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Are the sweaters comfortable?
Justin, do you plan on doing more of the YouTube videos you used to do where you go through your collection? Those were awesome!
Justin went to the famous store in New York and spent way too much.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/51395/justins-nintendo-ny-shopping-spree-aftermath
Last weekend I stopped by Nintendo NY to meet a friend and wound up going a little overboard with some of the merchandise I picked up. This Feature is just to show off my haul from the store, most of which is exclusive to the New York location.
Hope you all enjoy!
Exclusive Merchandise
Seemingly Unexclusive Merchandise
The Super Mario 3D World theme has a problem.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/51069/super-mario-maker-2-game-breaking-glitch-discovered
Last night while playing Super Mario Maker 2 I discovered a software bug that I was able to replicate myself with the Maker. The bug will get Mario, or whomever you play as, stuck in a Warp Pipe and not able to do anything at the software level. System level features such as the Home and Capture button will still work. If time runs out during this glitch the game will still be stuck as Mario seems to have vanished and is unable to die.
Replicating this glitch requires a few elements. First, it only works in the Super Mario 3D World theme. The other components necessary for this error are for Mario to be in a Cat Suit, and to use a Warp Box, Warp Pipe, and one Block in a very specific way. Once Mario is in a Cat Suit have him enter a Warp Block. Then make sure he comes out of the Warp Block directly on top of a working Warp Pipe with a Block directly next to the Warp Block but away from the Warp Pipe. As Mario enters the Warp Block hold the down button to instantly go down the Warp Pipe as he re-spawns and you’ll make Mario vanish confusing the game. The only way to get out of this situation is to hit the Home Button and to close the game.
This bug can also be replicated on the title screen if it happens to randomly pick a saved stage with the proper components to use there.
Hopefully this problem gets ironed out in a patch, but until then be aware since it’s possible to lose progress on a Stage you’ve been working on if you accidentally trigger the glitch and haven’t saved before then.
Super Mario Maker 2 is a complex game with a lot of things that need testing and other bugs have been discovered. However, this is the first bug I’ve seen that locks the game. Let us know if you find more.
There will be some limits this time around.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/50841/pokemon-sword-and-shield-wont-have-every-pocket-monster
Unlike past main series Pokémon titles, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will have some limitations on which creatures can be transferred to the upcoming games. As revealed during E3 2019's Treehouse Live, only Pokémon that appear in the Galar Region Pokédex can be transferred to the game from the upcoming Pokémon Home service. Of course, some Pokémon from previous generations will be part of this Pokédex, but not all of them.
This is due to the fact that that making the character models in Sword and Shield are more complex, and to help maintain battle balance, so some limitations had to be implemented in order to have the games release in a timely manner.
Are you still trying to complete your Smash set?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/50821/more-smash-bros-amiibo-revealed-and-dated
Snake, Squirtle, and Ivysaur Super Smash Bros. series Amiibo are scheduled to hit retailers on September 20th. Following shortly after, Chrom, Incineroar, and Simon will land in November. And finally, Dark Samus and Richter will arrive in 2020.
Nana & Popo are back in the arcade port of their famous NES game.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/50341/arcade-archives-vs-ice-climber-switch-review
The Ice Climbers, Nana and Popo, are probably most famous for their several appearances throughout the Super Smash Bros. series. However, they originally got their start on the NES in a title aptly named, Ice Climber, a game that is playable on the Nintendo Entertainment System Nintendo Switch Online application. Shortly after the original NES version released, Nintendo followed up with an updated version for their VS. System. Now after many years this obscure version of Ice Climber is playable at home as part of the Hamster's Arcade Archives series.
Ice Climber is a bit of an oddball in that it's a score based vertical platformer, but also has stages. Your goal while playing may be different depending on what you want to do. You can go for a high score, as breaking bricks, killing enemies, and collecting vegetables in the bonus stage can rack up points at the end of a level. Or maybe you just want to try and complete the stages by making it to the top of each Mountain. Ice Climber has a two player mode as well and like Mario Bros. you could work co-cooperatively or competitively which is neat. But I can assure you working together in this game will not be easy.
The controls in VS. Ice Climber are just as wonky as in the original. The player can walk, jump, and attack by swinging a mallet. Jumping also initiates an upward attack, and if you manage to run a few steps before jumping you will get more horizontal distance. None of this feels very good overall and I'd love to hear more about the design choices behind the notoriously bad controls in Ice Climber. Was it done on purpose because the game would be too easy otherwise? Maybe, but they still don't feel great and will cause a great deal of frustration among those unfamiliar with them.
Each stage in Ice Climber is broken up into two parts. The lower half and the Bonus Stage at the top. The lower half has enemies which can be killed for points, alongside breakable bricks that also earn points. The Bonus Stage is full of random point adding Veggies, as well as a Condor at the top when grabbed will count towards your total. If a player fails in the Bonus Stage part of the level though no lives are lost the stage is over. Points for the entire level are tallied at the end of Bonus Stage successful or not.
Up until this point I've talked about Ice Climber in its base form and the information would be accurate to both the NES and VS. Arcade versions. That said, the VS. Arcade version of Ice Climber does a lot to stand out on its own and truly feels like Ice Climber 2.0 in a sense. For starters, the NES version of Ice Climber features 32 Mountains and the player can choose to start with any. The VS. version has 48 different Mountains and the stage selection works a bit differently. At the start, the player will be choice of any Mountain between 1 and 24. After finishing eight, the player will then have access to Mountains 25 to 48. After an additional eight are completed the player will be sent back to the list of the first 24 mountains. Every eight stages this continues until all are completed and then the loop starts over. Some of the stages in VS. Ice Climber are the same as the NES version but plenty of new stages have been added as well.
VS. Ice Climber also lets you know what Bonus Stages you've successfully completed by placing an Ice Climber image where the stage's number was previously placed. A failed Bonus Stage will have the image of a Topi, which in every version of this game is the little yeti monster and not the seal as seen in the Japanese NES version. I haven't been able to completely figure out what triggers this, but it appears as though successful completion of eight Bonus Stages in a section will then unlock one of two Super Bonus Stages. These are straight up platforming challenges with a time limit to make it to the top. They are pretty fun and something that is lacking in the NES version as far as I can tell.
There is also a random chance that a wind or snow storm will take place during a stage. This causes wind to move from the left to the right and can make levels harder. The effect of both weather types seems to be exactly the same other than some slight graphical changes so I don't know why the developers thought to add both. It's kind of strange but helps the VS. version stand out.
New enemies have also been added to the game. First is a Bee which launches horizontally from either side of the screen and homes in on the player. To survive this rare enemy type the player will have to whack the Bee with their hammer or manage to dodge it as it will just fly to the other side the screen after a miss. Just note, killing a Bee counts as a killing a Nitpicker (bird) enemy for scoring purposes. The other new enemy is the Moth which replaces the Condor at the end of the later stages. These new characters are great and really add to the Ice Climber lore which I love.
VS. Ice Climber also introduces a few new gameplay elements. One is an item which can be found in bricks in the lower half of each stage. These items can increase the point value for Veggies found in the Bonus Stage. They do, however, seem to be very rare. Another new element are platforms that not only move left and right, but at the same time bounce up and down. These new platforms are interesting though and can be very challenging to deal with. Lastly, there is a high score leaderboard where you can enter your initials for arcade glory.
Ice Climber can be fun in short bursts, but there is almost always a feeling of frustration while playing. As a player you're not only fighting with the weird controls, but with nearly every gameplay element at once. Sometimes you are trying to slip in a hole while fighting a platform that forces you to move left and right. Other times you're trying to make it up to the next plateau while trying to make it through a small gap you've created by jumping off a fast moving platform before a Topi fills it back in with ice. Also you can't take too long or else the Polar Bear will appear and force the screen upward a notch probably killing you. Those platforms that bounce up and down as they travel horizontally only add to the difficulty. Yeah, Ice Climber is a hard game, and I only made it through all 48 of the stages for this review by using save states. At times it's brutal.
The Arcade Archives wrapper that VS. Ice Climber is placed in offers no surprises, but that's not a bad thing. Three modes are available when booting up the title: Original Mode, Hi Score Mode, and Caravan Mode. Original Mode lets players enjoy the game as if they had the arcade cabinet in their home. It features a bunch of display, sound, difficulty settings, and control options, as well as an Online Leaderboard. The Online Leaderboard in this mode is fairly pointless though as it's possible to abuse save states. The confusing option called "The Original Game's Character Designs" which can be toggled on or off never seems to make any difference in any of the Arcade Archives games I've played. Is it just some remnant from one previous game they developed? I don't know. Regardless, the plethora of options is very nice and helps give players the experience they want.
Hi Score Mode is the main mode for serious score hunters. This loads the game up with competition settings and let's someone go through the game on one credit to see if they have what it takes to be the best. Caravan Mode is similar, but only gives the player five minutes to set a record score. At the end of a round in these modes it's possible to upload a score to Online Leaderboards in each category. It's a nice feature, even if I don't find Ice Climber to be a very good scoring competition game. Still, the Arcade Archives wrapper still has the annoying flaw in that it's too easy to accidentally end a high score run by just pressing the Plus Button in these competition modes. There should really be a button combination as it can be super easy to just mistakenly end a run out of a pausing habit.
For historical reference I want to discuss that there is a second game known as VS. Ice Climber that was released for the Famicom Disk System after the arcade version. I have not been able to play it but I've tried to do some research just for comparison purposes. The Famicom Disk System version of VS. Ice Climber seems to be very similar to the Arcade version except that the Moth enemy at the end of the later stages has been replaced with a Blue Condor. While this further expands the Ice Climber lore by adding a new Condor color it just doesn't seem as cool. Also, while I haven't been able to confirm this on my own, some sources claim the Bee enemy doesn't exist anymore in the Famicom Disk System version. Instead, it's behavior pattern still exists, but the sprite just uses a Nitpicker (bird) instead. Again, I haven't been able to confirm the Bee claim but even without it the Moth may help make the arcade version of VS. Ice Climber the definitive version of the game.
Overall, VS. Ice Climber is an improvement over the NES release but it still has all of the rough edges the original incorporated. Frustrating controls and the sometimes evil stage design will likely drive many new players away. The new additions to the game are nice and really help the quasi sequel stand out. The new gameplay elements and expanded lore are to be applauded. However, VS. Ice Climber still seems to straddle the line between a score attack game and a level based platformer and fails to really succeed at either. The Arcade Archives wrapper is mostly a positive addition giving players tons of options to really customize the experience even if it still carries the same usual flaws.
Arcade Archives VS. Ice Climber isn't a game for everyone, but I'm confident in saying it's the definitive version of Ice Climber. While it may not be a top tier title, I'm really happy Hamster and Nintendo are working together to bring these hard-to-find games to home consoles for the first time so it's easier for people interested in Nintendo history to experience. I've honestly never seen VS. Ice Climber in any arcade and probably for good reason. Still, it's nice to see how Nintendo went about improving the original game in different ways. Even with all its flaws, I'd still recommend the Arcade Archives VS. Ice Climber to collectors, gaming historians, those who wish to support the Hamster Nintendo partnership, and maybe to those excited to see a slightly expanded Ice Climber lore. Honestly, with all the attention brought to the series protagonists Nana and Popo in the Super Smash Bros. series it's time for Nintendo to do these characters justice with a new game that's really great. It's a shame this now iconic duo is stuck being the stars of various iterations of a subpar game.
Our own Nintendo collector Justin Berube hit up the big toy show to see what Nintendo goods he could find.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/49780/new-york-toy-fair-2019-photo-roundup
Once again I was able to attend New York Toy Fair. For those that don't know, Toy Fair is basically the E3 for toys. With Nintendo continuing the strategy of expanding their IP awareness it shouldn't be a shock to anyone to see several companies on the show floor that hold the Nintendo license.
As one of Nintendo World Report's biggest Nintendo merchandise collectors it only seems fitting that I was the one who ran around like a maniac for a day trying to take pictures of as much stuff on display as possible. So check out each company listed alphabetically and see what's coming or in some cases is already available. Enjoy!
The NWR staff battled it out to determine what games were the best of 2018!
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/49337/nwrs-2018-game-awards
It's that time of year again. The Nintendo World Report staff had to get together and fight over what games they felt were the most deserving in 2018.
The process behind it all was fairly simple. The staff came up with a list of what deserved to win in a number of categories. Then after about two weeks we all got together over a voice call in order to argue it all out and fight for the games we are passionate about. For those interested the entire recorded debate is available for our Patreon supporters.
The list is also a little late, by some standards, releasing publicly in 2019 because we felt every game in 2018 deserved a fair shake at things. We felt this was especially important because cool new games kept releasing for the Switch up until the last minute.
Also, just so there is no confusion, Runners Up in each category aren't ranked in any specific order. They are just titles we thought were also worth mentioning.
So without further explanation here are NWR's 2018 Game Awards!
The Smash Ultimate roster grows.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/49558/smash-bros-ultimate-piranha-plant-review
As a big fan of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I was happy to see that newcomer Piranha Plant sprouted a few days ahead of its previously stated February release date alongside the 2.0.0 update. Piranha Plant was briefly available as a promotional character and is now available to purchase. But is Piranha Plant worth all the hype?
I must admit, when Piranha Plant was first revealed as a playable character I was a bit taken aback. I’m a huge Mario fan, but this didn’t seem like the character I or anyone had been asking to have playable in Super Smash Bros. games. Piranha Plant seems way less deserving of a roster spot than a highbrow character like Waluigi. That said, after getting my hands on her, she really grew on me.
Piranha Plant is a very unique Smash Bros. character in many ways. All of her special moves seem to have utility. The Piranhacopter (Up Special) is a pretty good recovery and can be directed in unique ways. It also damages opponents if the spinning leaves hit them. Ptooie (Neutral Special) causes a spiked ball to hover above the mouth of Piranha Plant. This spiked ball can be thrown left or right at a few different angles and speeds. Poison Breath (Side Special) can be charged and causes a poison cloud to briefly stay on part of the stage. At a full charge this move is powerful and large. It’s also possible to hide behind it so opponents don’t know what your next move will be. And finally there is the Long-Stem Strike (Down Special). This move can be charged and causes Piranha Plant to hide in her pot before launching out at long distances with a powerful bite. It’s possible to tilt the character’s pot over to change the angle, and players can even use it in the air.
As I said earlier, a lot of these moves allow for some creative uses and provide fun and unique gameplay. Piranha Plant also has a decent Up Smash, good Neutral Air attack, and a solid Back Air that can be used as a kill move. The Ptoooie and Long-Stem Strike attacks also make it seem like this character can prevent opponents from getting the drop on her. Piranha Plant seems to have very poor grab though.
For those that play Smash Bros. with Final Smashes, you’ll be in for a treat. Piranha Plant summons Petey Piranha, who will try to trap other combatants in a cage, spit fire at them, and then smash them against the ground for a possible kill. I don’t think this is a top-tier Final Smash, but it sure is fun!
I’ve managed to make it to Elite Smash using Piranha Plant and feel the character has potential, but she seems to get shut down by projectile heavy characters. Maybe I still have a lot to learn, but I think characters like the three Links, Samus, Dark Samus, and more may be able to really counter Piranha Plant on a competitive level. Again, the character is still relatively new and it may take some time to adjust and to figure out all the strategies, especially when Piranha Plant seems to reward creative use of her special moves.
Piranha Plant also has some cool victory poses at the end of matches, especially the one featuring Mario, as well as an enjoyable Palutena’s Guidance for all you Kid Icarus Uprising fans.
Overall, I may not be happy that Piranha Plant stole Waluigi’s spot on the roster, but I can’t argue that the character is extremely unique and fun to play. Those that picked up the character through the promotional giveaway can try her out now for free, but the rest of you Smash Bros. fans should definitely pick her up now that she is available to buy, especially if you like playing characters that are just a little bit different.
Mario’s the bad guy!?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/49295/arcade-archives-donkey-kong-jr-switch-review
The original Donkey Kong was a major success for Nintendo in 1981, so it’s not shocking that a sequel, Donkey Kong Jr., was released in 1982. What is shocking to many is the fact that both of these games were able to get true arcade grade home re-releases for the first time since they hit game rooms nearly 35 years ago. So does Donkey Kong Jr. manage to live up to the legendary original? I found out.
Donkey Kong Jr. really does feel like a direct sequel to the original game. Part of this can probably be chalked up to the fact that Nintendo had the code to the original Donkey Kong reverse engineered in order to make Junior. This led to a lawsuit and is an interesting story for another day, but the historical significance is worth mentioning.
Like its predecessor, Junior has a narrative tone. This time Mario, the protagonist from the original, is the jerk who has captured Donkey Kong. Sure the ape probably deserved it for kidnapping Pauline, but what we didn’t know is that Donkey Kong has a son, Donkey Kong Jr., waiting back at home. So in this title the player takes control of Junior and is trying to rescue his dad. While this may have seemed normal for the time, it is weird to see Nintendo’s main protagonist play the role of heel. Though it really does make you think about the perspective of everything in life.
Donkey Kong Junior controls similar to Mario in the original game retaining the ability to walk and jump, but the little ape has a few new tricks as well. A major gameplay element is climbing up and down vines. Junior can grab on to a single vine to climb up and drop down. It’s also possible to straddle two vines which allows Junior to climb up faster, but it will take longer to climb down in this state. The benefit of holding one vine is that Junior can drop quickly this way. Solo vine positioning is also important as you can hang from the left or right and doing so will impact your ability to dodge enemies.
Donkey Kong Jr. is comprised of four stages, just like the first game, and the goal is to get the key, or keys, in order to free Donkey Kong from his cage. The Arcade Archives version contains both the Japanese and English releases of the game. The differences I saw were similar to the differences in the original Donkey Kong as well. The Japanese version lets players tackle all four stages in order and on repeat, while the English release takes an odd route where you have to sort of earn two of the stages after looping through what has been given to you before “unlocking” them. Because of this, I may prefer the Japanese release but usually stick to playing the English version because that’s the version people from this part of the world seem to compete competitively.
The first stage is in a jungle-like setting and has vines and enemies that climb or drop down them. The second stage is similar to the first aesthetically but has a cool springboard to jump off of, which skilled players will figure out can help you skip a portion of the level too. The latter half of this stage tries to teach players to watch out for birds that come across some vines horizontally, which is different than the vine-descending foes from the first stage. The third stage, Mario’s Hideout, is like a power plant where players have to dodge sparks. The final stage sees Junior working to finally free his father by unlocking off of DK’s bindings. This last stage can have a ton of enemies at once and is a real challenge.
There is also bonus fruit in different places throughout the stages that is important. Touching a piece of fruit will cause it to drop. Falling fruit will kill any enemy in its path and rack up bonus points for each one it defeats. I do have one mechanical complaint about the fruit though. In some places, Junior needs to reach out off a vine to touch the fruit to get it to drop. However, the fruit hit box is very precise and needs to be touching his tiny hand almost perfectly.
Upon first playing the title, I came away thinking Junior felt very sluggish from what I remember. Also I really do feel that Donkey Kong Jr. is far more challenging than the original game, maybe too much so, as at times it requires players to track a ton of on-screen elements and enemies at once. In the first game, it felt like there were usually more safe spots, or you didn’t have to worry about as many barrels the farther you got up since the ones below you pose no threat. But in Donkey Kong Jr. you are more likely to encounter the same enemies again, depending on the stage, since some can travel up and down vines, or maybe the player will have to go back down in some spots. It’s tricky but can be learned.
I do, however, applaud the game in trying to be more interactive in many ways. It tries to do something different and the vine mechanics give a new way to traverse the stages and add some strategy. The springboard in the second stage is really fun too, and each stage feels very unique. While it may not come together as nicely as the first game, Donkey Kong Jr. tries to stand out on its own and that’s worth applauding.
Just for fun I decided to boot up the NES port of Donkey Kong Jr. just to compare it. The NES game features a Junior that can move much faster, and the pace feels a bit better as a result. Junior also has a larger range of hit detection when reaching for fruit! However, the graphics on the NES game aren’t as nice, and it may be too easy at the start. The NES conversion also doesn’t seem to be as refined as far as taking risks in order to earn a better score goes since enemies seem to be slower and take longer to come out. This is a problem in a high score game like Donkey Kong Jr. as you really need to wait for enemies to be in the right place in order to drop fruit on them. As well, after finishing the last stage in the arcade version, Mario just gets kicked by Donkey Kong. In the NES version, Mario falls and has a halo over his head, presumably dying.
My dream version of Donkey Kong Jr. would probably be a hybrid between the arcade and NES versions, but of course that doesn’t exist. This comparison has no bearing on the review, I just thought our readers may want to be educated on how the two versions differ.
Of course, this release of Donkey Kong Jr. falls into the Arcade Archives line and has all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from games in the series. The main title screen for the Arcade Archives port lets the player choose between playing the Japanese Version Original Mode, English Version Original Mode, Hi Score Mode, and Caravan Mode. The Original Modes both let players mess with the settings, use save states, and change various audio visual settings, and they run like an actual cabinet. You can even set the multiplayer up to flip the screen as if it’s the cocktail cabinet version of the game! There are online leaderboards in the Original Modes, but since save states can be abused here, they’re really meaningless.
Hi Score Mode and Caravan Modes are where the competitive action takes place. Both modes let players choose between the Japanese and English release when competing. High Score Mode uses a standard three lives run while Caravan Mode gives players five minutes to rack up the highest score. When it’s over, and you’ve set a personal best, you can then upload your score to an online leaderboard. These modes are both fun, but are still plagued by the fact that if you press the plus button (or pause) it instantly kills a run. This is a problem in every Arcade Archives game I’ve played and I wish they would make it an obscure button combination instead of something so easily pressed out of gaming habit.
Donkey Kong Jr. is a historically important game for Nintendo and one I fully recommend to big Nintendo fans, arcade gamers, high score chasers, and gaming historians. Those considering a purchase might want to go ahead and buy the game as Donkey Kong Jr. is one of the titles where we really don’t know who owns the rights to the original code. So it’s possible a deal was worked out to have this released for a set period of time. And again, the arcade version of Donkey Kong Jr. does differ from the more famous and more frequently re-released NES port.
Overall, I’m mostly impressed with the Arcade Archives wrapper as it lets players customize the experience or compete online. Donkey Kong Jr. itself is fun but much more challenging than the original Donkey Kong. I don’t think the sequel is as good, but it manages to differentiate itself which is nice and keeps the experience and strategies fresh while managing to maintain an air of familiarity.
An arcade remake I never expected to see.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/49031/toki-switch-review
I never thought I’d be talking about a remake of the seemingly forgotten arcade game Toki in 2018, but here we are! Yes, Toki on Nintendo Switch is a remaster of the 1989 arcade title of the same name. Toki has enhanced visuals, updated music, and a new difficulty system. The original Toki is a game I wrote about having some fond memories of in a recent editorial, but does this remake hold up?
The story starts as Toki, a muscular caveman-like human, watches as a sorcerer kidnaps his love interest. Then this sorcerer turns Toki into a small ape before running off. It’s then up to Toki to make it through six levels in order to save his girl and to hopefully get his body back to normal.
Toki is definitely an arcade game and reminds me of a strange mix of Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Super Mario Bros., and Contra. That’s because Toki is a 2D platformer where the main character can spit projectiles, jump on enemies to damage them, and get different power-ups. All the power-ups only last a limited time, but they do more damage than the normal spit projectile. Toki can get close-range flamethrower breath, long-range fire spit that can charge up, a Wave Beam like spit, larger single spit, and a Contra like spreader spit. There are other helpful items as well like a football helmet that blocks attacks and sneakers that help Toki jump higher. The main reason I’m explaining all of this is because it adds to the utter ridiculousness that is Toki.
Toki can only survive one hit before having to go back to a checkpoint, but there do seem to be a fair number of them. That said, there are some cheap deaths that were likely set up to try and kill players intentionally so they would be forced to drop more quarters into the old arcade cabinet. This can be frustrating, but like many old games there is an element of gaining experience through failure and needing to learn to succeed. There is also a time limit for each stage.
The enemies in Toki are fun. There are a variety of apes, zombies, ghosts, spiders, eyeball monsters, bats, fish in the underwater sections, and more. The bosses are crazy but it feels like trying to brute force them is the best way to go. My favorite boss in the game is a walking pile of intestines that burps and kicks at Toki. It’s really bizarre in a good way.
The updated graphics do make the game widescreen and have a hand-drawn style to them. They aren’t bad, but sometimes it can be difficult to tell what’s actually on the screen. There were a few spots where I wasn’t sure what was in the foreground or background and that caused some confusion and deaths.
The rearranged music is catchy and I instantly remembered the old boss music when the new version of it started to play. The music isn’t jaw-dropping by any means, but old school Toki fans will likely be pleased with what’s been done in this department as it remains faithful to the original tracks.
Since Toki is an arcade game you may be wondering how they handled the difficulty this time around. It’s always a challenge to bring arcade games to consoles as one of the draws was trying to get far or beat the game without having to spend money. In the past, many home versions of arcade games lost some of that when they offered unlimited credits. Toki, however, does this in an interesting way. It gives the option of four difficulty levels from the start. There is Easy, Medium, Hard, and Hardest. These each give the player a limited number of continues, or credits, and a set number of lives per credit. Easy gives the most by offering nine continues and nine lives per continue. If you’re just looking to see everything Toki has to offer, I recommend this setting. Once you get better it may be worth trying a more difficult mode, but be warned, if you run out of credits you will start from the first stage.
For research purposes I went and watched a playthrough of the original Toki for the sake of comparison. While the graphics may not be modern, they definitely do make it a bit easier to tell what’s going on compared to this remake. Honestly, I prefer the retro graphics, but that is likely a personal preference. I also think it’s a bit of a shame there is no way, that I know of, to unlock the original Toki in this 2018 version. Hopefully we will get Arcade Archives Toki or something on Switch down the road.
Toki isn’t a very long title, as you would probably imagine. I beat it on the Easy setting in around an hour. The game does track your personal top score, but the leaderboard that I saw in the arcade version is removed. I wouldn’t recommend this as a high-score game, but you could play it that way.
Toki is fun and wacky, but a flawed game in many regards. While I enjoy the world and basic gameplay elements there are cheap deaths and the new graphics can make it hard to tell what’s on the same plane as the character at times. The different difficulty settings allow players to tailor the experience, which is good, but I don’t see myself often trying something other than Easy since this is an updated arcade title. Some of the general flaws can be attributed to the original game, so the developers actually did nail it when they made this updated version. That said, Toki fans will get a kick out of this remaster and if you like weird, old arcade games you probably will, too.
Remember wanting to go to the restaurants with the cool arcade games?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/49026/toki-a-reason-to-dine-out
As a kid, going out to eat always seemed like a minor special event. I loved ordering food that was probably terrible for me but tasted great. That alone was probably enough for some kids. Other kids, myself included at times, were also persuaded to go to the eateries that provided the coolest toys. However, one thing that drove me to a few local places was their arcade games.
One local tavern used to have an Arkanoid cocktail cabinet near the bar. A friend and I used to love going there to play that game. It added to the event status as we would see how far we could get. Every time I go back to this place I look over to the small corner where the machine used to be and remember the good times.
The other place I loved going to was the local dine-in Pizza Hut. Besides having the best breadsticks, there was an odd-looking arcade cabinet near the bathrooms. If I recall correctly, it was a generic-looking one, but in it was Ghosts 'n Goblins. I remember many birthday parties at this Pizza Hut and Ghosts ‘n Goblins turned into a side event for the gamers in the group.
Years later, this machine suddenly changed over to a new game known as Toki. Sure, many people remember Ghosts ‘n Goblins for being a brutal game, but almost nobody knows Toki when I bring it up. But this game became the new Pizza Hut attraction and yes, I wanted to go eat there just to give it another go. Just getting to play a new video game was enough to entice me to a local place serving sub-par pies in my home of New Jersey, a place known for great pizza.
As a kid I remember seeing Toki pop up from time to time. It seemed to be a common game on the old TV series Nick Arcade, and I eventually learned that an NES version existed, but I’ve never seen or played it. Other than that, Toki remained one of those games that seemed to only bring up nostalgic feelings in me and confusion to anyone I mentioned it to. You try explaining to friends the game where you are a man turned into a monkey who goes through stages spitting different weapons at foes.
So imagine my complete shock when I learned that Toki was being remade for Nintendo Switch and being given a collector’s edition. What? Why? Other people have fond memories for Toki? I still can’t believe it. That said I’m excited to give it a try and to relive some nostalgic moments I had as kid at a long-shuttered Pizza Hut.
We take a look at the extreme spectrums of Robot Master quality.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/48508/mega-mans-five-best-and-worst-robot-masters
With Mega Man 11 just around the corner I decided to take a look at the Blue Bomber’s past. There are some great Robot Masters, and some truly awful ones. So I sat down and picked out my five favorite and least liked characters to create this list.
The two lists aren’t in any particular order, so just sit back and enjoy the extremes found within the Mega Man universe. Then let us know some of your picks for best and worst Robot Masters in the Talkback thread below.
Is the arcade version even more exciting than the NES original?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48474/arcade-archives-vs-excitebike-switch-review
The original Excitebike was released on the Famicom in 1984 and was a launch game for the NES in 1985. However, shortly after the development of the original Excitebike, an arcade version was produced for the Nintendo VS. System in 1984. The VS. System was a way to get some of Nintendo’s home console titles in arcades and likely served as an advertisement for the NES. That said, many VS. System titles had differences over their NES counterparts and VS. Excitebike does change the NES game up quite a bit.
Upon dropping a credit into VS. Excitebike, players can choose a skill level of Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. Each of these starts players off on either the first, second, and third tracks respectively. After picking a skill level, or simply a stage, the player will be shown a progression screen. While the original Excitebike lets you choose whether or not to race against opponents, VS. Excitebike starts players with a one lap qualifying race by themselves. Upon successful completion of the qualifier the player will then have to compete against other computer-controlled bikers in a two-lap race. Failure to rank in the top five in any race and it’s game over.
VS. Excitebike may appear as just a racing game like its NES counterpart, but it isn’t. Being an arcade game there is an emphasis placed on score. While racing, your score increases and you earn a bonus for placing higher at the end. If a player starts on a later track, they get an instant score bonus to make up for the points missed out on. The game also has a leaderboard for top times achieved as well as the scores and I think it’s cool that the game tracks two different forms of achievement.
There are seven different tracks in VS. Excitebike, unlike the NES version's five. The first two tracks seem like remixed tracks from the original, but after that they get seemingly longer and are much different. After fully completing the seventh track, the last stage keeps repeating itself until you lose. This component really hurts VS. Excitebike as a high score game since, similar to Sky Skipper, professional players will likely just find ways to master that final stage to stay playing as long as possible in order to rack up a high score.
A few other cool features found in VS. Excitebike make the title stand out over the original. First, there is a Bonus Game that challenges players to hit ramps in order to jump over trucks for extra points. This game may get old after a while, but it’s a cool feature that breaks up the typical action. Second, a mechanic encourages players to wipe out opponents on bikes as when enough enemies are wiped out, your Excitebiker will change colors to a bad ass red, yellow, and black color scheme and have unlimited Turbo power until you crash. This reward can even carry over into the next race. It’s a fun risk-reward mechanic that I wish was present in the original Excitebike.
Other than what I stated, the game plays just like the classic original Excitebike that Nintendo fans are probably used to. That said, being an arcade version, there is no custom track editor to be found.
The Arcade Archives wrapper has what you’d expect: a plethora of audio visual options, control options, and all the relevant game settings. There is an odd option that I also found in the Arcade Archives version of Sky Skipper called The Original Game’s Character Designs and is set to off by default. It can be turned on, but I have no idea what it does in any game when turned on. Is this just a leftover from some other game that keeps making its way into these releases? I have no idea. Aside from this confusing option everything is great and let’s users tweak the experience to their liking.
Like other Arcade Archives games, players choose from playing the game in Original Mode, Hi Score Mode, and Caravan Mode. The Original Mode lets players play casually, even after changing the settings, and even allows the use of save states. It is possible to upload a high score to an online leaderboard here, but with so many ways to cheat it seems pointless.
High Score Mode and Caravan Modes are where the real competition takes place. In High Score Mode players compete with the default settings and can upload their high scores to a competitive online leaderboard. Caravan Mode works in a similar fashion, but only gives the players five minutes to do their best. Both modes are welcome, but have their typical Arcade Archives flaws. If you mistakenly press the pause button while playing it will instantly end your run. I know I’ve made this complaint before, but it’s just too easy to screw up with a simple button press.
One other problem I have with the High Score Mode leaderboard is that it only ranks best scores. Even though VS. Excitebike also has built-in leaderboards for the fastest course times, the added online rankings don’t compile the best for each track. Considering how much I like the dual achievement tracking, this is a letdown.
For historical purposes as I near the end of this review of a classic title it would be odd of me not to speak of the second game titled VS. Excitebike, which released on the Famicom Disk System in Japan in 1988 and actually did come out on the Wii U Virtual Console in the west. VS. Excitebike (FDS) appears to be VS. Excitebike (Arcade) with even more bells and whistles. The Famicom Disk System version has the score tracking, new progression system, turbo mode risk-reward system, and tracks from the arcade release, but also has even more. The Famicom Disk System release also has a track editor, more music, and even a simultaneous two-player mode. While I can’t fault VS. Excitebike for not having features found in a later release, they do weigh heavy on my mind and think they are worth a mention in this review to inform our readers.
Overall Arcade Archives VS. Excitebike can be fun, but it may be best suited for big Excitebike fans looking for more stages and some slight gameplay improvements. While the high score component is a bit shallow, there are still some good things to be found in this release. The Arcade Archives wrapper offers some great and really appreciated options, but it is sad that the same problems never get adjusted. Also, it is a letdown that best track times aren’t tracked on the Arcade Archives leaderboards.
That said I’m super happy that VS. Excitebike (Arcade) was re-released for the first time since it hit the arcades and it's great that it can be played portably or at home on the big screen. I would recommend it to Excitebike super fans, arcade aficionados, gaming historians, and Nintendo fanatics who just want to experience any oddity related to the company’s history. Anyone else may get their fix by playing the original version of Excitebike, which is currently part of the Nintendo Entertainment System Nintendo Switch Online app. And who knows, maybe months or years down the line the ultimate version of Excitebike, VS. Excitebike from the Famicom Disk System, may hit the service as well.
Thoughts on the Mega Man 11 Demo from a long time fan.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48296/mega-man-11-switch-hands-on-preview
After a bit of a hiatus, the Blue Bomber is back in Mega Man 11. Fans have been clamoring for another installment in the iconic franchise, and Capcom has finally listened. This time our rocking hero has a few new tricks up his sleeve, but are they all for the best? I dove into the Mega Man 11 demo currently available on the Nintendo Switch eShop looking to find out.
The demo starts off simple, explaining some of the new systems put in place. It also includes a few different difficulty modes, which is great for accessibility since many players have found previous entries in the Mega Man franchise too difficult. I wish I could be there to teach people that many of the tricks in Mega Man aren't about playing harder but playing smarter. Regardless, these options will still be great for newcomers. Veteran Mega Man fans don't have to fret, though, because the Normal difficulty level is still here to challenge players, along with another locked difficulty called Superhero.
The demo only has one Robot Master to face, Block Man, and gives players two special weapons to use while playing this stage. There are also a bunch of options available for audio, controls, and more.
One of the things that I noticed right away was that the game felt right in a general sense when compared to previous entries in the franchise. The graphics aren't the best, but they’re passable and get the job done. Over time I've come to like them more. There are also some new upgrades to Mega Man's previous controls that seem like a nice advancement in terms of gameplay. First, is the fact that the Rush Coil is always available while Mega Man has his Mega Buster equipped. Just press X to drop him in. Second is it's now possible to cancel a slide maneuver by pressing in the opposite direction. This allows players to have a greater control over a technique that is important for dodging attacks.
While there are some great new things, I found myself displeased by a lot that I came across in the Mega Man 11 demo. For starters, I'm not a big fan of the new Double Gear System. This new gameplay element does add a new wrinkle to the experience. Pressing the R Button slows down time, allowing Mega Man to get more shots off and move slightly faster around the environment. The L Button increases Mega Man's damage, allows a fully charged Mega Buster blast to let out two shots, and also adds different effects to obtained weapons. Both of these techniques fill up a meter while in use that slowly cools down when not in use. If the meter fills, it will be a while before Mega Man can use the Double Gear System again. There is also a Double Gear Technique that can be used when Mega Man's health is very low. Doing so will increase his damage and speed for a short period of time, but then Mega Man won't be able to use the Gears for a while or even charge up. It's more of a last-ditch effort technique and if you don't get the job done with it, you are probably done for.
My issue with the Double Gear System is that I went into the game thinking it was put in place as more of a crutch for Mega Man players, but the entire game seems to be balanced around it. Yes, you can beat the stage without it, but it's clearly meant to be used. From enemies that have small attack windows, to some enemies having more HP than I remember many having in previous entries of the series. If you want to play this game well, you are going to have to use the Double Gear System. Additionally, the Double Gear System makes the game more complicated and difficult. This additional wrinkle will make the game even harder for newcomers to get into since there are clearly instances when using one gear over the other gives distinct advantages and figuring it all out makes the game harder to piece together. Trust me, I found the Mega Man 11 demo to be significantly more challenging than other classic Mega Man titles and it was all because the Double Gear System complicates things instead of building off the beautiful simplicity found in the previous entries of the franchise.
One other issue I have with the Double Gear System is that it's oddly toggled on and off by pressing the shoulder buttons. This makes wrapping my head around it all that much harder. It would make more sense to me if holding down the shoulder button activated the power, and shut it off upon release. Sadly, there is no option to do so as this would give the game a Viewtiful Joe type of feel, which is very likely what Capcom is going for in the first place. They could secretly be calling this project Viewtiful Mega Man for all I know.
The sound in Mega Man 11 needs to be completely redone. The music in the classic Mega Man games is some of my favorite in gaming, and in this regard Mega Man 11 is a letdown. There is nothing rocking about the demo's soundtrack. The sound effects also need work too as it's almost impossible to tell when you have a fully charged buster shot since the noise isn't very obvious. It would also be nice to have an audio warning when you're about to overheat while using the Double Gear System. I shouldn't be expected to stare at meters while having to jump on platforms and dodge attacks. The voice acting is atrocious, but luckily it can be shut off completely in the options. I just hope there aren't important story elements or gameplay tips given out this way.
There are other elements that bother me as well. I said earlier the general feel of the game is all right, and it is. However, I'm guessing the move to 3D models has hampered the precision found in the classic Mega Man games. I found myself able to jump up between two blocks, but it was very difficult to even judge the correct place to stand to replicate such a feat. While this wasn't a necessary task in the demo, it just highlights some of the problems with the game. It's also sometimes hard to judge what will hit you, especially in the fight against Block Man's second form, because of the 3D models used.
Block Man himself seems very overpowered when compared to the Robot Masters that came before him. He has three phases and regains some health on his meter during each one. The second phase transforms him into a giant machine that does an insane amount of damage. Canonically, I don't know how this doesn't just make every previous Robot Master seem weak and pathetic. Gameplay wise, this makes Block Man feel more like a late game Dr. Wily boss and seems very out of place. Again, the best way to deal with this guy is to use the Double Gear system; otherwise, you will be at a massive disadvantage.
There are a few other things that bother me about the Mega Man 11 demo. When Mega Man runs over a health pickup, the game doesn't pause and fill up your meter with a familiar sound effect. Part of this goes back to the bad sound design, but the game stopping briefly to really tell you what's happening is more of a general game design issue and makes it not feel like Mega Man. I often don't even realize I'm getting health pickups as a result. There is also a new feature that allows the player to change weapons using the right stick, but there is practically no dead zone on this stick so the slightest brush will change your weapon. I found myself selecting weapons by mistake because of this. It's a great idea, but the poor implementation means I am shutting it off in the options menu immediately.
One other gripe, which is minor but seems to be getting a ton of attention, is that Mega Man can't jump through the Boss Door. What's up with that?
While there are some good things in the Mega Man 11 demo, I feel like overall it lacks the polish we’ve come to expect from a Mega Man game. I love this franchise, and I really enjoyed what was done with 9 and 10. This demo, however, has filled me with a ton of doubt on how well the final product will turn out. I have no idea how long ago this demo was created and how similar it will be to the retail release, but with the game hitting shelves in a few weeks I'm a bit worried. As a big fan I'll still be picking up and playing through the game, but as you can see my concerns are high on this one. Regardless of how the final product turns out, I'll likely be sharing my thoughts on Nintendo News Report.
We take a look at many Smashing possibilities.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/47985/possible-echo-fighters-for-super-smash-bros-ultimate
After viewing the latest Super Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct I really started thinking, maybe a little too much, about who could be added as an Echo Fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Behind the scenes at Nintendo World Report we all began talking about it. Then, I started making a list.
What you see before you is a list partially made up by myself with some great input from the rest of the NWR Staff, about who could potentially become an Echo Fighter in the upcoming Nintendo Switch version of Super Smash Bros.
I’ve also added my thoughts on the odds that each of these characters will be added to the game, but please keep in mind these are baseless estimates designed for fun. So just sit back and enjoy reading about some possible Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Echo Fighters!
Who says 60 plus fighters is enough?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/47761/the-20-most-deserving-super-smash-bros-ultimate-newcomers
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is going to be one hell of a game considering it will include over 65 playable characters, depending on how you count them. Bringing back every past fighter and injecting some new ones is already a monumental task.
That said, we all know that nothing will satisfy the cravings of Super Smash Bros. fans. More characters will undoubtedly be added to the game, even if only through DLC. That’s why I’ve come up with this list of my personal Top 20 Characters that I want to see playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The title that originally skipped the west has finally touched down in our territory.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47843/arcade-archives-sky-skipper-switch-review
One of the most exciting announcements out of E3 this year was the news that Arcade Archives Donkey Kong and Arcade Archives Sky Skipper were coming to Nintendo Switch. Both are significant for several reasons. Sky Skipper due to the fact that, while released in Japan, was only test marketed in North America. Only one official Sky Skipper cabinet remains in a Nintendo of America warehouse and this Arcade Archives version comes from this last surviving unit.
Additionally, like Donkey Kong, Sky Skipper was likely programmed by Ikegami. Ikegami was an outside company Nintendo used to help program many of their early arcade games. In 1983 Ikegami sued Nintendo for altering their code to make Donkey Kong Jr. without their help. Since then it's been rumored these early Nintendo arcade titles weren't re-released due to Ikegami owning the code. Since E3, it's clear some sort of deal has taken place.
Now that my brief history lesson is over, does Arcade Archives Sky Skipper hold up?
Upon booting up this version, players are met with the typical Arcade Archives options: Original Mode, High Score Mode, and Caravan Mode.
Original Mode let's players mess around with plenty of options, likely as if they owned the cabinet. A lot of customization is available, with options to increase the number of lives, when you'll get the bonus extra life, and more. A plethora of audio, visual, and control options are also available so that it's possible to get this game looking, sounding, and playing how you like.
One confusing option is labeled "The Original Game's Character Designs" with an On or Off toggle. Default is Off, but I didn't notice a difference while flipping the option to On. I'm not sure if the difference is the minor, or if this is broken. Maybe I'm just missing something obvious.
High Score Mode lets players duke it out for the highest score using competitive settings. Caravan Mode is similar, but only gives players five minutes to achieve greatness. Both modes offer online leaderboards and, like other Arcade Archives titles, are still plagued by it being too easy to accidentally kill a good run by pressing pause. Pressing pause in these competitive modes causes a menu to pop up that can't be backed out of so games must be reset. A potential fix could be to institute an odd button combo to avoid this issue.
Original Mode also offers an online leaderboard, but since that mode offers save states it shouldn't be taken seriously.
Now that the Arcade Archives wrapper is out of the way you're probably wondering about Sky Skipper itself. Players take control of airplane pilot named Mr. You in an attempt to save the royal family (and pets?) of the Wonder-Kingdom from a bunch of headphone-wearing Gorillas that have captured them.
Gameplay starts off with Mr. You taking off in the middle of a largely horizontal play area that spans a few screens in each direction. Some vertical height can achieved, but not much. Players can steer the plane in eight directions, drop bombs, and hold a button to speed up. The goal is to rescue the King, Queen, and one or two Jokers in each stage, in addition to collecting a bunch of animals. These animals each have a color and suit from a deck of cards assigned to them. So there are red diamonds, red hearts, blue clubs, and blue spades.
It's possible to figure out where on the map the remaining royal family members are located thanks to an indicator across the bottom of the screen. It shows what family members and creatures are left and their approximate location. This indicator is pretty useful, especially when learning the game.
Rescuing these family members is more complex than just flying to them. The Royals are all caged up and players must bomb the enemy Gorillas in order to stun them. Doing so causes the creatures to bounce out of their prisons for a short while. It's then that Mr. You can fly into the Royals in order to rescue them. The Gorillas aren't passive either. They can jump, walk around, jump up or drop down from platforms, or throw explosives.
While there is no traditional time limit, there is a fuel gauge which kind of acts like one. While flying the fuel gauge will tick down. The gauge will also deplete severely if you fly into a thrown Gorilla explosive or hit a moving cloud up in the sky. Doing so will also cause Mr. You's plane to dive straight down a bit. Players can refuel a bit once per stage by touching a flag in the area where they initially took off.
One frustrating gameplay mechanic is that if you stun a Gorilla on top of a cage, the Royal below can't jump through them. This will force players to wait for the Gorillas stunned state to finish, and then hope for the slow moving enemy to move away from the cage before its possible to free the creature below. In later stages this can lead to death by wasting too much fuel.
Scoring is a bit more complex. You get points for picking up different Royal family members, including the animals, but the order in which you do so starts to matter. There is a 400 point bonus for picking up four of the same suit in a row, a 150 point bonus for picking up four of the same color suit in a row, and a 100 point bonus for picking up one of each suit in a row. I don't think the King, Queen, or Joker play into this at all. Additionally, at the end of each stage, there is a bonus for how much fuel is left and another bonus if players didn't take the refuel flag.
This initially gives Sky Skipper a huge risk versus reward element to the gameplay. Should you shoot for taking more risks to rack up those bonuses, also while wasting more fuel, or should you just collect everything quickly to play it safe?
Players start with three lives and can earn one bonus life. Lives are lost by crashing into Gorillas, static objects, the ground, or by running out of fuel.
Sky Skipper features four unique stages that repeat once. The stages start easily, but by the end you'll have to navigate some narrow hallways blocked by Gorillas and the challenge clearly increases dramatically. The second round makes the Gorillas more aggressive, fuel drains faster, and some of the Joker placements are moved. Some stages on the second pass may be unbeatable without refueling.
The issue here is that once you hit the fourth stage for the second time it will repeat indefinitely without changes. Because of this, scoring well early on and taking risks before this point could lose a lot of meaning as high-level play will undoubtedly be focused on mastering the final stage. I've used some save states, offered in the Original Mode, to get extremely far and haven't uncovered a kill screen yet. So high-level play could eventually turn into a repetitive marathon gaming event.
The character graphics in Sky Skipper are fun to look at and have that classic Nintendo charm. The objects, however, look extremely crude especially when compared to the structures found in Donkey Kong which was released the same year. When a player crashes there is an impressive amount of flashing colored stars that appear and look cool.
The sound is very basic, but gets the job done. Don’t expect much more than a few short jingles as far as music goes which also seems to be comparable to Donkey Kong.
One reason I'm guessing this game failed in test marketing is because the first stage is incredibly easy, and one quarter can likely go a long way with low skilled players. Sure they won't be racking up the highest score, but I'm sure Nintendo would want people, and money, to on average be cycling through faster.
In general, Sky Skipper is fun to play and demands your concentration to be spread out. It takes some getting used to but can be fun and action packed. That said, with the final stage repeating itself, unlike in Donkey Kong, and only a few Joker placements changing in round two, it really makes me wonder if this game was a real finished product.
The Arcade Archives version of Sky Skipper seems to do a great job of recreating the experience, but there is no way for me to accurately compare it to a real cabinet for obvious reasons. The Arcade Archives brand carries with it the usual pros and cons, but it's overall a nice wrapper.
While Arcade Archives Sky Skipper may have some flaws, going for a high score can still be fun as long as you know what you're getting into. It's a game that likely wasn't fully completed, but I'm still really excited that this historical curiosity has an official release. I would still recommend it to classic arcade lovers, Nintendo fans, and anyone interested in gaming history. It's worth picking up just to keep encouraging Nintendo to go back to this well of titles we know exist but haven't been released in over three decades. If you're even slightly interested in Sky Skipper you should purchase the Arcade Archives version sooner rather than later since we don't know the specifics behind the Nintendo-Hamster-Ikegami deal so this game could easily just vanish off the eShop someday.
Reunited with old friends.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/47640/super-smash-bros-ultimate-switch-hands-on-impressions
Yesterday I was fortunate enough to get some hands on time with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While the game was fun, I will say the playing conditions weren’t ideal for someone who prefers the For Glory style of play. I managed to play three rounds, each of which was a two and a half minute timed match with four players, items turned on, and using Switch Pro Controllers. Also, it was very clear that the TV provided to play the game had bad input lag which hurt the overall experience.
There is some good news though. My favorite characters to use in the Super Smash Bros. series are finally back this time and I gave them a try. For those who don’t know me well, I'm talking about the Ice Climbers! I still think they are one of the most unique characters to select in Smash Bros. since you are, in a sense, playing as two characters at once. Though I’ve noticed some differences this time around.
For starters the Ice Climber’s Up Air attack has been turned from a poking move to more of a hard hit which may be suitable for killing. Doing the Blizzard special now causes both Ice Climbers, Popo and Nana, to do the attack facing forward as opposed to opposite directions. If you've played as them in previous games you'll likely understand how they work. Their secret secondary recovery, mashing the Side B move, also makes a return.
Part of their arsenal has been weakened however. The Ice Climbers have long had one of the most devastating grab games in Smash history, be it Melee or Brawl. In Ultimate the computer controlled Ice Climber, Nana, now goes into a helpless state if Popo grabs or is grabbed. Also, Nana can’t grab anymore. While I’d need a lot more time to test it, it seems like their grab game won’t be nearly as effective which is a bit of a let down. Still the game isn’t finished and a lot more time and testing would need to be put in to see if anything can be done. I was able to get Nana to desync from Popo a few times, so there may be some advance Ice Climber tactics yet.
One sad thing to note is that in the Demo Version of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate there is no way to play as the backup Ice Climber Nana. In all the previous Smash Bros. games that the Ice Climbers have appeared in half of the costume options actually put Nana in the lead instead of Popo. I checked all the costume selections on the character select screen and none of them moved Nana to the front. I hope this something that gets changed before the final version of the game launches.
The Ice Climbers were my choice for the first round, but I followed up with Ridley and an Inkling. It’s hard playing as a brand new Smash character in a frantic environment, but I made due. I managed to hit Ridley’s final Smash on two other players and the visual reward was great and he blasted them both against Samus’ ship. Both character’s seemed interesting, but again it’s hard to know for sure under the given play conditions.
The game in general had a faster feel than the previous title. Also the physics when it comes to smashing others with hard hits, which I’ve heard some describe as like punching a balloon, are going to take some getting used to. If you land a hard hit on opponents who have some decent amount of damage they will now very quickly fly to their destination before coming to an abrupt halt. The reason this feels a bit odd is that it makes it seem like you should have knocked out other players due to the velocity they travel, but they will live because they come to this instant stop. It’s definitely something veteran Smash players will have to get used to. Time will tell if this is ultimately a good or bad change.
I walked away from the Smash Bros. Ultimate demo wanting more, but also wishing I could play it under better conditions. With the way this demo was set up I couldn’t get the best feel for the game and I wish I could put enough time in to discuss each character with our readers. That said, it is Smash Bros. and I really can’t wait to dive in and see what the final product has to offer.
A new twist on an old favorite.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/47641/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-switch-hands-on-impressions
The demo for Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu plopped me right down in the middle of the classic Viridian Forest. Those familiar with the series will remember this zone as it's one of the first areas players encounter in the original Pokémon games. The familiar setting was perfect for showcasing what's new with this twist on the main series of games.
One thing I like about Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu is that there are no more wild Pokémon battles. Players will now be able to see each Pokémon in the grass and can approach them if they want to capture them. I've never been a fan of wild battles in any game, and will often play Pokémon with stack of Repels which prevent wild encounters from happening for when I just want to move the main quest along. So this change is very welcome.
If you manage to bump into one of these Pokémon you then get the option to catch it similar to how it works in Pokémon Go. A large circle shrinks on screen and if you hit inside of it with a Poké Ball, while hitting the Pokémon, your odds of capturing the creature increase. Pokémon Go Berries can be used too. Like in the mobile game, these Pokémon can jump around and attack. Once caught your entire party gains some experience, so the RPG elements from the more traditional Pokémon games are mixed in. Throwing a Poké Ball is done with motion controls but I'm not sure if it's possible to execute Curve Ball throws like in Pokémon Go. I was able to throw way to the side, but I missed.
I'm not sure how I feel about the new, clearly dumbed down, capture mechanics. On the one hand I think it's neat that you can just cut the time out of catching trash Pokémon like Pidgey and Caterpie by having this interactive experience. On the other hand it would probably be fun to weaken more desirable Pokémon and then follow up with this more interactive catching mechanic. A shame we can't have a middle ground, but this method will clearly make the game more inviting to those who have only been exposed to the franchise through Pokémon Go.
Battling NPC trainers works as you would expect. You can walk up to them and initiate a battle. Doing so gives the player the option to pick from four attacks or the ability to swap Pokémon from your active party of six. The only downside to this is that your lead Pokémon will always be Pikachu or Eeevee depending on the version you purchase. It's a shame since this could potentially hurt your overall strategy. I understand why these Pokémon need to stay in the party, but why force them to be the lead the entire time? Seems dumb to me.
The only other thing left to discuss is the Poké Ball Plus controller / accessory that I got to play the game with. The little ball was a cool thing to have while playing the game as it added to the immersion. There is a button on top of the ball and the stick can also be clicked in to be used as a button too. The rumble in the controller felt great and it's surprising how much some feedback can add to the sense of devastation coming from Pokémon attacks. Feeling Pikachu's thunderbolt slam my opponent really was a welcome surprise.
When catching a Pokémon the Poké Ball Plus also lights up too. The only downside to the Poké Ball Plus is the main button you need to press to get through menus or to interact with others is the button assigned to the stick click. I found this to be a bit troubling as I'd often accidentally move the tiny stick as I was pressing it causing myself to move the cursor to a different menu option. If I don't find myself adjusting to how to use this properly I could definitely see myself sticking to the Joy-Con controller to prevent frustration. Hopefully the final version of the device has this issue ironed out.
In the end Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu is going to be a different game than the traditional series and that's OK. The main line of Pokémon games isn't perfect and I'm excited to see if this new series can do things to make Pokémon more enjoyable. The truth is I'll probably enjoy this game to a degree, but kind of want some sort of middle ground bridging this with the main series of Pokémon games. Regardless, Pokémon fans shouldn't write this off as a cheap game as it still has some of the core things that make a Pokémon title enjoyable. At the end of the day it appears to still be Pokémon, just with a new twist.
Fox McCloud is helping out an unexpected team.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/47642/starlink-battle-for-atlas-switch-hands-on-impressions
Starlink: Battle for Atlas interested me a bit last year when Ubisoft first announced it, but the toy addition made me think twice. Then they said Fox McCloud was on board with his own Arwing accessory and I knew I was instantly sold. But as you know I love weird Nintendo merchandise, so most people will be wondering how the game plays. Luckily I got to play through a single stage using Fox's Arwing the entire time.
Sitting down with Starlink is a bit strange. There was a big plastic Arwing stuck on top of the Joy-Con Controller Grip. Those with larger hands may have a problem bumping into the mounted plastic ship, but I can't know for sure. The setup is a bit goofy, but once I started playing the game I kind of forgot how silly it all was.
The controls took a little while to get used to. The ship seemed to have two modes of control, one in the air and one close to the ground. Switching between the two was done with a simple button press and offered a different experience. In the air you seemed to move faster and could gain altitude. On the ground flying felt closer to an All-Range Mode version of the classic Star Fox Landmaster, even though the ship didn't turn into one. It's also possible to preform jumps during the ground mode. Aiming seemed to be done with the right control stick while steering is on the left. ZL and ZR buttons shoot the left and right cannons respectively. It's possible to boost as well as use a special weapon to slow down time, giving players more of a window to hit enemy weak spots.
While I was playing a representative was kindly trying to explain to me how to play as well as run me through some of the story components. However, under the pressure the story went over my head as I tried to adjust to the controls. After a few minutes I'd say it was smooth sailing, but I still don't understand what was going on.
The stage opened up with Fox in space flying to a planet's surface. From there there was some classic All-Range Mode style action. I had to take out different nodes and enemies. This part of the game felt easier to control while in ground mode as there were many stationary targets, though I had to be careful to jump over different beams that came rolling at me from the ground. After this section I flew over to a boss fight which was a lot of fun too. I had to destroy different enemy weak points which would then briefly expose its core allowing me to damage it for real. The cycle repeats a few times getting harder with each run, and the boss also spawns a few weaker enemies each time.
One of the cool things is that at any time during the game it's possible to attach different guns to the ship on top of the controller. These guns all seem to have different functions and elements. Some are stronger against certain enemies than others and it seems useful to try out different combinations to see what works best against specific enemies. I was able to freeze some.
The entire experience could easily be slapped with a full Star Fox coat of paint, but it does manage to be its own game. Because of this, adding Fox McCloud to the experience feels very natural and is a great way to get Nintendo fans on board the project when they may have otherwise overlooked it. The game is fun and I am looking forward to the full release later this year. Star Fox fans will likely enjoy it.
He’s finally here, for home play too!
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/47554/arcade-archives-donkey-kong-switch-review
Few games, if any, are as important to Nintendo history as the 1981 arcade classic Donkey Kong. However, the fact is that since it was released in arcades the true title hasn’t seen the light of day. Sure, an NES version was eventually ported and even at one point updated to include a missing stage released on Nintendo’s Virtual Console services. Don’t forget the version seen in Donkey Kong 64 either. Though the fact is these later releases all used different code, so the original game was relegated to old arcade cabinets.
Now, seemingly out of nowhere, the true original Donkey Kong has made its way to the Nintendo Switch under Hamster’s Arcade Archives banner after 37 years. As of right now we don’t know what the hold up was. Many believe that the source code for the game was actually owned by a company that did programming for Nintendo back near its release, but that’s beside the point. The fact is Donkey Kong is finally back.
Donkey Kong is an arcade high score attack game and also the first jumping platform title to be released. Mario tries to save Pauline from the giant ape Donkey Kong across four different stages that greatly change how a player needs to approach each challenge in order to be successful. The variety is welcome and helps keep the experience fresh. As the player progresses, the levels loop and the difficulty increases.
The Arcade Archives version of Donkey Kong actually lets players select from three versions of the game in Original Mode. There is Early Version (the first Japanese release), Later Version (an updated Japanese release that fixed some bugs), and the International Version that most people reading this will be familiar with.
The Japanese versions of Donkey Kong seem to start out way less difficult from the International release. The enemies and platforms start off very slowly, at times almost painfully so, which hurts the pace. The plus side is that the different types of the four stages found within Donkey Kong appear in order (Barrel Stage, Cement Factory, Elevator Stage, and Rivet Stage) so less skilled players will likely be able to see them all without much trouble. The only other difference I noticed is that most players will have enough space to enter their first name in the Japanese release; the International one only allows for three initials.
While the Japanese release may be a good start for beginners, the more challenging and better-paced International release is where the real action is at as far as I’m concerned. The famed Donkey Kong World Records and competition take place in the International version and, as previously stated, skilled gamers will find the pacing more tasteful. The only downfall to the International release other than its increased initial difficulty is that it will be harder to see all the stages as you will have to play some stages over again before gaining access to new ones.
Playing these in Original Mode gives the player access to options including all the relevant Donkey Kong dip switches, or in-game options, as if you owned the cabinet yourself. There are also many other options to tinker with so each player can get the experience they wish for. Mess with the sound quality, display size, add scan lines, turn off a wallpaper, and even turn the screen to enjoy the game in tate mode facing either the left or right sides of the screen. Arcade Archives Punch-Out!! only allowed for one direction of tate mode, so this is a nice improvement. Most of these options carry over to the competitive modes as well.
All three versions of Donkey Kong found under Original Mode include their own online leaderboards. However, Original Mode also offers a Save State, which I’m not fond of since it allows people to abuse it and upload scores, even if it is only ranked in a casual mode.
Arcade Archives Donkey Kong follows in the Arcade Archives tradition of including two types of competitive modes as well, Hi Score Mode and Caravan Mode. Both of these modes let players choose to compete in either the Later Version of the Japanese release, or the International version thus creating four separate competitive scoreboards. One setback is that while in these modes there is no way to turn off the screen border, which produces a strange, but minor, slashing effect around the gameplay area. It’s not very distracting, but still a nuisance. Hi Score Mode is a standard playthrough of the game with competitive settings pre-selected. Caravan Mode gives the player five minutes to rack up as many points as possible.
The other problem with the competitive modes, also plaguing other Arcade Archives titles, is that pausing the game will abruptly end a run and force you to quit. It’s easy to get distracted and, out of habit, click the + button to pause as many games have programmed into my brain. While having a good run, nothing is worse than mistakenly triggering this. Instead of having a single button press activate the menu, it should be a weird button combination to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Aside from that, a few other issues plague the Arcade Archives Donkey Kong release. The first is that there appears to be an audio issue with the way Mario walks. In the arcade release, differing sounds are made while Mario continues to take steps. For some reason, in the Arcade Archives release it’s just the same sound on repeat. Hopefully this audio bug is fixed in an update.
The second issue is that the original Donkey Kong cabinet had a four-way joystick. This means that only four distinct directions could be pressed, no diagonals. By default Arcade Archives Donkey Kong has an eight-way joystick turned on. At a glance this doesn't seem like a big deal, but skilled players will tell you it is. But in order to understand why I'll need to explain a more advanced Donkey Kong strategy.
While playing the Barrel Stage in Donkey Kong it's possible to help influence which ladders specific barrels go down. How? Walking toward a ladder as a barrel rolls by will increase the odds of that barrel dropping down it. With an eight-way joystick it's possible to use the diagonal commands to influence the drops of these barrels while Mario climbs up or down the ladder. This gives an unfair, and clearly unintended, advantage to those using this joystick. Luckily, it's possible to change the joystick to not interpret diagonal presses, but there is no way to see who's using the method on the leaderboards. For authenticity's sake I suggest you choose either B Type or C Type under Diagonal Input Restriction.
Despite some issues, Arcade Archives Donkey Kong is the real deal. The long wait to play a true home version of the arcade classic that made Nintendo a household name is finally over. Donkey Kong has so much historical significance that it's impossible for me not to recommend it. As stated before, it was the first jumping platformer and it introduced some of gaming's biggest characters in the way of its star Donkey Kong and Mario.
Donkey Kong is a true classic that should be played by anyone with an interest in gaming history. It's one of the most competitive and challenging classic arcade titles even to this day and without it, I'd argue this website wouldn't even exist. Sure, Donkey Kong may show its age a bit, but the gameplay still holds up and can be very addictive. Add in the fact that we still don't know for sure who owns the code to this original game and I would call it a must buy. Who knows if this release could just be ripped from the eShop as some contract expires. In any case, what are you waiting for? You have a future New Donk City Mayor to save!
The game that started the franchise is finally here, but is it a knockout package?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/46936/arcade-archives-punch-out-switch-review
Arcade Archives: Punch-Out!! is finally here and marks the first time the 1984 classic, and original title in the Punch-Out!! series, has been released since the cabinet hit arcades around the world. That’s right, many people don’t realize that this is the original Punch-Out!! and it, and the arcade sequel Super Punch-Out!!, both released before the more widely known 1987 NES iteration.
As is the norm with the Arcade Archives series, booting up the game immediately gives the player the choice of three options, Original Mode, High Score Mode, and Caravan Mode. High Score Mode has some default settings and lets players compete for a top score, uploaded to an online leader board, using one credit. Caravan Mode also allows players compete for a high score using preset settings, but gives a time limit of five minutes to set a record. Both of these modes are fun, but pausing the game during them will instantly end a run. This can really suck if you get distracted and just instinctively hit the pause button by mistake.
Original Mode is where the more accurate version of the game lives. Thanks to the list of options within the Arcade Archives menu it’s possible to flip all of the meaningful dip switches that exist on the original arcade cabinet to create the type of experience you want. (Note: Some switches affecting how much it costs to play are missing, but they're pointless here anyway.) Just beware, there is a leader board in this mode too, so you may want to change your settings to a more favorable set if you are trying to compete here.
Those playing Arcade Archives: Punch-Out!! may quickly notice that there seem to be two separate screens. This is because the original arcade cabinet actually has two screens one stacked on top of the other. The top screen was like a stadium scoreboard. It displays the current fighters, time limit, and has the scoring information. The bottom screen is where all the boxing action takes plays.
Arcade Archives: Punch-Out!! gives several options on how to display the game due to the fact the original had this bizarre, and cool, dual-monitor layout. The default, my personal preference on this platform, puts the top screen on the left and the bottom one on the right. Option two is to stack the screens while still using the natural wide screen format of the Switch. This option works, but makes both annoyingly small so it’s my least preferred. The final display option is the ability to turn everything on its side (Tate Mode) so the bottom screen is on the, traditionally, left side and the top screen on the right. The last option is really cool, and allows for the most screen real estate, but you’ll probably have to play with your Switch in Table Top Mode while trying to find a way to safely prop up the screen. This option does also work on a TV, but most people won’t have a way to tilt their screens properly. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a way to display the game in this mode with the right side on the screen being the bottom which could be a problem for some.
There are numerous other options within the Arcade Archives: Punch-Out!! menu that will allow players to mess with the visuals, including adding scan lines. I prefer setting A2. Audio settings are present as well and, as someone who owns a dedicated Punch-Out!! arcade cabinet, I feel the setting Bass Up is the closest to the original machine. Even with this setting though, the bass sounds very weak when played through the Switch’s own speakers.
The game itself is a classic arcade high score attack game. The quicker the player can knock down each boxer, the more bonus points they will earn. The controls are simple: left and right dodge, left and right high shots, and left and right middle shots. Those who played the SNES version of Super Punch-Out!! will also notice a power meter at the top. Land enough blows to fill the meter and it’s possible to use powerful uppercuts too.
One thing that is lost in the home translation of the game is how amazing it feels to slam the oversized Uppercut button that’s on the original cabinet. I can’t really fault the game for not having it, but it really makes me wish for miniature arcade cabinets of some sort that can hold the Switch screen designed for each Arcade Archives game.
There are six opponents to run through, all of which will require different strategies to defeat. As is usual with Punch-Out!! games, you will have to learn how to bait out certain attacks, dodge, counter, and really learn each fight. After defeating the final fighter you become the Heavyweight Champion and will then have to defend your title against most of the previous fighters, only they will be much more difficult. This cycle repeats indefinitely. One neat thing about the game is you are allowed to “pay” one more credit if you lose the first time for a rematch and you actually keep your score going back for round two. After this inevitable second loss it’s truly game over.
The graphics in Punch-Out!! were probably jaw dropping in 1984 and are still really cool looking today. I quickly glanced at other arcade titles released that year and nothing really stood out as much as Punch-Out!! It’s gorgeous.
The sound effects are cool and there is a lot of voice work for games of the era. Players will hear an announcer shout the names of each fighter, but is probably mostly known for constantly shouting the player’s actions. Every attack you make he will say “Left”, “Right”, or “Body Blow.” Many people will find this annoying, but it’s truly part of the game’s charm and with how loud this, and the bell, were in arcades it was clearly meant to draw attention to the hulking machine.
One weird thing I noticed while playing the Arcade Archives version of Punch-Out!! is that I heard speech I’ve never heard on my own machine. Upon filling my KO meter I sometimes hear someone, presumably from the crowd, yell “Kick his ass.” Additionally, though it doesn’t effect gameplay, the referee’s count to 10 also seemed faster than the original. Upon doing some research I found a few other players bringing this up and the Arcade Archives version of Punch-Out!! is actually the Japanese release of the game. I don’t know if there are other differences. Regardless, it kind of stinks that players can’t choose which version of the game boots up since, from a historical perspective, this isn’t perfectly accurate to how people experienced the game in North America. Though I can’t deny the version included is probably better.
Punch-Out!! can be really fun and addictive, but will likely be way too challenging for some looking for a simpler arcade experience. There is a bit of a learning curve that has to be overcome to really start appreciating it, but if you can rise to the challenge there is a great arcade high score game to be enjoyed. Regardless you may want to take a look at Arcade Archives: Punch-Out!! as a historical curiosity, be it an interest in classic gaming or as a Punch-Out!! fan looking to discover the roots of the franchise.
