Like many people I never owned a Wii U, so there were so many excellent games trapped on the platform that it seemed like I would never play.

One of these was The Wonderful 101, a Wii U exclusive that was so well received it was one of the reasons I considered buying a Wii U many years on. Fortunately after a successful Kickstarter campaign, The Wonderful 101: Remastered has landed not only on Switch, but also PS4 and PC so we finally get to check out this intriguing action game.

The Wonderful 101 is set in a world where 100 heroes, known as the Wonderful 100, protect the people from all manners of chaos. The story itself is pretty paper thin, there is an attack by aliens, and the 100 heroes plus 1 team up and save the world.  I mean it’s not why you’re playing a game like this but it’s light hearted and fun enough to be engaging.

The reason you will want to check this game out is because of the weirdness expected from a Platinum game and it’s weird, even for them. Platinum fans are familiar with the bonkers and unique 3rd person action games that can be a bit hit and miss even though I like their misses.  The Wonderful 101 is an isometric action game which despite being a different angle, is a totally different genre with different requirements for them to be making a game in.

The character you control at the time, which varies, runs around saving people who get powered up and temporarily join the team. The more people you have in your team the bigger your Unite Morph abilities are. This is where you draw a shape using the analogue stick which then fuses the people’s bodies into a weapon of that shape. These shapes vary including a circle to make a massive fist, a line for a sword, and a rudimentary gun shape for a gun, then your character has that weapon for puzzles or fighting.

That is where the classic Platinum weirdness comes in, as only their minds could find such a weird thing to implement in a isometric action game, and for the most part it works.  Whipping out the sword with all of your temporary members never ceased to be satisfying, though other shapes can be frustrating to get the hang of, especially using that analogue stick.  Once you learn its intricacies it gets more fluent, but I never got consistently good at making the shapes right.

That is where the gameplay sticks its landing.

The gameplay is fun and fluid, if at times frustrating, and as you go you buy upgrades that make the combat even more fun.  I don’t want to spoil more of it because a lot of the fun is uncovering them but the above should cover if it is going to be a game for you or not.

The other thing that makes the game special is the colours and music.  The game definitely looks like an older game that has been given a new coat of paint but thanks to excellent design in the original game, it still works.  Simple details in the world and characters are made up for with the bright colours that saturate the screen. The average voice acting is made up for with an amazing soundtrack that definitely justifies the volume being turned up.

The Wonderful 101: Remastered is a game that I am glad to have finally played.  It feels so quintessentially Platinum, and yet thanks to a shift in genre it is even unique for them.

It takes a long time to get the hang of, but it is so much fun to play as you learn and you don’t need a Wii U to play it anymore.

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Ubisoft announced that Just Dance 2019 will be available on October 25th, 2018 in Australia and New Zealand on most gaming platforms, including Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Wii, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 4. Ubisoft also announced that the Just Dance World Cup will return with its 5th Annual competition, this time heading to Brazil for the Grand Finals in early 2019.

Just Dance 2019 brings the party to players with 40 new songs ranging from chart-toppers like “Finesse (Remix)” by Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B and k-pop classic “Bang Bang Bang” by BIGBANG. Plus, keep the party going with one-month access to over 400 more songs through Just Dance^® Unlimited, the dance-on-demand streaming service, included with every copy of Just Dance 2019! New for this year, Just Dance partnered with creative experts from around the world, like French street artist Chanoir and Spanish stop-motion studio Clay Animation to creating stunning universes for the game. More partnerships are to be announced alongside new songs soon.

Just Dance 2019’s new interface algorithm learns players’ dancing preferences and habits and curates pre-made playlists and song suggestions, making the Just Dance experience more intuitive and personalised than ever before. Players can also stay up-to-date on community news and Just Dance Unlimited events all year long with the dynamic new home screen.

Fan-favourite modes  also make their return, such as World Dance Floor (available on all current gen platforms), bringing more online multiplayer challenges to its 120 million players worldwide, the calorie-tracking Sweat Mode, and the Kids Mode, bringing eight new choreographies developed alongside childhood development experts.

Available on PS4 and Xbox One, the Just Dance Controller App makes the game more accessible for current-gen owners with its phone scoring technology that allows players to dance without any additional accessories like cameras, available for free on iOS and Android.

The Just Dance World Cup is also back, with the Grand Finals happening in Brazil in early 2019. Online qualifiers will be live in the Just Dance 2018 edition of the game from July the 20th to August the 26th, 2018 on Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 and will be followed by national offline qualifiers in select countries. The list of the offline qualifier events and details on the Grand Finals will be unveiled soon HERE . The competition will be fierce once again as dancers compete to get one of the 18 coveted finalist slots in Brazil, and defeat the two-time World Champion, 18-year old Umutcan Tütüncü from Turkey.

More info on further tracks being included to come soon.

Just Dance 19 Tracklist (as Revealed at E3 2018:

• Finesse (Remix) – Bruno Mars Ft. Cardi B
• Bum Bum Tam Tam – MC Fioti, Future, J Balvin, Stefflon Don, Juan Magan
• Bang Bang Bang – BIGBANG
• Mad Love – Sean Paul, David Guetta Ft. Becky G
• Shaky Shaky – Daddy Yankee
• Dame Tu Cosita – El Chombo ft. Cutty Ranks
• OMG – Arash Ft. Snoop Dogg
• Mi Mi Mi – Hit The Electro Beat 
• Mama Mia – Mayra Verónica
• Narco – Blasterjaxx & Timmy Trumpet
• Fire – LLP Ft. Mike Diamondz

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The Wii U had some fantastic games, and Nintendo wants you to know it.

Since the Nintendo Switch’s release, some of that generations consoles best games have been ported over, from Mario Kart 8, to the criminally underrated Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, and now to Bayonetta 1 and 2.

The story goes that Nintendo worked with Platinum Games to save the development of Bayonetta 2, and thus giving Nintendo one of the best third party exclusives the Wii U ever had. But the ambition of the game, blowing past even the lofty heights of its predecessor, also blew past the technical capabilities of its console. And while it was certainly enjoyable, the inconsistent frame rate was always a bit of a bugbear.

So while on the Nintendo Switch the screen resolution is still just 720p, the frame rate is greatly improved over the Wii U releases, which makes the game significantly more enjoyable to play. And while it’s such a cliche to continue to bring this up, while playing Bayonetta 1 and 2 in 720p in handheld mode the game really shines. It still slightly blows my mind that we are getting ambitious, full featured 3D games to take with us wherever we want.

And really that’s all there is to talk about in terms of this port. There are no other significant graphical enhancements or changes to the game. The bonkers, inscrutable story remains, the fantastic gameplay remains, the overt, sexualised presentation remains. It’s the same game, but better and you can take it on the go.

That’s not to say that there haven’t been some minor improvements. The multiplayer Tag Climax can now be played locally on two Switches rather than just online. Sadly I was unable to try this out in person. In addition, Amiibo support for unlockable costumes has been beefed up. You can scan up to 32 per day, which kind of breaks the game and can be used to easily farm halos for upgrades.

Physical purchases of Bayonetta 2 on cartridge will also include a download code for Bayonetta 1, but if you opt for the eShop version you’ll only get a discount on the first. It’s a strange strategy, so I highly recommend aiming to get this on a physical cartridge. That’s also because the two games downloaded will use over half of the Switch’s usable system memory at about 17GB total. Suddenly my 64GB SD card is looking like it was a shortsighted purchase.

In terms of the first game, it’s a serviceable port that runs well at the same resolution and target frame rate as Bayonetta 2. But after playing Bayonetta 2, it’s easy to miss the raft of improvements the sequel brought to the table, let alone the improvements in graphical fidelity that the recent PC port makes available.

Bayonetta 2 was a buried treasure on the Wii U, but on the Switch it has a new home that will expose it to a far greater audience, finally giving it the exposure it deserves.

And while the improvements are slight, the Switch gives you a more stable version of the game docked and retains the 720p presentation with better performance than the Wii U in portable mode opens up this game for a whole generation of Switch owners that never got to see what is a fantastic sequel to an innovative game.

Bayonetta 1 and Bayonetta 2 remain some of the best work developer Platinum Games has ever done, and putting the games on more consoles can only be a good thing. If you have never tried Bayonetta before, here is your best chance. And if you have played the games before, it’s still worth another shot to try it on the Switch and everything that entails.

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Racers, start your engines! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Disney and Interactive Media have announced details about Cars 3: Driven to Win, the world-class competitive racing game that features beloved characters from the upcoming Disney | Pixar Cars 3 film in an entirely new interactive experience. 

“It’s been an amazing experience to work with the team at Pixar once again for this new game for the beloved Cars franchise,” said John Blackburn, Vice President and General Manager, Avalanche Software. “With Cars 3: Driven to Win, we wanted to create a game that allows fans to extend their experience with this great film, and also feel the thrill of speeding through the tracks, participating in races, and mastering tricks and techniques for fun with the whole family.” 

Picking up after the final big race in the film, Cars 3: Driven to Win extends the storyline of Cars 3 with all-new action packed adventures and takes players through a high-speed competition that is filled with both familiar and new faces. Players will be able to join Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez as they prepare to take on rival racer Jackson Storm. The game features more than 20 customisable playable characters including popular heroes from the Cars franchise and next generation racers. Players can also select their favorite race environments from a series of iconic settings from the film, such as Radiator Springs and Florida International Speedway, with over 20 unique tracks to choose from across 13 different locations.

Cars 3: Driven to Win is a game that empowers players to master their driving skills for the ultimate competitive racing experience. With six thrilling modes for gamers to learn and advance their abilities, players can progress their character through training and tests of racing proficiency that unlock new modes, tracks, characters and more. Players can hone a wide variety of skills and abilities including Drifting, Turbo, Two-wheel Driving, Driving Backwards and Side-Bash. Each unique mode and ability allows players to explore the deeper gameplay mechanics and earn rewards for their expertise. Cars 3: Driven to Win provides an exhilarating, action-packed experience where training and skill give players an edge in a racing experience that anyone can win. 

Additionally, players will be able to experience Cars 3: Driven to Win with their friends or on their own to perfect the various racing styles and modes available to them. Available for pre-order now, the game will include local split-screen cooperative play, allowing players to compete or team up and play at home together, making it easy for friends and family members to join the race – and the fun – at any time. 

Cars 3: Driven to Win is being developed by Avalanche Software, newly re-opened under Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and will be available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch and Wii U beginning in June 2017.

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Start your engines and get training, because Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. are joining forces in an exclusive Wii U bundle just in time for Christmas. From today, the Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Premium Pack will become available in selected retailers around Australia and New Zealand. Containing a black Wii U Premium Pack console and two of Nintendo’s most iconic multiplayer games – the high-octane kart racing of Mario Kart 8 (pre-installed) and the ultimate battle of your favourite characters in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U via download code.

Since its launch in 2014, Mario Kart 8 has sold 8 million copies worldwide, with both newcomers and veteran drivers alike facing fresh karting challenges in remixed classic and brand new courses, and the added twist of the new antigravity feature allowing Mario and company to race upside down or up vertical surfaces.

Want to battle your friends instead? Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is easily the biggest version of Super Smash Bros. ever created, offering a giant roster of classic video game characters and all the fighting action that fans of the series have fallen in love with over the years. Up to eight players can battle simultaneously and plenty of new modes and stages will keep fans playing the game throughout the holidays and well into the new year!

The fun doesn’t end there, with both Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U offering add-on content that can be purchased via the Nintendo eShop, unlocking entertaining extras for the whole family! In Mario Kart 8, you can get new characters, vehicles and racetracks, including favourites like Isabelle from Animal Crossing. For Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, you can download costumes for your Mii characters, new stages and new playable characters, such as the Psychic-Type Pokémon Mewtwo!

Add the final touch to your favourite Christmas gift with amiibo. Tap compatible amiibo into Mario Kart 8 to unlock costumes for your Mii character, based on those worn by your favourite Nintendo heroes! Or train the ultimate ally or fiercest opponent by tapping your compatible amiibo into Super Smash Bros. for Wii U!

From December the 1st, 2016, the Nintendo Selects for Wii U range expands to include Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Pikmin 3. Don’t miss the chance these holidays to team up with the Kongs in HD and run, leap and roll across six differently-themed islands in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, or explore the surface of planet PNF-404 to save your home planet from famine with the friendly and helpful Pikmin in Pikmin 3. Nintendo Selects for Wii U range offer premium games at a great price.

‘Tis the season for a Wii U bundle of family fun with the Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Premium Pack, launching exclusively in Australia and New Zealand from the 14th of November, 2016.

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One of the incredibly exciting titles coming at us from Nintendo is the latest The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Having seen the extended gameplay footage clips around E3, I was certainly happy to get some actual hands on experience with this title at the EB Games Expo this year.

The demo was quite lengthy in nature and consisted of two parts. A free range exploration section and a more story focussed one. Both displayed a beautiful world with vibrant palettes and a great art style that seems to resonate well with what we know and love as the Zelda franchise.

When you look a bit closer though, you start to see the Wii U showing its rather disappointing hardware limitations. It is missing the graphical detail and clarity that you would expect from the current generation. Hopefully Nintendo’s next console, the to be announced NX, will be able to do the visual style justice.

The open world exploration section almost felt like the start of Minecraft to me. You are dumped in the middle of nowhere with little to no explanation of what you can do. Like Minecraft there is plenty to do but unless you have the know-how, it’s going to be a bit of a learning curve. Not knowing what I could do left me roaming around somewhat aimlessly. While I could attack, collect and haphazardly craft things it didn’t provide the enjoyment it might have had if I had some more direction. I wasn’t exactly 100% sold on what I experienced despite a whole 20 minutes of game time. The most exciting thing I discovered is that you can set grasslands on fire. It all just became smoky from there.

The combat however, with a bit of warming up, was solid and it was easy to grasp the finer points when versing the different enemies. It does seem to have some departure from the typical Zelda games. Weapons seemed to be finite in the sense they would break and so a new one would be required. These weren’t too hard to come across as enemies drop their weapons which you can then equip. It was certainly something to take into consideration during battle.

The terrain didn’t vary dramatically here but what was around was pretty and certainly fun to explore. Comments were made that the game will be much larger and so I can imagine exploration of a bigger world that keeps up the pretty standards set here would likely be a rather enjoyable experience.

The second part allowed me to get some time with the story. Link is back, of course, and he has awoken after 100 years’ slumber. Whether he was dead or just frozen in time is not exactly clear at this point. You wake up in a cavern dubbed ‘Shrine of Resurrection’ (leading to my speculation he might have been dead) and find yourself hearing a soft but strange voice, which I’m sure is perfectly normal after a 100 years’ nap. Following the voice, you soon find a small rectangular tablet named a Sheikah Slate, and it seems to react to certain points within the world around you allowing you to unlock and activate things.

Upon leaving the cave, Link finds himself in a strange land and soon comes upon an odd old man who seems to briefly explain a few things like, Link is on the Great Plateau. The birth place of Hyrule. He also explains that you can set sticks on fire…well let’s just say the grass didn’t last long.

While it the demo didn’t end here it didn’t really provide much more information as to what is actually going on. There was a puzzle that I made it to in a shrine but was unable to actually test it out due to time constraints but overall the story seems to be quite intriguing and I would definitely be curious to see more of it.

While the preview didn’t focus on what I am most looking forward to about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it still showed off some rather cool aspects of the game like the crafting and combat mechanics. The game still is up there as one of my most anticipated games of 2017. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is set for a 2017 release on both Wii U and Nintendo’s next console, currently referred to as the NX.

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Super Mario is preparing to run, jump, and flip his way through the rest of 2016 in a range of titles old and new, starting with tomorrow’s release of the action-adventure Paper Mario: Color Splash for Wii U and frantic multiplayer action in Mario Party: Star Rush for Nintendo 3DS. Later this year Mario fans will be able to see where it all began with the Nintendo Classic Mini launching on the 10th November 2016, while December will see the release of Super Mario Maker for 3DS and the first Mario title developed specifically for smart devices; Super Mario Run.

Out tomorrow, Paper Mario: Color Splash is a hilarious action-adventure game that sees our hero discovering that Prism Island is being drained of its colour, taking it upon himself to recover the missing Big Paint Stars that have mysteriously gone missing. Through strategic use of Battle Cards and his new Paint Hammer, Mario will engage in puzzling battles to defeat enemies and splash paint all over Prism Island on his quest to get to the bottom of the colour conundrum.   

More Mario action hits shop shelves tomorrow in the form of Mario Party: Star Rush for Nintendo 3DS. This latest addition to the series has a new approach to the party, with quicker play and simultaneous turns between players, with plenty of strategy waiting to be unfurled. Those wishing to play with others can also download the free Mario Party: Star Rush – Party Guest software, which means that up to four friends with their own Nintendo 3DS can enjoy a full multiplayer experience with just one copy of the full game between them. Those without the Party Guest software can still enjoy a limited selection of modes via Download Play.

To celebrate the release of Mario Party: Star Rush, Donkey Kong, Wario, Rosalina, and a glow-in-the-dark Boo will form the second series of Super Mario Collection amiibo. On the 5th of November 2016, this series will also be bolstered by the addition of Diddy Kong, Daisy and Waluigi. All of these new Super Mario Collection amiibo are compatible with Mario Party: Star Rush, while all compatible amiibo with save data from Mario Party 10 on Wii U can be tapped into Mario Party: Star Rush for special dice in the new Toad Scramble mode.

For players who want to experience even more classic Mario titles, they can see where it all began for our hero with the launch of the Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System on the 10th of November, 2016. Releasing with 30 classic NES titles built in to the console, players can enjoy Mario’s very first outings in Donkey Kong and Mario Bros., iconic platforming action in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario Bros. 3, and frantic puzzling action with Dr. Mario.

Mario leaps forward again in December with the first launch of Super Mario Run, a full-sized Super Mario Bros. action platformer that has been developed specifically for mobile. Mario runs forward on his own, but relies on the touch of a single finger to jump over obstacles, avoid pesky enemies and capture the flag pole to complete levels. Users will be able to download and enjoy a portion of Super Mario Run for free and will be able to enjoy all of the game content available in this release after paying a set purchase price.

Also releasing in December 2016 will be Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS, which is all about creating and playing courses anytime, anywhere. With nearly all of the creation tools from Super Mario Maker for Wii U, interactive lessons, and the ability to collaborate on level designs by sharing them with another game owner locally, there’s plenty of ways to create courses on the go. While courses can’t be shared online, players can connect to the internet to download and play select courses from the Wii U version. Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS also includes 100 Nintendo-designed courses with new challenges, like collecting every coin or defeating all enemies, meaning that there’s more ways to play Mario than ever before when it launches this December.

Super Mario goes from strength to strength in 2016, with the launch of Mario Party: Star Rush for Nintendo 3DS and Paper Mario: Color Splash for Wii U and a new series of Super Mario Collection amiibo. Enjoy six classic Mario titles with the Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System and experience new ways to play Mario with the launch of Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS and Super Mario Run this coming December.

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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment at San Diego Comic-Con revealed details around six highly collectable expansion packs for LEGO Dimensions, the LEGO toy and videogame hybrid, that will be available in the Wave 7 product release on November 18, 2016.  Led by the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack and the Sonic The Hedgehog Level Pack, the new packs broaden the selection of the world’s most popular entertainment brands allowing players to customise their experience by mixing and matching favourite characters and universes with full compatibility.  LEGO minifigures included in all of the wave 6-9 expansion packs will come with special, golden Toy Tags which unlock a Battle Arena within the Adventure World of the corresponding entertainment brand. All-new Battle Arenas will offer first-to-LEGO videogames competitive split-screen local gameplay for up to four players. Each Battle Arena has four gameplay modes and comes with its own traps, special powers and interactive environments that make every battle arena unique.

The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack will provide a complete movie-based gameplay experience with six action-packed levels and new LEGO Gateway bricks to build the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) atop the LEGO Toy Pad.  Players can build the Newt Scamander LEGO minifigure and help him find his escaped magical creatures in New York City and use a variety of spells, including Diffindo, Reparo and Lumos.  The pack will also come with a 3-in-1 Niffler which can be rebuilt into the Sinister Scorpion and Vicious Vulture. The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack will be the exclusive construction toy offering this holiday for the exciting expansion of J.K Rowling’s Wizarding World.

Fans can also add the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Fun Pack with a Tina Goldstein LEGO minifigure. She can cast Aguamenti to help solve puzzles and Protego to keep her safe from enemies. Players in need of rescue can build the 3-in-1 Swooping Evil which can be rebuilt into the Brutal Bloom and Crawling Creeper.

The Sonic The Hedgehog Level Pack includes a complete level of Sonic The Hedgehog gameplay where players can race as the Blue Blur at lightning speeds through some of his most iconic locations including Green Hill, Emerald Coast, Labyrinth and many more. Players can build the Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO minifigure and use his Acrobat ability to swing off poles and avoid the Badniks, then use his famous grind rails move to make a quick escape.  The pack also includes a 3-in-1 Sonic Speedster which can be rebuilt into Blue Typhoon and Motobug, and a 3-in-1 The Tornado which can be rebuilt into Crabmeat and Eggcatcher.

Players wanting to bring Gremlins to life in LEGO Dimensions can add the Gremlins Team Pack which includes popular rivals Gizmo and Stripe LEGO minifigures. Gizmo’s Combat Roll and Dash Attack abilities can be used to get him out of sticky situations and Stripe uses his claws with his Vine Cut ability. Players can rebuild the 3-in-1 R.C. Racer vehicle into the Gadget-o-matic and Scarlet Scorpion and the 3-in-1 Flash ‘n’ Finish into a Rampage Record Player and Stripe’s Throne

The E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack includes an E.T. LEGO minifigure with Illumination and Fix-It abilities, as well as special Stealth and Telekinesis skills to make his way around the LEGO multiverse.  Players can build E.T.’s iconic Phone Home device, then rebuild it into the Mobile Uplink and Super-Charged Satellite for additional in-game abilities.

Developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. LEGO Dimensions is now available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Nintendo´s Wii U.

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