Thanks to @KrazyKernal for the awesome artwork!We're back with another self-quarantined episode this week, but we have something special to share. A bit of a surprise if you will! It's a regular show as far as news and discussion goes, but hopefully the added bonus makes things feel a bit more normal this time around. Hope you enjoy!
The Switch is hard to find, as is the Switch Lite. Both of them are bringing in some pretty high reseller prices on the third party market. The same goes for Ring Fit Adventure, which people are paying more than triple the normal price to pick up. Turns out there's another Nintendo release that's quick a hot-ticket item, and it happens to come from 2006.
Believe it or not, Wii Sports has seen a steady increase in reseller prices over the last month. While the game could normally be found for roughly $10 prior to March 2020, the game is now going for upwards of $30 on reseller platforms. What's causing the game to be in such high demand? While we don't have definitive proof, one would think that the self quarantine is making people go stir-crazy, and they're looking for some comfort gaming to retain some sanity and have a bit of fun.
Virtuous has brought a number of PS4/XB1 ports over to the Switch, and they've show quite a knack for it. It seems that Virtuos is ready for a bigger challenge though, as they want to take on ports from the next generation.
In an interview with Maxi-Geek, Virtuos' Elijah Freeman said their team is ready to tackle ports from PS5 and Xbox Series X to the Switch. No specific games are mentioned, but whatever projects pop up, Virtuous will be ready.
“We believe that 2020 will be the year of game-centric development, where players will expect as standard a consistency of experience with their favorite games. With the launch of the new Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 this year, developers need to strategize and plan for the game experience to be consistent across all platforms. At Virtuos we are charged up and full of talent that is ready to help bring these new games to the Nintendo Switch.”
Back in February, Nintendo mentioned that the delay of Switch products would be unavoidable. The COVID-19 pandemic makes shipping finished products from China to Japan a lot harder.
Speaking to Career Correction, and translated by Japanese Nintendo and BlackKite, Nintendo provided a short update on the situation. According to the company, ''the situation has not changed''.
''We didn’t mention the Switch Lite because there was still enough stock in the market at the time of publication [in February]. But the point that many of its parts are made in China is the same. We are doing various efforts inside the company; although shipments haven’t stagnated, they are getting delayed.''
Microsoft and Nintendo have teamed up on a number of projects over the last couple of years, which has lead to titles like Cuphead and Ori and the Blind Forest coming to the platform. Could we end up seeing more Xbox games come to the platform? In an Unlocked interview with Microsoft's Phil Spencer, it sounds like the Xbox brand might want to take a step away from that for awhile. Check out Spencer's full comments below.
The relationship with Nintendo is great. Doug Bowser and I, we talk often. Furakawa-san, the CEO of Nintendo, and I know each other well and we have conversations.
I will say that I think the individual IP by IP to different platforms, I can see can kind of get confusing to customers over time. We've been learning, some of our development partners have really wanted to go do this, and we want to support the desires of our creative talent. Some of this have been partner lead.
I think more and more about what does a full Xbox experience mean on different platforms. Right now, it seems like when any game comes out, there's that, "is this one going here is this one going there." I'd rather be able to set more of an Xbox-level expectation for our fans on where things are going to go. I thought we did that with our first party when we talked about games shipping on Xbox and PC, and I got some blow-back from certain people in certain groups on that, but at least we set an expectation on that. I'd rather see us get to that point on the different pieces of hardware we're on, so I guess I'll kind of leave it there.
I definitely have a ton of respect for the role that Nintendo plays, and I love having great games on their platform. I don't really love this idea that for every one of our games, there becomes this little rumor on it "is it going to end up on the Switch or not." I feel we should set a better expectation with our fans than that.
There are two types of players in Animal Crossing; those who play the stalk market and those who don't. For those who do, the dedication to finding the best prices for turnips is a full-time job. That's why thousands of players are spending countless hours traveling around to the islands of strangers who happen to have the best turnip buying prices.
Players are organizing online through social media to find the best places to visit for cashing in on the stalk market, which is causing virtual lines that can take hours to get through. It seems players don't mind waiting all that much though, as the there's a serious return on the investment. When you can crank out 2 million bells for playing the market right, a few hours in line doesn't seem so bad!
There's money to be made for those opening their gates to random players as well. If you happen to be in a spot where turnip prices are off the charts, you'll see a ton of virtual foot traffic. Some of those visitors end up leaving gifts, or even better, tips. One player left his game open online for 8 hours, and he walked away with over 2 million bells in tips alone!
Whether you're willing to play the turnip game or you have a hot spot for cashing in, there's plenty of bells to be made. You just need a little time and patience!
Nintendo eShop (Switch)
Asphalt 9: Legends - High-Gear Bundle (Gameloft) - €29.99/£28.99
Includes:
- Asphalt 9: Legends
- Asphalt 9: Legends - High-Gear Pack
Nirvana Pilot Yume (RedDeerGames) - €4.99/£4.49
Nirvana Pilot Yume is the cure for your ‘80s sci-fi anime nostalgia: a retro-synthwave world with space races inspired by the DOS classic game and a steamy visual novel of romance and redemption. Rise the volume and turn on the neon lights: welcome to 3080.
Chapeau (SaltCastleStudio) - €14.99/£12.99 (€12.74/£11.04 until April 7)
The spirit of local co-op is alive, and it’s haunting hilarious headwear! Go Head to Head with your friends in frantic Versus modes or try working together in Cap-tivating co-op. You can even fly solo in Challenge mode to unlock new hats and maps!
Bounce, float and zoom through the air and land on people’s heads to score points. Use jetpacks, dogs, shields...anything you can do to get a-Head of the competition and master the playstyle of each headpiece!
WordHerd (Nellyvision) - €5.59/£4.99 (€3.07/£2.74 until April 30)
Take a break with Mia and zone out of the daily grind with chilled gameplay and absorbing wordplay. Help Mia call the lost animals home before nightfall. Learn some modern, obscure and comic meanings as you try to beat your longest, rarest and highest scoring words through the ninety levels of word detective animal rescue.
Mia will do her best to help you but when she's out of words you're on your own. Words can twist and turn across the board, any word you find can help Mia. Watch out for the new letter blocks and brain teaser levels with extra rules for really fussy animals.
Stones of the Revenant (ChickenCat Games) - €8.99/£7.99 (€5.39/£4.79 until April 19)
Stones of the Revenant is inspired by retro arcade beat-em-ups mixed with elements from your favorite classic action-platformers. Choose from six playable heroes; Radcliffe the Knight, Halvar the Barbarian, Brielle the Sorceress, Galina the Ranger, Isaak the Thief, and Fritz the Tinkerer. Each with their own unique playstyle! Pair up with a friend via local co-op or fight your way solo through the Revenant's followers and their undead minions. Destroy powerful artifacts known as the Stones of the Revenant and defeat the Revenant himself. Don't let looks fool you! This is a challenging quest to save the realm of the living... Are you up for it?
Operencia: The Stolen Sun (Zen Studios) - €29.99/£26.99
Operencia: The Stolen Sun embraces everything you love about classic first-person dungeon-crawlers, enhancing the old-school turn-based RPG experience with modern sensibilities. Gather your team of memorable characters and guide them through a world inspired by Central European mythology, where history meets legend. Unreal Engine 4 powers breathtaking environments, from traditional tombs and dungeons to enchanted castles and a forest made of copper.
The Complex (Wales Interactive) - €12.99/£9.99 (€11.69/£8.99 until April 7)
After a major bio-weapon attack on London, two scientists find themselves in a locked-down laboratory with time, and air, running out. With choose-your-own-path gameplay, your actions and your relationship with other characters will lead you to one of eight suspenseful endings.
Having treated the victims of a chemical attack in the totalitarian state of Kindar, Dr Amy Tenant is a leader in the advancement of Nanocell Technology. Now, in London, news breaks of a blood-vomiting civilian whose identity is far from coincidental. Reunited with an old friend, Amy is trapped in an impenetrable HQ of laboratories—a womb of scientific advancement with a perilous secret.
Throughout the game you will interact with characters and—depending on your choices—will either strengthen or weaken your relationship. The relationship scores are calculated from the start right through to the very end and will affect certain scenarios as well as having major consequences in the concluding scenes.
Zombie Army Trilogy (RebellionInteract) - €34.99/£29.99
Zombie Army Trilogy is a pulse-pounding third person shooter with three epic campaigns, a heart-pumping horde mode, and intense horror action.
In the dying flames of World War II, a legion of undead super soldiers threaten to overwhelm the whole of Europe. Fight alone or team up to save humanity from the zombie menace!
Battle through three epic campaigns across 15 demon-infested missions. Play solo of fight back to back in online or local wireless co-op for 2-4 players. Dare you take on the challenge?
Totally Reliable Delivery Service (tinyBuild Games) - €14.99/£13.49
Local and Online Multiplayer: Go it alone to ensure the safety of your deliveries, or join your friends and put your teamwork to the test.
Controlled Noodly Chaos: Unpredictable ragdoll physics meets snappy platforming. Sprint, leap, dive, and grapple with ease, but collide with something and you'll be knocked out cold!
A World of Distractions: Take a break from deliveries and play around! The world is chock full of toys, vehicles, and machines that can be used for work or play.
Ragtag Crew: Customize your blue-collar workers and get your rear into gear, it's time to deliver!
Totally Reliable Delivery Service Deluxe Edition (tinyBuild Games) - €23.99/£21.59
Includes:
- Totally Reliable Delivery Service
- Dress Code DLC
- Cyberfunk DLC
- Stunt Sets DLC
Wurroom (Sometimes You) - €0.99/£0.89
Wurroom is an interactive art experience born in the minds of two holographic entities: Michael Rfdshir and Serge Bulat. It is designed to reveal things about ourselves and measure our imagination.
You are just a Hand, lost in the undefined hyper wonderland, where visions, thoughts, and ideas from your subconscious, intermix with the fragments of "other", inexperienced worlds.
Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche (WayForward) - €7.10/£6.24
Blast everything that moves in this genre-defying action extravaganza! Take control of Kebako, a cat-eared intergalactic bounty hunter, as she patrols the galaxies with her faithful companion Squiddie in search of ridiculous space criminals.
Combining classic 2D shoot-'em-up gameplay and a hilarious story with weapons inspired by game genres such as puzzle, sports, platformer, rhythm, and RPG, this bombastic side-scrolling experience pushes the absurdity meter to its limits and beyond! Prepare for an action-shooter unlike anything you’ve ever played before...just watch out for salad!
Rascal Fight (Coconut Island Games) - €10.99/£9.99
In our game, you can trapeze on walls, use weapons from all over the world, and pick up different guns and rifles. We've also loaded it with such entertaining weapons as baseball bats, fly swatters and more! Each will bring its own unique feel to the game. There are tons of items to pick up, and you can use a range of traps and cannons for hilarious effects! Only your imagination sets the limit for how to deal with your opponents!
Pocket Harvest (Kairosoft) - €13.00/£11.69
Cultivate crops with love, ranging from crisp lettuce to succulent strawberries, and refine them into prizewinning produce to bring orders from the local grocers flooding in. Adorable animal friends will lend a helping hoof too, providing milk, wool, eggs, and more!
Feeling more ambitious? Boost your income and your image through tourism! From hot air balloons to sports facilities, you can build attractions in countless combinations to draw in high-spending city slickers.
In Pocket Harvest, you wear the overalls, so you call the shots! Grow your farm from the ground up into a flourishing cornucopia of fun!
MazM: Jekyll and Hyde (CFK) - €12.49/£11.29 (€9.99/£9.03 until April 15)
"MazM: Jekyll and Hyde" is a darkly entertaining adventure game based on the classic 1886 novel "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, in which you'll tackle the mystery from a totally new angle!
You'll travel back to 19th century London and view the city through the eyes of Mr. Utterson, a lawyer that walks the true path hunting for clues to solve a disturbing mystery, and Mr. Hyde, who has been pushed to his physical limits. Wander the streets of this psychological thriller and prepare for an ending you would never expect!
Horror Bundle Vol. 1 (Digerati) - €30.49/£27.49
Includes:
- Paranautical Activity
- Uncanny Valley
- Slain: Back from Hell
JunkJack (Pixbits) - €14.99/£13.49
Travel in procedural planets full of content to discover, monsters to combat, crafts to learn and loot to equip or simply proudly display in your home.
Enjoy the charming experience focused on building and improving your home. Tame and breed creatures, cook foods, collect animal companions, farm exotic plants, collect fish, grow flowers, play with your friends!
Snakeybus (Digerati) - €11.99/£10.79
Snakeybus is an absurd arcade-driving game and frantic score-chasing experience where the biggest danger is yourself! Wind through city streets, pick up as many passengers as you can and deliver them to their destination to increase your score AND the length of your bus!
Boost, jump, and steer around an obstacle course of your own making! Test your serpentine skills with various maps, modes, and bus types! All aboard the Snakeybus!
Curious Expedition (Thunderful) - €14.99/£13.49
Curious Expedition is a roguelike expedition simulation set in the late 19th century. Take the role of famous historical personalities and venture forth on expeditions to unexplored regions on a quest for fame, science and, of course, fortune!
Don your pith helmet and khakis and make your way through a lush, procedurally generated world full of wonder and mystery.
Curious Expedition draws inspiration from the enthusiastic curiosity that for centuries have driven the human species to the far corners of the earth. Take part in the glory and wonder, but also the horror and peril that is the constant companion of the explorer.
Lost Artifacts (8Floor Games) - €8.79/£7.89
For a long time Claire worked as a historian and archeologist in a prominent university. When she chose her course in life she thought she'd be searching for ancient treasure, but instead ended up spending all her time reading. Then one day Claire noticed a peculiar coincidence. Had she really uncovered a treasure map of the ancient Tonauak people? So without a second thought she left in search of the treasure. She had been waiting for so long and couldn’t miss her chance.
Set off with Claire on an adventure through the uncharted continent of the casual strategy game Lost Artifact . Get ready for 40 vivid levels, lots of different objectives, increasing difficulty, a fun plot, and a unique world and captivating gameplay for any age. Build a city and manage resources, restore ancient statues, use powerful magic and draw power from holy places. With its simple controls and easy training, you’ll be playing like a pro in no time.
Arcade Archives The Tin Star (HAMSTER) - €6.99/£6.29
"THE TINSTAR" is a shooting game released by TAITO in 1983. Control the sheriff and take out the gang of thugs. Skillfully utilize features in the main stages, such as surprising the enemy or getting double points. Duel on horseback in the bonus stage! Take out the passing enemy in a single shot!
Batman - The Telltale Series Shadows Edition bundle (Athlon Games) - €16.99/£15.29
Includes:
- Batman - The Telltale Series
- Telltale Batman Shadows Mode
Batman: The Enemy Within Shadows Edition bundle (Athlon Games) - €16.99/£15.29
Includes:
- Batman: The Enemy Within
- Batman: The Enemy Within Shadows Mode
Desktop Basketball (SAT-BOX) - €6.79/£6.18
Your desk is the court. Dribble, shoot, and dunk your way to victory!
Super Space Snake (Digital Game Group, available April 3) - €4.99
You control a Space Snake in an out of this world twisting turn to a classic game.
Slither your way through space as you grow your snake by devouring everything in its path. As your snake grows from Baby Snake to Super Space Snake, the space grid expands creating an unlimited universe for your snake to slither through.
Random Heroes: Gold Edition (Ratalaika Games, available April 3) - €4.99/£4.99
The Earth is being invaded by terrifying aliens! It’s up to you and a bunch of random heroes to save the day and stop the invasion! Shoot and jump your way through over 108 levels to stop the alien menace and bring peace to the planet. Will you be able to survive?
Collect cold hard cash to upgrade your arsenal and teach those invaders who’s boss. Unlock new heroes to play as, each with their own unique stats.
Drift Zone Arcade (AwesomeIndustries, available April 3) - €19.99/£17.99
Take part in two types of competition and win high cash prizes and reputation points needed to climb up the career ladder. Buy new cars, upgrade them and drive the wheels off them in diverse tracks.
HyperParasite (QubicGames, available April 3) - €14.99/£13.99 (€9.99/£9.32 until April 18)
Invading a grime encrusted dystopia straight out the eighties, you're the monster the authorities warned about. Dragging your bloody tentacles on the greasy asphalt, you snatch body after body. You are the HyperParasite; an evil alien with a bone to pick with humanity…just because it’s fun. Infesting the sickest corners of the most ass-kicking decade, you must fight your way to the top of the pop-cultural food chain, in order to push the Big Red Button and bring about the mushroom cloud of finality. Be the baddest, navigating the dangerous procedurally generated streets of a hopeless past, in this tough twin-stick roguelite brawling S.O.B.
In Other Waters (Fellow Traveller, available April 3) - €14.99/£13.49 (€13.49/£12.14 until April 10)
Play as an Artificial Intelligence guiding a stranded xenobiologist through a beautiful and mysterious alien ocean. A non-violent sci-fi story, enter a world of wonder, fear and vulnerability, unraveling the history and ecology of an impossible planet. What will you discover together?
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD (Krome Studios, available April 3) - €27.99/£23.99
G'day, Mate. Explore the Wilds of Australia with TY the Tasmanian Tiger, the charming Aussie platformer.
Downloadable Content
Totally Reliable Delivery Service: Express Package (tinyBuild Games) - €9.99/£8.99
Includes:
- Dress Code DLC
- Cyberfunk DLC
- Stunt Sets DLC
Totally Reliable Delivery Service: Dress Code (tinyBuild Games) - €2.99/£2.69
Totally Reliable Delivery Service: Cyberfunk (tinyBuild Games) - €4.99/£4.49
Totally Reliable Delivery Service: Stunt Sets (tinyBuild Games) - €4.99/£4.49
Samurai Shodown: DLC Character Sogetsu Kazama (Koch Media) - €5.99/£4.99
WorldNeverland - Elnea Kingdom: Working Equipments Set (althi) - €1.99/£1.79
Includes:
- Fishing Set ''A fishing set accessory worn on the waist.''
- Excavation Set ''A small mattock and pouch accessory worn on the waist.''
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch
Good Job! – As the clumsy child of a CEO, you must climb the corporate ladder, one wacky puzzle at a time. Complete tasks in multiple ways as you experiment with interactive environments – a projector can be wheeled gently through an electric door … unless, of course, you want to catapult it through a wall. You may knock over a priceless item or two in the process, but as long as you get the job done, you’re one step closer to reaching the executive suite! Solve challenging puzzles, alone or in two-player mode, in this hilarious new game from Nintendo.
MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order Expansion Pass – Pack 3: Fantastic Four: Shadow of Doom – It’s Doctor Doom vs. Marvel’s first family. This new pack* lets you assemble your Ultimate Team with the addition of Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing as playable characters. Fight through a new story campaign that takes your team of Marvel Super Heroes through the kingdom of Latveria for a showdown with Doctor Doom. Will Doom prevail by unleashing cosmic forces the likes of which have never been seen? The Fantastic Four may be the only ones who hold the key to victory.
Nintendo eShop sales
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
April showers bring spring sales! Nintendo eShop is blooming with deals! Pick up some great Nintendo Switch games that are on sale now! For a limited time only, learn more at https://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals.
Also new this week in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch:
Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche
Convoy: A Tactical Roguelike – Available April 8
Curious Expedition
Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories – Available April 7
Drift Zone Arcade – Available April 3
Galaxy of Pen & Paper +1 Edition – Available April 8
Grimvalor – Available April 7
Horror Bundle Vol. 1
HyperParasite – Available April 3
In Other Waters – Available April 3
Junk Jack
Lost Artifacts
MazM: Jekyll and Hyde
Pen and Paper Games Bundle – Available April 8
Pocket Harvest
Random Heroes: Gold Edition – Available April 3
Rascal Fight
Snakeybus
The Otterman Empire
Towertale – Available April 8
Ubongo – Available April 8
WordHerd
*Full version of game required to use DLC; sold separately.
There are millions of people out there who like to play Pokemon Sword and Shield competitively, and they do so by following the rules. They celebrate their wins, they take their lumps with losses, and they move on. Then there's a small group of bad actors who are extremely sore losers, and they've taken up a new tactic that's hurting competitive play altogether.
After a competitive match in Sword and Shield, the winner gets points and the loser loses points. As you might have figured out, those who are losing have come up with a way to make sure they don't actually lose points after a match. Even worse, the winner doesn't get the points they earned. Unfortunately, it's extremely simple to make this happen. A Resetera user explains...
This bug is easy to exploit. All that must be done is pushing the power button to disconect the Switch at a specfic time after losing the match. When done correctly, not only does the loser NOT lose points for their match, but the winner does not GAIN points for the match won. So basically, this totally nulls the match, and ruins the whole point of laddering in Pokemon.
Hopefully Pokemon Co. and Nintendo are aware of this, and a fix is in the works. This is the kind of thing that can really kill the fun for part of a game.
Right off the bat, I want to stress that we are unsure if this information is legitimate. Any rumor should always be taken with a grain of salt, but when a story like this pops up around April Fools' Day, it makes you wonder even more. As long as you have those thoughts in mind, let's continue on to the story itself.
Word is going around that Nintendo may have suffered a virtual intrusion. Apparently someone has been able to hack their way into one of Nintendo's development servers, and they've gained access to a few tidbits of data in the last few days. This would not be the first time something like this has happened, as another hacker gained access to Nintendo's development side of things back in 2016.
We will not be reporting on the content sourced from the hack, as that just wouldn't seem right. I also want to point out that all the Mario-related discussion and rumors that have been shared recently do not stem from this hack. This is a separate instance that has given new information. It's very likely some of it you've seen/heard about already, and some you have not.
We've reached out to Nintendo on the matter, and we'll report back if they provide a statement. We did not ask about the validity of the content pulled from the server, but instead, the hack itself. Hopefully the story is completely made up.
