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[Not Quite Museum Worthy Yet]

1

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]

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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]

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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?]

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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]

7

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?]

8

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?]

9

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]

10

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]

11

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?"]

12

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]

13

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.]

14

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]

15

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]

16

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]

17

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.]

18

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

[These games will soon arrive in port at Switch 2 harbor]

19

TalkBack / Borderlands 4, Cronos: The New Dawn, Shinobi and Star Wars Making Their Way to Switch 2

« on: July 31, 2025, 06:12:26 AM »

These games will soon arrive in port at Switch 2 harbor

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/71895/borderlands-4-cronos-the-new-dawn-shinobi-and-star-wars-making-their-way-to-switch-2

During the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase today, several games were shown to be release on Nintendo Switch 2 before the end of the year. A set of these games are (nearly) day-in-date with their releases on other platforms. They are listed below in order of release date.

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance Launching on August 29th, the 2D return of SHINOBI marks its victims on the Nintendo Switch. A free demo is available on Nintendo eShop starting today. Pre-orders are also now available through the Nintendo eShop. Additional content can be purchased as part of the Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes a special in-game amulet, a digital art book and a SEGA themed villains stage. A special discount is now available for launch, the game will sell for $29,99.

Star Wars: Outlaws Released last year on other systems, Star Wars Outlaws will be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 4th. The Nintendo Switch 2 version is now confirmed to be the gold edition which includes the game as well as the season pass, consisting of two additional story expansions. The developers have also announced that the game will feature a couple of Switch 2 specific features and the game will support touch controls for minigames.

Cronos: The New Dawn Developed by Blooper Team, responsible for last year's Silent Hill 2 remake on other platforms, Cronos: The New Dawn is a survival horror game that will release on Nintendo Switch 2 on the same date as other systems, September 5th. The game has received some positive previews over the last year, so it should be promising for fans to the horror genre. The game combines a time travel mystery with science-fiction horror as you try to survive monsters that absorb defeated enemies to evolve and become stronger.

Borderlands 4 The Borderlands series has been on Switch for quite some time, but the newest chapter in the series will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 a few weeks after its debut on other platforms. Today the game was formally given its release date of October 4th. The  announcement trailer does make note that gameplay shown could be from in-engine gameplay, so bear in mind it may not be representative to how the game looks and plays on Nintendo Switch 2.

[Time Flies Like an Arrow, But This Fly Has No Time For That]

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TalkBack / Time Flies (Switch) Review

« on: July 31, 2025, 05:00:00 AM »

Time Flies Like an Arrow, But This Fly Has No Time For That

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/71882/time-flies-switch-review

I first spotted Time Flies during Day of the Devs last year, where it caught my attention with its 1-bit style and unique hook. A short game (in both the literal and figurative sense) as you take control of a mayfly. You only have limited time to complete your bucket list, as you will quite literally die based on the country you’re playing in. Time Flies is one of those comedic games that occasionally even makes you reflect on life itself, if only for a few seconds.

Time Flies starts out with perhaps the most poignant question for the player. Where are you based? Using data from the WHO, you can select your country from a list where it shows your expected lifespan. For example, I played from the Netherlands, where the average lifespan is 81 years (certainly less challenging than Mozambique with its average 57.7 years of expected lifespan), which translates to about 81 seconds of playtime. In these 81 seconds you have a short list of things to achieve. More often than not you’ll need to direct your mayfly to interact with objects in the level. Traveling the world? Well that means obviously to walk around on a spinning globe. Leaving your mark? Walking on top of a doormat will certainly do that. Are most of these objectives an excuse for puns? Yes and they’re good puns at that.

As a mayfly you really can’t do much more than flying in a direction. Whenever you approach an object, time stands still for a while and you can try to move it or make something happen. Occasionally you may get caught in a drop of water, a flickering flame or even a turned on lightbulb, which spells the end for your mayfly. Thankfully you can immediately start again and possibly learn from your mistakes. I loved the little touches that your previous mayfly is still shown in the world as a little dot. It makes the four levels feel that little bit more cohesive.

While there aren’t that many levels, the trick is in figuring out the optimal way to navigate the world. Especially when there’s little tricks and secrets to be found that I don’t want to spoil here. Occasionally Time Flies feels like a small speedrunning game. There’s no reward for finishing the game faster, but you’re nearly always on the clock. Once you figure out the individual objectives for your bucket list, the real goal is to tie them all together and finish them all in a single lifespan. It makes for a delightful little adventure that had me chuckling numerous times. It’s also a great game for someone else to watch alongside the player. It almost makes me wish that the game supported multiplayer as it touches on similar elements as something like Untitled Goose Game. Free in its flow, and malleable in its structure depending on who’s playing it.

The game also has a few replayable elements, such as secret puzzle pieces and a list of achievements. It feels like such a tightly woven package that there is very little to complain about aside from wanting there to be more levels. But frankly I think that with four stages the game doesn’t overstay its welcome. It doesn’t need an endless mode, much like a mayfly it just might be aware of when its time is up. And when that final task was scratched off my bucket list, it felt rewarding in its own right.

If you like short and comedic games then Time Flies comes highly recommended. You’ll have seen most of what the game has to offer in a few hours, but it has a high “Wait, I need you to play this game for five minutes”-factor that makes it a lot of fun to show to friends and family. It is rare that a game is so sharply tuned that I can be satisfied with having fewer levels to play through. Time Flies is such an easy recommendation to just about anyone who plays games. Your time with it may be short, but it is certainly well spent.

[Possibly the first internet-post turned videogame?]

21

TalkBack / Pineapple: A Bittersweet Revenge (Switch) Review Mini

« on: July 14, 2025, 03:50:00 AM »

Possibly the first internet-post turned videogame?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/71686/pineapple-a-bittersweet-revenge-switch-review-mini

In case you’ve never come across it, do yourself a favor and search for the post about how someone decided to prank their bully by leaving pineapples for them in random places. It’s a genuinely fun read and probably one of the more (in)famous internet stories. I came across it years ago and every so often it makes the rounds again. So when I got a message that folks made a game out of this very story I got curious. Pineapple: A Bittersweet Revenge is a colorful minigame-filled retelling of this story. While it’s incredibly short, much like its source material it makes for a delightful time and showcases the creative talent on display.

You play as the nameless victim of a bully, dubbed The Witch. After she’s gone too far and dropped your new phone in the toilet, the protagonist decides to fully stalk their bully and leave pineapples wherever she goes. Every level sees you considering the meticulous notes taken, and using that information to hack into an account, break into her home, create a fake dating profile or find other ways to get back at the bully. These little minigames are fun and varied and often balance the playful nature of the original internet post with some simple tapping and swiping prompts.

The game works wonders on the Nintendo Switch touchscreen, but the controls failed me when I was playing the game on the TV. For the ‘storybook’ segments in between the minigames, my controller would be unable to select the prompt to continue to the minigame unless I first returned to the notebook. The same could be said for a few minigames where you need to draw a line or drag an object. It feels a little bit off with a controller.

What is great is the soundtrack and visual style. With its 2D handdrawn style, the game doesn't just look playful, but is very accessible. The animation might be minimal, but it never gets in the way of the minigames. I think that playing it with younger players is especially effective. I also like that the creators take a moment to consider the implications of the original story, reflecting on who the bully is, as sung with small interjections at the end of every stage.

You can see everything the game has to offer in about two hours and I think that works in this game’s favor. It makes for a short, but (bitter)sweet experience that is a fun pick-me-up if you’re looking to waste some time in between other titles.

[Following the Path Laid Out By Clover Studio]

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TalkBack / Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Switch 2) Review

« on: June 18, 2025, 02:48:13 AM »

Following the Path Laid Out By Clover Studio

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/71391/kunitsu-gami-path-of-the-goddess-switch-2-review

I’m one of those people who is far more interested in seeing a games company take a swing on a new concept or idea rather than the endless barrage of sequels, spin-offs and remakes. Capcom has done really well for themselves over the last decade or so. But what excites me more about the company compared to others in the AAA space is their ambition to still take a swing with new ideas and smaller games. ExoPrimal, their take on the PvPvE genre was refreshing, albeit a bit repetitive, and if you looked past those crying out for a new Dino Crisis, it was a solid multiplayer experience. With Kunitsu-Gami: Path of Goddess, it almost feels as if Capcom is trying to channel some of that Clover Studio energy that made Viewteful Joe and Okami back in the early 2000’s. It’s a visually striking action game that blends Japanese mythology with tower defense and troop-management. While it may have fallen flat when it was released last year on other platforms, I sincerely hope that the Switch 2 version will breathe life into it once more, because I found it to be truly something special.

As the mountain Kafuku is engulfed by defilement, you guide a priestess named Yoshiro as her spirit guardian Soh. Armed with a katana you can take out the hordes of enemies, dubbed Seeth, as they come pouring out of the defiled Torii gates. It is your task to protect Yoshiro by night and collect as many crystals as possible, so that during the day you can carve a path for her to follow and purify the region. Along the way you are assisted by the local villagers who you can recruit as fighters to help protect Yoshiro. From simple woodcutters using their axe, to archers, banishers and even sumo wrestlers, at any point you can deploy these villagers or change their role on the battlefield. As you purify the regions, you can rebuild and restore the towns to their former glory and gain more trinkets and abilities to help you battle the defilement.

We can’t dance around this. Visually Kunitsu-Gami looks absolutely gorgeous. From the way the characters, villagers but especially the monsters coming out of the defilement are designed, to how Soh’s dancing blade becomes engulfed in what can only be described as tears in the world made by a kaleidoscope. It’s rare that a world that’s taken over by an evil otherworldly force feels so disturbed and twisted, but the defilement, with rotting appendages draped across the villages you encounter does such a great job at conveying this world needs purification. It all runs beautifully on the Nintendo Switch 2 in both docked and handheld mode. There’s a lot of spectacle in both the cutscenes and the fighters themselves. Especially as you improve the roles your requited army can perform and as you get to trips with the game’s inner mechanics.

Structurally this is where Kunitsu-Gami really sets itself apart. It’s a real-time strategy game with action-elements. Stages are divided into two types, villages and boss battles. When you arrive in a village everything is covered by the defilement. You’ll need to rescue villagers from their pods and assign them roles and position them along the path. The more defilement you clear out, the more crystals you obtain which can be used to carve out a spirit path for Yoshiro to follow. She will keep doing so until night falls, which means that you’ll probably never make it to the main torii gate that needs purging. This is when the monsters of the defilement will come pouting out. All you villagers will automatically engage the horde while you can freely run around and protect yoshiro or move the battle lines ahead. Interaction with the villagers is done via a command menu, where you can reposition each individual villager or reassign their roles.

It all makes for a super dynamic tactical combat system. Where you often are required to change your tactics and approach depending on where Yoshiro ended her purification ritual on the way to the torii. This gets even more hectic when new enemy types are introduced or there’s multiple points of entry for the defilement to approach Yoshiro. Nighttime never gets dull, but it can get overwhelming quickly. There’s equipment you can bring along and some special abilities that can aid you during the battle. As long as you can make it through the night there’s time to refortify your defenses, resurrect your fallen villagers and hope that Yoshiro has enough crystals to make it to the end. In later stages the fight takes multiple days, meaning that you’ll need to consider whether it is even smart to move Yoshiro at all, as she gets closer to the source of the enemies. While you’ll be repeating a lot of similar missions throughout the stages, I found the game throwing plenty of changes into the mix that would require me to change my tactics. For example, one enemy would make it impossible to use the command menu until it was defeated. Another stage sees you crossing a lake at night, while you’re being flanked by monstrous hordes from all sides. It’s these twists and layers to the formula that neatly balances Kunitsu-Gami’s ambition between an action game and strategy game that frankly I haven’t seen since 2009's Brütal Legend.

The other section of the combat are the boss battles. Horrendous monsters that are truly a spike in difficulty for you to overcome with a set number of villagers. While you are able to prepare before entering the boss’s arena, they use erratic patterns and ways of attacking. Meaning you’ll need to rely on your own skills to guard against incoming attacks, but also perhaps buff your specific villagers to have a chance against these creatures. From a gigantic centipede, for which you’ll need to spend valuable time and a villager to reignite the lights in a cave, so that your archers are able to shoot at it. To a floating scythe that can almost instantly cut down Soh and Yoshiro. At times these bosses felt a bit too unfair, with little time to practice and especially being limited by the amount of crystals at your disposal to convert all your villagers into the appropriate roles. Where the main stages feel like a true test of your tactical and problem solving skills, the boss fighters can be a tad too unpredictable and unfair at times.

When the fighting is over you have some downtime, during which you can rebuild the villages and areas you’ve just recovered from the defilement. Since the game is based on an in-game day and night cycle, you’ll need to put villagers to work to rebuild the shrines and buildings in the town. These give you rewards which you can then equip to improve or adjust Soh’s actions. It’s a system that flows pretty naturally. Stages aren’t simply for you to walk through and get out, it is your job to nurture them back to health and the game really nicely reinforces this idea of community. Especially when you can improve the roles of certain fighters. I immediately wanted to expand the arsenal for my archers, as they proved vital at taking out enemies from a distance. You’re also able to collect little notes on the defilement that are presented as little Ema’s (those wooden panels with wishes at Japanese shrines and temples), that have some fun writing and character to them. It just makes the world of Kunitsu-Gami feel whole as you explore and learn more about the Kafuku mountain and its residents.

I found Kunistu-Gami: Path of the Goddess to be a very big surprise. I was half-afraid that most of the time the systems would be overwhelming as I’m neither big on tower defence nor real-time strategy games. But the way in which Kunitsu-Gami eases you into its mechanics and world is incredibly enjoyable. I loved bringing this world back to life and tackling one or two stages every night for an hour or so. It’s a game best played in segments, rather than one long binge. While I did find the boss battles to be a bit too difficult and some of the core gameplay can be a tad repetitive, Kunitsu-Gami really manages to become a fresh combination of action and real-time strategy. It’s absolutely not for everyone, but if this combination or setting sounds like it may be something for you, you just may find a hidden treasure of a game here. It’s great to see Capcom taking a big swing with something that feels so original. Here’s to hoping that there’s more games from the studio that will follow this particular path.

[Can this master of disguise don the Nintendo Switch 2 as its most perfect kill yet?]

23

TalkBack / Hitman: World of Assassination (Switch 2) Review

« on: June 13, 2025, 09:00:00 AM »

Can this master of disguise don the Nintendo Switch 2 as its most perfect kill yet?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/71387/hitman-world-of-assassination-switch-2-review

Hitman: World of Asssassination may perhaps be one of the most ambitious games ever designed. Told across three games and more than fifteen locations, Hitman is an ever-expanding sandbox that rewards players for learning its elaborate stages in and out. The game makes paying attention to details matter as you will become bolder and more elaborate in your high-level executions. The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally graced with a proper port of the game, after the disappointing Cloud version of Hitman 3 on the original Switch. So it is time to once again adorn the suit and adopt your killing ways as Agent 47 in this Signature Edition.

For those unaware, Hitman: World of Assassination is the collective name for the games Hitman, Hitman 2 and Hitman 3 which were released over the span of seven years. We wrote an extensive ‘Worth Considering’ video about it before, so for all the details on what this collection contains, we recommend you check that one out. Every location in Hitman sees you carrying out a mission where you’ll need to take out one or multiple targets as efficiently as possible. Whether this is poisoning the drink of your victim, or arranging an elaborate setup where you don the guise of a bodyguard and stalk them until you find an opening to push them off a ledge, or shoot them from afar with your sniper rifle.

What makes Hitman so effective is that it combines stealth elements with an immersive sim as the world around you will react and respond to your actions. Not just when you’re seen dragging off an unconscious guard, but also by encouraging you to mingle among the targets. Whether it is replacing a golf-ball about to be hit with an explosive. Setting up an elaborate trap by rigging a vehicle about to be driven by your unsuspecting victim or disguising yourself as a member of the band and electrocuting the microphone of the lead singer (Jared Leto had it coming). In-between these moments the game becomes far too often unintentionally comedic. Whether it is NPC that is too diligent at doing their job and coming into the bathroom where you’re trying to drown someone, or you simply messing up your well-prepared kill and needing to find an impromptu method of killing the target and drop a broken toilet bowl on his head. Or through the dozens of outfits, costumes, unique weapons and other methods of interacting with the world that feel rewarding.

That reward is often reinforced as replaying levels is the ultimate form of appreciating Hitman. Learning the inner workings of Berlin leads to you not only being able to optimize your run, but also to tackling higher level escalation missions. These are separate from the main story and have an ever evolving list of requirements that you’ll need to fulfill besides simply firing the killing shot. What if you’re dressed as a clown the entire time and aren’t allowed to change your outfit? You did that well enough? Cool, how about you also pop 5 balloons without people noticing? As you embrace the elaborate levels you’ll see how brilliant the game design under the hood is and perfect your skills. Where first you’ll need to don a security guard costume to delete the surveillance footage of the server, you can also open the door and in a split second aim your gun and shoot that server instead. It’s never flawless, but saving and restarting are key to becoming the master assassin that Agent 47 is. Levels are varied, gorgeously detailed and convey a sense of mystery and exploration as you find secret rooms, interconnected buildings and NPC disguises that are somehow capable of walking into your target’s room without drawing any attention. This deeply layered system is something you simply cannot get anywhere else.

So I was ecstatic when Hitman was announced for Nintendo Switch 2. While the core experience is absolutely still enjoyable, it is disappointing that this version of the game is unable to keep pace with either the Steamdeck or other releases. Framerate drops are common, especially when entering areas with a high density of NPC’s. It never drops below the double digits, but shimmering between 20 and 40 happened far too often for my liking. We did want to compare the version of Hitman for the Nintendo Switch 2 with the PC version running at 1080p on slightly outdated hardware.

I wish it were possible to toggle to a performance mode, because while the game is designed for visual fidelity, I’d rather take that consistent framerate if possible. But the game lacks any graphical settings that might’ve made this a feature. For a title that was released fully in 2022 it is kind of a shame that it still seems too much of a struggle for Nintendo’s brand new device.

I’d also be remiss to mention the Hitman server issue. See, Hitman has been required to run via dedicated servers ever since its launch. This online connection is used to keep track of your agent level and unlocks rewards for missions and goals. Without an online connection the game shifts to offline mode, where progression is not tracked and rewards cannot be unlocked, even when you do reconnect to the servers at a later time. For a single player game that has been out for literal years this is still a big miss on IO Interactive and WB Games’ part. On the Nintendo Switch 2 this is a particular problem as every time you interrupt the game by suspending your system, or simply going to the home menu, or even losing your wi-fi connection because you’re taking the system with you on the go you will not get any XP or rewards for completing certain tasks. The offline mode removes any additional modes as well that aren’t part of the main story mode. Meaning that replaying levels is quite pointless as the rewards you get for these are absolutely necessary for completing the most difficult objectives. It would’ve been fine if progression for the Elusive Targets, Hitman’s live content mode that sees you having only one shot at completing a mission with a target that escapes forever otherwise, would be locked behind an online-only mode. But the Hitman server is seeped into every little bit of singleplayer mode as well and just makes an otherwise perfect game fall flat on its face.

Hitman: World of Asssassination reaffirms that it is the quintessential immersive sim from the last generation. There is something so satisfying about exploring and understanding these worlds, how the characters and targets fit together and the sheer sandbox that it becomes when every little aspect of the game can be used to complete your objectives. It is a shame then that the Nintendo Switch 2 version has to compromise on the performance aspect too often for my liking. A choice for fidelity or consistency would’ve been appreciated in the options of the Switch 2 version. For those with a spotty internet connection, or aspirations to play this on the go when you may be unable to get online, Hitman World of Assassination can be especially tedious for its required online features. The core game, its story and worlds are absolutely worth exploring, but the Nintendo Switch 2 version is heavily compromised. Perhaps it could be more effective to complete this game and mission while donning the guise of another games console.

[I'll Gladly Be A Mascot For This Experience]

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TalkBack / Promise Mascot Agency (Switch) - Review

« on: April 23, 2025, 03:00:00 AM »

I'll Gladly Be A Mascot For This Experience

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/70858/promise-mascot-agency-switch-review

Kaizen Game Works first dropped on my radar with Paradise Killer–A narrative game from 2020 that was almost as much fun to explore as to read its intoxicating prose while learning more about its world and vibrant characters. At first, it seems that their latest game, Promise Mascot Agency, shares little of its DNA with Paradise Killer. However, after spending almost twenty hours in its lovely world, it’s clear that Kaizen Game Works is a studio that shouldn’t be judged by its cover. While Promise Mascot Agency may reject any label applied to it, I would heartily recommend it to anyone looking for something wildly out of the ordinary and those who just love good games.

You play as Michi, better known by his yakuza title, The Janitor, who after failing a job miserably, is declared dead by his mobster family and sent away to a town that is said to have a curse that will kill any male yakuza visiting the place. This rural town in the Japanese province of Kyushu, Kaso-Machi, is home to a failing mascot agency that Michi is tasked with rejuvenating so that he can pay off his massive debt to the family. Now, you may wonder, what is a mascot agency? Well, you know how mascots are living breathing beings that come in all shapes and sizes? Yes, well they need employment too to promote events and bring attention to whatever the employer needs. It’s your job, alongside your assistant Pinky–a mascot resembling a cut-off pinky finger--to make the Promise Mascot Agency the greatest mascot agency in Japan. All the while you need to deal with the many secrets and stories of the citizens of Kaso-Machi.

Usually this is the part where I tend to draw comparisons between the game I’m reviewing and other notable titles that you may be aware of. But Promise Mascot Agency almost defies being compared to anything else. In a sense, it can be seen as a narrative adventure game, where you explore a compact open world and perform tasks for the community to recruit new mascots, upgrade the town of Kaso-Machi and assist the mascots in fulfilling their dreams. The predominant gameplay sees you driving around town in a beat-up truck to get to know the citizens of this little village. There’s no getting out of your vehicle, but you’ll never need to worry about fall damage or crashing into anything. Upgrading the truck helps you get around as you will be jumping, boosting and driving yourself off of hills or into the water. It is all part of the experience as you get to know Kaso-Machi better. The game doesn’t just lean into its absurdity but drenches itself in it, which ends up making the characters feel more relatable than I was expecting. From mascots like Trororo, who’s covered in yam and has a singular dream, namely promoting the enjoyment of Adult Videos (yes, really), or even the humans like the exchange teacher Miss. Wambui, who was assigned to this small rural town teaching English and can’t leave because of her love for the students and the countryside of Japan. The writing is excellent across the board and compliments the creative design of all the mascots, who become memorable in their own rights. It’s kind of ingenious that as progress with the agency, you’re asked to sell merchandise of your mascots to create additional revenue sources, because I now want nothing more than merchandise for To-Fu, Neko Roll and Koke-Maru.

Whenever you send out mascots on jobs, there is a chance that things will go wrong, which is where the game transitions into a minigame card-battler and you’ll need to use the citizens of Kaso-Machi as Support Heroes, who are able to deal with the problems. Problems range from badly placed boxes, to faulty vending machines and even obsessed fans that ruin the event that the mascot is promoting. You’ll get 60 seconds to decrease the health bar of the faulty object by strategically playing cards with specific stats and actions. You only get two action-points per battle, but as you chain together cards you can increase your actions to play more expensive cards or draw new cards in your hand. At first these problems can be quite a hassle, but you can upgrade your Support Heroes by helping them with their problems through town quests or chatting with them regularly. As you progress through the game, you start to understand how the systems interlink with one another. It’s not just your profits that begin to soar as you expand and upgrade the Promise Mascot Agency, but the town as well. Your connection to the town becomes central to the experience. The game may come off visually as dark and brooding, but I found the experience to turn incredibly wholesome. Exploration felt just great as I learned how to best navigate the town and understand its routes and locations.

It’s especially the small details that Promise Mascot Agency does right. While not the majority of the text is voice-acted, all the cutscenes are fully voiced, as well as the introductions to mascots, giving so much character to everyone you meet along the way. I especially love that whenever you get to make a choice as Michi, you’re not told the line that Michi will respond with, but rather the emotion or intent behind the dialogue. It is something I desperately want to see in other narrative driven games, as I’ve come across games so often where I wanted to respond positively, but the opposing character would react in unexpected ways. Here whatever Michi will say I know he’ll be either [supportive], [reassuring] or [direct]. It leaves the player with freedom of choice as well as giving the writers the freedom as to how to portray Michi and whomever he is talking to. As I was playing Promise Mascot Agency it started to give me the same feelings as Paradise Killer, which is probably the highest compliment I can give it. Kaizen Game Works has embraced its identity, and I think that Promise Mascot Agency is even better than their previous title. And my god, its soundtrack is especially fantastic. Utilizing the artist Alpha Crome Yayo who has this fantastic blend of lo-fi, Japanese City Pop and this ‘90s arcade feel that fits the atmosphere of Kaso-Machi perfectly at every turn. It’s the cherry on top of this extremely fun sundae.

The biggest downer here is that the Nintendo Switch version can be an absolute mess at times. An inconsistent framerate, a delay in rendering of either 2D or 3D assets, loading times and in particular pop-in when driving around the open world make it a rough sell for anyone who can only be playing this game on the Nintendo Switch. While I think it still suffices and doesn’t detract from the experience, if you happen to have another platform available to you, I’d recommend going with that. Just because the game feels like an homage to a different era of games doesn’t mean you should necessarily want the game to look like that. Two software crashes occurred for me while playing and the final act of the game in particular suffered a lot more from stuttering framerates and small bugs and glitches.

Finally, while I enjoy that the game lets you free to tackle the chapters and main quests whenever you want, I did find myself having so much fun driving around and completing all the side objectives early that I blazed through the last three chapters once the agency was running at maximum efficiency. Promise Mascot Agency doesn’t necessarily gate progression, but for anyone out there who is interested in playing this game, don’t leave the main quest hanging and aim to interact with your mascots whenever they have a ‘life satisfaction review’. I did all of these in a row (for all mascots) near the end of the game, and that’s something I wouldn’t necessarily recommend to the majority of players. Technically this is a little bit due to an abundance of systems that can be overwhelming to keep track of in the beginning. So take your time, talk to Pinky often when driving around the overworld and chat with persons of interest you come across on your adventure as soon as you can.

Promise Mascot Agency feels like a cult-game that was released in the PS2 and GameCube era. I say this with nothing but love, as you can tell that so much heart went into conveying a fun story, with lovable characters and a wonderfully designed explorable world. It’s rare to come across games these days that dare to be different: games that don’t default to comparing themselves to other games or studios. In an industry that is becoming more and more risk-averse, I was shocked by how refreshing Promise Mascot Agency feels. But above all that, Promise Mascot Agency is confident: confident in its ability to commit to its bizarre world and gameplay that defies norms with a story that is all about one fulfilling their own dreams. While playing I could feel the joy the creators had in making this world and shaping its characters. Promise Mascot Agency is unlike anything you’ve played before, but if you let it into your heart (and choose another platform if possible) it’s an experience that will stay with you for a while to come.

[In a Battle Against Misinformation, We Present Our Fully Sourced FAQ]

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TalkBack / FAQ - All Your Questions About the Nintendo Switch 2 Answered with Sources

« on: April 15, 2025, 06:00:00 AM »

In a Battle Against Misinformation, We Present Our Fully Sourced FAQ

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/70775/faq-all-your-questions-about-the-nintendo-switch-2-answered-with-sources

The Nintendo Switch 2 was thoroughly revealed in a Nintendo Direct presentation that aired on April 2nd, 2025. This presentation left quite a few details unclear and in the week since there’s been a rampant amount of assumptions, clarifications and a lot of misinformation spread online. With Nintendo leaving a lot of information unexplained or having details tucked away into a plethora of articles and shop-listings, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to create a substantial and sourced FAQ with verified information that is wherever possible based upon sources provided by Nintendo themselves or our own hands-on reporting with the Switch 2. This FAQ will be amended and improved as more information becomes available. If there are still questions after reading this FAQ, please let us know via comment on the site through Talkback or via a comment or message in our Discord server.

This FAQ was last updated on Sunday April 27th 2025.

The FAQ is divided into several pages. The contents are as follows:

- Console & System (Part one)

- Switch 2 Games & Upgrades (Part Two)

- Storage & Accessories (Part Three)

- Nintendo Switch Online, GameChat and GameShare (Part Four)

- GameCube on Nintendo Switch 2 and Future Games (Part Five)

You can traverse between pages using the page numbers at the bottom of the article, or by clicking on the above links. All articles are sourced whenever able, preferring Nintendo's official communication and our own reporting when possible. If you have additional questions for the FAQ, please post these in our discord group, via our socials or through Talkback.