My introduction to Akira Toriyama was not what you would expect. I did not watch his biggest anime-inspired work, Dragon Ball Z, until late in high school. DBZ was a show that my younger brother would watch, and I ended up actually time recording a lot of the episodes on VHS tape for him since neither of us would be home from school when it aired. Instead, the first time I ever saw his art was in a Super Nintendo game that opened with a pendulum swinging against a black background before that the opening notes of Presentiment, composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, echoed in.

Yes, my love for Akira Toriyama started with Chrono Trigger.

While Chrono Trigger is not the work of just one person, I would argue that it wouldn’t be the long-loved, insta-classic it was without Akira Toriyama’s artwork. Most crucially: when you see the character sprites, you can tell a lot about who you’re about to meet and go on an adventure with. Chrono, with his long spiked hair and muscles, is clearly the protagonist and can handle himself in a fight. Frog is presented as a knight that you cannot help but take seriously as a protector. And Magus? Magus just looked COOL, and he was someone with a mysterious air that I desperately wanted to have on my team.

All of Akira Toriyama’s Chrono Trigger character designs, be it for villains or heroes, are just like that. The cohesiveness of the art design, no matter who the character was, and the fact that you can understand so much about the characters and their personalities just by looking at them, is due to Akira Toriyama and his unique art style. Again, Chrono Trigger was the work of multiple people who all brought different aspects of this game together. But it would not have been the same experience without Akira Toriyama’s art to keep me company during my journey throughout time.

Ultimately, yes, I did start to watch Dragon Ball Z and play the Dragon Quest series. Even when I wasn’t aware that his artistic hand was involved in a project, it was impossible to miss out on- after all, his design for characters and his story concepts are very unique to him. But he will always be a large part of why I fell in love with Chrono Trigger a long time ago, and he will be missed after his unexpected death.

If you’ve missed an installment of Cooking Eorzea, the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online column where I cook with Love, Eorzean Style, then you can check out all the prior recipe attempts here.

Recipe of the Week

For this week’s Cooking Eorzea column, I make Trapper’s Quiche. This dish comes from the Coerthas region of Eorzea, and it is very, very mushroom heavy. Like, three different types of mushrooms are used to make this dish! With a ‘Medium’ difficulty rating, I wasn’t sure quite what to expect from this dish.

Here is what Trapper’s Quiche is supposed to look like when a professional chef has a go at it:

Featured Ingredient of the Week

I wasn’t expecting store-bought pie crust to be the featured ingredient of the week. That was before I pulled out the pie crust, tried to unwrap it…and it turned into a bunch of broken pie crust shards that I absolutely could not make Trapper’s Quiche with. However, because I’ve been making so many dishes from this column, I thought of a way to save the crust: I whipped out the dough mat, mushed all the shards together into a ball, and then used my rolling pin to flatted it back out to a 10-inch (more or less) size.

When I started Cooking Eorzea, I would have been paralyzed with not knowing what to do or how to fix this issue. But it is because I have had experiences with working with so much dough that I knew that I could just ball it up and flatted it out.

Store-bought pie crust isn’t a super flashy ingredient. Well, not usually. But instead, it shows how I have grown as a self-taught chef working my way through a FINAL FANTASY XIV Online-themed cookbook, and that earned the store-bought pie crust a spot as the featured ingredient of the week.

My Cooking Attempt

First off, let’s take a look at this week’s ingredients for Cooking Eorzea!

First, I sliced up the king oyster mushroom and the shiitake mushrooms.

I then sliced up the cluster of oyster mushrooms and put them all together in a bowl and set the mushrooms aside for a short bit.

I then peeled and sliced up the shallot.

Setting the shallot slices aside, I first sliced off 3.5 ounces of Gruyère cheese. And what is the biggest shock for me was that I managed to eyeball the correct ounce amount and slice it on the first try! I couldn’t believe it, honestly.

I then grated the Gruyère cheese. I honestly had a lot of trouble doing it, as I had to keep rotating the hard cheese around to grate it down and get a better purchase hold onto it every so often.

At this point, I unrolled the store-bought pie crust…and I found out that it was in shards. As I talked about in the Featured Ingredient of the Week section: I thought quickly, whipped out my dough mat, turned it all into a dough ball, and then rolled out a new pie crust to use.

Setting the pie crust aside, I cracked the eggs and added in the heavy cream, fish sauce, nut meg, and the room-temperature cream cheese. I then started to whisk it all together to try to blend it into a coherent, blended, mixture. At this point, I also started to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heating up a pan on the stove, I added in olive oil when it was ready.

I then added the shallots and the mushrooms in, and I worked to sauté it all together.

After roughly 10 minutes, this is what the shallots and mushroom slices look like.

I then spread the Gruyère cheese evenly across the bottom of the pie crust, and I spread the six Thai basil leaves across the top of them.

I then carefully- and evenly- spread out the mushroom and shallot mixture all over the pie crust.

I then gently poured the wet ingredient mixture into the pie crust. It was then that I realized that I had unfortunately not blended the wet ingredients as well as I should have. You can tell this by the small chunks of cream cheese that are still clumped together, unfortunately.

I then put the entire pie crust onto a baking sheet, and I put it into the oven to cook for an hour.

After letting it bake for an hour, I pulled the Trapper’s Quiche out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

And here is this week’s Cooking Eorzea final dish!

When I cut myself a slice of the Trapper’s Quiche and then ate it, I was surprised at how thoroughly cooked it was. The mushrooms were perfectly done, and there was definitely a bit of cheesy flavor at the bottom of the crust. I swear that I could even taste a bit of the pop from the fish sauce. The Thai basil leaves were more or less non-existent to me, and I don’t know what purpose they served other than to bring a bit of color to the dish.

This was, overall, a very, very good dish and it is one perfect for someone who does not eat meat. I ate half of it by myself, but that was mostly because I skipped dinner so I could have this instead! I normally eat before I start an installment of Cooking Eorzea, but I just did not have the time to today, unfortunately.

Afterword

If I was to make Trapper’s Quiche again, I would probably try to blend the cottage cheese in more thoroughly with an electric hand mixer. While the small lumps didn’t affect the overall dish, it would probably give the dish a more uniform appearance on top at the end of the day.

Let’s dive straight into this week’s ‘thank yous’! As always, I want to thank Victoria Rosenthal for writing The Ultimate FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Cookbook. I also need to thank Insight Editions‘ staff for giving me permission to use the photos from their book to show how these recipes are actually supposed to look- especially since my own attempts don’t always line up. I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the logo for this series on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on X. I also want to thank both Hiromichi Tanaka and Naoki Yoshida for producing FINAL FANTASY XIV Online over the past decade-plus, as this column wouldn’t be possible without them.

Finally, I want to thank Akira Toriyama for all the amazing art he has done for Chrono Trigger and well, really anything else. He was loved, and his art will live on forever.

Coming In April

This is not my lie: in April, Cooking Eorzea will return with the start of the side dishes section of The Official FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Cookbook! Just because these are side dishes, however, does not mean they will be easy. In fact, I will be kicking off this new section of the cookbook with the Chawan-Mushi recipe! This ‘Hard’ dish from Hingashi promises to be something extremely unique and so you have to return then to see how it turns out!

What is your favorite piece of art by Akira Toriyama?

Did you ever play Chrono Trigger?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post Cooking Eorzea Week 47: Trapper’s Quiche (FINAL FANTASY XIV) appeared first on oprainfall.

Nintendo Live Official Website

Ordinarily, I put out my thoughts on a fan-event fairly quickly -within the week- of the event itself. Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle has been the one exception. Not for a bad reason, but simply because there is so much potential that I kept talking with other people connected to oprainfall and to my own social group about what Nintendo could do with it. If you want to take away one thing from this column, then let it be this: Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle felt like an incredibly successful dry run for a potential future standalone Nintendo two-day convention.

Before we get to why I feel that way, let’s talk about the event itself. Hosted adjacent to PAX West (and sharing a building with part of the event, in fact), Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle was a separately ticketed event that did not require PAX West 2023 admission to attend but instead held a free lottery system for people to potentially gain admittance for a few months beforehand for one particular day. Nintendo also distributed a handful of tickets at PAX West itself. What this means is that Nintendo was able to spread the attendance out over the full four days of PAX and that, most crucially, Nintendo knew exactly how many people were going to be attending each day and it helped to make Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle feel like an event that was both at capacity yet not overwhelmingly overpacked.

Inside Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle itself, the different activities fell into four categories: demos (including for the yet-to-be-released Super Mario Bros. Wonder), photo opportunities with characters and items, live events to sit and watch that ranged from competitions to musical performances, and merchandise shopping. I will be taking each of these up in turn.

First and foremost: the demos. Nintendo had several video game demo available – as well as some of their partner’s titles like Just Dance 2023 and Disney Illusion Island – across the entire show floor. While all but Super Mario Bros. Wonder have already been released, it was a great opportunity for people to pick up a console, play a demo in a staging area themed after the various game, and try it out. For example, Pikmin 4 was in a full-on Pikmin­-themed area that took you right into the game. Nintendo even cleverly enticed people to play retro titles that are available on Nintendo Online, such as the NES classic Ice Hockey, but turning it into a competition. The wait to try out the demos were not very long, and even for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I only spent around 20 minutes waiting to pick it up and run through it. Some of the competition slots ran longer, but nothing was too bad.

If you are already a major Nintendo fanatic, then chances are you have probably owned or demoed everything that was there but Super Mario Bros. Wonder. To help keep those Nintendo fans busy, there were a ton of photo opportunities. Did you see the billion-dollar-making The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Nintendo hauled in the Mario Bros. van for you to take a picture with. What about if you’re a fan of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? The life-size replica props were available for you to take pictures with. Kirby, LEGO Bowser, Tears of the Kingdom Link, Ink Squid, the three Pokémon Scarlet/Violet starters, and more were all on hand for you to get up and close to take pictures with. Nintendo also smartly rotated out the non-statue photo opportunities fairly frequently, and so there was always someone new to get a picture with just around the corner.

All of these lines seemed fairly quick to get through, with one exception: K.K. Slider from Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Every single time I passed by that line, it was capped, and it seemed to be around 50 minutes to an hour long. Not because K.K. Slider was doing some really long photo shoots, but just because he was that popular.

My personal favorite was the re-imagined room from the 1980s. This photo line, while not as busy as K.K. Slider’s, was always busy as well. And when I was able to get in, I was surprised to find that it was a fully-realized and built living room. I flipped through the albums, checked out the NES and R.O.B. at the TV, and even the vacuum cleaner and the couch. It is a cool idea that I really hope Nintendo will expand upon for the future. I would love to see, for example, a 1980’s Japanese living room with a Famicom in it!

Next, there are the various live events to sit through and watch. The big marquee event for Day 4 of Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle was the Splatoon 3 Championships 2023. This event took place on a giant stage in the back of the event hall, and it had excellent on-site commentary for people who weren’t fans (at least until then!) of competitive Splatoon 3 gameplay. There were also two concerts being held per day with a full-on live band: one for The Legend of Zelda and one for Super Mario Bros. There was also something called Mario Dojo for people to compete in, but I only saw it start right before I had to leave for other media appointments. I don’t know if that was just poor timing on my part or if Mario Dojo (seemingly no relation to the DSiWare Photo Dojo) was just put on that infrequently.

The biggest surprise was that for all of these live events, I had no trouble showing up at the last moment and getting a fairly awesome viewing spot. Now, it may have been a bit further back or it might have been standing-room-only, but at no point did I feel like I was being walled off from enjoying a part of the Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle experience. Even the Super Mario Bros. concert that I attended, which had given out ‘Warp Pass’ tickets a while ago for seats up close, had a ton of standby seating and stand-by watching areas for people if you really wanted to watch it. My biggest fear, going into Nintendo Live 2023, was that the concert was going to be performed in a walled-off room and I was going to miss it entirely. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case at all. Even when I dipped in and out of the Splatoon 3 Championships, I was able to find a spot to watch the tournament happen live on stage.

If there was one somewhat dark spot though, it had to be the merchandise line. The Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle merchandise sold out through the online My Nintendo Store fairly quickly on both occasions it was put up, and so many attendees had to buy it in person if they wanted the event-exclusive T-shirts, the event-themed Switch case, or more. The line ended up taking people around one-and-a-half to two hours to get through, and it wound through the outside courtyard, back inside, and then through an inside queue system.

When you got close to the front of the line, a store employee would mark your order down on a wipeable sheet and hand it off to the stockers, so that they could assemble the order and have it ready for you to buy when you got to the front of the line. It was, in theory, a great system. However, there were simply not enough cashiers on hand to help move the line as quickly as it needed to go in order to process people through in a timely manner. I found myself ultimately wishing that there was some way for people to scan a geo-locked QR code, place an order through a secret website, and then have Nintendo ship out the goods after the event. Instead, there were ever-capped merchandise lines instead of people being out on the event floor.

All of Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle, with the except of the merchandising, was a master class on how to put together a fan-based event. There were plenty of demos, tons of photo ops, live performances and events to attend, and it all happened in lines where you were never waiting truly long.  In fact, the whole event kept things moving so quickly that I could see that everyone not in the merchandise line was having a wonderful time.

And that brings me to the point I made at the top of this column, about this event feeling like a ‘dry run.’ The only thing missing from Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle from making it a full-on fan convention like FINAL FANTASY XIV FAN FESTIVAL 2023-2024 or BlizzCon was the lack of a Keynote Speech ala a live Nintendo Direct.

As I was taking pictures and watching performances and playing games, my mind kept being flooding with possibilities about how this event could be expanded in a future year to be the launch event for a Nintendo console. I could easily see the executives from the various Nintendo branches presenting a live Nintendo Direct to show off a new console and new games on Day One, and to conclude with the words “and you can demo those games on our new console for yourself today on the show floor, you can take pictures with Mario and our other new friends, and you can even see a live performance of a couple secret tracks from one of the new games later in the afternoon.” It would take what Nintendo did with the unveiling of the Nintendo 3DS at E3 2010 (complete with hands-on fan demos) and crank it up into a Nintendo-only event where they wouldn’t have to share the viral social media attention.

All of that may, of course, just be ‘blue sky’ dreaming on my part.

But Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle seemed to be so successful that it is hard believe that it wasn’t a test run for a more substantial Nintendo event of some sort in the future. Personally, I plan on the next Nintendo Live event, no matter where in the country it is held. And honestly? You should too, if you can.

Did you attend Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle? If so, what did you think?

Where would you like Nintendo to host their next Nintendo Live event?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle’s An Amazing Event for Gaming Fans appeared first on oprainfall.

In a lot of ways, the PokéDollar in Pokémon GO stops with Michael Steranka. He is the Live Game Director for Pokémon GO over at Niantic, Inc., and he is one of the people in charge of pulling off Pokémon GO Fest each year in multiple cities across the world.

I was able to sit down with him during Pokémon GO Fest 2023 in New York City to talk about everything from the current meta in Pokémon GO‘s PVP, how Pokémon GO Fest locations are selected, the introduction of Vivillon and Meltan into Pokémon GO, the limitations placed on remote raid passes, routes, and more.

You can see my thoughts on this year’s Pokemon GO Fest: New York City here.

You can follow Michael Steranka at his official X account.

You can also find out the latest happenings in Pokémon GO at the official website, on X, on Instagram and Facebook, and on YouTube. 

Finally, you can follow Niantic Inc. on their official website, on YouTube, on Facebook and Instagram, on X, and on TikTok.

This interview has been edited for content and clarity.

Operation Rainfall: My name is Quentin H. with Operation Rainfall, and you are?

Michael Steranka: I am Michael Steranka, live game director for Pokémon GO.

OR: We are here in Randall’s Island Park in New York City for Pokémon GO Fest 2023. There are a lot of people who are ticketed for this event and there are debuts of new shiny Pokémon. Are the shiny rates boosted for this [in-person] event? Or not?

MS: They definitely are. Players who are here in New York City, both on Randall’s Island and the rest of the city – as long as you have a ticket, you’re definitely going to enjoy some nice shiny Pokémon coming out of this event.

OR: You recently released a new feature called “Ready to Raid.” What have the testing results been like for it? Will it be expanded to one-and-three star raids, so solo players don’t have to wait the full time to run the easily-soloably one-star raid by themselves?

MS: The results have been really positive so far. Obviously, with a feature like this, we really want to monitor the impact that it has on our servers, but we also want to make sure that qualitatively, players really enjoy the feature and it’s not causing some unintended UX challenges for folx. That’s why we soft-launched it in a couple of markets earlier this year.

We also made it available for all of our in-person GO Fests – Osaka, London, and now New York [City] – and we’re happy to say that things have been really, really positively received on this front. So no news to explicitly announce on the global rollout of this, but things are looking good – let’s just put it that way.

“I don’t have anything to share on the Paldean Pokémon specifically, but just know that with a new generation comes new Pokémon, and with new Pokémon comes new shakeups.”

OR: Let’s talk about Pokémon Worlds last weekend. It wrapped up in Yokohama this last weekend, and I’m going to give you some statistics from it. Out of the top 32 competitors: 28 ran Medicham, 21 Lanturn, and 20 Altaria. Each of those top 32 players ran at least one of the three, and 12 players ran all three.

You’re a Legendary [ranked] player yourself in every season, which you [again achieved and] announced on X fairly recently. The meta is pretty well defined right now, and you just saw that at Yokohama. How does Niantic view this type of meta? Is there a desire to shift this meta at all? Should I bother competing in League if I don’t run Medicham with maxed out XL candy?

MS: Yeah, great question.

We take a look at the metagame in PVP as something that is always fluid. We never want it to get stale, we never want it to always boil down to the exact same Pokémon for everybody. So, every season in Pokémon GO, we try to release major move changes – whether that’s adjusting the parameters of existing moves, giving new moves to new Pokémon, or even launching new Pokémon that can shake things up quite considerably. When we look at the breakdown of teams at the World Championships, there definitely was a high concentration of certain Pokémon in a lot of teams – particularly Medicham, which was prevalently used.

I personally don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. When you look at other Pokémon competitive games, like the VGC and whatnot – in years past, you’ve seen things like Landorus being pretty much on every single player’s team. There’s ways that Pokémon can help centralize and solidify metagames, and that often times is what you kind of want when you’re designing these things ‘cause it gives you something to counter, right? The metagame that you can counter.

If a game is waaaaaaay too distributed, that can actually lead to a little more unhealthy team building dynamic, where you have no idea what you’re trying to build against and what you’re trying to build for, versus having a little bit of coalescence around some key strong Pokémon.

That being said, if you look at the top two teams – that placed first and second – there’s actually 12 unique Pokémon that were brought across those two. So, it does allow for quite a bit of diversity and play, even in the current meta. That being said, we are definitely going to have a pretty big shakeup next season, as I alluded to on steam at the World Championships.

Pokémon GO Grand Finals at Pokémon Worlds 2023 in Yokohama, Japan. 

OR: With [Pokémon:] The Trading Card Game, they rotate out expansions, so you’re literally dropping new set of cards [in]. With the video game, The Pokémon Company has been on a yearly release schedule for quite awhile now, and they rotate out the entire game. You really can’t just drop all the Pokémon in Pokémon GO though.

MS: Yeah, you can’t drop all the Pokémon, and we also never wanted [you] to feel like you invested so much of your time and resources into a Pokémon and then it gets completely nerfed out of the metagame. When we make big shifts, we typically are trying to make other Pokémon more relevant, and we never want something to fall from the top three usage to the bottom 100 in the game. But GBL is very different from something like the World Championships.

The World Championships series – you are allowed to bring almost every Pokémon that has been released in the game, but in GBL, we give players a lot more opportunities for creative teambuilding by having condensed metagames. Things like Evolution Cup or Catch Cup – the different Leagues you can participate in as well. So hopefully, across all of those different things, players find that they’re able to come up with really fun, unique teams and still find success in the GO Battle League.

OR: Follow-up: When you’re introducing a new Pokémon, such as Paldeas Pokémon in September, how important is PVP when designing the move and TM pools, spawn rarity and all that? Everything else that goes into releasing a new Pokémon – where is PVP[‘s importance]?

MS: We don’t think that every single Pokémon released needs to be a top performer in PVP, but every time we release a new batch of Pokémon, it is an opportunity for us to take a look at that and determine ‘[d]o we need some sort of shakeup right now?’ I don’t have anything to share on the Paldean Pokémon specifically, but just know that with a new generation comes new Pokémon, and with new Pokémon comes new shakeups. It’s not just going to be the move changes that we make at the start of the next season. You’ll see Pokémon get introduced throughout the season, new moves being introduced through Community Days that will also keep things fresh through the course of the three months.

Paldeas Region Pokémon will be coming to Pokémon GO in September 2023.

OR: When you’re introducing a new generation of Pokémon, what type of access does The Pokémon Company give you? For example, with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, did you have access to that slate of Pokémon to get a jumpstart on them before those games came out? Or are y’all playing catchup?

MS: We have a really tight collaboration with The Pokémon Company out in Tokyo. I can’t really speak to the nitty-gritty about how early or late we get access to upcoming Pokémon, but I am happy to share that nothing is an afterthought, right? We work very, very closely. There’s nothing that goes out in Pokémon GO that The Pokémon Company isn’t aware of. We work very closely with them on all facets of the game. Whether that’s the release cadence of new Pokémon, or how we’re spec’ing out new features in the game, to what kinds of live Ops we’re building on an on-going basis. So it’s much more of a tight-knit collaboration than you might expect.

OR: Meltan, and its evolution [Melmetal], was a Pokémon GO initial release. What was that experience like working with The Pokémon Company for that?

MS: That was, honestly, one of my favorite things I’ve had the pleasure of working on in my entire time with Pokémon GO. It was the special tease that we were able to do during the Chikorita Community Day. At that point, we had never introduced a new Pokémon in Pokémon GO before, and so it was a huge opportunity to surprise players. Many players thought it was actually a glitch at the time – ‘[w]hat the heck is this thing we’ve never seen before, it doesn’t have a name?’

After the Chikorita Community Day wrapped up, Meltan started to appear everywhere before anyone had ever seen it. If you tried to catch it, it would turn into Ditto unfortunately. *laughs* But it was such a fun tease that it was a really delightful moment for players. You know, I hope we can do more [of it] in the future.

OR: Was introducing a brand-new Pokémon the Pokémon Company’s idea to bring to the game, or was it y’all approaching them to bring it in?

MS: As I mentioned, we have such a tight collaboration that we’ll do brainstorms that it’s not necessarily one company to the other, but something that we jointly bring to life.

“I hope that even you can agree that when you’re able to meet the community, to come out to a GO Fest like this, these are experiences that no other game can provide.”

OR: Let’s talk routes: How’s that going for you?

MS: Routes has been such a truly Niantic mission-centric feature. It’s one of the hardest features we’ve ever built, because – as you can imagine – there are so many considerations that go into what types of routes get approved to be put into the game. We want to make sure that they’re interesting, that they’re safe, that there’s no abuse going on from player-to-player anytime there’s a UGC component added to things.

So, the rollout has definitely been one that we wanted to not take lightly, and we wanted to make sure that the initial set of routes out in the game are quality ones that we can stand by. And now we’re really starting to ramp up and make sure that there’s a broader set of routes out in the world that anybody can participate in.

OR: What criteria does [Niantic] look at when they reject a route or when they approve a route or later revoke it? What kind of things trigger that?

MS: To be honest with you, that’s probably not one that I can answer with authority. I haven’t been as heavily involved in the production of that feature and the moderation set there. That might be something I have to pass on, I’m sorry.

OR: For those of us who cannot make routes yet, like yours truly, and don’t live in an area where there are routes, have you explored ways for us to get cells?

MS: Zygarde cells?

OR: Yes, Zygarde cells.

MS: As of right now, Zygarde cells will be exclusive to routes. Definitely hear the challenges that players might face if you don’t have access to routes where you currently live. We’re trying to expand the access to be able to create routes. That’s something that’s only going to spread further and further. So [we] definitely ask for some patience as we get the system solidly in place. The rollout is not something we want to take lightly, right? We definitely don’t want there to be bad routes or unsafe routes or routes with descriptions or points that could harass other players or things like that.

I know that it maybe has been rolling out a little more slowly than some players might be hoping for, but just know that’s because we’re taking it very, very slowly and we want it to be a good experience once you do have access to it.

OR: You did an interview back in May 2023 with ZoëTwoDots, and you said: “We believe that by having these experiences that you have to go out to fully enjoy, you’re able to enjoy the game and the world around you so much more than any other video games can provide.”

You addressed the issue that I’m about to bring up on The Battle Catz Podcast last month with remote passes and XL candy, but I want to expand beyond that with the Pokédex and raids: I live in an area where there is not a Pokémon GO community, and I have to travel 40 minutes to raid. This [Pokémon GO Fest] is the first time that I’ve raided in several months. I otherwise have to depend upon Remote passes to participate in raid hour. I’m fairly limited in what I can do when it comes to catching new Legendary Pokémon – and even the Niantic Campfire app is incredibly limited within my area.

Looking at that quote that you gave in that May 2023 interview, how should I be able to fully enjoy the raid aspect of the game and hope that I can get a second shiny Uxie? Because I organized my own raid in September when the [Lake] shinies came out in New Zealand and England – and I cannot do that now. How do you balance your aspirational beliefs against my practical gaming experiences?

MS: That’s what it is, right? It’s a balance at the end of the day. I guess what I would say to that is that we made an explicit decision to not remove remote raid passes from the game, right? You are limited in how many you can do per day, but based upon the raid rotations that we have and how long they are available for, my hope is that players are still able to engage with that aspect of the game.

But yeah, we did make the call to put limitations in place, because what we saw was that ended up being the primary way a lot of players were playing Pokémon GO, and it was just antithetical to what we believe this game is intended to do. We really stand by that. I hope that even you can agree that when you’re able to meet the community, to come out to a GO Fest like this, these are experiences that no other game can provide. And that’s where we really see the strength of Pokémon GO and that’s what we want to continue to lean into as we develop the game further.

OR: A feature that is incredibly useful is that you can ‘lock’ a Pokémon from being traded by pressing the Star icon on the top right. Have you considered a feature to custom lock a Pokémon from being purified, leveled up, traded, etc – so, say, a certain journalist cannot accidentally purify a second shadow Pokémon while playing half-asleep one evening?

MS: *laughs* That’s actually really funny. I did another interview yesterday where the exact same feature was suggested. This is definitely one that I’ll bring back to the team. Everything, unfortunately, is subject to prioritization and what we do in terms of a quality-of-life feature like that takes away from resources that can be used to build a brand-new system in the game, as an example.

So, no promises that that will be specifically addressed, but hearing it twice in two days is something that I want to make sure that I take back to the team.

Continue Onto Page Two To Find Out About Implementing Vivillon, Michael’s PVP Teams, and how Niantic Selects Sites for Pokemon GO Fests! ->

The post Pokémon GO Fest 2023 INTERVIEW: Michael Steranka (Niantic) appeared first on oprainfall.

Dragon Con, with all of its many themed tracks that range from puppetry to urban fantasy and filk, has something for everyone to enjoy. At this year’s Dragon Con convention (which had 65,000 attendees), I sat down with voice actor and streamer Sean Chiplock. Known for a variety of roles in video games such as Genshin Impact and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to anime titles such as JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind and Re:Zero, Sean Chiplock has established himself as a premiere talent within the voice acting industry.

In Part Two of a two-part interview, I (along with Senpai Project), talk with Sean Chiplock about what it was like to revisit Revali and Teba for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and as Spade/Dail for Freedom Planet 2, his favorite junk food, and more.

If you missed out on Part One, you can check it out here.

You can follow Sean Chiplock on Twitter to discover all of his upcoming projects and join his streaming community on Twitch.

You can find out more about Dragon Con on their official website, on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Discord. 

You can buy a membership for next year’s Dragon Con here.

This interview was edited for content and clarity.

Operation Rainfall: What was it like returning to the roles of Revali, Teba, and Deku Tree in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity in 2020?

Sean Chiplock: A huuuuuge difference in terms of confidence and overall performance quality. The first time I recorded for Revali and Teba, I was – pardon my French – scared shitless. Like I mentioned before, the risk of people looking at it the same way that they did the unofficial CD-i games- or should I say the non-canon CD-i games. The fact that Revali was a character that I really struggled to find the right tonality for at first – he frustrated me so much that I had a mental breakdown. The confidence was stronger when we came back to do the DLC for Breath of the Wild, and by the time Age of Calamity came around – I was homed in. I understood the characters, I understood the lore of the world, which was something that I didn’t have when I came in for Breath of the Wild. I was doing it fresh, I was doing things as we went along.

So, the confidence was at an all-time high, and during Breath of the Wild, I was trying to repeat lines to get back into character. In Age of Calamity, I was ‘now I am Revali, now I am Teba, now I’m Revali talking to Teba.’ It was seamless, and it was definitely the game- it was one of the ones I streamed because I wanted to hear the final project. That was the game where I no longer heard myself performing as these characters, I just heard the characters saying their stuff. And that was such a cool moment for me – I was already excited to play the game, because I – everyone’s got a bit of a Dynasty Warriors fan in them. Everyone’s got a day where you just want to and plow through 300 enemies with a special attack. But to get to do that with my own characters and get to watch my characters get to do sick combos across entire swathes of enemies? It was so good. [laughs] At least until Revali uses the ice ability – [imitates Revali] ‘Cool down!’, and I’m all ‘Really? That’s the best you can come up with? You’ve had a hundred years to think about something witty, and you decided to go for the most basic of jokes?’

It was a very distinctive difference, but a very positive, uplifting one. And I would say that anyone who plays Age of Calamity and listens to those characters will be hearing me at my best at those roles.

OR: I think you mentioned in a 2018 interview that Teba was particularly important to you because of the way that you voiced that character.

SC: Yes. So obviously, as you might imagine, voicing a major – I don’t know if you can call Teba a major character, but because he is one of the required people if you’re doing the four major dungeons, he is more important than a lot of the other characters in the game. So, the fact you’re doing it for a first-party launch title on one of their most successful consoles to date, and you think about all the awards the game won – there’s a little bit of pressure behind that. But the reason why Teba is so important to me is because he is a case where – there are often times where we’ll audition for a character, and the client says, ‘I really liked this take – we’re going to tweak this, or if you can give us a little more of this or a little less of this.’ Teba was a case where we’ve been doing recording for Revali and Deku Tree and they were like ‘Hey, we have one other bird, we’re wondering if you can do a voice that is distinct – that is different enough from these other two.’ I said, ‘Show me the scene, I’ll take a look.’ So they described him, they showed me the sample scene, and I immediately went ‘I have an idea, I know what I want to do for him.’

Are either of you, by chance, familiar with Bedfellows? Not the live action film, but the animated series? There’s two characters that I play in that – [imitates Fatigue] ‘One of them is Fatigue – he’s very high pitched and very effeminate, and so gay in terms of being happy the entire time’ and [imitates Sheen] ‘the other is Sheen, and he’s just angry, just always yelling, he’s always upset about something.’ But Sheen’s voice comes from a place of anger. I said, `What if I take the [imitates Sheen] ‘anger and frustration that Sheen has’, and [imitates Teba] ‘I just made it bitterness instead – worry and concern for your family, or something like that?’ Kind of like furrowing your brow or something. And that was the voice approach I took for Teba.

So, it was the fact that I effectively told Nintendo: ‘I got this, trust me.’ I did the performance, the person in charge of approving it or not goes ‘Yep, that works for us.’ Like, how many people can say that they’ve basically told Nintendo ‘Sit tight, I got this,’ show their bravado, and have Nintendo go ‘Yep, no changes, we’re good to go forward?’ That’s crazy! That’s crazy – and [in] a game as well-renowned as that, that’s why he’s so important to me. I’m sure anyone in the voice acting industry dreams of that experience where they’re with a high-profile client and puts forth the notion that they know exactly what they’re doing, and then proves it simultaneously and the client saying, ‘We’re completely happy with that.’

Especially on a project or franchise that hasn’t been officially voiced before. I don’t know what’s going to top that. Like, I’m searching for that, I’m constantly challenging myself, but it’s unreal.

“The general rule of voice acting is that if we’re allowed to talk about it, then we already have been, because the one thing we want to be able to do is discuss the thing that we’ve been sitting and waiting for months or even years.”

OR: You are also voicing a role in Freedom Planet 2, which is scheduled for release on Steam in the next couple of weeks. 

SC: Really? It’s finally coming out?!

OR: It’s streetdated for September 13, 2022. 

SC: I had no idea – it’s been years since I recorded for that, I’m a little scared if I’m going to approve of my own performance by now.

OR: Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like returning to the role of Spade and Dail?

SC: It’s been several years, so I don’t remember much of it. I do know that they had more of a budget – they actually flew me to Texas for a one-day session. It was actually very brief – I think I flew into Texas at like 11 P.M. the previous night, recorded at 10 A.M. the next day, and then flew out at 3 P.M. I wasn’t even there for 24 hours.

It’s hard to say – I think this is the question that I don’t really have a good, thorough answer to. They had a better budget, so they were able to do the recording process to what you would typically expect with us taking turns in a booth. In the first game, we were all doing it on our own home setups. It was very much an ‘indie project’ sort of thing. But when it found its footing – I don’t want to say take it more seriously – but they were able to embrace more of the consistent production processes that you would expect from a project like that.

And after I recorded, it was really just a matter of waiting. So, I’m actually very glad that it is coming out soon, I hope people enjoy it! I know the team behind it is incredibly passionate. I’ve seen their growth through the years, and I am someone that believes that a lot of the content that we fondly remember is created when passionate people come together to work on a single thing together. I’m very hopeful that all of the years will be worth the wait.

OR: Do you have any other projects in the pipeline that you can share with us?

SC: The general rule of voice acting is that if we’re allowed to talk about it, then we already have been, because the one thing we want to be able to do is discuss the thing that we’ve been sitting and waiting for months or even years. I think there’s still a project that I recorded like three years ago that I haven’t heard about. I’m almost convinced that it is dead in the water at this point.

You know, I got to announce recently that I am in the new Star Ocean game that is coming out – Star Ocean: The Divine Force. I voice Gaston Gaucier, which I already told people on Twitter: ‘If you are someone who enjoys me from a more intense performance, this is definitely a role that you’re going to want to pay attention to.’ I’m trying to think of what else is coming out that I’m allowed to talk about…See, this is why I had access to my IMDB. Mostly, what I tell people is stay tuned on my Twitter, stay tuned on my Twitch, because as soon as I am allowed to announce these things, I do and I talk it up all the time.

The last couple of months have been the convention gauntlet, I have been doing a lot of work behind the scenes. So that’s basically my answer: ‘Hey, I’m not allowed to talk about anything coming down the pipeline, but there is a lot of stuff coming down the pipeline.’ I’m someone who doesn’t like to rest on his laurels for long, I am always trying to grow, trying to show clients that I am capable of more than they already know me for. And there’s a lot of exciting stuff due to come out – so just stay tuned, and if nothing else I hope I get to pleasantly surprise you. The number of times people are ‘Wait, you’re in this and you’re in this</i”> and you’re in this too?! What aren’t you in that I enjoy?!’ I kind of like that element of surprise, so let’s find out together!

OR: To people who want to get into voice acting, but may not know where to start – do you have any advice?

SC: There’s three sites in particular that I give to people. The first one is very obvious: You ask yourself ‘What do I want to be?’ The answer is: iwanttobeavoiceactor.com. That’s the first site – it’s written by Dee Bradley Baker, it has so much information regarding the industry – I should probably go back and see what new stuff he’s posted. I tell everyone: ‘If you’re just starting out, you should not even be saying words into a microphone until you’ve read that website front to back.’ It’s about giving yourself as much info and starting knowledge as possible, so that you are asking pointed questions that will help you find the next step of what to take, rather than just throwing a bunch of questions out there that are already available online in triplicate.

The second one I usually recommend is either Voice Acting Mastery or Voice-Over Voice Actor. Just warmup sites, interviews – it’s about figuring out or listening to interviews of other actors and how they found their way into the industry. Everyone’s path is going to be a little different. Some will have a big breakthrough, some will get referred into the industry, some will start from the bottom doing walla or bit roles. Some people will come from a live-action background. Some people come from an anime background. So, finding a story that meshes with you or that you identify with may help you figure out ‘Okay, here’s how I’m likely to be to get my foot in the door.’

And the third one is voiceactingclub.com. Back in the heyday, like the early 2000s, 2010s, there were three different voice acting communities and I think two of them are still around. But Voice Acting Club, to my knowledge, is the one where the people who were the aspiring voice actors of 10 to 15 years ago are now the moderators and admins of the site doing the same thing for today’s amateur voice actors. So, you’ve already got that ‘passing of the torch,’ even though we’re still actively working – we’re now able to share our experiences and knowledge with those who may not know anything and are trying to be as prepared as possible.

It’s also because Voice Acting Club specifically eschews fandubs. Try not to focus on them, because they don’t want people’s portfolios to be clogged up with them. So having a bigger focus on independent animations, on original projects, is a much better avenue for making early connections with future studios, future clients, future peers and colleagues. I strongly recommend all of those sites that I mentioned, because I figure- what I tell people is that whether a good or bad habit, practicing that habit will make it a firm one. So, it’s important to make sure that the habits you’re cementing are good ones rather than bad ones, and knowledge and preparation are your biggest allies when it comes to cementing good habits right off the bat.

“‘Mikey, listen – you don’t have to bow your head. Just have a heart that cares for others.’

I love that quote because […] you don’t have to bow your head, just have a heart that cares for others. It means that you don’t have to be subservient to other people, you just have to recognize when it’s not your time in that moment, understanding when it’s someone else’s turn to be in spotlight.”

Senpai Project: Favorite movie?

SC: The Pagemaster, which is not even a movie – it’s like a 47-minute library advertisement. At this point, I just have to say The Pagemaster – because when I took a film video interpretation class in my first year in college, everyone got asked what their favorite film was, and they were like ‘The Great Escape, Casablanca, Dr. Strangelove,’ and I’m just here saying ‘The Pagemaster’ and I could just hear the snickers behind me because I was sitting in the front row. So you know what? I’m tripling down! The Pagemaster’s a good film, and if you hated it, it is because you hate books and you’re [an] uneducated man-child or woman-child or non-binary-child. I don’t judge.

SP: I don’t hate it, but I was forced to watch it in class.

SC: It’s good, isn’t it? It has Tim Curry, and Tim Curry is amazing! How can you rag on a movie that has Wanda Sikes and Tim Curry?

SP: Favorite series of like a book, or a series-

SC: Mega Man Battle Network – Oooo. Mega Man Battle Network or Etrian Odyssey. Mega Man Battle Network was – it was a gem of its kind. Just the way that they – I remember reading an interview where they were like ‘we didn’t really have anything to base off of, so we kind of had to mish-mash a couple different genres together,’ and it came out so well. It’s such a well-designed game, it’s so aesthetically interesting. But Etrian Odyssey was a game that I got introduced to during a failed My Little Pony convention – no, like, the organizers ran off with the money and it got shut down in the middle of day two. Like, that bad.

But it’s what introduced me to the world of first-person dungeon crawlers, and I was instantly hooked. Almost spoiled – but Etrian Odyssey revitalized interest in wizardry style games in the West, and it’s like the leader of its kind, but it stopped with the 3DS. A new game hasn’t come out since. So, I love Battle Network for its aesthetics, but is the perfect mix of strategy with your team composition but just unfair enough that it’s not unreasonable. We all know about RPG tropes where status ailments work on enemies that don’t need it, but they don’t work on the bosses that you could use it for. Etrian Odyssey has status ailments and body part binds that have side effects. They not only apply to bosses – every boss is weak to at least one of them – they are pretty much mandatory if you want to have a fighting chance. And so, it’s just so genuinely difficult in a fun way, that it’s unforgettable for me. So I would say – between the two – I would actually have to lean to Etrian [Odyssey] because there has been nothing like it since.

SP: I definitely will have to try it out. I have played Battle Network, it is great.

SC: Battle Network – I love it. I love the way that you put your folder together. I used to make a big deal out of how fast I could beat the boss time trials. The postgame in Battle Network 3 was one of the most exciting that I’ve ever done. There is so much to do.

Sean Chiplock voiced both Sheen and Fatigue (as both seen in the above episode of The Bedfellows).

SP: Favorite quote that you stand by – that you love.

SC: I stole it from Draken in Tokyo Revengers. I have to do it in his voice – him and Mikey are in the hospital. They’re not in the hospital, they’re visiting because of someone who got collateral injured because of a fight that their gang was in. And the girl’s parents are there as well, and they try to apologize. And the parents are like ‘We don’t want anything to do with you, don’t talk to us, don’t interact with us.’ And Mikey, Draken’s partner, is about to chew them out – ‘Hey, we’re trying to apologize, won’t you listen to us for a damn second?’ And Draken talks him down – [imitates Draken] ‘Mikey, listen – you don’t have to bow your head. Just have a heart that cares for others.’

And I love that quote because – repeating it in [my] normal [voice] – you don’t have to bow your head, just have a heart that cares for others. It means that you don’t have to be subservient to other people, you just have to recognize when it’s not your time in that moment, understanding when it’s someone else’s turn to be in spotlight. I think of an example, we’re at this big event, maybe a big line of people for a guest next to me or they’re interested in talking with them – not interrupting that, not getting in the way. Not ruining their moment. But that doesn’t mean I have to ignore who I am or pretend to be someone I’m not. It’s about being respectful that everyone has their own life that they’re living, everyone has their own moments to shine. And it’s important to recognize when it’s not your time at that specific moment.

So, I just think that’s really meaningful, because it’s that careful balance of being yourself without intruding on other people’s lives at the same time.

SP: Favorite junk food?

SC: I’ve actually cut out a lot of junk food, just because of age and because – my diet has changed over time, and I really enjoy having a lighter body and I don’t want to start gaining weight because of eating a lot of junk food. Different foods are good at different times. There’s times where I’m craving Goldfish, there’s times where I’m craving cherry pie layer bars, because their tartness is really nice. I’m trying to see what qualifies as junk food!

I used to enjoy Sour Punch Straws, but they now choke me because they are so sticky and dry at the same time. I need a moment to think about this, that’s the best question, that’s a good last question because it’s one that I haven’t immediately had an answer for!

Favorite junk food that I really enjoy…this is hard. This is really difficult, ‘cause I’ve been really addicted to- have you heard of those Go Go apple juice packages that you squeeze? I’m addicted like hell to those right now, they are so good. But they’re healthy – I don’t qualify those as junk food.

Alright, it’s a mix. My thing – you know the Ferraro Rocher chocolate balls? I don’t eat them by themselves. I will make a bowl of oatmeal, and after I pour in the milk, I will put two to three of them, usually the sea salt chocolate, in the bowl and then in the microwave and then microwave it, so when it’s done, the balls are starting to melt and fuse into the milk. And then I mix it together, and because of the thickness of the chocolate, it helps bind the oatmeal together. So you get this nice – chunky doesn’t sound like a good word – but you get this nice, thick oatmeal that has hints of sea salt and a chocolate flavoring to it. And it’s so good. It turns a breakfast into a dessert, as far as I am concerned.

That’s the answer – wait – have you guys been to San Jose? Next time you go to San Jose – have you guys been to the Signia by Hilton San Jose, on Market Street? They have the best raspberry cheesecake that I have ever had. I’m a big fan of cheesecake, I didn’t know hotel food could be that good. It was phenomenal. It was so good, the following day, I brought a colleague back, swearing up and down how good it was. She had one bite of it, and then posted on Twitter: ‘He wasn’t lying.’ I converted her instantly.

So a very good cheesecake? Instantly on my list of faves.

OR/SP: Thank you so much.

You can buy a membership for next year’s Dragon Con here.

I want to thank Sean Chiplock for agreeing to sitting down to speak with me and Senpai Project at Dragon Con 2022.

Have you seen The Bedfellows or eaten an amazing cheesecake in San Jose? Tell us all about your experiences with either or both below!

The post Dragon Con INTERVIEW: Sean Chiplock (Part Two) appeared first on oprainfall.

After having reviewed several of KEMCO’s JRPGs, I’ve noticed consistencies regarding most of the releases I’ve played. Strong visuals, from its art to its sprite work, and solid, if at times unduly, familiar combat mechanics. Then there’s a story or set of characters that show great potential, yet through lack of depth or narrative shortcomings, never quite reach their full potential. And repeated missteps, including overused or downright vexing gameplay practices. The outcomes typically result in a satisfactory, yet unextraordinary, overall experience. The pieces are consistently there for something brilliant, and so there’s always hope for a title which can right the wrongs and put all those pieces together. Justice Chronicles is my most recent foray into KEMCO’s continued releases, and I’m once again hoping for a title that leaves a genuine lasting impression, and which can stand out within the JRPG genre.

Justice Chronicles tells the story of an impending all-out war between two societies, the Earth-Surface kingdom of Illumica, and Laft, the Earth-Depths. Illumica concludes that Laft is to blame for a sharp rise in monster activity and the resultant upset of peace in their kingdom, and so plans for war are underway. A scouting party of High-Beast Knights, individuals capable of partnering with and fighting alongside a High-Beast companion, are preliminarily sent to Laft, including our hero, Kline. Kline is kindhearted, if simpleminded, and when he sees a group of Laft citizens, including the young Battle Maiden, Alia, being attacked by a rival clan and a supernatural force, he does not hesitate to intervene. Though he manages to separate himself and Alia from the attacking dark entity, Alia is gravely wounded. He then meets Rooselevy, a Guardian and a similar entity to a High Beast, who offers to save Alia in exchange for a partnership of sorts with Kline. Kline accepts, and soon he and a recovered Alia take their first steps in revealing a dark plot, not by Laft, but by a far more sinister antagonist whose influences reach far wider and deeper than any could imagine.

Justice Chronicles features an overall amusing story, as it possesses enough hints of conflict and mystery to carry the game, with a few twists along the way. And, similar to other KEMCO titles, the story has the makings of something more. However, the potential for anything memorable is either squandered just as soon as it’s presented or never given any proper depth and detail. This, I feel, is due in part to how the story unveils itself. It struggles to establish a coherent flow, for it’s presented more like a collection of subsequent events loosely tied together by sudden, and many times overly convenient, occurrences. For example, Kline finds himself on death’s doorstep, then a pink-haired witch, whom we only see once previously, shows up, half heals him, and also provides the next task for the plot to move forward. There is no build-up, detail, or depth in between. We, the players, are just moved along from one event or request to the next.

Another issue with the story is its pacing, in regards to how conflict, twists, and plot details are presented or resolved. Referring to the above example, once the fetch quest for Kline is finished, and after an explanation, everyone just moves on from it to the next event. The main character was near death, due to his contract with his Guardian Beast, but it’s flatly explained away and resolved, just like that. It’s blunt, curt, and lacks any kind of depth or development, nor any hints at lingering fear, conflict, or buildup for something greater later on. Another example are the revelations around mid-game regarding the Beast Knights and the Sect, their priest counterparts. This revelation should have been built up to make for a major impact, as it pertains to the main antagonist. What should have been a hard-hitting reveal is instead a batch of details and emotionless exposition that’s unloaded before moving on. And this, unfortunately, is the norm. What should be big, poignant moments of conflict, plot twist, betrayal, and grand revelation, are all just as soon resolved, reducing them to brief, passive moments in the plot. Those moments are all there; they’re curious, enticing, and very nearly immersive. Yet, it all amounts to a story effort that only manages to take us on an interest-piquing journey, one full of unrealized potential.

As for its cast, each character has a distinct personality that manages to stand out and individualize them, and for this, I’m impressed. Although their personalities may fall into familiar types, there’s enough within their thoughts, banter, and actions that their individuality is made clear, making for a more memorable cast. Regarding these familiar character types, Kline is very much like Goku from the Dragon Ball franchise, given his simple-mindedness, his over-willingness to always step in and help, and his tendency to ignore risks. Alia is resolute, yet still a teenage girl who can be rough around the edges and a bit innocent with her growing affections. Familiar, yes, yet their personalities do shine through, as there is plenty in the way of interaction. Interactions like the others teasing Alia for her attention towards Kline, or Alia and the others calling out Kline for his lack of caution, as well as his obsession with meal time. Lastly, I am particularly impressed with Fred’s character, who must speak his mind through his High Beast. Fred speaking through an interpreter is a clever idea, as I tended to focus even more on his dialogue and his portrait art to grasp his emotions. Overall, each character is distinct and are given those opportunities for their individual personalities to shine.

Having said all of that, the narrative takes away from these character developing efforts, among other things. Dialogues can be explanatory at times, especially when covering major plot points, and so some of that personality is lost. Had they been presented more as a discussion; shorter lines, questions, interruptions; it would have provided even more opportunity for the characters’ uniqueness to show. Also, regarding narrative, everyone is written in the same exact style, using identical slang like “wanna,” “gonna,” and “yeah.” It makes older characters, as well as the more regal authoritative characters, sound completely off and it breaks immersion. Concerning the main cast, the portrait art definitely helps distinguish exactly who is speaking during the less personal conversations, but this single style of speaking is ultimately unavoidable as you read. It takes minimal effort to alter a character’s diction and sentence structure, and goes a long way to further individualize them. Here, they all speak with the same voice; zero differentiation. Pair this with my previous complaint of how major story points are dumped on you in exposition, and you have a narrative effort that leaves me frustrated.

Leaving its writing behind, Justice Chronicles possesses an adequate gameplay effort, utilizing many commonplace JRPG mechanics. Starting with its strengths, gameplay sports a combat mechanic that is solid and easy to navigate. Combat is your traditional random encounter turn-based affair, in which attacks, magic spells, skills, and items are all selected through menu choices. There are several characters to choose for your three-person team, and each character has their particular strengths and unique skills, so trying different combinations may yield surprising results. Each character can also partner with a Guardian or High Beast, who can grant stat boosts, heal, or attack, and can easily turn the tide of any battle. Regarding magic, any character can equip Meteorites, items that allow the use of particular magic spells; elemental, healing, or stat based; and skill proficiency can be increased through repeated use. With the number of team, Beast, and magic combinations, gameplay gains quite a bit of variety.

Outside of combat, there’s a crafting system which allows for the upgrade of weapons and armor with materials found throughout the adventure. Nothing revolutionary, yet easy to master, crafting becomes a necessity, especially for mid-boss and boss encounters. Also, the game features Help menus which explain nearly every aspect of play, as well as story recaps to keep players informed. Lastly, navigating through every aspect of gameplay is easy, as the designs are clean, clear, and simple to understand.

Unfortunately, there are several flaws in gameplay, which will disrupt both play flow and overall immersion, and I found that many of these shortcomings are quality of life related. Firstly, gameplay possesses an aggravatingly high encounter rate. You cannot go more than ten steps before having an encounter. It completely discourages exploration and slows play. Also, it causes combat to lose its appeal outside of those more intense mid-boss and boss battles. The fast-battle option helps, but is not a fix, nor is the item that temporarily stops all encounters. Retreating is an unreliable option, especially with its chance of failing which occurred too often for me, and even against far weaker foes. Another experience issue is not having any kind of progress indication for spell and skill proficiency, which is unfortunate. As I mentioned, using skills and spells improve proficiency, in turn increasing their power. A visual or numerical indication would have helped, and its absence feels like a lack of developer foresight.

More Justice on page 2 ->

The post REVIEW: Justice Chronicles appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

The 2D side-scrolling action platformer, Dungeon Munchies, just launched for Nintendo Switch yesterday. You’ll be hunting monsters to use as ingredients to help Undead-Chef, Simmer, create delicious dishes to chow down on!

Also available on Switch as of yesterday is the board game collection, Let’s Play! Oink Games. From deep-sea treasure hunts, catching a rogue, recovering astronaut supplies, to startup investing, there are a number of board games to choose from. Furthermore, all of the games can be played in either local or online mode.

Painting adventure, Chicory: A Colorful Tale also landed on the Switch yesterday. This is a game about becoming somebody in a coloring book world. Superstar artist, Chicory, has vanished and along with her so has all the color in the land. You happen to be her biggest fan. So naturally, it’s up to you to take her place by wielding the Brush. You’ll help friends, solve puzzles, explore, and make a difference in the world!

The Switch also gained stealth, puzzle-adventure, Timelie, yesterday. Scroll back and forth through time like you’re watching a video. Foresee the future to break free from the past. Control a young girl who possesses precognitive abilities and a cat at the same time. Timing their actions will be important in helping them progress and ultimately escape from the past.

Coming on December 17th, we have puzzle-platformer, Aspire: Ina’s Tale. One day, Ina awakens to find she’s been sleeping in a strange tower. After awakening, she must begin searching for a way out. As her adventure unfolds, she’ll uncover the reasons for being locked away here, and discover that she can be so much more than her past self. Unfortunately, the closer she gets to escape, the farther she is from innocence.

Current Sales

This Nintendo Download sees a very quiet sales scene. The only thing to talk about is the fact that one item from last week is still ongoing through December 20th. It is none other than the Warner Bros. Games Holly Jolly Sale.

As always, check out Nintendo’s sales page for full details on all current sales.

New eShop Titles

In this Nintendo Download, we have a smaller load of new eShop titles this week:

The most unusual new title of the bunch is Moonbound, which actually just launched on the Nintendo 3DS. Next, let’s move on to the Switch games:

Adventure:

• The Enigma Machine (first-person)

Board Game:

• MONOPOLY Madness

Card-Based:

• Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! (RPG)

Platformer:

• OMNO

Puzzle:

• Circa Infinity Ultimate Edition
• Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzles – Dino Puzzle Game for Kids & Toddlers
• Love Pop!

Retro:

• Arcade Archives DRAGON BUSTER
• Trash Quest (metroidvania)

Shooter:

• RTO 3 (first-person shooter)

Simulation:

• Murder Diaries 3 – Santa’s Trail of Blood

Visual Novel:

• Hashihime of the Old Book Town append
• Sakura Santa

Upcoming Games

The upcoming games section this week is the quietest one we’ve had in a while, with a quartet of new titles:

Launching on December 17th:

• Forgotten Hill Disillusion
• HIM & HER 3

Launching on December 20th:

• Carebotz

Launching on December 22th:

• Gardener’s Path

With that, the third Nintendo Download of December is in the books. The holidays are getting dangerously close now! Take care.

The post Nintendo Download For 12/16/2021 appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

Nintendo’s first highlight this week is Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise. Join the Paradise Planning team in this new paid DLC. You’ll be designing dream vacation homes on an archipelago. What will you create for your clients?

Just Dance 2022 has just arrived on the Nintendo Switch. It brings with it new universes and 40 new music tracks. Dance and have a blast with friends and family.

Where Cards Fall also landed on the Switch eShop today. This puzzle game includes over 50 puzzles. You’ll need to create paths to traverse “dreamlike spatial puzzles”. The goal is to make your way through fears and other feelings starting in high school.

Joining the Switch Library on November 9th is Airborne Kingdom. Help your little kingdom expand. You’ll need to research new buildings and tech while forging alliances with other kingdoms. Manage resources, gather, and complete quests. Maintain balance in your kingdom and make sure the workers remain happy! Can you unite all of the kingdoms under one banner?

DLC

The Animal Crossing: New Horizons free DLC update is here! The plaza gets some new shops and more! Players can also now grow veggies and cook. Gyroids making a comeback, and you can now enact ordinances on your island, too! Brewster is back, running the Roost café upstairs in the museum. Meanwhile, Kapp’n also returns with his boat to take you to new islands. There are still more goodies beyond these, too!

Nintendo Switch Online

The My Nintendo Metroid Dread Sweepstakes is still ongoing until November 8th. Meanwhile, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Winter Sweepstakes is also here, giving you the chance to win a prize pack. You can also use your My Nintendo points to get an Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2021 birthday calendar.

Current Sales

The sales scene has quieted down a tad for this Nintendo Download now that Halloween is behind us. However, a few things from last week are still ongoing. These include the NIS America FALL 2021 Sale, the Capcom Halloween Sale, and the Danganronpa Anniversary Editions + Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp Digital Pre-Order Sale.

The only new item this week is a My Nintendo Gold Points Special Offer. You can earn double gold points when you purchase Pikmin 3 Deluxe from the Switch eShop.

As always, check out Nintendo’s sales page for full details on all current sales.

New eShop Titles

This week, we have another big batch of new eShop games in the Nintendo Download. There is also one 3DS game this time: Soccer Shootout

Action:

• Magic Potion Millionaire
• Occult Interrogation: The ritual of little nightmares

Adventure:

• Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut
• Lone McLonegan: A Western Adventure
• Lucid Cycle
• New York Mysteries: The Lantern of Souls
• Nowhere Girl
• One Last Memory
• Popeye
• Super Sami Roll

Arcade:

• Amazing Breaker
• Archery Club
• Neon Hell
• Pretty Girls Panic! PLUS

Music:

• Composer
• Lyrica2 Stars Align

Platformer:

• A Boy and His Blob
• Demon Turf

Puzzle:

• Captain Backwater
• City Pipes
• Head over Heels

Racing:

• Air Racers
• Bloody Rally Show

Retro:

• Arcade Archives SKY KID (shooter)
• Milli & Greg (challenging platformer)
• Princess.Loot.Pixel.Again (platformer)
• QUByte Classics – The Immortal by PIKO (role-playing)
• Tomb of the Mask (arcade game, escape the labyrinth)

Roguelite:

• Skeletal Avenger

Shooter:

• Galaxy Shooter (top-down shooter)

Upcoming Games

This Nintendo Download has another big batch of games coming over the next week:

Launching on November 5th:

• Air Stunt Racing
• Circa Infinity
• Destructivator SE
• Emergency Driver Simulator
• Encodya
• Fast & Furious: Spy Racers Rise of SH1FT3R
• Om Nom: Run
• Pixel Heroes: Mega Byte & Magic
• Stilstand
• The Gardener and the Wild Vines
• The Prince of Landis

Launching on November 6th:

• .dog

Launching on November 8th:

• Gravity Light

Launching on November 9th:

• BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light
• My Singing Monsters Playground

Launching on November 10th:

• 890B
• GUNKID 99
• Real Farm – Premium Edition

Well, that wraps up the first Nintendo Download of November. Have fun!

The post Nintendo Download For 11/04/2021 appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

Dying Light: Platinum Edition lands on Nintendo Switch on October 19th. Along with it comes 4 DLCs and 17 bundles of skins. Explore a world stricken by a terrible virus as you hone your combat skills. You’ll need to up your game if you want to survive the deadly threats, both living and undead, in this zombie nightmare!

Dive deep in Subnautica + Subnatuica: Below Zero when the bundle releases for Switch on October 14th. Unravel great underwater mysteries on the water world called planet 4546B. Explore lush reefs, caves, volcanoes and who knows what else as you delve ever deeper! Pilot submarines, craft equipment, and beware of hostile life forms, some of which are quite large! Can you survive the dangerous depths of planet 4546B?

Arriving on October 15th is the murder mystery “Debt Repayment RPG”, The Good Life. The Morning Bell newspaper has sent out a request to photographer Naomi Hayward to solve an unfolding mystery in a small English town. She soon discovers a bizarre phenomenon occurring there, as the townspeople turn into cats and dogs at night! Naomi barely gets a chance to start investigating this when a murder takes place. What in the world is going on in Rainy Woods?

The Jackbox Party Pack 8 has just landed on the Switch today. This installment includes five new games and players will not need an extra controller. They’ll play along using their phones or tablets.

DLC

You’re no doubt already aware of the new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter, Sora, that is releasing on the 18th. So Kingdom Hearts meets Smash Bros. in just a few short days. I’m not familiar with the series, but seeing how happy this announcement has made lots of people, I’m happy about it too!

Current Sales

Some things from last week have expired as always, but the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate double gold points offer from My Nintendo is still going until October 24th.

The Jackbox Party Pack 6 is now on sale until October 27th.

Until October 18th, you can get up to 85% off on three games in the Perfect World ‘Big Adventures’ Sale. It includes Hob: The Definitive Edition, Torchlight II, and Torchlight III.

Meanwhile, Tetris Effect: Connected is having a launch sale up until October 21st.

We also have the Ace Attorney 20th Anniversary Sale with savings up to 70% off through October 18th. It features five games on Switch and 3DS.

And lastly, the Children of Morta – New DLC Celebration Sale we covered last week is still ongoing until October 27th.

As always, check out Nintendo’s sales page for full details on all current sales.

New eShop Titles

This week, the Nintendo Download has another big, varied pile of new eShop games:

Action:

• Aeon Must Die!
• Aliens Drive Me Crazy
• Robot Car War: Transform Battle Machines
• Waifu Discovered 2: Medieval Fantasy

Adventure:

• Evil Tonight (like survival action adventures of old)
• Inspector Waffles
• LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

Arcade:

• Star Drives

Casual:

• My Little Ramenbar

Horror:

• Damn Dolls (first-person)

Party:

• Bonito Days
• Fight of Animals: Arena

Platformer:

• The Bear And The Admiral

Point and Click:

• The Sundew

Puzzle:

• Hextones
• Sweets Swap Classic
• Zumania – Magic Casual Puzzle

Retro:

• Arcade Archives The Genji and the Heike Clans (action)
• Mon Amour
• Nira (procedurally generated crafting/survival)
• Red Ronin (turn-based dash ‘n slash)

Roguelike:

• Ruin Raiders

RPG:

• DUNGEON ENCOUNTERS
• Mercenaries Series Bundle

Sports:

• A Little Golf Journey
• Driving World: Italian Job
• Slice of Life

Turn-based Strategy:

• Tears of Avia

Visual Novels:

• Henchman Story

Upcoming Games

In this Nintendo Download, we have a bunch of upcoming games to look at this week, so here we go:

Launching on October 15th:

• Ancient Stories: Gods of Egypt
• Gleylancer
• Puzzle 9
• Wild & Horror Pinball

Launching on October 16th:

• Extreme Race – Available on Oct. 16

Launching on October 19th:

• Angry Alligator – Available on Oct. 19
• Duo Zombies – Available on Oct. 19
• Regency Solitaire – Available on Oct. 19
• The Caligula Effect 2 – Available on Oct. 19
• Youtubers Life 2 – Available on Oct. 19

Launching on October 20th:

• BATS: Bloodsucker Anti-Terror Squad – Available on Oct. 20
• Sheepo – Available on Oct. 20
• Spectacular Sparky – Available on Oct. 20

Well, that wraps up another Nintendo Download. Until next time, have fun out there!

The post Nintendo Download For 10/14/2021 appeared first on oprainfall.

We also have a couple of quick pieces of extra news this week. A free demo is now available for World’s End Club. Furthermore, Nintendo has also added new My Nintendo Rewards themed after New Pokémon Snap.

Featured Games

Before we get started with the featured games of this Nintendo Download, it should be noted that there is currently an offer on the eShop that lets you save $10 if you get both of the Famicom Detective Club games.

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind ($34.99)

“Put on your detective hat and leave no stone unturned on your path to the truth! Originally released for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan, the Famicom Detective Club series is finally available with English text for the first time. Plus, if you purchase one of the Famicom Detective Club games in Nintendo eShop, you can get $10 off the other. In Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind, night has fallen over Ushimitsu High School. After a student loses her life while investigating the story of a bloody ghost that haunts the school, it’s up to you to discover the truth behind the murder and the ghastly rumor of “the girl who stands behind.” Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind will be available May 14.”

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir ($34.99)

“The wind whistles through the lush Japanese countryside. A man named Amachi finds you unconscious and stricken with amnesia. After you awaken, you eventually learn that you are a detective working to solve a murder involving the wealthy Ayashiro family. Gather your wits and work to uncover the culprit and your past before tragedy can strike again in this harrowing investigation. Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir will be available May 14.”

Subnautica ($26.99 | $29.99)

“Descend into the depths of an alien underwater world filled with wonder and peril. Scavenge, craft and survive in a massive, open world full of wonder and peril. What happened to this planet? What is infecting the sea life? Who built the mysterious structures scattered around the ocean? Subnautica will be available May 14.”

Subnautica: Below Zero ($26.99 | $29.99)

“The next chapter in the Subnautica universe submerges you in a new, sub-zero expedition in an arctic region of Planet 4546B. Arriving with little more than your wits and some survival equipment, you set out to investigate what happened to your sister. Construct habitats and vehicles, research alien lifeforms and uncover the truth. Subnautica: Below Zero will be available May 14.”

Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield ($11.99)

“Survive a futuristic Tokyo-style Detroit in this 3D runner that tells the story of Wally, who has uncovered the evidence that can change his city forever. Explore a game world with a dope-tastic soundtrack featuring the authentic sounds of Detroit artists. Run, jump, slide or dash for acrobatic variants leading to dope combinations and avoid the challenges that await. Play the free demo today before the launch of Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield on May 19.”

Current Sales

The sales scene has quieted down just a bit since last week’s Nintendo Download. The deal that lets you save $20 on four select Switch games is ending today at Walmart.com and tomorrow at Best Buy. It includes these titles:

• Fire Emblem: Three Houses
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Some other small events we covered last week or in previous weeks are also still ongoing, including the Capcom Arcade Stadium: Ghosts ‘n Goblins DLC Sale, the Amnesia: Collection Spring Sale, and the discount deal you get if you buy both of the Famicom Detective Club games (already linked above).

Among Us went on sale this week, and will be until May 16th at 11:59pm PT. There is also a 25% discount on HITMAN 3 through May 24th at 11:59pm PT.

The Ace Attorney Franchise Sale is running until May 18th at 11:59pm PT.

• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy ($19.99 | $29.99)
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (3DS) ($11.99 | $29.99)
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies (3DS) ($8.99 | $29.99)
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice (3DS) ($11.99 | $29.99)

There is also the AniMAY Sale lasting through May 26th at 11:59pm PT. Here are many of the titles included:

• Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions ($29.99 | $59.99)
• Digimon Story Cyber Slueth: Complete Edition ($19.99 | $49.99)

• DRAGON BALL FighterZ ($9.59 | $59.99)
• DRAGON BALL Xenoverse 2 ($9.99 | $49.99)
• SUPER DRAGON BALL HEROES World Mission ($8.99 | $59.99)

• GOD EATER 3 ($14.99 | $59.99)
• JUMP FORCE – Deluxe Edition ($24.99 | $49.99)

• MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE ($14.99 | $59.99)
• MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2 ($23.99 | $59.99)

• NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM ($5.99 | $19.99)
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 ($5.99 | $19.99)
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 3 Full Burst ($5.99 | $19.99)
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 ROAD TO BORUTO ($24.99 | $49.99)

• ONE PIECE Pirate Warriors 3 Deluxe Edition ($7.99 | $39.99)
• ONE PIECE Pirate Warriors 4 ($23.99 | $59.99)
• ONE PIECE: Unlimited World Red Deluxe Edition ($7.99 | $39.99)

• SWORD ART ONLINE: Hollow Realization Deluxe Edition ($9.99 | $49.99)
• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition ($12.49 | $49.99)

Check out Nintendo’s sales page for full details on everything.

New eShop Titles

You’re probably noticing this area of the Nintendo Download looks rather a bit different this time. I needed to save some time, so I simplified things a bit.

Adventure

• Karma. Incarnation 1 ($11.99)
• Rabisco+ ($4.99)

Arcade

• Bounce Mania ($3.99)

Difficult

• Rift Raccoon ($3.99 | $4.99) – Precision platforming

FPS

• Connection reHaunted ($3.99 | $6.66)
• Exodemon ($9.74 | $12.99)

Puzzle

• #1 Anagrams ($3.99)
• #Wish travel, Super Puzzles Dream ($1.99 | $5.99)
• Fantasy Checkers ($4.99 | $7.99)
• KASIORI ($7.00)
• Solitaire Card Games ($5.99)
• Tested on Humans: Escape Room ($7.99 | $9.99)

Space Sim

• Space Commander: War and Trade ($7.99 | $9.99)

Strategy (real-time)

• Death Crown ($12.99)

Strategy (RPG)

• Rise Eterna ($17.99 | $19.99)

Sports

• INSTANT SPORTS TENNIS ($24.99)

Misc.

• Calculator ($9.99)
• Super Shape Shooter ($5.99)
• Taxi Driver – The Simulation ($14.99)

Upcoming Games

In the upcoming games section of this Nintendo Download we have two groups. One is all games launching on May 15th, while the other comes a few days later. In the first group is a cartoony, short, real-time combat, Collect-A-Thon called PROJECT : KNIGHT ($3.24 | $4.99), and the unique racing game Turbo Skiddy Racing ($4.99).

Coming on May 18th, we have the the rhythm game Arcaea ($39.99), hardcore rogue-like shmup Jetboard Joust ($9.99), and next-gen off-road experience SnowRunner ($39.99).

That wraps up another Nintendo Download. Have fun until next week!

The post Nintendo Download for 5/13/2021 appeared first on oprainfall.

Playasia is having a Spring Sale. All descriptions are copied from the Playasia site. Links are affiliate.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars – Switch – $69.99

Play three of Mario’s greatest 3D platform adventures—all in one package!

Play three classic games at home or on the go—all in one package on the Nintendo Switch system! Jump into paintings in Super Mario 64, clean up paint-like goop in Super Mario Sunshine, and fly from planet to planet in Super Mario Galaxy.

Run, jump, and dive with ease!

Make Mario move using the Nintendo Switch system’s Joy-Con controllers. You can also pass a Joy-Con controller to a friend to play the Super Mario Galaxy game in Co-Star Mode! Mario’s movements are as smooth as ever with HD resolution for each game, while still retaining the look and feel of the originals.

Listen to timeless Super Mario tunes

Listen to a total of 175 iconic tunes from all three games! Whether you want to get up and dance or take a minute to relax—this collection has music to fit your mood!

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (Definitive Works Set)$112.99 – Switch

Discover the origins of Shulk as he and his companions clash against a seemingly-unstoppable mechanical menace. Wield a future-seeing blade, chain together attacks, and carefully position your party members in strategic, real-time combat as you journey across a massive world.The Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected takes place after the main story and delves deeper into the relationship between Shulk and Melia in the face of a mysterious new threat.

Whether you’re a seasoned Monado wielder or brand new to the world of the Bionis, the updates and additions in this already-epic adventure make it even easier to dive into the story, combat, and environments that the Xenoblade Chronicles series is known for. Get immersed in the emotional story with updated graphics, listen to over 90 remixed or remastered music tracks, and track quests more easily with the additions and improvements in this definitive edition.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (Definitive Works Set) includes:

– Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Game
– 250-Page Premium hardbound Artbook with slipcase

Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World – $21.99 – Switch

Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World set in the Atelier universe celebrates the series’ 20th Anniversary; allowing players to experience the beloved series’ characters with an exciting new town building focus.

Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World puts players in the shoes of Nelke von Lestamm, a young noblewoman who has always been fascinated by the ancient legend of the Sage of Granzweit; a tale of the Granzweit Tree which is said to bestow great power upon those who discover it. As she grew up and learned her skills were not in alchemy, she studied hard to become a government official and help those around her. The day Nelke is set to graduate the academy, however, her life changes forever as she hears a rumor that the tree can be found within her father’s lands near the small village of Westwald. Her father grants her permission to search for it on one condition – that she becomes governor of the area and develops Westwald into a prosperous city.

As players work hard to build Westwald up from a quaint village to a flourishing city, they will require the aid of the many alchemists that settle in the town. Nelke and the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World features famous alchemists from previous entries across the Atelier series, including those from the Salburg, Arland, Dusk, and Mysterious trilogies.

Dragon’s Crown Pro [Battle-Hardened Edition] – $29.99 – PS4

Features

• With the fun local couch co-op and online multiplayer you remember, up to four players can experience countless hours battling together
• With beautifully refined artwork and 4K resolution support, Vanillaware’s signature art style will come alive as you bludgeon, cleave, shoot, and loot through the dungeons of Hydeland
• A newly recorded soundtrack by fabled composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, supported by a live orchestra, will accompany daring treasure hunters on their search for the Dragon’s Crown
• Rejoice because English and Japanese audio options will now be available! Plus, game text will be localized in French, Italian, German, and Spanish
• If you already own Dragon’s Crown , your saves won’t go to waste. There will be online cross-play & cross-save compatibility with existing PS3 and Vita versions
• All patches, features, and the Storyteller Voice Pack DLC from the original game will be included

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D – $34.99 – 3DS

How does one introduce a game with such enormous influence like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask? Remembered fondly by an entire generation of gamers as a title that epitomizes gameplay and storytelling innovation, it seemed like Nintendo were simply too scared to touch their beloved masterpiece despite fans’ begging – until now!

What makes Majora’s Mask stand head and shoulders above the competition is the unique nature of the story. The Legend of Zelda series is not exactly known for having dark and haunting themes but Majora’s Mask destroyed the mold, adding incredible depth, not only to the single title, but to the series as a whole.

Relive Link’s epic journey as he was dragged by a masked Skull Kid to the doomed land of Termina where the moon is falling from the sky within 72 hours, threatening to crush the land. Darkness is approaching yet Termina is still lucky to have Link who has the power to reverse time in limitless ways. With the use of more than 20 powerful masks, players can solve elaborate puzzles, conquer dungeons, battle giant bosses, and ultimately save the land from the imminent destruction they are fated to be in. Explore the depths of Termina’s waters as you catch monstrous creatures in the game’s new fishing feature. Be Termina’s ultimate hero and fight difficult boss battles as you go on with your journey.

Enjoy Link’s adventures in a whole new way as the game maximizes the capabilities of handheld consoles featuring the use of touch screen controls, gyroscopic features which detects movement when turning, and enhanced stereoscopic 3D graphics which gives better illusion of depth to players. Playable for both 2DS and 3DS consoles as more special features will be coming on upgraded handhelds.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin [Divine Edition] – $67.99 – Switch

Features

• Refined Side-scrolling Platform Action – Using farm tools as weapons, chain together quick, heavy, and special attacks to take down demonic beasts, while mastering the magical “divine raiment” will be essential to grapple distant platforms, evade danger, and overcome powerful enemies
• Detailed 3D Simulation-style Gameplay – Learn the ancient art of agriculture by following detailed steps from planting to harvesting to cultivate the perfect crop. As a harvest goddess, Sakuna’s strength grows with each successful rice crop, with attributes such as aesthetic and flavor directly correlating to her combat abilities
• Creating a Home in the Wilderness – Sakuna’s mortal companions make weapons, armor, and meals for her using the materials and ingredients she gathers on her adventures, and completing quests for them will unlock even more options
• A Fresh Take on Japanese Mythology – The heroine is part of a pantheon of gods and demons inspired by traditional Japanese mythology but featuring many unique twists. The story and world are filled with lovingly rendered details, some familiar and some completely original

Soul Sacrifice – $29.99 – PS Vita

Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster – $29.99 – Switch

FINAL FANTASY X tells the story of a star blitzball player, Tidus, who journeys with a young and beautiful summoner named Yuna on her quest to save the world of Spira from an endless cycle of destruction wrought by the colossal menace Sin.

FINAL FANTASY X-2 returns to the world of Spira two years after the beginning of the Eternal Calm. Having been shown a mysterious but familiar image in a sphere, Yuna becomes a Sphere Hunter and along with her companions, Rikku and Paine embark on a quest around the world to find the answers to the mystery within.

Two of the greatest RPGs of their generation have been completely remastered to match modern standards, and FINAL FANTASY X | X-2 HD Remaster is the perfect way to experience both of these titles one after the other.

The post Playasia Spring Sale appeared first on oprainfall.

This week’s Nintendo Download has four featured games, from plant and zombie warfare, to farming, and more. We also have a couple of new sales to check out.

Featured Games

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville Complete ($39.99) has arrived on the Nintendo Switch. Crazy missions and epic boss battles await you in locales like the Neighborhood Town Center, Wierding Woods and Mount Steep. Collect medals, unlock new outfits, and kick butt both online and off.

STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town ($49.99) is coming out on March 23rd. Your grandfather and his friends established a peaceful community called Olive Town. Now it’s time for you to continue the legacy he left behind. Build relationships with others in town, farm crops and raise animals. Improve the town along the way by collecting materials for requests. The future of this community is in your hands.

Launching on March 23rd, Overcooked! All You Can Eat ($39.99) includes all content from Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2. The game also features new content to chew on, improved graphics, and online multiplayer for the first time in the series. The new content includes new levels and chefs.

Five-part episodic series, Tales from the Borderlands ($24.99), is also launching on March 23rd. It takes place after the events of Borderlands 2 but before those of Borderlands 3. The choice driven, narrative adventure starts out as a quest of greed, but the main characters soon find themselves on a different path. Your choices have consequences, so make them wisely. This release includes all five episodes.

DLC

In celebration of its first anniversary, a free new update has just dropped for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It adds support for the Sanrio amiibo cards that are being released in the west for the first time. Furthermore, it adds a 1st Anniversary Cake item, various new seasonal items, and some updates for your NookPhone. You can find out more about it from our coverage in this article.

Current Sales

There are a couple of new sales in this week’s Nintendo Download. The Square Enix Spring Sale we looked at last week is still ongoing until March 24th at 8:59am PT.

Secondly, Nintendo has two new offers. The first is going on at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop until the 20th (except for Best Buy, which ends on the 21st). This offer nets you a $20 retailer gift card when you purchase select Switch Lite systems. The second offer is entirely unrelated. When you buy Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind, a discount will be applied to the second game (Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir) during checkout.

We also have two major sales today. The first one is the Capcom Publisher Sale, which runs until March 31st at 11:59am PT. In addition to a number of switch games, including the highlights listed below, it also includes some 3DS games from franchises like Mega Man and Monster Hunter.

• Devil May Cry 1 ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Devil May Cry 2 ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition ($11.99 | $19.99)

• Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen ($14.99 | $29.99)

• Mega Man 11 ($14.99 | $29.99)
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 ($9.99 | $14.99)
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection ($19.79 | $29.99)

• Okami HD ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Onimusha: Warlords ($7.99 | $19.99)
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy ($14.99 | $29.99)
• Resident Evil 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, Revelations, and Revelations 2
• Shinsekai Into the Depths ($14.99 | $19.99)
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection ($14.99 | $29.99)

We also have the Ubisoft Spring Savings Publisher Sale, which ends on March 31st at 11:59pm PT. This one includes 23 Nintendo Switch games. Here are some of the highlights:

• Assassin’s Creed III: Remastered ($15.99 | $39.99)
• Assassin’s Creed The Rebel Collection ($19.99 | $39.99)

• Child of Light: Ultimate Edition ($4.99 | $19.99)
• Immortals Fenyx Rising ($29.99 | $59.99)
• Just Dance 2020 ($19.99 | $39.99)

• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($14.99 | $59.99)
• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Gold Edition ($19.99 | $79.99)

• Rayman Legends Definitive Edition ($9.99 | $39.99)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition ($11.99 | $14.99)

• South Park: The Fractured But Whole – Standard Edition ($14.99 | $59.99)
• South Park: The Stick of Truth ($11.99 | $29.99)

• Starlink: Battle for Atlas Digital and Deluxe Editions

Check out Nintendo’s sales page for full details on everything.

New eShop Titles

We’ll start the new eShop titles section of this Nintendo Download with a dash of retro shmup action.

Arcade Archives THUNDER DRAGON	Price: $7.99	Size: 45.00 MB	Launch Date: Mar. 11, 2021
Released by NMK back in 1991, this shmup sees you pilot a manned combat chopper, the “Thunder Dragon.” Your mission is to stop a team of mad scientists who now control a powerful, automated weapon. Developer: HAMSTER

Need a good indie game to enjoy for a while? Well there are two of them in this Nintendo Download:

For those who love visual novels, we have three of them today!

Fantasy Tavern Sextet -Vol.3 Postlude Days-	Price: $7.99	Size: 824.00 MB	Launch Date: Mar. 18, 2021
The final volume of the fantasy tavern, harem rom-com has arrived. The romantic comedy adventure is in its final stages, with much time passed since the story started. Now Anzu, the top maid from the cafe the hero worked at in his homeworld suddenly storms into the tavern. “I’m here to inspect hostile activities!” she cries. What is going on here? You’ll have to find out in-game. Developer: qureate

Upcoming Games

The upcoming section of this Nintendo Download has three games from grid-based dungeon crawling, to horror mystery, to tank warfare.

Tank Battle Heroes	Price: $5.59 | $7.99	Size: 208.00 MB	Launch Date: Mar. 23, 2021
Hop in a tank and take command in multiplayer tank battles! Select a tank, upgrade your weapon, and get ready for war. There are 3 unique battlefields, 120 single player stages, online leaderboards, and more. Developer: T-Bull

And that finishes up this Nintendo Download.  See you next time!

The post Nintendo Download for 3/18/2021 appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

Blue Fire ($17.99 | $19.99) sees you venture into the haunting, fallen world of Penumbra, a land filled with sharp 3D platforming challenges, quests, collectibles, and a diverse selection of foes and bosses to slash to bits. Penumbra is a long-forgotten world whose hidden secrets are waiting to be discovered. You’ll find survivors, valuable items, mystical temples, and more. You’ll need to upgrade your equipment, unlock new abilities, and collect special amulets to grow into a stronger fighter if you are to defeat the challenges that lie ahead. You’ll also discover void entrances throughout the land of Penumbra, which lead to abstract platforming challenges in a lost world called The Void.

Today’s second featured game is Haven ($24.99), which is about a pair of lovers who dropped everything and fled their previous life, going to a lost planet to be together. Yu and Kay must now settle into their new home world in this RPG adventure. Seek out parts and materials to fix your ship and transform it into a much comfier home. Cook meals and craft when not out collecting resources, and battle those that wish to tear you apart. Timing and rhythm are important in combat to synchronize actions. Help Yu and Kay keep their relationship alive while surviving on this unknown world.

Current Sales

Nintendo’s sales page is a little more active this week in the Nintendo Download. The Dead Cells 50% off sale from last week is still going until February 10th. We also have two larger events going on at the moment.

The first one is the 2X Gold Points Event, which allows you to earn double the normal amount of My Nintendo Gold Points you would normally get when purchasing games in the eShop. This event lasts until February 28th at 11:59pm PT. When you purchase any of the six specific games in this event, you’ll get 600 My Nintendo Gold Points. The eligible games are:

• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
• Paper Mario: The Origami King
• Super Mario Odyseey
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The second sales event happening now on the Nintendo Switch eShop, is the Mega Man Franchise Sale, which runs until February 11th at 11:59pm PT. This sale has six game collections discounted up to 50% off, which are the following:

• Mega Man Legacy Collection ($9.99 | $14.99)
• Mega Man Legacy Collection (3DS) ($5.99 | $14.99)
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection ($19.79 | $29.99)

New eShop Titles

We have a handful of retro titles in the Nintendo Download today, some of which are collections.

Arcade Archives HALLEY’S COMET	Price: $7.99	Size: 39.00 MB	Launch Date: Jan. 28, 2021
This retro shooter was released by TAITO back in 1986. Pilot your ship to save the solar system! Take down enemies from Halley’s Comet as you blast your way to victory. You can also blow up space rocks to get parts to power up your ship and make it a more formidible threat to anyone who gets in its way. Developer: HAMSTER

Glittering Sword	Price: $4.99	Size: 146.00 MB	Launch Date: Feb. 05, 2021
“Fantasy adventure set in a cozy world with Sokoban-style puzzles”. Switches, portals, traps, and enemies are everywhere, and you’ll need to learn the correct order of completing things. As you progress, the game gets tougher and traps deadlier. This game is inspired by many classic adventures of the retro era. Developer: ChiliDog Interactive

G-MODE Archives29 ZANAC	Price: $4.99	Size: 119.00 MB	Launch Date: Jan. 28, 2021
This retro shooting game was released in 1986. This version is a recreation of the original game, including its hidden elements. It has gotten some changes to make it easier to play. There are two modes, “Arrange” mode, and “Original” mode. “Arrange” mode is more intense and smoother, while “Original” mode lets you enjoy the old-school graphics with no smoothing. Developer: G-MODE

Turrican Flashback	Price: $29.99	Size: 52.00 MB	Launch Date: Jan. 29, 2021
This collection includes four classic action games with huge levels, improved controls, and great music. The Turrican series was a beloved action franchise because of its giant boss battles, huge levels, and unforgettable soundtrack. This collection includes: Turrican Turrican II Mega Turrican Super Turrican Developer: Ratalaika Games, Factor 5

If you like dungeon crawlers, this might be right up your alley.

If you love indie games, this collection contains a trio of them that might interest you.

Digerati Best Sellers	Price: $12.99 | $51.97	Size: 4.30 GB	Launch Date: Feb. 04, 2021
This collection brings you three Digerati hits in one package. They include the following: Slain: Back From Hell Snakeybus Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition. Developer: Digerati

For a spooky atmosphere to get you on the edge of your seat, this Nintendo Download has a couple options to offer:

Conarium	Price: $19.99	Size: 4.00 GB	Launch Date: Feb. 04, 2021
Dive into a deep, suspense filled Lovecraftian adventure full of secrets and Easter eggs. The story follows four scientists as they challenge the limits of nature, and has multiple endings to uncover. The game is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s novella At the Mountains of Madness. Developer: Iceberg Interactive

Silver Chains	Price: $24.99	Size: 1.40 GB	Launch Date: Jan. 29, 2021
Peter awakens at an abandoned mansion in England after his car crashed into a tree on a stormy night. He has no recollection of how or why he ended up here. As he tries to find a way out of this place, he will uncover the mansion’s hidden secrets and come to realize that he is not alone. He also soon discovers that he has been here before. As he starts putting the pieces together, things take a sinister turn when he finds out he is being hunted by something dark. Developer: Cracked Heads Games

Don’t feel like parting with any hard-earned money right now? Well that’s ok, because we have a pair of free-to-play titles in this Nintendo Download:

Lost Lands: Dark Overlord (free to play)	Price: $0	Size: 1.40 GB	Launch Date: Jan. 28, 2021
After returning from answering the darn phone, Susan sees something pull Jason (her son) into a portal! She was unable to pull him back before it vanished. Now she must find some way to enter an unknown world full of magic to discover who kidnapped him and why! Developer: FIVE-BN STUDIO

Finally, there are three more games to take a quick look at before we get to the upcoming titles. This last trio ranges from stealth adventure to simulation and station management.

Byakko-tai Samurai Boys	Price: $19.99	Size: 370.00 MB	Launch Date: Feb. 04, 2021
Shikame Chisato went to the Hanko Nisshinkan School. Her older brother is a swordplay instructor surrogate. Her childhood friend, Minoji Sakai, also went to this school. The trouble is, women are generally not allowed to attend it, so Minoji was worried about her! Developer: OperaHouse

Station Manager	Price: $14.00	Size: 197.00 MB	Launch Date: Feb. 04, 2021
Build the greatest train station the world has ever seen! Customize it with various facilities and trains, as well as info boards, vending machines, benches, and more to keep your passengers comfortable. Create new trains for tourism, business, and more by combining different carriages. Developer: Kairosoft

Upcoming Games

We have three upcoming games to check out in the Nintendo Download this time around, from fighting, to fantasy role-playing, to arcade shooting action.

Urban Street Fighting	Price: $7.99	Size: 413.00 MB	Launch Date: Feb. 06, 2021
Battle it out with six characters across five stages in this hardcore beat ’em up. Take down your foes and enjoy 180 animations, realistic sound effects, and optional music. You can also take on a friend in 2-player mode. Developer: Benoit Varasse

Hexagon Defense	Price: $3.19 | $3.99	Size: 221.00 MB	Launch Date: Feb. 09, 2021
Rotate and shoot incoming foes by controlling your hexagonal weapon setup in this unique arcade shooter. Projectiles are launched out of two opposite sides of the hexagon to blast down approaching enemies. The game features over 20 buffs, items, and skins. Oddly the store page says it doesn’t support TV play, though. Developer: Nether Yoshi Studio

That wraps up this Nintendo Download. Take care and see you next week!

The post Nintendo Download for 2/04/2021 appeared first on oprainfall.

Current Sales

In the sales scene this week, there isn’t really anything new to cover in the Nintendo Download, as many of the big sales we looked at last week are still going. However, time is running out since many of them are ending tonight, or in the coming days. Here is a list of the sales that are still running, ordered by how soon they end:

As always, you can also find random small deals scattered around throughout the Nintendo Switch eShop.

New eShop Titles

The Nintendo Download has a varied group of new games this week. We’ll start off with something a little different this time.

For those who love some retro action, we have a couple of options that might float your boat today:

Arcade Archives GRADIUS III	Price: $7.99	Size: 84.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 24, 2020
This scrolling shooter was originally released back in 1989 by Konami. I remember playing it a lot on my SNES back in the day. Planet Gradius has gone from legend to myth, and its up to you to take on the Bacterion Empire. This version of the game features a new Edit Mode, which allows you to customize your equipment! Developer: HAMSTER

Pixel Game Maker Series DUNGEON OF NAZARICK	Price: $14.99	Size: 96.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 28, 2020
This classic-style action game is based on the dark fantasy world of Overlord III. It was created using Pixel Game Maker MV. A mysterious tomb has been discovered near the edges of the Kingdom of Re-Estize. You are a common adventurer who has dared to take on a great reward so that you can be the one to investigate it. Though you’ve taken care to prepare well and approach it with an abundance of caution, it turns out this is “just the beginning of a despair from which only death would save you…” Developer: Gotcha Gotcha Games

Next up, we have some adventures, including a musical journey combining exploration with rhythm games.

Cave Digger	Price: $14.9	Size: 429.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 28, 2020
This one is a mining adventure game set in a small town nestled in a mysterious alternative Western universe. Break the bedrock with all your might, and trade the fruits of your labors to get new gadgets. Fix the train to access the mine and delve deeper than any miner has gone before! Developer: Mekiwi

There is also a new visual novel to look at today:

Lily of the Hollow – Resurrection	Price: $5.59 | $6.99	Size: 1.20 GB	Launch Date: Dec. 28, 2020
In this visual novel, it’s early winter when Red, a bodyguard, is tasked with with protecting the young noble, Claudia. She is going to the Post of the Lily near the northern border, where they meet sevants Ling and Karl, as well as Patra the post master and a wierd poet named Frank. As time marches on, the group get to know each other a bit better, but there is a strange feeling in the air. Enjoy 100,000 words of romantic adventure as you uncover an interwoven destiny. Developer: Navila Software Japan

We also have one simulation game in the Nintendo Download this week, dealing with virus outbreaks.

For those of you with little kids, there is a new free download that they might enjoy:

Comic Coloring Book	Price: $0	Size: 122.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 28, 2020
This free app is great for those with little kids. Coloring books have been around for a long time. They help kids develop knowledge of colors and shapes, as well as hone their motor skills. They can also teach the persistence needed to finish a drawing, and eventually the entire book. This game includes three unique stories, that are made up of four drawings each. Developer: RedDeerGames

Last but not least, this section is rounded out with a lone 3DS release today:

Harold’s Walk	Price: $3.99	Size: 465.00 BL	Launch Date: Dec. 28, 2020
Explore 3D worlds to discover the secrets that hide within. Utilize Harold’s special abilities to reach new areas in each level, and find hidden objects. Can you find all of the secrets in this adventure platformer? Developer: Lukewasthefish

Upcoming Games

This week’s Nintendo Download has a pair of upcoming titles to check out, including racing and logic puzzling.

Speed Truck Racing	Price: $9.99	Size: 578.00 MB	Launch Date: Jan. 01, 2021
Race at 150 MPH against 14 different adversaries while avoiding crashes! The game features different modes including Championship, Arcade, and 4-player multiplayer action. There is also an online ranking system allowing you to compare your best times to those of both your friends and players around the world. Developer: Super PowerUp Games

Well that does it for both the final Nintendo Download of 2020, and the year itself! Happy New Year everyone, and take care! Hopefully 2021 will be a better year.

The post Nintendo Download for 12/31/2020 appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

Our lone featured title this week is the relaxing strategy card game, Wingspan ($19.99). One to five players can compete, with the goal of discovering and attracting the best birds to their nature preserves. The game’s 170 unique birds have powers that are pulled from real life, and they have real-life sound recordings to go along with their animations. Wingspan is based on the “award winning, competitive, medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building board game”. It won the Kennerspiel des Jahres board game award in 2019.

DLC
As you’re likely already aware, Sephiroth has officially joined Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a couple of days ago. Many of you probably already had him unlocked via the special in-game challenge that was temporarily available on the main menu. I’m not going to go into any depth on this DLC since we covered it last week, though.

Current Sales

We have some big and small sales this week. We’ll skip the Bandai Namco Winter Meltdown sale, since we covered that in the previous Nintendo Download last week. The same is true for the Grindstone launch discount, and FUSER sales. We have too much new stuff to look at this week so lets get into it.

First up, we have the Indie World Holiday Sale, which runs until 8:59am PT on January 2nd, 2021. Several of these sales today have far to much to cover in any detail, so we’ll just have a few highlights from each. You can check out the full lists at the bolded “sales this week” link at the start of this section. This indie sale features 30 titles in all, including:

• Cuphead ($13.99 | $19.99)
• Forager ($13.99 | $19.99)
• Hades ($19.99 | $24.99)
• Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove ($24.99 | $39.99)
• Spiritfarer ($22.49 | $29.99)
• SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech ($12.49 | $24.99)
• Super Meat Boy ($5.99 | $14.99)
• Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] ($27.99 | $39.99)
• Unrailed! ($9.99 | $19.99)

The next big sale this week is the NIS America New Year 2021 Sale, which runs until 11:59pm PT on January 10th, 2021. This sale spans 25 titles in all, including but not limited to:

• Destiny Connect: Tick-Tock Travelers ($13.99 | $39.99)
• Disgaea 1 Complete ($19.99 | $49.99)
• Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory ($13.99 | $39.99)
• Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk ($19.99 | $49.99)
• Langrisser I & II ($29.99 | $49.99)
• RPG Maker Fes (3DS) ($9.99 | $29.99)
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III ($39.99 | $59.99)
• Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA ($23.99 | $59.99)

Our third holiday sale to check out is the Capcom Games Sale, with savings up to 75% off. This one runs until 11:59pm PT on January 4th, 2021. It has 35 games in all, including a few 3DS games. Here are just a few:

• Devil May Cry 1, 2, and 3 Special Edition
• Okami HD ($9.99 | $19.99)
• Mega Man 11 ($14.99 | $29.99)
• Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 and 2
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection ($19.79 | $29.99)
• Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate ($15.99 | $39.99)
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy ($14.99 | $29.99)
• Resident Evil 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, Relevations, and Revelations 2
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection ($14.99 | $29.99)

We also have the Ubisoft Holiday Sale running until 11:59pm PT on December 31st. This one contains 22 titles in all, including names like:

• Assassin’s Creed III: Remastered ($15.99 | $39.99)
• Assassin’s Creed The Rebel Collection ($19.99 | $39.99)
• Immortals Fenyx Rising ($39.99 | $59.99)
• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($14.99 | $59.99)
• Rayman Legends Definitive Edition ($9.99 | $39.99)
• South Park: The Fractured But Whole – Standard Edition ($14.99 | $59.99)
• South Park: The Stick of Truth ($11.99 | $29.99)
• Starlink: Battle for Atlas Digital and Deluxe Editions

Here we are at the final big new sale today, and it is the EA Independent Holiday Sale, which runs until 8:59am PT on January 4th, 2021. This sale contains a whopping five games.

• Burnout Paradise Remastered ($24.99 | $49.99)
• Fe ($4.99 | $19.99)
• Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered ($19.99 | $39.99)
• Unravel Two ($4.99 | $19.99)

That rounds out the unusually long sales section in this Nintendo Download.

New eShop Titles

If you like retro stuff, you’ve got a bunch to look at today.

BIT.TRIP BEAT BIT.TRIP CORE BIT.TRIP FATE BIT.TRIP FLUX BIT.TRIP RUNNER BIT.TRIP VOID	Price: $4.99	Size: 244.00 MB 174.00 MB 197.00 MB 183.00 MB 225.00 MB 172.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 25, 2020
A group of six BIT.TRIP games landed on the Nintendo Switch eShop today. They are all at the same price tag of $4.99. Join CommanderVideo on his musical and retro styled quest anywhere and anytime you please on your Switch. Developer: QubicGames

Arcade Archives VS. TENNIS	Price: $7.99	Size: 39.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 18, 2020
This retro sports game was released way back in 1984 by Nintendo. Play with up to four players in singles or doubles play. There are two different types of hitting balls, which are shots and lobs. Using them effectively is the key to winning. Developer: HAMSTER

Elliot	Price: $4.99 | $9.99	Size: 1.40 GB	Launch Date: Dec. 24, 2020
At first glance, this does not look too retro, but it is a 16-bit platformer inspired by the classics of that era. While it looks quite colorful, don’t judge a book by its cover, as there is a bit of hardcore beneath its exterior. This seemingly very casual looking game is really “technicolor hell!” Developer: JanduSoft

Next up we have a dose of old school beat ’em up re-imagined.

If you like Indiana Jones style adventure, we have some whip swinging, puzzle solving adventure action.

We also have a dash of FPS horror in this Nintendo Download.

The Last Dead End	Price: $4.99 | $9.99	Size: 8.40 GB	Launch Date: Dec. 24, 2020
Step into the shoes of a young scientist named Farhad Novruzov. He had just returned to his homeland to help with the creation of a documentary for an international TV channel. However, he soon finds himself faced with strange events that are somehow connected to the ancient religion known as Zoroastrianism. As a scientist, it is up to you to get to the bottom of things! Developer: JanduSoft

Finally to round out this section, if you prefer something a bit more mature, here you go:

NEKOPARA Vol.4	Price: $11.99 | $14.99	Size: 2.40 GB	Launch Date: Dec. 22, 2020
This game is the fourth installment of the NEKOPARA adventure series, now on the Nintendo Switch. All story scenes are fully voiced except for the protagonist, and CG gallery mode is included as well. Developer: CFK

Upcoming Games

The upcoming games section of this Nintendo Download has seven games with a variety of play styles.

Cube Life: Island Survival	Price: $14.99	Size: 592.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 26, 2020
This game puts you in the shoes of cube man who must survive on an island by exploring, gathering resources, and crafting tools and more. You’d be wise to build by day, and hide by night, as the dark is deadlier here than in Minecraft. Developer: Cypronia

Door Kickers	Price: $11.99	Size: 1.10 GB	Launch Date: Dec. 26, 2020
Jump into some strategic, 2D, top-down SWAT team management gameplay. You are in command of an elite anti-terrorist squad. It’s your job to lead them through very dangerous missions while keeping them alive! Numerous lives rest on your shoulders. Never forget that. Developer: QubicGames

If you like rogue-likes, this Nintendo Download has two possible options for you that are coming very soon:

DungeonTop	Price: $13.99	Size: 569.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 26, 2020
This one is a rogue-like deck-building game featuring table top battles. Choose your hero and your alliance before jumping into the dungeon. Build your deck as you go in this new take on the genre. Utilize clever board tactics to turn the tide of battle in your favor and walk away victorious! Developer: One Up Plus Entertainment

We also have an upcoming puzzle adventure.

For those who like 360 degree shooters, this one might be up your ally:

Void Source	Price: $5.99	Size: 239.00 MB	Launch Date: Dec. 28, 2020
Dive into a classic, multi-directional (360°) shoot ’em up where you fly a UFO. Soar through hazardous environments as you deal with formidable foes and massive bosses using 25 weapons! Two of the same weapon can stack for higher firepower! Levels include places like underwater, space, dark cave, volcano and railroad. Developer: Void Source Team

Last but not least, if you’d like something a bit more mature (maybe a fast-paced shooter in Hong Kong), then this might scratch your itch.

That does it for this holiday edition of the Nintendo Download. We here at oprainfall wish everyone happy holidays, and take care until next time!

The post Nintendo Download for 12/24/2020 appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

Starting today (Friday the 20th), Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity ($59.99) will take players back into the land of Hyrule, 100 years before the events of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Until now, the story of the Great Calamity has gone untold, but that is about to change. The game promises to be quite different from the original Hyrule Warriors in a good way. Link, Zelda, Young Impa, the four champions, and more heroes will utilize their unique abilities and combos, as they rush headlong into the battles that rage throughout the land. Can you lead them to victory in this war, and save the Kingdom of Hyrule from certain destruction?

As previously mentioned, a free demo is available for those who want to try the game out before they decide to buy it. Furthermore, save data from this demo does carry over to the full game. Lastly, here is the new launch trailer:

Next up, we have the Serious Sam Collection ($29.99), another one we’ve previewed in a previous Nintendo Download. It includes all content from Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter and Serious Sam 3: BFE (including The Legend of the Beast and Jewel of the Nile expansions). The price is quite good for the amount of content here. Get your guns ready as you run through the ruins of ancient Egypt to stop the forces of Mental from taking over the world! Your arsenal ranges from basic weapons like pistols and shotguns, up to some pretty heavy firepower like huge cannons, lasers, rocket launchers, and of course a minigun. So mow down the monster hoards until you are the last thing standing on the battlefield, and the world is saved! Here is the console launch trailer:

Rounding out this week’s featured section, we have Sniper Elite 4 ($39.99). This one drops you into tactical, third-person combat spanning huge levels. Your mission is to liberate World War II era Italy. The game gives players plenty of freedom to play the campaign their way. Feel each shot with HD rumble. Go it alone, or take on the battle with friends. You can also go head-to-head against each other, as the game has both local and online multiplayer. I can’t embed the official trailer here, as it is only available to watch directly on YouTube due to age restriction (M for Mature). So click here to watch it there.

Current Sales

The sales section in this week’s Nintendo Download is again a pretty quiet one. In fact, there are no major sales at all to talk about this time around. The Games Under $15 sale has ended since last week. So all that remains are plenty of random discounts scattered throughout the Switch eShop. There are far too many to cover here, but you can check out Nintendo’s current deals on their website. Some of these games have appeared in this section in recent weeks already, but had much better discounts during those bigger sales. A lot of these will save you only a couple bucks tops.

New eShop Titles

First off, we actually have a couple of 3DS titles this week in this part of the Nintendo Download. One is for the original 3DS, and the second one is for the New 3DS system.

Maze Breaker VI	Price: $9.99	Size: 479.00 BL	Launch Date: Nov. 12, 2020
This is a block breaker style game that takes place in maze-like levels with 3D graphics. The colors vary from level to level. As you can see at the bottom of the screenshot, there is a scoring system, and a timer. Your goal is to avoid obstacles, destroy all blocks in each level, and get the highest score you can muster. Developer: nuGAME

B.O.O.L: Master labyrinth puzzles	Price: $19.99	Size: 355.00 BL	Launch Date: Nov. 12, 2020
This one is another puzzle game with maze-like levels. This time, for the New 3DS system. Your goal is to move the box through the maze to the goal. It can only move up, down, left, and right, and only up to the next obstacle without stopping. You’ll encounter doors and switches, plus the four elements of earth, fire, water, and air. The game has three difficulty levels, featuring 120 puzzles plus a level editor with 100 save slots. Developer: Michael Wührer

We also have a few games with a retro flare today, of course.

Arcade Archives GRADIUS II	Price: $7.99	Size: 84.00 MB	Launch Date: Nov. 12, 2020
Originally released in 1988 by Konami, this game sees players hopping in their ‘Vic Viper’ super dimension fighter on a mission to protect the planet Gradius from the Gofer special forces. This version also includes the Japanese version of the game, plus the overseas version of Vulcan Venture. Developer: HAMSTER

This Nintendo Download also has a couple more platform adventures that are not so retro as the ones above.

If you want more combat, these games are centered around lots of it.

Max Reloaded II	Price: $2.47 | $9.90	Size: 278.00 MB	Launch Date: Nov. 16, 2020
Your city finds itself in the midst of a siege. Max responds to an S.O.S. and travels through time to stop the invasion. What’s left of law enforcement is being torn apart by enemy forces. The game takes place in a world blending pyscho-powers with bionic technology. Developer: Max Interactive Studio

We also have a couple of games with a bit more of a spooky aesthetic in this Nintendo Download.

If you like some anime style, there is just one such entry for this week, which just launched.

GRISAIA PHANTOM TRIGGER 05	Price: $14.99	Size: 2.30 GB	Launch Date: Nov. 19, 2020
Horrid memories of Murasaki’s past resurface after an unexpected reunion. Several years after Yuuji Kazami and friends fought for their lives, a new generation of heroines are gathering at the reborn Mihama Academy. This story takes place in the world of The Fruit of Grisaia. Developer: PROTOTYPE

Finally, we round out the new games section of this Nintendo Download with a few puzzle-oriented games.

Cape’s escape game	Price: $3.00	Size: 96.00 MB	Launch Date: Nov. 19, 2020
You recently moved into a new apartment feeling great because of the unusually cheap rent! Ah, but there is a catch.  You see, this apartment is haunted, and the mischievous ghost (Cape), has locked you inside! You must solve the mystery to escape, unless of course you want to live in this room forever! Developer: AlignmentSharp

Fall Gummies	Price: $5.59 | $7.99	Size: 178.00 MB	Launch Date: Nov. 20, 2020
This is a colorful game full of 3D puzzles in a world full of happy jellies? Or at least they were until a giant meteorite hit the planet sending it toward a hungry black hole! In this strange story, all the emotions were then sucked out of the planet, so it collapsed! Your goal is to help your friends take back their happiness by solving puzzles in the labyrinth to collect magical essences. There are 1000+ puzzles in the game, chilling music, character customization, and the ability to create profiles for each Jelly. Developer: Prison Games

Upcoming Games

Finally, in this last section we have three upcoming games to check out in the Nintendo Download for this week.

That’s it for this Nintendo Download. There is only one more left for November, with December sneaking up quickly. See you next week!

The post Nintendo Download for 11/19/2020 appeared first on oprainfall.

Featured Games

The first featured game of today’s Nintendo Download is Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin ($39.99). After being banished from her opulent, celestial home, Sakuna is now on a demon-infested island! She also has her guardian, Tama, with her, and a few outcast humans. They’ll need to weather the elements, grow rice (her power source), and of course deal with those pesky demons. Players will experience both 3D simulation-style and side-scrolling gameplay. Sakuna: Of Rice and Rain is set to launch for Switch on November 10th.

The second and final featured game this week is FUSER ($59.99). Jump into an endless virtual music festival brought to you by the creators of Rock Band and Just Dance. This time, you get to combine elements from popular songs to create your own unique sound. You can also collaborate with a friend, and share your remixes with the world. FUSER is set to arrive on the Switch on November 10th.

Before we move on to sales, we have one other piece of news. Nintendo has an Animal Crossing sweepstakes on the My Nintendo website. You can redeem some of your platinum points by November 10th at 11:50pm PT to be entered for a chance to win. The winners get a package of themed prizes, including items like the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Official Companion Guide and a Nook Inc. Aloha shirt.

Now let’s move on to the sales news for this first Nintendo Download of the month.

Current Sales

The sales scene is also on the quiet side for the Nintendo Download this week. All of the major sales from last week have ended. The only bigger sale we have this time is the November Games Under $15 sale, which runs until November 18th at 11:59pm PT. It includes 16 Nintendo Switch games including titles like:

• DRAGON BALL FighterZ ($14.99 | $59.99)
• DRAGON BALL Xenoverse 2 ($9.99 | $49.99)

• Katamari Damacy REROLL ($9.89 | $29.99)

• NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 ($11.99 | $19.99)
• NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 2 ($11.99 | $19.99)

• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 3 Full Burst ($9.99 | $19.99)
• NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM ($9.99 | $19.99)
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 ($9.99 | $19.99)

• ONE PIECE Pirate Warriors 3 Deluxe Edition ($11.99 | $39.99)
• ONE PIECE: Unlimited World Red Deluxe Edition ($11.99 | $39.99)

• PAC-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION 2 PLUS ($9.99 | $19.99)

• SWORD ART ONLINE: Hollow Realization Deluxe Edition ($14.99 | $49.99)

• Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition ($14.99 | $49.99)

Lastly, we have just one small sale this week, the Continue Anywhere Sale. It consists of Kingdom Two Crowns ($11.99 | $19.99) being discounted until November 10th at 9:59am PT.

New eShop Titles

Among Nintendo’s featured new eShop games in this week’s Nintendo Download, we have a new title for 3DS, which is unusual these days.

Next up, we have a trio of RPG adventures.

We also have a handful of retro-styled games this week:

8-Bit Farm	Price: $14.00	Size: 195 MB	Launch Date: Nov. 05, 2020
This is a farm management game with retro-styled, 8-bit, pixel art graphics. You’ll need to get fruits and veggies, livestock, and more. Grow flowers and expand your fields while increasing your staff. One day you’ll be ready to open your farm to agritourism! Developer: Kairosoft

Arcade Archives 64th. STREET	Price: $7.99	Size: 47 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 29, 2020
Next up we have a new Arcade Archives entry.  This action game was released by JALECO in 1991. The company president’s daughter has been kidnapped! Detective Rick and his partner, Allen, must use combos and powerful attacks to slam their enemies into walls, teach them a lesson, and set things right. Developer: HAMSTER

The Pew Pew Bundle Vol. 1	Price: $8.99 | $44.99	Size: 1.2 GB	Launch Date: Nov. 05, 2020
This is a bundle of three shooter-style games: Black Paradox: Defeat the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals with your arsenal of drones, weapons, and upgrades in this rogue-light shmup. Bleed 2: This one is a fast paced run-and-gun arcade action game. Heroine Wryn, is the last remaining hero who must save the world from an invasion of villains! XenoRaptor: This twin-stick shooter pits you against heavily-armed space dragons! Once your enemies go down, you can strip them of parts, and eventually build the ultimate weapon. Developer: Digerati

If you’re looking for something more anime-styled, we have a pair of options for you this time around:

Café Enchanté	Price: $49.99	Size: 5.2 GB	Launch Date: Nov. 05, 2020
Kotone has inherited a café from her grandfather, but soon finds that the place is riddled with secrets! It serves as a meeting place for beings from various mystical worlds, beings like the King of Demons, a fallen angel, a humanoid beast, and more. The non-human activities occurring in the café may also attract watchful government agents. Developer: Idea Factory

Fantasy Tavern Sextet -Vol.1 New World Days-	Price: $7.99	Size: 642 MB	Launch Date: Nov. 05, 2020
A young cook was working behind the scenes at an Akihabara maid café until he finds himself in a new fantasy world! Here, magic is real and so are monsters! One such monster is about to attack him, when Lupine, the owner of the “Stray Sheep” tavern, saves his life in the nick of time! You’ll laugh and cry in this “slightly naughty, slapstick love-harem drama”. Developer: qureate

Finally, we’ll round out the new eShop section in today’s Nintendo Download with a handful of additional games.

Upcoming Games

Like a couple of other areas in this Nintendo Download, the upcoming games section is much quieter this week.

That concludes the first Nintendo Download of November 2020. See you next time.

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Featured Games

The first featured item in today’s Nintendo Download is Super Mario Bros. 35. It’s a new game on Nintendo Switch online. You play the original Super Mario Bros., but the twist is that it works like Tetris 99, but with 35 players. You’ll be racing against the clock while sabotaging your foes in the hopes of being the first to the goal! You can earn extra time by taking out the enemies in the stage. The most bizarre and mind boggling aspect of this title is that it will only be available to play on Switch Online until March 31st, 2021! Here is the brand new launch trailer:

Next up, we have Rogue Company, which is also now free-to-play. It is a third-person, tactical action shooter that puts the fate of the world on your shoulders. You take on the role of an elite agent of Rogue Company. Each agent in the game has their own skills, and there are different game modes to play in.

Our third and final featured title for today is Japanese role-playing game, Ys Origin ($19.99). After the devastation of a demonic invasion, twin Goddesses must use their magic to return the inhabitants of legendary Ys back safely into the sky.  The demons are busy constructing Devil’s Tower to reach the humans. This is where you come in as a powerful mage who must look for the Goddesses in Devil’s Tower. Your magic prowess and swordsmanship are all that stands between the humans and disaster now!

DLC Updates

We have two DLC updates to mention today, the first of which is already out. It is the Animal Crossing: New Horizons fall update. You can now farm multiple types of pumpkins and use them to craft new Halloween-themed items to decorate your island paradise. Pumpkin starts can be bought at Nook’s Cranny (or from Leif year-round) and used to grow your own pumpkin patches. The update also adds new Halloween costumes to get you ready for trick-or-treat night. You can find them at the Mable Sisters’ shop this month. Along with these costumes, you can exchange Nook Miles for new eye colors and body paint. On Halloween night, all your neighbors will come together at the plaza. You’d better have stocked up beforehand on some candy from Nook’s Cranny to give them! Jack, the “czar of Halloween”, will also join the festivities, and he may have some surprises of his own in store!

A NEW CHALLENGER APPROACHES! The second DLC update we have to discuss is the next upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighter! Arguably the most iconic indie character of all time is set to “Rock the Block!” in battle, as Minecraft’s Steve (and Alex) prepare to join the brawl! It appears the developers have put quite a lot of work into this, as Sakurai himself said in the teaser presentation that they reworked all stages for his abilities. This was unfortunately just a quick teaser presentation, with the full presentation coming at 7:30am PT/10:30am ET on Saturday. That’s just two days away.

Current Sales

This week in the Nintendo Download sales section, the Monster Hunter Franchise Sale is just ending this evening. The Sega 60th Anniversary Sale covered in last week’s Nintendo Download is still going on for a few more days, as is the Inti Creates Tokyo Game Show sale.

When it comes to new sales, we have a new Deep Silver sale going on with 19 games up to 70% off. This one lasts until 11:59pm PT on October 5th. It includes the open world action of Saint’s Row: The Third – The Full Package ($17.99) and Saints Row IV: Re-Elected ($23.99). If you’re more into first-person action in a post-apocalyptic world, then there is also Metro 2033 Redux ($13.74) and Metro: Last Light Redux ($13.74). Note that all four of these games are rated “M for Mature”. Other franchises represented in this sale are Lost Horizon (2 games), Secret Files (4 games) and Let’s Sing (4 games). Individual games in this sale include the brutal beat-’em-up Redeemer: Enhanced Edition ($11.99 and also rated M), the space adventure Manticore – Galaxy on Fire ($7.99), and strategy role-playing game Ash of Gods: Redemption ($17.99), which is also rated M.

You can see the full information on current Nintendo eShop sales here.

New eShop Titles

Now it’s time for Nintendo Download to jump into the new and upcoming eShop offerings in our game guide sections for this week. Here are the games that are out now or coming out in the next few days. As you can see, I’m trying a new format for the game guide sections today. The game titles are links to each game’s eShop page. You can of course click on the thumbnail images to see them larger. If it is a trailer, you can watch it right here, or click the YouTube link in the video player to go see it larger on YouTube.

Anyway, since our largest category seems to be puzzle gameplay this time, let’s start with those games:

Farm Builder	Price: $9.99	Size: 457 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 01, 2020
In this strategy board game, you must build farms and roads. Surround windmills and water towers to score points. The game has three modes of play (online multiplayer, alone against CPU bots, or pass the device mode where you can play with friends on one Switch). Genre: Puzzle, Board Game, Strategy, Multiplayer ESRB: E for Everyone Developer: LAN – GAMES EOOD

Red Crow Mysteries: Legion	Price: $9.99	Size: 338 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 01, 2020
You have the ability to see things that others cannot. It is your greatest gift, but also a difficult burden to bear. Evil has awakened again, and he is hungry for power. Dive into a dimension full of ghosts and demons, and whatever you do, never let him see your fear! Genre: Adventure, Puzzle ESRB: T for Teen Developer: Cateia Games

The Last Days	Price: $9.99	Size: 502 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 01, 2020
An ancient enemy has returned and the fate of your world now rests in your hands. Study the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle and uncover clues left behind by advanced civilizations from eons ago, who are now lost to the sands of time. Genre: Adventure, Puzzle ESRB: E for Everyone Developer: Ocean Media

103	Price: $9.99	Size: 566 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 02, 2020
Something happened during a night out with her friends, and now Lily must use her imagination to unlock what happened, and uncover how she lost her memories. Genre: Action, Adventure, Other, Puzzle ESRB: T for Teen Developer: Dystopia Interactive

Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan	Price: $8.99 | $14.99	Size: 697 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 02, 2020
The Queen of Eagle Kingdom has been hit with a mysterious illness. You are the famous healer who has been summoned to examine her. Suddenly the baby prince vanishes under strange circumstances and the Queen is accused of black magic! The King believes she is innocent, and its up to you to get to the bottom of this and save her. Genre: Adventure, Puzzle ESRB: T for Teen Developer: Artifex Mundi

Quell	Price: $7.99	Size: 140 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 03, 2020
Quell is a zen puzzler with over 80 levels filled with gorgeous art. Listen to a haunting soundtrack as you try to slide a droplet around a level filled with pathways, obstacles, and traps in order to collect all of the pearls. Genre: Puzzle ESRB: E for Everyone Developer: Fallen Tree Games

If you want some really cheap new puzzle games for a few dollars or less, they include:

• Logic Puzzle Collection: Sudoku – Permudoku – Nonodoku ($0.99)
• Powertris ($3.99 | $4.99)
• Unlock the King 3 ($0.49 | $0.99)

Next up, we have a couple of new RPGs on the Switch now:

For those looking for a retro fix, we have four retro styled games in this Nintendo Download. Most of them are re-releases of classics.

Arcade Archives BURNIN’ RUBBER	Price: $7.99	Size: 39 MB	Launch Date: Sep. 24, 2020
This game was originally released by Data East in 1982. Race against enemy vehicles while being careful to avoid obstacles and win the race! Genre: Action, Arcade ESRB: E for Everyone Developer: HAMSTER

Retro Classix Collection #1: Data East	Price: $16.99 | $19.99	Size: 272 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 01, 2020
This retro collection includes: Bad Dudes Joe & Mac Heavy Barrel Express Raiders Super Real Darwin Gate of Doom Shoot Out Super Burgertime Genre: Action, Arcade, Role-Playing ESRB: E for Everyone 10+ Developer: Golem Entertainment

Candy Raid: The Factory	Price: $4.99	Size: 77 MB	Launch Date: Oct. 01, 2020
In this retro-styled puzzle exploration game, you take on the role of a candy loving witch named, well, Candy. Use your elemental powers to unlock secrets and solve puzzles as she continues on her eternal quest to satisfy her sweet tooth. Genre: Puzzle ESRB: N/A Developer: KR Game Studios

We have a few more adventure games left to check out that didn’t fit in other categories, including one survival horror game. There are three of them:

Finally, we finish out this section of the Nintendo Download game guide with a handful of other miscellaneous games, including:

• Air Missions: HIND ($24.99) – This is an action combat flight simulator.
• Hot Shot Burn ($13.49 | $14.99) – Pick a hero and battle it out in top-down arena brawls.
• Animals for Toddlers ($6.99) – Teach toddlers about animals in six locations.
• Let’s Sing Queen ($39.99)
• Smooth World Cup Tennis ($8.49 | $9.99)

Upcoming Games

This week we have a total of eight games in the upcoming section of the Nintendo Download game guide, which will all be joining the Nintendo Switch eShop next week. First up, we have four RPGs and/or strategy titles:

Rounding out this Nintendo Download, the remaining four upcoming games this week range from action and adventure to mystery and racing.

That wraps up this week’s Nintendo Download! Take care until the next one.

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It’s time for another Nintendo Download, and this week’s featured section is a longer one. That is thanks to some additions to Nintendo Switch Online, including Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest! Let’s get right into it.

Featured Games

Today’s first featured title is Kirby Fighters 2 ($19.99), where players will choose from Kirby’s arsenal of 17 copy abilities. These include the new Wrestler ability. Players will need to fight their hardest in hopes of being the last Kirby standing at the end. Other playable characters include King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Waddle Dee, and more. This fairly long trailer shows off a number of game modes:

Next up, we have Going Under ($19.99), a satirical dungeon crawler where you’ll explore the ruins of failed tech startups. You take on the roll of an unpaid intern in a dystopian city called Neo-Cascadia. Using office junk for weapons, you’ll explore the procedural dungeons that lay in wait beneath your company’s campus.

We also have Embracelet ($11.99), a puzzle adventure set in Northern Norway. You are a Norwegian teen named Jesper, who lives in the city with his mother. This changes one day when he is given a mysterious bracelet by his Grandfather, who grew up in a fishing community in the north. Jesper will find himself on an adventure to unravel the bracelet’s mysteries and magic powers. As he explores a northern Norwegian island, he can make new friends and his choices can affect the outcome of the story. The game also features a moving orchestrated soundtrack.

The final major entry in the main featured section today is Rocket League (now free-to-play). As you may know, this game is a vehicular version of arcade-style soccer. You can unlock items in Rocket Pass, take on challenges, compete in tournaments, and make your way up in the competitive ranks. The game features cross-platform progression, plus some features like challenges and tournaments have been revamped.

The last featured item outside of Nintendo Switch Online this week is The Master of Masks Beckons DLC ($9.99) for Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer ($24.99). It is now available to download, and there is also a DLC season pass ($14.99) available for the game, which includes all three of the DLCs (they are about $22 if purchased separately).

Nintendo Switch Online

Now its time for this Nintendo Download to look at the new game additions to Nintendo Switch Online. We have three additions in the SNES app, and one for the NES app. The first SNES addition is Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, an epic platforming adventure to save Donkey Kong, who was captured by King K. Rool and his army of Kremlings. Next, we have Mario’s Super Picross, a puzzle game where players use numbers on the sides of the board as clues to uncover the hidden image. The third and final SNES addition is The Peace Keepers, where Flynn and his crew must deal with a series of troubling incidents perpetrated by the DM Corp and its president, Trip Lago.

The lone addition to the NES app is S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team. In the year 2029, an army led by Supreme Commander, Vile Malhort, lands on Earth to take over the world! The Special Cybernetic Attack Team is now humanity’s final hope. You can play as a male or female cyborg, and also play with a friend.

Current Sales

This week in the sales category, we have a Square Enix sale, including 17 games up to 50% off. About half of them are from the Final Fantasy franchise.

• Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon EVERY BUDDY! ($19.99)
• Final Fantasy VII ($7.99)
• Final Fantasy VIII Remastered ($9.99)
• Final Fantasy IX ($10.49)
• Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster ($24.99)
• Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age ($24.99)
• Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD ($14.99)
• World of Final Fantasy Maxima ($19.99)

Some other games in this sale include I Am Setsuna ($19.99), ONINAKI ($24.99), Spelunker Party ($14.99), Star Ocean First Departure R ($14.06), and more. The only two non-Switch games here are Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call ($19.99) and Final Fantasy Explorers ($19.99), both of which are for 3DS.

We also have the even bigger Sega 60th Anniversary Sale running until October 5th at 8:59am PT. This one includes 77 different games. They of course include a few Sonic the Hedgehog games, as well as other well-known Sega titles like Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 ($39.99) and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD ($23.99). There is a ton of other stuff in this sale, including some compilations like Sega Genesis Classics ($14.99) and other franchises like Valkyria Chronicles. This sale also includes quite a few 3DS titles, such as a few Persona games, the 3D versions of the first two Sonic the Hedgehog games, Sonic Generations ($9.99), and more.

Warner Bros. also has a sale going on through September 28th at 9:00am PT. It includes 12 games up to 75% off, most of which are Lego games such as Lego Harry Potter Collection ($12.49) and Lego Jurassic World ($11.99). Non-Lego games represented in this sale include the Scribblenauts and Cars franchises.

Next up, Inti Creates has a Tokyo Game Show sale going on through October 6th at 11:59pm PT. This one includes 16 games up to 50% off. They hail from franchises like Gunvolt, Bloodstained, Blaster Master, and more.

Finally, a few things covered in last week’s Nintendo Download are also still going on. This includes the 10% launch discount for The Long Dark ($31.49), as well as the Monster Hunter franchise sale. You once again have a chance to get $20 off select Nintendo Switch games, but this time they’re doing it at Target.

New eShop Titles

Now it’s time to see what we have for new eShop titles in this Nintendo Download. Win the grand robot-fighting tournament in puzzle, arcade game, Bomber Fox ($4.49). Another unusual game with a sci-fi theme is Break Point ($3.99), where you chase high scores as you blast and slice your way through enemy swarms.

Explore what’s left of a fallen world from the perspectives of various animals to uncover its fate in Lost Ember ($29.99). There is also Diggy Dog 2 ($9.99), where a pair of adventurers (Christopher and Clara) meet a cute puppy (Marty) who now always goes on adventures with them. Unfortunately, Clara has disappeared, and its up to Christopher and Marty to solve this mystery. Next up, you could also save the world as a reluctant hero or a villain in the choose-your-own-adventure style game, Alluris.

If you are more into strategy, there is Great Conquerer: Rome ($8.99), where you control a number of great Commanders, like Caesar, Pompey, Antony, Octavian, and Spartacus. Another option is to control a Viking warband in a world inspired by Norse mythology in the tabletop strategy game WARTILE ($24.99). If you’d rather play a fighter, there is the 2D indie fighting game, Rivals of Aether ($29.99).

In the racing category, we have the retro pixel art styled Micro Pico Racers ($4.49), and the more cartoony BIG-Bobby-Car: The Big Race ($29.99).

For simulation, we have RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition ($29.99), as well as Car Driving School Simulator ($10.49).

Want some anime style? Step into the role of a young maid, and solve a complex mystery to save the lord she serves in Gothic Murder: Adventure That Changes Destiny ($11.99). There is also Secrets of Me ($14.99), where the protagonist gets some plastic surgery and then pursues handsome men for love. We also have Grisaia Phantom Trigger 04 ($14.99), the fourth entry in the series where a new generation of heroines come together at the Mihama Academy. Note that this title is rated M for Mature.

For a more retro experience, we have Retro Classix Collection #1: Data East ($19.99).

Upcoming Games

Now let’s look at some upcoming titles for next week’s Nintendo Download. Your claim to the Meat Throne is in danger, and you (Bacon Man) must now prove your innocence and destroy those who stand against you in Bacon Man: An Adventure ($9.99), which launches on September 29th.

Next up we have a 2D platformer with a silhouette art style called Projection: First Light ($15.99), which releases on September 29th. You take on the role of Greta, a girl who lives in a mythological shadow puppet world. Along the way she’ll be aided by legendary heroes from each of the cultures she explores, and find self-enlightenment as her adventure unfolds.

We also have the point and click adventure, Detective Case and Clown Bot in: Murder in The Hotel Lisbon ($9.99), where you’ll need to interview witnesses and find clues to solve a strange murder in the hotel. This one comes out on September 30th.

Lastly, join a crew of half-zombie girls to survive the post-apocalyptic world in Undead Darlings ~no cure for love~ ($29.99). This one is launching on September 28th.

That does it for this week’s Nintendo Download. Next week will be here before you know it.

The post Nintendo Download For 9/24/2020 appeared first on oprainfall.

It’s time again for the Nintendo Download! This time we have four featured titles, the first of which is a compilation featuring a familiar red Italian whose life is constantly ruined by a giant turtle! So let’s jump into this week’s downloads.

Featured Games

First up, Mario’s 35th anniversary is kicking off with tomorrow’s release of Super Mario 3D All-Stars ($59.99)! While Nintendo may not have put quite as much effort into this compilation as some fans would’ve liked, it will sell wildly all the same. Spanning three generations of consoles, it includes three of Mario’s greatest adventures: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy! Nintendo has added a music player mode where players can enjoy the timeless music of all three games at their leisure. They’ve also improved some textures, and made some minor tweaks to the controls and visuals. For example, Super Mario Sunshine is now widescreen. If you still want to get a copy, Nintendo says both the digital and physical versions will be available through March 31st, 2021. Not surprisingly, physical copies are pretty hard to come by at the moment. This compilation is loaded with nostalgia for those who grew up with these games, and new adventure for those who haven’t experienced them yet.

If you’re up for some racing action, our next featured title for today is Mini Motor Racing X ($15.99). The game includes the classic Mini Motor Career Mode with eight championships to master, dozens of upgradeable cars to unlock, and hundreds of races. There are 52 courses to race in, each with day/night/weather variants. The new Type-X mode adds some firepower into the action for both career and multiplayer modes. You can also take on your friends in online multiplayer and local career co-op mode. There are also some party mini games like Bumper Ball and Micro Motor Racing.

This week’s third featured title is WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($39.99). The game brings over-the-top arcade action with your favorite WWE Superstars. Battle it out in locations from around the world, and use special abilities and power-ups to defeat your opponents. There are different match types, like Steel Cage, Royal Rumble, and of course more. You can also participate in online tournaments to take on players from around the globe. The game also features a story mode. They didn’t have a trailer for this title, so we have an image here.

Finally, you can work together with friends to build a railroad through many endless procedurally generated worlds in Unrailed!. The game is set to launch on September 23rd. You’ll need to work together to keep building more rail to make sure your train doesn’t reach the end of the line! Cooperation is of paramount importance, as there is only one tool of each type. So you have to work together or it all goes up in smoke! Your adventure through the wilderness will get increasingly challenging, so team coordination will also be important. You’ll also be able to upgrade things along the way to help you out, including the train itself. You can also challenge each other, in two vs. two mode to see which team is the best if you want some competition.

Current Sales

The sales scene is less active in this week’s Nintendo Download, but there are still some deals. If you like taking on big monsters, the Monster Hunter Franchise is currently on sale up to 70% off on the Nintendo eShop. This includes Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate ($15.99) on the Switch, as well as the following four 3DS games:

• Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate ($5.99)
• Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate ($8.99)
• Monster Hunter Generations ($15.99)
• Monster Hunter Stories ($19.99)

There aren’t any other major new sales, but there are some individual highlighted titles. Farm, marry, and kill in Atomicrops ($10.49). Survive as best you can in the The Long Dark, with a discounted launch price of $31.49. Hack and slash your way out of the underworld and defy the god of the dead in Hades, with a discount launch price of $19.99. Take on tense one-on-one duels as you try to fight your way to freedom in Furi, which is more than 50% off ($6.99). Note that this game is rated M for Mature.

The Summer Sunset Sale and the Board Game Sale covered in last week’s Nintendo Download are also still running. Last week, you could save $20 on select Nintendo games at Best Buy, but this week they are doing it again, but at Walmart.

New eShop Titles

It’s time to check out what new games this week’s Nintendo Download has. You and your squad must save the world from an evil Octopus Commander and his army in strategy, arcade game, Dog Duty ($17.99). If you’d prefer a more avian squad, you can use your tactical skills to help a strange squad of birds to advance in puzzle, strategy game, Flying Soldiers ($14.39). We also have action, strategy, tower defense game, Kingdom Rush Origins ($14.99), the third installment and a prequel in the award-winning saga.

For those looking for some dungeon crawling, and rogue-like RPG elements, there is Endurance – space action ($7.99). It is a prequel of Ailment. For more RPG elements, there is 2D open-world adventure, Vampire’s Fall: Origins ($12.99) with tactical combat.

If your looking for some anime style, we have another title from eastasiasoft this week. Recruit monster girls and embark on a mission to take back the Bra of Darkness from a mysterious thief who is corrupting monster girls in Moero Crystal H ($33.99). Note that this one is rated M for Mature. There is also My Forged Wedding ($24.99), where a strange twist of fate has you pretending to be married to a man you just met. As time goes on, your mutual attraction grows deeper, and this title is also rated M for Mature.

The street lights mysteriously go out one by one, and a girl must bring back the light with the help of a glowing butterfly, in Nevaeh ($10.39). If you’re feeling in more of a fighting mood, there is Super Punch Patrol ($4.99), with its colored sketch art style. It is brought to you by the creator of Gunman Clive and Mechstermination Force. You can also battle mechs in multiple modes and arenas in Titan Glory ($19.99).

If you’re in more of a racing mood, we have another option besides the one in the featured section. This time you can take the race to the drag strip in Drag Racing Rivals ($7.99).

If you have kids, 2weistein – The Curse of the Red Dragon ($18.00) may help them learn math. The action adventure with embedded puzzles and math quests was developed in cooperation with teachers and psychologists, and won a few awards.

We also have a handful of games that have just barely launched. As they will be out by the time many of you read this, I’m putting them in this section. Manipulate the ground, spin walls, crush enemies, twist tunnels, and more across over 300 stages in puzzle adventure, Georifters ($29.99). There is also intense, 2D arena combat in GORSD ($16.99), a world where you have just one bullet to fire, control, and collect. We also have Journey of the Broken Circle ($8.00), a shorter, artistic 2D adventure about life, love, and fulfillment in which relationships bring new powers. Next, as the dragons begin to act strangely, the balance between peace and chaos begins to break in The Secret Order: Return to the Buried Kingdom ($14.99). For a more retro style, you can take on Saboteur SiO ($10.99), the official sequel to the classic games Saboteur! and Saboteur II: Avenging Angel. Another option with a retro feel brings old school balloon popping action in Tamiku ($4.99).

Upcoming Games

This time around, we have three games coming out for next week’s Nintendo Download. All three of them are launching on September 23rd. The first is CastleStorm II ($17.99). Aim your catapults and command your troops on the battlefield. Take on the Undead forces that stand against you in strategic battle. We also have a story-driven block breaker game called Twin Breaker ($9.99). It’s the early 2300s, when Earth is still dealing with the aftermath of a multi-decade World War. It has multiple game modes, new game+, and over 40 stages. If you like chasing high scores, then another option is Orbt XL ($0.99), where you’re tasked with staying in orbit while avoiding obstacles or the suction of black holes!

That concludes this week’s Nintendo download! Take care until the next week.

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Nintendo of Japan today confirmed that around 160,000 Nintendo accounts have been hacked. In response, they have disabled the ability to log into your Nintendo account using your older Nintendo Network ID. These IDs were used on the older 3DS and Wii U gaming systems. Users have the option to link them to their newer Nintendo Account on the Switch. If you have done so, you may be affected by this event. Nintendo says the data that may have been seen by the responsible party is that which is registered to each user’s Nintendo Network ID, which includes:

• Name
• Date of Birth
• Gender
• Country / Region
• and Email Address

This also goes for the same pieces of information in a user’s Nintendo account. Nintendo says this does not include users’ credit card information. The hacks have hit users in a number of countries. However, Nintendo is assuring their users that none of their databases, servers, or services have been breached. Nintendo is continuing to investigate the situation. Disabling the ability to log in using a Nintendo Network ID is a precautionary measure. They think the hackers have used Nintendo Network IDs to get illegal access to some users’ accounts. Some affected users have reported unauthorized purchases of things like in-game currencies for games such as Fortnite appearing on their Nintendo accounts.

Please read important information regarding the discontinuation of Nintendo Account sign-ins using a Nintendo Network ID: https://t.co/u3KRfj5TxK

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 24, 2020

The Nintendo of America support website has also posted an update on the situation. It says that all other ways of logging in are still available. Nintendo is also resetting the passwords on affected accounts and emailing those users to notify them. In this case, you’ll need to set a new password. Additionally, all users are now being encouraged to enable 2-step authentication on their Nintendo account for added protection if they haven’t already done so. If you discover unauthorized activity in your Nintendo account, they advise you to follow their Nintendo Account recovery process.

Overall, 160,000 may be a small fraction of the total user base, but it is still a lot of no doubt unhappy people! Nintendo has apologized for any inconvenience this has caused to its users. In the future they plan to make efforts to further strengthen their security and keep everyone’s accounts safe.

Source

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