RedShell

Cheers, Sam. Very kind offer. But yeah, if I don't resub right away it's just to have a bit of a break. Definitely not for as long as the last time though (it actually couldn't be, Switch 2 will probably be out by then! ) reckon I'll be back before the end of the year.

I was chuffed to at least get a KO with Mii Swordfighter's final smash! Damn that thing is bloody useless. Although as a result it doesn't bother me so much when I miss with it, which as everyone knows, happens a lot. Anyway, next week might be the last time I join you guys for a while. My NSO sub is expiring and having played most of what I wanted to on the +Expansion Pack already I'll probably just have another break from the service. Or I may resub to the standard NSO, not sure yet. Either way... ...I'll be back.

Already collected all of the required Gem Sparks for the event! Not been able to put this down since the update. Now I just need the golden Captain Falcon star rival to show up again, I encountered him once already but stupidly crashed out during that race. Man, this game is so good. Just a shame that it's probably going to disappear when the Switch successor arrives or perhaps Nintendo plan to keep this and Tetris 99 running on their next system too? They really should consider that I reckon. Or at least do a physical release for F-Zero 99 as well.

The latest update is very cool indeed. There's a new type of collectible scattered on certain tracks that is used to unlock different customisation options. They've changed team battles as well, now it's 5 teams competing against each other instead of 2. It's great they keep adding stuff to this, and it does feel like games are filling up with players a bit quicker at the moment. 👍

🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ Out of nowhere! I only just played the original version for the very first time recently, but absolutely loved it. Dunno if I'm sold on this remaster though, will have better graphics and AI sure, but it'll lose a lot of its charm in the process I reckon. Can't help but feel they're also going to censor/remove stuff, will be amazed if certain aspects of the photography feature make the cut. Anyway, if it's a decent remaster I'll probably check it out at some point, and if not, well I can always replay the original so it's all good.

I ended up getting Emergency Meeting in the Steam sale a couple of days ago, so I'm all caught up with the DLC now... 🧛‍♂️🦇⚰️🦴🧄🍗🍀 *gets distracted by new forum emojis* Already finished all of the extra content it provided in both the main game and adventure mode. It was actually a bit better than I expected, but definitely not as enjoyable as the Contra one. Anyway, nice to have a fully complete Vampire Survivors once more and access to all weapons/characters, although I still don't think anything is going to replace my go-to choice of old man with stinky garlic!

Ooooh! This is very nice. 😀 New emoji too. 🤩 Is there an achievement for using those? 🤪 Oh... 💩 Anyway, great job with the update guys!

In the 2D AlphaDream games, yeah. But I don't remember seeing such expressive and fluid animation like that in any 3D character based Mario game before. Well, SMB Wonder was also very good in that regard, and another occasion where I really noticed a big improvement compared to previous games. Actually yeah, animation aside it's not particularly that impressive, especially in terms of the environments. They definitely appear to have focused mainly on the characters. Even so, I probably wouldn't describe it as phoned in. Oh it's certainly ambitious, but I think they may have been better off waiting for the Switch successor for this game. I really enjoyed Stray, but to be honest, it doesn't exactly feature the most compelling gameplay. It's slow-paced, linear and very constrictive. What elevates the game and makes it special is the high quality visual design and presentation, I'd say it's an integral part of the experience, and an aspect that's clearly not going to go unscathed in the move to Switch. That said, for those who only play on Switch and have never seen the game running elsewhere, the graphical downgrade probably won't be quite as much of an issue as I'm perhaps making it out to be.

Damn, I'd completely forgotten about the controller remapping options in the Switch system settings. After recreating a preset I saw online (with the left and right sticks swapped over and a few other button swaps) I can actually play the N64 FPS games using a standard controller without throwing up!

That didn't really provide any wow moments for me, but still managed to be a pretty solid Direct. Echoes of Wisdom was definitely my favourite part of the show, looks like it will be an incredibly unique entry in the Zelda series. A genuinely nice surprise indeed. I'm already a big fan of the Link's Awakening remake visuals, and the TotK style crafty stuff/open-ended puzzle solving will be right up my street as well. Mario & Luigi also looks great, fantastic animation! New Denpa Men, well, there's my quirky game fix I suppose. Dragon Quest HD remakes, very nice. They'll be getting played on PC though. Stray port? Didn't see that one coming. Cool that it's going to release on Switch, but whoa, I would not recommend playing it there unless it's absolutely your only option. Visuals and vibe are taking a serious hit. NSO additions weren't exactly what I was hoping for, but good choices anyway. Annoying how you need to download an extra app for Perfect Dark and Turok though, not to mention the fact those games (like GoldenEye) are completely unplayable without the N64 controller. Shame, would've been fun to take a trip back to 1997 and play Turok again.

I played it briefly, yeah. Back when it was on Game Pass. Can't really remember now, but there was definitely something about it that didn't sit quite right with me. So, not long to go for the Direct. I'm very foolishly getting hyped up. BTW, thanks to everyone for keeping the leaks in spoiler tags.

About bloody time! Unleash the pre-Nintendo Direct excited corgi!: What I saw of the summer game snoozefest and xbox shows wasn't really my cup of tea, so it's all down to Nintendo to deliver the goods now. *gulp* Watch the Direct be nothing but ports of stuff I already own and a ludicrous amount of "cosy" farming games... again. Anyway, suppose I'll go ahead make my wishlist for this Direct, it's mostly the same as always since they never listen to me: WarioWare: D.I.Y. sequel. Actually, I'd even take a port of this one (despite what I said at the start of this post, and despite owning 2 copies for DS! ) but it's highly unlikely at this stage and seeing as they've already released a couple of WW games on Switch. A new mainline F-Zero game. A port of GX probably wouldn't cut the mustard though, as I can already play my GCN copy in a vastly enhanced manner via Dolphin. Update for F-Zero 99. Player numbers appear to have dwindled drastically, F-Zero Climax content (especially its track editor) would make for an ideal addition I reckon. A new Pilotwings, Nintendogs, Chibi-Robo!, Wii Music, Rhythm Tengoku, Kirby's Dream Course, Mario Paint/Artist, Balloon Fight/Kid, some other quirky or forgotten game, etc. Relaunch Miiverse. This would probably make more sense for the next system now, but either way I'd love for it to make a comeback. Perhaps with some Nintendo Letter Box/Swapdoodle inspired elements mixed in as well. Goemon/Mystical Ninja games added to Switch Online. Looks like Konami are never going to give this series the love it deserves or make a collection, so getting some of them on NSO would be the next best thing. Diddy Kong Racing on NSO. I just really want to play this again. Surprise Fighters Pass 3 for Smash Bros. Ultimate. With decent and varied character choices! No repeat franchises, especially not Fire Emblem! This one's absolutely impossible I know, but FP2 was such a dud for me (never even got it) and the base game is just so amazing that it feels like a wasted opportunity not to add even more to it. The game has to be headed to the Switch 2 as well, right? Either by backwards compatibility or a port, so some new content would set that up nicely too. Mario Kart 8 DX Labo VR update which should've happened years ago! Yes I'm still waiting for this. A sequel to Dandy Dungeon from Onion Games. Been playing this again recently and I love it so much, still not completely finished it actually (as it's a hell of a grind) but I'd be up for even more as it's just so damn stupid and funny. If we get anything from Onion in this Direct it's more likely to be something for Stray Children, which looks pretty cool and trippy though, so I can dig it. Space Channel 5 game with Joy-Con motion controlled gameplay as an option. A Vampire Survivors DLC/crossover that actually makes sense. I'm thinking Resident Evil, Dead Rising, House of the Dead, Dark Souls, Bloodstained... or how about... Castlevania? *cough* A good Pokémon game. Even if it meant going back to the sprite based 2D style. There's probably (well, hopefully) going to be a bit of a wait for whatever is next from Game Freak now though, i.e. it'll be on Switch 2. But yeah, I just hope they've been paying attention to certain wake-up calls. *cough* Something to make me keep my sub to NSO active. Think it expires in August and as much as I've been enjoying the retro stuff, F-Zero 99 and of course playing N-E Smash Bros. on Saturday nights, I'm not sure if I'll continue to subscribe, at least not on the Expansion Pack tier unless they were to add something really good, or something I mentioned above. Well, that's about all I can think of. Now we play the waiting game... Ugh, waiting game sucks, let's play Dandy Dandy Dungeon!

Just checked it out on Sam's stream, very cool indeed. Guessing this was pretty satisfying too though: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2173025375?t=0h16m0s Nice to finally have a situation on that stage where only one of the side platforms collapsed, even though it might have saved me from getting KO'd there had it not.

Sorry guys, I’m a bit under the weather at the moment so that’s going to do it for me. Cheers for the games.

Jaw-dropping! And hilarious! This is also exactly what I (and probably the game industry in general TBH) need right now.

R.O.B. isn't in the top 18 heaviest characters?! You learn something new every day.

My best attempt at recreating @Glen-i's Switch melting run: Got all the Arcanas, passives (apart from Torrona's Box) and most of the weapons, just missed out on evolved Blade Crossbow and C-U-Laser due to no Weapon Power-Ups or Super Candyboxes appearing. Didn't manage to crash the game, but the FPS did plunge to around 30 once again when things got particularly hectic. It seemed to take a little bit longer than usual to tally up the results screen too, which was weird. But yeah, interesting build that. Very cool how you plan weapon selection and upgrade order to surpass the limit. Was also good to try something that's pretty different to what I normally use, plus I learnt about that golden egg trick. Oh, and I realised something... the devs should really add a drop shadow to the timer on the HUD.

That ray-traced Mystical Ninja tease at the end!

Nice! I did not know that. Anyway, cheers for that very detailed explanation, I shall give it a go.

Thanks. Was a right pain to get that one working. It still isn't quite right either (the spawn locations in 4-player matches are messed up ) but I can't figure out how to solve it. On the plus side though, Jessica's arm no longer has a hole in it! Anyway, cheers for the games everyone!

These guys are great. Anyway, just finished all the unlocks for the Contra stuff. Personally, I still think the collab DLC choices they've gone with (so far) have been a bit weird/out of place, but I also can't deny that this one was good fun regardless. I used to really love the Contra series back in the day, especially Contra III on SNES so it was nice to see and hear elements from that legendary game. Have to admit that playing this DLC has also increased the temptation to perhaps get the Emergency Meeting one at some point too. Despite the fact I've never played, or have any interest in, Among Us. I hit around 30 FPS the other day, which is probably the lowest I've managed since the new engine arrived on PC. But yeah, it did make me wonder at the time, how is the Switch is coping with this? That's a shame. Do you remember your exact setup, Arcanas, stage modes, etc.? I wouldn't mind trying to recreate it, for a laugh.

Note to self: Fix hole in Jessica’s arm.

Yet another great "out of nowhere" update. Man, there is nothing else quite like Vampire Survivors when it comes to utterly warping the flow of time! I'm back at 100% completion though, which is currently 211 achievements.

Oh I'm pretty sure none of this stuff is intentional, just stage builder specific glitches that can be consistently utilised by following the right methods. Nintendo would probably be patching this stuff out if they were still updating the game. In fact, some of my earlier stages did get changed/stop working as intended back when they were.

Ok, for anyone that might be interested, let me explain (or try to explain ) the Captain Toad stage... Not sure how familiar you guys are with the more enigmatic features of stage builder, but basically there's a certain way of drawing and then scaling shapes to produce various different effects. They're often just visual, but sometimes they can modify terrain properties in a way which will then have an impact on gameplay, for example: if you draw a thin shape that covers the entire length and height of a stage, and then completely reduce its scale vertically, it becomes so thin that it deactivates collision! I use this one a lot when making the surface of "water", as the terrain remains visible but players, items and regular terrain can freely pass through it. You'll have seen this on the Nintendogs bath and Mii swimming pool stages. Other drawing/resizing techniques can cause the face of a 3D shape to disappear, with only the sides visible from specific angles, good for creating "invisible walls". Others can allow characters to pass through in one direction, but not the opposite, etc. There are seemingly many of these types of tricks within stage builder, I learnt the majority of them from this fantastic YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Thoreon/videos But yeah, when creating the PaRappa stage, I unexpectedly discovered a brand new one (again by resizing a larger shape) that somehow prevented characters from being able to jump! That was when I decided to instead use it for a new stage, and the first theme that popped into my head for it was Captain Toad. At this point I had no idea about the other aspects of that gimmick though, so when testing it outside of the editor I was very surprised to see that this piece of terrain also made picking up items impossible (unless using Villager's pocket) and would cause all players to instantly fall through it on a Sudden Death! Three quirks for the price of one! Actually though, there are 4... Yep, you see when creating stages I also do some test battles with only CPU fighters, just to focus more on the stage and therefore spot anything that might need to be tweaked. Well, when I set the CPU on this particular stage, let's just say it made for some revealing insights into their AI. Unfortunately, I no longer have my capture device, otherwise I'd record some footage of it, but this collection of a post-match results screen will also paint quite a good picture of what happens: That's right, alongside not being able to jump, pick up items, and getting instantly KO'd upon Sudden Deaths, the CPU can't even attack while on this stage! They literally just walk about (mainly into the corners) occasionally dashing from side to side in the centre, for the entire match! So yeah, I was really happy with this discovery, until I started to test attacking the CPU myself and realised that once a character gets launched (or initiates a Final Smash) they regain the ability to jump and can once again interact with items. Hence the ruleset I suggested yesterday. Having said that, I reckon the stage will be OK for regular time/stock/stamina battles, because as you'll have probably noticed last night, when your character is in the no jump phase they're much more difficult to launch, plus you can use certain attacks a lot faster than normal. Once respawned you get back the ability to jump plus the advantage of items, but you'll also be easier to launch than anyone who's still grounded. It might actually be weirdly kind of balanced in a way. Anyway, that's enough rambling from me. I'm glad everyone enjoyed the stage, it's unlikely that I'll be topping that gimmick in any other creations before I hit the inevitable 100 stage limit, but I'll certainly try my best!