If you're a fan of the Mega Man Zero series but always thought it was a tad slow, you'll want to keep an eye on Berserk Boy. The action-platformer from the appropriately-named BerserkBoy Games is coming to Nintendo Switch and PC on March 6. 

Ahead of its release, the devs have shared a new trailer that confirms the launch date and shows off a bunch of fast-paced action. Throw in a mix of Saturday morning anime cinematics and you have a pretty compelling reason to go berserk yourself.

Berserk Boy is Mega Man meets Sonic the Hedgehog

True to its inspirations, which appear to range from the Mega Man series to Sonic the Hedgehog, Berserk Boy ticks all the expected bullet points. There's jumping, dashing, and sliding. There are different abilities to harness and toggle between, including Lightning, Fire, Earth, Air, and Ice. There's even a mad scientist and his "army of darkness" to contend with. I'm a simple man, I don't ask for much more of a setup than that. 

The tunes have a solid pedigree to them, too. The Berserk Boy soundtrack comes from Tee Lopes, known for work on Streets of Rage 4, Sonic Mania, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, and more. The real standout for me, though, is the speed. It looks like there's a nice mix of combo-chaining, acrobatic challenges and, of course, rail-sliding. We'll see if it lives up to all the games that paved the way for it when Berserk Boy lands this March.  

The post Berserk Boy looks like a high-speed spin on Mega Man Zero appeared first on Destructoid.

Earlier in the year (wait... it's still January?!) we mentioned how Hitman: Blood Money was making an appearance on the Switch. Well, that day has now arrived, and this special "Reprisal" edition comes with some features just for this port.

If you have a Switch and you're a fan of some of the more classic entries in the Hitman franchise, this one may be worth a look-in. It released on January 25 and, according to the Nintendo website, this version features "gameplay improvements inspired by later games in the series," including Instinct Mode.

It's also been given an "an artful redesign of a stealth-action classic," which has been specially adapted for the hybrid console.

Not bad for an 18-year-old game

The timing of this is pretty nifty (if you have a Switch, of course). With the Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy about to leave Xbox Game Pass, Blood Money - Reprisal will keep your thirst for Agent 47 well and truly sated.

Many consider the 2006 entry one of the best of the series. I only managed to play it for the first time a couple of years ago, and I can see the appeal. Personally, I'm utterly in love with the recent installments and will be sad to see them exiting Game Pass.

I'm also one of those rare specimens that actually really enjoyed Absolution. I understand the criticisms people had, but the fact that it was the first Hitman game I actually managed to get all the way through makes it special to me (you never forget your first).

The post Classic Hitman game Blood Money now out on Nintendo Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

We all know cats have nine lives, but Umbraclaw is on the way to prove they also get successively cooler powers each time they die. The latest side-scrolling action game from Inti Creates (Azure Striker Gunvolt, Blaster Master Zero) is set to launch on consoles and PC on May 30, 2024.

Specifically, Umbraclaw is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A demo is on the way to the February 2024 edition of Steam Next Fest, and you can see how much ass this little cat kicks in the release date trailer below. 

Umbraclaw follows a house cat named Kuon, who awakens in the Soulplane after dying in our world. In order to return home, she'll have to brave this realm of the dead, which has a really cool art style to it. While cats do have nine lives, those lives come and go rather easily. Whenever Kuon takes a hit she dies; simple as that. Thankfully, she has an "Anima Revive" power that can bring her back to life with a new skill each time, paving the way for different play styles and leading her toward multiple possible endings. 

Some of those skills are animal transformation skills like the Crow, Tyrannosaurus, and Elephant (take that, Mario). Kuon can also change into a humanoid form for "full fighting action," switching the focus from enemy avoidance to direct combat. Blaster Master Zero director Satoru Nishizawa is at the helm for this one, and hopefully, it's as fun to play as it is to watch. We'll see how the sampler pans out next month ahead of the May launch. We'll also find out more about the other mystery game Inti Creates is working on During PAX East 2024!

The post Inti Creates’ Umbraclaw proves cats have nine lives AND rad powers, launches this May appeared first on Destructoid.

Following some delays, Freedom Planet 2 finally made its PC debut in September 2022, and now it has its sights set on consoles. Publisher XSEED Games announced plans to bring developer GalaxyTrail's sequel to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on April 4, 2024.

In addition to showing off the four heroines of Freedom Planet 2 and their high-speed exploits, the release date trailer previews a brand new mode. When Freedom Planet 2 hits consoles it will come with the oft-requested Boss Rush mode across all platforms, including a simultaneous update on PC. Split into two divisions with 17 boss challenges in each one, Boss Rush mode will be accessible via the in-game Battlesphere when it goes live. Beating the bosses in both divisions will unlock an in-game VIP room full of easter eggs that long-time fans should appreciate.

XSEED has digital releases set for all platforms, with the Switch eShop release offering 10% off pre-orders from now until a week after launch. The PlayStation release will include a bundle of both the PS4 and PS5 versions, and those who opt to check it out on Xbox will be able to take advantage of Smart Delivery to access the optimal version of the game on both platforms. 

I haven't played the sequel yet, but the first Freedom Planet was pretty much the ideal Sonic game I never knew I needed, so I'm psyched for this one to hit consoles. It all makes sense considering the series' origins as a Sonic the Hedgehog fangame by GalaxyTrail founder Sabrina DiDuro. If you can't wait until the console release, you can nab the sequel for the same price of $24.99 on Steam right now. 

The post Freedom Planet 2 zips to consoles on April 4, adds Boss Rush mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Much of the gaming world is holding its breath in anticipation of the Switch 2, or whatever Nintendo decides to call the follow-up to its hybrid console. For now, we know nothing about it, but it seems developers are already working on titles for the mystery machine (not to be confused with the van from Scooby-Doo).

According to the latest GDC State of the Game Industry survey (as spotted by VGC), about 8% of development teams are currently developing a project for the Switch successor. Considering around over 3,000 developers were asked, this equates to quite a few people saying they're working on something for the Switch successor.

On top of this, when asked which platforms people in the industry were most interested in as developers, 32% said the Nintendo Switch successor. This is above the Xbox Series X|S and the current-gen Switch, but just behind the PS5, which 41% are still interested in.

More are working on Switch 2 games than Amazon Luna

We've been getting hints here and there about the elusive system. Last year, it was rumored that the next Nintendo Switch had been demoed at Gamescom 2023, exclusively for developers.

Given what we've seen in the GDC report, it seems likely that the console must be in the works at this point. The Switch has been out since 2017 and even with the OLED edition launching in 2021, it feels like it's been coming to the end of its lifecycle for some time now.

Those who are said to be working on Switch 2 games are almost certainly being asked to keep mum about it. But with a decent number of dev teams saying they are involved in projects for the as-yet-to-be-announced Nintendo console, we may hopefully start to hear word about it soon. Hope springs eternal, and all that.

The post Developers say they’re working on games for a Switch successor in new survey appeared first on Destructoid.

Things are starting to pick up for the Switch eShop, as Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Another Code: Recollection are both launching on the same day. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is another pretty fun addition, which we have a review for if you're interested.

Although we haven't gotten any first-party heavy-hitters yet, it's just January, and the eShop has a decent selection of both old and new games to peruse (that includes the instant drop of two Golden Sun games!). I have a good feeling about 2024!

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of January 11, 2024

• 8-Colors Star Guardians +
• AAA Clock Extreme Ultimate
• Brain Memory Ultra Special
• Coin Rush – Available Jan. 12
• Coloring Book: Complete Bundle – 410 drawings – Available Jan. 12
• Cooking Arena – 4 in 1 Edition – Available Jan. 12
• CrashMetal – Drift Racing Car Driving Simulator – PREMIUM EDITION
• Crystal Project – Available Jan. 12
• Dead by Daylight – Gold Edition
• Frogsong – Available Jan. 12
• Grotto – Available Jan. 12
• HatLand – Pixel Impossible GAME OVER – Available Jan. 12
• Kitten Hero – Available Jan. 12
• Legend of Grimrock – Available Jan. 15
• Light-It Up: Complete Edition – Available Jan. 12
• Nephenthesys – Available Jan. 17
• nGolf
• One Night: Burlesque Extended Edition
• Piano: Learn and Play Magnificent Edition
• Pixel Coloring Paint – Available Jan. 13
• Pixel Paint 2 Director's Cut
• Shinorubi – Available Jan. 12
• Spin Rhythm XD + Monstercat Bundle
• Sport & Fun: Swimming Superb Edition
• Ultimate Racing 2D 2 – Available Jan. 15
• Wild Seas

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of January 18, 2024

• Arcade Archives COSMO GANG THE PUZZLE
• Bugby
• Car Racing Highway Driving Simulator – PREMIUM EDITION – Available Jan. 19
• Chess Grandmaster Royal Bundle
• Choo-Choo Charles
• Classic Games Collection Vol.2 Holiday Edition
• Colorful Adventures Bundle
• Death Motel – Available Jan. 19
• Detective – Stella Porta Case
• Downhill Driver: Extreme Racing Simulator
• DreadOut 2
• Dungeons 3 – Nintendo Switch Complete Collection
• Easy Dice for RPG/Tabletop
• EGGCONSOLE MARCHEN VEIL PC-8801mkIISR
• Fairytale Theatre-Momotaro’s Adventure
• Fastest Finger First! 3 Hint Quiz
• For a Vast Future Definitive Edition
• Fuga: Melodies of Steel – Ultimate Edition
• Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 – Ultimate Edition
• Gladiatorial Conquest Battle: Arena of Legends
• Knights of Grayfang
• Lil’ Guardsman – Available Jan. 23
• Monster Truck Freestyle – Available Jan. 20
• Neon Drifter – Cyber Racing
• Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters – Available Jan. 23
• Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters Deluxe Bundle – Available Jan. 23
• Notes + Stickers Special Edition
• Railway Empire – Nintendo Switch Starter Bundle
• Reigns: Three Kingdoms
• Rescue! DROPKICK ON MY DEVIL!!
• Saga of the Moon Priestess – Available Jan. 24
• Shalnor Legends Double Bundle
• Sir Questionnaire
• Super Sean 007
• Superfluous Returnz
• The Cub – Available Jan. 19
• The Legend of Steel Empire – Available Jan. 23
• The Pedestrian
• Tropico 6 – Nintendo Switch Starter Bundle
• Vigour
• Witch Rise – Available Jan. 19

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post Another Code: Recollection, published by Nintendo, rings in the New Year of the eShop appeared first on Destructoid.

Shmup fans are gonna be eating good this year, because Red Art Games kicked off its first Shmup Week event with two announcements. Both Bullet Hell Collection: Volume 1 and Jets'n'Guns Complete Collection are set to launch on Switch sometime in Q3 2024.

Bullet Hell Collection: Volume 1 includes Void Gore, Project Starship, and Z-WARP, all of which are on screen-filling display in the announcement trailer below.

In addition to the standard physical release, the first Bullet Hell Collection will be available in a Deluxe Edition that packs the games with one of three keychains, a poster, and reversible cover art. 

True to its title, Jets'n'Guns Complete Collection includes both Jets'n'Guns games by developer Rake in Grass (Rampage Knights, Silent Sector). Those who opt for all the bonuses will get the game along with a keychain, reversible cover, and a CD containing Machinae Supremacy's original soundtrack. Like the standard versions, the Deluxe Editions of both games are priced at €39.99, but these are exclusively up for pre-order at the Red Art Games website. 

Here's a look at both games in action:

Beyond that, it sounds like Shmup Week has some more surprises waiting in the wings. Red Art Games teased an announcement "coming straight from Japan" for Thursday, January 11 at 5:00 p.m. CET. There's also the previously-delayed Shinorubi, which finally locked in a January 12 launch date from Red Art Games last month. That's right around the corner digitally with a physical Switch release to follow at a later date. 

The post Bullet Hell Collection, Jets’n’Guns Complete Collection coming to Switch this year appeared first on Destructoid.

All good Metroidvanias must eventually make their way to Nintendo Switch, and that's the next stop for GRIME. Publisher Akupara Games and developer Clover Bite announced that the side-scrolling action-RPG is coming to Switch on January 25. 

This version of GRIME is now being billed as the Definitive Edition, offering "the complete GRIME experience" on Switch. In addition to the main game, the Switch port comes with all free pieces of DLC, including the third and final offering in Parting Shade. The latest addition follows the act of previous DLC Colors of Rot and Tinge of Terror, all evocatively named in a way that suits GRIME's, uh, grimy style. 

The devs describe Parting Shade as their "parting gift to you, our players." According to an earlier tease, you'll need to use every ability you have at your disposal to survive their own personal take on the Path of Pain, presumably referring to Hollow Knight's absurdly challenging sub-area. The DLC was first announced in September as the last thing they needed to work on before switching their attention to the Switch port and GRIME 2. 

GRIME first made its way to PC via Steam in August 2021, and is also available through Epic Games Store and GOG, as well as on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Back when the demo was on the way to Steam, we spoke with director Yarden Weissbrot about the surreal creature-absorbing game's unique progression style, difficulty level, and more. With this and the sequel on the way, it's a good time to be into GRIME.

The post Brutal action-RPG GRIME launches January 25 on Switch, includes all DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Publisher Game Source Entertainment updated plans on a handful of titles, including deck-building roguelite Lost in Fantaland (via Gematsu). The isometric strategy game is currently in Early Access on PC, and it's coming to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch this June. 

Developer Supernature Games first kicked off the Early Access run on Steam back in September 2022, and it has since garnered very positive reviews. You can see a sample of its pixel art style and card-based tactics in the previously-revealed trailer below.

Lost in Fantaland lets players explore its randomly-generated world as a Warrior, Mage, or Deceiver. Battles take place on an eight-by-eight isometric checkerboard, and Supernature promises a ton of cards, items, and secret treasures to help keep those strategic showdowns interesting. For those who want to check it out while it's still in Early Access, Lost in Fantaland is currently 20 percent off on Steam. 

Beyond Fantaland

In addition to Lost in Fantaland, Game Source Entertainment provided some more info on games spanning a few different genres. Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is a roguelite fantasy action-RPG set during Japan's Edo period, and it's coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC this October.

On the boys' love visual novel end, there's Voice Love on Air, which developer Noisy Fish has lined up for a spring launch on Switch and PC. Finally, horror fans will get to soak in the frights of Softstar Entertainment's The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication when it hits consoles, along with the previously-planned PC version, sometime this year. 

The post Lost in Fantaland takes its deck-building tactics to PS5 and Switch in June appeared first on Destructoid.

We're back to our regularly scheduled open faucet of eShop games: if you have any eShop cash left over, you might have something to spend it on! In addition to two more Arcade Archives games (Mystic Warriors and Solitary Fighter), a few other classics return like Clue, as well as oddball picks like The Spy Who Shot Me.

In case you're wondering, the first upcoming Nintendo game will drop on February 16, 2024, as the Mario Vs. Donkey Kong series returns to the fray. Then there's Princess Peach: Showtime in March. It'll be a quiet January for now!

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of January 4, 2024

• 4x4 OffRoad Collection
• Anime Girls: Highschool of Dead
• Anime Tank Blitz: Warbound Legends
• Arcade Archives MYSTIC WARRIORS
• Arcade Archives SOLITARY FIGHTER
• Arcade Game Zone – Available Jan. 5
• B.O.O.L: Master labyrinth puzzles
• Battlefront Trench Warriors: Ops of Warfare
• Bike Courier: Bistro Express Delivery
• Breakout Birdie
• Breakout Birdie 2
• Breakout Birdie Adventure
• Buddy & Friends: Santa’s Workshop Animal Party
• Build A Bridge Collection
• Bulanci
• Cafe Owner Simulator – Available Jan. 10
• Capitals Quizzer
• Cat Simulator
• City’s Hero Collection
• Clue
• Cynthia: Hidden in the Moonshadow – Complete Edition – Available Jan. 10
• Driving World Collection
• Dungeons & Doomknights
• Electrician Simulator – Available Jan. 5
• Fantasy Blacksmith Shop Simulator
• Forbidden Ghost Photo
• Gang Blast
• GeoJelly
• Green Sauce Bundle
• Hilm
• Human Bowling
• Ikkarus and the Prince of Sin – Available Jan. 10
• Isolated – Available Jan. 6
• Jigsaw Pets
• Jinshin
• Knights & Guns Elite Edition – Available Jan. 5
• Knights of the Rogue Dungeon
• Kumamon Run
• Legacy Mystery Bundle
• Lonesome Village + A Tiny Sticker Tale Bundle
• Masarada Town Story
• Mayhem Motorsports Collection
• Metro Redux
• Monster Loves You Too!
• Moon Lander
• Moto Rush GT Diamond Edition – Available Jan. 5
• Mystery Box: Escape The Room
• Mystery Box: The Journey
• Nathan Jones and The Empty Century
• Rush Hours Collection
• S.N.I.P.E.R. – Hunter Scope Ultimate Edition – Available Jan. 5
• Saints Row: The Big Purple Package
• Santa’s Workshop Challenge: The North Pole Gift Adventure
• Shivering Stone – Available Jan. 5
• Ski Simulator : Winter Sports
• Sniper – Elite Shooter Squad
• Speedster’s Collection
• Starship Showdown: Galactic Grand Prix
• Super Kart Mini Car Race
• Synthetic Lover
• The Curse of Kudan
• The Gardener Simulator – Plant, Grow, Decorate, Build Sim
• The Spy Who Shot Me
• The World of War II: Frontlines of History
• Tools Up! Ultimate Edition – Available Jan. 5
• Traffic Master Collection
• Truck Simulator 2024 – USA Driver Zone
• Ultimate Moto Bike Simulator
• UNPOGABLE
• Warzone Chronicles: Virtual Warfare Shooter
• Wizard Hunter: The End of the Magic World
• XMas Toy Merge

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post The eShop is back with a deluge of games after the New Year appeared first on Destructoid.

Happy New Year! Are you ready for 2024? I am! 2023 gave us a ton of great games to play, but we also had a lot of bad gaming industry news dropping steadily throughout. Hopefully, this year will bring better tidings as some of the sectors recover and come back stronger.

In the meantime, here's a quick recap of what's been happening on the Switch eShop for the past few weeks. Studios pushed out everything they could at a rapid pace before the holiday, just as users unwrap their new Switches and redeem their eShop gift card money. After that things slowed down to a crawl, with only eight total games coming out the week of December 28 through January 3.

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of December 21, 2023

• 100 Demon Fantasia
• 20 Minutes Till Dawn
• 3in1 Game Collection: Backgammon + Checkers + Mills – Available Dec. 25
• Aery – Calm Mind 4
• Airport
• All I Want for Christmas are Subgames CE
• All of Us Are Dead
• Aquarium Land: Puppy Edition – Available Dec. 23
• Arcade Archives AERO FIGHTERS
• ASMR Slicing: Complete Edition – Available Dec. 23
• Astro Miner: Complete Edition – Available Dec. 23
• Backroom: Constructions
• Bowling Fever – Available Dec. 25
• Cape’s Escape Game 6th Room
• Christmas Bubble Puzzle – Available Dec. 22
• Classic Games Collection Vol.1 Holiday Edition – Available Dec. 25
• Cleaning Queens
• Cooking Tycoons – 3 in 1 Bundle Complete Edition – Available Dec. 25
• Courageous Reasoning Nori 4 Crossing Sea Street 4
• Cute Critters Pet Kitty – Available Dec. 24
• Dani and Evan: Dinosaur books
• Deadly Days + Orbital Bullet Bundle – Available Dec. 22
• DIY Paper Doll: Complete Edition – Available Dec. 23
• Drawing Carnival: Complete Edition – Available Dec. 23
• Dungeon Defence Simulator 2024 – Available Dec. 22
• EGGCONSOLE HYDLIDE PC-8801
• Escape From The Island
• Fashion World – Available Dec. 25
• Freddi Fish 4: The Case of The Hogfish Rustlers of Briny Gulch
• Growth
• Hard Racing: Stunt Car Driving – Available Dec. 24
• Hole io: Red Planet Edition – Available Dec. 24
• I SEEK! WHERE IS "PICTO"-SAN?
• Japan Train Models – JR West Edition
• Kebab Bar Tycoon – Available Dec. 25
• Lacuna + Encodya Bundle – Available Dec. 22
• Light-It Up – Available Dec. 25
• Midnight Drifter-Drift Racing Car Racing Driving Simulator - PREMIUM EDITION – Available Dec. 23
• Military Combat Shooter Desert War – Available Dec. 22
• Milk Seller – Available Dec. 23
• Moorhuhn Invasion – Crazy Chicken Invasion – Available Dec. 22
• My Bakery Empire – Available Dec. 25
• My Child Lebensborn Remastered
• My Life: Farm Vet – Available Dec. 25
• My Lovely Dog Adventure
• Mystery Solving! BrainQuiz
• Nothing to Declare – Available Dec. 25
• ONE. – Available Dec. 22
• Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat From Your Head To Your Feet
• Paper io 2: Variety Pack – Available Dec. 24
• Party Friends – Available Dec. 24
• Piyokoro
• Pocket Foosball – Available Dec. 25
• Pocket Quest – Available Dec. 25
• Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 – Available Dec. 25
• Princess Puzzle Adventure
• Quake + Quake II Enhanced Bundle
• Ravva and the Phantom Library
• Reef Escape
• Roman Empire Simulator – Available Dec. 22
• Santa’s World
• Sherlock Holmes – The Hunt for Moriarty – Available Dec. 25
• Sketch Personality Test
• SokoWinter
• Space Papers: Planet’s Border – Available Dec. 25
• Stellar Interface + Sudoku Zenkai
• Tanuki Sunset – Available Dec. 24
• Terra Nil
• The Artist Colors
• The Rumble Fish +
• Three Minutes To Eight
• Trash Punk – Available Dec. 25
• Tricky Taps: Complete Edition – Available Dec. 23
• Truckzilla – Monster Truck Mega Ramp – Available Dec. 24
• Urban Flow GOTY Edition – Available Dec. 22

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of December 28, 2023

• Bloopy & Droopy
• Chico and the Magic Orchards DX – Available Dec. 29
• Found it!
• MisBloody – Available Dec. 30
• Pinball M
• Pinball M – Death Save Bundle
• Tiny Treasure Hunt
• Zombie Dead Smasher Shooter – PREMIUM EDITION – Available Dec. 30

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

The post The Switch eShop closed out 2023 with a small drop: What will 2024 bring? appeared first on Destructoid.

Fate/Samurai Remnant, the latest entry in the Fate franchise, will receive the first of three DLCs soon, and it will arrive in February 2024.

Titled Record’s Fragment: Keian Command Championship, details on what to expect are still sparse. The trailer depicts Gilgamesh the King of Heroes announcing that he has seized control of the fates of several characters from the base game. He then announces the start of the Keian Command Championship.

Two more DLCs are on the way, but they've yet to be named or receive a release date, although they are to launch in 2024. Each of the DLCs will bring additional scenarios, new Servants, stages, and more. If you want access to all the extra content, a Season Pass is available which also comes with the Hallowed Relic Sword Mountings bonus.

I enjoyed my time with Fate/Samurai Remnant, so the DLC piques my interest. Perhaps the only downside is that it comes during a time that already promises to be packed with enticing titles like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Persona 3 Reload.

The post Fate/Samurai Remnant – DLC Vol. 1 receives teaser trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

It has been a good year for the Nintendo Switch. The hybrid console received critically acclaimed exclusives like Pikmin 4, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Mario RPG. Recently, Nintendo revealed the top 30 most downloaded games on Japan's eShop in 2023.

The list doesn't come with too many surprises, although if you haven't been paying attention, it may be unexpected to see Pikmin 4 clinching third place. It didn't cause too much of a splash in the West, but Famitsu lists reveal that it has been selling well in Japan. It may also be a shock to see that Tears of the Kingdom isn't in the number one spot and sits in second place instead.

That's because Suika Game takes first place, a game that has accumulated over 5 million downloads worldwide. The whole top 30 list looks like this:

1. Suika Game
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
3. Pikmin 4
4. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
5. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
7. Splatoon 3
8. Overcooked 2
9. Super Mario RPG
10. Fire Emblem Engage
11. Monster Hunter Rise
12. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
13. Pokémon Violet
14. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2
15. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
16. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
17. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
18. Minecraft
19. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1
20. Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
21. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
22. Human: Fall Flat
23. Persona 4 Golden
24. Among Us
25. Momotaro Dentetsu World: Chikyuu wa Kibou de Mawatteru
26. Pikmin 2
27. Pokémon Scarlet
28. Nintendo Switch Sports
29. Pikmin 1
30. Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban

The usual suspects also make an appearance. Pokemon has Pokemon Violet at number thirteen while Scarlet sits at number twenty-seven. The indomitable Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sits in sixth place and Super Mario Bros. Wonder appears nearby in fourth place.

Next year has the potential to be another phenomenal year for Nintendo. Princess Peach: Showtime! arrives in March, and you can also look forward to Tomb Raider I-III Remastered and Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

The post Nintendo reveals top 30 most-downloaded games on Japan’s eShop in 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Astlibra Revision is one of those “hidden gems” that I was advised to go into as blind as possible. To paraphrase, I was told to trust it would be worth my time to see it through to its conclusion. Now, three weeks and change later, I have finished Astlibra Revision. And while I don’t think that advice was totally necessary, I still don’t know how to begin describing the experience.

For lack of a better option, the best way to understand this game is to understand its creator. Astlibra was developed predominately by one Japanese developer who goes by the name “KEIZO”. From what I’ve gathered, KEIZO is not a professional game designer. So in addition to his full-time job, Astlibra was the passion project he worked on in his free time. In that sense, Astlibra isn’t unlike that one RPG Maker game you might have spent a month tinkering with. Except KEIZO kept working on Astlibra for 15 years, releasing chapters episodically until it was finished.

Of course, as you might expect, the boy’s firm answer to that last question is “no”. And after setting out on a journey that lasts eight years, the boy and his crow become proper monster-slaying grown-ups who finally find other human settlements. And before you know it, the duo quickly get wrapped up in a plot that not only takes them across the world, but time itself.

This mixture of clichés and twists honestly describes Astlibra as a whole. The plot is something I want to discuss later, as there’s a lot to unpack here. But even when it comes to the gameplay, Astlibra proves that you shouldn’t judge a game based on appearances.

But what even is Astlibra?

Despite starting on such a small scale, I can’t stress enough that the combat in Astlibra just keeps growing. With each chapter comes new magic, abilities, and entirely new attacks in your core move set. Even at the point you'd think the game would hit its mechanical peak, it still escalates. This is a good thing, because you’re going to need as many tools as you can get. Before long, you’ll find dungeons with ridiculous amounts of monsters and massive bosses that throw blankets of bullets at a moment’s notice.

That said, the game’s plethora of options quickly turns into a blessing and a curse.

Prepare to grind

If there is one thing I cannot stress enough about Astlibra, it is that it is very much designed for people who enjoy grinding. If you want just about anything in Astlibra, you must work for it. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing, but it does make the game’s appeal very niche in practice.

For instance, take the game’s equipment. There are a ton of armaments you can equip, each different in terms of range, handling, power, and even elemental affinity. However, all equipment – armor and shields included – comes with skills you can master by earning enough EXP while using them. Some skills are duds, but others are basically essential. These include things like extending your invulnerability period after getting hit or boosting elemental damage. So to get the most of your character, you better like swapping equipment and filling up every bar you see.

However, you also must consider how you get equipment. Every area in the game comes with its own batch of things to buy, but you can’t just use money to get them. You also need a wide variety of monster materials from that respective area, which you almost certainly won't get through standard play. So the rhythm of the game quickly becomes identifying the materials you need, farming them until you’re done, and then repeating the process until you’ve grinded out everything you can in an area.

Make numbers go up

It gets better, though

A story across time

There’s no time like the present

How does Astlibra Revision run on Switch?

Weigh it on the scales

Despite all the game’s rough edges, that constant feeling of surprise ultimately nudged Astlibra into “Great” territory for me. At many points, I felt just as invested in the story on my screen as I was with the story of KEIZO creating it. Watching someone basically learn game design right in front of you is such a surreal experience, especially whenever you abruptly unlock new foundational combat mechanics that I imagine KEIZO just wanted to add on a whim. It’s a game that can, on occasion, be weird and baffling in ways that few commercial games are. But it’s nonetheless overflowing with passion, and I can’t help but feel impressed by that.

Astlibra Revision asks a lot from players upfront. It’s very much built for those who like grindy games, and it’s unpolished in ways that you’d expect from a title created by one person. But if you can enjoy what the game puts on the table, you’ll find an engaging combat system and a captivating, if not occasionally bizarre story. It’s an acquired taste for sure, but for those with the right palate, Astlibra is a one-of-a-kind experience.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Sawaki Takeyasu and Ignition Games' El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron somehow came out over 12 years ago. Takeyasu's company Crim purchased the rights a couple years after launch, and now the HD remaster finally has an April 28, 2024 date for Nintendo Switch. 

Crim announced the date for the port along with publisher Rainy Frog. El Shaddai will hit Switch both physically and digitally in Japan, including a physical deluxe edition priced at ¥8,250 (about US$57). Paying a little extra nets you the game along with a drama CD that comes with a script. Whether this is your first time ascending or you've been looking for an excuse to do so again, you can see more in the release date trailer. 

El Shaddai made its debut in 2011 to somewhat mixed reactions. It's a uniquely stylized action game that isn't necessarily going to be for everyone, but those who vibe with it are probably still thinking about it today. It had a pretty big promotional and crossover push at the time, including one that saw Japanese clothing brand Edwin release some pricey 503 Zero jeans in both Enoch and Lucifel styles. Unfortunately, none of the Switch releases come with themed clothing, so you'll have to hit eBay for a gently used pair. 

Outside of the bonuses included with the Japanese physical editions, it doesn't seem as if there's much in the way of new content here. If good ol' reliable El Shaddai—complete with its rock, paper, scissors combat and blend of 3D and 2D sections—sounds like a solid enough hook in 2024, mark your calendars for April. 

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Developer Eyeguys and publisher Santa Ragione released the "treacherous visual novel" Mediterranea Inferno on PC in August 2023, and now it has a date for consoles. The latest announcement has the game hitting PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on March 5, 2024.

Mediterranea Inferno follows the act of Eyeguys' 2020 visual novel Milky Way Prince: The Vampire Star, which tackled similarly weighty themes. You can see some of its idiosyncrasies on display in the console announcement and launch date trailer below.

The story of Mediterranea Inferno kicks off as three young 20-something guys reconnect after a period of isolation that's all too familiar. This is a post-pandemic yarn that reflects collective trauma through the trio of Claudio, Andrea, and Mida, who are attempting to enjoy their Southern Italy retreat.

Along the way you'll get to choose what they do each day, from visiting the local cemetery to relaxing by the pool, soaking in an endless summer that paves the way for insight into their psyches and unlocks hidden fears, obsessions, and the reality of dashed ambitions. 

Coming to grips with inner demons is an inevitable side effect of rediscovery in Mediterranea Inferno, apparently. Creator Lorenzo Redaelli produced hundreds of illustrations for the game along with handling the writing and music, so much like Milky Way Prince, there's a very personal touch behind it all. We have a little ways to go before that March console launch approaches, but in the meantime Mediterranea Inferno is available via Steam and Epic Games Store. 

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The holidays are here and people -perhaps you- are finally able to buy consoles without jumping through huge hoops. But now the question arises: what games are you going to gift?

After years of waiting for consoles to be easily accessible to purchase, you can get a PS5 on Amazon or an Xbox Series X at Target. Plus, the Nintendo Switch, including its OLED version, has seen some price cuts since its 2017 launch. 

It’s the perfect time to get that gamer in your life a console. Now all that's left to do is to buy some games. I mean, you can't get a console without some games. But what to choose? Well, I'm here to help ease that search and give some of my recommendations for the best games to gift.

PlayStation 5 (PS5)

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

(Amazon|Walmart|Target)

Spider-Man fan or not, Insomniac and Marvel's sequel to the 2018 PS4 epic is not to be missed. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is the ultimate superhero simulator, letting players control two Spider-Men as they swing through New York. It’s the closest you can get to being in the movies with stellar performances all around. While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 summarizes the other two games, you can always snatch a copy of Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales, which comes with a remastered version of Marvel's Spider-Man if they haven't played the previous titles. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a little darker than the others, but it's still a remarkable, fun, and thrilling ride.

Horizon Forbidden West

(Amazon|Walmart|Target)

If you're buying a PS5 bundle, chances are you've seen this title plastered on them, and for good reason. Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to 2016's Horizon Zero Dawn, is one of the most gorgeous games on the console. Its rich worldbuilding and fun gameplay make this an essential title for PS5 owners. Guerilla Games outdid themselves with the many things one can do within its vast world. The combat is accessible and rewarding, and the narrative is intriguing as it is grandiose. I mean, you get to ride a robot, for goodness' sake! It was one of my favorite titles last year, so I can attest to the fact that whoever you gift this to, they'll be very happy.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

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For something a bit more family-friendly, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a must-buy for gamers. It's an easily accessible entry in the series, as you don't have to play past titles to follow the story. Like Horizon, the game boasts some impressive graphics, utilizing the most of the PS5's specs. Its story brings all the charm of a Saturday morning cartoon and amps the action up. It's light-hearted, colorful, and full of fun gadgets to line your arsenal. Our Chris Carter called Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart as close to playing a Pixar film, which is pretty high praise. It's the perfect game for other family members to watch too, and a great title to showcase PlayStation's newest console.

Xbox Series X

Starfield

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Want to give someone a video game they can play for days on end? Starfield is the way to go. This open-world RPG from Bethesda is one of its best if our review has anything to say about it. You get to explore tons of planets throughout the game's vast solar system. Actions have consequences, and you get full control of your destiny (and your very own spaceship). It's one of the Xbox Series X's biggest titles and a huge reason many are buying the console, as it’s an Xbox and PC exclusive. If you're gifting a space-lover, Starfield will take them over the moon.

Forza Horizon 5

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This is for the car enthusiasts. While there is a more recent Forza title, I chose Forza Horizon 5 due to its critical acclaim and overall experience. With over 520 cars to choose from, you get to ride around Playground Games' version of Mexico. The graphics are gorgeous and it'll feel like you're really driving. It's vibrant and fully embraces the Xbox Series X's power. Even people like myself, who don't like racing games, enjoyed Playground Games' superb gameplay and beautiful scenery. Forza Horizon 5 is the perfect playground for new players to roam around in and have a blast.

Halo: Infinite

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Halo is a staple of Xbox consoles. It's only fair to gift the golden goose of the console to a new console owner. Halo: Infinite takes the flagship FPS (first-person shooter) series into open-world territory, letting players roam around a vast landscape. The gunplay is still top-notch, and it's still your classic Halo experience, just a bit bigger. Plus, the multiplayer is one of the series' best, so the giftee can play with their friends and have a great time. This is the definitive Halo game for the console, so this will make for an ideal gift for an Xbox fan.

Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

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You can never go wrong with Mario. It's actually impossible. The latest entry in the series, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, is no exception. It's the 2D formula of yesteryear turned on its head (literally). As Mario and friends, you get to explore the Flower Kingdom to stop Bowser. Through loads of unique and fun stages, you (and your friends, both local and online) can race, collect coins, and find secrets. The addition of Wonder Flowers opens up new mechanics that manifest new powers or stage attributes.  It’s a ton of fun and delivers that classic enjoyment Mario is known for. If there was a title that would cover all bases, Super Mario Bros. Wonder fits the bill. 

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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Much like Mario, The Legend of Zelda is another flagship franchise for Nintendo. Tears of the Kingdom, the latest title in the legendary series, is worth the price of admission and then some. The game continues the success of Breath of the Wild's open-world gameplay and adds its own take on building and crafting. You can combine weapons and create your own with Fuse, or create flying bikes or bridges with Link’s Ultrahand. The sky, which you can also explore to your heart’s content, is the limit. Playing Breath of the Wild, the game's predecessor, isn't that necessary, but it's fairly cheap if you want to gift that as well. As one of this year's best titles (and one of my favorites), it's the ideal gift for new Nintendo Switch owners.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

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Love great family-time games with a dash of competition? Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a surefire way to get the party started. If you’ve owned any Nintendo console before, you’ve definitely played Mario Kart. It has classic racing gameplay with some fun new stages and mechanics. It’s a remastering of the Wii U original but with all the added DLC and gameplay updates. The Switch controls make for a much more smoother and enjoyable experience. It’s the gift that keeps on giving and a perfect family game. 

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It's that time of year when things start to slow down and everyone settles in for the arrival of winter. For those looking to boost their ranking on Santa's Nice List, PowerWash Simulator is taking us to Santa's Workshop to clean up after a wild elf party.

In an X post made by the PowerWash Simulator account, a gift has arrived for those who wish to clean a bit more. Players on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam can access a new free level on December 14, 2023, and Switch players can get in on the fun on January 8, 2024.

PowerWash Simulator brings Santa's Workshop to life

The level itself is a small but densely packed affair, with plenty of nooks and crannies to blast clean. I hadn't touched PowerWash Simulator since the SpongeBob SquarePants DLC back in June and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it all came back to me. Before I knew it, Christmas had been saved and my trip to the North Pole could be written off as a business expense.

Every one of PowerWash Simulator's offerings, both free and paid, has been an utter delight. Santa's Workshop is no different and offers plenty of reasons to boot up the relaxing title and spray away the gunk.

With the Warhammer 40,000 DLC being delayed to 2024, this bite-sized DLC should hopefully be enough to tide players over. Either way, if you've been wanting a break from other titles or even want to take power washing into the third dimension, PowerWash Simulator has you covered. Just make sure you wear the proper PPE when cleaning Cloud's Buster Sword in the Seventh Heaven Bar.

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A pair of 2D horizontal shoot 'em ups are gearing up for another revival courtesy of ININ Games. The publisher announced plans to bring both The Legend of Steel Empire and Over Horizon to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in early 2024.

The Switch version of The Legend of Steel Empire will touch down first on Switch in January, then PS4 at a later date. Following the 1992 Sega Mega Drive and 2004 Game Boy Advance Steel Empire games by HOT-B, this one is an HD remaster based on the PC version with some additional features. These include reworked controls, high-definition visuals, and a leveling system that boosts both your strength and the resilience of your enemies depending on how many items you collect.

Also included in the physical Steel Empire Chronicles from Strictly Limited, The Legend of Steel Empire will be available physically and digitally on Switch. Here's a trailer: 

Over Horizon is a spiritual successor of sorts, with development from HOT-B and the co-director of Steel Empire. This entry wasn't released outside of Japanese and PAL territories, so fans of the series around the world will soon be able to check it out on Switch and PS4. Over Horizon is currently penciled in for sometime in early 2024 for both platforms. 

If you're looking for the most comprehensive collection, that Strictly Limited release still has a handful of LE Switch versions in stock. It includes the Steel Empire HD remaster, as well as the Mega Drive and Game Boy Advance versions, and the NES version of Over Horizon. You won't find the 3DS version there, though, so you'll have to stick to the second dimension.

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It's time for one of the last Nintendo Downloads of 2023. The 21st and 28th will likely be light on games, as most of the major releases (including the new Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC) are already out.

For now, you can enjoy Harvest Moon 64, 1080 Snowboarding, and Jet Force Gemini on the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service: as well as Palia. I've been playing a ton of Stardew Valley again on Switch, so Harvest Moon and Palia sound like really great follow-ups once I've exhausted everything (again) in Stardew.

Fair warning, there's a bunch of stuff out this week yet again! Check it all out below.

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of December 14, 2023

• Acrylic Nails!: Xmas Edition – Available Dec. 16
• Arcade Archives POLE POSITION II
• AVENGER
• Aztec Tiki Talisman
• Classic Games Puzzle Collection – Available Dec. 18
• Coloring book series Zoo
• EGGCONSOLE XANADU PC-8801 PC-8801mkIISR
• Farm Land: Kitty Edition – Available Dec. 15
• Fireball Wizard – Available Dec. 18
• GAIARES
• Gates of The Mind – Available Dec. 18
• GRANADA
• Hammerwatch II
• Hirilun – Available Dec. 15
• Knights & Guns NY Edition – Available Dec. 15
• Koumajou Remilia Ⅱ: Stranger's Requiem
• MECHBLAZE
• METRO QUESTER
• Molecano
• Moto Rush GT NY Edition – Available Dec. 15
• My Child Lebensborn Remastered – Available Dec. 20
• Nekomin
• Never Be Afraid Slam Dunk – Available Dec. 16
• Pan’orama
• Petit Petit Petit
• Poly Shooting Simulator – Available Dec. 15
• Pony World – Color by Numbers
• Princess Puzzle Adventure – Available Dec. 20
• PSYCHIC STORM
• Raccoo Venture
• Ravva and the Phantom Library – Available Dec. 20
• Rising Dusk
• S.N.I.P.E.R. – Hunter Scope Collectors Edition – Available Dec. 15
• SNQZ
• Sprout Valley + Garden Buddies
• Stickman’s Arena – Available Dec. 15
• Super Bear Adventure
• Tennis 2024 Simulator – Available Dec. 18
• The Monty Mole Collection – Available Dec. 18
• The Rumble Fish + – Available Dec. 20
• ToyBox Christmas
• Train Traffic Manager Extended Edition – Available Dec. 15
• Twin Mind: Power Of Love Collector’s Edition
• Western Slot Machine
• Winter Games Challenge
• Wood Guy
• Yuletide Legends: Who Framed Santa Claus
• Z Escape: Complete Edition – Available Dec. 15
• Zombie Defense: Commando Edition – Available Dec. 15

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

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It's been eight years since developer MidBoss released 2064: Read Only Memories, but we're inching ever closer to a return to Neo-San Francisco. A new trailer arrived for Read Only Memories: Neurodiver with yet another updated release window, this time penciling the cyperpunk sequel in for sometime in the first half of 2024.

When Neurodiver was first announced in June 2019, it was planned for a 2020 launch on PC and Mac. More platforms were added as the release window slipped further. It was moved to Q1 2021, then Q1 2022, and finally Q3 2023 before the latest jump to spring 2024. That release is currently set for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. You can see some of the characters, story, and inspiration behind the series in the trailer below, complete with narration from creative director John "JJSignal" James. 

Neurodiver has ES88 attempting to track down a rogue psychic known as Golden Butterfly, who is hiding in the memories of others and slowly corrupting them. With an ever-changing form, Golden Butterfly's motivation is a mystery. It's up to you to use your own psychic abilities and your genetically-engineered Neurodiver creature to connect with the fragmented memories, repair them, and ultimately put a stop to Golden Butterfly.

These events are set about five years after the story that went down in 2064. As such, there are a handful of returning cast members you'll get to reunite with, like Lexi and Tomcat. MidBoss is once again attempting to deliver a loving sendup to the Japanese adventure games of yore, and that love is particularly potent in the FM synth-infused soundtrack. If you want to sample it all while waiting for launch, the "Pilot Memory" demo is currently available on Steam. 

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If you're looking for a more constructive way to deal with a ruined wasteland, Terra Nil now has a date for Nintendo Switch. Devolver Digital is bringing the eco-strategy game from developer Free Lives (BroForce) to Nintendo's platform on December 18.

Terra Nil previously made the rounds on PC, iOS, and Android (via Netflix) back in March. Devolver Digital shared a quick trailer to go along with the Switch news.

In Terra Nil, players are tasked with doing the opposite of what your average city- or world-builder requires. Rather than constant growth and expansion, you have to take a ruined world, breathe life back into it, and make like a tree and leave. This results in a short and sweet experience that brings something new to the table with a side of some much-needed optimism. 

During your time with Terra Nil you'll encounter a few different biomes, each of which is procedurally generated. You'll assist with ruined cities, volcanic glaciers, and more, including alternate levels that act as unlockables. There's something innately serene about helping the world start over again, and it's fitting that you'll ultimately leave it all to thrive on its own as if you were never there in the first place. 

At the time of this writing, the reverse city builder is just due out digitally via the Nintendo eShop. If you're looking to take some time to wind down and bring a lifeless world back from the brink, this is the best way to reclaim the wasteland. 

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom might be the perfect sequel in every definition of the word, but even Nintendo seems to agree that it has exhausted all possibilities for this particular iteration of Link’s journey.

You’ll know by now that Tears, originally conceived as a DLC for Breath of the Wild, morphed into a proper installment when the producers realized the sheer scope of the ideas being thrown around at the studio. The entire game is pretty much modeled after what you already experienced in the acclaimed 2017 title, and yet we couldn’t begin to list all the fun elements they built upon to turn Tears of the Kingdom into another sensational hit.

Sure, it may have ultimately lost the GOTY to Baldur’s Gate 3, but it’s not every day that we get a sequel to one of the greatest games in history and somehow end up enjoying it more.

And the best part? It looks like Nintendo knows when to leave well enough alone, because it's not planning to develop a threequel to the Breath of the Wild offshoot.

Why Nintendo won't develop a sequel to Tears of the Kingdom according to its producer

Eiji Aonuma, who's served as a producer on The Legend of Zelda franchise for well over three decades, recently explained in an interview with Game Informer that they aren't planning a threequel, mainly because Tears is already the "apotheosis" of this particular subseries.

"[...] As I've mentioned previously, with Tears of the Kingdom, we were seeking to build on top of the world we created with Breath of the Wild and really exhaust the possibilities of what we could put into that world," Aonuma explained. "I think it is — to use a bit of a term — an apotheosis, or the final form of that version of The Legend of Zelda. In that regard, I don't think that we'll be making a direct sequel to a world such as that that we've created."

I can't say I won't miss this incarnation of Hyrule, but in an era where franchises are so hell-bent on overstaying their welcome, this might just be the best creative decision Nintendo could've made for The Legend of Zelda at this particular junction.

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In one of the most substantial updates to the Nintendo Switch’s N64 library, Nintendo has announced three new games are available now as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service. Man, how did this one slip me by until now?

Oh, right, this news broke during The Game Awards.

Well, even if you’re feeling tired from a marathon of game trailers and celebrity appearances, these classic games are still well worth checking out. Also, the trailer for the update features more than a few seconds of gameplay from each game, unlike most of what we saw during The Game Awards. Oh, did I just say that out loud!

Let's talk about these new old games

Harvest Moon 64 is next on the list, which I have zero attachment to whatsoever. Even with the rise of cozy and farming games, the genre just never clicked with me. That said, I do recognize that Harvest Moon 64 is a significant entry in the series and remains a fan favorite. With how much love Stardew Valley has (rightfully) gotten, it’s been great seeing classic Harvest Moon become available once again. I hope farming sim fans get a kick out of this one.

Here's to more N64 games

Overall, it’s nice to see a collection of games like this hit the Nintendo Switch Online service. Typically, Nintendo takes a drip feed approach. Either you’ll see one game at a time or a collection of left-field picks. But regardless of how these three games in particular have aged, they’re all significant pillars of the N64 library. They’re well worth having on hand.

Additionally, it’s not like we’re out of significant N64 games to add to the service either. Off the top of my head, Mischief Makers, Body Harvest, Ogre Battle 64, and the Bomberman games would all serve as notable additions to the N64 library. And that’s not getting into the rest of Rare’s classics or ports like Mega Man 64. I’m personally more of a Game Boy Advance guy myself, but it’s been fun seeing which retro games will get a second wind on the Switch. Hopefully we can still enjoy all these titles on whatever Nintendo’s next system is.

The Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack update is available now.

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Although I mainly showcase fully-fledged games above the line in these Nintendo Download recaps, LEGO Fortnite is technically a new game, housed within the Roblox-esque hub of Fortnite. It came out this week on December 7, and allows players to explore a whole new survival-based world.

If you're looking for something else, Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition is live on Switch. In case you haven't been following along, the Archaeologist Edition is just a fancy "GOTY with DLC" package. It comes with the Echoes of the Eye add-on.

As usual, there's a ton of other stuff to look through below!

Everything out on the Nintendo Switch eShop the week of December 7, 2023

• Air Aces
• Arcade Archives SCRAMBLE FORMATION
• Breakout Birdie Escape
• Breakout Birdie Escape 2
• Breakout Birdie Panic
• Breakout Birdie Panic 2
• Breakout Birdie Puzzle
• Breakout Birdie Puzzle 2
• Bulldozer Tycoon: Construction Simulator – Available Dec. 11
• City Bus Driver Simulator – Available Dec. 11
• City Driver: Car Parking Simulator
• Crystal Chip Collector e
• Defend The Base: Tower Turret Shooting Range
• Dino Get Out!
• DREAMERS: A Nostalgic Adventure
• Erogods: Asgard
• FALL CARS – Ultimate Car Battle
• Fearmonium – Available Dec. 8
• Golf Guys – Available Dec. 8
• Hammerwatch Anniversary Edition – Available Dec. 12
• Hammerwatch II: The Chronicles Edition – Available Dec. 12
• Helix Jump – Available Dec. 8
• Hell Well – Available Dec. 13
• Hiveswap Friendsim
• Make it! Takoyaki
• Make Way
• Mob Control – Available Dec. 8
• Nessy The Robot
• Official Spacefarer Card Game
• Pesterquest
• Pestersim
• Stone Age
• SUNSOFT Mahjong Solitaire -Shanghai LEGEND-
• TEVI
• The Ramsey
• The Smurfs: Colorful Stories – Available Dec. 8
• Thy Creature
• Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered
• Turok Trilogy Bundle
• Vege Bubble Shoot – Available Dec. 8
• Witch’s Potion: Water Sort Puzzle
• Word Space
• World War: D-Day PART TWO
• XIIZEAL
• Xuan Yuan Sword: Mists Beyond the Mountains – Available Dec. 8
• Yukar From The Abyss
• Zumaji Delux – Available Dec. 11

If you missed last week’s edition, here it is. For those who are interested, sales are going on for all platforms.

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Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk is nearly here, and with it will (presumably) come the end of Pokemon’s 9^th generation. That said, judging from the final trailer for the DLC that launched today, it appears Game Freak is hoping to end these contentious games with a bang.

There’s a lot to unpack in this four minute long trailer. It opens by returning to Area Zero, the namesake of the DLC bundle and the highlight of the core games. But rather than get into any plot details of what this abyss of Paradox Pokemon contains, we instead get a montage showing both returning gym leaders and new faces alike. Additionally, the trailer shows a lot of legendary Pokemon from previous generations. Like a lot. We got the legendary birds. We got the legendary dogs/cats/gerbils. There are even some horses. Just a whole group of world-ending animals.

Here comes the BBQ

Beyond these teases, the trailer shows off The Indigo Disk's new systems. The big headliner here is the Blueberry Quests system, which the game abbreviates to “BBQs”. I swear I’m not making that up. The official Pokemon Scarlet & Violet website clarifies that BBQs are a Battle Pass-style quest system that rewards a unique currency called BP.

With BP, you can buy new things at your school’s store and cafeteria. You can even customize the Academy a bit with them. There are also some group quests that you can do with friends, which should hopefully reinvigorate the underutilized Union Circle system. It looks you'll need BP to encounter those aforementioned legendary Pokemon too, so I hope you're hungry for BBQs.

Control Pokemon with the Synchro Machine

We also see a bit of the new Synchro Machine in action, which lets players play as their Pokemon. That’s right, you can now achieve your dream of a Pokemon game in which Lechonk is the main character. I don’t want to hype this feature too much, since we don’t know much about this system just yet. You can indeed fight other Pokemon and play with friends in this form, but we still don’t know if this is just a gimmick feature or not.

I think kids will love this, though. I hope the Synchro Machine is at least polished enough to make my niece smile.

You can fly in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet now

The wrap things up, we see the final major feature of The Indigo Disk: flight. In the base games, Koraidon and Miraidon could eventually glide, but you could only stay airborne for so long. However, exploring the world of The Indigo Disk will unlock full-on flight, letting you see Paldea in a new light. The trailer specifically shows a flying minigame that tasks players with soaring through rings, clearly an homage to the legendary classic Superman 64.

I do have to say that flying makes me a bit nervous. I mean, airplanes do make me nervous, but I’m talking in-game. Pokemon Scarlet & Violet aren’t… uh… very technically sound, so I don’t know how useful this feature is with the current state of the game’s draw distance. Also, after players figured out how to go to space in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, flying just doesn’t excite me as much as it might have. I’ll certainly reserve judgement for the final product though.

A more promising DLC than the first pack.

Overall, it looks like The Indigo Disk is shaping up to be a decent final chapter for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. I was underwhelmed by The Teal Mask, which was a sentiment shared by our own Chris “Daft Punk” Carter in his review. However, The Indigo Disk already looks way more interesting than what its predecessor offered. This is probably why they bundled the two packs together, much like the approach Sword & Shield took.

I’ve learned to be more skeptical than not when it comes to Pokemon these days, especially with the ridiculously rapid release cycle these games are caught in. But I can’t say I haven’t had fun with Pokemon Scarlet & Violet either, numerous warts and all. Here’s hoping for a triumphant conclusion for Generation 9, and hopefully a more sound start for Generation 10 when it’s inevitably announced.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk launches on December 14. In the meantime, you can grab an array of new event Pokemon today to celebrate the DLC’s launch.

The post Final Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk Trailer shows new quest system and many legendary Pokemon appeared first on Destructoid.

It’s been a wild ride following Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, rife with ups and downs. But with the Indigo Disk DLC around the corner, it appears Game Freak is hyping up the end of Generation 9. Fittingly, trainers can grab Dialga and Palkia in this month's next Tera Raid event.

As many Pokemon fans know, Dialga and Palkia are the cover legendary Pokemon for Pokemon Diamond & Pearl. Perhaps newer fans know these monsters from the more recent Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but we don’t talk about those games. Either way, these are proper legendary monsters with crazy stats and powerful moves, so they’re well worth grabbing.

Defeat Dialga and Palkia in Tera Raid battles to catch them

Fortunately, you shouldn’t need an optimal team to take on these monsters. Dialga and Palkia will appear as 5-Star encounters, a far cry from the challenging 7-Star events. These will certainly still be tough battles, but as long as you know how to max your monster's stats, you should do okay. They’ll also appear with the Dragon Tera Type, so you’ll want to use attacks that at least inflict neutral damage. Fairy-Type Pokemon seem like the obvious answer, but Dialga’s Steel-Type attacks may knock you right out, so be careful.

Pokemon Scarlet players can face Dialga, while Violet players will encounter Palkia. Of course, by helping friends out or searching for online Tera Raids, you can still catch both monsters regardless of which version you play. However, note that you can only catch one of each monster per save file, so your six Dialga dream team will have to remain out of reach for now.

The event will go live today at 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST. It will run until December 21 at 3:59pm PST / 6:59pm EST.

Here are the Mystery Gift codes for Darkrai and shiny Lucario

For those less inclined to work for legendary monsters, you can grab the Generation 4 mythical monster Darkrai right now simply by opening your game. Follow the usual steps to claim a mystery gift and select the "Get with Code/Password" option. From there, enter the code NEWM00N1SC0M1NG​​.

That’s “New Moon Is Coming” with zeroes and ones replacing the Os and Is. That’s just a quirk of how entering codes work, you can’t actually use Os or Is when you input codes. This will net you a level 50 Darkrai that knows Dark Pulse, Shadow Ball, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater. Not a terribly exciting moveset, but certainly handy if you happen to be playing the main game before the DLC launches. Darkrai will be available until December 21.

Additionally, you can grab a shiny Lucario by entering the code SH1NYBUDDY. Funny enough, Lucario is actually a lot stronger than Darkrai out of the box! It starts at level 75 and knows Flash Cannon, Aura Sphere, Bullet Punch, and Ice Punch. Not a bad moveset for someone who needs help preparing for the new DLC! Of course, the big appeal is that Lucario is rocking that Yellow and Blue shiny color variant. If you’re a shiny hunter or just don’t have Lucario yet, this is a good pickup. You can get Lucario until January 3.

Game Freak has also revealed that a free Master Ball will be available as a mystery gift when the DLC The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 2: The Indigo Disk launches on December 14^th. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC bundle is available now in the Nintendo Switch eShop.

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If you've had enough of the rough and tumble adventure of Eastward, it's time to take a step back with the upcoming Octopia DLC. This one trades in a collapsing society for one full of fruitful farming fun, and developer Pixpil and publisher Chucklefish have it lined up for a January 31, 2024 launch. 

To shake the tribulation of Eastward, Pixpil set Octopia in a parallel world that is, to say the least, a lot more chill. This time around Sam and John get to bask in that sweet farming life in the countryside as they build up an old farmstead, grow crops, cook with neighbors, and attract more eager new folks to the town of Octopia. 

You can settle in yourself with the release date trailer:

The meticulous pixel art for which Eastward is known is one bond that this world and the other have in common. While Octopia is being released as DLC for Eastward, you don't have to complete the game to gain access. As long as you have a copy of Eastward you'll be able to venture to Octopia right from the main menu. Sam and John's peaceful new life will be available on Nintendo Switch and Steam for $5.99.

Eastward first launched in September 2021, delivering a journey adorned with gorgeous art and a soundtrack we won't soon forget. There's plenty of competition out there for farming sim games with nostalgic vibes, so we'll see how this one fits in early next year.

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Ready for some sensory overload? Bullet hell shoot 'em up Shinorubi has officially fired off a release date and is now lined up for consoles and PC on January 12, 2024.

Red Art Games previously had Shinorubi penciled in for "early 2023," but clearly time is running out to make that cut. When Shinorubi launches it will be available digitally on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. Those looking to pick up a physical copy will be able to do so on day one for PS4 and PS5. As for the physical Switch release, manufacturing delays have pushed that one back to Q2 2024.

If you've properly steeled yourself for a full-on eyeball assault, you can see just how hellish these bullets are shaping up to be in the launch date trailer. 

The Deluxe Edition of Shinorubi, pictured below, is limited to just 300 copies per platform and available exclusively through Red Art's online store. Copies of the PS4 and PS5 versions are still available to pre-order, but the Switch Deluxe Edition is already sold out. There's also a Shinorubi Pink Edition for Switch, which packs the game in a steelbook case with a double-sided poster and soundtrack. That one is a little less scarce at 2,000 copies.

Shinorubi marks the first release from the development team at Last Boss 88, who are, as you might have guessed, huge fans of danmaku shmups. For anyone who wants a taste, the game has been in Early Access on Steam since January 2022. 

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Turnip Boy is through evading taxes; now he's taking things to a new extreme. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank was originally slated to launch in 2023, but publisher Graffiti Games announced a delay that pushes the heist back ever so slightly to January 18, 2024. 

This time around, Turnip Boy has joined the Pickled Gang to commit a whopper of a crime. In the process of delving deeper into the titular bank, you'll steal valuables, tangle with cops, hassle hostages, and get in plenty of shootouts. You can see the particularly pungent pickle Turnip Boy has gotten into in the new trailer below. 

The first game from developer Snoozy Kazoo, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, was released in April 2021, sending players out on a quest to take down a corrupt mayor. The sequel keeps the top-down perspective intact with the same delightful pixel art and even more felonies to commit. Roguelite elements are back, as well, and the many collectables available range from wearable hats to cassettes full of fresh jams. There's also the promise of the "deeper history of Turnip Boy's world," so if you've been following a character called Turnip Boy for the lore, you're in luck. 

Back when Turnip Boy Robs a Bank was first being shown at events like the ID@Xbox Fall Showcase in 2022, it was planned for this year. When it drops in January it will be available on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Those who want to try their hand at violent, veggie-based bank robberies will also be able to do so on Xbox Game Pass.

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