We’ve now learned that it’ll also provide some bonuses for those who played the original version on the Switch. The details were posted to formerly-known-as-Twitter on May 31st, and translated with the help of personacentral.com. Which bonuses you receive will be determined by which path you chose in your original play-through, and by just how far you made it.

For instance, if you completed the Uphold God’s Order path and finished the game, you’ll get:

• Abdiel (Archangel) Essence x1
• Abdiel (Fallen Angel) Essence x1
• Vitality Balm x10
• Vitality Incense x10
• Grimoire x10
• Gospel x3
• Whittled Goat x1

If you chose to Destroy the Throne on your way to clearing the game, you’ll get:

• Nuwa’s (Human From) Essence x1
• Nuwa’s (Snake Form) Essence x1
• Agility Balm x10
• Luck Balm x10
• Agility Incense x10
• Luck Incense x10

If you played the game but didn’t complete it, don’t fret. You’ll still get:

• Large Glory Crystal x1
• Healing Potion x20
• Chakra Drop x5
• Revival Bead x5
• Spyglass x20
• Smoke Ball x5

So, not bad, but not nearly as good as the bonuses the completionists will get for playing through all paths in their entirety. I’ll let you get the details on that and everything else from the source, but suffice to say it’s a lot. If you were debating whether to play it again on the Switch or try it on a different platform, these bonuses may sway you; you won’t get those bonuses on PlayStation, Xbox, or Windows.

Bonuses or not, be sure to watch this Complete Guide which Atlus posted a few weeks back. It’ll serve to introduce the game to new players and hype up those of us who played it on its original release.

As you may recall, I was a bit sour on the game in our original review from 2021, although it still earned a 7/10. It looks like Vengeance will address some of my major complaints while also providing plenty of new content and features. I’m quite confident Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance will be worth double dipping. We’ll find out soon enough.

For more information on Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, visit atlus.com/smt5v where you still have time to get in your digital or physical pre-order.

The post SMTV: Vengeance will remember you appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is a nifty little throwback to some of the early, really good first-person shooters. For those who don’t need a Wayback machine, this game has more than just a little bit in common with Doom and Quake. If you have never had the pleasure of playing those, they’re basically “monsters in a maze” games. You are set loose in a building, a town, or wherever, and there are objects hidden all over the place, monsters around every corner, tools and weapons to find, and, typically, a world to save. You may need to meet an objective (kill an enemy or find a key) before a door will open, but you are free to wander around the level.

As you wander about, you may notice that the imagery is fitting for the nature of the story. The graphics look like a slice of 2007—not bad at a distance, but obviously pixelated and flat up close. That isn’t really a hindrance for this game, so we’ll move on to the soundscape. Here, the game does a very good job of providing background music that’s evocative and, mercifully, doesn’t sound like 20 seconds stuck in a loop. The sound effects are well done; the footfalls are a bit generic, but not bad. As a whole, the looks and sounds are pretty good.

One gripe I have regarding the visuals centers on the text. To keep from having to translate recorded dialogue into a dozen languages, the game relies on text. I’m fine with reading, but the text appears for a programmed duration, then disappears. This, for me, is a significant negative. Like most games which rely on text to communicate to the player, once you get past the dialogue of the moment, you can’t revisit the text. So, if you look away to see what new thing the cat has knocked off the shelf, you may miss something important. The text is also a bit on the small side, but it’s easy enough to read, even in handheld mode.

The Isle of the Dead is the first level and includes some tutorial information. The game will guide you to a place where you get your fist weapon; then it will send the hordes of undead things your way—good luck! If you use the more difficult settings, be prepared to die quickly if you are not well versed in this type of game. On the flip side, if you start with the “easy” setting, there is a lot of empty castle to walk through, so pick your poison. There are a couple of benefits to starting on easy: you can get the lay of the land before hacking undead creatures to bits in a non-stop flurry of blood and body parts, and you can get a bit more comfortable with the controls and the monsters to make surviving a little bit easier (that is, possible).

It takes little while, but the game will eventually give you what’s called a Soul Tether. You can use this to create save points which can be handy for where you die a lot or where you need to complete a tricky jump without having to run through half the level again. The game also provides the obligatory health kits (a.k.a. vial of lifeblood), weapon and armor upgrades, and artifacts you can use.

As a reminder, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin has a maze layout, so don’t forget to check every hallway, door, room, etc. If you can’t jump a particular gap normally, you can get a boost from your special attack (ZL button) that provides a power thrust with your blade. It also sends you lurching forward in such a way that you can effectively jump twice as far as using the regular jump button. Speaking of buttons, the controls are laid out well and easy to use. Every button has a function, but there are no overly complex combinations to frustrate the gameplay.

Any gripes I may have about Wrath: Aeon of Ruin are minimal and can be overlooked without too much effort. It provides us seasoned gamers a bit of nostalgia, but it’s a good choice for anyone seeking a first-person shooter challenge with some decent replay value (go ahead, start at Outlander level—I dare you).

The post Review: Wrath: Aeon of Ruin (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

You play as a nameless skeleton-like character who’s a bouncer at a bar. NecroBouncer is a hack-and-slash fighting title where you need to clear room after room and defeat the boss at the end. There are four bosses total, each having unique patterns of attack. The premise of these fights is to dodge until the boss becomes vulnerable and then spam your attacks. The first two bosses become vulnerable on their own, but the final two bosses have a bit of a puzzle to them. It took me a long time on the third boss to figure out what I needed to do to get him to use a different attack that would tire him out. Overall, though, the bosses weren’t too difficult; not until you figured out how to play, that is.

Being a hack-and-slash style, NecroBouncer has fairly simple controls. You spam Y to attack with your weapon but you can also use special attacks with A and X. These specials use magic, but the game is generous at making sure you never run out. This was a good thing for me because I had far too much fun spawning zombie minions to attack enemies for me. You can press B to roll dodge, which allows you to be invincible for a moment. The controls were fluid and smooth throughout my gameplay experience, which was great since this title is fast-paced.

Yet, there’s still a lot of downtime. The way NecroBouncer works is that you go from one room to another, clearing enemies and solving puzzles. There are four floors total, each having their own unique map every time you begin a playthrough. So, no two playthroughs will ever be alike.

The rooms are laid out like a mind map beginning from the left and moving to the right. You can choose between one of four rooms to start in and then you follow that branch throughout. Sometimes, rooms will branch into two or three others and you can decide. Each room has its own gimmick, and you’ll know what it is ahead of time.

What do I mean by gimmick? Each room, in addition to a horde of enemies, often has a puzzle. For example, there’s a crystal room where you need to break all the crystals. Every few seconds, enemies will spawn from the crystals. Once they’re all broken and no more enemies can spawn, then the room is cleared. There’s another room called King of the Hill where you have to stand on a platform in the middle of the room for a certain amount of time. The thing is, enemies spawn whenever you’re on the platform. Some rooms, on the other hand, are “bouncer” rooms where it’s simply a rush of enemies you have to defeat.

So, I often mapped out the course I’d want to take before choosing the first area so I’d get the most out of it between preferred room styles and rooms that allowed the most rewards. Some rooms give you a treasure chest upon clearing them. The treasure chest contains relics (which are basically power-ups). You’ll have these relics for the rest of the run. The more you play, the more relics you’ll unlock so you can begin a run with some relics, too.

Some of these relics allow you to have more health, do more damage to enemies, spawn more zombie minions, and more. There are a lot of relics. Once you defeat a boss, you’ll have the chance to buy something at the bar. The bar will have relics available, including health. Depending on how much money you have, you can take whatever you want before moving onto the next set of rooms.

NecroBouncer is one of those games where you see how far you can go. With only four bosses, though, and the more powered-up you become, each playthrough gets easier and quicker. The first time I cleared all four bosses, I did so within an hour and a half.

The game also offers stats and extra missions to work toward. For example, defeating each boss without taking any damage. You don’t get anything for these, but it’s nice to have something else to do since the game, despite no two playthroughs being alike, can get repetitive.

I enjoyed my time with NecroBouncer and I’m sure I’ll go back and play it again. However, even though it ran smoothly most of the time, the game did glitch a few times. I once cleared a boss and the reward options froze. The chests were closed, but the outline of the rewards were there. So, I think the game thought the chests were open but I couldn’t select anything. I needed to close the game completely, losing all my progress for that run. I know the nature of the game is to see how far you get in one go, but a quick-save feature would have been nice for those glitch moments. Despite how short a run can be, I did need to abandon a run because I had somewhere to be and couldn’t complete it on time. A quick save would have been really nice at that moment.

Regardless, if you’re looking for a game that’s on the shorter side and a fun roguelite experience, NecroBouncer is a great choice. You may not play it for hours on end, but it’s good to go back to once in a while as a pick-up-and-go type of game.

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

The Minecraft 15th anniversary sale continues with some huge discounts on Minecraft titles. It ends on June 4, though, so if you’ve been putting it off, get online now and grab yourself something blocky to play on your Switch.

Meanwhile, with the recent release of Paper Mariol The Thousand-Year Door, Mario Run has a special limited-time event during which you can collect special Paper Mario statues. It’s fun to collect these special items as they appear, so let us know which ones you’ve managed to snag!

There’s a long list of other games to tempt your digital wallets, so let’s get to it! Check out the laest games to hit the Switch below and let us know what you’re playing this weekend.

Nintendo Switch

• STAR WARS: Hunters – Choose your Hunter and fight for glory in this new 4 vs. 4 arena shooter! Dive into this free-to-play experience where strategy and skill pave the way to victory. Battle as heroes of the Rebellion, Imperial stormtroopers and everything in between. Join forces with friends and conquer the battlefield on your journey to fame in the Arena. Customize each Hunter by collecting and equipping them with fun and unique costumes, animations and weapon appearances, making for an impressive competitor that stands out on the battlefield! Pre-load this free-to-play game today, and battle for galactic supremacy when STAR WARS: Hunters launches on June 4!

Digital spotlight

• An Interesting New Perspective – Today is National Creativity Day! Get inspired with these games available on the Nintendo Switch system that will have you thinking outside of the ? Block. Play, create and share the side-scrolling Super Mario courses of your dreams using a wide range of parts, tools and more in the Super Mario Maker 2 game. Use Link’s powerful Ultrahand and Fuse abilities to make audacious weapons and craft inventive ways to travel across the landscape in the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom game. Or, put your strategizing skills to the test by caring for your loyal and curious squad of Pikmin while leading them into dangerous situations in the Pikmin 4 game.

 Nintendo Mobile

• Running Through the Pages – To celebrate the release of the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door game for Nintendo Switch, themed missions will appear for a limited time in the Super Mario Run game for mobile devices! Complete missions to get in-game statues of paper-thin versions of Mario and his companions. These missions are available until June 27 at 12 a.m. PT. You must update Super Mario Run to the latest version to participate. For more information, visit the official site: https://supermariorun.com/en/index.html.

Nintendo eShop sales

• Minecraft 15^th Anniversary Sale – Minecraft turns 15! Join a vast community of creators and heroes with up to 50% off Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends and more. Buy now and shape your world! Hurry – this sale ends on June 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 in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch:

• A Cat & His Boy
• Animal Farm Jigsaw Games for Toddlers, Babies and Kids
• Arcade Archives LEGION
• BEASTWATCH: Meat & Mayhem
• Big Top Best Kids Games Bundle
• Burst Hero
• Capes
• Car Games for Kids & Toddlers Bundle 3 in 1
• Color Water Sort – Available May 31
• Cook ’Til Escape～Nyanzou&Kumakichi: Escape Game～
• Cyberpunk Paradise Elysium: The Visual Novel
• Democracy 4: Console Edition – Available June 5
• Downward: Enhanced Edition – Available June 4
• Dreamland Solitaire: Dark Prophecy
• Early Learning Games for Kids, Toddlers & Babies
• Easter Bunny: Bubble Shooter
• Echoes
• Electronics Puzzle Lab
• Ghost Teen Escape from Limbo – Available June 5
• Ginger – The Tooth Fairy
• Goliath Depot
• In His Time
• Jelly Battle
• Kittey 64 – Available June 3
• Korean Rail Driving Tour LRT Busan-Gimhae – Available May 31
• LET’S THROOOW! Street Basketball Simulator
• Love Palette – 恋色ぱれっと –
• Love, Death & Mummies: Zombie Romance Visual Novel
• Master Key
• Medieval Lords
• Mezmeratu – Available May 31
• Nine Nights – Martial Ci Lang Story – Available May 31
• NINJA KAMUI: SHINOBI ORIGINS
• OrbWars
• O-VOID: Console Edition – Available May 31
• PICROSS S NAMCO LEGENDARY edition
• Pixel Game Maker Series Moon Viewing Jump Rabbit
• Ruler Battle Online – Available May 31
• Seed of Life
• SkateCat
• SKELER BOY – Available May 31
• Spellbearers
• Stick to the Plan
• Sticky Hands – Available June 1
• SUSHI Race
• Tales From The Under-Realm: After Midnight
• Terminal 81
• Terror Mansion
• The Cat – Available June 1
• The Excrawlers + Shiro Bundle
• The Mermaid of Zennor
• Ultra Mission – Available June 3
• Umbraclaw
• vridniX
• WAKUSEI – Available June 3
• Xuan Yuan Sword 7
• Xuan Yuan Sword Mystic RPG Bundle

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

It makes sense, really; Legend of Heroes games tend to thrust players into a prolonged, chaotic fight at the very start, and then back-peddle to calmer times. I can’t say for sure that that’s how Trails Through Daybreak will begin, but the ability to play such an introduction ahead of release would make sense.

And if you want a taste of what those battles will be like (and whom you’ll be taking into those battles), today’s new trailer will give you a glimpse…along with some quality J-rock, of course:

And just who are these people?

Key characters include Van Arkride, a spriggan or an underground professional that accepts work from any client and acts as a detective, negotiator or bounty hunter with no allegiance, and Agnés Claudel, a first year student at the prestigious Aramis Academy who goes to Van with a unique request. Little does Van know that her request will prove to be more than he bargained for and lead to events that could threaten the very Republic itself!

And just what is the Republic?

In the aftermath of a brief war, Calvard is enjoying unprecedented economic prosperity. However, the public grows uncertain as the number of immigrants increases and questionable political reform runs rampant. Follow the spriggan Van Arkride on a unique request that will prove more than he bargained for. Will the nation fall into chaos?

So, then, more than we bargained for. Got it. But their turmoil is our gain, as The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is looking to provide more than enough JRPG action and melodrama to satisfy series fans and newcomers alike.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak will be available July 5th in multiple digital and physical editions (the stock meter on the Switch Limited Edition is down to 5% at press time). For more information, visit thelegendofheroes.com/daybreak/.

[Update: June 4, 2024 – The update is now available. We’ve also learned that the Switch demo covers the entire prologue.]

The post Trails Through Daybreak demo downloads June 4th appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Kind of. Because the winner is going to be Cthulhu, or at least his minions. They’re never ending, after all, and Miyamoto Musashi is just one man. Musashi vs. Cthulhu isn’t about winning, it’s about chasing your high score…which sounds like it could be a lesson directly out of Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings. I haven’t read that, but I have read David Kirk’s Child of Vengeance, and he made no mention of battle against Lovecraftian monstrosities.

That’s what Musashi vs. Cthulhu is, after all. This action game pits you, as Musashi, against an onslaught of creepy looking monsters you can’t overcome; you just have to stay alive as long as possible. That’s part and parcel for arcade action games, so it’s fair, but whether the gameplay can hold your attention for that long will depend upon your mastery of the niten’ichi kenjutsu technique.

A brief tutorial explains the controls, which are minimal. Musashi stands in the center of the screen, and he’s attacked from both sides. You move…actually, you don’t move. You jump…no, Musashi has no need for jumping. You kick…please, have some dignity. The only thing you do in the game is swing your swords. Up, left, and down on the D-pad are your high, mid, and low attacks to the left. X, A, and B are the same to the right. You simply thurst your sword in the intended direction.

Small enemies, such as giant maggots, need low swings to connect, obviously. Mutated flying insects require high swings. But what about the monsters that stand tall like Musashi? They have obviously defined weak points that must be targeted. In other words, this game is entirely about aiming and timing. Attacking to the left can leave you vulnerable to attack from the right, so you don’t want to overextend or misjudge who will get to you first.

You also don’t want to miss. That breaks your combo chain and, more drastically, allows the enemies to attack you. That will drain your health, but you do automatically shove all enemies away, allowing you time to refocus for your next move. You can also taunt to raise your shields, but taunting also leaves you temporarily vulnerable, so it needs to be well-timed.

That’s entirely it for the game’s basics, but Miyamoto Musashi didn’t become Japan’s greatest swordsman by simply mastering the basics. Each thrust of your swords shuffles you in that direction, allowing you to pull away from attacks from the opposite side. Learning your enemy’s movement speed becomes key so you’re not attacking an enemy that will fall behind another. Certain enemies also require multiple hits, so you’ll need to grow comfortable with quick strikes in order to take them down efficiently.

Yes, it’s all pretty basic, but Musashi vs. Cthulhu is helped out by a couple important items. First, the gameplay is exceptionally snappy; attacks are responsive and fluid. Second, the graphics are effectively creepy (although some setting variety would’ve been nice). Third, the audio does a solid job of accenting the action.

All of this combines to create a somewhat addictive, visceral experience that manages to entertain longer than you may expect. Still, I can’t help but feel the Switch version is missing one key feature: motion control. Holding a Joy-Con in each hand and snapping your wrist to strike could’ve been really cool, albeit tiring. It may have also made the game too easy if executed well, but I feel like motion control was a lost opportunity.

Musashi vs. Cthulhu is not the deepest game you’re going to play this week, and it doesn’t provide a purpose for those not interested in chasing high scores or leaderboard rankings. But it is fun in short bursts, and it’s instantly accessible. I think it would make more sense as a mobile game, but at only $5.00, it’s priced to serve that time-killing purpose when you have your Switch on the go.

So, let’s have a good, clean fight, and may the best man (or cosmic entity) win.

The post Review: Musashi vs. Cthulhu (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

It’s taken a while, but we kind of have that retro feel again with Goliath Depot. I say “kind of” because, although Goliath Depot certainly has that retro arcade action, it comes with some modern features that wouldn’t have existed in 1982.

First, the gameplay. You start as a fellow or lady (your choice) expecting a normal day at the computer factory, until those computers start to run amok. How to save the day? Unplug them? No! You have to slam some doors, which is not only therapeutic, but productive in this case. The soundwaves of the slammed doors stun the computers, allowing you to kick them off the screen. Once all of the doors are shut, the level’s main doors will open, allowing you access to the next level.

That’s your entire premise, but that’s all video games needed back in the ’80s. The machines attracted you with bright colors, jangly sounds, and (if they were lucky) local DJ novelty songs. They hooked you by making you believe you were just one jump away from reaching the next level, and by making those levels visually and aurally captivating. Goliath Depot has certainly done that. You just need to look at the screen captures to know exactly how this game sounds and plays.

Regarding gameplay, the controls are simple enough to figure out, but the difficulty quickly ramps up as you progress; the doors become harder to access and the enemies more aggressive. With plenty of spiky floors, icy ledges, randomly placed lasers, and more, you just know this workplace does not enjoy the benefits of union membership.

You’ll need to start timing your door slams to make sure the enemies are in the right area first, but you can stand in the doorways without shutting them to remain safe until that moment presents itself. Like most great arcade games, you’ll start to work out patterns and strategies the more you play.

There are also bosses to face every 10 levels. This creates a nice break from the typical challenge, but also severs the cord that plugs the game into its ’80s arcade outlet. Donkey Kong, Popeye, and Burger Time had no boss battles, after all.

They also had no purchasable power-ups, which Goliath Depot does. The coins you collect throughout the game can be used not only to continue your progress once you’ve lost all your lives, but can also buy you new abilities with which to start the game. For example, you can buy the ability to jump down a level without having to rely on ladders or ledges. You won’t earn enough coins to rely on all these power-ups, but you’ll know a few runs in which will be the most helpful for your style of play. And, of course, certain power-ups will be more conducive against certain bosses.

Goliath Depot’s other modern features include in-game achievements and leaderboards, which I suppose replace the recording of your initials for the next players to see. It also comes with couch co-op, which is perfect for the game’s frantic pacing.

If you’re playing alone, you can take on a speedrun mode, accept the challenge at higher difficulty levels, or randomize the levels. In other words, Goliath Depot is able to keep you engaged even after you’ve completed its initial 40-level run, which you should be able to do within a couple of hours. If that seems short, consider its $7.00 price tag, which is more than fair.

So, it’s easy to recommend Goliath Depot to fans of classic arcade games. Its modern additions and replay incentives break its ties to the games that inspired it, but will surely keep today’s gamers engaged for a longer period. Our hero/heroine may not be as memorable as Mario, but slamming doors and kicking computers at the workplace is something I believe we all can identify with.

The post Review: Goliath Depot (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

The first thing you’ll notice when playing Please Fix the Road is the adorable aesthetics. There’s no story to speak of – literally none – so it’s up to the design and the puzzles to keep you invested. The developers have excelled in both areas, presenting bite-sized sections of the world ready for repair. 

In terms of design, the pastel colors create a soothing experience. The accompanying music adds to this vibe, too, with twinkly, upbeat tunes that help you settle in for a few rounds of brain teasers. This isn’t a stressful outing, with no timer or life meter anywhere in sight. It’s purely about taking your time to connect two sections of a path. 

Each puzzle consists of a chunk of land divided into segments. There’s a start and end point with a vehicle or creature sitting patiently at the beginning while you sort out the connection issues ahead. Yes, creature. Despite the polite way the title seeks your help, you’re not here only to fix roads; trains, boats, and animals are also stuck, meaning you’ll need to fix tracks, rivers, and dirt paths. This variety keeps things feeling fresh, even if the basic elements remain the same. There’s a simple pleasure in aiding your awol cow on its journey home. C’mon little guy, you can make it!

The puzzles themselves are interesting in their setup. Each broken path requires a number of ordered steps to fix it, presented to you in the bottom left of the screen. You’re given the tools and the sequence in which to use them, so what’s left to do? The tricky part is working out the logical placement. For example, you might be presented with a bomb to clear a square, a road to fill an empty square, and a copy ability to copy and paste part of the terrain. But which area do you cut, fill, copy, and replace?

This leads to plenty of trial and error. Thankfully, you can rewind your moves with a simple tap of the L button, allowing you to try alternate approaches. Some pieces of road are L-shaped, for example, so you’ll need to destroy the right spot for this piece to fit. It feels like coming in at the end to finish a jigsaw puzzle, albeit in a set order.

I have to mention the transitions between puzzles. Upon completion, the current puzzle is pulled apart into small cubes before rolling away and bringing in a new puzzle. It’s like a PowerPoint transition – only way cooler. This simple highlight just adds to the cute and cozy aesthetic of the entire game.

So, are there any shortcomings? Without scores or ratings, there’s no reason to replay levels. However, with 160 puzzles to get through (and potentially more to come), you’re unlikely to need to revisit them. Do you revisit sudokus or crosswords once complete? Perhaps a daily challenge could help extend the life of this title. At its current price of $9.99, though, it sits about right for me. 

One minor gripe comes in the form of the inability to rotate or zoom in on a puzzle. It’s not always needed, but some trickier puzzles could benefit from having the option to move around the 3D space to see it from another perspective. There’s some spatial awareness required to solve these puzzles, and while I appreciate the developers have kept it simple, this could add another dimension to the gameplay.

Overall, Please Fix the Road is a relaxing puzzle game full of brain-teasing roads and other paths to fix. The cute aesthetics are lovely, and the simple concept of connecting routes is terrific. While it’s a simple affair, this budget title offers plenty of puzzles to keep you coming back until you solve them all.

The post Review: Please Fix the Road (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was originally released in 2004 for the GameCube. The revamped Switch release comes just in time for its 20th anniversary, bringing updated visuals and audio along with new characters, battles, and quality-of-life updates. The color and fun of the original remains intact, though, so whether you’re a new or old fan, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We’ll be giving our first impressions on this week’s Pure Nintendo Podcast, so stay tuned!

What’s better than one paper-based outing? Two, of course. Paper Trail continues the paper theme with a puzzle-adventure title set in a foldable paper world. You play as the aptly named Paige, folding the world to solve pupzzles and discover secrets.

There’s also some exciting DLC for Dave the Diver this week as Godzilla joins the story. This free DLC features all-new stories and battles, and it’s available now. What makes a good game even better? Well, Godzilla, of course. We’ll be sure to check it out and let you know our thoughts on the Pure Nintendo Podcast as well.

Meanwhile, the Minecraft anniversary sale continues, plus there’s special Paper Mario activities to check it out. In short, it’s another busy week!

There’s plenty more happening so check out the full list of new releases below and let us know which games you’re playing this weekend.

Nintendo Switch

• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Experience the adventure that unfolds in the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door game! Make use of all the abilities that come with being cursed – er, conveniently made of paper – and help Mario collect the Crystal Stars before the nefarious X-Nauts do. Explore a colorful paper world with charming characters in every fold, twenty years after the original game on the Nintendo GameCube system. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is available today.
• Paper Trail – Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a foldable, paper world. You play as Paige, a budding academic, leaving home for the first time to pursue her studies. On the journey, you learn to fold the world, merging two sides to solve puzzles, explore new areas and uncover long-lost secrets. Paper Trail is available now.
• Duck Detective – The Secret Salami – Solving crime is no walk in the pond. Duck Detective – The Secret Salami is a cozy mystery game about a down-on-his-luck duck searching for answers in a sinister sausage-based conspiracy. Inspect and interview suspects to learn their hidden secrets, then use the information you’ve gathered (plus your own de-duck-tive reasoning) to locate the suspect and bust the case wide open! Duck Detective – The Secret Salami is available later today on Nintendo eShop.

DLC

• DAVE THE DIVER X Godzilla – Get ready for an action-packed collaboration with DAVE THE DIVER and Godzilla! This legendary monster stomps into the world of DAVE THE DIVER for an exciting adventure. Exclusive content including new missions, boss fights and an enticing storyline await in this DLC! The free DAVE THE DIVER – Godzilla Content Pack is available later today on Nintendo Switch.

Activities

• The Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Character Notepad Reward is Here! – Take notes in style with this colorful My Nintendo papercraft reward featuring characters from the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door game. Each notepad includes 20 different designs on 60 total pages. Plus, a paper airplane template and folding instructions are also included! My Nintendo members can redeem 550 Platinum Points** to get this reward. Check out this page for more information: https://my.nintendo.com/news/a69c040d3df46da4.
• Enter the Fold – Have fun with these printables inspired by the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door game! Unleash those retro vibes with the retro Nintendo GameCube cover reward. Bring along some colorful reading buddies when diving into your next book with the bookmarks reward. If you’re feeling more crafty, add some style to your scrapbook with the scrapbook kit or create the perfect money holder card for your Mario-loving grad with the card reward!

Nintendo eShop sales

• Minecraft 15^th Anniversary Sale – Minecraft turns 15! Join a vast community of creators and heroes with up to 50% off Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends and more. Buy now and shape your world! This sale ends on June 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

• 50 Pinch Barrage!!
• Adventure Horror Bundle – Available May 28
• Airplane Delivery Simulator 2024: Realistic Geographical – Available May 26
• Blade Jumper
• Bread & Fred
• C.A.R.D.S. RPG: The Misty Battlefield
• Cat Warrior – Available May 25
• Chocolate Factory Tycoon
• Claws & Feathers 3 – Available May 24
• Coffee Simulator Tycoon – Available May 24
• Conjured Through Death
• Construction Simulator 4 – Available May 28
• Crazy Stunt Driver: Extreme Racing Simulator
• Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling – Available May 28
• Dish Puzzle – Available May 26
• Doug’s Nightmare
• EGGCONSOLE SHIN MAOU GOLVELLIUS MSX2
• Eternal Threads
• Evidence Destroyer
• Hauntii
• Helicopter Battle Arena Simulator – Available May 24
• Highlaundry Overwashed – Play with your friends! – Available May 24
• I am Titan – Available May 25
• My Universe Discovery Collection 2
• NecroBouncer – Available May 24
• Ninja Shadow Quest – Available May 25
• One More Gate : A Wakfu Legend Complete Edition
• Paper Dash – Invasion of Greed
• Pine Hearts
• Restaurant Tycoon Simulator – Available May 24
• Scarlet Tower
• SlidePuzzle
• Soul Link
• Summer and Winter Sports Games Bundle
• Sunland Town
• Tales From The Under-Realm: After Midnight – Available May 24
• The Glass Staircase – Available May 24
• The Magic and Murder Bundle
• The Quintessential Quintuplets – Five Memories Spent With You
• The Quintessential Quintuplets – Memories of a Quintessential Summer
• Tip Top Table Tennis – Available May 24
• TP Bullet – Available May 24
• Treasure Guardian: Collector Shift Defender’s Saga
• Truck Simulator City Delivery
• Ultra Foodmess 2
• Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
• You adorable! Elfin Clay 2

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

I typically begin a review by explaining the story. However, given that Pine Hearts is narrative-based, most of what I could say would be spoilers. As the game description says, “It tells a story of the loss of a family member with tenderness and care.” It takes you on an emotional ride with quirky characters and cozy aesthetics. The main goal is to get up the mountain, but the park ranger won’t let you through until you’re well prepared. Thus, your adventure begins.

As you play through Pine Hearts, you’ll piece the story together yourself by rediscovering memories. Tyke has been here before, he just needs some help reminiscing. To unlock these memories, you’ll find tear drops across the open world map. You’ll need a total of 1,300 drops to unlock all five memories. Needless to say, it’s a short adventure. I got through the game within a handful of hours, but it was worth every moment.

But how do you get the tear drops? That’s where the gameplay comes in. First, tear drops are scattered about generously. All you need to do is explore the world and you’ll find them waiting for you. You’ll also earn drops by completing quests for NPCs. Some of these quests will get you exploring the world and simply give you 50-100 tears. Other quests will allow you to further explore the world by getting the tools you need.

For example, you’ll need a hammer and a shovel, just to name a couple. You’ll find the shovel as part of a quest and get to keep it, which will help you with other quests down the road. Despite its cozy vibes, Pine Hearts will keep the quests coming, so there’s never a dull moment. Sometimes, you’ll have multiple quests at once, especially if you talk to everyone you pass.

The world is open with a handful of major areas to explore, each with subareas. You’ll explore a couple of caves, beaches, and even a castle. There are no levels, game modes, timers, or the like; you can go through the game at your own pace. Some quests will involve a mini-game (such as lawn mowing) or a puzzle (such as connecting gears together to trigger a gate mechanism), but none of it is too difficult or head-scratching. 

The controls are simple, too. To break a rock or leap over a cliff, you simply press A. Sometimes, you’ll need to move the L-stick in a certain direction. The default option is to use timed button presses, but I turned that off. It was fine and worked well, but I preferred to play through the game as simply as possible.

Once you have enough tears, you’ll unlock a memory and get to watch it. You’ll have some control over Tyke during these short sequences, but there’s minimal gameplay. Again, I won’t go into detail because of spoilers. However, unlocking these memories will also remind Tyke of a skill he used to have, such as leaping over chasms or creating bridges by pushing a tree over. These skills will allow access to other parts of the map and create shortcuts.

By the time I had unlocked the final skill, I still needed about 75 more tears to get the final memory, thus gaining access to the mountain. I was able to backtrack through the map and go through the areas again without the pressure of quests. I could take in the scenery while keeping an eye out for places I missed or couldn’t access before.

When the final memory was unlocked, I had access to go up the mountain. I cried. A lot. I think Tyke kept it together better than I did. I won’t say much else; you’ll have to experience this game for yourself.

The only downside to Pine Hearts was that there were a few glitches. At one point, Tyke got stuck walking in place, and the only way for me to fix it was to exit to the Switch homepage. Also (and this is more of a personal preference), I would have liked to save the game whenever I wanted. It autosaved often enough, but I would have liked more control over when and where it saved, especially since the game would freeze or lag at each autosave. Otherwise, my entire experience was smooth and relaxing, with lullaby-like music playing in the background.

Overall, Pine Hearts is a short and (bitter)sweet title. If you’re looking for a new cozy adventure that tells an amazing story in a sensitive manner, then certainly give this one a go. You won’t be disappointed. (And yes, you can pet the dog!)

The post Review: Pine Hearts (Nintendo Switch) appeared first on Pure Nintendo.