Dcubed

Yeah, Team Sonic Racing is a really solid title. It's not as good as S&ASRT, but it's still a well made game and a genuinely unique take on the arcade racer. I appreciate the attempt to try something new, especially in such a risky genre. It's a shame that it wasn't really given a chance by the general public. Switch version is also rock solid as well, excellent port that is at least as good as the base PS4 version; and runs like a champ in handheld mode to boot!

Just gave it a try… Doesn’t seem to support Bluetooth APTx unfortunately, so it is kinda laggy. Quality is alright, nothing exceptional; pretty much your bog standard Bluetooth audio. Seems to work pretty seamlessly, which is nice. It gracefully handles connecting and disconnecting like you would expect from a modern device (and it falls back on the Switch’s speakers/TV speakers without any issues when you turn off the Bluetooth headset). I wouldn’t recommend using Bluetooth with rhythm games or fast paced action games, as the lag will probably annoy you and mess up your gameplay (I gave it a try with Project Diva Megamix, which was No Bueno), but otherwise? Yeah, it’ll do in a pinch. Nice feature, well implemented. Only took them almost 5 years to do it! But at least it’s finally here. Come to think of it… I wonder if Switch OLED might actually have APTx support… I can’t imagine that Nintendo put out this update for anything other than to prepare for Switch OLED; so I wouldn’t be too surprised if it had a better wireless (WIFI/Bluetooth) module than the current model; maybe even Bluetooth 5.0 support… If that's the case, Switch OLED might actually be worth upgrading to after all!

Holy fuck!! Actual features!? BLUETOOTH HEADPHONE SUPPORT!?!? Fucking FINALLY!! Only took them almost 5 years to enable what should’ve been there from day 1!

Glad to hear that the sentiment is good with this game. Sounds like it may well be the best Tales game in a very long time I’ll most likely wait until it inevitably comes to Game Pass however.

So it looks like the Polymega is FINALLY now shipping out to people who preordered (about 4 years ago!). Did anyone here order one?

Even though it’s a small EU-only price drop that is related to a favourable currency exchange? It’s still significant to see this price drop actually happen. We’re finally coming to the end stage of the Switch’s lifecycle if Nintendo are finally willing to do a price drop (More than 4.5 years after release!!). I suspect that Nintendo will discontinue the current model soon after Xmas and keep just Switch Lite and Switch OLED going. Then at E3 2022, we’ll finally get confirmation of Switch 2 and a call for 3rd party developers to start porting their games over; with a formal unveil of the console & its launch window lineup later that year (probably September 2022), and a release in March 2023 (1 year, 5 months after the release of Switch OLED and 6 years after the Switch’s original release). Splatoon 3 and Pokémon Legends Arceus will be their big games of 2022; while BOTW2 will get a full unveil at E3 2022. Flanked by a couple of smaller titles (ALA Advance Wars Reboot Camp or Wario Ware GIT - My money’s on a new Rhythm Heaven game; going by the myriad of wink-wink-nudge-nudge cameos seen in Wario Ware GIT), probably another Kirby title and something like Tomodachi Life 3, add on the start of Switch’s Nintendo Selects line and that’ll keep Switch trucking along nicely for the rest of the year. BOTW2 will be a cross-gen launch title releasing in March 2023 (just like the original). Switch 2’s launch window will consist of Metroid Prime 4, Bayonetta 3, Mario Kart 9, Xenoblade 3 and Next Level Games’ next title; with 3D Mario and Pokémon Let’s Go Johto capping off Xmas 2023.

It’s dishonest because the game they’re selling the console off of the back of does not currently exist. It may not even be released on the hardware that you are claiming it’s getting released on! (Why hello The Last Guardian, Metroid Prime 4 and Bayonetta 3!). And nothing that is shown of said game is even remotely representative of what the game is actually going to be like. It’s lies and bullshit. They’re selling hardware off the back of vague promises and dreams.

Nintendo is guilty of this shit too, case in point Metroid Prime 4 (cancelled and restarted for Switch 2 by Retro Studios) and Bayonetta 3 (probably cancelled for Switch, awaiting Switch 2; especially if today’s tweet is anything to go by…). Meanwhile, Everwild on Xbox is literally just a CG trailer without even a gameplay concept behind it! I don’t like it when Nintendo do it, I don’t like it when Microsoft do it, and I don’t like it when Sony do it. Sony are probably the worst when it comes to this little stunt though; they’re notorious for this and nobody ever seems to learn, no matter how many times they pull the wool over their eyes. It’s dishonest, it’s selling a console on mere hopes and dreams. The hilarious thing about Wolverine and Spider-Man 2 is that we’ll almost certainly have a PS5 Pro out by the time these games come out; meaning that it’s actually a really stupid idea to buy the PS5 for these games right now It’s bullshit dishonest marketing. And it should be called out for what it is, no matter who pulls this stunt.

Yeah. Seems that way. Mind you though, who knows what you get for unlocking and Flowering every microgame, I ain’t gonna be done with that for a good while (and you just know that there’s gonna be something for doing it here!). Worth noting as well that the Missions return from Wario Ware Gold, but there are a LOT more this time around (well over 100 just from a cursory glance!), so there’s plenty to do if you want to truly 100% everything. Either way, it’s a solid entry in the series, despite the lack of unlockable toys & mini games. I would recommend picking it up. Also, there’s an unlockable… which is basically aimed squarely at you

Finally got round to watching the show… not bad overall. I still don’t like how Sony are selling their consoles based on CG teasers for games that aren’t coming out for another 2-3 years (looking at YOU Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine!), but it was a well paced show with some nice surprises; even though it’s still very remake/remaster heavy. GT7 looks like the classic GT that people have wanted ever since 2012; while GOW Ragnarok looks like… well, more of the same, which is what everyone wants. Alan Wake Remastered looks good too. Forspoken looks like absolute crap though. An Isekai version of FF15 with a barren & empty open world? No thanks.

Just finished Story Mode and now finally have a use for the coins... And there's no unlockable souvenirs or toys? Just character art and colour/voice swaps? Bit disappointing TBH. Unless there's something else that pops up, this game seems to have the least amount of unlockable content in the series since the original Mega Microgames. The multiplayer suite is really good though, easily the most robust multiplayer package in the series since Mega Party Games! (A couple of the multiplayer modes are heavily based on that game in particular... most notably Balloon Bang); it even has bespoke multiplayer microgames like in MPG! BTW, this is something of an observation that I wasn't expecting from the outset, but this game is based heavily on physics simulation. Outside of the multiple characters concept, this is the biggest gimmick that GIT brings to the series. Almost every single game is built off of a base physics engine that is repurposed in a myriad of different ways; and there's even a bit of BOTW's Chemistry Engine in here too (especially put to good use with... ). It's a decidedly different take on the Wario Ware concept that I feel does work well. They obviously couldn't put out another standard Wario Ware style game, since the Switch lacks any sort of new & interesting controller gimmick, but I feel that this experimental approach actually works out pretty well! Can only imagine it was a big design challenge to wring as much out of the base physics/chemistry engine and the multiple character concept (with just movement and a single button to work with); but they actually pulled it off! It's not my favourite game in the series, but it's a worthy entry in the Wario Ware series that does enough to stand on its own two feet; despite lacking the ability to base its gameplay on a new method of controller input. Nintendo & Intelligent Systems did a great job here, and it's one of the few truly original (non remake/non port/non upgraded version of WIi U game) first party Switch games that I am genuinely happy with

Yeah, I wasn't expecting that at all. What I also didn't expect is that apparantly there's actually a way to get Game Over in TGWSB! I only found out by checking the sound test that you unlock after beating the game and I have absolutely no clue how to trigger a Game Over! (I didn't even know it was possible lol!) Yeah I do agree, but that being said... Agreed. But I actually quite like the way that the pacing suddenly ramps up towards the end, it's pretty exciting. Almost like a Metroid escape sequence in the form of a VN

One more to add to the list... but there's a twist! The writeup is in a different thread and (shock!!) you're gonna have to... click a link to get to it!! (Oh the suspense!) And with that?

So I just finished The Girl Who Stands Behind! Much of what I previously wrote about The Missing Heir also applies here, but I do have a few notes to make that are more unique to TGWSB. First off, this game leans more into the supernatural than the original game does; it's not a full on ghost story, but it definitely draws upon classic Japanese ghost story literature, particularily with its mood setting. I wouldn't say that it leans much into the horror genre, it's definitely a whodunnit more than anything else, but it does create an unsettling atmosphere in places that calls to mind movies like Juon: The Grudge. If you like that sort of atmosphere, you'll likely appreciate what TGWSB is going for. Secondly... this game LOVES NPCs that are thoroughly unhelpful and useless! You'll be spending a lot of time window wiping through dialogue choices, desperately hoping to trigger any sort of flag that might help you progress through the story... This summarises approximately 80% of my time playing this game I swear to Hylia that I never want to see another pair of elipses ever again! It can be very frustrating trying to get any information out of people here, and it still suffers from some obtuse logic needed to trigger the flags needed to progress the story. That being said though? I really enjoyed my time with TGWSB. I like pretty much all of the characters and the story is legitimately well told and interesting; with some brilliant use of red-herrings and foreshadowing... And some nice use of misdirection throughout as well... Good story that is very well told. Genuinely good mystery with great atmosphere and mood setting. One thing that's also nice is that the game sticks very closely to the original 1989 setting; small little details like having CRT TVs, oldschool button phones etc all feel very faithful to the original NES version. If by "huge" you mean tinchy? Sure. Just like with TMH, the localisation work is top-notch, if a bit punchier and swearier than TMH; also there's one use of the word "cosplayer" which doesn't quite feel right considering the time period in which the game is set ("cosplayer" is very much a 2000s term of expression in English that kind of stood out like a sore thumb to me as a bit inappropriate for a 1989 setting). Overall though, there's very little to complain about, I like how everything has been handled here with its (very late!) English debut. Nintendo channelling their Love Hotel roots nicely here Compared to TMH though? I think that I prefer the first game overall. I think it's paced better, has a more engaging soundtrack, less frustrating progression/interrogation and I prefer the slightly more grounded setting. But it's really a wash anyway; if you like one, you're going to like the other pretty much just as much. Let's just hope that we get a localisation of the BS Famicom Detective Club game next (Would be a very appropriate use of DLC Nintendo ) Didn't know that the game came out in 1959... it's even older than I thought!

Yup. This game is rad as hell. Was a bit sceptical about the concept’s longevity and variety; but they absolutely nailed it! Great stuff! We’ve only just gotten up to Remix 2, but 18 Volt is definitely the best character Bit weird that they’ve moved away from full voice acting back to traditional Wario Ware text boxes though. Also… holy crap there’s a LOT of Rhythm Heaven references in this game!! Are they hinting at something I wonder

Already discussing this in the lawsuit thread, but Apple get to keep that 30% commission; even if developers include links to outside payment methods (ALA Sponsored URLs).

Ahh, from having a further look at things, it looks like Apple still get to charge the same 30% commission; even when the outside payment method is used (basically the same way Sponsored Links work on websites). This wouldn't affect console makers at all then, even if it was used. So... basically, Epic just got epically dumpstered in this lawsuit. Not only did their little coup attempt fail, but Apple get to ban not just Fortnite, but Unreal Engine as a whole; AND Epic have to pay back the outstanding 30% commission fees that they owe Apple too? Ouch!

They’ve already set the precedent with Let’s Go; so I wouldn’t be surprised if a remake of HGSS isn’t far off… No Glen, come on. We all know that Explorers of Sky is the next remake due after BDSP

Oof! Apple aren’t gonna like this… Potentially very abusable for console makers too. What’s to stop 3rd parties from charging £1 for the “base game” and then £58.99 for unlocking the “full game” with a link to an outside website where the platform holder gets zilch from? Edit: Actually not!

I meant PS4 Pro and Xbox One X Really not acceptable that even those consoles can't handle running a Wii game at 60FPS!

Absolutely miserable excuse of a port on all platforms (not even PS4 Pro manages a locked 60FPS and can’t even breech 1440p). They would honestly have gotten better performance & visuals if they had just emulated the original Wii version on Switch. Does kind of remind me of Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis on GBA…

Lovely interview with Mike Wikan, who was a Senior Game Designer on all three Metroid Prime games! Goes over his time at Retro, how he butted heads with Kensuke Tanabe over the difficulty of Boost Guardian & Spider Guardian, how the games were built and lots of other awesome little tidbits (apparently the written Luminoth language is based on sign language!). Well worth a watch!

I greatly prefer NMH1 over NMH2. Suda’s absence as director is sorely felt in NMH2, as it’s a very straightforward sequel that kind of misses the point of the original in many ways. It does a lot of pandering to the fans by “fixing” things which weren’t really problems (most notably the ridiculous jobs that Travis had to do to pay his way into the rankings from the first game). It’s a very paint by numbers sequel that smooths over the rough edges of the first game… except that the rough edges were the best bits of the original game; they were the whole point!

I can’t deal with this Joycon wireless interference anymore!!! It’s driving me insane and is making the game near unplayable!! God I can’t wait for Switch 2; please, for fucks’ sake! Fix this shit Nintendo!!!

They’re making this change in a purposeful effort to dumb down the difficulty, so most likely the Extra/Master stages will just be their own separate set of stages that you unlock after collecting every banana (just like in Banana Blitz).