Darkest Dungeon II is a turn-based, dungeon crawler, rougelike where you form a party of four and ride a stagecoach into what’s left of the world in an apocalyptic landscape. This game was a good mix of difficult challenges and fun strategy without many bugs, so let’s get into it.

When you first open Darkest Dungeon II, you’re shown a brief disclaimer that basically states that the game is difficult. After that, you get a cutscene that explains the game’s basic story and lore—the world is at its end, and you, a scholar, recruit a band of survivors to help you make a trek up a dangerous mountain to defeat an eldritch monster that resides in the mountain, or die trying.

After this, you hop right into the game. The first thing you do is choose your heroes. There are fourteen heroes from which you select four for your party. You only start with four heroes, but you’ll unlock more as you play.

There are two main parts to the game: the stagecoach and fighting. In the stagecoach, you drive across the land and choose paths to take while running into encounters, fights, and obstacles. The stagecoach is a little difficult to control, as the slightest movement of the joystick will throw the stagecoach from side to side. At the end of each area, you reach an Inn where you can heal your heroes and have them build bonds with each other which will help them out in and out of battle.

It’s during the fights that your choice of heroes matters. They have different stats that make them better or worse at certain things. Movement stats determines their place in the combat order. Each hero can have five moves at a time, and you can unlock more moves that you can change in between battles. The combat can be kind of complicated, but, fortunately, the game has built-in tutorials for every aspect, not just the combat. Besides that, the combat is just downright difficult sometimes. Random number generation can really screw you over in Darkest Dungeon II, so be wary of that.

Outside and within combat, each hero can acquire stress. Stress goes from 0-10. At low levels of stress, not much will happen. At higher levels, however, you’ll start to see some negative banter between the heroes. This will cause your heroes to not like each other as much and cause problems in and out of battle. Once heroes reach stress level 10 there is an 80% chance they will have a meltdown and a 20% chance they will be resolute. Meltdowns debuff the hero and make the other heroes like them less. Becoming resolute does the opposite and heals the hero, buffs them, and makes the other heroes like them more.

Darkest Dungeon II’s graphics are absolutely amazing. The game does an great job of contrasting 2D pictures with 3D models, and it looks beautiful. From the 2D characters and their attacks to the 3D stagecoach and 3D world outside of combat. Everything just fits so well together and is animated together so perfectly. I especially like the gloomy colors used to depict the wasteland of what’s left of the world.

The audio is also very enjoyable. The music isn’t repetitive, and each area is well represented by sound effects. While there isn’t a lot of music, it shifts into different songs after about a six-minute loop. This makes it so fights don’t go stale and are that much more intense and fun.

There was only one bug that I came across in the game and I don’t even know how it happened. While in a fight, the tutorials opened and I was unable to close them no matter what I did. No buttons worked, and it wouldn’t go away until I closed the game and reopened it. Again, I don’t know how it happened, but it’s a highly destructive bug that may cause you to restart a very good play-through.

Darkest Dungeon II is very fun. The graphics and audio are astounding, and the gameplay, while frustrating at times, still makes for a fun and enjoyable experience. When paired with the expertly written story, it makes for a great game. If you like the challenge of rougelites and roguelikes, this game is for you.

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I don’t know if I’ve ever played a video game quite like Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid. Imagine a JPRG where the young hero who’s supposed to embark on an epic adventure to save the kingdom doesn’t actually embark, and instead just spends a month fishing, exploring caves, and resurrecting the town festival. That’s this game.

But that’s not to say there’s no adventure to be had. On the contrary, Natsu-Mon is all about finding your adventures where you are. You play as Satoru, a young boy whose parents run a traveling circus. The circus runs into some issues in scenic Yomogi Town, so Satoru is left in the care of an innkeeper while his parents attempt to resolve those issues. With nothing more than his childhood curiosity and a school assignment to guide him, Satoru sets out to make this an August to remember.

And how does he do that? By exploring. By talking to people. By basically just running around until something catches his eye. Gameplay is mostly centered around total childhood freedom—the kind few kids have anymore, at least where I live.

Occasionally, the game gives Satoru specific tasks to complete. He may wake up, for example, and find himself invited to accompany friends to a specific location. These provide scripted moments that help prevent Natsu-Mon from feeling completely aimless. For the most part, however, how Satoru spends his day is up to the player. There are always bugs and fish to catch, all of which are documented in his notebook.

There are coins and treasures to find (were 20th-century Japanese homeowners really this cool with kids traipsing across their rooftops?). There are paid jobs to accept. There are ghost girls to…wait. Ghost girls?

Part of what makes Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid so endearing is that it expertly captures the wonder of being a kid. Did that little girl by the tree just vanish into thin air? Is she a ghost? Well, unless someone has a better explanation, she has to be. Let’s play games with her and find out!

Natsu-Mon provides bigger goals, too. One of your first tasks is to climb some specific buildings. Your stamina meter, however, won’t let you get close. So, you have a month to increase the meter and figure out how to get to the top of those structures. What a great goal that is. I recall my own childhood when a friend and I decided to hop the barbed-wire security of a radio tower and climb to the top. Did we make it? Of course not. Our stamina meters weren’t high enough. And it was also quite scary. And stupid. But we tried. Memory achieved!

Satoru has to uncover and complete all of these tasks over the course of a full day. They begin with breakfast and a morning exercise session (provided he was home in time for a good night’s sleep the day before).

Then, he’s free to roam until supper when he’s automatically located and returned home. He then gets the evening to wrap things up, but has to be home by 10:00 if he doesn’t want to oversleep the next day. This was annoying at first, as the game didn’t provide a clock; you have to buy that yourself once you make enough money. Maybe the point was to miss your bedtime, but I preferred to just hang around the inn until weariness took over. Even with the clock, it sometimes wasn’t worth abandoning my current task to complete the long journey home in time for bed, even with the ability to take the bus.

The length of the days can be adjusted to suit your playstyle. You can get more done by making the days last longer, but the adventures lose their sense of urgency. You also lose replayability that way. Tear through the game on short days, and you’ll be more likely to play again, making different decisions on how you spend your time. Shorter days, however, also make it more difficult to complete certain assignments and jobs, which can be frustrating (especially those that require precise movements).

This is especially true of the tasks that require platforming or reaching far-off locations. The game’s open world is colorful and nicely detailed, but getting around can sometimes prove difficult. This is largely due to somewhat clunky controls, especially when platforming is in the mix. And because Satoru can climb nearly anything, he’ll often start climbing things you don’t want him to.

Natsu-Mon also doesn’t do a great job of guiding you on your tasks, or even helping you figure out how to go to bed. Random exploration was very fun at the beginning, but by the time you’re approaching the end of August, a little more help on how to get things done would’ve been appreciated. A fortune-telling circus member eventually shows up to help, and you may even locate a mystical port-a-pot to help you get home in an instant. Still, expect some gaming sessions to be more productive than others. Maybe that’s a development decision—you can’t expect to complete a childhood’s worth of adventures in a month, right? Especially when there’s already a DLC adventure to embark on.

Also, it forces you to talk to people, and that’s one of the game’s greatest strengths. Almost every person you meet has something to contribute. Even better, their individual quirks (and Satoru’s response to them) make them fun to engage with. The conversations are a joy to experience, even if you are oddly forced to select every dialogue option before leaving them. And, like in real life, you never know which conversation will end up shaping the course of your summer.

These all combine to create a chill, Animal Crossing-type experience that will make older gamers wistful. It affected me a bit differently, as I had these types of days in my childhood. I explored creek bridges in search of black snakes. I climbed abandoned grain silos. I never hopped on a box car and rode it 30 miles into a neighboring town before disembarking and calling my dad for a ride home, but I have a buddy who did.

Rather, Natsu-Mon makes me wistful for an environment where kids still have this type of freedom (or even just desire it). I imagine that’s why the game was made, as that sense of wonder and curiosity is deeply woven into its core. That makes it a game worth experiencing, provided childhood adventures haven’t lost their appeal. Who needs to go fight God on some interstellar plane when there’s a lighthouse to climb literally right there?

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SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS is a retro fighting game. If you know Street Fighter, King of Fighters, or any of the many and varied 2D offerings, you’ll know exactly what to expect here; two fighters duke it out over three rounds before moving on to the next opponent.

Before we get into whether this particular outing is worth your time, here’s a quick history lesson. SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS marks the third installment in this particular crossover series, debuting at the arcade way back in 2003. Although both companies developed games for the series, this outing was developed by SNK, confirmed by the appearance of SNK first in the game’s title.

Let’s talk characters. The roster is robust, bringing together 36 characters in total. Team Capcom uses classic Street Fighter personalities such as Chun Li, Dhalsim, Vega, Ryu and Ken. The SNK side brings the likes of Shiki, Mr. Karate, Earthquake, and Kasumi Todoh into the fray. These tough guys hail from such SNK outings as Art of Fighting and Samurai Shodown. Despite this seemingly vast collection of fighters, there are still plenty missing. You won’t find the likes of E. Honda, Zangief, or Cammy here, for example.

The single-player mode disguises the simple premise of brawling with a story involving the end of the world. It seems a group of fighters is drawn into an afterlife tournament in purgatory. The winner will be granted a wish, and the fate of all life hangs in the balance, etc. 

But, in reality, we’re here to fight. One of this port’s best features is that it doesn’t change a thing about the combat. It takes the original outing and…puts it on the Switch. This means the classic early 2000s graphics and fighting style remain intact. For fans of the original, this perfectly recaptures the essence of the game, providing a sweet dose of nostalgia along the way.

Unfortunately, the original game was average to begin with. The fighting, though solid, is unbalanced in one-player mode. Even on the easiest difficulty setting, some foes stand dumbly waiting to be hit, while the next combatant takes you out easily. This leads to a frustrating experience, especially since you can’t continue. In real life, you could add another quarter; here, it’s back to the beginning, despite a countdown asking if you’d like to continue. How do I do that, exactly?

The graphics are nice, if a little bland. We’re stuck in a post-apocalyptic version of the afterlife, so many of the backdrops are a little foreboding. You can fiddle with the settings to change the screen size, which I appreciate. You can keep it at the original size, make it larger, or stretch it to fit the entire screen. The latter is a zoomed-in experience that, while it’s a nice option, doesn’t look great on a big screen. When playing at a more reasonable size, you can also choose the backdrop, from plain black borders to artwork using some of the characters.

Speaking of artwork, there’s a gallery in the menu for those wanting to see the characters portrayed in unique ways. I imagine fans in the early 2000s would have appreciated this crossover event, even if it was the third in the series, and the gallery presents some neat artwork depicting characters from different worlds colliding. 

In fact, there are a few such additions that provide an extra incentive to play. For starters, there’s an online mode, allowing you to compete with another player from around the world. This is easy to use, with the ability to create a room or find a random player to challenge. I was also pleased with the smooth network experience.

There’s also an option to turn on hit boxes. I’m not sure how valuable this is, but it places a couple of colored boxes around each fighter during combat, presumably to see exactly where your hits will make the most impact. It would be nice to get an in-game explanation on this. It also can’t be toggled on and off while playing; to do that, you have to quit and return to the main menu. If it becomes an eyesore while playing, that’s just bad luck I guess.

Overall, SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS is a faithful port of the 2003 original, with a few extras thrown in for good measure. It’s not the best 2D fighting game around, but fans of the original will appreciate the extra details.

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This week’s eShop roundup kicks off with an update to the wonderfully quirky Cult of the Lamb, bringing local co-op to the game. We were huge fans of the original release, and an update like this sounds like a promising way to enhance the experience.

Meanwhile, a classic Pokémon title has joined the Switch Online collection. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, originally released in 2005 on the Game Boy Advance, is now available to play for free if you have an online subscription.

There’s an interesting sale on this week, too, with Bethesda games like Doom and Wolfenstein discounted. If those styles are your jam, be sure to check out the current deals.

As always, there’s a long list of new titles to consider, so let’s get to it! Check out the new releases below and let us know which games you’re playing this week.

Nintendo Switch

• Cult of the Lamb – Unholy Alliance Update– Heretics never rest, and the Lamb is in need of an ally. Unholy Alliance introduces a new playable character to Cult of the Lamb: the Goat! Summoned by blood and born in corruption, this wicked new ally can join the holy Lamb in local co-op. Crusade through dungeons, slay heretics, build your cult and seek new powers together. But there’s more: In addition to co-op play, the Unholy Alliance expansion also adds new tarot cards, relics, buildings, fleeces, follower traits, follower quests and other secrets to discover! The Cult of the Lamb – Unholy Alliance Update is available now on the Nintendo Switch system.

Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Switch Online

• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team – All of a sudden, you’ve found yourself in a different world, one where you’re now a Pokémon yourself and can speak and interact with other Pokémon. But what is your true purpose and destiny in this Pokémon world? That’s the real mystery! As the hero of this journey, you’ll begin the game by taking a personality quiz, with the results determining which Pokémon you will become out of several options. From there, you’ll select your partner Pokémon before being whisked to a world full of Pokémon to befriend and dungeons to explore. Form your rescue team, take on mysterious changing dungeons and engage in strategic, turn-based battles in this game originally available on the Game Boy Advance system!

Digital spotlight

• Capture the Moment! – Grab your Nintendo Switch and get ready for World Photography Day on Aug. 19! Make memories (and take selfies!) as you catch, battle and train Pokémon in the Paldea Region in the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet games. Or you take in-game photographs that capture Pokémon in their native environments in the New Pokémon Snap game. No matter your photography techniques or style, you can enjoy some picture-perfect fun with these games and more on Nintendo Switch.

DLC

• DREDGE – The Iron Rig – The Iron Rig is the second official expansion** for DREDGE –  a cosmic horror fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. This content adds a new constructable destination with its own story, items and adversities that can be experienced at any stage in your playthrough. Gather, craft and deliver your way through the mysteries of The Iron Rig, revisiting areas from DREDGE to investigate ancient disturbances stirring in the deep. You will assist the Ironhaven Corporation in constructing facilities that unlock items, gadgets and more, but what are they truly here for? Find out in DREDGE – The Iron Rig, available today!

 Nintendo eShop sales

• QuakeCon 2024 Sale – Celebrate QuakeCon with savings up to 85% off on select Bethesda games like DOOM Eternal, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus! This sale lasts until Aug. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information and to view the full list of games, visit https://www.nintendo.com/store/sales-and-deals.

Also new this week

• Aery – Ancient Empires
• Amazing Drawing: Coloring Book Simulator
• Arcade Tanks World: Tank Battle Simulator
• Arco
• Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians
• Bizarre – Available Aug. 17
• Castaway – Available Aug. 16
• Cooking – Available Aug. 16
• Cup Killer – Sandbox Game – Available Aug. 16
• Cyber Mission – Available Aug. 21
• D.C.K.: Dock Chess King – Available Aug. 18
• Dadish Collection – Available Aug. 16
• Elrentaros Wanderings – Available Aug. 16
• Energy Lab – Available Aug. 21
• Exit Station 7
• Guayota
• Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery
• Ice World: The Frozen Age
• Just Crow Things
• Lunar Nightmare – Available Aug. 16
• Magical Delicacy
• Mangavania 2 – Available Aug. 21
• Mika and the Witch’s Mountain – Available Aug. 21
• Minami Lane
• Murder Is Game Over: Streaming Death – Available Aug. 16
• Mute Crimson DX – Available Aug. 16
• My Lovely Empress – Available Aug. 21
• Overboss
• Parking Jam – Available Aug. 16
• Parking Masters
• Phantom Spark
• Rack and Slay – Available Aug. 19
• Rewind or Die – Available Aug. 16
• Space Rift
• Squiggle Drop
• Stumble Guys – Available Aug. 20
• Supermarket Manager 2024
• Synaxarion Christian Stories: Holy Martyr Neophytos
• Tactical Strike: Special Forces Shooter
• The Godfeather: A Mafia Pigeon Saga
• The Sirena Expedition – Available Aug. 16
• Thief Puzzle – Available Aug. 16
• Tiles Match
• Turn to Mine – Available Aug. 16
• Ultimate Fishing Supermarket Simulator 3D
• World Wars II – Airplanes Battle

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The Star Named EOS is an escape room-like puzzle game in which you play as a girl named Dei, a photographer following in her mother’s footsteps. Each level in this game is based around recreating pictures your mother had sent you while on her journey. And with each level completed, you learn more about her story and the secrets of your family.

Each level starts with a cutscene, reading part of a letter from your mom. The letters contain a picture, as well. The first one you receive is of a window, taken from inside a train. The window has red curtains and a vase of flowers sitting on its sill. After looking around the room, you’ll find clues hinting towards recreating this photo. To do so, you have to solve puzzles such as finding keys, codes, and more.

With each puzzle you complete, you’ll obtain more objects. In the first level, you’ll find curtains and flowers like in your mother’s photo. Once these are placed in the right position, you can take a picture exactly like your mother’s with your own camera. This transports you to the train on which the original photo was taken, where you find a new letter with a new picture to recreate. Once you solve this level and complete your copy of the new photo, you’re transported to where that one was taken, and so on and so forth.

Along with insight into your mother’s story, each level provides “bonus pictures” you can get. You have access to your camera at any time, which can become very useful. For bonus photos, however, there is a cryptic indicator as to what you should be taking a picture of—usually a sticker of some kind. Getting all three bonus pictures gives you access to extra information of your location, and you can tell if you captured the right photo by whether its polaroid border is colorful and decorative, or just plain white.

While using the camera, you can zoom in and out. This allows you to use them like binoculars, enabling you to see clues that are farther away.

You access the camera with the X button, zoom in and out with ZL and ZR, and take pictures with R. The other controls for this game are just as easy. You look around with the right stick, and move your cursor with the left. You interact with objects and puzzles by clicking A, and access your inventory with Y. In your inventory will be the pictures from your mom, and any items you find to help solve puzzles and recreate photos.

The Star Named EOS uses entirely hand drawn imagery, which helps this game to feel more genuine and interesting. The music also helps add to its overall emotion and mystery which allows its touching story to be told in a heartwarming way. The game is fun, creative, and captivating. It’s also fairly short, making it a fun and quick play that’s hard to interrupt.

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Arranger is an indie action-puzzle game for the Nintendo Switch. This top-down adventure features a sliding-tile mechanic that creates all sorts of interesting problems to solve. Let’s delve into the ins and outs of this unique outing.

The plot follows a girl named Jemma—yes, I now share a name with a cool video-game protagonist, and I couldn’t be happier. It seems our in-game Jemma mysteriously arrived in a peaceful town as a baby. Now that she’s old enough, it’s time to leave the relative safety of her village to seek adventure in the outside world.

Of course, things are dangerous beyond the city limits. An entity known as static has corrupted objects, and Jemma sets about putting things right. Our plucky heroine is ready to take on any challenge that comes her way. These tend to come in the form of blocked passages, requiring a little lateral thinking to work out how to continue.

Arranger’s trick is that the ground beneath Jemma moves with her. The whole world is divided into squares, allowing you to slide across each area, moving objects with you. This gimmick is easy to pick up, and opens many possibilities. For example, if a passage is blocked by an enemy, sliding a sword into it will let you through. Other traps might involve a laser to somehow block or a button to press. It’s head-scratching at times, but satisfying to solve.

Something I didn’t expect to find among the puzzles were boss fights. These are an excellent break from the brain teasers, presenting unique and elaborate ways to defeat each one. Perhaps you have to loop a long enemy back around and onto itself by sliding certain tiles. Or maybe you need to arrange objects to sit atop buttons to open up a way to attack. It’s unlike any traditional boss design I’ve played, and I love it.

Arranger does a great job of balancing this danger with light-hearted characters and dialogue. There’s plenty of humor among the quirky characters. I particularly enjoyed getting to know the stay-at-home inhabitants of a village who receive everything via mail (delivered by robot birds, no less) and have consequently lost the ability to socialize. How do you convince them to come out of their homes? It’s all part of the adventure. 

Apart from the main quest, Jemma also embarks on interesting side quests, such as using moving tiles to pair two animals. Those shy creatures aren’t going to procreate without a little intervention, it seems. To further focus the adventure on these types of puzzles and characters, Jemma doesn’t have any kind of health bar or life meter to stress over. In fact, she can’t die at all. This balance makes the game more accessible to players of all ages. 

Graphically, Arranger looks terrific. The top-down style reminds me of SNES-era titles, presented in a colorful world. Cutscenes use a comic-book layout, capturing emotion through static images. Even the background is special, with interesting backdrops behind the action that gives the game an artistic feel.

Overall, Arranger is a creative outing with a perfectly balanced sense of adventure. The light-hearted tone couples with the unique sliding mechanic to present something different and, most importantly, fun. This is a title worth checking out. 

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The Nintendo Switch now hosts Parasol Stars – The Story of Bubble Bobble III, a fun entry in the surprisingly confusing franchise. Mind you, it’s not confusing in gameplay but in the naming of all things. Because what was the second game? Was it Rainbow Islands subtitled The Story of Bubble Bobble II? Or was it Bubble Bobble Part 2 on the NES? The fact that I can name a couple of additional entries with similar claims demonstrates the worthiness of a clarifying collection. Instead, we get this single entry, Parasol Stars, a likable game subtitled The Story of Bubble Bobble III. Of course, the arcade game Bubble Memories makes the same claim…

In some ways, Parasol Stars feels quite different from the original Bubble Bobble game that I grew up playing on the NES. To begin with, my favorite dinosaur/dragon duo, Bub and Bob, aren’t here. Instead, we have their human personas (Bubby and Bobby), a bubbleless and not nearly as cute pair. This duo is also a bit wider in human form, so you must adapt to the hit detection. But their parasols have many comparable functions, and, ultimately, you have similar goals to Bubble Bobble. In that way, there is no mistaking that this is a Bubble Bobble entry. It has the same pick-up-and-play vibe, with plenty of enemies to eliminate and even more goodies to collect. This balance of the familiar with the fresh works. And I’m delighted it’s on Switch, as I never did pick this up in my younger years for my TurboGrafx – 16, whether due to availability, cost, or both. (Despite the arcade style, it debuted on the PC Engine).

As my wife and I are big fans of its NES predecessor, we were anxious to enjoy this game in co-op. Although we never played this specific entry, our prior Bubble Bobble know-how, combined with the expected ‘simple to learn tough to master design,’ allowed us to jump into the game quickly and adjust to the new parasol mechanic. Hitting an enemy with your closed parasol temporarily neutralizes them as a threat. But if you hope to defeat them before revival, you must fling them with an open parasol. It’s different, but not any more challenging.

That said, after relaxing our brains in the early goings, soaking in the colors and such, the challenge does eventually arrive. Later planets (above the Rainbow Islands) and their accompanying bosses ramp up the difficulty with a greater emphasis on careful timing. This version of Parasol Stars has plenty of optional cheats for those who want them, such as infinite lives or even invincibility. While I’m happy these are available to pick from, as similar options were missing from some prior ININ releases, they could break the game. Depending on the combination, frequency, or coupled with liberal rewind use, a fair game could become an absolute breeze. So these are best limited as options for the youngest or least-experienced players.

The screens are just packed, meaning your eyes won’t have a chance to get bored. While still set up with single screens, they often scroll, and the wider-feeling presentation is well suited to a game designed around flinging enemies. The soundtrack’s advertised as “catchy and memorable,” and I’ll confirm the former. I also suspect the latter will prove true as we revisit this replayable game after a while. Happy tunes kept our heads bobbing and faces smiling, while determined notes during boss encounters reminded us of the distress of these planets. My one wish is for an in-game music player, but it feels like ININ releases rarely let the soundtracks shine to their full potential.

Extras? These aren’t something ININ has traditionally handled well with these types of releases. I can think of plenty (I won’t list them to pad out this review), but they could’ve added value to the game for both existing fans and those new to it. And, of course, I’d enjoy additional Bubble Bobble games, period. But it’s not like Parasol Stars has seen wide re-release since the early ‘90s. At $9.99, it’s fair for what would’ve been a full-priced game in 1991.

Note that this game is available physically through Strictly Limited. Previously, I advised caution with this company due to many well-documented issues. As I’m still waiting for a game I ordered from them two years ago, I must change my recommendation. Avoid this company altogether! Buy Parasol Stars off the eShop.

Though some extras would’ve been beneficial, Parasol Stars is a likable release in many ways. It’s straightforward fun yet still offers plenty of excitement as you find secret doors, the “Hurry” message appears, and more. Bubble Bobble fans will want to scoop up this “third” entry, as will fans of quarter munchers, even if this classic skipped the arcades for the home console realm. This game’s nearly a must-have if you can enjoy it with someone in co-op.

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A cute dungeon crawler, Elrentaros Wanderings takes you on an adventure between two worlds. You play as a young adventurer who explores dungeons, defeats monsters, protects the townsfolk and occasionally pays a visit to the school you attend in a different, less exciting world.

The majority of the game takes place in the fantasy world of Elrentaros. You camp outside town as you earn the trust of the locals. At the start of the game, there is one mysterious dungeon at the edge of town. As you progress, you unlock more until there are a total of six. The first five dungeons have various missions you can complete to gain coins, equipment, and special items that you can use to assist people in the town. The sixth consists only of boss fights.

Befriending the various townsfolk is a mechanic in itself. When you have spoken to them enough times, completed enough missions for them, and raised your likeability level enough, you can equip them as a support. This offers you boons to your dungeon runs equating to gifts you’ve given them.

The types of missions you have to complete fit into broadly similar categories. For instance, unlocking all the warp panels to the bonus rooms, completing the dungeon with equipment of a certain level or below, or avoiding or winning with a particular type of attack. This means that, later in the game, you might be able to guess your way into completing some missions on your first attempt (completing a dungeon without your HP dropping to 0 is a standard first mission), but it’s rare to get through them all at once. This gives you a reason to go back into each dungeon trying out different types of weapons and being cautious of different enemies.

Each dungeon in Elrentaros Wanderings is made up of a number of stages to explore and a boss battle. As you complete the missions, you unlock new variants of the same dungeons with more powerful monsters spawning in different places, with new missions and greater rewards. The dungeon layouts remain the same each time, so there is a risk that the game can get a bit repetitive, especially if you get stuck on a tricky mission that is blocking the story from progressing.

However, the dungeons are very beautifully designed, each with a distinct style, making them genuinely fun to explore a few times without getting dull. This is complemented by fluid animation and bold designs when it comes to the enemies you face and the moves they use. Monsters are unbearably cute, based on wild animals, with different creatures corresponding to different classic party classes, ranging from adorable little bunnies and birds to monstrous swine and floating octopodes.

The points at which new challenges unlock are staggered cleverly so you can’t jump straight to the next difficulty level of one dungeon without using a different dungeon as a stepping stone. This introduces a natural element of variety to the game that flows comfortably with the narrative.

Instead of leveling up your character, you pick up equipment with varying levels and special abilities that you can unlock. This means you can challenge yourself to try a harder dungeon using lower level equipment if you want to really test yourself outside of the story.

Dialogue in Elrentaros Wanderings is more of a visual novel than a truly interactive experience. There are a handful of dialogue options for your character, but they don’t have a huge impact on the story. But otherwise this aspect is crafted well enough. All the characters are well designed and written, with distinct looks, personalities and ways of connecting to the protagonist as you get to know them.

The sections that take part in the “real” world at school may as well not exist. There isn’t any action to it; it’s all conversation with very few dialogue options, so can be clicked straight through with minimal consequences to the overall game. It’s still well written and the relationships easily established, with a fun parallel to their visual equivalents in the fantasy world. But you spend considerably less time at school, and the lack of action means you feel less engaged in that world. At the end, you get the option to choose which world to stay in, but the choice doesn’t feel like one with much weight.

The post Review: Elrentaros Wanderings (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

This week on the Pure Nintendo Podcast, Jemma and Trev celebrate the 38th anniversary of the original Metroid for the Famicom and 37th anniversary on the NES.

Last week, we talked about the lack of Mario and Sonic at the Olympics. This week, we reflect on an entirely different series with a game that helped coin the phrase “metroidmania”. That’s right, Metroid was released in Japan on 6 August, 1986, followed by its US release on 15 August, 1987. We talk about our memories of the game, as well as some of the sequels.

We also delve into the latest trailer for Zelda’s upcoming title, Echoes of Wisdom. This beefy trailer gives us five minutes of superb footage, from exploring Hyrule to side quests. We also get our first look at how to travel using waypoints and horses. We love the carrot echo! There are also new abilities, outfits, and much more, and we chat about it all ahead of next month’s release.

We’re also playing a few games this week. Jemma is playing newly released Cat Quest III and loving it; watch for her upcoming review! Meanwhile, Trev is playing Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, along with another classic title in the form of JALECOlle Famicom Ver. Pinball Quest. We talk about these fun classics from the NES era and the pros and cons of all things retro.

Thanks for listening, we love putting these shows together, so let us know your thoughts! And don’t forget to leave us a review to help support the channel.

Until next time, game on everyone!

Support the show!

Please support the Pure Nintendo Podcast by leaving us a review on Spotify or liking on YouTube, and tune in each and every Monday for more Nintendo-related goodness. It’s all happening on the Pure Nintendo Podcast!

You can find our podcast on:

• Spotify
• Apple
• Amazon

You can also subscribe to our bi-monthly magazine over at patreon.com/PureNintendo and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/PureNintendo. We’d love your support!

The post Celebrating Metroid’s anniversary! | Pure Nintendo Podcast E73 appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

As Pure Nintendo’s resident NES fanboy, I suspected I’d be a practical choice to take a closer look at Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. The wording makes me wonder with some excitement about future volumes like NES Edition 2, SNES Edition, and so forth. But as far as this debut installment, how does it fare in the twilight years of the Nintendo Switch? While certainly better than not, there’s undeniable unevenness. It’s a highly amusing but borderline apathetic release. It’s lively fun yet also shockingly lackadaisical. Allow me to share why that is.

I say debut, but it doesn’t take eagle-eyed players to see this release as inordinately similar to the NES Remix games. The structure, flow, and even specific individual challenges are recycled here, minus the terrific remixed stages. It makes comparisons impossible to avoid, which unfortunately does NWC: NES Edition no favors. Because while the previous games were content-rich, this package, though fun, unfortunately, is far from that.

To be clear, the 13 games from where these challenges are curated are among my favorites. For instance, The Super Mario Bros. trilogy has such consequence, high quality, and sheer fun that there’s little I could add. But let’s stick with Mario for a minute and think about some of the other NES games featuring him. He was on the cover of black box Pinball, a game with nearly 2 million copies sold. It’s sadly missing here. Similar to Dr. Mario, which sold even better, just shy of 5 million copies. How about Mario in the sports realm? He was a referee in the 3 million seller Punch-Out!!!, and graced the cover of a pair of golf games that sold over 5 million copies; where are these? I could go on, but it illustrates a significant point: Nintendo’s once-celebrated first-party NES library is now falling into neglect.

And it’s odd because some of the missing games would better fit the narrow speedrunning focus of this package as replacements. Ice Climber, with its spotty collision detection, would be preferable as a polished remake to the snippets included here. Similar to The Lost Levels, a game that continues to surprise me if only because of Nintendo’s seemingly revisionist love affair with it. Even Kirby’s Adventure (a top-five NES game for me) is questionable, as the pink puffball is better for floaty exploration rather than rushing through stages.

Still, let me stress that the bulk of these games and their associated challenges aren’t just fun, they also get you hooked. I genuinely enjoy trying to shave off a second or two when grabbing the screw attack in Metroid or the harp in Kid Icarus. I feel similar when entering the hollow tree in The Legend of Zelda and crossing the cliffs in The Adventure of Link. Lengthier challenges are also present. The final one in Donkey Kong requires beating all three levels of the NES port, for example. Each game’s last challenge (“Legend-difficulty”) has an awesome Classified Information spread that looks straight out of a lost issue of Nintendo Power! Just note that not every game has an equal number. For instance, Excitebike only has six.

As a solo player, you initially earn coins to unlock every game challenge while doubtless trying to achieve the highest letter rankings. S ranks can be demanding to earn. I cut a Zelda challenge finish time by half but stayed stuck at A++! Later, you can save up to buy all the player icons (sprites) for your profile. 

With local friends (up to eight), the party mode offers some enjoyment. I played this with my wife and had good fun, and I’m sure to have fun with a bigger group of friends down the road. NWC: NES Edition won’t be a party staple, though, just one to bust out occasionally due to the limited content. Party mode ranks don’t affect your personal speedrun ranks, which is not only something worth noting, it’s something I appreciate.

Beyond that, you better hope you’ve paid for a Nintendo Switch online subscription to get longevity out of this package. World Championships and Survival modes change every few days with a mashup of random challenges. I’m someone who “Has a Lifetime of NES Memories.” Imagine how humbling it’s been to see my world rankings hover in only the top 60%. But my skill level compared to Famicom Wizards doesn’t diminish my NES nostalgia. Racing ghost data of players worldwide is mildly entertaining for as long as the service lasts. Still, I’d greatly prefer leaderboards to compare times with my wife or PN colleagues. Improved online implementation is a must for whatever hardware follows the Nintendo Switch.

The default settings have a small-screen setup, with wasted real estate for things I doubt the majority desire (replays of your personal best runs, instructions that give too much info). Ensure you fiddle with the options to your desired preferences to properly enjoy these timeless 8-bit graphics while making the gameplay as smooth as possible. Sadly, there is no option to update this game at the time of this writing (three weeks or so from release). I’ve noticed a couple of minor bugs (emulation issues with Zelda and an “Error Has Occurred” menu booter in Kirby. I hope these get patched quickly. How about some DLC while you’re at it, Nintendo? I’d like to see Donkey Kong Jr. or Ice Hockey—both million-plus sellers represented in NES Remix.

At its best, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a game I love, and I say that as someone typically not a speedrunning fan. But Nintendo did not give the NES the same respect here that they did in the NES Remix titles. This approach is more indifferent without question, reflecting a company going through the motions with this release. Only Nintendo can still manage to pull off a game this good—possibly one of my favorites of 2024—despite such bad habits.

The post Review: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

The police-sim stylings of Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is making its way to the Nintendo Switch. The news came recently via astragon Entertainment and Aesir Interactive, with a Nintendo Switch Edition of the hit simulation game heading our way on October 29, 2024. Not only that, but it’s available for pre-order right now.

In Police Simulator, players take on the role of a police officer as you patrol the streets of the fictional city of Brighton. The Switch version brings portable play for the first time, allowing you to maintain law and order from anywhere – alone or with a friend. That’s right, the Switch version comes with an online co-op mode.

The game starts with a choice between one of eight different characters. Once selected, challenging tasks await within the city, increasing in difficulty and complexity as you climb the career ladder. For example, rookies begin by handing out parking tickets while on foot patrol, but are soon given their first patrol car. From there, players can chase speeding road users, clear up accidents and investigate suspects. With experience comes responsibility (is that the saying?); more experienced police officers will eventually be on the lookout for pickpockets, drug traffickers, and even major crimes.

As you progress, new interactions, vehicles, and precincts unlock, promising to make each shift feel unique. There’s even a special behavior mechanic that evaluates players, rewarding them for doing well. Misbehavior, on the other hand, could lead to dismissal. No one wants to have to hand their badge in!

The original Police Simulator: Patrol Officers was released for PC and console in November 2022. The Switch version has been optimized for handheld play, and comes bundled with everything found in the original. There’s also a special Garage Bundle for the Switch, which includes six additional vehicles. This comes separately as DLC or part of the Extended Edition of the game.

Both the Nintendo Switch Edition and the Nintendo Switch Extended Edition of Police Simulator: Patrol Officers are available for pre-order. Pre-orders receive a 10% discount, along with free access to the Interstate Police Vehicle DLC, which includes the vintage-style Interstate Police Vehicle. Not a bad deal.

The Police Simulator: Patrol Officers Nintendo Switch Edition drops on October 29 in the Nintendo eShop at 29.99 EUR/29.99 USD. While we wait for the release, check out the teaser below to get a glimpse into this world or law and order.

The post Police Simulator: Patrol Officers heads to Nintendo Switch this October appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

This week’s eShop roundup highlights the Jango Fett adventures of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. This third-person action title pits you against the underworld of the galaxy while you use the full extent of your Mandalorian prowess to capture that bounty.

As if that wasn’t enough Star Wars goodness, there’s also an update to Star Wars: Hunters. This free-to-play brawler pits players against each other in various arena-based competitions, featuring unique charaacters in the form of Sith, Wookies, bounty hunters, droids, and more. Season 2, which is available now, brings a new character to try, as well as a new arena to enjoy. We’ll be sure to check it out and let you know our thoughts on the next episode of the Pure Nintendo Podcast.

Meanwhile, remember World of Goo? Well, it’s back with even more goo. World of Goo 2 lets you build and grow bridges and towers as you stretch yourself across 64+ levels of goo-y goodness.

There’s a neat sale happening at the moment that enoucrages multiplayer events. From Switch Sports to Mario Golf, there are discounts galore on a range of multiplayer titles.

There’s a super-long list of games to contemplate this week. If you don’t beleive me, just scroll down to see the full list. So. Many. Games! Deciding what to play is tricky, but we’re here to help! Tune into the Pure Nintendo Podcast to hear about our picks! In the meantime, let us know what you’re playing this week.

Nintendo Switch

• STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter – Experience the legendary Bounty Hunter fantasy set before the events of STAR WARS: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.  In this classic third-person action-adventure game, you’ll become Jango Fett, Prime Clone of the Grand Army of the Republic, hired to capture a deranged Dark Jedi. Face off against foes and maneuver through acrobatic battles in this adaptation fully optimized for the Nintendo Switch system. Fight your way through the galaxy’s underbelly equipped with Dual Blasters, your Flamethrower, Whipcord and pure Mandalorian rage. Bring in your bounty, dead or alive. STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter launches today on Nintendo Switch.
• World of Goo 2 – This sequel to World of Goo includes even more goo! Put your imagination to the test and use living liquid creatures to build bridges, grow towers, terraform terrain and fuel flying machines. Discover new types of Goo Balls with distinct abilities – including Explosive, Growing and Shrinking Goo – across more than 64 levels set in a dangerous, physics-based world. Go for the goo when World of Goo 2 launches on Nintendo Switch as a console exclusive on Aug. 2.

Digital Spotlight

• Thank You for Being a Friend – Get ready to play alongside (or against) your friends this Sunday as National Friendship Day comes around! If you want to bring the party to your inner circle, take a spin around five classic gameboards and experience the minigame mayhem in the Mario Party Superstars game! If you and your buddies have a more competitive edge, put your speedrunning skills to the test as you race through over 150 challenges from classic 13 NES games with the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition game. Or dive into a Turf War and see which team can cover the most ground with their ink color in the Splatoon 3 game. Winner takes all! Aiming to become the dream team? Grab a friend and put your heads together as Mario and Toad to rescue the Mini-Marios from Donkey Kong in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong game. Whether they’re near or far, friends are important – and you can play with them anytime, anywhere on Nintendo Switch!

Updates

• STAR WARS: Hunters – Season 2: Empire Resurgent – Prepare for an epic new season of STAR WARS: Hunters – Empire Resurgent! Imposing Imperial security droid K-A0S storms into the Arena, ready to unleash her powerful tank-class abilities. Season 2 also introduces a thrilling new battlefield inspired by Darth Vader’s iconic castle, plus an all-new Arena Pass with cosmetics, stickers and more to be unlocked. Jump into the action today!

 Pre-orders

• SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS – Shadow the Hedgehog is back with Classic and Modern Sonic in SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS, an all-new collection featuring two unique experiences! Play as Shadow in a brand-new story campaign featuring never-before-seen abilities that demonstrate why he’s known as the Ultimate Life Form! Speed through iconic stages from Shadow’s history, discover hidden secrets in an expansive hub world and unlock new powers to take on Black Doom and save the world. SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS launches Oct. 25. Pre-orders are available now on Nintendo eShop!

Nintendo eShop sales

• Save on Multiplayer Games During the Play Together Sale! – Gather your friends and family and share good times with games for the Nintendo Switch system! For a limited time, find great deals on select multiplayer games when you shop on Nintendo.com or Nintendo eShop on your device. Don’t forget, My Nintendo members can earn Gold Points on qualifying digital purchases. You can then redeem your Gold Points towards the purchase of other eligible digital games, DLC, Nintendo Switch Online memberships and more. These fun-for-all deals last through Aug. 11 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information and to view the full list of games, visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/sales-and-deals/#play-together-sale.

Also new this week

• 100 Doors – Escape from Work
• Aero The Acro-Bat – Available Aug. 2
• Agent Walker: Secret Journey
• Animal Hunting 3D – Available Aug. 2
• Arcade Archives VS. THE ADVENTURE OF VALKYRIE : The Legend of the Key of Time
• Babba Yagga: Woodboy – Available Aug. 2
• Bare Butt Boxing
• Basketball Anime Girls
• Block Tower TD
• Borderlands Collection: Pandora’s Box
• Bot Shot – Available Aug. 3
• Cattie – Available Aug. 7
• Chef Chen
• Cilla – Available August 2
• Coloring book series Dinosaur Museum
• Doodle Hunt: Search Hidden Items
• EmyLiveShow: Dangers and Mysteries Tale
• EvoMon – Available Aug.2
• Farlands Journey
• Find the cat
• Galaxy Mania – Available Aug. 2
• Golf VS Zombies
• Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom
• How To Draw
• I Want To Go To Mars – Available Aug. 7
• JALECOlle Famicom Ver. Pinball Quest
• King ’n Knight – Available Aug. 2
• Landnama
• Mars 2120
• Metroplex Zero Sci-Fi Card Battler – Available Aug. 4
• Motorcycles: World Championship
• ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION
• Operation: Tango
• PPA Pickleball Tour 2025
• Rejoinder – Procedural Roguelite – Available Aug. 2
• SAME BREAK GAME
• Sherlock Holmes: The Darkest Mysteries Bundle
• Shopping Mall Girl – Available Aug. 2
• Space Crew & Bomber Crew Bundle
• Spark the Electric Jester 3
• Spot The Difference Anime Edition
• Super kawaii! Finding mistakes in panda photos
• Synaxarion Christian Stories: Holy Martyr Savvas the Goth
• TENSEI
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!
• The House of Da Vinci Complete Bundle
• The Lullaby of Life – Available Aug. 7
• The Villainess Is Adored by the Prince of the Neighbor Kingdom – Available Aug. 5
• There’s no Socks
• Tomba! Special Edition
• Toy Car Extreme Racing: RC Driver Simulator
• Train Your Brain! Spot the Difference with Animal Kids Photos
• Treasure Hunt on a World Trip
• Trinity Fusion
• Untitled Goose Game & Thank Goodness You’re Here! Bundle
• Voice Mimicry Show
• Volgarr the Viking II – Available Aug. 6
• Werewolf Goldfish
• Yatsumeguri
• Zumba Marble Blast

The post Star Wars: Bounty Hunter joins this week’s eShop roundup appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

This week on the Pure Nintendo Podcast, Jemma, Kirk, and Trev discuss the latest Nintendo news, from our time with Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition to celebrating Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Last week, we discussed the reveal for Emio, the upcoming visual novel with horror elements. It brings back a 30-year-old franchise with an anime style that we’re looking forward to. This week, we delve into the anniversary of the massive Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which celebrates five years since release on July 26.

Did you know that the Game Boy is 35 years old? That’s right, the humble handheld debuted in North America .on July 31 1989. We talk about our fondest Game Boy memories.

We’re playing some grest games this week, too. First and foremost is Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, which Jemma has been playing. She’s also playing Arranger, a new indie title that’s full of surprises. Meanwhile, Kirk is playing a classic game in a new form with the racing action of NeoSprint.

Along the way, we discuss some new LEGO sets with Mario and Sonic themes, along with a great Borderlands deal that’s hard to pass up. If you’re a fan, this is s deal worth checking out.

Thanks for listening, we love putting these shows together, so let us know your thoughts! And don’t forget to leave us a review to help support the channel.

Until next time, game on everyone!

Support the show!

Please support the Pure Nintendo Podcast by leaving us a review on Spotify or liking on YouTube, and tune in each and every Monday for more Nintendo-related goodness. It’s all happening on the Pure Nintendo Podcast!

You can find our podcast on:

• Spotify
• Apple
• Amazon

You can also subscribe to our bi-monthly magazine over at patreon.com/PureNintendo and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/PureNintendo. We’d love your support!

The post How is Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition? | Pure Nintendo Podcast E71 appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

As I’ve mentioned before on the Pure Nintendo Podcast, I’m a bigger fan of Luigi’s games than of Mario’s. Maybe that’s because Luigi’s Mansion is the first game I played on the first Nintendo System I owned. Maybe it’s because I’d rather explore haunted mansions than jump on the heads of various animals and vegetables. Or, maybe I just prefer Luigi’s color scheme. Whatever the reason, I was really looking forward to re-exploring Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and it didn’t disappoint.

Originally released in 2013 for the 3DS, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (as it was then known) finds our hero forced to explore five separate mansions in Evershade Valley.

They apparently have a ghost problem there, but they were at least happy ghosts. With the shattering of the Dark Moon, however, the ghosts have become violent…or at least mischievous. Professor E. Gadd once again solicits Luigi’s help in braving the horrors within to retrieve the Dark Moon fragments and set things to right.

More accurately, Gadd kind of bullies Luigi into it. Unlike Mario, Luigi is a reluctant hero, obviously terrified throughout the game. But Gadd at least equips Luigi with the right tool for the job: the Poltergust 5000. Not only can this vacuum be used to suck up and trap the spirits, but it can also startle them with a strobe light and be used to reveal hidden objects.

Luigi must master all three components to safely make his way through the haunted hallways, and doing so is tremendous fun…albeit with plenty of frustration.

The gameplay starts off simple enough. The intro level ghosts are easy to locate and capture. But I guess the five years between Luigi’s Mansion 3 and 2 HD caused me to forget just how difficult these games can be. They’re not unbeatable by any means, but don’t think this game’s cute, comedic approach means you won’t be facing a stiff challenge. The “combat” quickly ramps up to have you facing multiple ghosts at once. While you’re trying to capture one with the Poltergust—a prolonged process of trying to suck it in as it flies around the room—other ghosts can attack and break your suction stream. Get hit too many times by them or the rats, bats, knights, or numerous other hazards, and it’s back to the start for you. You can acquire dog bones that will allow you to pick up where you left off, but not enough to get you past some of the game’s more complicated bosses.

Those bosses, however, are wonderful. Just figuring out how to beat them can be tricky enough, and then actually doing so requires a combination of patience, timing, and execution. They’re the kind of bosses where you don’t seem to make a dent the first time you face them, but then easily capture them the second time when you’re more methodical in your approach.

Getting to them is a blast, too, as the maze of rooms gives you plenty to unlock and discover. Initial exploration never grows tiresome, although getting kicked back to the beginning does make things repetitious. And if you miss any collectibles along the way, or you’re not happy with your ranking after completing a level, you’ll end up attempting them more than once.

Will you want to? I didn’t, as my biggest complaints about the Luigi’s Mansion series remain: the stutter-step of gameplay. Far too often, Professor Gadd pulls you back to his laboratory to talk way too long about things that are obvious. These scenes are sometimes funny, but mostly they’re just in the way of the fun. Then, when you want to go back, there’s no way to do so. You can’t save or replenish your health before a boss fight, for example, so you’ll often enter into those knowing there’s little chance for success. Queue the frustration during the fight, then again when you’ve got to make the long trek back to the boss’s location for round 2.

A new issue is that the elements that were obviously designed for the 3DS effect are still there, and they just feel weird—like when you see a 3D movie in 2D and you’re wondering why so many things are flying into the audience’s face. It’s a sad reminder of how cool things were on the 3DS when done properly.

But Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD brings a lot of new elements that are worth the second ride through the funhouse. The HD, for starters, looks fantastic, and the ability to search these darkened rooms on a large TV really enhances the experience. There’s unfortunately no two-player co-op like in Luigi’s Mansion 3, but exploration and boss battles both benefit from a second pair of eyeballs on the screen.

The lack of co-op is somewhat compensated for by a series of multiplayer options that turn Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD into a party game for prolonged life. There’s a Hunter mode where up to four players can work together to clear ghosts from the tower. In Polterpup, players face a time limit in which they must locate and catch all the ghost dogs. Finally, Rush tasks players with escaping the mansion within the time limit. Defeating ghosts and finding hidden objects gives you more time, but you could end up wasting it if you don’t defeat them quickly enough.

The multiplayer games are all pretty fun, but the real joy here is in the single-player experience. It’s a good time whether you burn through it quickly or try for 100% completion. And there are so many fun elements along the way. I never grew tired of hearing Luigi nervously hum along with the game’s music, for example. And I’d forgotten how much I loved that staircase level after first climbing it on the 3DS. The developers really know how to turn frustration into laughter.

All that said, I can’t recommend Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD to everyone. It’s as expensive as Luigi’s Mansion 3, for starters, and 3 is the better game. Everything here is a step backward. That doesn’t mean it’s a step you shouldn’t take if you haven’t before, but those looking to double dip may as well do so in the original 3DS mansions if they still have a way in.

The post Review: Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

It’s time to check out the latest goodies to hit the Nintendo Switch eShop. This week’s highlights are Arranger and The Star Names EOS, two indie titles that differ in content, yet are equally impressive.

First up is Arranger, an RPG involving sliding tiles in a colorful, top-down world. It’s a unique twist that creates all kinds of puzzles to solve, from combat to sheering animals. We’re working on our review, so stay tuned to find out our full thoughts.

Secondly, The Star Names EOs presents a first-person perspective on things. This title features a lovely hand-drawn art style to help further immerse you into the world. Solve puzzles and collect memories to find the truth behind your mother’s disappearance.

It’s that time of year – the next iteration of EA Sport’s FC title is in pre-order mode ahead of its September release. Will we be as taken with the 2025 edition as we were with 2024? Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, there are Nintendo World Championship Edition events to compete in, a Warner Bros. sale to look into, as well as a very long list of new titles to consider.

Check it all out below, and let us know which games you’ll be playing this weekend! Join us on the Pure Nintendo podcast to hear what we’re playing, too.

Nintendo Switch

• Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure – Follow Jemma, a small-town misfit on a journey of self-discovery, in this puzzle-packed adventure game. When Jemma moves, the world around her moves too – creating both a playful sense of chaos and a regular stream of small, thoughtful puzzles for you to solve. Customize your experience with various assist options and get absorbed in the story through an expressive art style with comic-panel story scenes. Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure launches on the Nintendo Switch system today.
• The Star Named EOS – Immerse yourself in a first-person storytelling puzzle adventure game that explores photography and the ways we can capture the fleeting moments that shape our lives. Delve into a beautiful hand-drawn world as you play as Dei, a young photographer tracing the footsteps of his mother. Find and collect items filled with memories, and help Dei find the truth behind his mother’s absence. The Star Named EOS is available now.

Pre-orders

• EA FC EA SPORTS FC 25 – Experience more ways to win for the club. Team up with friends to play your favorite modes in the new 5v5 Rush and manage your club to victory as FC IQ delivers more tactical control than ever before. Pre-order EA SPORTS FC 25 Standard Edition by Sept. 26 and receive in-game rewards like a Cover Star Loan Player Item in Football Ultimate Team, 250,000 Club Coins and more. Pre-order EA SPORTS FC 25 Ultimate Edition by Aug. 20 and receive all Standard Edition pre-order content and up to seven days of early access—you’ll be able to start playing as early as Sept. 20! You’ll also receive early access Rush Rewards in Football Ultimate Team and Clubs, and more in-game rewards with Ultimate Edition pre-order. EA SPORTS FC 25 launches on Nintendo Switch Sept. 27.

Activities

• Get Expert Help on the Legend Challenges – Looking to put your speedrunning skills to the ultimate test in the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition game? With the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition – Classified Information for 13 Legend Challenges My Nintendo digital reward, you can have the tips you need to take down these in-game challenges right at your fingertips. No Platinum Points*** are required to redeem this reward! For more information, check out https://my.nintendo.com/rewards/45e481ad207224e4.
• My Nintendo Shovel Knight: Decade of Digging Sweepstakes – Celebrate 10 years of the chivalrous adventurer, Shovel Knight! Enter the My Nintendo Shovel Knight: Decade of Digging Sweepstakes for a chance to win a treasure trove of Shovel Knight delights. Adventure awaits – enter today! This sweepstakes ends on Sept. 4, 2024 at 11 p.m. PT. For more information, visit https://my.nintendo.com/rewards/dab07cd0247c261f.

Nintendo eShop sales

• Warner Bros. Games Mid-Year Sale – Save up to 85% off on your favorite titles and begin an unforgettable adventure during the Warner Bros. Games July Sale! Save on games like LEGO Harry Potter Collection, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate and LEGO DC Super-Villains Deluxe Edition. This sale ends Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT. For more information and to view the full list of games, visit https://www.nintendo.com/store/sales-and-deals.

Also new this week

• 4 The Elements
• Abathor
• Ao Oni – Available July 26
• Arcade Archives FOOTBALL CHAMP
• Astoria: Fate’s Kiss
• Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus
• City Takeover – Available July 26
• Cobra Kai Collection
• COSMIC FANTASY
• COSMIC FANTASY2
• Courageous Reasoning Nori 7 New World
• Cricket Captain 2024
• Cyber Racers: Retro Neon Punk Drift – Available July 26
• Daydream: Forgotten Sorrow
• Death Noodle Delivery – Available July 31
• Epyx Rogue
• Escape Fear 2: Hide And Seek Horror
• Exhausted Man
• Exophobia
• Faster Than Bolt – Available July 26
• Fishing Break
• Fit My Dog – Available July 26
• Gallery of Things: Reveries
• Gravity Circuit Deluxe Edition
• Harvest Days
• HELLPIT 3D PLATFORMER – Available July 26
• Hidden Cats in Rome
• Hollow Cocoon
• Inflatables – Available July 27
• Jewel Fight: Heroes of Legend – Available July 26
• Life Sim Bundle
• Little Army – Available July 28
• Midnight Collection – Available July 30
• Mists of Noyah
• Monument: Invasion
• My Little Universe + God of Light Remastered Bundle
• NINJA SLAYER NEO-SAITAMA IN FLAMES
• nPool
• Pair Horror
• Pirate Year Thousand: The Kraken Piece
• Puppy Cars: Games for Kids Edition, Animal Adventure
• Ringlorn Saga
• SANBANSEN PLUS
• Seven Nights Ghost
• Shikon-X Astro Defense Fortress
• SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS
• Some Some Convenience Store
• Speed Overflow
• Sportitions’24 – Available July 26
• Steel Racer – Available July 26
• Summer In Trigue – Available July 31
• TACTICAL BANDITS
• The Garden Path – Available July 30
• The Legend of the Dragonflame High School 3
• Thief Simulator: Heist Master – Available July 27
• TOKYO CHRONOS & ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos TWIN PACK – Available July 31
• Tokyo Xanadu eX+
• Ultimate Puzzle Adventure: Dogs
• Ultimate Puzzle Adventure: Robots
• Uncover the Triad of Terror
• Witch Guardians: Quest for the Ancestral Magic
• YEAH! YOU WANT “THOSE GAMES,” RIGHT? SO HERE YOU GO! NOW, LET’S SEE YOU CLEAR THEM! 2

The post Arranger joins this week’s eShop roundup appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

This week on the Pure Nintendo Podcast, Jemma and Kirk delve into the world of Emio – The Smiling Man, which was unveiled by Nintendo last week.

Last week, we speculated on what Emio could be after an initial teaser. This week, we have the details, and discuss the Famicom Detective Club series. Emio marks the first new entry in the series in over 30 years! The full game comes out on 29 August, so stay tuned for more details as we approach the release date.

We also discuss the official rating for Zelda’s upcoming solo adventure, Echoes of Wisdom. The title has received an E10 rating, and what’s even more interesting is the mention of how players will control Link during the adventure. This sparks a conversation about how we think Link will work his way into the story, though we hope (and assume) the focus will be on Zelda.

Meanwhile, Jemma has had some hands-on time with the latest TMNT outing, Splintered Fate, and gives her initial thoughts ahead of a full review (which has since been published). The good news is that it’s an enjoyable time, with roguelike elements that work well in combination with a solid story and voiceacting that makes the everything feel very much like a TMNT game.

Thanks for listening, we love putting these shows together, so let us know your thoughts! And don’t forget to leave us a review to help support the channel.

Until next time, game on everyone!

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The post So, Emio was Famicom Detective Club all along? | Pure Nintendo Podcast E70 appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Monster Hunter Stories, a game originally made for the DS, is a spin-off of Capcom’s Monster Hunter games. It’s more low-key and easy to play, with a completely different vibe, style, and combat system. Similar to the Pokemon games, Monster Hunter Stories uses a turn-based fighting style and is all about collecting more “Monsties” to build relationships with. While there is so much to do in this game, the main objective is to find better and stronger Monsties, build your kinship, and fight your way through the world of Monster Hunter, all while joining forces with unlikely foes in order to restore peace to your land.

Raised in the village of Riders, your character is taught how to care for monsters and help them grow to become your companions. From the beginning of the game, you’re taught the basics of how to do all of this. In order to raise Monsties, you must first find them. You do this by entering monster dens and stealing their eggs. Sometimes this is easy—for example, when there are no other monsters in the den. But other times there will be monsters, and you’ll have to either sneak around them as they sleep or fight them if they’re awake. Once you have an egg and escape the monster den, you take it back to your village where it then rests until it cracks open. There are different elements that come with hatching eggs, such as collecting egg fragments, but the game goes into detail about all of these.

After an egg is hatched, you have a Monstie! You can have a party of Monsties, as each have different abilities that are useful in fights. Monsties start out as babies but grow older, and they can also level up the more you use them in battles. Also, as you fight with them, you gain kinship, which is like a relationship level. The higher your kinship level, the stronger you and your Monstie become. You can unlock new power moves with each other as well.

Along with your Monsties, you can travel out from your village to find other monsters to fight. Fighting monsters helps you gain levels, kinship, and materials. With a turn-based fighting style, there are three types of moves you can use against each other: power, technical, and speed. Each type can beat another, kind of like rock-paper-scissors. Power beats technical, technical beats speed, and speed beats power. Keeping this in mind while fighting is important, because as you learn certain monster’s moves, you can have an advantage. However, when you first start out, you’ll know very little about different monsters. The further along in the game you get, and the more often you fight a specific kind of monster, you’ll learn about their species, their fighting moves, their strengths and weaknesses, and more.

With each battle you get into, you can have certain items in your inventory to help you out. Some are healing herbs, weapons, binoculars to help you see your opponent’s stats, or even potions you can make from collected items. Some can be healing while others can be used for damage. When a monster does damage to you, you can either use your turn to fight back, or to heal yourself. It’s important to get into a rhythm of doing both, because if too much damage is taken, you will lose a heart. You are given three hearts for a day, and if all are lost then you are”downed” and returned to your village.

There are lots of features in your village, as well. You have your house, where you can save and store things. You also have many neighbors. The other villagers are nice to talk to because a lot of them will give you side quests, such as finding specific items. When completed, they will pay you. This can also be done through the quest board in the village as well.

I found that Monster Hunter Stories could feel a bit overwhelming at times, especially in the beginning when all of this info is dumped on you. But the game also does a good job at keeping all of this information available to you in the menu. If you find yourself lost or forget how to do something, just opening the game’s menu and looking through the previous information you have learned will remind you.

This is helpful, as Monster Hunter Stories gives you plenty to do outside of gameplay. You’re able to fully customize your character—everything from name to appearance and clothes. New features include dialogue acted in different languages, and a “museum mode” which shows you all of the original design artworks and music tracks.

The graphics of this game have improved as well, and are a lot smoother than they were on the DS. The animations were nice, the settings were beautiful and fun to explore, the characters were unique, and the monsters were incredibly cool to look at. You can tell a lot of work and designing went into this game, which is an element I always appreciate. The music was great as well, and the story was fun to get into.

Though Monster Hunter Stories is a super detailed and in-depth game, it’s worth the long playthrough as it includes so much. Watching your Monsties grow, and becoming attached to them as you fight alongside each other is a great experience. The characters are all enjoyable, and the open-world exploring is incredibly fun.

The post Review: Monster Hunter Stories (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Remember Braid? It was all the rage back in 2008 when it was originally released on other consoles, quickly making its mark as a unique indie platformer. Now, like so many titles before it, a special edition of this older game comes to the Switch. Let’s welcome Braid, Anniversary Edition to the fold.

The Switch’s success has given rise to many such re-releases. Don’t get me wrong, I think cross-pollination across platforms is great, giving classic titles another go at reaching an audience. For anyone who missed out on games like Braid the first time around, re-releases are terrific. Especially when as much effort is put into proceedings as with this edition.

Let’s start with the gameplay basics. Braid is a puzzle platformer that follows the adventures of a young man on a mission to rescue his beloved. Throughout his journey are rooms, each presenting a problem to solve. Typically, the goal is to access various jigsaw pieces dotted about the room. They’re often hard to reach, with a clever solution required to get you there.

Apart from the usual running and jumping, this little platformer adds a unique time mechanic. While death may occur frequently, whether from falling into a pit or landing on spikes, a quick tap of the rewind button lets you travel back through time to try again. Not only that, some objects respond differently to this reverse flow of time. This opens the way for some creative tricks to get you to those hard-to-reach jigsaw pieces. 

From the very beginning, it’s clear Braid was developed with care. While there are some head-scratching traps in there for sure, one of the goals of the original development was to create something that felt rewarding to solve. And it does. But that attention to detail extends beyond the puzzles. Everything has been curated to create something unique, especially in 2008. Even the game’s intro is unique; instead of the typical menu screen with options, the title screen is the game. You control things from the very beginning.

Let’s talk about the key differences between this edition and the original. One thing we don’t always see with revamped releases is the ability to switch between old and new graphics. Braid has you covered here, allowing players to quickly flick from classic to updated styles at the touch of a button. It’s seamless. It’s a treat for fans who remember the way things were, or for anyone with an interest in gaming history.

Speaking of visuals, they’re simply lovely. They were already nice back in 2008, but now they’re even better, with colorful backdrops that really pop. Character pixels have been enhanced, as have their animations. There’s much more detail in each room, too. In short, a good-looking game has been enhanced to become quite splendid.

Now, if you have played the original Braid, this leaves less room for a Switch purchase. If you were already a fan, perhaps the updated visuals are enough to tempt you. However, this Anniversary Edition offers a comprehensive amount of commentary to give you yet another excuse to double dip.

And I mean comprehensive. The developers have gone above and beyond, integrating hours of detailed audio while you’re playing. Yes, while you’re playing. There are special switches within the game that allow you to access commentary for the room you’re in. It accompanies you while you continue playing, akin to watching a director’s commentary during a movie. There’s hours worth of content, which is interesting to fans and, again, gaming enthusiasts who are interested in how it all came together at the time. It’s quite a work of art.

So, any downsides? Not really, though with the original gameplay remaining intact, it means any flaws come along for the ride. The only such issue I noticed was when I first played. As mentioned, there are many rooms to explore, however it’s not clear initially what you’re meant to do in them; the instructions are deliberately unclear. This makes for a slightly shaky start until you work out what’s going on. Once you get a feel for it, though, Braid truly shines.

Overall, Braid, Anniversary Edition is the definitive version of a terrific platformer. Not only has this classic title been enhanced with improved graphics, but a detailed commentary has been integrated into the game itself. The original developers put a lot of effort into building something unique in 2008. Now, they’ve enhanced their creation into something special and detailed.

The post Review: Braid, Anniversary Edition (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is the latest outing for the four heroes in a half shell. These reptilian ninjas have experienced a rebirth of late, with games like Shredder’s Revenge and the Cowabunga Collection faring well on the Switch, plus Mutants Unleashed heading our way in October. In the meantime, Splintered Fate is here to take the classic beat-’em-up formula we know and love and thrust it into an isometric, roguelike experience. Risky? Maybe. Does it pay off? Pretty much. 

You know their names: Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello. Four mutant heroes living in the sewers of New York City under the tutelage of their sensei, Master Splinter. We’ve experienced countless outings featuring this team and their allies since 1989. One thing we haven’t experienced is a roguelike take on things. It’s not important whether or not we need such an outing. What matters is that Splintered Fate takes the turtles we know and love and successfully integrates it into something fresh and fun. 

The plot, which seems to be loosely based on the 2023 comic book series of the same name, involves the kidnapping of Master Splinter. Naturally, it’s up to the turtle brethren to rescue their sensei, sending them on a cross-dimensional journey through the sewers, streets, and rooftops of New York City. Along the way, they meet Foot Soldiers, Mousers, and plenty of other foes to beat up.

The story is fun and fast paced, with a terrific script that’s full of humor. I also appreciate the terrific voice acting used throughout. It adds a lot of personality, culminating in a genuine foray into the world of TMNT. Many familiar characters are present, including April O’Neil, Metalhead, Casey Jones, Leatherhead, and, of course, Shredder. If you’re a fan, you’ll feel right at home.

Let’s address the roguelike side of things. Admittedly, this isn’t my usual genre of choice. However, Splintered Fate balances things so well that it almost serves as a neat introduction to this style of gameplay for those unfamiliar. It has the main elements, like randomized levels and limited-time power-ups on each run. What helps Splintered Fate stand apart is the way the story continues after each run. 

Rather than perish when your health expires, players find themselves sent back to their base to regroup. Here, you can chat with April or Metalhead to get an update on the story. You can also permanently upgrade your skills using coins collected during the previous run. This makes the next run slightly easier, pushing you further along each time you jump back in.

Even though runs are randomized, there’s also a familiarity about them. Layouts and enemy configurations vary slightly, as do the power ups received after clearing each room. Mini bosses are randomized, too, though chapter bosses remain the same. What I love about the boss fights is that the dialogue changes; the bosses know you’ve already fought them. These little touches make the whole experience feel less like a typical roguelike, serving as the best of both worlds.

Importantly for a TMNT game, the combat feels natural. My only initial qualm was the inability to jump, something I’m very familiar with in terms of the classic TMNT outings. I quickly grew used to the way Splintered Fate works, though. There’s your standard attack, along with two special moves and a dash. Special moves need to be charged by using your standard attack, while the dash charges over time. These are all upgradeable during your run, creating customized moves that are super satisfying to use.

There are a few ways to play, namely solo, multiplayer, and online modes. I would have preferred the ability to add players during your solo outing without having to quit and return to the menu, but at least you can continue your solo story (including permanent upgrades) via multiplayer mode. Playing with a couple of friends in local multiplayer is as fun as you’d expect. Although I didn’t notice much lag, it can become chaotic when there’s a lot of on-screen enemies. I lost myself a few times! 

Unfortunately, I also encountered a few glitches. Most disturbingly, the game completely crashed several times during play. On the plus side, I was able to restart from the previous room, and my in-run abilities were intact. On the downside, this wasn’t the case for players two and three; only player one’s temporary upgrades returned. This occurred towards the end of the game, leaving two thirds of our team woefully underpowered as we encountered Shredder. It’s a shame, and spoils an otherwise terrific outing. Another glitch left me invisible for a boss fight because my character was cut off by a barrier during the transition to the second phase. 

Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate brings a new way of playing to fans of the green, teen heroes. The story, visuals, and gameplay are all great, though a few bugs do hamper the experience. Still, it’s a fun time, employing simple roguelike elements that won’t be too jarring for fans of the typical side-scrolling style of gameplay.

The post Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Angry boy with an unfortunate past picks fights until he’s chosen to help save the world. I’d say we’ve seen this setup perhaps too many times, except that it gets a bit more complicated in Megaton Musashi W: Wired, a recent action RPG from Level-5.

Yes, that Level-5. Professor Layton Level-5. Yo Kai Watch Level-5. That should give you an indication of what to expect here; Megaton Musashi W: Wired is a story-heavy game that takes the narrative in some directions you may not expect. It does so with the gameplay, too, but perhaps to its detriment.

Our angry young man, Yamato Ichidaiji (Yamato? Musashi? This isn’t a WWII naval combat sim?), actually has quite a bit to be angry about, he just doesn’t know it right away. The Earth has been taken over by aliens called Draktors. The 1% of humanity who survived the attack are living in fortified shelters, their memories of the invasion wiped clean to…help them not be sad, I guess? I suppose I get it. I could’ve used the same treatment after Super Bowl XL.

But, there’s an initiative to take the Earth back from the Draktors, and that’s where Yamato comes in. He’s provided with his own mech (or Rogue), is given some perfunctory training, and joins the resistance.

It’s never fully clear to me why such resistances are always helmed by socially diverse and uniquely troubled teenagers. Maybe that’s just who’s playing the games. Or, maybe they’re more willing to explore the morally gray areas when they find out their oppressors may not be entirely evil.

If you’ve watched any anime with a group of kids forced to get along with one another while attempting to save humanity, you’ll feel quite comfortable here. Megaton Musashi W: Wired gives you a big main story to dig into with plenty of side missions to help you get to know your teammates. The game very much feels like a visual novel in this regard, with some quality cutscenes to locate and trigger as you run about town. I didn’t find the narrative to be terribly compelling compared to current competition, but it’s presented well, the characters are fun, and it all moves along at a decent clip.

There are even some wonderful cameos, of sorts.

I can’t say the same about the combat component, however, for a couple of reasons. Those reasons, however, could very well be selling points for many players.

Obviously, the combat gameplay is entirely mech-based. And as you’d expect when taking giant robots into battle, there’s quite a bit of customization to do. The battle controls can be quite complex, but that complexity arises from attack and combo button memorization more so than from overpowered opponents. On the contrary, the enemies are typically quite easy to take out…provided you’ve adequately prepared your robot. Megaton Musashi W: Wired is definitely aimed squarely at the gamer who likes to fiddle with customizations before combat, and then fiddle with them again when the next battle completely changes up what works and what doesn’t.

And customization isn’t relegated to hardware. There’s also a skill tree to navigate, and optimizing this with the materials you’ve acquired is almost a mini puzzle game of its own. The whole system is akin to a racing game where you want to spend more time in the garage than on the track. If that’s your thing, then this game will keep you gleefully busy for dozens of hours.

If it’s not, then it may just be something more to slow you down between the somewhat repetitive combat. It’s a matter of depth over arcade-style action, and I wasn’t really expecting that coming into the game.

Further proof of this is the online component which pits you against cross-platform players in 3v3 matches. Here, you’ll either show off the efficiency of your mech customizations, or you’ll get mercilessly crushed like I did. I expected that, sure, but I also expected the game would find opponents closer to my build/skill level. Not so. Maybe that’s because there were never enough opponents from whom to choose.

Thankfully, the single-player story mode is more than enough to keep builders busy. Mech combat certainly has its appeal, and it’s all presented with the appropriate sense of awe. The game looks great, and there’s a thrill that’s carried from the characters through to the player. The challenge may be a bit slight for some, but in a game that’s more about the preparation than the execution, maybe that’s just a reward.

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