Tag: Talking Point
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th July)
To hell with it
The working week is over and it's time to settle in for the weekend. Welcome back to another edition of What Are You Playing! What's been going on in the world of Nintendo recently, then? Well, we got a boatload of NSO drops as Nintendo served up a whopping seven additions to the NES library including Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Urban...
Talking Point What Games Are You Nervous To Replay In Case They Don't Hold Up?
Past masters
We often use the word 'evergreen' to describe a game which never gets old. Despite the passage of time, there's a stratum of untouchables that still feel as vital in the hands as the day they were released. Personal preferences and nostalgia will always, always come into play, but games like Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World?...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (29th June)
M-M-M-Maaaaarioooooo
Right then folks, the weekend's here, which means it's time to shake off the stress accumulated by the working week and settle down for some sweet gaming. In the world of Nintendo, this week saw the launch of Luigi's Mansion 2 HD for the Switch; a game that has undoubtedly caused a bit of controversy surrounding its price...
Talking Point Is Shovel Knight Now A Retro Gaming Icon?
Let's dig in
Shovel Knight is the very definition of an indie darling. Bursting onto the scene in 2014, Yacht Club Games’ slick, throwback platformer caught the imagination of gamers both old and new. Its stunning aesthetic, tight controls, and humorous writing made it a must-play, while its ample secrets, tough but never punishing difficulty, and...
Talking Point Could Another Nintendo Series Take Over The 'Traditional' Zelda Template?
The next Link in the chain
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Nathan considers the two-forks Zelda conundrum and wonders if another Nintendo series might take on the old-school Zelda mantle... Perhaps the most surprising...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (22nd June)
Getting primed
Summer's here, everyone! Except if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case, Winter's here, everyone! After a quiet month or so, it's been a busy week in Nintendo land thanks to the June Direct which delivered above and beyond what many of us expected to see three months into Switch's eighth year, with its successor waiting...
Reaction A Direct That Delivered, And Shows That Switch Still Has Plenty Of Pep
How would you rate it?
Well, well, that was a packed one, wasn't it? We've gotta be honest, expectations were sensibly low around these parts. For every wild card dream we had of a new Mario & Luigi or that 2D Zelda we've been hoping Grezzo would make as a follow-up to Link's Awakening, there was a wise voice in our ear warning us to be...
Talking Point What We Expect From The Upcoming June Nintendo Direct
Update: It's coming tomorrow!
Update: Well, there it is! The June 2024 Nintendo Direct has finally been confirmed for Tuesday 18th June. Read on to find out what Team NL expects/hopes to see, now with Alana's thoughts added thanks to her return from Summer Game Fest... <related ids="160754"> In a rather unusual move for Nintendo, company...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (15th June)
Praise the sun
It's the weekend once again folks, which means it's time to shake off the stress and responsibilities of the week and wind down with a bit of gaming. Bliss. Before we get cracking with what we're playing, however, let's just recap some of the top stories of the week, hm? First up, Summer Game Fest was a whole thing, and you can check...
Talking Point Is Summer Game Fest Really Missing Nintendo's Presence?
Nontendo
Let me get this out of the way – being at Summer Game Fest was amazing. The people were amazing. The variety of games, both big and small, were amazing. I was lucky enough to go to E3 twice back when I wrote for a different site, and I would take the laid-back vibes, the layout, and the ability to socialise at my own pace any day of the...
Talking Point amiibo Were First Revealed 10 Years Ago Today, And We Still Want More
Will they continue with 'Switch 2'?
10th June 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the reveal of Nintendo's toys-to-life line of figures at E3 2014. A stop-gap project for Nintendo to fill a void between the foundering Wii U and the company's next 'NX' hardware, it's hard to argue that the interactive potential of these little Near-Field...
Talking Point HD-2D Or 3D - How Should Square Enix Remake Chrono Trigger?
2D or not 2D
Chrono Trigger is still missing in action on Nintendo Switch. Suspiciously so, really. But people said the same thing about Super Mario RPG, and then bam: Nintendo dropped a remake on us. Fans have been asking for a Chrono Trigger remake for decades at this point, so now more than ever, with so many other revivals from Square like...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (8th June)
Wake up, Link
The weekend is finally upon us and it's time to play some games! There has been plenty to talk about this week in the world of Nintendo. Yet more 'Switch 2' rumours trickled in with a fresh batch of supposed codenames, Playtonic announced Yooka-Replaylee (maybe our favourite title of the year, so far) and
Talking Point Would You Want Quality And Performance Options For Nintendo's 'Switch 2' Games?
Smooth operator
Since the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launched in 2013, gamers have increasingly been given the option to tweak their experiences based on whether they prefer higher image quality or smoother performance. Not all developers offer this, but now that we're more than three-and-a-half years into the lifespan of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox...
Talking Point How Do You Define 'Retro'?
10 years? 20? Anything older than two console generations?
If you're reading this, you're getting older. Right now, at this moment, you're older than you were when you started reading this sentence. And this one. No, you can't go back and read it again to get younger. Time marches on, so thank you for spending your precious seconds on this silly...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (1st June)
What are YoRHa doing?
Crikey, it's the weekend already..? Ah well, we'll take it! Looking back on this week, it's kinda felt like a bit of a quieter one, but we've still had some pretty sizeable news items drop. The top story this week was undoubtedly the reveal of the new Lego set based on the Legend of Zelda franchise's Deku Tree; it's an...
Poll Is $60 Too Much For Nintendo's Switch Re-Releases?
Remaking money
As Nintendo's internal software focus has switched to games for its as-yet-unannounced hardware, we've been enjoying a wave of lower-key ports, remakes, and remasters over the last year or so, in addition to the tentpole TOTKs and Mario Wonders of the world. The sun may be slowly setting on Switch, but quality revisits such as Metroid...
Talking Point What Other LEGO Zelda Sets Would You Like To See After The Deku Tree?
The seal is broken
The long-rumoured LEGO Zelda set has finally, officially been unveiled and, despite the cost of the adult-focused set causing many a Zelda fan to spit-take their Lon Lon Milk across the room, the 2-in-1 Great Deku Tree looks like a beauty. Of course, it absolutely should do for 300 bucks, but looking at the myriad details crammed...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (25th May)
Are you well?
Wait, it's Saturday already? Where does the time go? This week has been an exciting one for fans of the Big N. Not only did Nintendo announce the acquisition of Shiver Entertainment, but we finally got our hands on Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on Switch (and we think it's a beauty)! Elsewhere on the site this week, we
Talking Point 'Remake' Vs. 'Remaster' - What's Your Definition?
Super 'master 'maker
With official word that a Nintendo Switch "successor" will be announced before April 2025, there's really no debating that Switch is in the twilight of its years. We're well into Year 8 now, and we're being served up a series of remakes and remasters of old favourites while Nintendo's premier teams focus on brand-new games for...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (18th May)
Well, well well
Oh, weekend! How we have missed thee! The past seven days might not have been the Switch successor-confirming news fest that we saw last week, but there has still been plenty of good stuff happening in Nintendo land. The NSO Game Boy library got a tasty boost with the addition of three new games, we got a first peek at Splatoon 3's
Talking Point Which Games Were Just The Perfect Length?
And which outstayed their welcome?
We've all watched films that could have stood to lose 30 minutes from their runtime. That whole last act of Bad Boys II? Should've been left on the cutting room floor, mate. It's the same with many a game. Alien: Isolation is fantastic, but how much better might it have been with a little tightening, to remove some...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (11th May)
Down in the well
Ah, the weekend. We've missed you, friend. Before we look at what we've got planned over the next couple of days, let's take a look back at this week, shall we? It's been a pretty big one, admittedly. For the first time, Nintendo itself has finally acknowledged the existence of the 'Switch 2' after the release of its latest...
Talking Point Will Nintendo Wring One More Holiday From Switch Before Revealing New Hardware?
The clock is ticking
Today, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa started a stopwatch that puts an official deadline on the reveal of the Switch successor — he says it's coming "this fiscal year," which means FY2025, which means between now and April 2025. It's important to remember that this specifically refers to the reveal of the upcoming...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (4th May)
May the Fourth be with you
Hello there. Happy Star Wars Day, folks! With a glass of blue milk in hand, let's kick off the weekend's celebrations with another edition of What Are You Playing. This week in the world of Nintendo, we heard yet more 'Switch 2' rumours and asked whether you'd like to see your Joy-Con carry over to the next model. We also...
Talking Point Would You Want To Reuse Your Joy-Con On 'Switch 2'?
Pros and 'Cons
Last week the Switch 2 beacons were lit once again as Spanish outlet Vandal reported to have more information regarding Nintendo's next hardware, specifically to do with a new, magnetic Joy-Con model. Another report just d
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th April)
Jump up, Superstar Saga
Another week is almost over, which means it's once again time to kick back, relax, and play some games. Before we do, however, let's just do a quick recap of some of the stories from this week. First up, Nintendo expanded the NSO service with two N64 games, which is always welcome in our book. We also got our first proper...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (20th April)
Totally rad(s)!
The weekend has rolled around once again and we are eager to play some games! Before we do that, however, let's take a look back at the week just gone. The big news this week was Nintendo's first Indie World of the year which didn't bring us that game but did provide plenty of goodies including Little Kitty, Big City, Teenage Mutant...
Talking Point Nintendo Indie World Showcase Predictions - What Do You Expect To See?
Don't you dare say it
It's Indie World time! Yes, Nintendo has announced that on Wednesday 17th April we're getting 20-ish minutes' worth of indie game announcement goodness, following on from the February 2024 Nintendo Direct and the Pokémon Presents in the same month. And what's a Direct without some Direct predictions, eh? Okay, it's not...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (13th April)
Oh, Penitent one
Right then, it's the weekend, but before we dive into what we're playing, let's take a look at what's been going on this week. First up, it was announced that Balatro would be getting its first major update, but keep calm, as it's not Switch-bound just yet. We caught wind of a rather pointless mod that allows
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (6th April)
Hallownest awaits
It's the weekend folks, which means it's time to find out which games we'll be sinking a few hours into. Before that, however, let's check out a recap of what's been going down this week. First up, we found out that the Switch might have an even bigger task ahead of it if we want it to become the best-selling console of all time...
Talking Point What Games Would You Like To See Given The 'Gold Master Series' Treatment?
Get them 'Eclipsed, pronto
We're big fans of Digital Eclipse's work, especially the studio's recent approach to documenting the stories of landmark games and their creators, exploring video game history in the medium's native habitat. Atari 50 was its first 'interactive documentary' title to launch, with The Making of Karateka kicking off the 'Gold...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (30th March)
Birdie!
The weekend is here, which means it's time to dive into what we've all got planned with our Switches (and other consoles too, we guess). Before that, however, let's take a look at what's been going on this week. First up, the Switch got its latest firmware update, and although it's not the most exciting thing in the world, we always...
Talking Point Why Isn't Nintendo Revealing Its Partner Devs Before Launch?
Wanted: Dev 'fore it's live
Welcome to the Wild West of the modern gaming landscape. Game sales are soaring. Film and TV adaptations are crawling out of the wilderness quicker than they can be counted. All eyes are on the saloon doors of a bar named 'Nintendo' as the smell of something tasty wafts from the kitchen and out into the nostrils of...
Talking Point What's Your Perfect Sunday Morning Game?
Sunday brunch
The sun's streaming in through the crack in the curtains. Perhaps last night was a large one and you're a little fuzzy, maybe the kids are awake, jumping on you or haring around the house, or maybe your partner is already up and the smell of a fresh brew is drifting from room to room. Lovely. There's not much better than a Sunday...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (23rd March)
Perfect organism
Hurray, it's the weekend! Before we dive into what we're going to be playing, let's take a look at what's been going on this week. For starters, we reviewed Princess Peach: Showtime! for the Switch, and surprise surprise, it turned out to be much better than we were expecting. We also got some really cool tidbits of information...
Talking Point Should 'Third' Pokémon Games Make A Comeback?
Crystal clear
If you can believe it (and, to be honest, we can't) it has been a whopping 15 years since Pokémon Platinum first arrived on Western shores. It has been a decade and a half since we first met Giratina and co. A decade and a half since we stepped foot in the Distortion World. And, most importantly perhaps, a decade and a half since we...
Talking Point Should We Be Expecting More From Remakes And Remasters?
History in the making (of)
With Switch now into its eighth year and Nintendo's head chefs deep into software prep for the next console, remakes and remasters are the order of the day, with a platter of old favourites being served up in this twilight period for the current system. We got the excellent Super Mario RPG late last year and the Mario vs...
Talking Point What's Your Personal Favourite Super Mario Game?
Not the best
MAR10 Day might be over, but hear us out-- Nintendo said that every day is MAR10 day with Nintendo Switch. So we're going to take that statement to heart and talk about our favourite Mario games. Yep, not the best, not the worst, but our personal favourites. And no, they don't have to be on Switch. Everyone has a different favourite...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (16th March)
Seeing an X
Today we ask the age-old question... Will it corndog? Wait, no... What are you playing this weekend?! Before we take a look at the staff picks this week, let's take a look at what's been going on the last few days or so. First up, we got word that The Pokémon Company has set up a new subsidiary called 'Pokémon Works', but no one knows...
Talking Point What Do You Want To See From The Next Super Mario Bros. Movie?
A certain 'je ne sais qWAHH'?
In perhaps the least shocking news of MAR10 Day 2024, Nintendo revealed that another Super Mario Bros. Movie is on the way and it's coming in 2026. A sequel should come as no surprise, let's not forget that the first film pulled in 168 million views at the global box office and went on to become one of th
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 9th)
We're not over Overlord
The week is almost over and that means it's time for another edition of What Are You Playing! This week was a little quiet in Nintendo Land after last week's Pokémon shenanigans, but there was still plenty to keep us entertained. We got a free demo for Princess Peach: Showtime! which might have even given us a sneak
Talking Point What DS & 3DS Games Would You Still Like To See On Switch?
Dual-screen dreams
We are still receiving top-notch releases by the bucketload on Switch, but as the console enters the latter phase of its lifespan, we are well and truly in remake & remaster territory. The Wii U barrel has quickly run dry (though some remain that we'd like to see make the jump to the hybrid) and recent years have seen Nintendo...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 2nd)
Wish upon a card
We made it out of February and it is finally the weekend! Keen to keep the good vibes going, this week on Nintendo Life we celebrated the first Pokémon Presents of 2024. And what would you know, it wasn't all that bad! The big takeaway was the grand reveal of Pokémon Legends: Z-A coming to Switch in 2025, but we also got to see a...
Talking Point What Would Make You Happy To Give Up Physical Games And Go 100% Digital?
Concessions stand
While the demise of physical media has seemed like an inevitability for many years now, boutique publishers are helping to keep a passionate base of physical-only fans with a stocked game library. The scenario right now isn't ideal, with eShop releases often only getting a physical version months later (once a publisher has gauged...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 24th)
Jockey up
The weekeeeeeeeeeeeend *cough cough, splutter*. Sorry. Yes, it's the weekend, which means it's time to kick back and relax with some games. First, let's recap what's been going on this week. So the big news is, of course, that we had a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, where the likes of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Epic Mickey:...
Talking Point Which Xbox Games Would You Like To See Come To Switch?
Halo, is it me you're looking for?
After what felt like months of rumours, Microsoft and Nintendo finally put us out of our misery during the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase by confirming that, yes, select Microsoft-published Xbox games will be making their way to the Nintendo Switch to join the likes of Banjo-Kazooie on NSO, and the Ori duo...
Talking Point Pokémon Presents Predictions - What Are You Expecting?
'mon Dieu
Following hot on the heels of the February 2024 Nintendo Direct, the inevitable announcement of a Pokémon Presents broadcast to coincide with Pokémon Day on 27th February came along. It's traditional to have a broadcast on this date — the anniversary of the first Pokémon games' Japanese debut way back in 1996 — and it's been a busy...
Talking Point Nintendo Direct Predictions - What Do You Hope To See?
Howdy, Partner
There she is! After waiting patiently for the first Nintendo Direct of 2024 — looking back to determine the most probable date Nintendo would unleash its next bumper crop of Switch game reveals and news — we finally have the time, date, and flavour confirmed: 21st February, and it's a Partner Showcase. <related...
Talking Point If 'Switch 2' Isn't Coming Until 2025, What's Nintendo Got Up Its Sleeve This Year?
Is there enough in the tank to coast through 2024?
Reports that Nintendo's unannounced Switch successor may be subject to a behind-the-scenes delay suggest that the current console might have yet another Holiday season all to itself. In March, Nintendo Switch will enter its eighth year, and scuttlebutt from industry sources had previously pegged...
