Feb 2, 2019Animal Crossing
With the release of Animal Crossing for Nintendo Switch imminent (HYPE!), we thought it would be fitting (and cathartic) to compile a list of our favorite pieces of Animal Crossing merchandise.
And whilst this is definitely not an exhaustive list (there’s so much cool stuff out there!), here are 10 Wonderful Wares For You To Blow your Bells On:
Oct 5, 2018Event
If you’re a jumpy, easily-scared person like myself, It can sometimes be hard to join in with Halloween fun. You’re too old to get away with too old for trick or treating, but don’t particularly want to watch The Exorcist with your mate. But have no fear (literally), as we’ve compiled 5 great not-too-scary games that you can enjoy this Halloween.
Night in the Woods is an autumnal themed indie adventure game. Highly relatable to many, the game shows the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs. After the protagonist, Mae Borowski drops out of college and returns to her hometown, she finds things as gloomy and hopeless as ever. But this time there’s something more. Strange and eery occurrences are happening. And there’s something in the woods. This charming game with beautiful music can be played on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Xbox One, Android, Macintosh operating systems, and iOS.
Costume Quest is a Halloween-themed party-based RPG game. The game is developed by Double Fine Productions and published by THQ. The player controls a kid who is out trick-or-treating with their twin sibling. When their twin is kidnapped by a monster, the player must travel around the neighborhood and collect candy, items for their costume, and other children to aid them in fighting the monster and rescuing their sibling. The game was released on October 19th, 2010, and can be played on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, and Android. The game’s sequel, Costume Quest 2 was released on October 31st, 2014.
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (also known as Luigi’s Mansion 2 in Europe and Australia) is an action-adventure video game for Nintendo 3DS. The game was released in Japan on March 20, 2013, and most other regions later on that month. The game is the sequel to the 2001 Gamecube game, Luigi’s Mansion. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is set to be released for Switch at some point during 2019.
The protagonist of the game is Luigi, who is sent by Professor E. Gadd to explore spooky abandoned mansions, inside which hostile poltergeists reside. Using the Poltergust 5000 (which resembles a vacuum cleaner), Luigi is entasked with capturing the ghosts and ultimately retrieving a Dark Moon fragment.
Little Nightmares is a stop-motion-esque game, with an environment uncomfortably reminiscent of one’s childhood nightmares. The game is a puzzle-platformer horror adventure game that utilizes imagery, empathy, and strange and bizarre encounters (as opposed to overused jump-scares) in order to evoke a sense of horror. With the PC version of the game garnering a score of 81/100, critics praised the game’s atmosphere, graphics, and audio.
Thimbleweed Park is a puzzle-mystery game that features pixel graphics. The tiny town of Thimbleweed Park is home to 80 very strange people. Five people with nothing in common are drawn to the town. Although they might not yet know it, they are all deeply connected. They’re also all being watched. From a rotting corpse to an abandoned circus, the game is a far cry from Stardew Valley. The game is available to play on Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Linux, and Mac.
Sep 7, 2018News
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]oday (7th September 2018) marks the release of the newest addition to Level 5’s popular Yo-Kai Watch franchise. This new addition comes in the form of two versions of a new action-RPG 3DS game, Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: Red Cat Corps, and Yo-Kai Watch Blasters: White Dog Squad.
Described as “a spin-off done right” players can “Join Jibanyan and his Blasters team in action-packed battles to stop the masterminds behind a series of Yo-kai shenanigans.”
Using skills and soulmate moves with up to three other friends, take down a variety of big bosses and enemy Yo-Kai. Tackle a myriad of missions, and befriend brand new Yo-Kai to amplify your team’s awesomeness.
Click here for more information about the game(s) or to purchase a digital copy.
Aug 20, 2018News
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t has previously been announced that the highly anticipated game, Little Dragons Cafe, will be released for Switch in North America on 24th August. European gamers will be pleased to know that Rising Star Games have recently announced a release date for the game in Europe. The game will be released in Europe on 21st September.
It has not been announced whether European gamers will be able to buy limited edition copies of the game or not. However, physical copies of the game will definitely be available to purchase. With a cute box design, this is welcome news to those who collect physical copies of Switch games.
??? We’re pleased to unveil the European #PS4 and #NintendoSwitch packshots for #LittleDragonsCafé – the latest tour de’ force from Yasuhiro Wada, founder of the Harvest Moon series! pic.twitter.com/NpWr8E1YVV
— Rising Star Games (@RisingStarGames) August 2, 2018
Little Dragons Cafe is an upcoming game from Rising Star Games, who are infamous for their Harvest Moon series.
The story begins with a twin brother and sister running a small café with their mother. All was peaceful and routine until one morning the twins discovered that their mother fell into a deep sleep and wouldn’t wake up. Suddenly, an old wizard appears and tells the twins that their mother is gravely ill and that they must raise a dragon in order to save her.
Working together with their three quirky staff members (waiter, waitress, and chef), the two siblings must raise a dragon and manage the family business while at the same time discover what is causing their mother’s illness and find a cure.
Little Dragons Café is the latest tour de’ force from Yasuhiro Wada, founder of the Harvest Moon series.
Raise your very own dragon! Embrace your nurturing instincts and raise your own dragon! Through wise decisions, proper nutrition, and empathetic nurturing show the world the true potential of your dragon companion!
Create culinary masterpieces and run a successful café – Learn new recipes and master the art of cooking while running your café. Explore the world, discover new ingredients, and expand your menu (and your restaurant!) while catering to the whims of your customers.
Farm the land and harvest nature’s bounty – The best dishes use the freshest ingredients, and the best way to ensure that is to grow your own produce. Till the land and fish the rivers, and gather the most flavourful fixings for your signature dishes.
Serve the townsfolk, make them happy! Not only cook for the people in your town, but also help them with their problems to increase your popularity and the general happiness of everyone around you.
The highly anticipated game is being released for a huge variety of platforms, which include:
Are you looking forward to playing Little Dragons Cafe? Will you be purchasing a physical copy of the game? Or downloading it from the eShop? Let us know in the comments 🙂
Aug 12, 2018News
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]icontier is an upcoming pixel art-stylized miniscape RPG. The game’s retro 2D art style, alongside its life simulation elements, make it comparable to Stardew Valley and the original Harvest Moon games.
Picontier is designed by indie label SKIPMORE, who are best known for their Fairune and Drancia series titles. It is being published by Flyhigh Works Co., a company established in 2011 that specializes in localizing Japanese, English and Chinese titles.
It has recently been announced that the PC version of the game will be released via Steam this winter. Whilst FlyHigh works did not mention other platforms in their recent broadcast, the game has previously been announced for PS4, Switch, and 3DS.
Picontier is a mini RPG game that allows players to enjoy slow-living on a whimsical island after being washed ashore. Its life simulation elements include farming, crafting, fishing, and mining. Like Stardew Valley, the game also appeals to the more adventurous of gamers by offering excitement. In this instance, players can journey to the dungeons to fight monsters. Additionally, the game contains a charming story and a variety of strange island creatures to communicate with. The game therefore seems to tick all the boxes where depth is concerned.
May 4, 2018Feature
Whilst the majority of these games are admittedly ports from other systems, they will undoubtedly be welcome additions to any Switch owners’ game libraries. The games will also offer people the ability to play critically acclaimed games on an awesome system, and will essentially be a treat for those who have not yet played them.
Here’s our 5 favourite Switch games of May.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was released today! This means that you won’t have to wait to get your hands on this one. Initially released for the WiiU on Valentine’s Day 2014, this game is a highly anticipated Switch port. The game is a side-scrolling platform game, is the fifth instalment in the main Donkey Kong series, and is the sequel to the 2010 Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns. Players journey through six different islands with Donkey Kong and his friends in an attempt to defeat the Snowmads. The game is available for purchase here.
Yonder is probably the Switch port we’re most excited for this month. Released for PS4 and Windows on July 18th 2017, it’s soon to be available on Switch as well. With ‘Very Positive’ reviews on Steam, the open-world adventure game has been praised for its beautiful graphics and music, and the relaxing nature of the game-play. Whilst players can fish, farm, craft, and explore, the main aim of the game is to befriend and collect magical creatures (known as sprites), in order to banish the ‘Murk’ from the world of Gemea. The game can be pre-ordered for Switch here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecq0l-b8zCk
Hyrule Warriors is a 2014 hack and slash action game that was initially released for the WiiU. Owing to its success, it was ported to Nintendo 3DS in 2016. Not yet done with the popular title, In January 2018, Nintendo revealed that the game was also to be ported to Switch under the name Hyrule Warriors: Definite Edition. The game will include all previous 3DS and WiiU DLC, as well as new costumes from Breath of the Wild. The game can be pre-prdered for Switch here.
Little Nightmares is a stop-motion-esque game, with an environment uncomfortably reminiscent of one’s childhood nightmares. The game is a puzzle-platformer horror adventure game that utilises imagery, empathy, and strange and bizarre encounters (as opposed to overused jump-scares) in order to evoke a sense of horror. With the PC version of the game garnering a score of 81/100, critics praised the game’s atmosphere, graphics and audio.
Runner3 is an upcoming rhythm platformer game set for release on Windows, Mac and Switch on May 22nd (with the possibility of a release on PS4 and Xbox later). Runner3 is the colourful and chaotic sequel to Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, and is part of the Bit. Trip series. The game features notable characters such as CommanderVideo, Shovel Knight, Eddie Riggs, And Charles Martinet. The game will be available to download on the eShop, or can be purchased as a physical copy. Runner3 can be pre-ordered for Switch here, and on Steam (where it currently has a 15% discount) here.
What Nintendo Switch game are you most looking forward to this month? Let us know!
Nov 12, 2017Animal Crossing
Here are some games to tide over avid Animal Crossing fans until the release of Pocket Camp.
This game is a must-play for fans of Animal Crossing. Animal Crossing meets Hogwarts, this game has all the favourite attributes of animal crossing such as animal residents, cute graphics (which are visually similar to animal Crossing), having your own room to decorate, fishing, bug catching and a variety of shops to browse. However, in this game there are unique perks such as: Being able to attend classes at the Magic school, being able to play instruments, being able to perform spells (such as invisibility, which is useful for eavesdropping) and the ability to date the other residents (which is alarming if you think about it, considering you’re a human and they’re animals/aliens/fruit, etc).
This game is a great addition to the Harvest Moon series. The story is of two towns (Bluebell and Konohana) that used to have a connecting tunnel between the two towns and were friendly with one another. But as years went on, they fell out and become more and more isolated from one another, with the tunnel eventually becoming blocked, meaning a long trek is necessary to travel from one town to the other. You can choose which town you want to inhabit at the beginning of the game. Your character’s aim is to restore peace between the two towns. You can choose to fall in love with one of the residents from your own town, or from the other town. In addition to this, there are all the Harvest Moon perks that we all know and love, such as Animal farming (Bluebell) and Plant farming (Konohana), shopping, horse riding, gathering etc., as well as regular food festivals held by the goddess at the hill between the two towns. As your character participates in more competitions, the friendship between the two towns will increase.
Psst! There’s also rumours of a remake called Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns +
Fantasy life is a game brought to us by Level 5, the company that created the infamous Professor Layton series. The beautiful unique graphics and music are a good indicator of this. In this game, after creating your character you get to choose a ‘life’ (basically what career you want). The 12 life classes to choose from are: Alchemist; Angler; Blacksmith; Carpenter; Cook; Hunter; Magician; Mercenary; Miner; Paladin; Tailor; and Woodcutter. After you have mastered one life, you can choose another. In each life, you learn a new skill and can make/obtain new items (dishes as a chef, clothes as a tailor, ore as a miner etc.), meaning once you’ve mastered all 12 lives, you are saving a lot of Dosh (the currency) and resources. Like in Animal Crossing, you can decorate your houses, engage with locals, as well as being able to take on quests, slay dragons, and complete the exciting storyline.
This game also has a sequel that will soon be released for mobile! You can check out a first Fantasy Online gameplay video right here.
This was one of the first DS games I played and therefore sticks in my memory. I vividly remember retrieving it out of my stocking from Santa and spending Christmas day curled up on the sofa being even more anti-social than normal (if that’s possible?!). So good was this game that my mum decided to steal it (along with my DS console), create a save file of her own, and play it whilst I was in school. This game basically consists of following a storyline where the King gives your character the task of solving the mystery around who’s been stealing public works projects and houses from the Kingdom and causing chaos?! Alongside following the story, you get to decorate your houses (you get multiple), go shopping, play mini-games, complete mini quests (such as finding all the escaped zoo animals), create public works projects and place new houses.
I haven’t actually played Stardew Valley in depth, but I’ve heard very good things and definitely want to put aside some time to play it properly. Stardew Valley is a Harvest Moon like, farming RPG game developed by ConcernedApe. Your character inherits a farm plot from your grandfather and your job is to create a successful farm and a thriving community. It has been well received and has been given a 10/10 rating by Steam! Nintendo have also released a version of it for Switch. 🙂
The Sims 3 is great fun. Don’t get me wrong, I like The Sims 4, but there is very little space for development in your town, EA received a lot of backlash for not including pools and toddlers (amongst other things) in their initial release of the game, which forced them to include them in updates, and it has more of a mobile Sims game feel than the PC Sims games I’ve grown up with.
The Sims 3 has better graphics than The Sims 2 whilst also having super cool expansion packs such as The Sims 3: Supernatural (you can create and meet fairies, plant people, vampires etc.) and The Sims 3: Island Paradise where you can create and run your own resorts. In addition to this, The Sims 3: University Life offers a more realistic University life for your Sims (perhaps too realistic for some, the stress of getting them through university is unreal).
Apr 11, 2017News
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he National StreetPass Event is a favorite among Nintendo 3DS fans. This year the Street{ass Weekend will fall on April 13th – April 16th. Nintendo 3DS owners can earn up to six StreetPass tags by visiting a Nintendo Zone location, but make sure you bring your fully charged Nintendo 3DS with you in order to earn the tags!
Animal Crossing: New Leaf Welcome Amiibo fans can especially look forward to the StreetPass event, as players of the village simulation can obtain a cherry-blossom clock up until April 15th. A less rare but still nice item is the Taurus bathtub that you can receive until April 30th.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo
Did you know that you can get special in-game furniture and items when you visit a Nintendo Zone location? In addition, you can get one item from Nintendo by in-game mail via the SpotPass™ feature! Get these special pieces and add these spring-themed pieces to your room:
National StreetPass weekend is a fun event, and Nintendo calls all 3DS owners to participate and visit a Nintendo Zone near you. Happy StreetPassing!