#159: Your Nintendo Update

REVIEW Alien: Isolation — Often described as one of the best survival horror games ever, this port seems to be hitting all the right notes for this reviewer: ” An incredible showing [..], that goes above and beyond any expectations that fans could have had for this version “. Oh, and the respected folks at Digital Foundry say this version looks better than the PS4 release.

Rudy Lavaux // Cubed3

REVIEW Assassins Creed: The Rebel Collection — The last Assasins Creed port for the Switch was buggy at launch and generally not well-recieved, thankfully though this isn’t the case this time around. You get ” two excellent swashbuckling epics ported to Nintendo’s console in fine fashion “, and series favourite Black Flag is said to be ” a revelation in portable mode and looks and performs almost flawlessly “. Sounds good if you fancy revisiting these.

PJ O’Reilly // Nintendo Life

▶ Super Mario Maker 2 – A Legendary Update — Yay, new content for Mario Maker 2! You can now play as The Legend of Zelda’s Link, complete with his own unique moveset. I’ve been watching a few folks play some new ‘Link levels’ on Twitch, and it’s a surprisingly detailed addition to the game. Get updating your game if you haven’t already.

Nintendo // YouTube

Here’s what you need to know about the six new Switch Online games — Half a dozen NES and SNES games ( including StarFox 2 ) are arriving on December 12th for Switch Online members. Here’s a run-down on what each game is all about.

Nicholas Bray, Jon Lindemann, John Rairdin, & Jordan Rudek // Nintendo World Report

Tencent launching Nintendo Switch in China next week — The official launch is just a few days away ( on December 10 ). Tencent are said to be managing local servers for online play within China, plus WeChat Pay is being added as a regionally supported payment method for the eShop. Nintendo and Tencent are also working with Chinese indie studios to bring their games to the platform.

James Batchelor // gamesindustry

REVIEW Farming Simulator 20 — ” not as robust as the last FS entry on Switch “.

A.K Rahming // Nintendo Enthusiast

REVIEW Big Pharma — Sounds like this port is perfectly servicable, but the experience is seemingly far better suited to the PC.

Alexx Aplin // Phenixx Gaming

REVIEW ▶ Tools Up! — A look at this new couch co-op puzzle adventure that takes the chaotic gameplay style of Overcooked and applies it to apartment renovating.

Luis Alamilla // YouTube

What Pokémon Sword & Shield could learn from the Trading Card Game

Matt Jarvis // Eurogamer

Dexit accidentally restored my love of Pokemon

Andrew Searles // Vooks

PREVIEW Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch — A hands-on look at this leaves a ” fine first impression “. It’s out in early January.

Daan Koopman // Nintendo World Report

Reggie Fils-Aime: From taking names to making names — A well-rounded interview with Nintendo of America’s former president, talking about his time at the company and his new role in teaching.

James Brightman // GameDaily

▶ The Touryst is stunning: Switch game of the year contender? — I linked to a positive review of this in last week’s issue , but figured this glowing appraisal from Digital Foundry was also worth sharing. Calling it a GOTY contender means this one is now firmly on my wish list. If you’ve played it let me know how you like it (just hit reply).

Digital Foundry // YouTube

PODCAST ▶ The best Switch games you may have missed — With the Switch library now approaching 3,000(!) games, the IGN staff sit down to discuss what may be some of the best hidden gems buried away within the consoles vast library.

Nintendo Voice Chat // IGN (Overcast)

Tuesday, December 10

• Call of Juarez: Gunslinger — A “real homage to the wild west”, enhanced for the Switch.
• Shovel Knight: King of Cards — Shovel Knight platformer, with a side of card collecting.
• Shovel Knight Showdown — Platform fighting for up to four players.
• Riverbond — Voxel couch co-op adventure. It’s a colourful game.
• Fishing: Barents Sea — The ‘complete edition’ of this fishing sim.

Thursday, December 12

• Jamestown+ — Co-op shooter set on 17th century British colonial Mars. Clearly the world was not enough.
• Gensou Skydrift — A magical racing game in the Touhou Project universe.
• Cardpocalypse — Single player deck building RPG about being a 90s kid taking on mutants.
• SuperEpic: The Entertainment War — Action adventure in which you take down a big corp to save videogames.
• Frogger — The Arcade Archives release of this classic arcade game. Help dat boi get home.
• BlockQuest Maker — A ‘complete edition’ bundle of this RPG dungeon builder.

Friday, December 13

• Event Horizon: Space Defense — Control a massive space fleet at war with aliens.
• Dead End Job — A procedurally generated co-op twin-stick ghost bustin shooter.