S.C.G

N-E Café Episode 69 now available! Now up on the main page. - - - - - Another excellent episode. and again, it has seemed to be a slow news week, so there's a lot of news in there, which is great to hear. There's always a decent amount of news each week, even if it's more general stuff, such as new editions of joy-con controllers, but when all of the Nintendo sales figures etc come in, it's all broken down in a way which makes it easy to understand, and interesting as well, in a way which is challenging to convey in a written article. I haven't got much to say about the games played this week, except for Turok 2 Seed of Evil, of course, as that's another fantastic title, and one where you can really start to see where the developers were going, in terms of design similarities between Turok and Metroid Prime. Also, the banner this week is like last week's except with the 'target' logo from the second game, as it was challenging to find any other decent Turok .png images which scale well. The quiz had a few surpising aswers in there, it's interesting to find out which of the franchises are still popular in terms of sales, as it's not always the series which you might naturally assume, though there were a few familiar franchises in there, and when I heard them I was already thinking them in my head, indeed, there was a nice synchronicity between Nick and Greg on one of those answers. It's going to be odd not promoting the podcast for a while, but it is good to hear that you're all taking a break from it, this is a good time to refocus generally I think, because as grateful as we are for the podcast, it surely takes a lot of time and energy to put together every week, sometimes it's best to take a break, as I know we all have commitments in life, plus the most important commitments, are the ones you make to yourself and those around you, family, friends etc... also, it's good to take some time doing other things which you enjoy in life, be it learning new things, or just taking some time to reflect. Thanks once again to @Londragon @Nicktendo and @nekunando for the podcast, and thanks to @Vileplume2000 for uploading each episode to YouTube. In the meantime, I'll see what I can do on the news front, as I have been finding a few articles each week, and I expect there may well be some sales stuff for Nintendo, being that it's coming up to the end of March, but I'll see what I can do to put that info across in article form, though I think generally, aside from maybe a Nintendo Direct or a Smash character reveal, I don't think we'll see too much Nintendo news in the next month or two... probably, and even if we do, that'll just be more for you all to talk about for Episode 70. Oh and one last thing...

Just seen this, I've sent you an invite to the server. If the above link isn't working for anyone else, let me know as it's easy to send a direct invite from within the group.

Seeing as there are going to be quite a few of us playing, this would seem to be worth setting up. Discord is going to be the easiest all-round, I'd have thought. We do have an existing N-E discord group, this was mostly just a staff group, so it might be better to start a new Discord server just for Monster Hunter. Did you want to make a new server @Kaepora_Gaebora ? Or I can make one, if you like, it'd be cool to have a Discord server for staff and forum members to voice chat on games. Can start with it being for Monster Hunter Rise, and then use it for other games in the future.

There is indeed an existing Ring Fit Adventure thread, though it's far from active, as the last post in it was from July last year, and the topic is on the fifth page back, so no worries. It's nice to hear that you're enjoying the game, especially as you only recently got a Switch, and it's good to hear that the console is getting plenty of use. As a piece of software, and exercise aid, it has been really well received, I gather that its sold pretty well too. I'd considered purchasing it, but because I tend to not use wireless controllers, I decided against it in the end, which is a shame, because it looks like a lot of fun, for what it is, but the trade-off just isn't worth it, to me personally. If I wasn't so set on just using wired controllers, I'd have picked this up on day one, but even then, I tend to play games a lot less these days, so I question if I'd actually use it much. For working into an existing exercise routine though, I can clearly see that it's very useful, and it seems to make it more worthwhile to the end user on the amount of time put into it, than Wii-Fit ever did, because as revolutionary as that software was at the time, looking at it now, I can see why plenty of balance boards are found by the dozen at any second-hand electrical/entertainment retailer, or online, due to the limited long-term appeal. Ring Fit Adventure is great though, for anyone who wants to work out while on their Switch, and especially if you use the joy-cons a lot, and as a bonus, it's probably the one game which would work even with controllers that have the dreaded joy-con drift, because of the way that the controllers are utilised, as I understand it, one of them is placed in the ring-con and the other in the leg-strap, so no control sticks required.

Super Bomberman R Online blasts onto the Switch eShop Worms Rumble burrows its way onto the Switch in 2021 Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.1 brings more SNK classics to the Switch Now up on the main page. A few recently released, or soon to be released titles, which stood out, for me. Super Bomberman R getting a second-wind, Worms Rumble, and Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.1 for some NGPC goodness. Check the articles for the press releases and trailers. - - - - -

N-E Café Episode 68 now available! Now up on the main page. - - - - - A lot of decent discussion, as again, this week seemed like a slow one for news, so you did well to have that much in the news section, the TMNT game was definitely the highlight for recent news, I know it hasn't been confirmed for any consoles yet, but of course it's coming to Switch, as it's just money on the table otherwise. It's interesting to hear which games you'd like to see brought back, and a lot of them I remember fondly as well from back in the day, I think a new Desert Strike, or a remake with a different setting, but retaining the same mechanics could do well, as there's clearly a market for it. (as an aside, that interview with Tony Barnes over on Retro Faith was really good, it was interesting to hear how the games in the 'Strike' series were made) While I've never played a Battle Royale game, and probably never will, so I can't say much about Apex Legends, other than it's nice to have options, now that it's on the Switch... Turok is a game series which I'm very familiar with, my brothers and I used to play the games back in the day, there's no other FPS series quite like it, plus the fact that key members from the studio then went on to make Metroid Prime, you can definitely see the link between the games in many ways, which is why I'm glad that more people are getting to properly play the first two games, thanks to the remakes. The banner art couldn't be anything but Turok, as it is a game which has strong Nintendo heritage, being that it came out on the N64, I was going to incorporate the Turok logo as it's a great example, but it just wouldn't scale very well, and I found the 'sights' which form the 'O' in the logo which is the focal point anyway, together with the image on the other side, I think it works rather well. It was fun to piece it together. Thanks to you both for another great episode, and thanks to Dennis for the upload of the episode to our YouTube channel.

Three tries remaining... Good game @darksnowman we almost beat Magnamalo. I won't be playing tomorrow night, but I'll save the last three tries for a night when three or four of us can play.

Lobby ID 2H2QES Pass 4444

Does anyone want to take on Magnamalo tonight, then? If so, I can make a game.

It's a good bit of marketing by Capcom really, throw some relatively straightforward hunts in the first demo, update the demo with a very challenging hunt for the second. Watch as many hunters, get very close to either beating the main monster, and then either getting K-O'd or time over, vowing that 'next time' will be 'the run' This newly formed connection to this monster, then carries over to the final game, because now you're invested, so of course you're going to pre-order it. Just you wait until March 26, 2021 Magnamalo... Until then, we can always try again... I'm sure that the next run will be it, probably.

Sixteen tries remaining... Two members of the N-E Brotherhood fought valiantly, but alas, Magnamalo still got the best of them. Until next time, thanks for the hunts @Mokong

No lobby set, if you want to set one up, I'll join.

Are you still hunting? I can join you, if so, I've still got Twenty tries left on the demo.

Twenty tries remaining... As of last night/yesterday morning, I decided to try the demo out in portable mode, and again, I was very close to beating Magnamalo, but I kept running out of time. The game holds up very well in portable mode though, it looks like Capcom have really scaled the RE Engine to match the Switch's capabilities.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is hosting a Transformation themed tournament Up on the main page. Characters who have some form of transformation ability are eligible.

Twenty-Four tries remaining... I almost beat it as well, I may try some more in a bit, then again, maybe not. It's a decent challenge, and an achievable one, but I know in the main game, it won't ask you to take down a Monster such as Magnamalo in only fifteen minutes, using sub-standard equipment, and not at maximum potential health.

Twenty-Seven tries remaining... Has anyone else managed to solo Magnamalo yet? The combination of the fifteen minute time limit and the one-shot K-O, certainly makes it a decent challenge.

I did wonder which company the copies actually shipped from, that's good to know. Going by the fact that they had just over five hundred copies, it had to be an outlet with a bit of purchasing power. If the game gets here at around launch day, or before, it'll be great to get a few quests in. I'll likely see what the second demo is like this evening, but being that I'm reasonably confident that I'll like the game, it made sense to order it now.

Being that the release date is two week's away, I've pre-ordered the game now, from an outlet on eBay, for just under £40. Use the code PICKSAVE15 at the checkout, it still comes with the pre-order bonuses as well. Not a bad alternative, if you didn't want to order via the Nintendo Store for £50... so it saves you £10, and at that price, it's likely cheaper than other places too. That code can be used up until 16/03/21 and the outlet (boss deals) seem to have a fair few copies available, at this moment in time. In the meantime, I could check out that new demo this evening.

Happy MAR10 Day from N-Europe Up on the main page. An updated article from last year, featuring all the Mario reviews we could find. Plus, new for this year, featured videos and podcasts from the N-Europe YouTube Channel and Old Nintendo Gamer & Son. - - - - -

Pocky & Rocky Reshrined shoots onto the Switch this Autumn Now up on the main page. Check the article for the press release and trailer. - - - - - Pocky & Rocky is a great series, I reckon this new entry will do rather well. Also, you can still get the GBA game on the Wii U Virtual Console, for just over £6... It's almost a shame that more games from the series aren't on the Switch, they could put the SNES games on the app at least, indeed, that might happen now.

N-E Café Episode 67 now available! Now up on the main page. - - - - - Some great discussion this week, Zelda spin-offs is an interesting topic, I think it's something we'll see more of in the future, especially if the success of Cadence of Hyrule and the two Hyrule Warriors games are anything to go by. There's also the large gap between mainline Zelda games to consider, even if part of it is being filled by the Skyward Sword HD remake, there's still plenty of room for some experimental Zelda titles, or crossovers. Nice to hear about what you've all been playing, I'd never heard of Colourful Colore but it looks interesting enough, plenty of visual appeal from the restricted colour palette, and it looks like the game probably gets more challenging as you progress through it. I never finished Captin Toad, on any platform, let alone the standalone dlc... I could play it on the Switch, especially as it has those extra stages, I'd need to be in the right mood to play it though, I'd have thought. Pokémon Shield, I just don't have the enthusiasm for any more, I didn't get that far into it at the time, I've gone back for some of the dlc Pokémon but not all of them, again, another game I could play, but equally... it's a series I'm largely indifferent to now. Obvious picks for the banner, Zelda from Hyrule Warriors and Link from Link's Crossbow Training, to go with the theme. Excellent to see this week's episode up on the N-Europe YouTube channel so promptly, being that it was there and that I was posting articles earlier, I was able to get this week's promotional piece for the site done in a timely manner. Thanks to everyone involved in the production and promotion of the podcast. (I'll mention the podcast on the Thursday night Retro Faith stream, during the retro news section if I can)

Exophobia blasts onto the Switch eShop Everhood alters reality on the Nintendo Switch DARQ: Complete Edition descends upon the eShop Now up on the main page. A few recently released, or soon to be released titles, which stood out, for me. A retro-styled FPS, an experimental RPG and a puzzling platformer of sorts. Check the articles for the press releases and trailers. - - - - -

It seems to be what a lot of content on YouTube in general veers towards these days, it's also partly why I hardly watch any videogame content on YT these days, except for channels which I'm either genuinely interested in, or invested in them, (non-financially) in terms of them mostly being independent channels, such as N-Europe's channel (which is regularly updated with the podcast) Old Nintendo Gamer & Son (Lee's channel, which has great regular Nintendo content) and Retro Faith, because there's lots of great Sega content on there, retro news and interviews with different people, including some industry veterans. But when it comes to big YouTube channels, such as the one posted above, yes, I used to post those videos on the forums, and I did find some elements of them entertaining, for a time, but it's not hard to see through them, and other content creators, because even though they serve a purpose, and have their good and bad points, I think it comes down to the energy that they draw from, they get a lot of attention already... and as the saying goes... "energy flows, where attention goes" so it's probably best not to post them, unless they really happened to have something profound to say, which hasn't been said before. Perhaps a thread-rip is in order at this point? As while it is an interesting thread of conversation, we're quickly getting away from the topic. - - - - - Regarding the game, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild... it's a great title, outstanding in some ways, while lacking in some places, the overall impression I got from the expansive world, was nothing short of breath-taking at the time when I played it, when comparing it to previous entries, and I still believe that it's a title which is worth its many accolades, for its time of release, despite the lack of any classic Zelda dungeons, and the story, which the recently released Hyrule Warriors sequel seemed to remedy somewhat. The best thing about the latest mainline Zelda game, is that it still finds ways to surprise players, even more than four years on from its release, not that many modern-day titles seem to have that effect, at least not in the same way. Personally, I haven't been back to the game in many years, but if I were to load it up now, I'm sure that I'd find something interesting which I didn't know was possible, back when I first 'completed it' shortly after the Switch launched. There's certainly plenty that I could choose to do in the game, I didn't bother with any of the four guardians, for one thing, there are loads of sidequests which I never investigated, places on the map where I've likely never been, and obviously loads of Korok seeds to find, even if the reward for getting them all, isn't worth the effort... which I know, is the point of it. Indeed, if I was still more interested in gaming in general, Breath of the Wild is one of those titles, I could still see myself going back to, but as it stands, I've become steadily less interested in a lot of aspects of gaming, particularly when it comes to modern games, but I'm still grateful for the experience of playing every main game in the Zelda series, and that will never change.

Monster Hunter Digital Event March 2021 Roundup Up on the main page. N-Europe's roundup of the event, full press release and video embed. - - - - - Another demo for Monster Hunter Rise, nice, will check that out. Good to have a release date for Monster Hunter Stories 2, as well.