My thoughts? I’m hooked. But before I list off the reasons, here’s a little on why I knew I would be. Unicorn Overlord is a tactical RPG on a grand scale. Set in the fantasy world of Fevrith, the game follows Alain, a would-be prince now exiled when the kingdom is overthrown by General Valmore. Alain seeks to reclaim the throne, but will need to unite the individual countries of Fevrith to do so.

A corrupt ruler to face, an army to build, a world to explore, a tense political climate to navigate…it sounds pretty Fire Emblemy, doesn’t it? Well, it is, but it’s so much more. Let’s take a look at what I’ve already learned via the demo.

• The demo is timed, so how far you get will depend upon how quickly you move. You’ll get five hours, which is more than enough to whet your appetite for strategy gaming goodness.
• Of course, your progress will carry over to the full game should when you decide to buy it. However, it doesn’t look like there will be any bonuses for those who tried the demo before buying.
• We get our traditional act of heroic sacrifice straight away, with a more surprising turn of events soon thereafter. If you’re as into JRPG melodrama as I am, Unicorn Overlord looks sure to satisfy.
• The overworld is a living thing here. Unlike other tactical RPGs that just shove icons around a map as a narrator speaks, Unicorn Overlord charges you exploration. There are items to find (designated and hidden), characters to speak with, and enemies to engage or avoid.

• Conversely, there are no towns…at least not yet. You’ll see and can interact with cities and buildings on the map, but just to pull up menus for buying/selling items, recruiting mercenaries, chartering ships, etc. Building up these towns makes them more useful to you,  a unique spin that keeps the game active when you’re not engaged in combat.
• Speaking of mercenaries, you get to customize them! The game gives you plenty of plot-driven characters to control, but you also have the ability to hire reinforcements with some options for altering their appearance. Oddly, when naming them, you have to select from a predetermined list. So much for my idea of naming characters after members of the band Unicorn. Sorry, ABEDON!
• Why the need for mercenaries? This begins our string of combat bullets, starting with engagement. Overworld battle scenarios happen in real time, with you deploying squads of 1 to 3 combatants (in the demo) for engagement. Each squad can be customized with the soldiers of your choice, including where they’re placed on a 2×3 grid. That placement will be determined by who is on that grid. Archers and healers in the back, of course. Fighters and guards in the front. Maybe. If you’re going up against an enemy that can attack an entire front line, you may want to move a lower defense attacker to the back. I found I didn’t have to tinker much with placement in the demo, but it’s obvious that’ll become more important as I get deeper into the game.

• Who’s fighting together in these squads is important, as teammates will build rapport with one another the more they fight together. The game makes it clear who can share rapport and how far they’ve progressed.
• The fighting animations we’ve seen are just that: animations. Like Fire Emblem, the gameplay focuses on determining who should fight whom, and making sure the right squad is within range. You can see the likely result of the fight before you engage. If you have multiple squads within reach, you can cycle through them to determine which will achieve the best results.
• Each squad has a leader that can be assigned for various bonuses. If you have an archer leading a squad that’s within reach of a fight, you can call in a volley of arrows from his/her squad to do damage before you even engage. How cool is that? Other leadership skills include the ability to move faster on the world map, cross over mountains and rivers, etc.
• The battle scenarios are timed. Once you engage the enemy and start moving your squads around, you have a limited amount of time to claim victory. The demo is generous with the time provided, giving you plenty of options to rest your squads (they can get tuckered out) and to compensate for mistakes as you spread them out for engagement.

That’s barely scratching the surface of what the demo highlights, but 11 bullet points is my traditional stopping point. I didn’t even get to the game’s lush graphics, the moral dilemmas (already with the tough choices?), the intricate item/skill management, and the sidequests that help you build up the territories you’ve freed. Unicorn Overlord gives you a lot to take in within the first few hours, but it’s also manageable…for now. I have a feeling it’ll get pretty complicated pretty quickly.

But I’m looking forward to that. The demo is a clear indication that Unicorn Overlord will keep gamers busy for quite some time. Exploration and combat are equally addictive and rewarding, and we’ve already met a handful of engaging characters. I’m more than ready to meet more and dig deeper into Fevrith when the game releases digitally and physically on March 8th.

For more information on Unicorn Overlord, visit unicornoverlord.atlus.com/.

The post Unicorn Overlord demo: bullet point impressions appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Luckily for me, I was able to get time with Super Mario Bros Wonder before the crowds descended upon the floor. During this media hour, I chatted with Nintendo representatives about the game, though they were tight-lipped about anything not present in the demo. No spoilers here, then.

Characters

As I jumped into the 15-minute demo, I was greeted by a colorful cast of characters ready for selecting. The full cast looks terrific, with two toads and a toadette (still not sure what happened to classic red Toad), four Yoshis, Nabbit, Peach, Daisy, Luigi and Mario. It’s nice to see Nabbit return in his invincible form, with the Yoshis joining the invulnerable fun. Although these cute little guys can’t take on power-ups, the Yoshis can flutter jump, eat enemies, and carry other Mario characters.  

Naturally, I chose Daisy, the newest recruit and a personal fave of mine. She’s already my go-to in Mario Kart and Mario Party, so the choice was obvious. She looks fantastic here; in fact, everyone does. It’s like the cast has had a makeover, with more animation then ever before. Everything in Mario Wonder feels more alive.

Multiplayer

Next it was time to jump into this new Mario title for the first time! I played with one of the Nintendo Australia representatives, giving me the full multiplayer experience. One of the biggest differences I immediately noticed was the lack of collision with other players during co-op. This is in stark contrast to previous titles, for better or for worse. On one hand, you could previously use other players to reach higher places by bouncing off each other. Of course, there were also those moments of “accidental” bumps that caused well-timed jumps to go askew. Although this change seemed strange at first, it quickly became clear this was a good decision overall.

Another new feature is the ghostly form of fallen comrades. When playing co-op and someone loses a life, they become a floating ghost-like version of the character. A countdown means you have limited time to touch them and bring them right back into the game, no lives lost. It’s like an evolution of the bubble process of previous Mario entries. This adds to the feeling that we’re working together much more this time around. And it’s a very nice feeling.

Levels

The levels themselves – and I was able to play all five within the demo over three sessions – were  nothing short of brilliant. Each was colorful and bright; I was smiling the entire time. The demo gives you a glimpse of some of the earlier levels that we’ve seend in trailers. There’s plenty of water-spouting pipes, talking flowers, Goombas, and much more. 

There are coins aplenty, of course, and a new collectible: purple gems. Probably not the official name, but the value of these sparkly items lies in the ability to exchange them for goods at shops dotted around the world map. There’s a lot going on within each level, with coins and gems seemingly appearing everywhere. Watering the flowers gives coins, enemies sometimes give coins, even Wonder flowers generate coins. This game is a collectathon, for sure. 

One level was set in an underground mine, akin to previous Mario outings. This was slightly more challenging than the grassy affairs above ground. Here you’ll find the classic Spiny enemy competing with the new Konk foe to see who can undo Mario first. Losing your power-up is almost guaranteed on your inital playthrough, though the handy item-storage feature allows you to reserve a spare for just such an emergency. There were secrets aplenty, from obscured passages to hidden vines, so (as always) be sure to check every nook and cranny.

Power-ups

Speaking of power-ups, there are a few new abilities to add to Mario’s repertoire. During the demo, I was able to test both the elephant and drill suits. Both were super fun. As Elephant Daisy, I was strutting my stuff like nobody’s business, flicking sleeping Goombas (awww) and spraying flowers to trigger more coins. The Elephant Suit also allows you to smash through barriers, a handy tool that provides access to otherwise cordoned–off areas. 

Meanwhile, the Drill Suit was easy to use. With this power, you can drill up or down to break objects or go underground. It’s super satisfying to hide within rocks embedded in the ceiling, just as it is to find hidden areas by moving through tiny gaps on the floor. I can’t wait to get my hands on the full title to start exploring with this power further.

Badges

Badges were also available to try, though only a couple were on display as part of the demo. Prince Florian – the ruler of the Flower Kingdom – provdes these powers from under Mario’s hat, apparently. I first took on the Parachute Badge, allowing me to float whenever I wanted. This is achieved by holding the R shoulder button, which worked well despite being a different experience to the way Peach normally floats by holding down the jump button. 

Another badge allows you to collect extra coins for defeating foes – very handy. I also managed to unlock a new badge via a short challenge. This was the wall-climbing badge, a fun and effective move that complements the existing wall kick. It feels as though badges will add a new layer to Mario’s adventures, and I can’t wait to try out more.

Wonder flowers

As the name implies, Super Mario Bros Wonder is all about the new Wonder Flowers and Wonder Seeds. Every level – every one – contains this wondrous pair of items.

Touching the Wonder Flower triggers a game-changing effect that throws you into chaos. It’s like being in a strange dream, with different musical and visual cues to ensure you know things have gone askew. It’s exciting not knowing what will happen next! You might have to drill through pink rocks before being squashed by a giant creature. Or maybe pipes will start moving like worms. It could even start raining invincibility stars while you’re chasing a Skedaddle holding the Wonder seed. The possibilities are endless; and this is just the demo. 

Finding and touching the Wonder seed sends everything back to normal. You’ll also collect a seed by finishing a level, and others are hidden elsewhere. Collecting these allows you to unlock new levels, making them important items on your list of collectibles.

Final thoughts

Overall, I loved my time with Super Mario Bros Wonder. I returned multiple times to make sure I squeezed as much out of the demo as possible. There’s even a short level involving a room of bouncy musical boxes under pirahna plants used soley to collect coins. It feels like some sort of alternate Toad House, acting like some kind of “break” between levels; oh, there’s so much to enjoy here.

Super Mario Bros Wonder is going to be a big title for Nintendo and a nice change of pace for Mario. Judging by the long queues waiting to try it out at PAX Aus this weekend, and the smiles on everyone’s faces afterwards, it’s a title worth waiting for.

The post Hands on with Super Mario Bros. Wonder at PAX Aus appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

My favorite thing about attending E3 was always the element of surprise—those games that weren’t on my radar, but became my favorites of the show. Had there been an E3 this year, and had KONAMI been there, Super Crazy Rhythm Castle would’ve been that surprise.

Developed by Second Impact Games—the company behind Super Crazy Guitar Maniac Deluxe—Super Crazy Rhythm Castle is, as its name implies, a rhythm game. But rhythm games are typically neither super nor crazy. Nor super crazy. However you read the superlatives, those elements come from the game’s surrealistic atmosphere and puzzle elements.

The premise is that you and up to three friends are storming a castle in an attempt to steal the crown of the evil King Ferdinand. But this is no ordinary castle…are they ever in video games? King Ferdinand defends himself with numerous traps and challenges that you must overcome to proceed, and you’re going to need a strong sense of rhythm to do so.

My demo began with selecting an avatar; of course, I chose the one that somehow reminded me most of Floyd from The Muppets. Other players can hop in at either regular or pro skill levels, and this can be changed throughout the course of the game. I’ll get back to that in a bit.

The initial story introduces you to a few key characters that will help you get started, but are otherwise fairly cryptic. I’m sure their purpose becomes known the further you play. The rhythm component is quickly introduced, and it plays out as you’d expect. Colored indicators slide down the equivalent of a guitar neck, and you’re tasked with tapping the right button as they hit the baseline. The buttons are clearly defined on the bottom of the screen, but they’re also easy to remember: L, Y, and R on regular, L, right D-pad, Y, and R on pro.

Tapping with the rhythm wasn’t too difficult, at least in the early battles I faced, but the game becomes complicated by tasks that must be completed during the rhythm battles. In one level, for example, a Burton-esqe (or Seussian?) arm reaches across the screen, obscuring the rhythm column. Worse, it breaks free colored blocks that also get in your way. You and your partners will have to determine who cleans the blocks up and who continues with the rhythm component. Should you all clean things up? Maybe no one, if you’re still managing to keep the beat going despite the obstructions. Communication is key to making sure you complete the level with enough stars to advance.

Between 30 such levels (plus some hidden bonuses), players traverse a colorful world composed of musical instruments. Keyboard bridges tinkle as you run across. Horns toot as they lift you to higher levels. The world design is fantastic and consistent, making it a joy to explore.

Now, when it comes to rhythm games, developers can go one of two ways with the music: original material or licensed songs. Super Crazy Rhythm Classes uses the former, which I kind of like. Although playing along to familiar songs can be fun, it’s not if you don’t like those songs. I’m happier to play along to music genres I normally don’t like because I have no opinion of the material. That said, we were told at the presentation that Konami fans will recognize a few of the tunes.

And how about the challenge? I didn’t find the rhythm portions to be at all difficult at the start, causing the game to bump my skill level from Regular to Pro. I wasn’t prepared for the switch from three buttons to four, and saw my accuracy drop from 99% to 77%. With a little more practice, however, I’m sure I’d get that back up. Considering the teamwork component of the rhythm challenges, this is actually one of the more forgiving rhythm games out there…at least at the onset. And if you just want to practice the rhythm battles without the obstructions of the story, a Music Lab is set up for that exact purpose.

I would’ve been happy with another hour or two of demo time with Super Crazy Rhythm Castle, but the schedule didn’t allow it. So, I’m instead left to anticipate its full release on the Switch. The date for that has not yet been announced, but hopefully it won’t be much longer before we’re all stormin’ the castle.

See also:

• Hands-on with Super Bomberman R 2
• Hands-on with Metal Gear Sold: Master Collection vol. 1

The post Hands-On With Super Crazy Rhythm Castle appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is a big collection. Certainly too big to play through at a hands-on media event. The games alone will keep fans busy, whether they’re playing for the first time or using this opportunity to relive previous adventures:

• Metal Gear (1987)
• Metal Gear – NES/FC version (1987)
• Snake’s Revenge (1990)
• Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990)
• Metal Gear Solid (1998) with VR Missions/Special Missions
• Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001) – HD Collection version
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004) – HD Collection version

That’s a lot of games, but the content doesn’t end there. If you’re really into Metal Gear lore, you’re getting plenty of bonus items to pore over. There’s a digital soundtrack for Metal Gear Solid. There are digital graphic novels for Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2.

There are screenplays and master books for the two Metal Gear and three Metal Gear Solid games. This content is all easily accessible and fun to read through, and the master books will be especially helpful for newcomers looking for level tips and guides. The content is displayed in book form, which led to a couple of us at the event wondering if KONAMI would make it available in printed form for collectors.

As for the games themselves, this collection is certainly a trip. I spent a little bit of time with a few of them in chronological order, and it felt like a full class in the history of video gaming. This includes the fact that we’re warned some of the content “…may be considered outdated.” I imagine anyone interested in a Metal Gear collection would be more offended by edited content than by that content itself, so this was likely the right way to go. But I do appreciate the warning, as there’s no “may be” about it; it is outdated.

Starting at the beginning, the Metal Gear gameplay is quite charming in its simplicity, taking us back to a time with few colors and fewer enemies on screen at any given time (that’s kind of what led to the whole stealth-based approach, after all). Bullets are slow and easily dodged, and a few punches is all it takes to incapacitate an enemy. The controls threw me a few times, but to be fair, I’d only glanced over an illustrated control guide before beginning. Overall, the puzzles mechanics, stealth “action,” and maze navigation create an engaging experience that sets the series up with plenty of room to grow.

That growth, however, wasn’t always painless. Metal Gear Solid is an example of this. The 3D approach may have been cutting edge at the time, but both the graphics and the gameplay come across now as clunky. It may be an important step in the series, but over the course of my half hour with the collection, this was my least favorite part. I was surprised by the quality of the voice acting, however, so maybe the story would’ve been enough to carry me through.

I didn’t have time to find out because I wanted to get to the HD version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Although still dated, the visuals and gameplay here are much more in line with modern games. By this point, however, I think I was more impressed by the series’ adherence to formula. You, as Snake, are dropped off in enemy territory. “Here’s your objective. Here’s your radar thing. This is how it works, but it shuts off for some reason if you’re detected. I know, right? And sorry we couldn’t give you any weapons. Hopefully you can find some. Good luck. Don’t get caught! And don’t forget to toss your cigar so we can get its slow-mo glamor shot!”

More importantly, it was fun to see how the stealth mechanics evolved from Metal Gear to Snake Eater. The technology may have changed quite a bit from 1987 to 2004, but the developers were able to create a cohesive (and definitive) gameplay experience across those changes. I enjoyed my hands-on time with (and introduction to) the Metal Gear series, and I’m looking forward to digging deeper into all of it when the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 releases for Nintendo Switch on October 24th.

Pre-orders are now open in the Nintendo eShop, and more information is available at konami.com.

Also see:

• Hands-on With Super Bomberman R 2
• Hands-on With Super Crazy Rhythm Castle

The post Hands-On With the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection vol. 1 appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Our gameplay sessions were broken into two segments. The first involved the game’s prologue and the opening world. This introduced us (as it will the players) to the game’s plot and combat mechanics. The second session jumped a few worlds into the game, giving us a closer look at the intricate strategies that’ll be involved once things kick into high gear and the party configuration options become more intricate.

I had hoped to provide video of these sessions. Unfortunately, something went wrong with my gameplay capture, and I came home with no audio. My brilliant idea to record my own sound effects (ala Teen Titans Go) was nixed by my editors. So, rather than have you watch me (as Mario, Rabbid Peach, Edge, etc.) run silently through the game, here’s a much quicker bullet-point preview of what you can expect from Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope when the game releases on October 20, 2022.

• As anyone who has played the previous game(s) knows, Mario+Rabbids is very much a Mario experience. From the opening movie to well into the adventure, Mario fans will feel very comfortable inside these familiar worlds.
• There’s a lot to explore here, too. Rather than just bounce from combat phase to combat phase, you’re able to freely explore, locating secret areas and bonuses that can help you level up your characters. Some areas require some light puzzle solving to reach, such as placing boulders inside of cannons to shoot yourself to otherwise unreachable areas.

Image pulled from gameplay video capture of pre-release build.

• There’s a slue of mini-games available, too. See a random ring standing up on the beach? Run through it to unlock a challenge that will provide you with a nice reward.

Image pulled from gameplay video capture of pre-release build.

• The early levels start you off with just two heroes to ease you into the combat mechanics. They also focus on catching the “Sparks” you will use throughout the game.
• The Sparks come with various abilities to assist you in combat or open up different areas you can explore. You’ll want to spend time optimizing your party with these “buddies,” as their abilities can greatly increase your effectiveness against certain enemies.

Image pulled from gameplay video capture of pre-release build.

• Having the right heroes in place will help, too. More than once I left a character open to attack, but was able to compensate with the right protection or healing ability during combat. If a particular fight is proving to be too tough, you can bail and try it again with a different hero/spark combo.
• Speaking of which, when you do enter the turn-based combat scenarios—be it as part of the story, as a side-quest, or just a random encounter—Sparks of Hope is serious about it. Fans of games such as XCOM or even Valkyria Chronicles should enjoy the new setup. For example…
• When it’s your turn, you can select your characters in any order and move them freely within a limited area of the battlefield. This allows you to see who they can attack and who can attack them, as well as to determine what type of damage you can do. You can continue to move until you’ve attacked. You can no longer move after that, so you’ll want to make sure you’re protected after attacking, but you can use an action point for another purpose (healing, a buff, etc.) if you have one left.
• Taking advantage of different characters’ abilities is key. Luigi is a great sniper, for example, but not if his enemy is behind protection. If you use Rabbid Peach to clear a straight shot for him, Luigi will do significant damage.
• Characters can even help extend your range of combat. If Edge can’t reach a certain area, for example, Mario can toss her into the air to float beyond obstacles and land behind the enemy for a devastating attack. Eventually, you even get the ability to attack from the air!
• All of this happens on impressively large and cleverly designed battlefields that use familiar Mario gameplay elements—such as warp pipes—to move around.

Image pulled from gameplay video capture of pre-release build.

There’s plenty more to go over, but we’ll save the details for our full review. Instead, I’ll wrap things up by saying Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope almost instantly won me over with its deeply strategic gameplay that’l satisfy most turn-based strategy gamers. I’m more into that camp than I am the Mario or Rabbids world, but I am also charmed by the game’s colorful presentation and goofy sense of humor. Ends up tactical strategy games don’t need heavy doses of melodrama to be successful. Who knew?

Is Sparks of Hope better than Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle? I can’t say, as I didn’t play that. But that’s another feather in Sparks of Hope’s hat; you can enjoy it without having tried the previous entries in the series. A lot of gameplay has been jammed into this game, along with almost as many surprises. I’m sure I barely scratched the surface during my hands-on opportunity, and I’m looking forward to digging deeper when the game is released on October 20th.

To learn more in the meantime, visit www.ubisoft.com or check out issue 62 of Pure Nintendo Magazine.

The post Hands-on with Mario+Rabbids Sparks of Hope – a bullet point preview appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

I did not play the original, so I wasn’t familiar with Toy Soldiers HD when digging into it on the Switch. I inferred it might be like playing with the little, green, plastic army guys, but I was wrong on that one. The game is really a sort of tower defense with some extras.

Those extras mainly come from Toy Soldiers HD’s neat twist on the genre. You start with plenty of infantry, but they seem intent on charging the enemy line, never to be seen again (all too accurate, there). What you have left are machine gun and mortar placements to make sure your side survives multiple waves of enemy infantry, cavalry, armor, and so on.

After several waves, you even get a boss to take down.

As expected, it costs resources to place a piece of artillery, and more to have it upgraded. There are some interesting features to be discovered in the game, but I’ll leave those little gems for the actual review. As you advance to the higher levels, there are new weapons you can unlock. Keep an eye on your resources, as you may need to hold onto some coin to get the next new toy (pun intended…).

Toy Soldiers HD has an interesting look with a mixed bag of near realism juxtaposed with imagery of a child’s play room/toybox. It is colorful and clear looking without trying too hard to be either photo-realistic or cartoonishly silly. The controls are not quite as fast as a keyboard and mouse setup, but everything works rather well.

All things considered, I am looking forward to the final release and playing through this with others when the multiplayer component is fixed up. Watch for our full review after the game is officially released.

The post Toy Soldiers HD for Nintendo Switch preview appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

For years the absolute best baseball game around has been MLB: The Show. The Show focuses on realistic simulations of each and every player and team in Major League Baseball. For years it has been the undisputed king, although this partially has to do with few developers making a baseball game besides San Diego Studio for PlayStation. 

Now in 2022 the (former) PlayStation exclusive MLB: The Show franchise makes its way to the Nintendo Switch. For one whole week, the developers allowed people a chance to try out the game on all platforms, including the Switch. After spending a ridiculous amount of time with this technical test, I’m happy to say that MLB The Show 22 is a good start for the franchise coming to Nintendo hardware.

During the technical test of MLB The Show 22, the developers gave us access to a few modes that will be included in the final game. There was a tutorial mode, which taught you the ins and outs of how to play MLB The Show. Then there was the brand new co-opmode, in which multiple people on different consoles can play in the same Major League Baseball game together. The one mode they focused the most attention on was Diamond Dynasty.

Diamond Dynasty is a mode where you collect stars from across all of the history of Major League Baseball. Think of it as collecting baseball cards, with your favorite players both past and present, and being able to have those players on your team. This meant that my team had Jackie Robinson, Mookie Betts, and Babe Ruth as an example.

For those not familiar with baseball, these three players never even came close to playing at the same time as one another. Once you actually play Diamond Dynasty, it plays out like a normal game of baseball. The catch is that you want to collect more cards, which give you more players. Essentially, you want to collect the cards to have an entire team full of the greatest players ever to play baseball. This mode has been in MLB The Show for a few years, and while it’s not my favorite mode, it definitely gives you the sense of how MLB The Show keeps people coming back for more.

Specifically talking about Nintendo Switch, we got to see how the game would look and run on Nintendo‘s platform. Now I do have to state that the developers made it very, very clear that this was not the final version. The game lets you know in almost every menu that you’re playing an early version and that the final, more complete version, would only be available once the game officially launches in April. 

So how did the game look on the Nintendo Switch? Exactly as you would expect it to look. This is a game that was specifically designed to take advantage of the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 hardware. This means that they had to make certain changes to run it on Nintendo Switch. The resolution is definitely lower than what you see on other platforms. The game also runs at 30 FPS on Nintendo Switch, versus 60 FPS on other platforms. Again this is to be expected, as most PS4-era ports to Switch tend to have the resolution and frame rate changed to run on Nintendo hardware. Thus you will notice that the details on players, stadiums, and crowds are definitely turned down. However this did not impact my enjoyment of the game. I understood that playing on a portable system would require the game to look less pretty than it would on next-gen hardware.

Overall the game looked and ran fine when you were playing offline or against a CPU. Weirdly the Nintendo Switch version had some sort of glitch when you tried playing online versus other people. When playing versus a CPU, the game maintained a steady 30 FPS experience. When you jumped online and played against anyone, regardless of the platform they were playing on, the FPS would come crashing down. I didn’t have any means of measuring what it dropped to, but it was clearly evident by my own eyes that the game was dropping to half the frame rate (maybe even more). I should point out that this issue was reported by numerous users to the developers, who once again pointed out the disclaimer that the version of the game we were playing was an early build and not representative of the final product. Hopefully this is an area that can be ironed out before launch. It would also be pretty nice if they could figure out how to get the game to run at 60 FPS on Switch, which would at least give the same gameplay feeling as next-gen hardware.

From my brief time playing MLB The Show 22 on Switch, I feel good about the Switch port. Yes, this game will look and play differently than other console versions. This is something we all knew when they announced a Switch version, it’s a compromise we make in order to play these games at home and on the go. The overall gameplay of MLB The Show 22 is one that long-time fans and newcomers can jump into with ease. I am hopeful that the final product runs a bit better and perhaps even has a few performance improvements. Otherwise the Switch provides a good version of MLB The Show, just be aware of the drawbacks of having it on Nintendo‘s portable hardware.

MLB: The Show 22 launches on Nintendo Switch April 5th for the Standard Edition and April 1st for Digital Deluxe Edition. For more information, visit the Nintendo eShop.

The post MLB: The Show 22 Nintendo Switch Preview appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

Why? Well…

• Because your progress will carry over into the new game, we this time start at the beginning of the story. This obviously does a much better job of introducing the narrative, the characters, and—more importantly—the battle system. As such, you’ll get what the game is doing.
• I’m still not fully into the retro-modern HD-2D visual presentation. Certain aspects look great (I love the lighting and bluffing effects), but the jagged characters and background elements are too jagged for my tastes. I’d like to see Square Enix provide just a bit more detail. The graphics are by no means a deal breaker, I just don’t see them as a selling point.
• The story, on the other hand, surely will be a selling point. It begins with an arranged marriage for political purposes, but it’s handled in a practical manner. Both participants understand why it’s important, and they quickly grow to like/respect each other, but they also realize the reason they were chosen may not bode well for them or their countries. That draws them together, for now, but you can easily see how this whole setup can blow up on many levels, and your decisions will likely impact that.
• Those decisions are handled in a clever way. The demo provides only one; after a gathering of the nations’ leaders, you must decide with which leader you’ll return as a special envoy. Your decision will curry favor with the nation you pick, but slight the other. In the path I chose, I ended up getting a new companion from that nation. I’m assuming that would’ve happened if I’d chosen the other path, so I’m curious if that route would’ve given me someone with completely different abilities.
• Anyway, back to the clever mechanic for decisions. Your party gets to make those decisions for you! There’s a scale (physical, not metaphorical), and each party member gets to cast a vote to tip it one way or the other. If you have a particular path you’d like to take, it’s up to you to persuade them to vote your way.

• The ability to do so will depend upon how many dialogue options you’ve unlocked. Talking to NPCs will reveal information that could be important in these decisions, allowing those details to be presented with your arguments. If you’re not sure what to do, pay attention to your party members. In the one decision I faced in the demo, I just went with what my fiancée wanted because it seemed really important to her. Maybe now she’ll agree to let me spend $1,300 to restore my Flash Gordon pinball machine.
• Of course, all of these characters and plot elements mean there’s going to be a lot of story to read. The demo is decided heavily on story. The battles are few and somewhat short. That’ll change, I’m sure, but prepare yourself for a lot of reading and meandering.
• Curiously, it looks like you don’t have to read anything. A world map between fights/story allows you to see where events are. Red events are required to move the story. Green events are optional. In the demo, all green events simply told me what was going on elsewhere in the kingdom with other characters. It all seemed important, however, so I’m not sure why it would’ve been considered optional or if these segments would’ve disappeared if I pushed too far ahead.
• When you do get to combat, it’s quite fun. As you’ve surely seen, it’s turn-based on an isometric grid. Positioning for the high ground or attacking from behind your opponent is very important, but doing so can leave your party members hung out to dry. Getting the high ground for my archer, for example, is great for attacks, but that often left her within range of the enemy.
• You can address items like this with equipment and buffs, but that’s all part of the strategy. Do I want to give my archer better defense so she can withstand an extra attack or two, or do I want to jack up the defense on my tank since that’s how he’ll be used on nearly every turn? You know the routine.

• Environment is important, too, and you can affect that. For example, an enemy may cast an ice spell that freezes the ground beneath your warriors, slowing them down and making them more likely to miss. You can eliminate this condition by casting a fire spell to melt the ice, but that creates a puddle. Now, if your enemy has an electric spell, they’ll do extra damage to all of those standing in the puddle.

The Triangle Strategy demo takes only a few hours to play through, but that’s enough to let you know what to expect from this highly anticipated game. You’ll get deep, strategic battles and an expansive, intricate story. I can see how both gameplay and plot could possibly become burdensome, but we’ll see if Square Enix is able to keep things tightly integrated and well-paced. They didn’t quite do so with the somewhat similar Octopath Traveler, but this second Triangle Strategy demo has me feeling optimistic.

Triangle Strategy will be available for Switch on March 4th. For more information visit the Nintendo eShop.

The post Triangle Strategy bullet point preview appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

I first met Sakuna back at E3 2019, and apparently was already exhausted from the very notion of the work ahead.

I remember liking the fluid movement and the vivid graphics in the hands-on demo, but was otherwise not terribly moved.

Now that I’ve been able to try out a full preview, consider me terribly moved. I’ve spent a few days now playing Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin on the Nintendo Switch, and here are my early bullet-point impressions of the full game.

• The story begins when Sakuna (for entertainment purposes only) helps a band of human travelers cross the bridge into the Lofty Realm of gods. This sets off a chain of events that sees them all banished to an island beset with demons.

• Sakuna is not happy about this, as she’s kind of a spoiled brat. In fact, she sounds peculiarly similar to Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck-It Ralph. She has the type of voice that could grate on your nerves throughout the game, but we’ll see.
• That carries over to the kids who inhabit the island with you. I point this out only because there doesn’t seem to be an option to switch the spoken language while keeping English subtitles—something I often do when the voice acting annoys me.
• The graphics, on the other hand, are stellar. The lush colors and stylized artwork bring the island to life in a way that’ll leave you wondering why you spend so much time on “retro” graphics games. I’m certain I haven’t come close to meeting all of the monsters and demons in the game, but those I have fought have been distinctive and fun.

Full disclosure: I didn’t meet this boss during my preview.

• Combat mainly consists of one- and two-handed attacks with your farming tools (yes). You can assign special attacks to the A button as you learn them, while also creating combos with your X and Y attacks. B, of course, jumps.
• You have to be careful with this. You can get yourself caught in a combo when you’d rather jump to safety, or you can even combo your way straight into a spiked wall.
• Of course, being a god, you also have the power of a divine raiment. This can be used to attack, to access difficult-to-reach areas, to flip to the other side of the enemy, and more.
• The combat system is explained well throughout the beginning, and there is a training area to help you get started and master new techniques.
• Surprisingly, combat is only half the game, if that. Farming isn’t just a gimmick or a mini-game here; it’s key to your survival. You’re going to spend a lot of time cultivating rice.

• Oddly, there’s little instruction provided at the beginning of this process. When I was first told to plant rice in the field, I had no idea what I was doing. It was only when I was done that the game told me I planted it too far apart. It becomes apparent, however, that you’re meant to learn the process along with Sakuna. As she gets better, the system starts to provide you with more clues. For example, when planting during the second season, I was suddenly awarded with a grid that helped me properly distance the rice. Thankfully, the game allows you to set the combat and farming difficulties separately in case one or the other is giving you difficulty.
• The rice you harvest, the materials you acquire, and the food you accumulate are all used to help Sakuna level up so she can further explore the island and overcome the enemies she meets along the way.

There’s plenty more to discuss here, but I’ll save it for the full review. In the meantime, I’ve played enough to know that if you’ve been even mildly interested in Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, you have reason to be excited. The balance and relationship between combat and farming are effective, and both are equally entertaining.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin will be available in the Nintendo eShop and in retail stores on November 10th. For more information, visit sakunaofriceandruin.com.

The post Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin bullet-point preview appeared first on Pure Nintendo.

I later interviewed Dreams Uncorporated CEO Carlos Rocha Silva for issue 49 of Pure Nintendo Magazine, and his enthusiasm for Cris Tales (and for JRPGs in general) was as infectious then as it was during that initial presentation from Modus’ booth on the E3 show floor.

This is why I was so eager to try out the recently released Cris Tales demo available from the Nintendo eShop. It’s a short demo—you can download and complete it in about an hour—but I’m more excited than ever about the game’s November 17th release.

Here are some early impressions of my brief experience with Cris Tales:

• The animated cutscenes don’t look good, mostly due to compression artifacts. I’m hoping that’s just to provide a quick demo download, and that they’ll have more polish in the full release.
• I point that out only because the artwork throughout the game is gorgeous, otherwise. Finally seeing it on my QLED TV was stunning.
• The 2D, handcrafted artwork and animation combine to create a very unique and highly colorful/detailed world that should provide visual splendor throughout the adventure. I can hardly wait to visit each of the game’s locations.
• The demo wastes no time in throwing you into battle, then flashes back to that battle’s setup. It’s a good way to focus your attention throughout the game’s start when you’re basically just chasing around a frog in a top hat.
• The English voice acting is top-notch across the board. I found none of the characterizations annoying, and at least a couple are quite charming. This includes Crisabel, the game’s protagonist.
• Although you can move freely about the opening locations, you only get a fixed camera angle and specific areas you can reach.
• You’re prevented from reaching certain areas until you need to reach them. I’m hoping this translates to the full game, as it’ll prevent a lot of pointless wandering.
• Cris Tales quickly presents you with its most unique mechanic—the ability to see and move into the past and future. The demo will task you with utilizing this ability to make one important story decision and to win one boss battle.

• The demo doesn’t go on long enough for you to see how your story decisions will impact the game, but it’s clear that how you decide to alter the future will affect your adventure.
• The turn-based battle system is familiar (attack, use skills, use an item, etc.) and easy to utilize in the demo. Don’t worry about the game being too simple, however; you can see how combat will evolve to allow more complex strategies in the full game.

• The UI is very easy to see. You’ll have no problem playing and enjoying Cris Tales in handheld mode.
• The demo doesn’t indicate that playing it will provide rewards in the full game.

This glimpse into the world of Cris Tales is brief—too brief—but it’s more than enough to indicate we have something extremely unique and compelling ahead of us. Fans of JRPGs and turn-based strategy will definitely want to check it out. But because the demo will take up only an hour of your time, I suggest even those outside the target demographic give it a shot. If you do, don’t be surprised if you find yourself marking November 17th on your calendar.

For more information on Cris Tales, and to place a preorder for the game’s physical release, visit modusgames.com/cris-tales/.

The post Cris Tales demo: Bullet point impressions appeared first on Pure Nintendo.