#163: Your Nintendo Update
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A lot more Galar. 
Issue 163 — January 12, 2020 
Hi , issue #163 of Switch Weekly here, with the Nintendo things you need to see. Well, as I mentioned in last week’s issue, there was plenty of talk suggesting a Direct was just around the corner, and sure enough there was — however it was a Pokemon Direct, and not the Nintendo Direct many expected. I’ve linked up the roughly 20-min presentation in the issue below, along with some commentary from myself on what was announced. Now there’s still plenty of smoke hinting at a Direct ‘proper’ in the coming days, so be on the look out for that . It’s been three years since the big Switch reveal event in Tokyo. Here’s a sub-30 minute cut I put together if you want to rewatch (I still find it amusing, with hindsight, how much stage time EA got). You’ve got about 20 or so games out next week, including another Wii U port. Thanks for reading as ever, and enjoy the issue.
Cheers,
▶ Pokémon Direct — Instead of the usual third game, for Sword and Shield Nintendo are opting for a DLC expansion pack. I’m ok with this, and think it better suits the Switch’s model (proper digital distribution baked in) – of course, not everyone is pleased with this direction. The expansions look great, and seem to be a hefty addition to the base games. This Direct also announced a remake of the original Mystery Dungeon game ( a demo is out now ) — this isn’t something I’ve ever played, but it seems like a big enough deal for many, so that’s cool ( there is now a wave of nostalgia for games from a decade or so ago that I’ve never played – old man alert ). Nintendo // YouTube The best advanced Pokémon challenges — The first of those Pokemon DLC expansion packs doesn’t arrive until the summer, so here’s a bunch of fun in-game challenges you can set yourself to extend your playtime with Sword and Shield. Jack Gawn // The Nintendo Village PREVIEW Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore — This Wii U port is an RPG that brings together the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem franchises. Admittedly this is’t something I’m particularly clued in on, but this preview seems positive. The full game is out on Friday. Colette Stirling // My Nintendo News 
▶ I made GameCube Joy-Cons — This is a fascinating and entertaining look at just what goes into modding a controller correctly. I very much want one of these now ! For those of you brave enough, the modder behind this says he’ll share how to DIY in the future. Shank Mods // YouTube Is Switch Pro the right move for Nintendo? — Plenty of pundits have this down as a dead cert, but this article asks if the product is as easily defined as the Switch Lite. Rob Fahey // gamesindustry Would you buy a Nintendo Switch Plus in 2020? — Matt proposes a Switch ‘Plus’ ( not Pro ), offering a few sensible quality of life improvements. All the suggestions are ones I would welcome, but are ones I’d like to see in a model that just replaces the current Switch. Matt Birchler // Birchtree REVIEW Thoth — “a game that is trying to set itself apart from the classic conventions of the genres it is placed in, and while it is an interesting experience, [..] it follows too many of those old-school mechanics that were made to eat up your coins, not give you a pleasant time” . Steven Green // Nintendo World Report Pokémon Mystery Dungeon’s demo dragged me, and I’m grateful for it Patricia Hernandez // Polygon Is it possible to upload a mathematically impossible level in Super Mario Maker 2? — This is from late last year, but I found this a fascinating look at pushing what you can do with Mario Maker. Ceave Gaming // YouTube PODCAST N-E Cafe — A lengthy podcast discussing the past ten years in gaming and the biggest games of that past decade. Steven Green // N-Europe ℹ️ Enjoying the newsletter? Support it on Patreon .
🎮 Upcoming Releases
All releases are digital EU & US unless otherwise stated.
Monday, January 13
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Thursday, January 16
Friday, January 17
⚡️ Quick Links: 💯 You can now upload up to 100 levels in Mario Maker 2. 🔁 An infographic shows how you can get your Pokemon in and out of Pokemon Home . 🌏 Two more Oddworld games are heading to the Switch this year. 💡 Alienware shared a concept PC at CES that’s just like the Switch. 🌋 Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is coming to Switch in a few months. 🇨🇳 Looks like you’ll want to avoid importing any physical Switch games from China . 🛎 May be region specific, but how cute are the Animal Crossing pre-order bonuses ? 🏅 The free DLC for Wargroove is out early next month. ☠️ After 330 hours played, some folks are still finding new things in BoTW. 😮 More games came to the Switch last year than the PS4 and Xbox One combined. |