So if the selections seem like they were decided by the marketing department... they were.

Masahiro Sakurai has issued a statement on the decision process for deciding which characters will be a part of the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Fighter's Pass.

In the two English language posts on his Twitter, Sakurai confirms that the decision on who the characters will be is made by Nintendo, and... Read more...

"Engage Ridley Mother ------"

The second Wednesday of the month will see games added to the Switch's subscription NES library again.

Metroid, Mighty Bomb Jack and Twinbee will all be added to the subscription service next Wednesday, November 14. The timing hasn't been announced, but as the games are added at the same time worldwide the service should update in the early morning hours for North America.

Think the releases slow down just because it's December?

As November looks to have more Switch releases than the first six months of the system's life, December is starting to rev up as well.

Devolver Digital's stylish adventure GRIS will be releasing on December 13, the same day as Inti Creates's Dragon Marked for Death. One week prior, the first of the Asmodee board game ports will launch as Carcassone has been tagged for a December 6 release.

This'll make the Punch-up in Piestany look like a minor spat.

November is going to be a month of Switch violence, and it's not just because of Black Friday.

Devolver Digital have announced Mother Russia Bleeds, an ultra-violent brawler set in an alternate version of the USSR, for a November 15 release. Up to four players can punch their way through a brutal, M-rated dystopia.

Watch the review of the game on NWR TV, then boot the eShop and buy the game.

The Switch has rolled out media apps slowly, but a 10,000lb gorilla may be entering the eShop soon.

On YouTube's feedback page, the Nintendo Switch is now listed as a compatible device for viewing YouTube. Sources close to Nintendo World Report have identified this Thursday as a probable launch date, though neither YouTube or Nintendo have confirmed this as of yet.

Forget putting shoe on head, we're putting a chocobo.

It seems like there's an inverse correlation between the temperature here and the number of releases on Switch. We're already at 33 (counting the yet-unannounced Hamster game) releases, with the biggest ones coming from the RPG realm in Moonlighter and World of Final Fantasy Maxima. There's a couple of major roguelikes from Cellar Door Games, with Full Metal Furies and Rogue Legacy.

The waifu is strong with this one. (And yes, Astolfo counts as a waifu.)

The billion-dollar Fate franchise is taking another stab at the Switch.

Fate/Extella Link has been slated for a Q1 2019 release in the West on Switch and PC, after previously being announced for PlayStation Vita and PS4 localization. A direct sequel to 2017's Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, the new game adds ten new "Servants" (playable characters) to the cast.

First you praise the sun, then you praise the money.

Diablo III is going to get a special friend for the Eternal Collection next month.

Blizzard have announced a Loot Goblin Amiibo for release in "early December". Tapping the Amiibo will unlock special dungeons filled with money.

Where there are goblins, there... Read more...

Thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening me

Double Fine has stealth dropped one of their hits on this day after Halloween.

Grim Fandango Remastered has released in the North American and European eShops for $14.99/€12.99/£11.49. Originally released in 1998 for PC, the remastered version first launched there in 2015.

Along with Broken Age, Grim Fandango Remastered was first announced for Switch during a panel at this year's E3 fan show.

Whoopsie?

With Black Friday a little over three weeks away, the flyers are beginning to sneak out - and there are surprises in store.

Target's Black Friday circular has launched, and revealed in the gaming section is a new color of 2DS that has Super Mario Maker for 3DS installed. The 2DS is yellow in front with red back and buttons, and the Super Mario Maker is preinstalled. The game will retail for the standard US$79.99.

"I can't believe they replaced the Omega stages with Poké Floats", said the lightest timeline

Nintendo held the final dedicated Super Smash Bros Ultimate Direct prior to the game's launch earlier today, with a whole host of announcements.

Spirits

Spirits were designed to replace the trophies, and will power up fighters when revealed. The primary way to obtain these spirits is in Spirit... Read more...

And there's also a free fighter for launch buyers.

Although Smash Ultimate already has a 74-character roster, there will be at least six more characters.

A Smash Pass has been announced that will provide five unannounced characters, along with a stage and music. Each character will be $5.99 US, or a pass for all 5 will be $24.99. The characters in the pass will be available by February 2020, will not be Echo Fighters, and have been developed from scratch after the game went gold.

Your time is up, his time is now.

Generation VII of Pokémon will have playable representation in Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Incineroar, the final form of Litten, was introduced as the newest Pokémon representative. The Fire-type uses wrestling moves such as a German Suplex or spinning lariat, with a hard combo that ends in a diving headbutt called "Max Malicious Moonsault" for his Final Smash. Incineroar will pose after big moves, and can cancel out of them at any time.

(The end of the work day fills you with determination)

Undertale's mercurial creator has released a PC Demo that may portend a full follow-up to his smash hit.

Deltarune has been released for Windows PCs today, which is a game with a similar art style to Undertale. Some Windows users will have to bypass Defender to install the game.

It is not known... Read more...

So the least expensive option overall is the most popular, and this is somehow surprising.

Nintendo held an investor's briefing this morning (JP time)/tonight to follow along from the earlier financial results, and several items have emerged from it. The full presentation can be viewed here (PDF link), with the Q&A to follow in a few days.

We'll set aside the pachyderm on the premises for a moment.

December 7 will not only feature a game with every Nintendo character, but also a game with every Sega game.

Sega has tabbed the "Sega Genesis Classics" card to release on Switch on 12/7, the same day as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. More than 50 games will be included in the package, along with the ability to play in a mirrored mode and instantly rewind.

"...but the cat came back, he just wouldn't stay away..."

It is with a heavy heart that we must report that Bubsy the Bobcat is returning to Nintendo platforms.

Bubsy: Paws on Fire has been announced by the revived Accolade for release on Switch in Q1 2019. Developed by Choice Provisions, the game is an automatic runner similar to their Runner series. Four characters will be playable, including a character not seen since the failed pilot of a Bubsy animated series in the mid 1990s.

"Leaks" are about to get wrecked.

Reset the clock: we have a Direct.

A Super Smash Bros. Direct will air on Thursday, November 1 at 10 am Eastern time/7 am Pacific. The video is expected to run for 40 minutes.

A Treehouse Live presentation will air following the Direct, featuring Smash alongside Pokémon Let's Go, Diablo III: Eternal Collection, and Yoshi's Crafted World.

The road to 20 million is paved with fainted Pikachu.

Nintendo has released their results for the first half of the 2018 fiscal year, covering the period from April 1 - September 30th with focus on the period from July 1 - September 30.

All figures expressed in yen, with comparisons to US dollars at press time market rates of $1 = 112.782yn.

Financial indicators

The folks at Forever Entertainment will be busy next year.

A couple of turn-based PC hits will be hitting the Switch next year from Forever Entertainment.

Hard West: Complete Edition and Phantom Doctrine will both release on Switch in 2019. As the name suggests, Hard West takes place in a fantastical version of the American West, while Phantom Doctrine is a spy strategy game set in the Cold War.