#212: Your Nintendo Update

Shigeru Miyamoto wants to create a kinder world — If you read anything from this week’s issue, make it this one. This interview with Nintendo’s illustrious creator is a markedly more human profile, not focusing on any particular new product launch or game, instead offering a more rounded look at Nintendo’s famed desginer. I liked this quote about creating gaming experiences with a convinving mix of reality and fantasy: ” To achieve that harmony, you need a dash of truth and a big lie to go along with it “.

Simon Parkin // The New Yorker

▶ Super Nintendo World Direct — Yup, this ain’t Switch related, but I just know you’re interested. 😉 This 15-minute glimpse at the Nintendo-themed area at Universal Studios Japan is a joy, cheifly because Miyamoto himself is the one giving us the tour. He is pretty much grinning ear to ear throughout this video — I can’t imagine the pride he’s feeling seeing his career defining creation come to life like this. The park itself looks really cute, if a tad small, and as for opening in February? With the way things are right now….I dunno about that. I’ll be visiting, but probably in about five years. 😅

Nintendo // YouTube

Interview: Nintendo’s Doug Bowser on COVID-19’s impact, Animal Crossing’s success, and Switch Pro rumors — Unlike the warm interview with Miyamoto above, Bowser (NoA’s top boss) is rather coy in this chat.

Russ Frushtick // Polygon

Nintendo is blocking Switch games from extreme eShop discounts

Patricia Hernandez // Polygon

▶ Indie World Showcase — Some great looking indies coming to the platform, including Grindstone, Among Us (already out — I’ve grabbed it), Alba, and Spelunky 1 & 2.

Nintendo // YouTube

▶ Mr. Sakurai presents “Sephiroth” for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — A detailed, near 40-minute look at this new DLC Final Fantasy character coming to Smash. Oh and Geno got a Mii Fighter costume .

Nintendo // YouTube

REVIEW Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend — ” a great piece of retro RPG history made readily available for modern gamers “.

Azario Lopez // Noisy Pixel

REVIEW Drawn To Life: Two Realms — ” a sequel that fails to replicate what made the Drawn To Life games so compelling: the actual drawing part “.

Kate Gray // Nintendo Life

The Nintendo Switch is 2020’s real MVP

Leah Williams // Kotaku AU

PS5, Xbox Series X and the climate crisis facing next-gen video games — This isn’t strictly a Nintendo read, but the new consoles are compared to the Switch in terms of energy/power consumption. An interesting read overall raising some food for thought on gaming and climate change.

Jackson Ryan // CNET

VVVVVV creator’s roguelike Dicey Dungeons has rolled onto Switch — This roguelike dice-based battle game is now on Switch following a surprise launch this week — and it’s seeing a lot of chatter on the Switch Weekly Discord ( hit reply to this email if you want an invite in ).

James O’Connor // GameSpot

Monday, December 21

• Dungeon Limbus — Randomly generaterd roguelike. (Dec 28 in U.S.)
• Landflix Odyssey — You’re trapped in a streaming service. Action platformer. (Dec 22 in U.S.)
• Smart Moves — Budget puzzler/turn-based roguelike.
• Traffix — Think Mini Motorways / Mini Metro (traffic puzzler).

Tuesday, December 22

• Isolation Story — ‘Virus-19’ (subtle) has ravaged the world in this life-sim.
• 📦 Override 2: Super Mech League — 3D mech/robot brawler for up to four players.

Wednesday, December 23

• ⭐️ Super Meat Boy Forever — New Meat Boy experience with a fresh way to play each time.
• Season Match 3: Curse of the Witch Crow — Match three puzzler with a fantasy theme.

Thursday, December 24

• #Xmas, Super Puzzles Dream — Festive jigsaws.
• Elliot — 2D platformer with plenty of challenge.
• JDM Racing – 2 — Drive Japanese cars in this budget 3D racer.
• Kingdom Tales — Sim/strategy game, looks like a mobile port.
• Kolumno — A budget minimalstic movement puzzle game with 75 levels.
• Nosferatu Lilinor — A ‘super-difficult’ puzzle action game.
• Spirit Arena — Take on waves of monsters in this arcade arena shooter.
• The Last Dead End — 3D adventure with FPS/horror elements.

🎄 Friday, December 25

• BIT.TRIP BEAT — The first in this award-winning rhythm puzzle platformer.
• BIT.TRIP CORE — The games first launched on Wii in 2009.
• BIT.TRIP FATE — All six are launching on Switch on Christmas Day.
• BIT.TRIP FLUX — The series introduced us to ‘CommanderVideo’.
• BIT.TRIP RUNNER — Expect chiptune style music across the series.
• BIT.TRIP VOID — Oh, and this one is a rails shooter.
• Candy 2048 Challenge — It’s a sugary version of puzzler 2048.
• Dungeonoid — Looks like Breakout but with a neat RPG / dungeon twist.
• Match Three: Pirates! Heir to Davy Jones — Yar wanna be matching three.

Saturday, December 26

• Cube Life: Island Survival — Like Minecraft.
• Door Kickers — A real-time strategy SWAT team game.
• DungeonTop — Roguelike deck-building game.
• The Hong Kong Massacre — A fast-paced top down shooter.