the crime syndicates, swipe credits off of anything that moves, play a ton of Sabacc, and infiltrate Imperial strongholds. The cast is really the glue that binds this world together. Kay is such a fun protagonist to play as. Her quick wit, but also a dash of overconfidence sets her apart from similar characters like Han Solo. Her interactions with ND-5 especially are a lot of fun. ND-5’s pragmatism and extensive knowledge of the Galaxy gives them both a great dynamic, especially once the plot kicks into gear and they grow more toward each other as partners rather than co-workers.

This is all set against the most lively feeling Star Wars universe I've had the pleasure of experiencing in a game. While Knights of the Old Republic might have a deeper story as an RPG, there is something so satisfying about walking around an accurate interpretation of Mos Eisley on Tattooine. While the marketing has presented Outlaws as the first “open world” Star Wars game, I do think that its ambition is scaled quite different to, let's say, an assassin's Creed. While you can traverse between several planets and galaxies, each map feels distinct and designed with intent. You don't need to worry about exploring an actual planet-sized map, but rather a pretty sizable area that gives off the feeling of an open world without feeling endlessly exhaustive. It's a careful tightrope to walk, but Massive Entertainment understands that a world designed with purpose makes it much easier and fun to navigate.

And the game is a lot of fun. While the original release I'd argue was more presented as an action game with dedicated stealth segments, after a few updates the game now leans more heavily into the action genre. While I personally love the stealthy approach, playing into my interpretation that Kay would avoid killing whenever she can, the game balances the action segments pretty well. You can pick up a blaster and start shooting, but this has consequences for your reputation. Every world has distinct sectors that have been claimed by one of the crime syndicates. Entering these areas freely can only be done if you're on good terms with that particular organization. Early on I managed to screw up immensely with the Pykes, meaning that for a quest where I had to steal a database from them, I wasn't able to simply walk through the front door without having to fight 30 guards. This push and pull system gives Outlaws its unique flow and flavor. After stealing the aforementioned datapad, I was contacted by the Hutts to sell the datapad for them at a premium. It would give me more credits, but lower my reputation with Crimson Dawn. These choices are a lot of fun, and while not all are equal, I did play into the fact that Pykes were Kay’s sworn enemies. Meaning they'd occasionally send death squads after me. Making certain infiltration jobs all the harder, but even more satisfying upon completion and screwing them over once more.

When the action does get going, the game offers a lot of approaches. From simply shooting with your blaster, with several modules that enhance certain shots for different types of enemies, to getting Nix to help out. At any point by holding the L-button you can send Nix out to fetch dropped items, like weapons or grenades, or sabotage alarm systems and even detonate explosive barrels. Even pinned down by multiple stormtroopers there's always a way that Nix can be helpful for distractions or simply attacking enemies on his own accord. Space combat also plays a large role here, as the Trailblazer allows you to take off and explore the space surrounding the different galaxies. Getting into dogfights feels pretty clunky, as you turn and maneuver tactically to get around enemy fighters and shoot them from behind or disable their engines with a well timed Ion cannon shot. If anything it doesn't resemble the galactic battles from episode 3 or 7 but rather the way in which Han and Luke operate the Millennium Falcon in Episode 4. Whenever I got into space combat I often let out a beleaguered sigh. Not because I wasn't interested in this type of combat, but because it feels like you need to put in work compared to shooting your blasters on the surface.

That ties back into this larger feeling that Outlaws is interested in exploring the larger world of Star Wars. The characters that have dirt under their nails, need to struggle through their daily lives and get by thanks to a lucky break. More often than not, Kay’s missions go horribly astray and siding with the lesser reward is the only way to prevent a bad scenario from spinning out of control. There are rarely “correct” choices in Outlaws and I love how this forces the characters to stand their ground. You're not a legacy character with force powers or plot armor, but Kay Vess, someone who's had to struggle most of her life. Abandoned even by her mother and her many father figures. The story here can be surprisingly rough and direct, but is always in service of making Kay and her crew feel like a relatable group of misfits, set up to try and do the impossible because the dice have landed wrong one too many times.

Getting into the technical weeds, I'm glad to report that Star Wars Outlaws runs great on switch 2. John already did a quick impressions video on the technical performance and the inclusion of ray-tracing really helps Outlaws to retain some of the shine it had on other platforms. I was especially happy to realize it was possible to send over my save file from a different platform to the Switch 2 version of the game. You simply cannot call this a lazy effort on Ubisoft’s part and I'd go so far as to wholeheartedly recommend Outlaws on Switch 2 if you haven't gotten around to playing it. Sure, it'll not look as pretty as the other versions, but even at a locked 30 fps and with the occasional pop-in, this is simply a wonderful experience on the system. All the story DLC is included too, which is a nice bonus and got me to play some of the additional content I had missed on my original playthrough.

I think Star Wars Outlaws manages to shake off the often attributed pitfalls of the “Ubisoft Open World Game”. Sure, there are still lengthy fetching quests and the core gameplay loop doesn't change too much between the beginning and end. But it's the trifecta of the reputation system, the Star Wars flavor, and especially its characters that set Outlaws apart from the pack. This isn't simply an assassin's creed in a Star Wars coating. Outlaws carves its own path. It can stand among the lineup of not just great Star Wars games, but third person action games in general. It may not be revolutionary but what it does, it does so incredibly well. Back when I played it last year, I was already entertaining that particular opinion but revisiting the game on Switch 2 has convinced me of this. It's a shame that Outlaws was overlooked last year, but perhaps now it is time for a reappraisal of what Star Wars Outlaws is, rather than what it could be. I am genuinely of the opinion that in ten years we'll look back at Star Wars games and go: “you know what, this Outlaws game is pretty fantastic”. Just know that you've heard it from me first.

[It’s Certainly a Crossover, But How is the Crossing Itself?]

16

TalkBack / Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Hands-On Preview) - Gamescom 2025

« on: August 26, 2025, 06:00:00 AM »

It’s Certainly a Crossover, But How is the Crossing Itself?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/72198/sonic-racing-crossworlds-hands-on-preview-gamescom-2025

When SEGA announced Sonic Racing Crossworlds I was a tad skeptical. The last iteration of Sonic Racing, Team Sonic Racing, really didn’t impress me all that much. As the karting/racing genre seems to be heating up this year, with Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders and yes even Garfield Kart 2, what will set Sonic Racing: Crossworlds apart? Turns out that the ‘’break glass in case of emergency’ trick this time is to invite literally every IP holder to send in a racer. But is that enough to keep up with the competition?

So yes, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is another SEGA-branded kart racer. Sonic may have the starring role, and a lot of the playable racers are from the Sonic series, but characters like Steve and Alex from Minecraft, Spongebob Squarepants, Ichiban Kasuga (Like a Dragon), Pac-Man and even Hatsune Miku herself are playable racers, albeit some of them as DLC through a season pass. While the tracks themselves are still designed after a lot of different SEGA series and games, the real gimmick during the races are the crossworlds. At the end of the first lap, the lead driver can pick one of two rings, each one taking the race to a whole different racetrack. After a lap on that chosen track you’ll be returned on the original track to finish out the race. It sounds super gimmicky, but I actually found it to be quite refreshing. It could be that your machine, a kart or a hoverboard, might be better suited for that lap in-between and can be used to gain some distance between you and the competition. Especially as one of the two rings shows a determined preview of the track, while the other ring is random. If you’re in first place that gives you something to consider right as you enter the second lap. What ties into this is that at the beginning of a grand prix you are given a dedicated rival that you’re racing against through the different tracks. Silver had it out for Hatsune Miku this time around. The final track of a grand prix is actually a mix-up of the earlier three tracks, which is actually quite cool as you’ll already be familiar with these tracks for a final competition that gives more points if you finish first.

Aside from the tracks the gameplay itself is pretty decent. Perhaps it was this particular demo and the NPC’s were set to a higher level, but I did feel that the game was very aggressive compared to Mario Kart. Mario Kart can be pretty chaotic and challenging, but here I was bombarded with items, I’d easily drive into other racers or simply get out of bounds quickly. The vehicles feel a bit sluggish, not uncontrollable, but rather like they have some weight to them, which becomes noticeable especially when drifting around corners. When drifting, you can get up to a three-level boost, which is really required to gain speed on the track. Before starting the race you can select and customize certain capabilities of your machine. I preferred one that would make my vehicle spin during the drift, so that other racers would get knocked over if they drove into my kart. But there’s a lot of options available for those who want to collect rings, prefer to take specific flying shortcuts or feel the need to play more aggressively.

One of the new modes I got to play was Race Park, which took place on a map with different challenges. Race Park comes recommended in multiplayer as you’ll be facing off against a team during the race. The goal is to participate in multiple challenges and score high enough that you’ll beat the rival team. These challenges could be a regular race, or a race with very strong items, or one where you’d need to perform the most tricks, or gain the highest speed. The best comparison would be like a party mode where the rules are a little bit mixed up and I can see how this would work well for a multiplayer setting. Finally there’s also a time trial mode, where you can race against ghosts for the best time. Pretty standard, but glad to see it included. One final remark is that while the game was demoed on a PlayStation 5 Pro, I did see quite a number of visual bugs and slight performance hiccups in the menus. Nothing gamebreaking, but for a game that aims to have a consistent framerate, I am raising an eyebrow to see how this will perform on Nintendo Switch.

Sonic Racing Crossworlds is really trying its hardest to make it stand out among the crowd. Their approach for using crossovers with other brands and characters will probably do wonders for the marketing, but for me it also rings a bit hollow. Yes, it’s kind of funny that Hatsune Miku can get smacked by a boxing glove fired off by Dr. Eggman. But once that  novelty wears off, it turns into a technically competent kart racer, stuck in a pool of other technically competent kart racers. I did really like that Crossworld mechanic during the races, which helps to combat the feeling of repetition. I also do hope that the multiplayer modes will offer a few more interesting ways to compete against friends. I need a lot more time to understand the finer details of how the karts and hoverboards perform, to really pinpoint what does and does not work in Sonic Racing: Crossworld. I’m cautiously optimistic, but also afraid that my attention may get shifted elsewhere in the karting space too quickly.

[Atari's Version of Pac-Man in a Brand New Package]

17

TalkBack / Atari 2600+ PAC-MAN Edition (Hands-on Preview) - Gamescom 2025

« on: August 25, 2025, 05:00:00 AM »

Atari's Version of Pac-Man in a Brand New Package

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/72197/atari-2600-pac-man-edition-hands-on-preview-gamescom-2025

Last year I went hands on with the 7800+ at Atari, their continued line of hardware that embraces the past but also enables future games for Atari hardware. It’s really kind of baffling to be holding an Atari 2600 joystick in the year 2025, but their new collaboration with Bandai Namco is all focused on PAC-MAN. A fresh paint job, in PAC-MAN neon yellow adorns the system, with a neat little frontplate replacing the wooden finish you’d have seen on the original 2600+, though this time decorated with a lit-up panel showing PAC-MAN being chased by the ghosts. Functionally the hardware is the same as the 2600+, but it is definitely more of a visual statement draped in PAC-MAN.

First off, all the Atari 2600+ systems support original Atari and Atari 7800 cartridges with clean inputs and outputs. They can be connected through HDMI to modern TV's, but carry on the retro feel and look that Atari was known for at the beginning of the 1980's. The real interesting bit is that this particular edition of the console comes with a brand new version of PAC-MAN, this time for the Atari 7800. The cartridge is dubbed ‘PAC-MAN: Double Feature’ and comes with the original PAC-MAN for 2600 (a, let’s say interesting adaptation of the arcade version) as well as a brand new version of PAC-MAN for the 7800. This version was developed with the approval of Bandai Namco and is much more similar to the original arcade version of the game. The music is much better than the 2600 version and the game controls incredibly well. How excited one can be over the release of a new-ish version of PAC-MAN in 2025 remains to be seen, though thankfully the collaboration with Bandai Namco will also see the (re)release of the 2600 versions of Dig Dug, Xevious and especially Galaga. That last one is still a ton of fun to play thankfully.

As for the controls, their CX40+ Wireless Joystick comes with a dongle that can be plugged into an original Atari or these modern takes, in order to get the most authentic experience possible. The PAC-MAN versions of the joysticks come in five colors designed after PAC-MAN and his undead foes. They feel premium, yet also entirely accurate to the original experience with a bit of a stiff feel to the stick. For the Atari sickos, this will be just like coming home. Of course the CX78+ arcade pad can also be connected to the system, which was honestly my preferred way of playing these arcade games with a little more comfort.

It’s interesting to see Atari trying to fully embrace their past, trying to reach out to the Atari development community and rekindle their original partnerships. In particular it remains to be seen if other Atari collaborations for the 2600/7800 can come to fruition to see the library expand even further.

[Komplete Karnage Kollected]

18

TalkBack / Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection (Hands-On Preview) - Gamescom 2025

« on: August 25, 2025, 05:00:00 AM »

Komplete Karnage Kollected

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/72190/mortal-kombat-legacy-kollection-hands-on-preview-gamescom-2025

The gold standard for presenting and preserving games for years has been Digital Eclipse. Last year’s Tetris Forever was one of my favorite games of the year. Not just because it was Tetris, but because of the care and attention that the team put into presenting the story in a cohorent and informative manner. Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection is a bit of a different beast comparatively. When speaking with the folks from Digital Eclipse they emphasized that for this particular collection, they knew that it wouldn’t necessarily be the treasure trove of historical documents and interviews, but that the games would do the talking.

So let’s begin with that because Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection has a pretty clear focus. This collection is centered on Mortal Kombat’s arcade history. Mortal Kombat 1, 2 and 3 are all here in the many forms they were released on ranging from the arcade version, the Super Nintendo, the Mega Drive, the Game Boy, Game Gear, 32x and PlayStation versions (that last one specifically as Mortal Kombat Trilogy). Mortal Kombat 4 (arcade), Mortal Kombat Advance, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat: Tournament edition (all Game Boy Advance), as well as the much maligned beat em ups Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces for PlayStation are here. I was in particular surprised to see a special version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for WaveNet Arcades, which was a version that enabled online play between arcade cabinets, but wasn’t widely available and includes Noob Saibot as a playable fighter.

Going beyond the sheer amount of games available, there’s a lot of quality of life features that I in particular found incredibly useful. Because to be honest I am very bad at fighting games and the original Mortal Kombat games in particular have never been that accessible to new players. Having the option to enable a training mode in the games sounds obvious, but it helps so much with learning the mechanics, moves and characters. There’s also the option to toggle visible movelists for every character to be visible while playing, making it much easier to remember special moves. Those who’ve struggled to learn the fatalities can finally check the positions and move combinations. Some smaller things, like being able to toggle specific unlocks like Reptile and the transformations for Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat Trilogy can be triggered easily now, because of the removal of the original loading times. I also really need to mention the incredible CRT-filters and bezels that the team added into the game. For the PlayStation titles there’s this gorgeous outer glow on the bezel of a classic CRT television. It just goes to show that extra little bit of effort that sets Digital Eclipse apart from other re-releases.

But for me the star of the show was always going to be the supplemental materials. There’ll be over three hours of interviews in the final release, including chats with Ed Boon, John Tobias and others on the original development team. I was particularly excited to see the original references for the Goro model and the original film footage of the actors that performed the fighters in the original game. Of course there are the flyers, arcade marquees, manuals and high resolution scans of images and other materials that have made Digital Eclipse’s collections the equivalent of a high-end digital coffee table book.

Even if you aren’t familiar with the history of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is shaping to be a great introduction to show people what made the series so iconic and influential for its time and beyond. For those longing to replay the Mortal Kombat classics, you can rip your friends' hearts out without worry. As for me, I can’t wait to dig into the full history of these games thanks to historical archives that Digital Eclipse is laying out here. But perhaps what the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection will show us is that the studio isn’t just raising the bar for others, but for themselves as well.

["I'm sorry Willem, but your game of the show at Gamescom was what?"]

19

TalkBack / Bubsy 4D (Hands-on Preview) - Gamescom 2025

« on: August 25, 2025, 05:00:00 AM »

"I'm sorry Willem, but your game of the show at Gamescom was what?"

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/72194/bubsy-4d-hands-on-preview-gamescom-2025

There was a little sparkle in the eye of Atari CEO Wade Rosen when I asked him why the company was so keen on reviving the Bubsy franchise. Indeed, the announcement last year when Atari managed to buy back the rights to this much maligned bobcat got quite a bit of traction in mainstream media even. Almost a month after those rights were obtained, developer Fabraz, known for Slime-San and Demon Turf, had an accepted pitch and started work on Bubsy 4D. I’ve played a lot of games at Gamescom this year. From AAA to indie and a lot in between. It was more than once that I was sitting behind a screen playing a demo for an upcoming game and thought to myself: “I’d be playing Busby 4D now”. What has this world come to?

For those unaware, during the platformer mascot wars of the 80’s and 90’s, Bubsy was already a bit of an odd duck out. Wanting to resemble more Sonic than Mario, with that classic 90’s edge, his 2D platformer games were pretty decent, but not something that really stood out among the crowd. Then Bubsy 3D released and pretty much killed the character with a game that was simply too ambitious for its time. Bubsy 4D is direct follow-up, in which his old enemies the Woolies are taken over by aliens. The game acknowledges not just the fraught history of the bobcat, but even puts its focus on the extended cast of characters that accompany Bubsy including Terry and Terri, Virgil Reality and Arnold Armadillo. The game is fully voiced and honestly, the actors are doing a really good job bringing the tongue-in-cheek nature of the series to the forefront. With the 3D cell-shaded style it really makes the game feel like a cartoon come to life.

What might be even harder to believe is that the game controls really really well. Bubsy’s moveset has been refined and expanded for the 3D levels you’ll travel through. The best comparison would be like a level from Super Mario 3D World, or Super Mario Galaxy. Levels are pretty well confined, but leave plenty of room for small exploration. There are multiple goals aside from getting to the end, like reaching the end of the stage in a set time limit and collecting all the balls of yarn (150) within the stage. Bubsy has a double jump, can wall jump, slightly claw up and down walls, float around for a bit and even transform himself into a large ball to roll down slopes and gain momentum. Within less than 5 minutes I was already combining all these techniques to make my way through the stage and having a blast. The key movement mechanic is a pounce, similar to what Cat Mario would do in Bowser’s Fury. You can launch yourself at a downward diagonal angle and use it to cross wide gaps or get yourself close enough to latch onto a ledge. It became second nature to my time with the game and it just felt great as this little tool to course correct myself if I’ve missed a jump. The game is pretty generous in that regard and it didn’t feel like there was a singular correct path I could’ve taken. Along the way you can collect small secrets and collectibles that unlock new outfits for Bubsy.

Bubsy 4D feels like a genuine revival of the 3D licensed platformer, but with a certain amount of polish that was often too much to ask for back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Fabraz seems to have boiled down Bubsy to his essentials, and just made it a really solid platformer. The idea that the game has a more limited scope and can probably be finished in under 10 hours excites me even more. Yes really, Bubsy 4D is possibly one of the best games I’ve played at Gamescom this year and I still don’t know how to feel about that. The game is set to arrive in the first half of 2026 and frankly I’m ready to mark my calendar for it. There’s nothing that could possibly go wrong with these expectations right?

[In Sickness, Health and Love]

20

TalkBack / and Roger (Switch) Review

« on: August 19, 2025, 01:00:00 AM »

In Sickness, Health and Love

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/72103/and-roger-switch-review

Some games are incredibly difficult to talk about. Not because I’d rather not spoil anything (I do) but rather because giving a broad mechanical description of how a game is designed or played goes fundamentally against the intent behind a game. If anything about And Roger piques your interest based on its visual style, that should be enough of a safe bet for you to pick up this title. It’s emotional, haunting but also uses game mechanics in such a way that it elevates the entire experience in a way that is rarely seen in games.

As much as I want to say about the game and its characters, the briefest of overviews is this. In And Roger you’re playing as a woman, through several chapters of her life. The game uses buttons and sliders that you’re asked to move around in order to make the woman interact with her surroundings. It could be as simple as moving a slider back and forth in order to simulate the act of brushing teeth, or touching buttons in the correct order to perform simple tasks like washing your hands. The game finds plenty of creative ways to build on top of these mechanics, especially as the story progresses and you start making sense of why the game has chosen this particular control scheme.

It’s rare for me that a game makes such a strong impression from the first minute and keeps that momentum going up till the very end. Not just because of the subject the game tries to talk about, which can be particularly hard hitting if you’ve ever had to take care of a loved one, but also because of its clean and gorgeous art style. The best comparison is the game Florence, which used a similar method. But I do think that the team behind And Roger has learned from what does and does not work for such a particular game. Playing with your expectations, twisting the narrative and still making sure that heartwarming moments leave a lasting impact.

And Roger is a short game, but mostly because I was simply unable to put it down after playing through the opening chapter. Walking the tightrope between some of the darkest subject matter we can experience in life, toying with the expectations of the player and yet still showcasing the warmth and love of human connections during these dark times. It’s especially challenging to explain why And Roger is probably one of the most memorable experiences of the year. For a tale like this, to be told in this particular way just makes sense. It’s medium and message working hand in hand and building on one another. No fat needs to be trimmed, no minigames for the sake of expanding the time spent with it. And Roger might be another one of the perfect examples of why games aren’t just art, but elevate our conception of what art can be, and how it can explore our own humanity. Frankly, it’s a fantastic feeling to be reminded of every once in a while and I’d urge you to seek it out for yourself.

[Delta may not be on Switch 2 (yet) but boy does Metal Gear have a storied history on Nintendo.]

21

TalkBack / Metal Gear Solid Δ and The Remake Filled History of Metal Gear and Nintendo

« on: August 22, 2025, 04:52:02 PM »

Delta may not be on Switch 2 (yet) but boy does Metal Gear have a storied history on Nintendo.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/video/72114/metal-gear-solid--and-the-remake-filled-history-of-metal-gear-and-nintendo

Willem received a Codec call to dive deep into the history of Metal Gear Solid and its remakes before the latest remake arrives this August with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

[On Art and Aging]

22

TalkBack / Dear Me, I Was... (Switch 2) Review

« on: August 01, 2025, 02:00:00 AM »

On Art and Aging

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/71923/dear-me-i-was-switch-2-review

I think what I tend to miss most about modern games is a sincere interest in simplicity. Even on the indie side, far too often games are attempting to maximize ideas, making an artistic statement or weaving a complex narrative with subtext and metaphors, often to the detriment of their own focus. While I don’t think that Dear Me, I Was… is actively rebelling against the games industry with its very basic gameplay and story, it’s a flashback of sorts to a time when games were content with just being. I was more than happy with its presence for the short time I spent with it.

Dear Me, I Was… is a narrative story that tells the tale of a woman growing up with a passion for art. Through short chapters, you capture fleeting moments of her life. Glimpses at those with whom she shared a bond and in particular the importance of creativity and her art. The game has few interactive elements, mostly at the beginning of chapters where you eat and drink and occasionally by dragging your cursor across the screen to draw in images of art and the people you meet.

My attention for the game was mostly grabbed through its visual style. It’s no surprise that it is immediately reminiscent of games like Another Code and Hotel Dusk, two of my personal favorite DS titles from the mid 2000’s. The art director is Taisuke Kanasaki who has perfected this particular style over the last twenty years. His watercolors and character designs are striking in their simplicity, but never cease to stun me when in motion. Here the art is on full display, using rotoscoping to feel more lifelike than ever before. It fits the tone of the story director Maho Taguchi is trying to tell through its vignettes.

And it is the art that makes the difference, for this tale is told without words. It can at times be a bit abstract. You may not know the characters by name, or what exactly transpires between them. But the moments captured are immediately recognizable. I do not know why a relationship falls apart, but much like art I can give it my own interpretation and the game allows for those moments to linger.

The hardest thing about Dear Me, I Was… is that most will likely consider it to be more of an animated movie than a videogame. I don’t think that the game is making a statement on this per se. This feeling is recognizable for a  lot of triple A games nowadays as well. What is the act of interaction, if I’m mostly folding forward and moving from cutscene to cutscene that keeps on getting longer and longer? But here the game embraces its linearity. A clear ambition of telling a story and leaving little breadcrumbs of interactivity only to further your immersion into its protagonist. Reaching that conclusion was bittersweet, because it felt poignant. A day in the life of a life long lived, but perhaps even wasted through actions outside of the protagonists control. Outside of your control. It brings color into a life that would pass most of us by. Dear Me, I Was… is a reminder to celebrate art, life and love in ways that often pass us by unnoticed.

Take a moment to sit down, put on a headset, drink a cup of tea and get lost in this artwork. It’s something you’ll remember.

[We Definitely Started This Fire]

23

TalkBack / Chillin' by the Fire (Switch 2) Review

« on: August 07, 2025, 12:25:52 PM »

We Definitely Started This Fire

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/72000/chillin-by-the-fire-switch-2-review

To tell you the truth, outside of a curious few hours with Power Wash Simulator, the ‘job-like simulator’ genre has never really captured my attention. Outside of the novelty of certain interactions and how you see progression over time when performing menial tasks, I think that these games tickle a part of my brain that makes me a bit too aware that I’m playing a video game. So when a campfire-building-simulator was announced during the last Nintendo partner showcase my response wasn’t  “Oh my god, another simulator; this genre is getting dumber”, but rather “oh crap, that’s a new Oink game?”. Indeed, possibly one of the most socially focused boardgame companies out there decided to toss their hat into the ring of fire. And to tell you the truth, this stuff is lit.

Oink Games is probably best known as the publisher behind board games like Scout, A Fake Artist Goes to New York and Deep Sea Adventure. They’re a Japanese publisher and have made waves with their clean art and socially focused game design, spearheaded by their lead designer Jun Sasaki. Let’s Play: Oink Games came out on Switch and mobile a few years back and has been one of my go-to multiplayer online games. A simple, but streamlined experience that has given me plenty of laughter and fun evenings with friends both in digital and physical form. Chillin’ by the Fire translates this experience really well into a social activity that goes surprisingly deeper than you may expect.

Upon starting a level, you are placed in front of a campfire with a single igniter and some logs spread across the ground. You can grab these logs with your tongs, bring them over to the chopping block, cut them down into smaller pieces and proceed to lay them out in your fire pit. Ignite the starter and watch the flames slowly spread onto your tactically laid out logs. The game is simply to keep your fire growing and going for as long as possible. You can add larger logs, which are a great source for increasing your fire, but take a long time to start to burn, or cut logs down to little splinters, which can help you to spread the core of your bonfire to the outer edges. You can also rotate and twist the logs with the directional buttons, allowing you to fill up gaps. The strength of the fire is indicated with a meter that goes up and down depending on how big the fire gets and if logs start to burn up. Starting the fire is easy, but getting it to grow consistently is where the real challenge lies.

While building the fire is pretty relaxing, it becomes a great social activity when played with friends. The game supports both online and local gameshare and gamechat features, including the use of a camera for video-support. That’s right, you can play this with friends who don’t own a copy of the game themselves! For the first time it felt like a return of the glory days of DS Download Play. It was surprisingly fun to hang with a friend and slowly build the biggest fire we could muster. I started to use the campfire measuring tool to keep track of which logs needed to be stacked and replaced, while my friend kept searching for logs and chopping them down. What makes multiplayer in particular fun is that you’re also given prompts to chat about. Questions like: “what advice would you have given yourself ten years ago today?” make for interesting conversation pieces while slowly building out that fire. The game truly puts the chill in Chillin’ by the Fire, which I wasn’t expecting. There’s also achievements, depending on how fast and well you keep the bonfire going. For these, you get points that can be exchanged for different looking axes and fire blowers, but also some fun gag-items like fireworks, musical instruments and even a glow stick.

I don’t think the game is without flaws, however. Stacking and rotating firewood would’ve been a lot more precise and fun using motion controls. If you try to squeeze a log between other pieces of wood, most of the time it just gets warped to the top of the pyre. And while you can buy chairs and tents, they are really only decorative pieces. Outside of chatting with friends or trying to get your fire to reach enormous levels, there isn’t that much going on in this game. Which frankly is fine. It’s a laidback activity that felt very zen in its approach. It’s something you can put on in the background when hanging out with friends, or perhaps while watching a show on a different screen.

This campfire simulator is probably the most extra a game of this scope and type can be, and yet its focus on social elements makes it a delight to return to. Oink Games decided to try something very different here, but has remained true to their design philosophy. No, I did not think I’d recommend a fire-building simulator in 2025, but frankly this one ignited something in me that I wasn’t expecting. Now how long will it take for the true pyromaniacs to start speedrunning this game?

[Party on the Court]

24

TalkBack / NBA BOUNCE Dribbles Onto Nintendo Switch This September

« on: July 31, 2025, 06:42:11 AM »

Party on the Court

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/71913/nba-bounce-dribbles-onto-nintendo-switch-this-september

During Nintendo's Partner Showcase today it was announced that NBA BOUNCE will be coming to Nintendo Switch on September 26th. The game, developed by Unfinished Pixel and published by Outright Games is an arcade sports title that emphasizes casual and fun basketball matches. You can play the game locally with up to four players in 3v3 matches. Additional modes like a Party mode that enables special effects such as a basketball that occasionally stuns the player with electricity. The game doesn't use the likenesses of actual players, but leans into mascottes and its cartoony artstyle for a more family friendly approach.

[From one of the best board game publishers comes the most extra campfire making sim.]

25

TalkBack / Chillin' by the Fire Shadowdrops Onto Nintendo Switch 2

« on: July 31, 2025, 06:25:12 AM »

From one of the best board game publishers comes the most extra campfire making sim.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/71907/chillin-by-the-fire-shadowdrops-onto-nintendo-switch-2

The Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase today had some quirky titles, but Chillin' by the Fire is perhaps one of the strangest showcases for Nintendo's new hardware. Releasing today for Nintendo Switch 2, in Chillin' by the Fire, you can build a campfire to your heart's content. Guide and direct the flow of oxygen through the placement of logs and keep the fire properly lit. The Nintendo Switch 2 camera is supported, allowing you to sit around the campfire with up to four friends through online play. You can also play the game with Nintendo Switch owners through local and online GameShare. While sitting around the fire, short prompts will pop up, specifically for subjects to chat about. It's laidback cozy atmosphere seems to be the driving force. Oink Games is mostly known for their small card and board games, such as Scout and Nine Tiles Panic, but have slowly embraced publishing digital games as well such as Safo and the Moon Warriors and Tiger Trio's Tasty Travels.Chillin' by the Fire can be bought starting today on the Nintendo eShop for $14,99