Did you know there was a new Persona game out this year?

I’m not talking about Persona 5: The Royal Edition, but Persona Q2: A New Cinema Labyrinth for Nintendo 3DS. A release that has so far eluded much media attention, this is a solid Persona dungeon-crawler game that deserves more interest that it has received.

Starting with the Phantom Thieves from Persona 5, Q2 is a followup from the surprise hit Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, released back in 2013. It doesn’t exactly interrogate the first game’s mechanics or style too deeply, opting to mimic and refine rather than reinvent. But that’s fine, and is a worthy send off for your 3DS, which is unlikely now to receive many new exclusive games. Particularly if the rumours are true and a cheaper, portable-focussed Switch is on the horizon, it may finally be time to put down the 3DS after the forty or so hours you will take to complete this game.

But what will you be doing in Q2? For the most part, the game revolves around a cast of characters from three different Persona games, Persona 5, Persona 4 and Persona 3. Caught in a strange world, they must work together to find out what’s happening and who’s behind it. To do this, you’ll spend time in three main activities: talking, first-person dungeon crawling, and undertaking turn-based fights.

Let’s start with the cast: initially starting with a large portion of the cast of Persona 5, you soon encounter other persona users from Persona 3 and Persona 4. It’s sort of a big super-group atmosphere, and lore contradictions and gaps are papered over for the purpose of keeping things moving and enjoyable. It’s a fun mix, but with so many characters conversations often become extraordinarily long, with each character putting their two cents in, and then reacting to each other’s comments. Rather than almost the entire cast of each game, one or two characters from each could have worked better.

Between the extremely long conversations, you’ll spend most of your time walking around dungeons in first person, Ultima style. These aren’t your typical dungeons however. While that word typically brings up images of grey stonework and medieval themes, dungeons here are varied, with some excellent visual design. You can only move around them in cardinal directions on a grid, avoiding enemies, activating shortcuts and looking for the stairs up and down. It’s all fairly linear, but there are some interesting level designs to be seen.

The dungeons are where you’ll find the combat, which is much the same as in Persona 5. For the most part, you’re discovering the critical weakness of each enemy and using it to deal massive damage and knock it down. Once down, your team can do a stylish all-out attack that will hopefully take it out of action. Keeping your team managed with a variety of persona skills, enough skill points to pull them off, and enough health points is the key to success. It’s made slightly more complicated with the inclusion of a front line and back line, but in general I felt right at home from my experience with previous Persona titles.

As you walk around the dungeons, the game tasks you with drawing a map on the bottom, touch-compatible 3DS screen. You’ll have to trace outlines of walls, add doors and shortcuts, and mark treasure chests for future reference. The map mechanic was an interesting choice, and theoretically does match up well with capabilities of the 3DS system. In practice however, taking something that we normally take for granted in other games (a map), and turning this into a manual process was frustrating. It distracted me from the main dungeon crawling, and served to artificially lengthen my time in the game.

Rather than the slick, more “realistic” anime style of Persona 5, Q2 goes with a Chibi, bobble-head look. It works, though with the characters now looking more like children, some of the more mature themes come across strangely. Ann in particular, with her skin-tight red leather outfit, sits uncomfortably in her new childish chibi outfit.

The anime style does suit the low-resolution Nintendo 3DS screen however. With lots of block colours the system is still able to put out a decent graphical effort. That said, going back to the 3DS’ screen resolution is difficult in the age of the Switch and 4K mobile phone screens. Merely acceptable at the time of the 3DS’ release, the 400 x 240 screen in today’s world sticks out as a relic of a technology frontier long past. And of the 3DS’ signature 3D, I found no trace whatsoever, continuing the trend of other recent 3DS games.

As a swansong to the Nintendo 3DS, it is hard to ask for a better send-off than Persona Q2. A great soundtrack, interesting, fast-paced combat and a menagerie of characters from games past and present all adds up to a worthy follow up to the original Persona Q2, showing how that game was not a one hit wonder. It’s just a shame that this game is likely to be overlooked simply because of the platform it is on, one that, multiple years into the Switch’s life, most people have now moved on from. Now, let’s get Persona 5 proper onto Switch.

The post Persona Q2 (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Nintendo has continued its support of the 3DS, mostly with remakes of older games from old consoles and this is still happening with the port of the Wii game, Kirby’s Epic Yarn. Thanks to not having a Wii, this was a gem that I missed, so the chance to finally check out this unique journey of our favourite hungry pink ball is something I wasn’t going to miss.

Kirby is wandering through the world when he eats a tomato, which turns out to be an evil sorcerer named Yin-Yarn resulting in his banishment to patch land. Here Kirby runs into Prince Fluff, a blue looking version of Kirby, and goes on to save Patch Land which has been torn apart. It’s a light-hearted silly story… you know, a Kirby game.

The most obvious change to the game is the beautiful and creative yarn design. Kirby, like the other characters and enemies in the game are made from wool outlines which isn’t only clever, it’s gorgeous. The detail in the yarn, and the complex design of characters and their animations as they move or transition to different states is a treat to witness.

Anyone that knows Kirby at all, especially if they know him from Smash Bros, is that he is iconic for his ability to eat anything using a vortex of a bite, and that he can balloon up to fly. Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn takes a different approach by removing both iconic moves in his yarn state. This seems surprising, but instead of gaining enemies powers by sucking them up, he gains it by flinging his slingshot to collect powerups, so it still feels like the Kirby you have played before. The flying isn’t missed as the platforming isn’t built around that.

2D platformers tend to age well, and despite this game being eight years old it feels as fresh as any new game would. The platforming feels good, and thanks to Kirby’s yarn state, he changes into different forms like a car to go fast, which is a fresh spin on the classic character. It’s a quirky way to have Kirby be the same Kirby, but different.

The Levels themselves are cleverly designed and are nicely varied, with excellent stage music. Levels range from classic 2D side scrolling, to needing to travel up, to fun moments where Kirby becomes overpowered such as becoming a giant, or as a flying saucer. If there is one thing that can be said about the game, I never got bored.

The fact that I didn’t get bored is even more surprising due to the game’s biggest flaw, its simplicity. Kirby games tend to be easy, geared more towards the younger gamers among us. This can be fixed by including harder modes for older gamers, but that isn’t Kirby’s jam. If you are hoping for a 2D brutal platformer like Super Meat Boy, then Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn is probably not for you.

The rebuild comes with some interesting tweaks, and one addresses the difficulty with devilish mode available for each Level. This mode switches Kirby’s inability to die with a health bar and introduces devils which appear throughout the Level which can come at some inconvenient platforming times. Early on Devilish Mode levels are still easy, but it does ramp that difficulty up. A big win is they don’t force you to play on normal to unlock the harder difficulty either. If you want it a little harder, you can play Devilish mode Levels.

If you haven’t played Kirby’s Epic Yarn and enjoy simple charming platformers as much as I do, then I can’t recommend Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn enough. If you have but wished that it was harder, then there may be enough here for you too. It’s a charming fun romp that is cute as all hell… you know, Kirby.

The post Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Remakes are a wonderful thing, which is something I would have been kicking myself for saying only six years ago.

Generally, it allows someone who enters a console ecosystem to experience older games in newer glory, and it gives a good reminder for people who missed a game for any reason, to give it another go. In the case of Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey, I had heard about the Mario & Luigi series for years, but generally skipped over them, then this remake popped it straight back into my mind, and onto my 3DS.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story was originally released on the DS in 2009. Eagle eyed fans will notice that they can still play this game on the 3DS, and that’s right, if you can find a copy these days of the original. This is where old owners will struggle to justify the extra purchase as they can still play the old game on their current hardware.

For newcomer though, there is an experience here you don’t want to miss. The story kicks off with the mushroom kingdom being infected with an illness called the blorbs. Basically, infected mushroom characters find themselves as giant balls like Violet in Willy Wonka, except they roll around out of control. This is a disaster for a mushroom based kingdom like the Mushroom Kingdom.

The kingdoms leaders are talking about the disaster when they are interrupted by Bowser who wants to be part of finding the solution that is affecting the entire kingdom, including his land. His totally reasonable request results in him being beaten and sent off where he tries to find the power to beat Mario. This results in him eating a mushroom that ends up with him eating everything in sight including Peach, Mario and Luigi, which is slightly less reasonable.

Mario and Luigi find themselves awake in Bowser’s body who then proceed to wake him up, then eventually need to make their way out. Meanwhile Bowser is exploring the world, also trying to solve the problem at hand, unaware that the brothers that are in his body also doing their part to help the story. It is one of the most bizarre stories I have seen, with its silly charm making the whole thing a delightful and funny ride.

Exploring the game’s world itself has Bowser walking around a 3D world, while Mario and Luigi explore a 2D side scrolling environment. Battles in the game are based around a classic JRPG battle system where characters and enemies are lined up on the screen, with you choosing your attacks from the available options. It’s mostly simple and generic but one quirk is the ability to jump over an enemy’s attack. You also benefit from pressing a prompt at certain times during an attack to do more damage. Bowser has slightly different commands, but it’s similar. Bowser’s interesting quirk is the ability to swallow enemies which Mario and Luigi fight instead.

Comparing to old screenshots there is a clear and amazing graphical overhaul in place. The game looks like a good Switch game, and a great 3DS game with a lot more detail but without the old cell shaded style. The other obvious addition is the Bowser Jr.’s Journey mode which tells the story of home when Bowser is away. Bowser Jr. is a weird brat who is commanding troops in battle, generally ignoring the advice of his carers.

The gameplay looks similar in screenshots to battles in the main game, but instead of controlling the characters it is all automated. You choose which troops to send into a battle, and where to place them, then basically watch them fight waves of enemies. You use button prompts at certain times on some attacks to make them more damaging, but there isn’t too much more to it. Initially I thought it was a fun spin, but it got boring quickly.

Dust off that 3DS and check out Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey if you haven’t yet. It’s a great game with bonus content that’s worthwhile. If you already own the game and aren’t a fanboy that wants every extra piece of content possible, it’s a tougher sell. Either way it’s a great game, that continues to be great.

The post Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

New handcrafted Yoshi and Kirby games are launching in March 2019. 

Yoshi’s Crafted World, a brand-new adventure and the first game starring Yoshi for Nintendo Switch, launches exclusively for the console on the 29th of March 2019.

Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn launches for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on the 9th of March 2019.

In Yoshi’s Crafted World players take control of a Yoshi exploring a big world crafted from household items like boxes and paper cups, navigating each themed stage to solve puzzles and find hidden treasures. On the flip side, stages can be played backwards, providing new perspectives to explore and the challenge to find Poochy-Pups that are hiding around the course. Players can even join up with a friend to play through the game in two-player co-op.

In Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn, an enhanced version of the acclaimed Kirby’s Epic Yarn that was originally released for the Wii system, Kirby is transported into a world made of cloth and yarn to unravel enemies, unzip secret passageways and transform into powerful vehicles. Every stage in the original Wii version is stitched in, but this Nintendo 3DS version has some new features, like new Ravel Abilities that power up Kirby in fun ways, new mini-games featuring familiar faces King Dedede and Meta Knight, new furniture to personalise and decorate Kirby’s Pad, and a new Devilish mode that adds an extra layer of challenge to each stage.

Some of the Ravel Abilities include a giant yarn ball used to attack enemies, a wire sword that can slice through anything and the Nylon ability, which can generate wind for jumping higher and collecting beads.

The creative, colourful and visually stunning game also features new amiibo functionality for compatible Kirby series amiibo figures that gives Kirby wearable hats and abilities based on the figure used.

Fans of Yoshi and Kirby have a lot to look forward to in March, as Yoshi’s Crafted World launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch and Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn launches for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

The post Get Ready Not One but Two Epic Yarns appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Thanks to a limited history with Nintendo’s consoles, Luigi’s Mansion is one of those games I had lightly heard of, but never experienced. Now Nintendo has given the opportunity to check out this classic horror-ish game, so long as you didn’t trade your 3DS in for a Switch.

For the few uninitiated like myself, Luigi’s Mansion tells a weird story where Luigi won a mansion and when he gets there he finds Mario is lost somewhere inside its confines. This leads to him meeting the Professor E Gadd who explains to him about the ghosts in the mansion, equipping him with a vacuum to suck up and defeat the ghosts.

It’s a bizarre story that isn’t as surprising when you think about how it’s 17 years old but fits into the modern nature of a Mario franchise game. After a few hours of play it’s easy to see why Luigi is portrayed as the helpless wuss brother in pop culture, as it’s doesn’t exactly shine Luigi in a heroic light as he spends the whole game walking slowly around rooms, teeth chattering, and whimpering.

The gameplay has you exploring the mansion room by room finding unique ghosts that you must beat to unblock new doors in the mansion. In this way it leans more towards being in the puzzle genre than action as it appears initially. To beat certain ghosts, you need to observe them doing their thing, like reading books, and find something to make them expose their hearts. That’s when you get to start vacuuming them up.

The vacuuming process has you initiate a mini game whereby you need to hold the joystick in the opposite direction of where the ghost is trying to fly. These vary in length depending on how strong the ghost is. If you don’t succeed fast enough, you will need to initiate the vacuuming process again.

Ghosts throughout the game come in a few major types. The first are simple ones that you need to stun with the torch and suck up, usually in waves that can be frustratingly annoying depending on how many you get. Then there are the mini bosses which have you need to find the way to initiate their hearts to start the vacuuming process, usually requiring a few attempts to get their health down.

Then there are actual bosses. These start the same way as the mini bosses where you need to find the way to set them off, but then go into a classic boss state where the boss has wave-based attacks to avoid. My personal favourite is the first you encounter which is a giant baby ghost that fires toys at you, which is disturbing if you think too much about it. I recommend you don’t think too much about it.

Surprisingly the game hasn’t aged as badly as I would have expected. Without an actual point of reference, I can’t say if it has aged well, or if it has had some great porting work done, but it doesn’t feel like a 17-year-old game. Some of the graphics and controls feel a little old, but nowhere near two decades.

If you are tossing up checking out Luigi’s Mansion for the first time and still have a 3DS laying around I highly recommend checking it out. Some minor dated gameplay elements are easily outweighed by the opportunity to meet Gooigi. It’s worth it alone for that pun.

The post Luigi’s Mansion (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

With the first YO-KAI WATCH game and its popular sequel YO-KAI WATCH 2 capturing the imaginations of children across Australia and New Zealand, fans of the games and the popular TV series can now enjoy an all-new story, befriend old and new quirky Yo-kai and experience a revamped battle system.

The story begins when Nate Adams’ father is offered a new job forcing them to leave Springdale and relocate to a town called St. Peanutsburg in the country of BBQ. Having just replaced his inoperable Yo-kai Watch with the new Yo-kai Watch Model U, it’s not long before Nate finds himself caught up in another series of mysteries. One day, FBY agents and hilarious duo, Blunder and Folly, come knocking at Nate’s door asking if he’s aware of the UFO which recently crash-landed in the area. Unable to help, Nate sets off to investigate with his beloved friends, Whisper and Jibanyan, and finds himself getting caught up into an assortment of exciting adventures, while meeting with a cast of bothersome, friendly and quirky Yo-kai along the way.

Meanwhile, back in Springdale, a geeky detective wannabe, Hailey Anne Thomas, gets more than she bargained for after trying to hunt down a limited-edition character figure. After entering a shop with high hopes, a mysterious voice entices her to purchase a Yo-kai Watch Model U. Once Hailey Anne discovers the voice belongs to a Yo-kai named Usapyon and understands why he was so eager for her to buy the Yo-kai Watch Model U, they join forces, inspiring Hailey Anne to open a detective agency to solve the troubles of Springdale.

Why has there been so much mysterious activity in Springdale and St. Peanutsburg lately, and why do Nate and Hailey Anne both possess a Yo-kai Watch Model U?

Nate and Hailey Anne must travel their own separate paths to discover their shared destiny and unravel the mysteries in each of their towns. Aside from Nate’s and Hailey Anne’s key objectives, players can immerse themselves in many exciting side quests – also known as Requests and Favours – by answering the needs of the local residents, with the hope of a nice reward at the end. They can also take on a range of mini-games and challenges, which include rafting down rapids in BBQ or unearthing treasure maps as they seek out hidden treasures.

The reimagined battle system is the most exciting and tactical in the series to date, so players will have to think and act fast if they’re to win. Using the new Tactics Board, players have the freedom to place their three preferred Yo-kai anywhere on a 3 x 3 grid. Yo-kai positioned on the front row will see their physical attacks become stronger and will protect Yo-kai behind them. Players can also place Yo-kai next to each other to trigger Linking effects, resulting in combo attacks. There are lots of possible combinations so experiment with different Yo-kai to discover your perfect team.

Players who are eager to test their battle skills against fellow Yo-kai rivals can participate in a range of multiplayer battles including Local Battle, Friend Battle and ‘Merican Dream Battles. In ‘Merican Dream Battle, players can choose between Casual Battle, which has no rules, and Official Rank Battle, where they can battle to gather Rank Points. Outside of the battle arena, players can trade Yo-kai via StreetPass and trade medals over Wi-Fi or local communications.

Fans of Jibanyan can get creative with a feature called Build-a-Nyan, where they can design their own cat Yo-kai by giving it a name, changing its colour and selecting which tribe it represents. Collect Originyan parts through the game to change its voice and appearance, and befriend cat Yo-kai along the way to pass their moves onto your customised moggy.

By visiting the in-game Post Office, players can present download codes, QR Codes and passwords to the receptionist to redeem special items and Yo-kai. The Crank-a-kai of which Whisper first appeared in the original YO-KAI WATCH game and popular TV series makes a return and this time it can be used to receive more items and Yo-kai. Both Crank-a-kai coins – an in-game currency – and Play Coins, earned by walking around with a Nintendo 3DS family system, can be used as tender.

It’s also possible for owners of previous games in the series to link their games with YO-KAI WATCH 3 to unlock in-game content. Link YO-KAI WATCH 2: Bony Spirits, Fleshy Souls and Psychic Specters to befriend an S-Ranking Yo-kai from each game. Players can also link with YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps and White Dog Squad to unlock an exclusive Yo-kai from each of these titles.

Join Nate and Hailey Anne on an epic adventure with alternating storylines and befriend some familiar and new mischievous Yo-kai along the way when YO-KAI WATCH 3 launches on Nintendo 3DS family systems on 8th December 2018 in Australia and New Zealand.

The post EVEN MORE YO-KAI MISCHIEVOUSNESS IS COMING appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Nintendo have shown a remarkable commitment to the Nintendo 3DS family since the Switch was announced and subsequently released.

It’s true that releases have slowed down, though hardware sales have continued to be strong, and the total sales now sit over 70 million consoles. So it is worth Nintendo’s time to make sure owners of 3DS and 2DS consoles have something new to play.

And what a strange but nevertheless very well-suited to 3DS game than WarioWare Gold.

From the bizarre micro games, sometimes grotesque and subversive aesthetic, and flamboyant lead, it’s almost like Nintendo has created a full-blown parody of itself. Yet at the same time it does feel familiar. There is much in common with Warioware touch on the Nintendo DS, though thankfully updated and broadened for the success to that handheld.

WarioWare Gold starts off with a short story mode that serves as the introduction to each style of mini game. Firstly there’s touch, using your finger or the 3DS’ stylus which sees you picking noses, pulling Wario’s shirt down, and spinning around lattes. Second is tilt, where you move the 3DS side to side to do sit ups and keep a pig in a pen among other wacky activities. The last main control system is simply using the D-Pad and ‘A’ button to control your character on screen. In the remix ‘Ultra’ modes, there are also some games that require you to blow into the 3DS’ microphone. Each mechanic is introduced slowly, with a gradual ramp up of effort, speed and difficulty. The pacing is nicely done, though the only times that I felt truly challenged was when I encountered a new micro game I hadn’t played before and therefore didn’t know what to do.

And this situation is the true double-edge sword of the series.

The truly hardest part of playing WarioWare Gold is not the micro games, but the meta game of predicting and reacting to what micro game is coming up next, particularly in the Ultra mode where it routinely swaps between control schemes. One second you might be using your stylus, and the next using the D Pad. Mentally managing these changing systems is difficult, but often in a good way. For me, the arcade mode where you simply try and do better at one single micro game didn’t appeal, and each game by design doesn’t have much depth to it. Once you know how to play each micro game you know how to do it, there’s no additional layers of mechanical complexity to discover. Which is not a bad thing at all – swapping between the dozens of micro games shows that sometimes quantity can be just as good as quality.

Now many of these micro games will feel familiar to those who have played previous entries in the series – this is more of a compilation of past entries than a wholesale new rethinking of what a WarioWare game would / could / should include. There are plenty of returning micro games and others that directly reference or take snippets of past Nintendo classics such as The Legend of Zelda, and whether you like them or not I think depends deeply on your existing familiarity with other Nintendo franchises.

If this game is sounding all a bit too bizarre to know whether it’s something you would like, there’s a demo available in the eShop, so if you’re unsure whether WarioWare Gold is the sort of game that would appeal to you, or it’s too familiar to previous entries, then there’s no reason you can’t check it out before committing to the full package.

Nintendo’s send-off games to the Nintendo 3DS family are generally a mixed bag, but the focus on the Switch has given the developers still on 3DS games the freedom to experiment with some strange titles. WarioWare Gold is one of these, even if it seems familiar.

It peels back the corporate shininess that often covers Nintendo, revealing the strange yet relatable minds that work on and around Nintendo properties. WarioWare Gold is a game that embraces and reflects back all the odd and fringe aspects of Nintendo fandom and answers the questions only deep fans ever dreamed – what if Wario was handsome? What if Nintendo made a game that looks like the imitation Mario flash games that have proliferated for decades now? It’s a bizarre package, but one that’s strangely compelling as a quick hit.

WarioWare Gold isn’t a game that will captivate you for hours, but it’s a great in between game, a pick up and play experience that will easy distract you from whatever you need. And yes, I would have loved to see this on the Switch.

The post WarioWare Gold (3DS) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

As Gamescom kicks off in Cologne, Germany, Nintendo has revealed new details on what fans can expect throughout the week, including new gameplay from already-announced Nintendo Switch titles including Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Mario Party, and DAEMON X MACHINA from Marvelous, while visitors to the show can play a range of upcoming titles, including the world’s first hands-on with Super Mario Party and the recently-announced Diablo III Eternal Collection from Blizzard Entertainment.

Following on from the recent Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct that took an in-depth look at the upcoming fight-fest, coming to Nintendo Switch on the 7th of December 2018, fans can watch brand new footage of the newly-announced characters King K. Rool, Dark Samus, and Chrom in battle, with two full matches straight from the development team in Japan. Watch Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – King K. Rool gameplay and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Dark Samus and Chrom gameplay (2 on 2, Stage Morph) on Nintendo UK’s official YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, anyone craving fast-paced mech action should have DAEMON X MACHINA from Marvelous firmly on their radar. Coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019, this new title from producer Kenichiro Tsukuda sees players take fully customisable powered suits called Arsenals into a variety of missions. Fans can see more later in the week when Mr Tsukuda will show off brand new gameplay in a video filmed in Nintendo’s RedCube studio at Gamescom. 

Also coming later this week, get primed for a look at brand new gameplay from the upcoming standalone story expansion Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country, in a RedCube video to be published at the end of the week.

Mario Tennis Aces is welcoming a fresh face soon, as Diddy Kong will soon join the fun. This speedy competitor, with his vine-swinging special shot, will be immediately available to players who play during the next tournament, running between the 1st and 30th of September 2018. Once the tournament ends, he’ll then be unlocked for everyone, regardless of whether they participated in the tournament or not. Get a first look at him in action in the Mario Tennis Aces – Diddy Kong trailer on YouTube.

In more Mario news, Nintendo Switch owners can now pre-order Super Mario Party in Nintendo eShop and will receive double My Nintendo Gold Points when the game is released on the 5th of October, 2018.

Mario’s brother Luigi is set for an especially busy month in October, as on top of his appearance in Super Mario Party, Luigi’s Mansion for Nintendo 3DS family systems is hitting shelves and Nintendo eShop in Australia and New Zealand on the 20th of October 2018.

Fans of comics and graphic novels will be excited to hear that InkyPen, an application for reading digital comic books, will be launching exclusively for Nintendo Switch in November. The InkyPen app will be available to download via Nintendo eShop, and users will pay a flat monthly subscription fee to read as many comics as they like, including popular series such as Sonic The Hedgehog, Judge Dredd, and Transformers, with more to be added in the future. Comic fans can see it in action in the above video.

To stay up-to-date with all the Nintendo activities at Gamescom this week here on STG.

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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!

The post GET READY FOR A FRESH BLAST OF SUPERNATURAL MISCHIEF appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Grab your backpack and headtorch, and prepare to set off on a charming puzzle-platforming adventure in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, coming to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS family systems on the 13th of July, 2018. The game includes Levels based on four of the Kingdoms from Super Mario Odyssey, with the newly released Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Overview Trailer (above) offering a sneak peek at them. Players who can’t wait to meet the sometimes nervous but always courageous Captain Toad can now download a free demo version of the game – available for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS. 

As a platforming game, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a little different from the rest.

For starters, the Captain’s heavy backpack means jumping is not possible – so in order to guide him past the various enemies, traps and obstacles that stand between him and the precious Power Star in each course, players will need to take a different approach. Rather than rushing in head-first, it’s important to put some thought into plotting Captain Toad’s route, and even more important to use the adjustable camera to carefully observe the surroundings from all angles. Each Level is a compact and lovingly-crafted diorama in its own right, designed using the same “miniature garden” concept – called “hakoniwa” in Japanese – that inspired much of the Level design in Super Mario Odyssey. This means that lots of charming details, along with plenty of surprises and hidden collectibles, are packed in to what at first glance might seem like quite a small space. 

With more than 70 Levels to conquer, there’s plenty to keep even the most intrepid explorer occupied for a long while. As seen in the Overview Trailer, four of these are bonus Levels based on Kingdoms featured in Super Mario Odyssey: Metro Kingdom, Sand Kingdom, Cascade Kingdom and Luncheon Kingdom.

These bonus levels can be unlocked through regular gameplay, but they can be accessed straight away by scanning one of the Super Mario Odyssey amiibo figures: Mario (Wedding Outfit), Peach (Wedding Outfit) and Bowser (Wedding Outfit). Scanning the Toad amiibo figure will cause a powerful Invincibility Mushroom to appear, while scanning any other amiibo will provide the useful bonus of a 1-Up or two. 

The Nintendo Switch version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is available now for digital pre-load via Nintendo eShop, and by purchasing the game now and pre-loading it to their Nintendo Switch consoles, keen players can be among the first to access the game when it is released at 00:00 local time on the 13th of July, 2018. It’s also worth remembering that digital purchases earn Gold Points worth 5% of the total amount paid, which can be spent on future purchases of Nintendo Switch games and downloadable content in Nintendo eShop.

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