This is the first time I have played Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and I feel fortunate for that, as this has been an unmitigated delight to experience for the first time, especially now that it has the multiplayer stuff added into it. The result is a big package of Nintendo…
Read MoreSatire is a difficult challenge for a game developer. On the one hand, the satire needs to criticise the subject. On the other hand, if the game feels too good to play, it is very easy to feel like a celebration of the subject instead. If you were to undermine…
Read MoreNintendo’s timing with its no-pressure comfort food games has been fortuitous. Animal Crossing landed at almost the exact moment that people around the world were desperate for some no-stress escapism from COVID-19. Now, Pokémon Pokopia launches right at the time that America massively escalates global tensions by committing war crimes…
Read MoreFor people who enjoyed the vibes of Monster Hunter, but found the challenging, highly technical action combat to be overwhelming, Capcom came up with the Monster Hunter Stories series. The first two were enjoyable, but with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Capcom has landed on something really special indeed.…
Read MoreBefore I fully launch into my review of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake, a remake of my favourite horror game ever, bar none and by a considerable margin, I do have to register annoyance about something. Koei Tecmo: It’s only “Fatal Frame” in America, and that’s a far sillier…
Read MoreThe Nintendo Switch doesn’t excel at car racing, though it’s not necessarily the fault of the developers. The lack of analogue triggers means that you can’t quite replicate the feeling of pressing the foot down on a pedal, and the relatively modest hardware prevents the graphics team from truly embracing…
Read MoreMario Tennis Fever is one of Nintendo’s weakest titles in years, and certainly its weakest tennis title. This is tragic because I loved Mario Tennis back on the N64, Game Boy, and Game Cube. Let’s start with the story mode. On the one hand, I do congratulate the developers for…
Read MoreJust a few weeks ago I was saying how impressive it was that Square Enix managed to squeeze Final Fantasy VII Remake onto the Switch 2, at such a quality fidelity. Now it’s Koei Tecmo’s turn: I didn’t think Dynasty Warriors: Origins could work on the Switch 2. But it…
Read MoreDragon Quest VII did need a reimagining. I don’t say this as a criticism, as it is my favourite Dragon Quest of all time. But it is undeniable that it is a massive, weighty, lengthy thing, to the point of being inaccessible. Making some small concessions and compromises to that…
Read MoreIt’s incredible that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergarde plays so well on the Nintendo Switch 2. Much like how having The Witcher 3 playable in a handheld format with the Switch felt like some kind of wizardry, this has the same effect, with the one difference being that it felt…
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