YO-KAI WATCH is back and more action-packed than ever, as YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps and YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: White Dog Squad are set to launch for the 3DS and 2DS in Australia and New Zealand.

In this latest game in the YO-KAI WATCH series, players can team up with up to three other friends either locally or online to fight towering Big Bosses, using skills and powerful Soultimate Moves. While previous YO-KAI WATCH games focused on turn-based battles, YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS drops you into real-time skirmishes, in the first ever action RPG for the series. During these battles, you directly control your Yo-kai as you strategise with different skills and equipment to defeat huge bosses. By taking on various fast-paced missions, players will embark on a journey to meet, befriend and battle more than 400 new and returning Yo-kai.

Training Yo-kai will also affect your team’s strength in battle. By training, you can create items and equipment to use on your personal Yo-kai team! By completing missions, more powerful and useful items can be earned.

Each of the two versions of the game contains different Yo-kai, missions and bosses. By trading between the two, you can collect all the Yo-kai! And by linking save data from YO-KAI WATCH 2: Bony Spirits, YO-KAI WATCH 2: Fleshy Souls or YO-KAI WATCH 2: Psychic Specters, you can get one of three special Yo-kai to take into battle. 

To keep the action and content going, a free post-launch update to the game will add new side stories, Yo-kai, bosses and missions.

YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps and YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: White Dog Squad will be released exclusively for Nintendo 3DS and 2DS on the 8th of September 2018. Stay tuned for more information between now and launch!

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For those out of the loop, Pokémon is a RPG style game where, you the trainer, explores a region of the Pokémon universe battling and catching Pokémon to eventually complete a set of challenges created for Pokémon Trainers while thwarting whatever nefarious plans that a team of villains has cooked up.

As for most generations of Pokémon games there is always an updated re-release that provides a few new extra bits and pieces for the latest generation of Pokémon and for Sun / Moon there is now Pokémon Ultra Sun / Moon.

These updated versions can sometimes feel a bit stale and just too similar to the original to pick up and actually complete another entire play through. This, however, is not the case with Pokémon Ultra Sun / Moon as it not only has numerous new features, it does a decent job of implementing these well enough to provide a fresh and just as enjoyable experience.

For one, there is a different selection of Pokémon available not mention more to catch.

This alone already helps provide players with a different experience to that of the original. I honestly enjoyed rebuilding my team of Pokémon from the fresh selection provided. This bigger collection of Pokémon also extends to the Legendaries available as a combination, between Ultra Sun and Moon – every Legendary can be caught. While the original and iconic Legendaries, Solgaleo and Lunala, remain the same to maintain the spirit of a change, they now have new forms and new Z-moves to accompany them further expanding on unique experiences this version has to offer.

There are several other additions, some minor and some major. Some of the more major alterations include the expansion in the story, new characters, a new trial and just more to do later in the game. It provided enough new story content to keep me surprised at well placed intervals. There is also a few new variations to the Totem Pokémon trials which once again helped provide a fresh experience rather than a stale old one. It is all another aspect that I find as a welcome addition.

On the minor additions list, Rotom Pokedex has a small selection of new features from the Roto Loto, that can provide temporary power ups that with enough friendship gained, will enable your Pokémon to utilise the Z-Power twice in one combat.

While catching them all is always the primary objective, Ultra Sun / Moon introduces another collectibles with totem stickers. These aren’t the be all and end all but it was an enjoyable little extra collection to obtain along the way that even contributes to the primary goal.

The reward for collecting these is of course more Pokémon, specifically Totem Pokemon.

Another small extra is the Mantine mini game which allows you to traverse between some islands by surfing on a Mantine the whole way. During which you need to surf the waves while racking up points for tricks and navigating obstacles. These award you Beach Points that can be spent on Stat improvement items or a selection of moves for your Pokémon. Once again it was a pleasant surprise to play and is not essential after the first go. So, if you aren’t a fan you don’t have repeat the experience.

As far as Ultra Moon verses Ultra Sun, the key difference is the selection of Pokémon available to you. You may want to check that out prior to purchase but honestly, I wasn’t too concerned with the exclusive Pokémon anyway. I found the regular variety was well catered for and a delight to discover along the way.

One thing I did find with this version was that it provided more of an overall challenge. Where previously I could speed through with flying colours with just the starter Pokémon, with Pokémon Ultra Sun / Moon I found it necessary to grind and really build a up a good Pokémon team to complete the trials and progress through the game. I found this honestly to be the most enjoyable change.

Pokémon Ultra Sun / Moon is a delightful addition to the series that builds on nicely to the foundation set by the first instalment(s), Sun and Moon. This entry to the series is a vast improvement and provides a different experience from the first. I loved playing through it and actually found it overall to be a more enjoyable experience than the first. There is enough new content to keep old players entertained and I would happily recommend this fabulous instalment in the Pokémon franchise.

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The fourth game in the courtroom drama series, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, is out digitally on Nintendo 3DS eShop. This fourth game in the court room drama series, covers the adventures of Apollo Justice as he sets about on his adventures as a rookie defence attorney.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney coming to Nintendo 3DS means that budding attorneys can see all the courtroom action from Apollo’s early days as a defense attorney in upgraded 3D graphics. Forensic investigation techniques play a vital part in analyzing the evidence to help solve some of the game’s mysteries. Utilizing the features of Nintendo 3DS, players can dust some crime scenes to search for fingerprints and also examine certain objects in a full 360 degrees to uncover hidden evidence! Will the fingerprints match any of the suspects on file and uncover new truths?  These investigation techniques combined with Apollo Justice’s magical bracelet that gives him the unique ability to detect lies during witness testimonies create a thrilling investigative journey.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney takes place years after the events of the previous series title, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations, and consists of several compelling cases where the protagonist Apollo Justice must fight to defend his innocent clients accused of murder. Upon successfully completing the game’s first case, Apollo is asked to join disbarred attorney Phoenix Wright and work alongside Phoenix’s adopted daughter, Trucy. The pair go on to solve a series of quirky crimes including the theft of a noodle cart and the disappearance of a pair of magic panties!

Court is in session starting from today.

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Challenge your friends and let battle commence! It’s time to find out who’s the toughest Kirby of them all, when Kirby Battle Royale releases in Australia and New Zealand on the 4th of November 2017, exclusively for 3DS and 2DS.

A free demo version which lets players try three of the game’s 10 different battle modes is available now on Nintendo eShop, and by transferring their demo save data across to the full game once launched, budding battlers will be able to unlock the mysterious Meta Knight as a playable character.

Kirby Battle Royale is a fast-paced 3D action game in which players take on the role of Kirby and go head-to-head against other Kirbies. There are 10 different battle modes and 13 Kirby copy abilities to unlock, all of which can be enjoyed across online multiplayer**, local multiplayer and a single-player Story Mode. The game also supports Download Play, so up to four players can battle it out using a single copy of the game. Each of the 10 varied battle modes is designed for four combatants, either in two-versus-two or every Kirby for himself.

Players will earn Battle Coins for their in-game accomplishments, such as advancing through the leagues in Story Mode, and these can be spent on a wide range of in-game collectibles, including headgear for Kirby to wear. The game is also compatible with Kirby series amiibo, which add extra items to the collection. For example, tapping the Kirby amiibo figure will unlock the Ultra Sword Hat. Players can experiment with the other Kirby series amiibo once the game launches to see what they unlock!

To give a taster of the upcoming action, a free demo version of Kirby Battle Royale is available now on Nintendo eShop. Players can dive straight into the melee mayhem of Battle Arena and Apple Scramble, with the frantic challenges of Crazy Theater also unlockable. Anyone who’s enjoyed the multiplayer fighting fun of Team Kirby Clash Deluxe should be sure to give the Kirby Battle Royale demo a whirl. What’s more, demo players who purchase the full game and transfer their save data across will unlock Meta Knight as a playable character, usually only unlockable after advancing to the final league in Story Mode.

Can you rise to King Dedede’s challenge? Can you survive in a Kirby-eat-Kirby world?

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At the dusk of its life, the Nintendo 3DS family is going out with a bang.

Just the last year has included Super Mario Maker, Ever Oasis, Metroid: Samus Returns and now Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions. Even though I loved my Game Boy Advance I never got to try Superstar Saga in its original form on that console so I was excited to try this new remake. A serviceable remake of a fantastic original role-playing game, it’s updates include a more questionable addition that can thankfully be ignored.

Superstars Saga starts out like any other Mario title – with Princess Peach in trouble. Peach’s voice has been stolen and Mario, Luigi and Bowser (who doesn’t want any other baddie getting the glory of kidnapping Peach) set off after the culprits. The original writing and translation work is exemplar, with a quirky sense of humour that often left a wry smile on my face.

The unlikely trio’s journey leads them to the bean kingdom, which apparently borders the Mushroom kingdom to the west. Once there, Mario and Luigi explore the overworld (controlling Mario with A and Luigi with B) and battle monsters that live in it. Battles take place on their own screen, similar to Final Fantasy or other JRPGs.

Combat focuses heavily on timing, from the basic jump where you can double the damage if you press your character’s button at the right time to more complex attacks, counter-attacks and dodges. Button-press timing is very particular, and getting your timing wrong can be devastating. You must learn the weaknesses of your enemy through experimentation, and it reminded me a lot of Persona’s combat. If you get the flow right, you might not take any damage at all in a battle, but mess it up and you could be on the ropes for some serious damage. This took awhile to get used to. After about four hours something clicked though and I was able to get my button presses right, but there was definitely a struggle at the beginning. There are also special moves called Bros. Moves – where you time multiple button presses in a row for extra damage in combat.

These can be quite stylish when pulled off correctly, which is much harder than it sounds.

Progressing through the overworld is rarely as simple as move and jump. You’ll need to harness a variety of abilities such as a whirlwind, hammer smash and an extra-high jump to access new areas and solve simple environmental puzzles. Puzzles are generally of a high quality though there’s one bad escort mission where you must keep Princess Peach on the screen with you at all times, otherwise she’d be immediately kidnapped. While this is a somewhat humorous commentary of the incredulity of mario games’ narratives, it was incredibly frustrating. In so many ways game design has moved forward since Superstar Saga was originally released, and it shows in some small parts of the game.

The graphics have been nicely revamped from the original Game Boy Advance presentation, though to be truthful I would have been just fine with transporting the original pixel art onto the higher resolution 3DS screen. Speaking of, unfortunately there’s no 3D support at all from what I could see – I feel that Superstar Saga would have benefited from the increased sense of depth perception that the 3DS’s 3D functionality provides. But now that Nintendo’s preference is clearly 2D (see New Nintendo 2DS XL) I can’t say I’m surprised to see 3D’s absence.

In addition to Superstars Saga, Nintendo have included a brand new game called Bowser’s Minions. It can be accessed after about 3 hours of gameplay, but after that you can switch between each mode freely. This mode, which is really a whole new game separate from Superstars Saga, features fairly hands-off battles. You are the somewhat dim-witted Captain Goomba, determined to rescue your hapless Lord Bowser. To get to him you set up battles between Bowser’s minions and inhabitants of the bean kingdom and let them play out, intervening occasionally to prevent a special attack or boost your own side. While setting up the battle – selecting your team, examining your captain’s calls and putting them into formation – was interesting, actually watching the battles unfold was for lack of a better word, boring. There’s not too much to do except hope you chose correctly and see the results.

While Bowsers Minions is inoffensive, I can’t imagine anyone becoming particularly invested in this mode. Thankfully, it can safely be ignored and you don’t really ever have to play it if you don’t want to. There’s support for the new amiibo released alongside this game but unfortunately I wasn’t able to test this.

Mario & Luigi: Superstars Saga + Bowser’s Minions was a bit of a surprise game for me. While initially it didn’t leave a strong impression, it was strangely compelling. I found myself looking for little moments to get some time with the game – explore a few more areas here, win a couple of battles there – much to my surprise. Once you become familiar with the rhythm and timings of combat in particular, Superstars Saga really opens up. It is mechanically complex though, and the extremely tight timings might not suit young children or those not able to react as quickly as the game demands.

Though the Switch is here the Nintendo 3DS still has much to give, and it would be a shame for players to miss out on some extremely high quality experiences being released for it this year. While the latter part of Mario & Luigi: Superstars Saga + Bowser’s Minions is largely forgettable, Superstars Saga should not be missed. It doesn’t add much to the Game Boy Advance release, but on a new console and with brand-new graphics, it’s a must-play for 3DS owners this year.

The post Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Solving mysteries runs in the family! With Professor Layton’s whereabouts unknown, it’s time for his daughter Katrielle to take centre-stage in LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy, coming to Nintendo 3DS and 2DS in Australia and New Zealand on the 7th of October 2017.

Developed by LEVEL-5 Inc. and distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Nintendo, this new adventure marks the tenth anniversary of the popular mystery-puzzle game series.

The Nintendo 3DS version of the game includes more puzzles than any game in the Layton series thus far, and what’s more, bonus puzzles will be available to download daily for one year, starting from launch day. With additional minigames to round out the package, puzzle fans will find plenty to keep their brains occupied as they explore the charming and visually rich world of LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy.

The story this time begins with Katrielle setting up the Layton Detective Agency on Chancer Lane, determined to prove her worth and hoping that the exposure will help her to uncover clues regarding her missing father’s whereabouts. Whizzing around London on her trusty bicycle, solving case after unlikely case, Katrielle will become embroiled in a quizzical quest that eventually leads to her unwitting discovery of the Millionaires’ Conspiracy.

But she’s not alone in her endeavours – a young Gressenheller student by the name of Ernest Greeves joins the agency as her assistant, and the team quickly grows to three when Sherl, a talking dog, becomes Katrielle’s first client and subsequently a trusty sidekick.

With the intuitive, Touch Screen-based gameplay that fans know and love, LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy is as easy to pick up and play as any of its predecessors, and can be enjoyed on any system in the Nintendo 3DS family, including the recently-released New Nintendo 2DS XL. Layton diehards, casual puzzle-solvers and newcomers alike will quickly become immersed in the brain-teasing adventure as they help Katrielle discover clues, solve puzzles and ultimately deduce the truth. Fashion-conscious players can also redecorate the agency and dress Katrielle in various different outfits to suit the case at hand.

With the most puzzles ever included in a Layton game, a colourful cast of new characters, a hatful of humorous dialogue and an intriguing new storyline, it’s time to say hello to a new heroine and a new era for the Layton Series! 

The post LAYTON RETURNS TO 3DS AS LAYTON’S MYSTERY JOURNEY: KATRIELLE AND THE MILLIONAIRES’ CONSPIRACY appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Brain Training is back! The latest entry in the phenomenally successful series, is Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused?, launching 29th of July 2017 on Nintendo 3DS. In a busy world with ever more distractions, it can be hard to stay focused on the things that matter. This helpful new title aims to address that problem, with new Devilish Training activities that are designed to give everyone’s working memory a rigorous workout.

First introduced in 2006, the Brain Training series is designed to stimulate the brain, and aims to help players improve their mental agility through a number of bite-sized challenges and activities. It’s already been 10 years since More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain? was released in Australia and New Zealand, and with so much information being thrown at us in our daily lives, we all need to take some time to blow away those mental cobwebs. That’s where a little Devilish Brain Training goes a long way.

Working memory allows the temporary storage and manipulation of information – it’s essential for carrying out daily activities such as replying to someone in conversation, thinking out the steps of a recipe, or anticipating an opponent’s moves in sports. Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training aims to train working memory and thereby help players to hone their powers of concentration, through a selection of exercises called Devilish Training. As an example of Devilish Training, in “1-Back” players will be challenged to answer a series of maths problems – but with a devious twist. Instead of immediately answering the problem that appears on screen, players must remember the solution – then when the next problem appears, they must input the answer to the previous problem instead. Of course, while doing this they must also solve and remember the answer to the second problem, ready to input it when the third problem appears! It’s perfect for anyone who’s ever forgotten what they were looking for when they entered a room, or never remembers where they’ve put down their car keys.

While the Devilish Training exercises are demanding, they are also quick to play, and the game encourages players to practice them for 5 minutes per day. The difficulty level also gets adjusted automatically based on a player’s performance, so everyone can train at his or her own level. In addition to the eight different Devilish Training exercises, players can also enjoy the following content:

• Training Supplements – A selection of favourite exercises from previous Brain Training games, which complement the Devilish Training by also focusing on working memory and concentration
• Brain Training – These include card games, musical challenges and logic tests, some of which are new and some of which return from previous Brain Training titles
• Time Out – Relaxing activities designed to give your brain a break. Perfect after a tough Devilish Training session!
• Concentration Challenge – Test how long you can concentrate on a series of 2-Back Devilish Calculations. This is a toughie, and can only be attempted once per day!

In total, Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? offers 30 exercises and minigames, 17 of which are brand new for this title. Furthermore, for those who enjoy adding a competitive element to their training, multiple save slots allow players to test themselves against other family members using only copy of the game.

Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? is compatible with any system in the Nintendo 3DS family, including Nintendo 2DS and New Nintendo 2DS XL. Existing Brain Training enthusiasts and newcomers to the series alike can give the new Devilish Training a try-out by downloading a free demo version of the game from Nintendo eShop.

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I would bet that at some stage nearly every gamer has wanted to take up the reigns of game designer. Whether that’s because you have a great idea for a compelling story, or you have a solution to a frustrating game design problem in something you’re playing, the desire to go behind the scenes and get your hands dirty creating your own game is a natural extension of your interest in gaming more generally.

And fortunately, it’s never been easier to make games for small developers. The plethora of tools available to us, such as Unity, Unreal Engine 4 and GameMaker Studio, have all helped to create a vibrant indie scene. But if you want software that is even easier than those tools to use, and are a fan of 16-bit role playing games with no code then RPG Maker Fes for Nintendo 3DS could well be your solution. Part of the long-running RPG Maker series, this latest edition is now available to create and play portably. It’s a more accessible version of the PC editions, but for the right people, limitations breeds creative solutions.

One of the best parts of RPG Maker Fes is its free “player” tool, which lets you play any Level published by others who own the game. It’s a fantastic way to gain access to complex, new, innovative and wacky titles by home creators, and the price is the killer point. It’s easy to whip up something new, or share an idea in progress with everybody who has a 3DS. The only issue is that from what I can tell there’s no way to export these games to other platforms.

Despite being limited to a Final Fantasy 6, 16-bit SNES styles graphic style, there’s a variety of art styles to choose from, and more available to purchase as DLC. Though it may seem simplistic and limited at first, I’ve seen some very creative uses of what’s possible. You can script events such as cutscenes or movement throughout the world, and in the right hands these are very powerful, and effective.

Typing on the screen via the 3DS’ resistive touchscreen (especially on the smaller versions of those consoles) can be painful, especially for longer dialogue sequences. I’m not sure how this could really be overcome, but it stands out as a tiring and frustrating experience, even on the larger XL model. The translation of the main interface is generally poor, and for something so relatively simple it’s disheartening to see. Hopefully future updates can address this, but for the moment it can be difficult to understand what each mode actually does without experimentation.

But my biggest gripe with RPG Maker Fes is that there’s no tutorial or other introductory systems. You’re left to your own to figure out how the arcane menus and systems all come together to create a cohesive whole. I would have loved to see something like a “hello world” style game, or even a decent template to base your game off, so you can see how it’s done, but instead you’re left with basically a blank slate.

Despite being one of the easiest ways to create games out there, it will still take you a while to get a decent-sized game out there. Expect to take around thirty hours, depending on how much you have planned out beforehand. The audience for this version of the RPG Maker series is for even more casual audiences than those found on PC and is likely to be picked up by those without a good idea of the game design process: how occasionally tedious and complex it can be. Knowing what you’re creating and going in with a well laid out game design document will be enormously helpful, but unfortunately RPG Maker Fes doesn’t include anything of the sort. There are a huge number readily available online though, and I highly recommend checking them out.

In spite of the limitations inherent in creating game-making software for such a limited platform as the 3DS, playing around with creating my very own game was still enjoyable, and that game-making is now available on the go is a huge bonus. In the end, I will be more likely to try out others’ games rather than my own, but I am glad that there is now the chance to create, not just play. With the release of more game making tools than ever before in ever more accessible forms, the future is bright for casual and entry-level game design. Who knows how many professional careers could start right here, with this tool? I hope to be reviewing them in the years to come!

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The news from Nintendo is that the 3DS is still alive. Despite the recent release of its blockbuster Switch console, new games continue to be released for the now six year old Nintendo 3DS family. And despite its aged technology, Nintendo has proved once again that great games beat great technical specs. Ever Oasis is one of the strongest new IPs on the console, and a fantastic way to prove the 3DS still has a place in your backpack.

Developed by Grezzo, who have previously remastered Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask for the 3DS, it also strongly resembles the developer’s other works, the Mana series. While it’s strange to see new IP so late in the console’s lifespan, Grezzo have taken up the opportunity and spun it into an enjoyable tale, and wonderfully distracting timesink.

Taking on the role of Tethu, you are tasked by your companion spirit to build up your oasis, and by so doing push back the tides of chaos that threaten to consume the desert around you. It’s a fairly basic tale, but it gives the developers the opportunity to explore many different regions and stories.

The core of the game is to build your town while fighting your enemies. These two tasks are strongly intertwined both thematically and mechanically. By encouraging more citizens to take up residence in your oasis, you increase the economy of the town and your combat abilities. Before they become residents, visitors have specific needs you’ll need to cater for to make sure they hang around. Their quests usually amount to go here, speak to someone, or go there, beat up a few enemies, but they’re usually well written so I didn’t mind too much. More residents means more money, and this money can be invested in building new shops, and so the circle continues. I enjoyed seeing my town spring up before my eyes as the result of my labour. If only creating a growing, vibrant town economy were this easy in real life!

Fighting is based around typical real time action RPG mechanics. Combat consists of dodging, performing light and strong attacks, and breaking out the occasional special move. There are a variety of different weapons, such as spears, boomerangs and wands. Weapon types and special abilities (more on that later) are specific to each party member, but you do have the ability to switch around characters at any time. With a party of up to three, combat is a little simplistic, but nevertheless satisfying. My only complaint was the early every enemy requires the same strategy – circle around the back and whack with your weapon until dead. I would have liked to see a bit more experimentation such as in the Legend of Zelda series, but that’s a rather high bar to live up to for anyone.

Besides exploring an open world, there are occasional Legend of Zelda-style dungeons. While these steal the same beats – explore, fight mini bosses, earn a big boss door key, fight a giant enemy, the level design is far more basic. And while puzzles are simpler, my main complaint is that dungeons require more party members than you can have with you. For example, you may need your own wind power, someone to smash rocks and another to pull switches in one room. In the next though, you may need someone with a wand. This requires a trip back to your Oasis to change your party members, which really interrupts the flow of these sections. Fortunately there’s the Aqua gate system, where you can return to your Oasis at any time, heal, change your party and get right back to where you were. This does make areas easier though, as a quick heal is never far away.

Ever Oasis looks as good as any 3DS game can, with a distinctive art style that goes beyond typical medieval fantasy tropes. There’s limited benefit to using the 3D features, and the launch of this game alongside the 2DS XL implies just how unnecessary it really is.

While this isn’t a knock on the game itself, it’s a shame that the game isn’t available on both Nintendo 3DS and Switch, limiting itself to Nintendo’s older console. Monster Hunter XX shows us how much better straight ports can look when given the chance.

In the end, what you’re left with is a Zelda-lite that is strangely addictive. I become surprisingly invested in the loop of fighting, undertaking visitor’s quests, and building more shops with the spoils of those quests. I only hope that Ever Oasis gets the attention it deserves, living in the shadow of its new hot sibling releases such as ARMS and Splatoon 2. A worthy addition to anyone’s 3DS library, it shows that the old, beloved system has life left in it yet.

The post Ever Oasis (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The new game from Koichi Ishii, the renowned creator of the acclaimed Mana series of RPGs, Ever Oasis will open up a whole new world for players to explore when it launches for 3DS on the 24th of June 2017. Mr Ishii recently took the time to share some insights into the game’s development process, and the first instalment of his article – The World of Ever Oasis – part 1 – is available to read now.

Ever Oasis is a brand new take on the action adventure RPG genre, developed by Grezzo, the team who brought The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D to Nintendo 3DS. Taking the role of a plant-like Seedling, the player must team up with the Water Spirit Esna in order to build a new oasis in the desert – a place of safety and respite in a world threatened by the spread of the life-stealing Chaos.

By helping visitors who arrive at the oasis, the player can encourage them to take up residence and set up their own shops known as Bloom Booths. These will generate income and, over time, transform the oasis into a thriving hub of activity. Heroes must also venture out into the desert, to gather valuable resources and uncover the secrets that lie in the many puzzle-filled dungeons throughout the world. New allies may join the adventuring party too, and they’ll be needed, as the taint of Chaos is everywhere, and a host of enemies stand ready to attack our hero in exciting real-time combat.

Tying all of this together is the story, which constitutes the emotional heart of the game. As Mr Ishii explains, “The story has been designed to illustrate the importance of kindness and, at times, to touch the heart.” In his recent article The World of Ever Oasis – part 1, he touched upon this theme again, and how it relates to the character design in-game: “The story of Ever Oasis is all about working with your friends and supporting each other, so we didn’t want to create a hero who could do everything by themselves. Heroes will encounter all sort of situations in which it’s impossible to progress without help from other residents of the oasis.” In a game which requires careful gathering and management of resources, as the story unfolds the player may learn that friendship is an even more important resource to nurture.

Additionally, an exclusive pre-launch reward will be available on My Nintendo. Members can save 10% on a purchase of Ever Oasis from Nintendo eShop, by exchanging 30 Gold Points between the 16th of June and 1st of July, 2017 (until 5:00pm AEST).

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