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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still that same gorgeous game filled with great courses, characters, and karts. There are a few new game elements that augment the game slightly, and an awesome battle mode that is instantly addicting, but on the whole, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is almost too similar to the game we fell in love with on the Wii U.
Puyo Puyo Tetris delivers a wonderfully chaotic experience that combines the fast paced Tetris gameplay and the more strategic Puyo Puyo formula that has been a staple of the franchise since its 1991 debut. As someone who has been a fan of Tetris since I was a kid with a Game Boy, the thought of playing a new iteration of the popular franchise on Nintendo's Switch made me anxious. What makes Sega's reimagining so memorable is the inclusion of the Puyo Puyo gameplay.
Mr. Shifty reminded me a whole lot of Hotline Miami when I first played it. I came away from my E3 demo amazed. Developer Team Shifty took the exemplary gameplay from Hotline Miami, tweaked a few things, added a new warping ability to the character to make the game unique, and ported the game to Nintendo Switch. Surely, this would be an excellent indie release on Nintendo's newest platform?
The roguelike genre is a game genre I've never bothered to explore. There was just never a game that caught my eye. Admittedly, Has-Been Heroes was no exception. The trailers didn't stir much interest in me and my initial demo of the game turned me off even more because of a control scheme I felt was confusing at the time. Now, with over 10 hours of gameplay under my belt I have to admit that Has-Been Heroes has become one of my most recommended titles for the Switch.
The Binding of Isaac is a game I've honestly never played before. It seems like a game I'd enjoy, with it's dark humor and violence, but I never checked it out for whatever reason. So when The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ was announced for the Switch, I really didn't pay too much attention to it. However, when Nicalis announced the game would have a physical release that actually included a manual, I decided to pay some more attention to the game. After debating, I finally picked up The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+. So, am I happy with my decision?
Breath of the Wild reinvents the Zelda formula by taking many of the best elements of past games and combining them perfectly with the modern open world game. In doing so, Nintendo doesn't merely update its classic series, but brings it to fantastic new heights, setting a new standard for open world game design that will be hard to match.
Super Bomberman R is decent for a launch title on a system that is a little lacking in retail titles, but it has it's issues.
As a package, Treasure Trove is an excellent way to expand a newly-formed Switch library with a wonderful 8-bit platforming package.
With the launch of the Nintendo Switch, FAST RMX debuts as a launch title, which is sort of a 'definitive' version of FAST Racing NEO with some fantastic tweaks.
"Hey let's go play that game where you milk a cow while staring deep into my eyes." seems to be the type of dialogue Nintendo wants to create with their Switch launch game, 1-2-Switch. It's a quirky, party style game that is clearly meant to draw in a more mainstream audience to Nintendo's new console akin to what Wii Sports once did. Could this be the next game that will be at every party in 2017 as Guitar Hero did back in the late 2000s? Probably not.
Futuristic racers were all the rage back when I was growing up in the 90s. Games like Wipeout, F-Zero, and Forsaken were popular titles, with fast machines in futuristic locales. The genre has even had a bit of a return with the Fast Racing series on the Wii U and soon to be Switch as well. LifeSpeed was an interesting title because it was built with the New 3DS in mind, and is exclusive to this version of the console. Does the risk pay off with a quality title?
There are still plenty of challenges and content to be found in the ‘3DS version of the game. The uniqueness and musical charm are present, just not in a way that complements the console version of Yoshi’s Woolly World.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a fantastic addition to the 3DS, and easily one of the best games on the system. Everything is well crafted and highly polished, and there is enough new content and variations that even if you played the PS2 version to death, you will still find lots of surprises and nuances. With high presentation values, a charming story, tons of depth, and traditional but fun JRPG battle system, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a must own for 3DS RPG lovers, and an easy early contender for game of the year.
Usually when I review a game, I have a good idea of the style before going into it. FACTOTUM was the first release from TACS Games on the Wii U, and it was a pretty unique and solid game, so I was excited to see what they would bring to the table with Radiantflux: Fractal. After playing the game extensively, I’m still not quite sure what it is, but I think I kind of like it.
Mario die-hards that only have a 3DS will find some enjoyment in playing the new mode, and the limited selection of online courses, but without the ability to share your created courses with the world, it seems like a waste of time.
Exile’s End is not a game you should avoid, but with the many quality games on eShop, it makes it hard to recommend. The game does a nice job to recreate the experience it was looking for, but failed at making what these games make fun: the interesting level design and challenge.
Overall, Pokemon Sun and Moon take two generational steps forward, but also take one step back. Small new intricacies like battle enhancements and a refined presentation vastly improve the moment-to-moment experience of playing Pokemon. However, a sparse catalog of new Pokemon, shallow end game, and lack of launch Pokemon Bank support hold the titles back from being truly exceptional.
Mario Party: Star Rush isn’t the Mario Party game we all were hoping for and a return to form for the series, but I think it’s a step in the right direction after the questionable Mario Party 10 on the Wii U. The party isn’t as hype as it needs to be, but some will be able to find a good bit of enjoyment in this title.
If you’re waiting for a monster-collecting RPG to play this fall, it will likely be best to wait until Pokemon Sun and Moon release next month.
Wings of Magloryx is a game where you play as a dragon and do dragon things, sort of. Unfortunately flying as your dragon feels like steering a double-decker bus underwater that occasionally gets pulled up by a crane. You will be unfairly killed by the game due to the terrible camera and everything (even the music) slowing down to a crawl during boss fights.