Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey was released on the Nintendo DS in both Japan and North America in 2009 and 2010 respectively. When was it released in Europe? Well… it wasn’t. Strange Journey never saw a European release, but Strange Journey’s 3DS port will see a European release.
Strange Journey Redux
Announced for European release in June, Strange Journey Redux (SJR) is an enhanced 3DS port of the original DS title featuring updated graphics, voiceovers, a new story arc, new characters, and a new dungeon.
No exact release date was given in June when SJR was first announced for European release, but with the New Year came news of a confirmed release. On January 17th a European release date for SJR was given. SJR will hit European store shelves on May 18th and North American store shelves on May 15th.
In addition to the release date, Atlus gave gamers their first glimpse of official artwork for SJR’s Western release:
As you can see, Gore’s body is just as ready for a Western release as you are.
Western Megami Tensei fans have long speculated on whether or not SJR would receive an English dub, but Atlus’ recently updated sales sheet for SJR confirms SJR’s Western release will feature the original Japanese voiceover audio and no English dub.
SJR was released in Japan on October 17th, 2016 as Deep Strange Journey and received a score of 33/40 from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.
With Baseball Riot out now for the Nintendo Switch, the sequel to Tennis in the Face, 10tons has now released their entire catalogue on the hybrid console – that would be in less than a year.
10tons Games: A Fairly Sizeable Task
What does this mean, well, the Switch now has exactly the same selection of 10tons games as the PS4, Xbox One, and even Steam. Jaakko Maaniemi had this to say on the exciting news:
“It feels pretty good to have this fairly sizeable task now done. Well, we’ll need to update a couple of titles to fix minor niggles, but otherwise we’re done for now!”
The developer’s next upcoming game is Tesla vs Lovecraft, a top-down arena shooter, which will be heading to the Switch “in a month or two”. We’re waiting to hear final details on a release date.
Creator Eric Barone has seen to this, working on a patch to add in multiplayer. He clarified that the new content patch (see image below for content) is complete and he is completely dedicated to getting multiplayer into the game.
some things I’ve added for the new content update:
*new “town event” in winter
*new type of collection that you can start in your first winter
*Signs (can display any item on them)
*More outdoor decorations (some change w/ season)
*More NPC “events”
*A way to re-spec professions
4-player Stardew Valley LAN party at my house… it’s really fun. It still needs some work, but the underlying network code is solid. Being in the same room and yelling at each other about what to do next, or if anyone has any stone, is great fun. Can’t wait to share this pic.twitter.com/Sjxyd712BK
He did address that it will be both LAN and Online. The new content will be coming to consoles after it hits PC and Mac. Sadly, the multiplayer doesn’t have a firm release as of yet.
Update: We have some prices for Nintendo Labo in the UK, and it’s looking a little princely:
The Variety Labo Kit costs £59.99
The Robot Labo Kit costs £69.99
The Customisation Labo Set costs £8.99
Original:
Nintendo has announced what they’re calling Nintendo Labo, a new range of interactive cardboard toys. This isn’t an April Fool’s either, obviously! It’s too early for that, see here:
Nintendo Labo – Coming This Spring
Out on the 27th April, the Labo toy range features two starting packs plus an additional one for some extra creativity:
The “Variety Kit” contains the Toy-Con RC Car, Toy-Con Fishing Rod, Toy-Con House, Toy-Con Motorbike and Toy-Con Piano
The “Robot Kit” features a wearable robot suit, where you insert the left and right Joy-Con into the designated slots on the backpack and visor to assume control of the robot – shown on the TV when the Switch console is docked
The special “Customisation Set” includes stencils, stickers and coloured tape to help bring the creations to life
These kits then work with the Switch and its Joy-Con controllers to create interactive experiences. It’s like AR, sort of, but with cardboard. Remember Google Cardboard for mobile VR?
Basically, the Joy-Con controllers trick you into thinking the objects are real, like the cardboard Piano producing sound in the video above. It’s clear that these new toys are aimed at children (and some bigger kids) much like Nintendo said they would be.
So yeah, different enough for you? Is this Nintendo’s maddest idea yet? Let us know below.
The original Xeodrifter has been out for some time now. It first launched back in 2013 on the 3DS, then it eventually made its way to the home consoles and PC too.
Xeodrifter – A Metroid Style Platformer
So the good news for Switch owners is that Xeodrifter is a great ‘Metroid’ style platformer and it’s headed to Nintendo’s portable hardware.
An exact date hasn’t been given yet. The developers, Atooi, simply sent out a tweet of the game running on a Switch. Pretty self-explanatory as far as ‘cryptic tweets’ go:
I should also mention that this isn’t going to be some sprawling epic. From what I remember, when I played the game on the PS4, Xeodrifter is fairly short. It took me about 5 hours (ish) to finish. Which is absolutely not a knock against the game!
Shortly after Nintendo announced their Direct Mini, Dark Souls Remastered became real – it’s coming to Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC. The official release date for the Nintendo Switch version is May 25th, 2018 and will most likely be the date across the other platforms too.
Dark Souls Remastered – Return To Lodran
Players will have access to the main game as well as Artorias of the Abyss – the DLC. There are rumours that all of the Dark Souls games will be coming to the Switch as Nintendo and Bandai Namco Entertainment seem to be working with each other for the foreseeable future.
Players will now be able to “re-experience the critically acclaimed, genre-defining game that started it all. Beautifully remastered, return to Lodran in stunning detail.”
Switch fans should look out for more announcements regarding the Dark Souls franchise, while PS4, Xbox One and PC gamers should be excited to replay such an incredible game.
On January 10th Nintendo of America’s Twitter was aflame after this ambiguous tweet:
Gamers everywhere wondered what prompted Nintendo to tweet a picture of a flaming Chibi-Robo. Was a new Chibi-Robo game on the horizon? Nope. It turns out Nintendo was just hyping fans for today’s surprise Nintendo Direct Mini. Despite not mentioning Chibi-Robo, Nintendo did announce a slew of new Switch releases.
January Nintendo Direct (Mini) Rundown
Here’s the full rundown for you, reader:
The World Ends With You Final Remix / 2018
One of Nintendo DS’ greatest titles, The World Ends With You, will be re-released on the Switch sometime this year. In addition to a new, Switch-exclusive scenario, The World Ends With You Final Remix will feature both touch controls resembling those of the original DS release and new Joy-Con controls. No specific release date was given, but The World Ends With You Final Remix will be released in 2018.
Pokken Tournament DX DLC / January 31st, March 23rd
New Pokémon fighters will soon appear in Pokkén Tournament DX. Battle character Aegislash will be available for download on January 31st along with the support Pokémon set Mega Rayquaza and Mimikyu. On March 23rd a new battle character, the famous Blastoise, and a new support Pokémon set featuring Mew and Celebi will be available for download. Both sets of Pokémon will be released as part of the Deluxe Battle Pack now available for purchase. While you won’t have access to the new Pokémon until their release dates, you will be given a new set of avatar items upon purchase.
Kirby Star Allies / March 16th
Nintendo presented a new trailer for the already announced Kirby Switch title featuring two of Kirby’s new abilities: Artist and Spider. Now Kirby can paint Waddle Dee and other enemies into a world of pain using the artist ability, or Kirby can spin a web around foes à la Spiderman. A new co-op mode will also allow players to mix and match abilities.
Dragon Quest Builders / January 2018
Experience the world of Dragon Quest your way in the Minecraft-flavored Dragon Quest RPG. The cross-platform hit is making its way to the Switch later this month, but a demo is now available for download in the eShop as well.
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition / Spring 2018
It’s both the Wii U and 3DS Hyrule Warriors in one. The Switch’s definitive version of Hyrule Warriors will include all the exclusive content featured in both the Wii U and 3DS versions of Hyrule Warriors. New to the definitive edition are Breath of the Wild-themed Link and Zelda costumes, and a same-screen co-op mode.
Mario Tennis Aces / Spring 2018
The developers of the great Mario Tennis titles, Camelot, are at it again with a Mario Tennis title for the Switch. Mario Tennis Aces will feature the series’ first story mode since GBA title Mario Tennis: Power Tour, complete with boss battles and mission-based gameplay. The story mode looks ‘ace’…
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA / Summer 2018
RPG fans rejoice! Ys VIII: Lacrimose of DANA is making its way to the Switch this Summer. Ys VIII features a real-time battle system, a base-building mechanic, anime-style cutscenes, and an epic narrative.
Super Mario Odyssey Update / February 2018
Luigi’s opening up a new world for Mario to explore in Super Mario Odyssey’s free upcoming update. The update features post-game content where Luigi sources Mario to either find or hide balloons. Finding and hiding balloons brings with it international scoreboards where players around the globe can find other players’ hidden balloons and compare high scores.
Also included in the Super Mario Odyssey update are new costumes for Mario and new filters for snapshot mode. The update will be free.
SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy / Summer 2018
SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy will feature female characters from SNK’s prolific catalogue of fighting games. Players will be able to customize fighters with different costumes and accessories.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle DLC / Spring 2018
A new challenger approaches in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and he is bringing all the jungle heat… and a banana boomerang (?) with him. Yes, Donkey Kong will be available for download this Spring.
Payday 2 / February 27th
The earlier announced Switch port of Payday 2 will release on February 27th along with a timed-exclusive new character: Joy. Joy brings with her hacking perks sure to make quick work of any security firewalls.
Fe / February 16th
This platforming adventure allows players to explore a huge 3D world. Heavy emphasis is placed on music as players use it to unlock abilities and battle foes. Fe will be available for purchase on February 16th.
Celeste / January 25th
Celeste is a 2D action-platformer featuring lovely pixel-based graphics. Play as Madeleine and help her ascend Mount Celeste using an air-dash and other abilities. Celeste lets players fully customize game difficulty allowing for both easy runs and impossibly difficult runs too.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze / May 4th
Another Switch port of a Wii U game, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze introduces Funky Kong as a new playable character with his own unique abilities.
Dark Souls Remastered / May 25th
A trailer was shown for Dark Souls Remastered, but it didn’t include any details regarding changes or new gameplay. All that’s known about Dark Souls Remastered is its release date then: May 25th, 2018.
That wraps it up for the January 11th Nintendo Direct Mini. Are you excited about any of the titles showcased? Are there any games you were hoping to see that didn’t make the cut?
It’s no surprise that the Switch has seen such great success: it caters to hardcore and casual gamers with its unique premise, while games such as Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have both been hailed as Game of the Year titles, driving further demand.
Reggie Fils-Aimé, CEO of Nintendo of America, stated that the console has attracted gamers who were already attached to Nintendo titles, as well as children who are now looking to experience these franchises for the first time.
With Nintendo gaining popularity among third-party publishers, and the releases of upcoming games such as Yoshi, Kirby Star Allies, Bayonetta 3, a new Pokémon title and Metroid Prime 4, the Switch looks set to realise a bright future ahead.
Addiction in video games has seen a lot of press lately with some governments around the world considering legislation restricting the use of loot boxes.
Now addiction in a gaming context is getting a bit more attention: recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced gaming itself can be addictive.
Are you having difficulty pulling yourself away from your video games? Have you forsaken both your responsibilities and your relationships with others? Do you continue gaming despite negative repercussions? If so, as far as the WHO is now concerned, you are suffering from “gaming disorder”.
Gaming disorder is included in the draft of WHO’s 11th revision of its International Classification of Diseases. WHO defines gaming disorder as a consistent, recurring gaming habit of “sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, education, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.”
According to WHO’s new draft, gaming disorder is only possible to diagnose over a period of at least 12 months except for in extreme cases. As of the time of writing, WHO’s draft does not include treatment or prevention of gaming disorders.
It’s worth mentioning that another recent study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, discovered that playing first-person shooters can actually reduce grey matter within the hippocampus in the brain.
The modding game community never ceases to amaze in terms of their ambition and scope. The latest is a mod for Breath of the Wild which sees Link ride Sonic as his motorcycle – you can forget the new Master Cycle Zero then.
Kudos to Afterparty. I’ve been writing up video game news stories for a while now and I’ve seen my fair share of press releases announcing new titles. So it takes something really special for me to go ‘huh, that’s a neat premise that I’d like to hear more about.’
Turns out that ‘game where you try and beat Satan in a drinking contest’ is just the very premise.
“In Afterparty, you are Milo and Lola, recently deceased best buds who suddenly find themselves staring down an eternity in hell. But there’s a loophole: outdrink Satan and he’ll grant you re-entry to Earth.”
More than just a great idea, Afterparty also has some great pedigree behind it too. This is because the developers are Night School Studios – the guys and gals behind the downright excellent Oxenfree.
Speaking of which, I’m not sure how much longer this deal is running for but Oxenfree is now… free! Head over to GOG.com to claim it right now. The deal’s only good for 24 hours (knowing how timely I am with writing news stories up this is likely hour 23) so grab it now.
It’s a long ways from release, sadly, as the game’s page says it’ll be out in 2019. We also don’t know what it’ll launch on. Let’s take a guess and say PC, PS4 and Xbox One, shall we? Oh hell, since the Switch is doing well, let’s say it’ll come out on that too.
