E3 – Follow Nintendo’s E3 Stream!

Posted on June 12, 2018 by radioactivemouse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FchkqXEg0qs

IKARUGA Coming To The Nintendo Switch!

Posted on May 4, 2018 by radioactivemouse

The genre known as the “bullet-hell shooter” described a series of games that were typically (but not limited to) top-down shooting games and featured loads upon loads of enemy projectiles, which usually filled the screen with a beautifully dangerous death spray (hence “bullet hell”). Games like DonDonPachi Revolution, Danmaku Unlimited, and Deathsmiles (which is a horizontal shooter) had their niche audience; it even spawned its own subgenre, The Touhou Project.

However, one of the most recognizable and popular of these games, Ikaruga, is coming soon the Nintendo Switch in announcement made by Nicalis. Originally created by Japanese video game developer Treasure, the game itself is spiritual sequel to Radiant Silvergun, another top down shooter (but not classified as a bullet hell) which created point combos by shooting like-colored enemies. Ikaruga took the idea and simplified it, using a simple black and white shooting scheme. Basically, a player could “switch” (see what I did there?) between black and white polarities which not only allowed the fighter to shoot that particular color polarity, it also shielded them from enemies that shot the same color. In doing so, the developer can literally cover the screen with black and white polarity projectiles, forcing the player to constantly switch polarities to avoid being hit.

Ikaruga’s radically contrasting style has a mixed reaction in Japanese arcades, citing that it wasn’t a “standard shooter” to core players, but it was a hit with North American importers, which saw the game released on the Dreamcast in 2002, the GameCube (under Atari/Infogrames) in 2003, the Xbox Live Arcade in 2008, and Steam in 2014. Now it’s going to find a home in the Nintendo Switch.

The Nintendo Switch’s version of Ikaruga will have loads of features as well. Not only will it support two distinct gameplay modes: Arcade and Prototype (which limits ammunition based on bullets absorbed), it will have three difficulty settings, and a horizontal mode where you can tilt your Switch in a portrait formation to play the game like the arcade! Expect Ikaruga to hit the Nintendo Switch eShop on May 29, 2018 for $14.99.

Nindies Show Big During Game Developers Conference

Posted on April 2, 2018 by radioactivemouse

Nintendo has had a knack recently for making big announcements at very opportune times. This isn’t any different. On March 20, Nintendo released their lineup of Nintendo Indie games, or Nindies for short, to be released for the US audience. Here’s the official press release:

REDMOND, Wash., March 20, 2018 – In a Nindies Showcase video released during this year’s Game Developers Conference, Nintendo featured more than a dozen independent games coming to Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch system in 2018. These “Nindies,” the term for independent developers making games for Nintendo systems, are creating unique experiences that fall into multiple genres – including stealth action games like Mark of the Ninja Remastered, tactical role-playing games like Banner Saga 3 and rhythmic “bullet hell” games like Just Shapes and Beats. And because of the unique features of Nintendo Switch, all of the independent games featured in the video can be played at home or on the go. “Since the launch of Nintendo Switch, we’ve continued to be blown away with the amount of high-quality games coming from our passionate Nindie developers, and the positive fan reception for those experiences,” said Damon Baker, Nintendo of America’s Senior Manager for Publisher & Developer Relations. “This talented and ever-growing community of Nindies has found a home on Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, and we absolutely welcome their inventive and visionary contributions.” To view the Nindies Showcase video in its entirety, visit http://live.nintendo.com. Highlights of the presentation include:

Mark of the Ninja Remastered from Klei Entertainment: Originally released in 2012, this high-definition remaster of the critically acclaimed stealth action game is coming this fall. The game really makes players feel like a ninja, as they use silence, agility and wits to navigate beautifully designed 2D levels.

Banner Saga 3 from Versus Evil: As the epic conclusion to the award-winning Banner Saga trilogy of mature, story-driven role-playing games, players will need to brace themselves for tough battles, difficult choices and tragic losses. Banner Saga 3 launches this summer. The original two games, Banner Saga and Banner Saga 2, are also coming to Nintendo Switch. Players’ personal stories, progress and choices from the first two games will carry over to Banner Saga 3.

LUMINES REMASTERED from Enhance Games: A bombastic harmony of light, sound and intense puzzle action make this HD remake of the original critically acclaimed LUMINES as unforgettable to play alone as it is with a friend in local multiplayer. LUMINES REMASTERED launches on Nintendo Switch in spring.

Just Shapes and Beats from Berzerk Studio: This “musical bullet hell” game might be a genre all its own! Navigate deadly shapes solo or in local or online co-op multiplayer, all to a soundtrack composed by 20 chiptune artists. Just Shapes and Beats launches as a timed console exclusive on Nintendo Switch this summer.

Reigns: Kings & Queens from Nerial and Devolver Digital: As a monarch of the modern age, players face a seemingly never-ending series of requests from peasants, allies and enemies. By swiping left or right in the game, players impose their will on the kingdom. The Nintendo Switch version of Reigns: Kings & Queens, which launches this spring, features an exclusive local co-op multiplayer mode.

The Messenger from Sabotage and Devolver Digital: The Messenger allows players to transform the game from an 8-bit platformer into a gloriously rendered 16-bit timetraveling adventure. Players will find upgrades, new abilities, hidden levels and great speed-running opportunities as they journey through a cursed land. The Messenger launches on Nintendo Switch this summer.

Fantasy Strike from Sirlin Games: In a world where fantasy meets martial arts, anything can become a weapon. This gorgeous fighting game employs nuanced mechanics with simple combos and easy-to-perform special moves in local or online multiplayer modes. (Additional accessories required for local multiplayer mode; sold separately.) Fantasy Strike is coming to Nintendo Switch this summer.

Pool Panic from Rekim and Adult Swim Games: More than 100 levels await players in this game, in which everything – from jungles to deserts to cities – is one giant cartoon game of pool. The weird and wild game has the option to play in local multiplayer with up to four players. (Additional accessories required for local multiplayer mode; sold separately.) Pool Panic launches first on Nintendo Switch later this year.

Garage from tinyBuild Games: Inspired by the gloriously gory VHS era of Bmovies, Garage is a top-down shooter set in a gritty underworld. Slay hordes of the living dead using a variety of weapons and skills. Garage launches first on Nintendo Switch this spring. •

Light Fall from Bishop Games: This platforming adventure takes players to the forgotten world of Numbra, where they’ll have to master their surroundings by manipulating the Shadow Core, a magical box used to propel them into the air. In Speedrun Mode, players can race their friends or even the fastest players in the world to place on the online leaderboards. Light Fall launches first on Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive this spring.

Bomb Chicken from Nitrome: Who wouldn’t want to play a good old-fashioned chicken platformer? That’s the question asked by Bomb Chicken, a fast-paced game that combines action, puzzles and arcade gameplay. Lay bombs to escape tricky situations and discover secret areas when Bomb Chicken launches first on Nintendo Switch this summer.

Nintendo Switch Kicks Off its Second Year with a Surge of Standout Indie Games Page 3 • Pode from Henchman & Goon: Two unlikely travel companions embark on an adventure in this co-op exploration puzzle game. Pode is inspired by Norwegian art and culture, resulting in stunning environments and gameplay. Pode launches this spring. • West of Loathing from Asymetric: West of Loathing is a slapstick comedy stickfigure Wild West adventure role-playing game. How’s that for a genre? The hilarious game, full of puzzles, quests and turn-based combat, launches on Nintendo Switch as a console exclusive this spring. • Bad North from Plausible Concept and Raw Fury: Arm troops, shore up defenses and protect citizens in this rogue-lite real-time strategy game. The Viking-themed Bad North launches first on Nintendo Switch this summer.

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.5 billion video games and more than 710 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS™ family of systems, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™, Wii™ and Wii U™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/.

Personally, I’m really excited for Lumines Remastered as it was pretty much the staple game I played on my PSP. Fantasy Strike also intrigues me as I’m a fan of Sirlin Games’ line of analog games (to which the characters from the video game originate from) and those games are well put together.

Other titles I’m interested in are the 8-bit to 16-bit platformer The Messenger. I’ve always been a fan of new mechanics and in one of my classes, one of my students had an idea of a game changing its resolution as the game progressed. Looks like they weren’t the only ones with that idea. Pool Panic just looks really fun to play and is a great twist off of the traditional pool mechanic. The last one I’m interested in is Bomb Chicken, where its simplicity really stands out.

5 Things You Should Know About GAME DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE 2018

Posted on March 29, 2018 by radioactivemouse

When the general public thinks of the ultimate Video Game conference, they usually think E3. While it is true that this is one of the biggest video game conventions in the world, it’s a smaller convention in March called Game Developers Conference in San Francisco that all the movers and the shakers go.

Game Developers Conference started in 1988 in San Jose. Since its inception, many have known GDC as the pre-cursor to E3 and it still continues to live up to its reputation to this day. Many indie game developers found their stride here. Games like Portal, Fez, Papers Please, Cart Life, and Minecraft took off from here.

And this year is no different.

Here’s 5 things you need to know about Game Developers Conference (GDC) that happened just this last week.

1. Crypto-currency is evolving.

While it seems that nowadays, the bitcoin trend is slowly dying down, the notion of “mining” for virtual currency is starting to change. There were several companies present at GDC looking to change blockchain technology for gaming applications which means that some games in the future may have shades of bitcoin but realized as a game.

Even with the bitcoin evolution, many have seen this as an opportunity to mock this trend. Take Dallar (dallar.org). Created by game developers, this crypto-currency has been a huge middle finger to the bitcoin, even going so far as to distribute wristbands and badge ribbons at the convention.

2. Virtual Reality (VR) is STILL here.

After Facebook bought out Oculus, it seemed like the VR trend was starting to show its cracks. Many that backed the Oculus turned their backs, but there were many that believe in the power of VR. Other VR hardware setups rose up…Vive and Playstation VR being the largest competitors. But Oculus is not out of the picture. With Facebook now on their side, they came in with one of the largest booths and it seems like it was pretty busy with appointments and parties.

There were many booths such as Tactical Haptics that continue to show off fresh innovations in VR technology. Being able to snap two controllers together using magnets into 1 unit changes the item in game into something different, allowing for more versatility.

3. The game industry is as strong as ever.

If anyone thinks that the game industry is waning in its impact, then they are severely wrong. GDC itself boasted a record breaking 28,000 attendees. Everyone from students to industry veterans…even WWE Superstar Xavier Woods spent time combing the exhibit floor. If this is any indication of the industry as a whole, it’s clearly exclaiming that gaming is here to stay.

4. Nintendo had little presence, but it’s presence was felt.

Officially, Nintendo had 2 talks at this year’s GDC. Not only were these panels highly advertised on one of their Nintendo Direct sessions, they gave some really interesting tidbits of information. On their Splatoon 2 panel, Nintendo gave more of a post-mortem of the hit game, revealing things such as early concept art for Splatoon, the idea that Yoshi was originally supposed to be the main character of Splatoon, and that the Octolings will soon join the society of squids in the current game.

Did I mention the amount of Switch consoles I saw in and around the convention?

5. Independent games are still driving the industry

If the last 10 years has taught us anything, it’s that the future of the game industry relies on innovative ideas expressed in innovative gameplay. Alt.Ctrl.GDC in its 5^th year, manages to wow the attendees with some pretty wild game schemes. Students showed their stuff as many games I played at the convention felt fresh and new. Some notable ones include Bot Party, where you hold these cube controllers waiting for prompts to touch your fellow players (most likely using a low level electric current to connect the circuits) to score, Disco is Dead, which uses a very interesting slap mechanic to control the player, Lemonade, which uses a series of PVC tubes that controls what happens on screen, and Puppet Pandemonium, which uses a very elaborate puppet-player interaction that I can’t even begin to describe.

This year’s Independent Games Festival (IGF) had a very strong showing this year as well. Winners this year include the cutesy game Chuchel, which won the Excellence in Visual Art, Getting it Over with Bennett Foddy, a weird game about a guy in a cauldron using a sledgehammer to get around (yes, you read that right), which won the Nuovo (Innovation) Award, and Night in the Woods, a 2d paper-like adventure about a cat, which won the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

It’s games like this that push the industry forward and I was glad to be a part of it.

Huge Nintendo Direct! New SUPER SMASH BROS. Coming This Year to Switch!

Posted on March 9, 2018 by radioactivemouse

Nintendo has had a huge 2017 with the launch of the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid home console/portable gaming machine that has literally took the world by storm. It has only been a few days out from its 1 year anniversary that Nintendo decided to layout its plans for the next few months with a Nintendo Direct presentation.

The developers had a little cheesey fun with this presentation, though they can certainly brag about it. The Nintendo Switch has sold over 3.8 million units in Japan in its first year. Compare that with the PS4’s first year unit sales at 1.1 million and it’s not hard to see Nintendo has a bright future ahead of them.

Nintendo Direct Presentations has been the player’s window into what’s been going on at the house of N. Over the year, it’s apparent that this is Nintendo’s new marketing strategy…announcing these upcoming news clips as short as days in advance, then giving the audience a preview of the next few months of releases. Sometimes they announce things farther ahead, but for the most part, it’s been immediate upcoming releases.

And this most recent Nintendo Direct is no different.

Starting off with the Nintendo 3DS, the company announced several games including:

–WarioWare Gold – This seems to be a definitive edition with over 300 microgames to play. Releases Aug 3.

–Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers – An interesting title that looks like an action version of Animal Crossing. Demo Available May 10. Releases May 24.

–Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story – Wanna know what it’s like to be INSIDE Bowser? Well neither did we and we’re still getting it. Releases 2019 no date confirmed.

–Detective Pikachu – This game pretty much explains itself, but it still doesn’t explain why Ryan Reynolds is voicing our favorite electric mouse in the movie. You can pre-order this game now. Releases March 23. Oh, and don’t forget the Detective Pikachu amiibo.

–Luigi’s Mansion 3DS port – I think we all wished it would release on the Switch, but I suppose the 3DS is ok. Releases 2018 no date confirmed.

And for the Nintendo Switch

–Kirby Star Allies – Looks like sidekick heaven as you form your Friendship Circle and bowl your way into this 3DS/Switch crossover. Releases March 28.

–Okami HD – The painterly style of this classic is getting an HD remake with touch control support. Releases Summer 2018.

–Octopath Traveler – More news and details about this upcoming game releasing on July 13. Two more characters, Tressa the merchant and Alfyn the apothecary are introduced as more and more of the world is revealed with a special edition papercraft house included. The demo is available now.

–Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes – Just when you thought you had enough, this new game will have No More Heroes…ok, maybe that was a bad joke, but this sequel has Travis crossing over into different video games a la Wreck-It-Ralph. Releases sometime in 2018.

–Mario Tennis Aces – Announced a few weeks ago, this Nintendo Direct went more in depth with the features of the game. With the ability to slow down time, break your opponent’s racket, and even target super shots, this title will make a tennis fan out of the haters. Releases June 22, but there will be a pre-launch tournament if you can’t wait that long.

–Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – This Wii-U port has Toad adventuring throughout the Mushroom Kingdom landscape with new levels like Super Mario Odyssey’s New Donk City and a 3DS version releasing soon afterwards. Releases July 13.

–Undertale – The monster killing (or not) retro-looking RPG darling of the indie world is making it onto the Switch. Unfortunately no release date was given.

–Crash Bandicoot: N’Sane Triliogy – While some may think of this as a big insult to Sony, this title has already seen a timed release for the PS4 and is now slated to release on the Switch on July 10.

–Little Nightmares: Complete Edition – Another indie game darling, this dark escape game will feature all the past DLC, 2 complete stories, and for some reason a Pac-Man outfit…IF you happen to have the Pac-Man amiibo. Strange as it sounds, this one will go public on May 18.

–South Park: The Fractured But Whole – (say that five times fast…) The sequel to the equally perverse, but mechanically brilliant game The Stick of Truth will see the light of day on the Switch April 24 with all of its DLC packed in.

–Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition – While I’m not a huge fan of the “Warriors” games (basically becoming a fancy lawn mower to enemy “blades of grass”), the Zelda theme will surely bring more eyes to this game on May 18.

–ARMS updates – You want a tournament? You got it! Details later.

–Splatoon 2 updates Version 3.0 – Splatoon 2 update comes with more outfits, more maps, a new rank (X), and a new paid DLC featuring a pretty slick looking Octoling in a new single player mission. Expect this the free updates to arrive in Late April, with the DLC dropping in Summer 2018.

…and last but not least:

–Super Smash Bros for the Nintendo Switch – The surprising, but not really surprising announcement of Super Smash Bros for the Switch started out innocently with the main Splatoon male and female characters fighting when one looks back to see the Smash Bros. logo engulfed in flame. Obviously this is the announcement of the Inklings entering the fray. The bad news is that no other details were given (like whether or not it’s going to be a sequel or a deluxe version or a port or 3DS compatible…) except that it will release sometime this year.

New SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY Update Adds…Luigi!

Posted on February 23, 2018 by radioactivemouse

If you’re one of the 14 million lucky people that own a switch, chances are you are playing Super Mario Odyssey. With Nintendo announcing a whopping 9 million units sold as of February this year, it’s become one of the all stars in the Nintendo Switch lineup.

But many fans of the Mario franchise have wondered where his brother, Luigi, is in the game. Luigi has been a staple in most of the Mario titles ever since Mario Bros. in 1983, acting as a veritable second player. Since then, Luigi has sprouted a distinct look (he’s slightly taller and more slender than Mario) and has owned his signature green color.

But players, fret not! Nintendo has snuck in a new update Friday that features Luigi in…wait for it…a hide and seek contest! Involving balloons!

It certainly isn’t a huge update, but definitely gives a little variety in the hit game. In it, players can meet Luigi in any of the worlds and he will give you a balloon that you can hide and your friends get to find it. There’s a little guide as it does tell you how close you are to the balloon (if you’re the one seeking). But you have to find the exact location.

And the good news is…IT’S FREE!

Go download it…now. Just do it.

METROID PRIME 4 Developer Revealed!

Posted on February 12, 2018 by radioactivemouse

One of the biggest announcements that came from Nintendo at E3 last year was the teaser trailer for Metroid Prime 4 for the Nintendo Switch. Since then, little to no detail has been revealed about anything else regarding the sequel to the Metroid Prime trilogy.

For those that need a refresher, one of Nintendo’s first games on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was the side-scrolling adventure simply titled Metroid. In it, an adventurer named Samus is tasked to explore the planet of Zebes, all the while battling the enemy wildlife and upgrading your weapons to some pretty impressive visuals. When completed within five hours, the game revealed its biggest secret: Samus is actually a woman!

It was a great milestone in video game history, but one that never got to thrive until 15 years later when Metroid Prime released on the Nintendo Gamecube. While there were Metroid games since then, it never seemed to hit the same popularity as the first game, sticking mainly to the handheld market. With Metroid Prime, the franchise came to life again, which gave (literally) a new perspective on the game by making it first-person. Developed by Retro Studios, this newfound surge spawned 2 sequels: Metroid Prime Echoes and Metroid Prime Corruption.

After Corruption, the franchise would dwindle yet again, popping up slightly with Hunters on the Nintendo DS, then disappearing for another 10 years.

Until now.

Cut to today. Eurogamer has recently confirmed that Bandai Namco is going to be behind the new Metroid game…more specifically Bandai Namco Studios Singapore. Rumor has it that it has since moved to Bandai Namco Japan so it seems like they’re keeping it close to home. Many believe that they are utilizing some of the staff from the recently cancelled Star Wars 1313 game by LucasArts which could be a good sign, but with Retro not in the picture, it poses a big question mark on Metroid’s future.

It doesn’t mean Retro Studios is out of Nintendo’s good graces, though. The development company is working on an unannounced project at this time so it’s very possible Nintendo is trusting them with an even bigger mission. But that remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, there has been no new news on the Metroid Prime 4 game itself, though it is known that the team is still in early development which means we may not see this game come out until next year, possibly holiday 2019 or even 2020.

Stick with Nerd Report for up to the date news on Metroid Prime 4.

Is Nintendo’s LABO Going to Change The Industry?

Posted on February 6, 2018 by radioactivemouse

Not too long ago, Nintendo announced the most interesting development in the history of video games. It’s no secret that consoles use various peripherals to immerse players into a deeper experience from a steering wheel for racing games to fully interactive cockpit displays like 2002’s Steel Battalion. But Nintendo’s big announcement didn’t come in the form of a new type of controller, but rather a new way of “creating” control…with cardboard.

In March of 2017, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid console that, quite frankly, catered to Nintendo’s strengths; a solid, innovative console that was also portable. Coming off the heels of the Wii-U, there were many critics, but they were soon silenced by the sheer genius of the device. Sure, there were flaws, but to be able to deliver console quality gameplay and graphics that could also be taken on the go was nothing short of genius.

But many were wondering if Nintendo would enter the Virtual Reality (VR) space. If you look at the console, it certainly lends itself to a VR experience…dual controllers that could freely be held on each hand, remotely connected to a device that gives a high quality output with strong hardware behind it. The only thing missing was a “mount” that kept the device squarely in front of you and the software to give you that experience. Fans adamantly asked Nintendo if they were working on VR and Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima would go on to say that they were “studying” ways to add VR features to the console and that they would pursue VR if they could find a way to allow gamers to play for hours on end without any problems.

Nintendo of America president, Reggie Fils-Aime would throw a curve ball at Variety’s Entertainment and Tech Summit last summer by saying that the “problem with VR is that there aren’t a lot of experiences that are truly fun.” The company would then go on to say that Nintendo doesn’t have plans to experiment with VR, but indicated that they may consider the technology further down the line.

But what does VR have to do with Nintendo’s new cardboard endeavor?

During its January 17^th announcement, Nintendo spilled the beans on what would be the company’s biggest risk yet. Nintendo’s LABO is a project that presents large, pre-cut sheets of cardboard that assemble into some pretty fancy objects, known as “Toy-Con”. The included software will teach you how to assemble the cutouts and the results are quite amazing. There’s a makeshift motorcycle handlebar, a fishing rod, a house using the Switch’s screen as a window into the house, and a full backpack complete with attached grips that hold the Joy-Con controllers and a VR enclosure among other things.

Yes, I said VR enclosure.

Well, it’s more like Augmented Reality (AR) since the headset is more like a “window” looking at the TV, but it does deliver a very interactive experience using the backpack to produce some feedback. While this is not directly VR, it is consistent with what Tatsumi Kimishima and Reggie Fils-Aime have been saying. And it also seems like they’ve been profiting very well with AR; Pokemon GO uses your phone to overlay Pokemon through your phone to bring the franchise into our reality and has made well over $600 million for the company.

Nintendo is really “pushing” AR. But rather than just promoting AR, it seems as though they are doing something far greater than that. Is appears as though the LABO is meant to give more interactivity with the Switch and family bonding through construction using cardboard. It’s like they took Google’s Cardboard VR setup way back in 2014 and took it to the next level.

But is this the future of VR/AR?

The biggest hurdle of VR is getting it into the hands of the consumer and while current VR systems are lowering in price, the hurdle is still high and the attach rate is very low at this time. For example, Playstation’s VR retails for a little over $200, but it doesn’t include the last generation Playstation Move controllers ($100) or the Playstation 4 console itself (from $200 or up depending on model). This puts the Playstation setup at around $500 and that’s not including the software. Nintendo’s AR setup has the console itself ($300) which already comes with the controllers/screen necessary and the software/cardboard bundle ($69.99 or $79.99). This puts the hardware at a very reasonable price and adds more value with its construction elements. Add that the software also comes with some basic programming and the potential for a do-it-yourself community similar to LEGO doesn’t seem too farfetched after all.

However, the biggest concerns lie in several factors: Durability, Price, and Gameplay. Building the devices can be its own reward, but can this cardboard be durable enough for longevity? Is the carboard too flimsy for children’s hands? As far as price, many are looking at the price and are dismissing the product as just “expensive cardboard”. But we have to realize that when we buy a game disc, we are really buying a disc, which costs pennies, housed in a cover, which are also cheap to make. In a sense, aren’t we paying for cheap plastic when we buy our games? When we buy games digitally, we are only buying “information” with nothing physical to compensate for the full price we pay. And what about the gameplay? Is this just a glorified 1-2 Switch? We can definitely see that the LABO is a very complex tech demo, showing off the versatility of the Switch, but can third parties utilize these features? Is Nintendo just positioning itself in a corner that only Nintendo can play in? Or is this the wave of the future?

As with any proposed announcements, the proof is in the pudding. Can Nintendo start its second year with the Switch strong with LABO? Will this bring about a revolution in VR/AR as we know it? Will Batman be able to stop the bomb in time?

We will see when LABO hits the shelves on April 20, 2018.

Podcast- TAKE 2 Episode 112 Poke Fever

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Chris Eaton

Take 2 is the Podcast that talks about all the minutia in pop culture of the week.

In this exciting episode, Chris and George talk of the latest craze to grip the country: Pokemon Go. The duo then breaks down news from Wreck It Ralph 2, the Flatliners remake, and a round of news out of the DC Warner Bros camp: Supergirl, Flash, Wonder Woman. Finally, they wrap things up with a break down of the schedule of the San Diego Comic Con. Oh, and if you’re going, don’t miss the Kaiju Kingdom Podcast panel on Saturday.

*This podcast contains language NSFW

Podcast- TAKE 2 Episode 110 The Big Switch

Posted on June 17, 2016 by Chris Eaton