Category Archives: Nintendo Switch
What Is the Best Year of the Nintendo Switch?
This post was originally written for one of my YouTube video during the blog hiatus. Some of the comments and dates are now outdated. Either way, enjoy!
The Nintendo Switch has had an excellent, almost unprecedented run through its mainstream retail relevancy. And while I can’t say there’s no end in sight, 2024 is shaping up to be one of, if not the best year for the Switch yet. Now, even though we’re getting a couple of Mario games in Paper Mario, Mario and Luigi, and Mario Party, the lack of Mario Odyssey 2 stops me from saying this year is 10 out of 10. It also looks to be devoid of Pokemon and Kirby. Two of my other favorite Nintendo Franchises. Still, that hardly stops me from putting this year in the upper half. And who knows, with the possibility of some stealth drops later in the year, maybe we haven’t even seen all Nintendo has to offer us this year. So, I’ll wait til January to cast a verdict on this year as a whole. With that in mind, which of the nearly 8 years of Nintendo Switch would I say is the best? Well, today we’re going to take a look.
Each year of the Nintendo Switch has surely offered some highlights. I don’t think anyone is saying 2018 is the best year of the Switch, but Super Smash Brothers still dropped and was a goliath right from the jump. 2020 was much maligned due to the onslaught of rereleases (and you can watch our video “In Defense of Nintendo Switch Ports” to get a better idea of what the attitude was back then), but it had Animal Crossing which released at the perfect time. 2021 was probably a low year for me. I grabbed Skyward Sword and Super Mario 3D World, both ports. But others would say Dread alone makes 2021 one of the better years.
So what I’m saying is even in down years, the Switch still has something killer to play, something worthy of making you proud to be own a Switch. And all this brings into question what was the best year the Switch had. Personally, I’d like to focus on 3 different years and deep dive into them. Let’s get started!
Before we start the list, don’t forget to follow and like the blog. It means a lot of guys. Now, onto the list.
2017:
I don’t care what anybody says, 2017 was a landmark year for video games. Nintendo made gaming fun again when they launched the dual-purpose Nintendo Switch. Now you could play on the go and on your TV. I’m not going to recap the launch and development of the Switch, we’re just here to talk about the games, so let’s do that.
Breath of the Wild drops alongside the Switch. For the first time in arguably a decade, you felt like you were missing out if you didn’t own Nintendo’s latest offering. I should know, I didn’t get a Switch til 2018. Breath of the Wild was dead set on reinventing Zelda. It did just that. Gone was the formula. It was open world now. It was the talk of the gaming world. There were BOTW clones. That’s right, Zelda was now a genre. If you thought getting a new triple A mainline Zelda title was enough for a single year, 2017 doubled down giving us a new Mario game as well.
And with this declaration, Nintendo had won the next generation of console wars before the PS5 and Xbox Series X even entered the fold. Nintendo had released two 10 out of 10 games just like that. The Switch had only been on the block for about 6 months or so and could already say our heavy hitters rival literally any other console. Straight up, no joke, Nintendo threw the gauntlets down early. And believe me that would have been enough to be in the top 3 years already. But they didn’t stop there. No, no. They brought Mario Kart 8 Deluxe over. Yes, it is a port. But it added in new characters, modes and courses as well as putting all the existing DLC on to the cart. Not to mention it’s still receiving updates even now. So 2017 speaks for itself even if all we mention today are just those 3 games.
So in 2017 the Switch was the latest, greatest thing in gaming. But surely after a half decade or so, the lifespan would be winding down and the banger titles would barely trickle out, right?
2023:
I want to talk about 2023 for a bit here. Obviously, we had the big one. Tears of the Kingdom. Honestly, this has got to be one of the best sequels to a game ever. I’m really enjoying taking my time with this one. Scaling my way to the Wind Temple is probably the most epic thing I’ve ever done in a Zelda game. Seriously, that part is so cool. That came out pretty early in the year in May. The rest of the games this year didn’t do much for me. You have Pikmin 4, Fire Emblem Enrage, Metroid Prime Remastered and Super Mario Wonder. Last year was a great year for Switch owners even if I just picked up 1 game personally. That game was good enough on its own.
2022:
So, the last year I want to discuss is 2022. There’s 3 great games for me personally. The first one is Pokemon Legends Arceus. This was a great Pokemon game. I liked Sword and Shield, I know that’s a polarizing thing to say online, but I did. However, I loved Legends Arceus. The Hisuian Forms were cool. I feel like it handled open world exploration better than Sword and Shield. The sneaking around and catching Pokemon was neat. I think all in all, this was a step forward for Pokemon. So that brings us to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This is probably my favorite Pokemon Game since X and Y. I think it’s the best one on the Switch. The writing is cheesy, but the school sitting is cool. The game definitely deserves some criticism for the horribly slow cutscenes, but this is one step closer to my dream Pokemon game. I always wanted a Pokemon Game where gaming and battling didn’t have to be the focus. You could be a breeder, or enter contest, and this game doesn’t quite get to my lofty outlandish dreams for the series, it offers the player options in how they want to progress the story. Ultimately, this game made me excited to see what they will do on the Switch successor when that time comes. The last game will talk about today is Kirby and the Forgotten Lands. It’s tough to say this my favorite Switch game but it’s up their with Mario Odyssey. I’m a platformer fan through and through and Kirby is one of my favorite IPs in all the gaming industry. When they finally gave him a 3D adventure, they just nailed it. I’ll say it. This a perfect game. Combine this with getting two really solid Pokemon games, 2022 was a phenomenal year to be a Switch owner.
Okay, so in closing, which year do I give it to? I’m going 2017. The combination of Mario and Zelda is too tough to pass up. I think if Tears of the Kingdom had come out in 2022, then that year might have got the nod over 2017, but alas, that’s not how it went down. 2024 might end up passing 2023, but I could also just be living in the moment. Who knows we will see. So let me know which year. You thought was the best.
My 5 Favorite Games from the Nintendo Switch Showcase!
Nintendo ran its Partner Showcase this morning. In my opinion the Switch 2 has a strong future ahead of itself with the Kirby DLC, Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon Legends ZA, The new Hyrule Warriors, and the mysterious Mario 3D game still on the horizon. But as you can see, this is a Partner Showcase. So none of those games were mentioned today (except a look at the next Hyrule Warriors). Let’s break down the 5 games I’m most excited for.
#5 Pac-Man World 2 Repac: I will always spotlight a 3D Platformer when Nintendo wants to show them off. This is a remake of the Gamecube game and one I’ve always wanted to get into. Even though platformers are my favorite genre, I got stuck on the Gamecube version. Still I’d be interested in picking this one up later.
#4 Borderlands 4: Of all the games on today’s list, this is probably my most anticipated. It made my most anticipated games of 2025 after all. However, it’s only number 4 because Nintendo barely acted like this game existed in the direct.
#3 The Adventures of Elliot. The game looks like it had the aesthetics and mechanics of Paper Mario Thousand Year Door, combat of Zelda, and art style of Octopath Traveler. I don’t usually go for RPGs, but this is an action RPG that looks pretty solid.
#2 Hela: I actually really liked the vibe of this game. It has that Grounded vibe of playing a small character in a large world. I wouldn’t mind seeing more details about this one. For example are we going to have RPG elements and leveling up or is this going to be a sandbox platforming kinda game. Nonetheless, the mechanics and gameplay look fun. This one is on my radar.
#1 Chronos New Dawn: This was the show stopper for me, pretty easily too. I don’t normally like survival horrors, but I do tend to like them when there’s an action element to them, namely Resident Evil 4. However, this game feels like RE 4 and Dead Space met with a fun time travel mechanic. This game just looked very solid.
So that’s my list. I left off some remakes which I’m sure will crack a lot people’s list like Persona 3 and Final Fantasy Tactics.
Let me know what your favorite game from the showcase was. Thank you so much for reading. Have a great day!
My June 2024 Nintendo Direct Predictions!
June is rapidly approaching, which means we’re getting closer to the next Nintendo Direct. The general expectation is that 2024 is going to be filled out with ports and remakes. I actually agree with this for the most part. I’m not sure we’re going to get any super major releases between now and Christmas. We know Pokemon Legends will be a headliner going into 2025. But what does Nintendo have in store for 2024? So today we’re going to talk about the games I think Nintendo could roll out in the order of likeliness I think they’ll happen.
Remember, you can watch this in video form over on my channel Dahubbz: https://youtu.be/cILzndCDf-E
Let’s start with an Honorable mention. Fire Emblem. Keep in mind, I’m not the biggest Fire Emblem fan, so I’m not the best source of information for the series. However, it’s been over a year since the last release. Fire Emblem also seems to be on a tear through the Switch’s lifespan. If Nintendo is in need of one last home run for the holiday season, a Fire Emblem game could be that hit. Not to mention, Fire Emblem Genealogy of War has supposedly been rumored for a while. But again, it’s not a franchise I follow very closely.
Okay. Now time for #5. Super Mario Odyssey 2. This is wishful thinking at this point. I loved Odyssey. It’s one of my favorite games of all time. I really wanted it to get a sequel. The only mainline 3D Mario game to get a sequel is Super Mario Galaxy 2. Which was also released on the Wii like Galaxy 1 was. So my theory for almost a decade has been, if we’re getting Odyssey 2, it’s gonna be on the Switch. if we get to another console, it’ll be a completely new idea (like Sunshine to Galaxy or Galaxy to Odyssey). It’ll sting a little more considering we never got DLC either. I just really wanted a new adventure in the Odyssey game engine.
However, with the Mario 3D collection out, I think finally getting Galaxy 2 on the Switch is a very real possibility.
#4 Kirby Planet Robobot- I am a huge Kirby fan. However, this game has always escaped me for one reason or another. I’d love to see it get brought over to the Switch. I’m not sure if there’s any mechanics that would be exclusive to the 3DS that couldn’t be brought over. That’s one reason I’m not buying into Star Fox Zero or Kirby and the Rainbow Curse being brought to the Switch. Kirby is another franchise that has had a great showing on the Switch. Be it new releases, remakes or eShop exclusives, Kirby is a very active franchise and I think it could do well this holiday season.
#3 Xenoblade Chronicles X. I think it is likely that we will get a Wii U port. There’s plenty of games getting tossed out at this point, but I think Xenoblade Chronicles X makes a lot of sense. For starters, the name. Xenoblade Chronicles means something to a lot of Nintendo’s die hard RPG fans. I also think the rest of the Xenoblade Chronicles series is playable on Switch, so it’d make sense to have it on the console as well. I really don’t think this is a bad option to have for a Christmas- like release. Maybe this would compliment a bigger Pokémon/Zelda/Metroid like release. Either way, I think this is a solid option.
#2 Twilight Princess/Wind Waker HD. Feels like I’ve been skeptical of this rumor for 5 years now. And I still kind of am. Before I disregarded it saying Skyward Sword needed to be brought over to the Switch first. We’ll, that has now happened. I’d still prefer Ocarina of Time coming to the Switch first, but that’s a personal preference. Honestly, I’m reaaaalllly rooting for Oracle of Ages and Season to get released in a single cart. I feel like that game needs the port more than both Ocarina of Time and TPWW combo. But here’s an idea no one is talking about, A Link to the Past. I get it, it’s a 2D classic. How do you go about porting this sucker over. Keep it 2D? Then can you really get away with charging $60? Give it the Link’s Awakening treatment? Then risk the potential backlash from purists who hate the art style? Yeah, I think the Twilight Princess, Wind Waker HD will probably be the safest option as it won’t be polarizing or feel like a betrayal of the classics. With Nintendo saying no DLC for Tears of the Kingdom, I’m really interested to see what Nintendo does with Zelda moving forward.
#1 Metroid 2 and 3 combo pack- This is my sure fire bet for the Switch this year. I saw someone say it would be weird for Metroid 1 to get a standalone release and then combo 2 and 3. I’m going to reference Pikmin for why I actually think it makes sense. Nintendo released Pikmin 3 as a hold over until Pikmin 4 was ready. Then as we approached Pikmin 4, we got 1+2 as a combo. It’s this line of work that makes me think a combo pack is absolutely possible. Not to mention if you want Metroid Prime 4 as your Switch launch title or big holiday release next year, we’ve got to get these Prime remakes on the road. I just think it makes all the sense in the world. However, is a Metroid Prime 2&3 combo pack enough to carry them through the holidays? I’m not sure.
I think it’s very likely we also see another Gamecube game get ported over- Luigi’s Mansion 1. Luigi’s Mansion 2 and 3 are available to play on Switch, so we really need to get the first one on the console before we move on to the Switch’s successor.
There you have it. You think Nintendo could announce anything spicy? Any new games, remakes we won’t see coming, or DLC? Mario Wonder and Pikmin 4 could be strong candidates to get DLC as well. Let me know what you think Nintendo will do! Thanks for watching. Have a great day.
Franchises That Deserve a Shot on the Switch
Seems like everybody is reporting on how Nintendo will be releasing the Switch successor by some time in 2025. This means we’re in the homestretch of the Switch’s prime. So many of my favorite entries of Nintendo’s most beloved series are on the Switch. Mario Kart and Smash Bros have arguably never been better. Mario Odyssey and Kirby and Forgotten Lands are borderline masterpieces. Zelda has had a barrage of fantastic titles. The entirety of Pikmin is now playable on the Switch. But Nintendo has a massive backlog. Many of those franchises don’t have remakes, remasters, collections, or sequels on the Switch. I think being on the Switch has a force multiplier aspect about itself. If Nintendo put Ice Climbers on the Switch I think it would sell well. So let’s look at some franchises that deserve a shot on the Switch.
We’re going to start with Donkey Kong. Maybe this is technically cheating, because Tropical Freeze did get ported over to the Switch early in it’s lifespan. However, if I’m not mistaken, Donkey Kong has gotten a new game on every Nintendo console. If things hold as they are, that streak will come to an end. I’d love to see a true sequel to Donkey Kong 64, or at least an open world DK game. But if Donkey Kong Country got a new entry, no one would complain. Especially since players have long viewed Nintendo platformers in three tiers: Easy, medium, hard. The easy platformer being Kirby. The medium platformer being Mario. The hardest being DK. That’s why it’s very weird Donkey has not got a new title in the extensive life of the Nintendo Switch.
Next up is F-Zero. My only explanation here is Nintendo believes in the cannibal theory. This is to say that F-Zero would eat Into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s sales or player base. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the highest selling Switch game to date. But again, if Nintendo would just use the same tier system it does for the platformers, I don’t think it would be a problem. In this instance, Mario Kart could be a more wacky arcade racer. While F-Zero could appeal more to speed Junkies. Personally I feel as if both games could occupy a spot in Nintenon’s online repertoire. Nintendo did test the waters with F-Zero 99. Hopefully that was enough of an experiment to motivate Nintendo into launching a new game in the series!
The next title I’d like to talk about is Kid Icarus. Honestly, I don’t have a lot to pull from for this one. Sure, Kid Icarus is one of Nintendo’s oldest titles, dating back to the NES. And sure, it wasn’t totally forgotten about thanks to its 3DS release. But that’s about it. Pitt and Palutena have been represented In Smash Bros, making that the last time we’ve seen Kid Icarus characters. I will say Kid Icarus Uprising on 3DS is often cited in people’s top 10 3DS games, so that game does seem to have been a roaring success. My fear though, is that the game came out 12 years ago and has had no traction since then. I also think the Wii U would have been a perfect console to do an Uprising sequel. At this point I’m not sure where they would go with the franchise. However, the Switch seems like a perfect time to reinvent the series.
Now we move on to Chibi Robo. Chibi Robo started off life as a hidden gem all the way back on the Gamecube. It did go on to get some sequels on the DS family of handheld. But I want to see Chibi on the Switch. The internet and home appliances have been revolutionized over the last couple of decades which I think could make game design interesting. You could have a roomba that moves in and tries to steal Chibi’s job or constantly trying to suck him up on his vacuuming adventures. All the appliances could be sentient (like a talking fridge or what have you.) I don’t know, I feel like in this day and age a new Chibi adventure could have some really fresh ideas with that Nintendo storytelling and world building charm. It’s something I want to see sooner than later.
Last game today is Star Fox. Star Fox has always been my favorite designed Nintendo character. The dude screams cool. I have played Star Fox 0 and I’m not a hater of it. I get it if the unique control scheme turned people off or if it didn’t capture that nostalgic feel of Star Fox 64, but I definitely didn’t hate it. What I want out of the next Star Fox game is a perfectly blend of linear, on rail shooting levels, mixed with sections on feet and in the other vehicles. Star Fox could probably pull off a big open world adventure thanks to all the machines he has access to or could be created for the purpose of this game. But it doesn’t have to be a big sprawling adventure. It doesn’t have to be Star Field to be an awesome mix of both genres. I loved Star Fox 64 and Adventures. If you could take the best of both and create a hybrid escapade, that sounds awesome. Though, they may take him more back to his roots and be a strict on rail shooter. Let me know how you think they should handle whatever comes next for Star Fox.
So that’s the franchises I think deserve life on the Switch before we move on to whatever next. I know we left off some great series like Ice Climbers and Punch Out, so let me know below what are some other series that deserve some love right now! Thanks for watching.
The Future of The Legend of Zelda series!?
Today we are talking about an interview that is making its rounds around the internet and in video game circles. Zelda series producer Eiji Aonumoa told IGN “It’s interesting when I hear people say [they prefer the old entries] because I am wondering, ‘Why do you want to go back to a type of game where you’re more limited or more restricted in the types of things or ways you can play?’ But I do understand that desire that we have for nostalgia, and so I can also understand it from that aspect,” said Aonuma.” He pondered during his interview.
If you want to watch our video over this topic, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDEJWKzUqU8&t=14s
Read the full interview here: https://www.ign.com/articles/zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-interview-nintendo-eiji-aonuma-hidemaro-fujibayashi
These comments were made in regards to people apparently wanting to go back to the old formulaic Zelda. Personally, I got my Wii U Christmas of 2013. Zelda Breath of the Wild and Smash Brothers were the two main reasons I wanted the machine. I remember waiting years, following every ounce of news about Breath of the Wild leading up to the release. This was one of the most anticipated releases of my life. Playing through it, it lived up to the hype.
So many people wanted to focus on the changes like they were negative. No heart pieces, no traditional dungeons, no loose linear structure. Everything had changed. And I found myself defending it. The shrines were a modern and sleek way to give the players a sense of progress. And it even granted the player freedom how they chose to strengthen Link. Want to survive battles easier, go for Heart Containers. Want to have a smoother time traversing the wild, fill that stamina bar up baby. I loved the way we were piecing together the world and the lore through memories. The korok seeds were a collectathoners dream. I loved my time with it.
But when my time with it was through, I had no urge to replay it. In fact I find myself saying its my second least favorite Zelda. Only above Zelda 2. Why is that?
It just feels hollow. Nothing makes me want to replay or revisit it. It was a blast playing for the first time and discovering everything. But nothing hooked me enough to want to replay it. Whereas Wind Waker on Wii U jumped up to maybe my 2nd favorite Zelda. What’s the difference? Wind Waker feels like an epic quest. Setting sail with nothing and watching Link become the hero he was always meant to be is just something special. Wind Waker is pretty open world too. It doesn’t suffer from the hollow issue; there’s always an island to explore, treasures that await and monsters to defeat. It has some of my favorite NPCs and items in the whole series. It’s a massive open world that doesn’t feel empty nor tedious to search.
Which gets me to what I want to talk about today. Is Breath of the Wild really that different from the rest of the series. And was that a positive shift?
People act like Breath Of the Wild was the first open world game. Many could argue the original Zelda was one of the first ever open world games in general. As the player can explore, I believe any of the first 3 dungeons in any order. The other games may be a bit stricter with progression, but most of the cities are available after you leave your hometown. With only the dungeons and heart pieces really locked behind items.
I think Breath of the Wild handled open world perfectly, as I discussed in my video addressing open world gaming (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ksjo1xPkMw). They give you a brief tutorial, all your runes, and say have fun. And have fun we did. But if you’re like me, the runes just weren’t enough. Breath of the Wild can get teased for being called a sandbox physics engine. There can be some truth to that with the magnet and stasis. The bombs were a must have return for the franchise as they are arguably the most iconic item in the series. Cryonis was a welcomed addition to Links arsenal. But I found myself missing items like the Lens of Truth, the Hookshot and many others. We knew we weren’t getting them either. The runes in Tears of the Kingdom are all relatively fresh ideas here. Ultra Hand is awesome, allowing Link to interact with so many objects in the game world. Fuse, admittedly, may be one I under utilize. As the name suggests, it grants Link the power to combine objects together. Recall, in my opinion, is the most lame one yet. But it plays nicely with the physics engine reputation the new Zelda games have garnered. Ascend is easily one of my favorite power ups in any Zelda game. In my opinion, it’s what sold me on Tears of the Kingdom as an evolution and not a copy of Breath of the Wild. It gives Link the ability to travel through surfaces to reach new heights. It’s amazing for exploring and discovering new areas and locations. While I don’t believe the runes are as cool as the old school items, they were definitely a nice way to break from the mold while still maintaining a semblance of old Zelda.
Some of the most fun I have playing Zelda is reaching a location that is inaccessible at the moment and thinking “wonder what item gets me in here” or wonder what is hiding behind that secret area? It’s a great motivator to encourage players to return and re-explore areas they thought they were through with. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom still offer many puzzles that can give you that “ah-ha” moment through the shrines, of which there is a lot. And I’m not one who hates on the divine beast, as I found myself enjoying them more than others seemed to. To me, oddly enough, it’s just that world feels empty. The chest that you may find will not offer anything special. As weapons break, you have all your items from the start, and heart pieces are gained through the shrines. Meaning, if you see a chest off in the distance, you know you won’t find anything in there of real worth.
All this is to say that yes. At its core Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are the most open world the series has ever been, but at what cost? As the lands, in my opinion just aren’t worth exploring. The korok seeds are the only real thing here worth collecting. They are used to expand your inventory slots. Which is good, but hardly worth all the time it would take to track them down. I often circle back around to Ocarina of Time or Wind Waker because I feel they are near perfect games and capture what it means to be on grand adventures. They are a perfect blend of open world while maintaining direction. Every action feels like it has a purpose and adds to the bigger picture. Nothing feels forced or time consuming. Everything feels like it is here for a reason. Things are fun to explore and have rewards. That’s the issue with giving you everything up front. You won’t be rewarded with light arrows or magic or what have you.
So how would fix Zelda moving forward? It’s a tough problem to have. By removing items and rewards, you are removing part of the fun in exploring these worlds. However, if you reintroduce all these extra things, you complicate the game. Thus sacrificing what works about the two newest Zelda outings. I think my simplest solution is this. Find a way to blend runes with progression items. Runes will be given all at once and at the beginning. While progression items will be concentrated mostly on dungeons. Keep the shrines, but reduce the number. Shrines will extend stamina while heart pieces return to the overworld. Yes players no longer have to choose between the two, but who cares? Games are meant to be fun overall. And players can skip one or the other if they want a challenge. This is how I would fix things. It would give the over world more of a purpose, while still keeping the new open world feel that the games are crafting.
Which style of Zelda do you prefer? Are you fan of the open world gaming, or do you prefer the formulaic style we were use to? Thank you guys for reading and have a great day!
Games I’ve Played Recently
Alright guys, it’s time for another installment of games I’ve Played Recently. We’ve got 3 good ones to go over!
First off is Tears of the Kingdom!
You guys may remember me mentioning this in my post for my recent Pickups. Well, of course I’ve been playing it as well. I don’t play the story much because I’m more into collecting and exploring. I did complete enough story missions to get the glider as it is essential to further your exploration needs. However, I have been fascinated with the new sky and underground sections. I did cool off playing it when I decided to focus on my Gamepass games over the last month.
Up next is Disney Dreamlight Valley
This game consumes my life off and on. It’s one that my baby girl and wife love to watch me play. We’re currently in the middle of a new event with some new Pixar content. They’ve also added in a new character. It’s one of those village simulators with farming and civilian upkeep. You fish, mine, and play with some of your favorite Disney characters. It’s not a game I play every day. It’s more so a I game I get in phases with.
Now, for the game that has preoccupied my free time the most
This is a new perfect game for me. It was described to me as a Souls-like game. I don’t really play souls like so. Unfortunately, I avoided this one. It caught my eye when scrolling through Gamepass. I downloaded it and gave it a shot. Boy, did I love this game. This is a modern-day metriodvania collectathon. It is broken down into 6 planets instead of one giant level. Though you do get powers that encourage backtracking for new experiences and collectibles. The boss fights can be exhausting, but they’re far from the hardest fights I’ve had in video games. The chest system is kind of lame. It’s a similar problem that Tears of the Kingdom has. All the power ups are hidden in certain sections or through the skill trees. This means the chests are relegated to cosmetic changes such as lightsabers, costume colors, and Droid colors. Cal gets upgrades in the form of wall running, double jumps and force push and pull. This makes backtracking a fun experience. As now you want to see where all you can explore. All in all, I really enjoyed this one. I have beat it. Now it’s time to 100% it.
This post was written a few months back. For some reason I never made the closing paragraph. So I hope you guys enjoyed this one. I’ll be working on a more updated list that includes some new games like Pokémon Scarlett as well as a throwback to a PS2 Hidden Gem in Rogue Galaxy.
Thank you guys for reading! Have a great day!
Pikmin 4 is Almost Here!
Nintendo just stealth dropped the latest trailer for Pikmin 4, one of Nintendo’s wackier but beloved franchises..
Haven’t seen the trailer yet? Catch it here: https://youtu.be/6ixnXjtQ7f8
Pikmin 4 was teased almost a year ago and will be out later next month, July 21, 2023. This reminds me of how Nintendo was releasing Switch games very quickly following their original announcements, Paper Mario on Switch comes to mind.
The new updated art style and character creation really stole the show this time around. This is probably the best-looking Pikmin game in the series, which I suppose is expected, but it’s still good to see. It is also the first game in the franchise to experiment with character customization. This is coming off the backs of Pikmin 3. Pikmin 3 went all GTA 5 and allowed the player to switch between 3 different, pre-built captains.
Admittedly, I’m not the biggest Pikmin fan. The game is just too stressful for me, haha. I don’t like the time limit or watching my little Pikmin die in vicious and painful ways. However, my wife loves the series. With that in mind, I assume we will be pre-ordering the game next month.
So what are yalls thoughts on the latest entry so far? Did you enjoy the polished look? Are you excited for the new character creation feature? Will you be pre-ordering this one? Let me know in the comments down below!
Thanks for reading! Have a great day!
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The 5 Worst Nintendo Franchises!
Nintendo normally knocks it out of the park with their first party titles. Kid Icarus revolutionized the gaming industry spawning numerous sequels and giving us arguably the greatest video game character of all time, Pit. Ice Climbers was a juggernaut upon release. The game was considered so perfect, Nintendo decided a sequel could never live up to the hype of the original, so they have essentially retired the series. When Ice Climbers made it into Smash Bros Melee, gamers around the world rejoiced. Sadly, or totally predictable, the Ice Climbing duo were too powerful. As a result, they were subsequently removed from the series when Smash Brothers Brawl released on Wii.
So, sure, Nintendo established itself as a major player in the video market off the backs of series like Duck Hunt and Wrecking Crew, but not all series were a hit. Metroid was a disaster and almost bankrupted the company. But Nintendo didn’t want to give up on one of the female pioneers of gaming. Still, they couldn’t justify her on home consoles. Thus, her sequel was given life on the lowly handheld, the Gameboy. Metroid was given a second shot on the Super Nintendo. Another flop, often sited as the worst release by Nintendo. Samus would be relegated to handheld consoles two more times. Not to mention, after the absolute butchering of Metroid as a FPS, Metroid Prime 4 was delayed and ultimately canceled for the best. Not a single soul complained. It just goes to show you, no matter how many times Nintendo releases an installment of a horrible franchise, true gamers don’t forget the past mistakes.
Now, let’s take a look at Nintendos 5 Worst Franchises.
#5 Animal Crossing- When I was preparing this blog, I really thought this be number 1. How could it not be? This game is one of the most overrated franchises in all of gaming, let alone Nintendo. What do you do in this game? Seriously. You play as a kid whose sole purpose in life is to befriend animals. Doesn’t that sound horrible? Like, oh no, Sally the spider lost one of her 8 shoes and needs you to find it. Other task consist of paying off your debt. I mean, at least kids get exposed to how evil money is and how people will use it to manipulate them. So good job Nintendo capturing some realism there.
#4 Super Smash Brothers- Nintendo has long been loathed for repacking and releasing the same games over and over with new paint and funny names. Is there a series that is a better example of that than Super Smash Brothers? I feel like I’ve been playing the same game over and over. The series definitely peaked on the Nintendo 64. Every game since has just felt like an ad campaign. We get it, Fire Emblem (which is probably #6 on this list) could not sell world wide, so they snuck in countless numbers of characters to try and brain wash us into wanting Fire Emblem. Well, it still hasn’t worked and probably never will. The next release of Smash Bros, slated for release on the Switch 2 next year, was announced to have a roster comprised entirely of Fire Emblem characters. Have you lost all hope in the world yet?
#3 Pokemon- Give me a break with this one. Do 30 year old men still think it’s cute to film themselves opening Pokemon TCG boxes, or playing Pokemon Go? No cares if you found Mew under the truck. No one cares if you completed the Pokedex. And trust me, no one cares if you had all the original holos from the card game, especially how many Charizards you owned. Grow up.
#2 The Legend of Zelda. What a waste of potential here. I’m serious. Sure, Zelda 1 was a total bust. The franchise redeemed itself with phenomenal poise with the sequel, Zelda 2. Zelda 2 saved Nintendo. It helped restore faith with the general public. Despite this, Nintendo reverted back to the original formula. This contradicted all the good grace Zelda 2 built up. Then, there was the unspeakable sin. The point of no return, Ocarina of Time. The jump to 3D just wasn’t kind to the Zelda series. The Z Lock On tried to fix things, but arguably made it worse. The time traveling mechanic really bogged down the story and made certain parts feel bloated. It was a total train wreck that the series still has not recovered from.
#1 Super Mario- I guess it was always going to be Super Mario. I mean talk about a cash cow. At least other series like Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed and Madden attempt to change their games up with each release. How many times do I need to run, jump and collect stars? Isn’t this getting old to anyone? And not to mention, they are just slapping Mario on anything and hoping it sells. Why do I need Mario playing Golf, Tennis, Carts and any of the other countless side series? I can do all that in real life, thank you. So, without a doubt, Mario is easily the worst video game mascot and franchise of all time.
So, that’s my list. I could keep going with other Nintendo failures like Donkey Kong, Kirby and Splatoon, but let’s not destroy them too hard. Let me know you’re worst 5 Nintendo Franchises in the comments!
Shin Megami Tensei V is on Sale (Via Walmart, Gamestop and Amazon
Hey guys, if you’ve been on the fence about picking up one of the hottest and latest Nintendo Switch exclusives, now might be the best time. I looked and looked for it to be on sale during Black Friday. Honestly, I didn’t see any good deals. Now that Shin Megami Tensei V is marked down $20 off at most major retailers, this creates a perfect buying opportunity for Nintendo Switch collectors and RPG enthusiasts alike.
(At the time of writing this article, I have no affiliate links with any of the mentioned websites. I do not receive any kickbacks if you buy a product listed below.)
Link to Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shin-Megami-Tensei-V-Nintendo-Switch/485023374
Link to Gamestop: https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/nintendo-switch/products/shin-megami-tensei-v—nintendo-switch/318502.html
I’m sure the game is worth the full asking price considering it is the next in a long running JRPG series, The Shin Megami Tensei franchise. A critically acclaimed series developed by the prestigious Atlus studios. Still, every bit of savings helps this close to the holidays.
Let me know if you guys end up picking up the game.
I Started Playing Brilliant Diamond.
The game has been an absolute blast so far. Gen 4 is, in my opinion, the best generation in the series. Admittedly, I played a lot my first day playing it. The next few play sessions I’ve been trying to trick my Switch into thinking it’s Friday to catch a Drifloon but I am not having success with that. Again, other than that, I am loving it. The battling is fun. The Pokemons look great. And it’s awesome to revisit one of favorite regions.
Have you had a chance to play either Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl yet? Let me know in the comment section down below! Thanks for reading and have a great day everyone!
Da_Hubbz 