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An exclusive set of drink coasters themed around Animal Crossing’s Brewster is now available via the My Nintendo rewards store. For just 700 platinum points, you can order a set of these coasters that would look right at home at The Roost, or in your very own living room. Here’s the official description from the My Nintendo site:
Bring home a sip of island life with this three-pack coaster set inspired by the café owned by the composed Brewster, the Roost*, featured in the Animal Crossing™: New Horizons game for the Nintendo Switch™ system.
These coasters pair well with those coo—er, cozy—moments shared with friends and family over a relaxing cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa.
Each coaster is made of cork padding and features a laminated top. The set comes in a tin container.
Sounds like the perfect compliment to a mug of very hot coffee while playing Animal Crossing in the morning (pigeon milk optional). This reward will be available while supplies last, so if you’ve got the points for it and you want to protect your wood surfaces in style, head over to the My Nintendo rewards store now to order.
Reimagined Donkey Kong Country 2 soundtrack, Banana Jamz 2, up for pre-order tomorrow
Stickerbrush Symphony like you've never heard it before
After the success of their original Banana Jamz release, Cartridge Thunder has announced that Banana Jamz 2 will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow. Banana Jamz 2 is a complete recreation of the original soundtrack for Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest on the SNES. Musician Josh Willis has carefully recreated David Wise’s original score for the game, putting together over 55 minutes of music on one vinyl. This collection is meant to retain the original score’s style and flair, while adding a more modern sensibility.
You’ll be able to pre-order a Banana Jamz 2 vinyl of your very own starting tomorrow, April 27th, 2022 at 11 am CST. It’ll also be available in cassette form, and on various streaming platforms. Click here for more information and for links to the pre-order page itself.
Watch new gameplay footage from Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King
Look at me, I'm in tatters!
Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King was released for Nintendo Switch on April 22nd. If you haven’t had the chance to pick it up yet and are still curious, here’s 24 minutes of gameplay footage to give you an idea of what the game has to offer, courtesy of YouTube channel, Handheld Players.
Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King is an action RPG featuring a semi-open world, battles of swordplay and magic, and branching paths that will determine how you progress through the game. You can find more information or purchase it via the Nintendo eShop for $29.99.
Warframe's Rebecca Ford discusses new missions and challenges in Angels of the Zariman
The Zariman's song demands an answer...
In a new interview with VG247, Warframe’s operations and community director, Rebecca Ford, discusses the upcoming Angels of the Zariman update. First, she talks about the challenges this new update brought and what makes the Zariman hub world unique compared to previous Warframe hubs:
Well, I can say this is the most challenging one we’ve had to do. Because as far as we know, the Zariman is a ghost ship. So how do you populate a hub when there’s no population? So we’ve had to lean into bringing life into it in other ways. After the quest, you’ll see how there is somewhat of a population there.
Lessons wise, we needed to make sure that the roles the characters play are essential to the gameplay that they were about to be doing. So we really wanted to work on three major pillars for our hubs. The first is standing, we wanted to make it feel better, and learn how players like to engage with standing systems. The second is weapons - everyone loves our weapon offerings. And then bounties which is a major open world hub thing, but how do you do that on a not open world? So, on the Zariman there’s a lot of new additions, and a lot of combinations of things that have worked from past hubs.
She also talks about the new mission modes being introduced in this update, and the new types of experiences they’ll bring to players:
We need new gameplay. I love the game modes I’ve been playing, but we’ve been playing them for years. And when we took the opportunity to build the Zariman out, we knew we needed to provide new ways to actually engage with your moment to moment missions, we still have some of the classics there, like exterminate isn’t going anywhere, it’s a good way for players to pace themselves. But nonetheless we’re adding three new game modes, which is more than we’ve added, possibly, in our past two years combined.
It has to happen, you need new ways to engage with the world. It is definitely necessary so we can bring new ways to play the game, because you can’t just keep doing the same missions.
It sounds like these new missions will bring some welcome changes to Warframe, in addition to the update’s new storyline and evolving weapons system. If you want to learn more about Angels of the Zariman, including where else these new missions might pop up in the future, how players can decorate their new spaces, and more, read the full interview with Rebecca Ford over at VG247. If you want to play it for yourself, you won’t have to wait long, as it’ll be officially released tomorrow, April 27th.
Woman who received Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp early found it "a very strange new experience"
Even CO Powers might not prepare you for something like this
Rachael Adamson (also known as @Killetheth on Twitter) became well known recently when she accidentally gained access to Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot camp early. Since then, Nintendo has removed her access and refunded her for the trouble, but the story’s notoriety continues to grow. In a new interview with TechRaptor, Adamson discusses what it was like to get to play the game early, and how overwhelming it was gaining Internet fame so rapidly.
“Aside from the confusion, I was really excited!” said Adamson. “I was looking forward to this, especially as it’s a game I played a lot when I was a kid. When I woke up and checked Twitter the next day after the tweet I made about it, I was in shock. I didn’t realize I was the only one with access and was expecting other tweets with people playing it. I was talking to one of my brothers about what happened, and he linked me to YouTube videos with thousands of views of people discussing the tweet. I think at that point I started to realize what a big deal it was.”
She goes on to talk about her anxiety and some of the disorienting effects that becoming a big deal on Nintendo Twitter can have:
“I’ve cut down on my social media use over the years and don’t go on Twitter that often, so going from interacting with hardly anyone one day to thousands the next, having people making videos about the situation, and websites making articles… It really had an effect on me,” she said.
You never know what your fifteen minutes of fame will be for and what kind of an effect it may have on you! As of now, we’re all still waiting together for the official release of Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp. You can read more about Rachael’s experience on her personal blog, or click over to TechRaptor for the full interview.
The Mandalorian Season 2 DLC icons leak for LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
These are some ICONic characters!
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is getting an upcoming batch of DLC based on Season 2 of The Mandalorian. This pack isn’t coming out until May the 4th (Star Wars Day, of course), but the character icons have leaked ahead of time, thanks to user NinoSW1 on Reddit. These icons don’t show much, but they do give us our first look at how these characters will be depicted in the game.
Included in this leak are Ahsoka Tano, Moff Gideon, Bo-Katan Kryze, Fennec Shand, and Boba Fett. No word yet on how these characters will play exactly, but we only have to wait a few more weeks to try them for ourselves.
Speedrunner Kosmic reveals just how many coins are in a Super Mario Bros. block
Nobody tell Wario...
A recent video from Youtuber and Mario speedrunner Kosmic explores the mysteries of the coin blocks in the original Super Mario Bros. game for the NES. While these blocks are commonly thought to contain ten coins, it turns out that there are actually up to sixteen coins available in a standard coin block. However, most players won’t be able to get all those coins without some special help.
As the video demonstrates, getting all of those coins requires some very fast fingers. Understanding the game’s “frame rule” concept doesn’t hurt either. “Frame Rule” is a behind the scenes algorithm that determines exactly how many coins can come out of a block and when. If you understand this concept and you’re able to hit these blocks quickly at exactly the right time, you may be rewarded with fifteen or sixteen coins instead of the usual ten.
Super Mario Bros. is the game that keeps on giving, even decades after its release! It’s amazing that we keep discovering new things about it thanks to speedrunners and other dedicated players. Watch the full video above to see exactly how the process works. How many coins can you get out of a single coin block?
Pikmin Bloom's Earth Day event will begin April 21st
But when is Hocotate Day?
Earth Day is coming up, and Pikmin Bloom is taking the opportunity to celebrate with a brand new event! The event will take place from April 21st to April 23rd, allowing players to find more Stag Beetle and Acorn Pikmin. There’s also a 25% discount on the item that allows your Pikmin to grow faster. Should be a great opportunity to find some rare piks and enjoy our beautiful planet! See below for all the official details:
Date: Thursday, April 21st 2022 to Saturday, April 23th 2022 Time: All day
Event details: During this event, when you walk outside of your usual path, you may find a Huge Seedling marked with a “Special Event” icon. This seedling will grow into a “Stag Beetle” or an “Acorn” Decor Pikmin, to go with the forest theme.
Limited-time promotion: During this event, Special Slots that help make your Pikmin grow faster will be available at 25% less the usual amount of coins in the shop.
You can only have one “Special event” huge seedling in your inventory at any given time. In order to find a new one, you will need to grow and pluck the one you already have first.
Found a “Stag Beetle” or an “Acorn” Pikmin? Use the hashtag #PikminSpotted to share your discovery with us on your social media of choice!
Mineko's Night Market devs post update on game's progress
Coming to a night (or day) market near you!
Game development is never quick or easy, and the developers of upcoming Switch title Mineko’s Night Market seem to know that all too well. Mineko’s Night Market is a narrative driven game about a girl who opens shop on a new island, with a focus on crafting, puzzle-solving and exploration. In a recent Twitter post, they have some updates to share concerning the game’s progress. In spite of experiencing “setbacks, both mentally, and physically”, they say that development is still going strong. In response to fans asking where they’ve been since the last update, they had the following to say:
Working on the game! In fact, we’re lucky enough to be working with an incredible engineering team, Studio Cypher, who have helped us get our systems and code into shape. We are eternally grateful for their work and Mineko’s Night Market would be nonexistent without their expertise. We’ve also recently had the opportunity to hire an additional artist, Liz Nugent, to help us fill Mineko’s world with plenty of lush places to explore and discover. Stay tuned for some sneak peeks at some of the gorgeous environments Liz has created! Our audio team, A Shell in the Pit, has also been seamlessly implementing sounds that really make the game come alive and it’s been so exciting to hear them enrich the game in ways we never dreamed of!
Things are moving along behind the scenes and we’re so grateful for all the amazing folks we’ve had the pleasure of working with!
Unfortunately, we still don’t have an exact release date for Mineko’s Night Market, but we’ll keep an eye out. It sounds like the development team is doing the healthy thing and taking their time making the game the best it can be. Click here to learn more about the game, or check out the official trailer below.
Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Dragalia Lost, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp have all received a content update. Check out the full details for each game below via perfectly-nintendo.com.
Super Mario Run
- [Event] The latest Weekend Spotlight is live, and this time around, it’s all about Toad and Toadette! Here’s the items you can get from the Super Bonus game in Remix 10: Toad Topiary (20%), Toadette Topiary (20%), 8-bit Toad Statue (20%), Toad Statue (12%), Toadette Statue (12%), Gold Toad Statue (8%), Gold Toadette Statue (8%) (available until April 18th)
Fire Emblem Heroes
- [Summoning] A new Summoning Focus is now live: Heroes with Lull Skills. It features the following Heroes: Duessel (Obsidian), Pent (Mage General), and Shinon (Scathing Archer) (available until April 26th)
Dragalia Lost
- [Event Quests] Astral Raids featuring Chronos are now live (available until April 18th)
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
- [Cookies] A returning Fortune Cookie and related set of Stamp Trade rewards are now available: Pekoe’s boba cookie (available until April 25th)
Nintendo highlights 10 Mario Party Superstars minigames in new promo
Laugh till you pop!
Mario Party Superstars released on the Nintendo Switch last October and has been a big hit, already selling over 5 million copies worldwide. Just in case there are a few stragglers left who haven’t picked it up yet, Nintendo has put out a new promo video highlighting ten of their favorite minigames from the title. Mario Party Superstars features a collection of minigames from past entries in the series, so these games should look familiar to you if you’re already a heavy Mario Party-goer. Of course, they do have some spruced up graphics for you to enjoy.
Which of the games featured in this video are your favorite? Would this be your selection to show off if you were trying to convince someone to play a game with you? Hopefully, this video convinces more folks so we can play online with them! The game is available right now on the eShop or in its physical edition.
Get another look inside Universal Studios' Super Nintendo World Store
Enter through the gift shop
Super Nintendo World opened its brand new Feature Presentation merch shop last week at Universal Studios Hollywood, and it’s chock full of goodies! Now that various fans and outlets have had a chance to visit the store for themselves, we’re getting some more in-depth looks at exactly what’s inside. Theme park blog Laughing Place has put together a photo tour, covering the entrance, decor and merchandise on display.
One thing you’ll be able to find for sale is a selection of Mario Kart themed shirts. This makes sense, since Super Nintendo World’s premiere ride will be Mario Kart themed once it finally opens. Of course, there are also toys, playsets, plushes, and even Nintendo themed chocolate bars. This is just a taste of the kind of merch we can hope to see once the full park opens up to the public in 2023. Click over the Laughing Place to take the complete photo tour, or see above for a selection of images.
Triangle Strategy updated to Version 1.0.3
They're strategically hiding the details of this update
Square Enix’s tactical combat game Triangle Strategy has received another update today. What does this update do, you ask? Here are the patch notes direct from Nintendo:
Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.
…and that’s all we know! This could mean bug fixes, performance enhancement, or even… stability increases. We can’t say for sure, but nonetheless, the update should be rolling out to all players shortly. Triangle Strategy is available now, for download or in physical form for $59.99.
Watch an 81 minute speedrun of Grime along with its developers
That's faster than I could do it...
IGN has once again invited the developers of a game to watch a speedrunner get through it in record time. In this video, the subject is Grime, a side scrolling action RPG that was released on Nintendo Switch last August. In the video above, you can see speedrunner TheVisualPine race through the game as its creators marvel at their techniques and exploits. Here’s some basic info on the game from its eShop page if this is your first time discovering it:
An unusual material collapses in on itself, the world shudders and contracts, and suddenly you are squeezed into existence.
What awaits you is a world unknown, alien in its own familiarity, challenging you to survive the terrors you face. Explore your surreal surroundings, parry and absorb the many enemies you encounter, and use their own traits against them as you become far more than you once were.
GRIME lets you play to your preference, upgrading only those traits you feel most suited to your unique style. You’ll find there is more than one way to break open an enemy as you move through a variety of evocative environments, meet their inhabitants, and discover the source of their madness.
Head over to Grime’s official page on the Switch eShop for more details or to purchase the game for yourself. Maybe you can beat the fastest time!
Affordable Space Adventures devs fully embraced the Wii U experience
If only I could post about it on Miiverse
It’s been a little over 7 years since Affordable Space Adventures was released on the Wii U. One of the rare indie titles that took full advantage of the Wii U gamepad, this game had players piloting a space ship on dangerous missions, using the gamepad to manage its engines and other systems. It also had a strong focus on couch co-op multiplayer. In a new interview with Nintendo Life, designer Nicklas Nygren, plus Anchel Labena and Lau Korsgaard of Knapnok Games, discuss the origins of Affordable Space Adventures and what made its position on the Wii U so special.
I remember there was an enthusiast base of Wii U owners keen to support the game because it actually used the GamePad.
Labena: That’s it. If it were to launch on Switch right now it would be a completely different landscape. It’s a very difficult place to compete for Indie titles now.
After release, did you think of ports for other platforms?
Korsgaard: Can we talk about it?! The thing is, it’s a challenge to release something true to the experience. We talked about what we could do on PC, were there any options? I think in the end it would have meant quite a bit of investment and design thinking, could we make that stuff work on any other platform? I think it was too hard for us to find an easy way.
Labena: The closest was 3DS, but it wasn’t going to be easy. It was like alright, the New 3DS could support Unity development. But then you’re targeting a really small userbase within a smaller niche for Indie games. Whereas if you want to port to the full 3DS family that would have been a considerable investment getting it to work. It wasn’t a great trade-off.
Korsgaard: On some level I’m happy it’s just the Wii U experience. It was so made for that platform, even the form factor of the controller, the cheapness of the plastic, it was part of the fiction of the game! We actually imagined that controller that the pilot was sitting with.
Affordable Space Adventures was definitely a unique hidden gem on the Wii U eshop, which unfortunately, would be difficult to recreate on any other platform. If you have the chance, download it and play it with a friend! Otherwise, read the full interview at Nintendo Life for more behind the scenes details.
